Gender differences in mathematics achievement in Beijing: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Li, Meijuan; Zhang, Yongmei; Liu, Hongyun; Hao, Yi

2017-12-19

The topic of gender differences in mathematical performance has received considerable attention in the fields of education, sociology, economics and psychology. We analysed gender differences based on data from the Beijing Assessment of Educational Quality in China. A large data set of Grade 5 and Grade 8 students who took the mathematical test from 2008 to 2013 (n = 73,318) were analysed. Meta-analysis was used in this research. The findings were as follows. (1) No gender differences in mathematical achievement exist among students in Grade 5, relatively small gender differences exist in Grade 8, females scored higher than males, and variance of male students is larger than that of females in both Grade 5 and Grade 8. (2) Except for statistics and probability, gender differences in other domains in Grade 8 are significantly higher than those in Grade 5, and female students outperform males. (3) The ratio of students of both gender in Grade 5 and Grade 8 at the 95-100% percentile level shows no significant differences. However, the ratio of male students is significantly higher than that of females at the 0-5% percentile level. (4) In Grade 5, the extent to which females outperformed males in low SES group is larger than that in higher SES groups, and in Grade 8, the magnitude of gender differences in urban schools is smaller than that in rural schools. There is a small gender difference among the 8th graders, with the male disadvantage at the bottom of the distribution. And gender differences also vary across school locations. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Affix Meaning Knowledge in First Through Third Grade Students.

PubMed

Apel, Kenn; Henbest, Victoria Suzanne

2016-04-01

We examined grade-level differences in 1st- through 3rd-grade students' performance on an experimenter-developed affix meaning task (AMT) and determined whether AMT performance explained unique variance in word-level reading and reading comprehension, beyond other known contributors to reading development. Forty students at each grade level completed an assessment battery that included measures of phonological awareness, receptive vocabulary, word-level reading, reading comprehension, and affix meaning knowledge. On the AMT, 1st-grade students were significantly less accurate than 2nd- and 3rd-grade students; there was no significant difference in performance between the 2nd- and 3rd-grade students. Regression analyses revealed that the AMT accounted for 8% unique variance of students' performance on word-level reading measures and 6% unique variance of students' performance on the reading comprehension measure, after age, phonological awareness, and receptive vocabulary were explained. These results provide initial information on the development of affix meaning knowledge via an explicit measure in 1st- through 3rd-grade students and demonstrate that affix meaning knowledge uniquely contributes to the development of reading abilities above other known literacy predictors. These findings provide empirical support for how students might use morphological problem solving to read unknown multimorphemic words successfully.

Grade differences in reading motivation among Hong Kong primary and secondary students.

PubMed

Lau, Kit-Ling

2009-12-01

Most previous studies in Western societies have demonstrated a general decline in school motivation. However, it is not clear whether motivational decline occurs uniformly for all students. The moderating effects of individual and cultural differences on students' motivational decline need to be further explored. This study aimed to examine the grade differences in students' reading motivation, including self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and social motivation, in a Chinese educational context. Grade by gender and grade by school-average achievement interactions were also checked to explore the role of individual differences in students' motivational changes. A total of 1,794 students (860 boys and 934 girls) volunteered to take part in this study, of whom 648 were Grade 4-6 students from 11 primary schools, 627 were Grade 7-9 students from 12 junior secondary schools, and 519 Grade 10-11 students from 6 senior secondary schools. A Chinese version of the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (CRMQ) was administered to all participants during regular class periods by their teachers. Reliability analyses and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were first undertaken to assess the psychometric quality of the CRMQ. Then, multisample CFA was conducted to examine whether the factor structure of the CRMQ was equivalent across students at different grade levels. Grade differences in various reading motivation constructs as well as grade x gender and grade x school-average achievement interactions were examined using multiple-indicator-multiple-causes modelling. The findings of this study supported the reliability and the factor structure of the CRMQ in measuring the reading motivation of Chinese students at different grade levels. The factor pattern of the CRMQ was invariant across primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary students in multisample CFA. As far as the scores on the four reading motivation constructs were concerned, students scored most highly on intrinsic motivation, followed by self-efficacy, extrinsic motivation, and social motivation. Significant grade differences were found in all reading motivation constructs whereas only a few grade by gender and grade by school-average interactions were found. Consistent with previous studies in Western countries, the findings suggest that motivational decline is also a common phenomenon among Chinese students in Hong Kong. In addition, the pattern of motivational differences is generally consistent among students with different genders and from schools with different achievement levels. The implications of these findings for understanding Chinese students' reading motivation and for planning effective reading instruction to enhance their motivation are discussed.

Estimation of copper in saliva and areca nut products and its correlation with histological grades of oral submucous fibrosis.

PubMed

Mohammed, Faraz; Manohar, Vidya; Jose, Maji; Thapasum, Arishiya Fairozekhan; Mohamed, Shamaz; Shamaz, Bibi Halima; D'Souza, Neevan

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate the copper levels in saliva of patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and different areca nut products and its correlation with different histological grades of OSF. The study comprised 60 individuals, 30 OSF patients and 30 non-OSF individuals. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, and copper analysis was performed using colorimetric method. The commercial areca nut products used by the patients were acquired and subjected to copper analysis through the atomic absorption spectrophotometer method. Oral biopsies were performed for OSF patients for histopathological correlation. The mean salivary copper level was 27.023 μg/dl in OSF patients when compared with 8.393 μg/dl in non-OSF individuals (P < 0.005). The mean copper content in different areca nut products was 13.313 ppm (P < 0.005). Comparison of copper content in different areca nut products with salivary copper levels of OSF patients showed negative correlation (P < 0.853). Comparison of salivary copper levels between different histological grades of OSF yielded a statistically significant association between grades I and III (P < 0.005) and grades II and III OSF (P < 0.019). Comparison of copper content in areca nut products and different histological grades of OSF yielded weak negative statistical correlation (r = -0.116). Despite high copper content in areca nut products, the observations yielded a negative correlation with different histological grades of OSF. This further raises a doubt about the copper content in areca nut as an etiological factor for this crippling disease. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relationship Between Dental Fluorosis and Intelligence Quotient of School Going Children In and Around Lucknow District: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Khan, Suleman Abbas; Singh, Rahul Kumar; Navit, Saumya; Chadha, Dheera; Johri, Nikita; Navit, Pragati; Sharma, Anshul; Bahuguna, Rachana

2015-11-01

Fluoridation of drinking water, despite being regarded as one of the top ten public health achievements of the twentieth century, has remained a much debated concept. Various studies on animals and aborted human fetuses have confirmed that excessive fluoride intake during infancy and early childhood, causes a number of irreversible structural and functional changes in the CNS leading to memory, learning and intellectual deficits. To compare the IQ levels of school children of two different locations, having different fluoride levels in water, and to establish a relationship between fluoride levels, prevalence of fluorosis and its effect on IQ levels. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 429 children aged 6 - 12 years, selected by stratified random sampling from two different areas with different levels of fluoride in drinking water in and around Lucknow district. Dental fluorosis was measured using Dean's Fluorosis Index. Intelligence Quotient was measured using Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (1998 edition). Majority of the fluorosis free children (76.3%) had an IQ grade 2 (definitely above the average). Majority of the children suffering from very mild and mild dental fluorosis were found to have IQ grade 3 (Intellectually average). Children with moderate cases of dental fluorosis were found to have IQ grade 4 (Definitely below average). Only 5 children with severe fluorosis were included in the study and they all were found to have an IQ grade 5. Hence, a trend of increase in the IQ grade (decrease in intellectual capacity) was observed indicating a strong correlation between fluorosis grade and IQ grade. Findings of this study suggest that the overall IQ of the children exposed to high fluoride levels in drinking water and hence suffering from dental fluorosis were significantly lower than those of the low fluoride area.

Affix Meaning Knowledge in First through Third Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apel, Kenn; Henbest, Victoria Suzanne

2016-01-01

Purpose: We examined grade-level differences in 1st- through 3rd-grade students' performance on an experimenter-developed affix meaning task (AMT) and determined whether AMT performance explained unique variance in word-level reading and reading comprehension, beyond other known contributors to reading development. Method: Forty students at each…

A Cross-Age Study of Student Understanding of the Concept of Diffusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westbrook, Susan L.; Marek, Edmund A.

1991-01-01

Examines seventh grade life science students, tenth grade biology students, and college zoology students for understanding of the concept of diffusion. Describes the differences among the grade levels in sound or partial understanding, misconceptions, and no understanding. Discusses the effect of developmental level on understanding. (KR)

Glycohemoglobin levels with severity of periodontitis in non-diabetic population.

PubMed

Ghalaut, Pankaj; Sharma, Tarun Kumar; Ghalaut, Veena Singh; Singh, Ragini; Ghalaut, P S

2013-01-01

Periodontal disease is closely related to type 2 diabetes and is an important complication of diabetes. There are few studies about the relationship the glycohemoglobin levels with severity of periodontitis in non-diabetic population. We therefore planned this study to evaluate the glycohemoglobin levels with severity of periodontitis in non-diabetic population. This study was conducted on 50 age and gender matched subjects in each of the three groups (according to the grades of mobility in periodontitis), a total of 150 non-diabetic periodontitis patients (Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mobility) and 50 non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 0 mobility (controls), in collaboration with the Department of Periodontics of Dental College and Department of Biochemistry, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana. After obtaining informed consent, fasting venous blood samples of all the non-diabetic periodontitis patients of all grades were collected aseptically for HbA1c, plasma glucose, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) estimation. A total of 150 non-diabetic periodontitis patients (Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mobility) and 50 age and gender matched controls participated in the study. There was no significant difference in fasting plasma glucose and postprandial plasma glucose in non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mobility as compared to controls, non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1 mobility as compared to Grade 2, non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1 mobility as compared to Grade 3 and non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 2 mobility as compared to Grade 3. Glycohemoglobin and serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly increased in non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mobility as compared to controls, non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1 mobility as compared to Grade 3 and non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 2 mobility as compared to Grade 3. The difference of serum C-reactive protein levels were significant. However, glycohemoglobin levels were non-significant between non-diabetic periodontitis patients with Grade 1 and Grade 2 mobility. The evidence of association between periodontitis and increased glycohemoglobin increases attention to the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis, consequently improving the patient's oral health and prevention of occurrence in future diabetes. An understanding of these correlations is important to allow dental health care providers to inform patients with periodontitis of their increased risks and to counsel such patients to seek additional medical assessment or intervention as indicated.

Longitudinal Relations between Perceived Autonomy Support and Basic Need Satisfaction in Two Student Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diseth, Åge; Breidablik, Hans Johan; Meland, Eivind

2018-01-01

The relation between autonomy support and basic need satisfaction was investigated by applying a longitudinal design at a time interval of two years, and by comparing two different grade level cohorts of students. Participants comprised 1.225 Norwegian students divided by two subsamples (6th and 8th grade level/8th and 10th grade level). The…

An Investigation of Preservice English Teachers' Perceptions of Mobile Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oz, Huseyin

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate preservice English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' perceptions about mobile assisted language learning (MALL) and find out whether their perceptions differed by gender, grade level and grade point average (GPA). The study also sought to determine whether gender, grade level and GPA variables would predict…

Signal transduction molecules in gliomas of all grades.

PubMed

Ermoian, Ralph P; Kaprealian, Tania; Lamborn, Kathleen R; Yang, Xiaodong; Jelluma, Nannette; Arvold, Nils D; Zeidman, Ruth; Berger, Mitchel S; Stokoe, David; Haas-Kogan, Daphne A

2009-01-01

To interrogate grade II, III, and IV gliomas and characterize the critical effectors within the PI3-kinase pathway upstream and downstream of mTOR. Experimental design Tissues from 87 patients who were treated at UCSF between 1990 and 2004 were analyzed. Twenty-eight grade II, 17 grade III glioma, 26 grade IV gliomas, and 16 non-tumor brain specimens were analyzed. Protein levels were assessed by immunoblots; RNA levels were determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification. To address the multiple comparisons, first an overall analysis was done comparing the four groups using Spearman's Correlation Coefficient. Only if this analysis was statistically significant were individual pairwise comparisons done. Multiple comparison analyses revealed a significant correlation with grade for all variables examined, except phosphorylated-S6. Expression of phosphorylated-4E-BP1, phosphorylated-PKB/Akt, PTEN, TSC1, and TSC2 correlated with grade (P < 0.01 for all). We extended our analyses to ask whether decreases in TSC proteins levels were due to changes in mRNA levels, or due to changes in post-transcriptional alterations. We found significantly lower levels of TSC1 and TSC2 mRNA in GBMs than in grade II gliomas or non-tumor brain (P < 0.01). Expression levels of critical signaling molecules upstream and downstream of mTOR differ between non-tumor brain and gliomas of any grade. The single variable whose expression did not differ between non-tumor brain and gliomas was phosphorylated-S6, suggesting that other protein kinases, in addition to mTOR, contribute significantly to S6 phosphorylation. mTOR provides a rational therapeutic target in gliomas of all grades, and clinical benefit may emerge as mTOR inhibitors are combined with additional agents.

Evaluation of Biomarkers in Egyptian Patients with Different Grades of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

PubMed

Borai, Ibrahim H; Shaker, Yehia; Kamal, Maha Moustafa; Ezzat, Wafaa M; Ashour, Esmat; Afify, Mie; Gouda, Weaam; Elbrashy, Maha M

2017-06-28

Background and Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease; its spectrum includes simple steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play roles in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and insulin resistance (IR). Moreover, plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) is related to IR and associated with NAFLD progression. Therefore, we aimed to detect biomarkers, ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings capable of differentiating NAFLD grades, since most previous investigators were concerned more with NAFLD patients without classifying them into grades. Methods: A total of 87 NAFLD patients (31 with grade 1 (mild NAFLD), 26 with grade 2 (moderate NAFLD) and 30 with grade 3 (severe NAFLD) were included in the study, in addition to 47 controls (grade 0). All subjects underwent ultrasonographic examination for NAFLD diagnosis. Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10), plasma interleukin-18 (IL-18) and plasma PC-1 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR was higher in different NAFLD grades than in controls. Ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings and lipid profile indices (except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which was decreased) were increased with NAFLD progression. Grade 3 patients showed significant increase in levels of IL-18 and significant decrease in IL-10 and PC-1 levels when compared to grade 1 patients. Conclusion: Anthropometric and ultrasonographic findings were valuable in differentiating NAFLD grades. IR is very important in NAFLD pathogenesis. IL-18, HOMA-index and PC-1 levels could be used to differentiate between NAFLD grades, together with other measurements.

Evaluation of Biomarkers in Egyptian Patients with Different Grades of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

PubMed Central

Borai, Ibrahim H.; Shaker, Yehia; Kamal, Maha Moustafa; Ezzat, Wafaa M.; Ashour, Esmat; Afify, Mie; Gouda, Weaam; Elbrashy, Maha M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background and Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease; its spectrum includes simple steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play roles in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and insulin resistance (IR). Moreover, plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) is related to IR and associated with NAFLD progression. Therefore, we aimed to detect biomarkers, ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings capable of differentiating NAFLD grades, since most previous investigators were concerned more with NAFLD patients without classifying them into grades. Methods: A total of 87 NAFLD patients (31 with grade 1 (mild NAFLD), 26 with grade 2 (moderate NAFLD) and 30 with grade 3 (severe NAFLD) were included in the study, in addition to 47 controls (grade 0). All subjects underwent ultrasonographic examination for NAFLD diagnosis. Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10), plasma interleukin-18 (IL-18) and plasma PC-1 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR was higher in different NAFLD grades than in controls. Ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings and lipid profile indices (except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which was decreased) were increased with NAFLD progression. Grade 3 patients showed significant increase in levels of IL-18 and significant decrease in IL-10 and PC-1 levels when compared to grade 1 patients. Conclusion: Anthropometric and ultrasonographic findings were valuable in differentiating NAFLD grades. IR is very important in NAFLD pathogenesis. IL-18, HOMA-index and PC-1 levels could be used to differentiate between NAFLD grades, together with other measurements. PMID:28660148

Readability of Healthcare Literature for Hepatitis B and C.

PubMed

Meillier, Andrew; Patel, Shyam; Al-Osaimi, Abdullah M S

2015-12-01

Patients increasingly use the Internet for educational material concerning health and diseases. This information can be utilized to teach the population of hepatitis B and C if properly written at the necessary grade level of the intended patient population. We explored the readability of online resources concerning hepatitis B and C. Google searches were performed for "Hepatitis B" and "Hepatitis C." The Internet resources that were intended for patient education were used with specific exclusions. Articles were taken from 19 and 23 different websites focusing on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatitis B and C, respectively. The articles were analyzed using Readability Studio Professional Edition (Oleander Solutions, Vandalia, OH) using 10 different readability scales. The results were compared and averaged to identify the anticipated academic grade level required to understand the information. The average readability scores of the 10 scales had ranges of 9.7-16.4 for hepatitis B and 9.2-16.4 for hepatitis C. The average academic reading grade level for hepatitis B was 12.6 ± 2.1 and for hepatitis C was 12.7 ± 2.1. There was no significant discrepancy between the hepatitis B and C Internet resource averaged grade levels. The resources accessed by patients are higher than the previously determined necessary grade level for patients to properly understand the intended information. The American Medical Association recommends material should be simplified to grade levels below the sixth grade level to benefit the ideal proportion of the patient population.

Comparison of Different Methods of Grading a Level Turn Task on a Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heath, Bruce E.; Crier, tomyka

2003-01-01

With the advancements in the computing power of personal computers, pc-based flight simulators and trainers have opened new avenues in the training of airplane pilots. It may be desirable to have the flight simulator make a quantitative evaluation of the progress of a pilot's training thereby reducing the physical requirement of the flight instructor who must, in turn, watch every flight. In an experiment, University students conducted six different flights, each consisting of two level turns. The flights were three minutes in duration. By evaluating videotapes, two certified flight instructors provided separate letter grades for each turn. These level turns were also evaluated using two other computer based grading methods. One method determined automated grades based on prescribed tolerances in bank angle, airspeed and altitude. The other method used was deviations in altitude and bank angle for performance index and performance grades.

STS-based education in non-majors college biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Phyllis Lee

The study explored the effect of the science-technology-society (STS) and traditional teaching methods in non-majors biology classes at a community college. It investigated the efficacy of the two methods in developing cognitive abilities at Bloom's first three levels of learning. It compared retention rates in classes taught in the two methods. Changes in student attitude relating to anxiety, fear, and interest in biology were explored. The effect of each method on grade attainment among men and women was investigated. The effect of each method on grade attainment among older and younger students was examined. Results of the study indicated that no significant differences, relating to retention or student attitude, existed in classes taught in the two methods. The study found no significant cognitive gains at Bloom's first three levels in classes taught in the traditional format. In the STS classes no significant gains were uncovered at Bloom's first level of cognition. Statistically significant gains were found in the STS classes at Bloom's second and third levels of cognition. In the classes taught in the traditional format no difference was identified in grade attainment between males and females. In the STS-based classes a small correlational difference between males and females was found with males receiving lower grades than expected. No difference in grade attainment was found between older and younger students taught in the traditional format. In the STS-based classes a small statistically significant difference in grade attainment was uncovered between older and younger students with older students receiving more A's and fewer C's than expected. This study found no difference in the grades of older, female students as compared to all other students in the traditionally taught classes. A weak statistically significant difference was discovered between grade attainment of older, female students and all other students in the STS classes with older, female students earning more A's and fewer C's than expected. It was concluded that among the students examined in this investigation STS teaching methods enhanced cognitive gains at Bloom's second and third levels of cognition. STS also strengthened grade attainment among older students and female students. Recommendations for further study included replication of the study to include a larger sample size, other types of institutions, and other academic disciplines in science. Expansion of the study to Bloom's fourth and fifth levels, use of a standardized testing instruments to determine attitude, analysis using qualitative methods of investigation, and refinement of the study to provide a true experimental design were also suggested.

Linguistic Feature Development Across Grades and Genre in Elementary Writing.

PubMed

Hall-Mills, Shannon; Apel, Kenn

2015-07-01

As children develop skills in writing across academic contexts, clinicians and educators need to have a fundamental understanding of typical writing development as well as valid and reliable assessment methods. The purpose of this study was to examine the progression of linguistic elements in school-age children's narrative and expository writing development. Narrative and expository writing samples produced by 89 children in Grades 2 through 4 were analyzed at the microstructure and macrostructure levels. Measures of receptive vocabulary, word-level reading, and reading comprehension were obtained. Exploratory factor analyses revealed 4 microstructure factors (e.g., productivity, grammatical complexity, grammatical accuracy, and lexical density) and 1 macrostructure factor (e.g., a combination of organization, text structure, and cohesion). Multivariate analyses of covariance with reading comprehension as a covariate showed that productivity and macrostructure were sensitive to grade-level and genre differences and that expository grammatical complexity was sensitive to grade-level differences. Findings are discussed in light of grade-level standards for narrative and expository writing and current practices in writing assessment. Multiple suggestions are offered for clinical and educational implications, and specific directions are provided for future research.

Stress in Portuguese Middle School Transition: A Multilevel Analysis.

PubMed

Coelho, Vítor Alexandre; Romão, Ana Maria

2016-09-23

Transition from elementary to middle school is commonly seen as a period of stress, impacting students' school adjustment. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyze the difference in stress levels between the end of 4th grade and 5th grade, while also analyzing gender differences and 5th grade retention. Two hundred fifty-eight 4th grade students (M age = 9.55; SD = 0.77) from six Portuguese public schools, from the municipality of Torres Vedras, participated in this study. Self-report questionnaires were administered at the end of the 4th and 5th grades, and 5th grade school records were also collected. Results showed that 5th graders present higher levels of Academic Stress (d = .29) and Teacher/Rules Stress (d = .28). Girls had a greater increase of Peer-related Stress with the transition (p < .01). Students who were retained at the end of 5th grade showed higher increases of Teacher/Rules Stress (p < .05). Intervention programs that aim to support the transition from elementary to middle school are needed, in order to reduce the increase of stress levels at 5th grade and to promote a better school adjustment in the first year of middle school.

An Evaluation of Teachers' Perceptions of a State Developed Educational Portal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caraccio, Beth Katz

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions use of a state developed educational portal. The research evaluated the differences in the quality, usefulness, and relevance of learning objects found on the website based on teachers' gender and grade level they taught. Grade level taught referred to those grades that are the…

Does It Say That? Tensions in Teacher Questions When the Text Has the Final Say

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boelé, Amy L.

2017-01-01

Using sociocultural concepts of authoritative and dialogic discourse, I sought to examine 5th-grade teachers' questioning practices during small-group reading instruction to understand the differences between groups reading text on grade level and groups reading texts below grade level. The purpose was also to examine how questions functioned for…

Variation in Strategy Use across Grade Level by Pattern Generalization Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Mouhayar, Rabih; Jurdak, Murad

2015-01-01

This paper explored variation of strategy use in pattern generalization across different generalization types and across grade level. A test was designed to assess students' strategy use in pattern generalization tasks. The test was given to a sample of 1232 students from grades 4 to 11 from five schools in Lebanon. The findings of this study…

Interrelation between the Poisoning Severity Score, carboxyhaemoglobin levels and in-hospital clinical course of carbon monoxide poisoning.

PubMed

Cevik, A A; Unluoglu, I; Yanturali, S; Kalkan, S; Sahin, A

2006-12-01

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) and carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) using outcome as the measure. The study was designed as a retrospective chart review of patients with final diagnosis of COP. Correlation of PSS and COHb levels at presentation was evaluated with collected data. Majority of the cases were grade 1 (minor) PSS (134 cases, 73.6%) and 93.4% of these patients made a complete recovery. There were six deaths (mortality 3.3%) and six in-hospital major complications (IHMCs) (3.3%) (please specify whether the complications were in the patients who died). There is moderate correlation between PSS and outcome (p < 0.001, r = 0.493). Grade 3 (severe) PSS was significantly different from other grades for outcome (six mortalities and three IHMCs). Patients classified as grade 3 and patients who died had a significantly higher mean age (p < 0.05, 41.8 +/- 23.6 and p < 0.01, 60.1 +/- 20.3, respectively). Mean COHb level of grade 3 (33.2 +/- 13.9%) was significantly higher than that of other grades (p < 0.05). COHb levels according to outcome were not different (? within the patients in grade 3). Decreased level of consciousness, acidosis, tachycardia, high glucose and leucocyte levels showed significant relation with higher PSS, COHb level and adverse outcome. We conclude that the PSS is a reliable guide in COP. Value of the PSS in COP may be enhanced if additional factors and investigations are included.

Variation of Student Numerical and Figural Reasoning Approaches by Pattern Generalization Type, Strategy Use and Grade Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Mouhayar, Rabih; Jurdak, Murad

2016-01-01

This paper explored variation of student numerical and figural reasoning approaches across different pattern generalization types and across grade level. An instrument was designed for this purpose. The instrument was given to a sample of 1232 students from grades 4 to 11 from five schools in Lebanon. Analysis of data showed that the numerical…

Teachers' Perceptions of Grading Practices: How Pre-Service Training Makes a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Link, Laura

2018-01-01

This study examines the enduring problem of inconsistent K-12 grading practices by exploring the relationship between teachers' perceptions of various grading practices, such as factoring student behavior in academic grades, as related to grade level, district locale, and training. Survey responses from 2,996 K-12 teachers from one suburban and…

Influence of carbon steel grade on the initial attachment of bacteria and microbiologically influenced corrosion.

PubMed

Javed, M A; Neil, W C; Stoddart, P R; Wade, S A

2016-01-01

The influence of the composition and microstructure of different carbon steel grades on the initial attachment (≤ 60 min) of Escherichia coli and subsequent longer term (28 days) corrosion was investigated. The initial bacterial attachment increased with time on all grades of carbon steel. However, the rate and magnitude of bacterial attachment varied on the different steel grades and was significantly less on the steels with a higher pearlite phase content. The observed variations in the number of bacterial cells attached across different steel grades were significantly reduced by applying a fixed potential to the steel samples. Longer term immersion studies showed similar levels of biofilm formation on the surface of the different grades of carbon steel. The measured corrosion rates were significantly higher in biotic conditions compared to abiotic conditions and were found to be positively correlated with the pearlite phase content of the different grades of carbon steel coupons.

Gender Differences in Attitudes toward Mathematics between Low-Achieving and High-Achieving Fifth Grade Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathbone, A. Sue

Possible gender differences in attitudes toward mathematics were studied between low-achieving and high-achieving fifth-grade students in selected elementary schools within a large, metropolitan area. The attitudes of pre-adolescent children at an intermediate grade level were assessed to determine the effects of rapidly emerging gender-related…

Applying a Multiple Group Causal Indicator Modeling Framework to the Reading Comprehension Skills of Third, Seventh, and Tenth Grade Students

PubMed Central

Tighe, Elizabeth L.; Wagner, Richard K.; Schatschneider, Christopher

2015-01-01

This study demonstrates the utility of applying a causal indicator modeling framework to investigate important predictors of reading comprehension in third, seventh, and tenth grade students. The results indicated that a 4-factor multiple indicator multiple indicator cause (MIMIC) model of reading comprehension provided adequate fit at each grade level. This model included latent predictor constructs of decoding, verbal reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, and working memory and accounted for a large portion of the reading comprehension variance (73% to 87%) across grade levels. Verbal reasoning contributed the most unique variance to reading comprehension at all grade levels. In addition, we fit a multiple group 4-factor MIMIC model to investigate the relative stability (or variability) of the predictor contributions to reading comprehension across development (i.e., grade levels). The results revealed that the contributions of verbal reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, and working memory to reading comprehension were stable across the three grade levels. Decoding was the only predictor that could not be constrained to be equal across grade levels. The contribution of decoding skills to reading comprehension was higher in third grade and then remained relatively stable between seventh and tenth grade. These findings illustrate the feasibility of using MIMIC models to explain individual differences in reading comprehension across the development of reading skills. PMID:25821346

Matrix metalloproteinases in pathogenesis of hemorrhoidal disease.

PubMed

Kisli, Erol; Kemik, Ahu; Sümer, Aziz; Kemik, Özgür

2013-11-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) levels in an effort to find a reliable factor that may play an important role in pathogenesis of hemorrhoidal disease. Twenty control subjects and 21 Grade I, 19 Grade II, 20 Grade III, and 21 Grade IV patients with internal hemorrhoid were included in this prospective study. The mean ages of control subjects were 47.65 ± 6.71 standard deviation (SD) years (range, 37 to 60 years). The mean age of internal Grade I, Grade II, Grade III, and Grade IV patients with internal hemorrhoid were 48.85 ± 6.44, 47.20 ± 6.75, 44.90 ± 6.13, and 42.95 ± 3.49 SD years (ranges, 38 to 58, 38 to 60, 34 to 55, and 38 to 50 years), respectively. Ten milliliters of blood was taken from all subjects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for MMP-1, -2, -7, and -9 levels were performed using an ELISA kit (R&D Systems) following the manufacturer's instructions. There was an important difference between Grade I and Grade II groups in the serum levels of MMP-9 (P < 0.01). Patients with Grade III hemorrhoidal disease had significantly higher serum levels of all MMP than patients with Grade I and Grade II hemorrhoidal disease (P < 0.001). Also, patients with Grade 4 hemorrhoidal disease had higher serum levels of MMP-7 and -9 according to Grade I, II, and III groups (P < 0.01, 0.001). High serum levels of MMP are present in patients with hemorrhoids, suggesting the possible mechanism in the pathogenesis of hemorrhoids.

CD25 is expressed by canine cutaneous mast cell tumors but not by cutaneous connective tissue mast cells.

PubMed

Meyer, A; Gruber, A D; Klopfleisch, R

2012-11-01

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCT) of different histological grades have distinct biological behaviors. However, little is known about underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to tumor development and increasing malignancy with higher tumor grade. Recent studies have identified the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) subunits CD25 and CD2 as markers that distinguish nonneoplastic from neoplastic mast cells in human systemic mastocytosis. In this study, their potential as a marker for canine MCT and their possible impact on MCT carcinogenesis were evaluated. mRNA expression levels of both genes were compared between grade 1 (n = 12) and grade 3 (n = 8) MCT, and protein expression levels of CD25 were compared in 90 MCT of different tumor grades. mRNA expression levels of both CD25 and CD2 were upregulated in grade 3 MCT. In contrast, CD25 protein was expressed by fewer tumor cells and at decreased levels in grade 3 tumors, while most grade 1 MCT had strong CD25 protein expression. Moreover, CD25 was not expressed by nonneoplastic, resting cutaneous mast cells, while few presumably activated mast cells in tissue samples from dogs with allergic dermatitis had weak CD25 expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that CD25 may play a critical role in early MCT development and may be a stimulatory factor in grade 1 MCT, while grade 3 MCT seem to be less dependent on CD25. Because of the low number of CD25-positive tumor cells in high-grade tumors, the usefulness of CD25 as a tumor marker is, however, questionable.

Anthropometric and Athletic Performance Combine Test Results Among Positions Within Grade Levels of High School-Aged American Football Players.

PubMed

Leutzinger, Todd J; Gillen, Zachary M; Miramonti, Amelia M; McKay, Brianna D; Mendez, Alegra I; Cramer, Joel T

2018-05-01

Leutzinger, TJ, Gillen, ZM, Miramonti, AM, McKay, BD, Mendez, AI, and Cramer, JT. Anthropometric and athletic performance combine test results among positions within grade levels of high school-aged American football players. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1288-1296, 2018-The purpose of this study was to investigate differences among player positions at 3 grade levels in elite, collegiate-prospective American football players. Participants' data (n = 7,160) were analyzed for this study (mean height [Ht] ± SD = 178 ± 7 cm, mass [Bm] = 86 ± 19 kg). Data were obtained from 12 different high school American football recruiting combines hosted by Zybek Sports (Boulder, Colorado). Eight 2-way (9 × 3) mixed factorial analysis of variances {position (defensive back [DB], defensive end, defensive lineman, linebacker, offensive lineman [OL], quarterback, running back, tight end, and wide receiver [WR]) × grade (freshmen, sophomores, and juniors)} were used to test for differences among the mean test scores for each combine measure (Ht, Bm, 40-yard [40 yd] dash, proagility [PA] drill, L-cone [LC] drill, vertical jump [VJ], and broad jump [BJ]). There were position-related differences (p ≤ 0.05) for Ht, 40 yd dash, and BJ, within each grade level and for Bm, PA, LC, and VJ independent of grade level. Generally, the results showed that OL were the tallest, weighed the most, and exhibited the lowest performance scores among positions. Running backs were the shortest, whereas DBs and WRs weighed the least and exhibited the highest performance scores among positions. These results demonstrate the value of classifying high school-aged American football players according to their specific position rather than categorical groupings such as "line" vs. "skill" vs. "big skill" when evaluating anthropometric and athletic performance combine test results.

Effects of multisensory resources on the achievement and science attitudes of seventh-grade suburban students taught science concepts on and above grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Patrice Helen

This research was designed to determine the relationships among students' achievement scores on grade-level science content, on science content that was three years above-grade level, on attitudes toward instructional approaches, and learning-styles perceptual preferences when instructional approaches were multisensory versus traditional. The dependent variables for this investigation were scores on achievement posttests and scores on the attitude survey. The independent variables were the instructional strategy and students' perceptual preferences. The sample consisted of 74 educationally oriented seventh-grade students. The Learning Styles Inventory (LSI) (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 1990) was administered to determine perceptual preferences. The control group was taught seventh-grade and tenth-grade science units using a traditional approach and the experimental group was instructed on the same units using multisensory instructional resources. The Semantic Differential Scale (SDS) (Pizzo, 1981) was administered to reveal attitudinal differences. The traditional unit included oral reading from the textbook, completing outlines, labeling diagrams, and correcting the outlines and diagrams as a class. The multisensory unit included five instructional stations established in different sections of the classroom to allow students to learn by: (a) manipulating Flip Chutes, (b) using Electroboards, (c) assembling Task Cards, (d) playing a kinesthetic Floor Game, and (e) reading an individual Programmed Learning Sequence. Audio tapes and scripts were provided at each location. Students circulated in groups of four from station to station. The data subjected to statistical analyses supported the use of a multisensory, rather than a traditional approach, for teaching science content that is above-grade level. T-tests revealed a positive and significant impact on achievement scores (p < 0.0007). No significance was detected on grade-level achievement nor on the perceptual-preference effect. Furthermore, the students indicated significantly more positive attitudes when instructed with a multisensory approach on either grade-level or above-grade level science content (p < 0.0001). The findings supported using a multisensory approach when teaching science concepts that are new to and difficult for students (Martini, 1986).

Plasma Levels of Glucose and Insulin in Patients with Brain Tumors

PubMed Central

ALEXANDRU, OANA; ENE, L.; PURCARU, OANA STEFANA; TACHE, DANIELA ELISE; POPESCU, ALISA; NEAMTU, OANA MARIA; TATARANU, LIGIA GABRIELA; GEORGESCU, ADA MARIA; TUDORICA, VALERICA; ZAHARIA, CORNELIA; DRICU, ANICA

2014-01-01

In the last years there were many authors that suggest the existence of an association between different components of metabolic syndrome and various cancers. Two important components of metabolic syndrome are hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Both of them had already been linked with the increased risk of pancreatic, breast, endometrial or prostate cancer. However the correlation of the level of the glucose and insulin with various types and grades of brain tumors remains unclear. In this article we have analysed the values of plasma glucose and insulin in 267 patients, consecutively diagnosed with various types of brain tumors. Our results showed no correlation between the glycemia and brain tumor types or grades. High plasma levels of insulin were found in brain metastasis and astrocytomas while the other types of brain tumors (meningiomas and glioblastomas) had lower levels of the peptide. The levels of insulin were also higher in brain metastasis and grade 3 brain tumors when compared with grade 1, grade 2 and grade 4 brain tumors. PMID:24791202

Grade-Level Differences in Future-Oriented Self-Concept during Early Adolescence: Potential Relevance to School Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoddard, Sarah A.; Pierce, Jennifer; Schmidt, Carissa J.

2016-01-01

The middle school and early high school years are a time of significant development, including an increasing ability to envision oneself in the future. Little is known about how adolescents' future-oriented self-concept (i.e., possible selves) differs across grade levels, although this knowledge may aid in establishing rapport with students and…

Sex, grade, and course differences in attitudes that are related to cognitive performance in secondary science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, James; Seymour Fowler, H.

The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data on sexual differences in secondary school students' attitudes towards science. Attitudinal differences were also analyzed for the independent variables of science programs and grade levels. Data were collected from 988 students using a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales to represent attitudes toward science. Reliabilities of the modified science subscales were all high ( > 0.83). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data for the main and interaction effects of the independent variables of sex (male, female), grade level (10th, 11th, 12th), and science program (advanced placement, academic, general, terminal). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were indicated for all main effects (sex, grade, science program). Interaction effects were not found. Mean separations for the various levels of sex, grade, and science program were performed for all attitudinal subscales. Females evidenced a significantly more positive attitude (p 0.01) than males on three subscales: Attitude Toward Success in Science Scale, Science as a Male Domain Scale, and Teacher Scale. Although not significant, males evidenced more positive attitudes on all the remaining five subscales. Eleventh graders evidenced significantly more positive attitudes than tenth graders on all but the Effectance Motivation Scale. Students in 11th grade had more positive attitudes than 12th-grade students on all scales but Science as a Male Domain Scale; however, these differences were not significant. Tenth graders differed significantly from 12th graders on three subscales; Science Usefulness Scale, Confidence in Learning Science Scale, and Teacher Scale. Positive attitudes decreased from advanced placement to terminal programs. Academic students did not differ significantly from general students except on the Father Scale; however, they were significantly different (more positive) from the terminal students for all subscales. General students were also significantly different from terminal students except on the three subscales of Attitudes Toward Success in Science, Science as a Male Domain, and Effectance Motivation.

Anti-dentine antibodies with root resorption during orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

Ramos, Solange de Paula; Ortolan, Geórgia Oliveira; Dos Santos, Lívia Marques; Tobouti, Priscila Lie; Hidalgo, Miriam Marubayashi; Consolaro, Alberto; Itano, Eiko Nakagawa

2011-10-01

The aim of this study was to analyse serum IgG levels and salivary secretory IgA (sIgA) levels in human dentine extract (HDE) before (T0) and 6 months after (T6) orthodontic treatment and to correlate anti-HDE autoantibodies to root resorption. Fifty orthodontic patients were selected, 19 males (15.6 ± 8.5 years) and 31 females (21.4 ± 11.2 years), 19 in the mixed dentition (10.3 ± 1.9 years) and 31 in the permanent dentition (24.6 ± 9.9 years). Fifty individuals not undergoing orthodontic treatment matched by gender and age were selected as the controls. Periapical radiographs of the upper central incisors and saliva sampling were obtained of all patients at T0 and T6. Serum samples were collected from the permanent dentition patients (n = 31). Antibody levels were determined by means of immunoenzyme assay. At T6, root resorption was classified as grade 0 (no resorption), grade 1 (slight resorption), and grade 2 (moderate to severe resorption). Differences between antibody levels at T0 and T6 and among different grades of resorption were determined by paired t- and Kruskal-Wallis tests, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was applied to detect correlation between sIgA and IgG levels, and logistic regression to determine the association of root resorption grade and the studied variables. Differences were considered significant at P < 0.05. Serum anti-HDE IgG levels decreased (P < 0.01) in grade 2 root resorption patients during treatment and was not correlated to salivary sIgA levels or other variables. Patients who had grade 2 root resorption at T6 showed higher levels of anti-HDE sIgA (P < 0.001). Anti-HDE sIgA levels at T0 and root shape were the main factors associated with the degree of root resorption. The results suggest that variations to systemic and local humoural immune response to dentine antigens may occur during orthodontic treatment. High levels of salivary sIgA before treatment were associated with more advanced lesions after 6 months of treatment.

Dihydrotestosterone and testosterone levels in men screened for prostate cancer: a study of a randomized population.

PubMed

Gustafsson, O; Norming, U; Gustafsson, S; Eneroth, P; Aström, G; Nyman, C R

1996-03-01

To investigate the possible relationship between serum levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone, sexual-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and tumour stage, grade and ploidy in 65 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in a screening study compared to 130 controls from the same population. From a population of 26,602 men between the ages of 55 and 70 years, 2400 were selected randomly and invited to undergo screening for prostate cancer using a digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography and PSA analysis. Among the 1782 attendees, 65 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed. Each case was matched with two control subjects of similar age and prostate volume from the screening population. Frozen serum samples were analysed for PSA, DHT, testosterone and SHBG, and compared to the diagnosis and tumour stage, grade and ploidy. Comparisons between these variables, and multivariate and regression analyses were performed. There were significant differences in PSA level with all variables except tumour ploidy. DHT levels were slightly lower in patients with prostate cancer but the difference was not statistically significant. There was a trend towards lower DHT values in more advanced tumours and the difference for T-stages was close to statistical significance (P = 0.059). Testosterone levels were lower in patients with cancer than in the control group, but the differences were not significant. There was no correlation between testosterone levels, tumour stage and ploidy, but the differences in testosterone level in tumours of a low grade of differentiation compared to those with intermediate and high grade was nearly significant (P = 0.058). The testosterone/DHT ratio tended to be higher in patients with more advanced tumours. SHBG levels were lower in patients with cancer than in controls but the differences were not statistically significant. There were no systematic variations of tumour stage, grade and ploidy. Multivariate analysis showed that if the PSA level was known, then DHT, testosterone or SHBG added no further information concerning diagnosis, stage, grade or ploidy. Regression analysis on T-stage, PSA level and DHT showed an inverse linear relationship between PSA and DHT for stage T-3 (P = 0.035), but there was no relationship between PSA and testosterone. PSA was of value in discriminating between cases and controls and between various tumour stages and grades, but no statistically significant correlation was found for ploidy. If PSA level was known, no other variable added information in individual cases. Within a group, DHT levels tended to be lower among cases and in those with more advanced tumours. There was an inverse relationship between tumour volume, as defined by PSA level, and 5 alpha-reductase activity, as defined by DHT level, and the testosterone/DHT ratio. This trend was most obvious with T-stage. No systematic variation were found in the levels of testosterone or SHBG.

An Investigation of Bilateral Symmetry During Manual Wheelchair Propulsion.

PubMed

Soltau, Shelby L; Slowik, Jonathan S; Requejo, Philip S; Mulroy, Sara J; Neptune, Richard R

2015-01-01

Studies of manual wheelchair propulsion often assume bilateral symmetry to simplify data collection, processing, and analysis. However, the validity of this assumption is unclear. Most investigations of wheelchair propulsion symmetry have been limited by a relatively small sample size and a focus on a single propulsion condition (e.g., level propulsion at self-selected speed). The purpose of this study was to evaluate bilateral symmetry during manual wheelchair propulsion in a large group of subjects across different propulsion conditions. Three-dimensional kinematics and handrim kinetics along with spatiotemporal variables were collected and processed from 80 subjects with paraplegia while propelling their wheelchairs on a stationary ergometer during three different conditions: level propulsion at their self-selected speed (free), level propulsion at their fastest comfortable speed (fast), and propulsion on an 8% grade at their level, self-selected speed (graded). All kinematic variables had significant side-to-side differences, primarily in the graded condition. Push angle was the only spatiotemporal variable with a significant side-to-side difference, and only during the graded condition. No kinetic variables had significant side-to-side differences. The magnitudes of the kinematic differences were low, with only one difference exceeding 5°. With differences of such small magnitude, the bilateral symmetry assumption appears to be reasonable during manual wheelchair propulsion in subjects without significant upper-extremity pain or impairment. However, larger asymmetries may exist in individuals with secondary injuries and pain in their upper extremity and different etiologies of their neurological impairment.

An Investigation of Bilateral Symmetry During Manual Wheelchair Propulsion

PubMed Central

Soltau, Shelby L.; Slowik, Jonathan S.; Requejo, Philip S.; Mulroy, Sara J.; Neptune, Richard R.

2015-01-01

Studies of manual wheelchair propulsion often assume bilateral symmetry to simplify data collection, processing, and analysis. However, the validity of this assumption is unclear. Most investigations of wheelchair propulsion symmetry have been limited by a relatively small sample size and a focus on a single propulsion condition (e.g., level propulsion at self-selected speed). The purpose of this study was to evaluate bilateral symmetry during manual wheelchair propulsion in a large group of subjects across different propulsion conditions. Three-dimensional kinematics and handrim kinetics along with spatiotemporal variables were collected and processed from 80 subjects with paraplegia while propelling their wheelchairs on a stationary ergometer during three different conditions: level propulsion at their self-selected speed (free), level propulsion at their fastest comfortable speed (fast), and propulsion on an 8% grade at their level, self-selected speed (graded). All kinematic variables had significant side-to-side differences, primarily in the graded condition. Push angle was the only spatiotemporal variable with a significant side-to-side difference, and only during the graded condition. No kinetic variables had significant side-to-side differences. The magnitudes of the kinematic differences were low, with only one difference exceeding 5°. With differences of such small magnitude, the bilateral symmetry assumption appears to be reasonable during manual wheelchair propulsion in subjects without significant upper-extremity pain or impairment. However, larger asymmetries may exist in individuals with secondary injuries and pain in their upper extremity and different etiologies of their neurological impairment. PMID:26125019

Energy Concept Understanding of High School Students: A Cross-Grade Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takaoglu, Zeynep Baskan

2018-01-01

Energy is a difficult concept to be understood by students of all levels. Thus, the aim of the study is to determine how high school students at different levels perceive the energy and related concepts. In line with this purpose, 173 students in total of which 57 ones of the 9th grade, 94 ones of the 10th grade and 22 ones of the 11th grade…

Moral Thinking in Male Elementary Pupils as Reflected by Perception of Basketball Rules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jantz, Richard K.

1975-01-01

The results of this study support Piaget's contention of different levels of moral thinking in elementary school children. The findings indicate a lower level of moral responses in grades one and two than in grades three through six. (RC)

A Analysis of Saudi Arabian High School Students' Misconceptions about Physics Concepts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Rubayea, Abdullah A. M.

This study was conducted to explore Saudi high students' misconceptions in selected physics concepts. It also detected the effects of gender, grade level and location of school on Saudi high school students' misconceptions. In addition, a further analysis of students' misconceptions in each question was investigated and a correlation between students' responses, confidence in answers and sensibleness was conducted. There was an investigation of sources of students' answers in this study. Finally, this study included an analysis of students' selection of reasons only in the instrument. The instrument used to detect the students' misconceptions was a modified form of the Misconception Identification in Science Questionnaire (MISQ). This instrument was developed by Franklin (1992) to detected students' misconceptions in selected physics concepts. This test is a two-tier multiple choice test that examines four areas of physics: Force and motion, heat and temperature, light and color and electricity and magnetism. This study included a sample of 1080 Saudi high school students who were randomly selected from six Saudi educational districts. This study also included both genders, the three grade levels of Saudi high schools, six different educational districts, and a city and a town in each educational district. The sample was equally divided between genders, grade levels, and educational districts. The result of this study revealed that Saudi Arabian high school students hold numerous misconceptions about selected physics concepts. It also showed that tenth grade students were significantly different than the other grades. The result also showed that different misconceptions are held by the students for each concept in the MISQ. A positive correlation between students' responses, confidence in answers and sensibleness in many questions was shown. In addition, it showed that guessing was the most dominant source of misconceptions. The result revealed that gender and grade level had an affect on students' choice of decision on the MISQ items. A positive change in the means of gender and grade levels in the multiple choice test and gender differences in selection of reason may be associated with specific concepts. No significant difference in frequencies of the reasons chosen by the student to justify their answers were found in most of the items (10 items).

Early social behaviors and the trajectory of peer victimization across the school years.

PubMed

Sugimura, Niwako; Berry, Daniel; Troop-Gordon, Wendy; Rudolph, Karen D

2017-08-01

Research has established that long-term exposure to peer victimization is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral maladjustment. Yet, relatively little is known regarding predictors of stable versus declining victimization across extended periods of time. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study used latent growth curve modeling to examine the separate and unique contributions of 3 early social behaviors in 2nd grade (aggression, anxious solitude, and prosocial behavior) to victimization across 2nd to 8th grade. Five hundred and 76 youth (M = 7.96 years, SD = .34) reported their level of exposure to victimization once a year from 2nd to 8th grade, and their teachers rated each youth on the 3 social behaviors in 2nd grade. When examined separately, the analyses revealed that (a) all 3 social behaviors contributed to 2nd-grade victimization; (b) anxious solitude and prosocial behavior contributed to the trajectory of victimization differently for boys and girls; and (c) aggression and anxious solitude contributed to significantly different levels of 8th-grade victimization in girls. Of interest, some effects were stronger in boys during elementary school and others were stronger in girls after the transition to middle school. When examined simultaneously, aggression remained the only significant predictor of 2nd-grade victimization; both anxious solitude and prosocial behavior uniquely predicted the trajectory of victimization, and aggression and anxious solitude uniquely predicted 8th-grade victimization in girls. Results are discussed with regard to prevention of prolonged victimization, with attention to gender differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The dehydration, rehydration and tectonic setting of greenstone belts in a portion of the northern Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanreenen, D. D.; Barton, J. M., Jr.; Roering, C.; Vanschalkwyk, J. C.; Smit, C. A.; Debeer, J. D.; Stettler, E. H.

1986-01-01

High-grade gneiss terranes and low-grade granite-greenstone terranes are well known in several Archaean domains. The geological relationship between these different crustal regions, however, is still controversial. One school of thought favors fundamental genetic differences between high-grade and low-grade terranes while others argue for a depth-controlled crustal evolution. The detailed examination of well-exposed Archaean terranes at different metamorphic grades, therefore, is not only an important source of information about the crustal levels exposed, but also is critical to the understanding of the possible tectonic and metamorphic evolution of greenstone belts with time. Three South African greenstone belts are compared.

Variation of student numerical and figural reasoning approaches by pattern generalization type, strategy use and grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Mouhayar, Rabih; Jurdak, Murad

2016-02-01

This paper explored variation of student numerical and figural reasoning approaches across different pattern generalization types and across grade level. An instrument was designed for this purpose. The instrument was given to a sample of 1232 students from grades 4 to 11 from five schools in Lebanon. Analysis of data showed that the numerical reasoning approach seems to be more dominant than the figural reasoning approach for the near and far pattern generalization types but not for the immediate generalization type. The findings showed that for the recursive strategy, the numerical reasoning approach seems to be more dominant than the figural reasoning approach for each of the three pattern generalization types. However, the figural reasoning approach seems to be more dominant than the numerical reasoning approach for the functional strategy, for each generalization type. The findings also showed that the numerical reasoning was more dominant than the figural reasoning in lower grade levels (grades 4 and 5) for each generalization type. In contrast, the figural reasoning became more dominant than the numerical reasoning in the upper grade levels (grades 10 and 11).

Topically applied standardized aqueous extract of Curcuma longa Linn. suppresses endotoxin-induced uveal inflammation in rats.

PubMed

Agarwal, Renu; Gupta, S K; Agarwal, Puneet; Srivastava, Sushma

2013-10-01

Aqueous extract of C. longa when administered 4 h after induction of E. coli lipopolysaccharide-induced uveitis in rats showed significantly suppressed inflammation with a significantly lower mean clinical grade, histopathological grade and aqueous humor (AH) protein level compared to vehicle treated group. Although, prednisolone group showed significantly lower clinical grade, histopathological grades and AH protein levels compared to C. longa group, TNF-alpha levels did not differ significantly. Moreover, when the aqueous extract was administered starting from 3 days before induction of uveitis, the mean clinical and histopathological grade as well as AH protein and TNF-alpha levels were comparable to C. longa group when treatment was administered 4 h after induction of uveitis. It is concluded that topically applied standardized aqueous extract of C. longa suppresses endotoxin-induced uveitis in rats by reducing TNF-alpha activity.

Factor Structure of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire in Turkish Children and Gender, Grade-Level, and Socioeconomic Status Differences in Reactive and Proactive Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uz Bas, Asli; Yurdabakan, Irfan

2012-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the factor structure of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) with Turkish children, and to investigate gender, grade-level, and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in reactive and proactive aggression. Participants consisted of 1,081 Turkish children (544 boys and 537 girls) aged 9 to 14…

Bullying and victimization: prevalence and relationship to gender, grade level, ethnicity, self-esteem, and depression.

PubMed

Seals, Dorothy; Young, Jerry

2003-01-01

This study investigated the prevalence of bullying and victimization among students in grades 7 and 8. It also explored the relationship of bullying and victimization to gender, grade level, ethnicity, self-esteem, and depression. Three survey instruments were used to obtain data from a convenience sample of 454 public school students. Twenty-four percent reported bullying involvement. Chi-square tests indicated significantly more male than female bullying involvement, seventh graders reported more involvement than did eighth graders, and there were no statistically significant differences in involvement based on ethnicity. Both bullies and victims manifested higher levels of depression than did students who were neither bullies nor victims. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of self-esteem.

A Reanalysis of Engineering Majors' Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Concannon, James P.; Barrow, Lloyd H.

2012-01-01

This study examines differences in women's engineering self-efficacy beliefs across grade levels in comparison to men's engineering self-efficacy (ESE) beliefs across grade levels. Data for this study was collected from 746 (635 men, 111 women) engineering students enrolled in a large research extensive university. Four major conclusions resulted…

Levels of Phonology Related to Reading and Writing in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Campo, Roxana; Buchanan, William R.; Abbott, Robert D.; Berninger, Virginia W.

2015-01-01

The relationships of different levels of phonological processing (sounds in heard and spoken words for whole words, syllables, phonemes, and rimes) to multi-leveled functional reading or writing systems were studied. Participants in this cross-sectional study were students in fourth-grade (n = 119, mean age 116.5 months) and sixth-grade (n = 105,…

Analysis of Primary School Student's Science Learning Anxiety According to Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakaya, Ferhat; Avgin, Sakine Serap; Kumperli, Ethem

2016-01-01

On this research, it is analyzed if the science learning anxiety level shows difference according to variables which are gender, grade level, science lesson grade, mother education, father education level. Scanning Design is used for this study. Research working group is consisted of 294 primary school from 6th, 7th and 8th graders on 2015-2016…

(Biased) Grading of Students' Performance: Students' Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes.

PubMed

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers' evaluations of students' performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers ( N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment.

(Biased) Grading of Students’ Performance: Students’ Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes

PubMed Central

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers’ evaluations of students’ performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers (N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment. PMID:29867618

Quantitative T2 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compared to Morphological Grading of the Early Cervical Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: An Evaluation Approach in Asymptomatic Young Adults

PubMed Central

Han, Zhihua; Shao, Lixin; Xie, Yan; Wu, Jianhong; Zhang, Yan; Xin, Hongkui; Ren, Aijun; Guo, Yong; Wang, Deli; He, Qing; Ruan, Dike

2014-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of quantitative T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for quantifying early cervical intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration in asymptomatic young adults by correlating the T2 value with Pfirrmann grade, sex, and anatomic level. Methods Seventy asymptomatic young subjects (34 men and 36 women; mean age, 22.80±2.11 yr; range, 18–25 years) underwent 3.0-T MRI to obtain morphological data (one T1-fast spin echo (FSE) and three-plane T2-FSE, used to assign a Pfirrmann grade (I–V)) and for T2 mapping (multi-echo spin echo). T2 values in the nucleus pulposus (NP, n = 350) and anulus fibrosus (AF, n = 700) were obtained. Differences in T2 values between sexes and anatomic level were evaluated, and linear correlation analysis of T2 values versus degenerative grade was conducted. Findings Cervical IVDs of healthy young adults were commonly determined to be at Pfirrmann grades I and II. T2 values of NPs were significantly higher than those of AF at all anatomic levels (P<0.000). The NP, anterior AF and posterior AF values did not differ significantly between genders at the same anatomic level (P>0.05). T2 values decreased linearly with degenerative grade. Linear correlation analysis revealed a strong negative association between the Pfirrmann grade and the T2 values of the NP (P = 0.000) but not the T2 values of the AF (P = 0.854). However, non-degenerated discs (Pfirrmann grades I and II) showed a wide range of T2 relaxation time. T2 values according to disc degeneration level classification were as follows: grade I (>62.03 ms), grade II (54.60–62.03 ms), grade III (<54.60 ms). Conclusions T2 quantitation provides a more sensitive and robust approach for detecting and characterizing the early stage of cervical IVD degeneration and to create a reliable quantitative in healthy young adults. PMID:24498384

Quantitative T2 magnetic resonance imaging compared to morphological grading of the early cervical intervertebral disc degeneration: an evaluation approach in asymptomatic young adults.

PubMed

Chen, Chun; Huang, Minghua; Han, Zhihua; Shao, Lixin; Xie, Yan; Wu, Jianhong; Zhang, Yan; Xin, Hongkui; Ren, Aijun; Guo, Yong; Wang, Deli; He, Qing; Ruan, Dike

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of quantitative T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for quantifying early cervical intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration in asymptomatic young adults by correlating the T2 value with Pfirrmann grade, sex, and anatomic level. Seventy asymptomatic young subjects (34 men and 36 women; mean age, 22.80±2.11 yr; range, 18-25 years) underwent 3.0-T MRI to obtain morphological data (one T1-fast spin echo (FSE) and three-plane T2-FSE, used to assign a Pfirrmann grade (I-V)) and for T2 mapping (multi-echo spin echo). T2 values in the nucleus pulposus (NP, n = 350) and anulus fibrosus (AF, n = 700) were obtained. Differences in T2 values between sexes and anatomic level were evaluated, and linear correlation analysis of T2 values versus degenerative grade was conducted. Cervical IVDs of healthy young adults were commonly determined to be at Pfirrmann grades I and II. T2 values of NPs were significantly higher than those of AF at all anatomic levels (P<0.000). The NP, anterior AF and posterior AF values did not differ significantly between genders at the same anatomic level (P>0.05). T2 values decreased linearly with degenerative grade. Linear correlation analysis revealed a strong negative association between the Pfirrmann grade and the T2 values of the NP (P = 0.000) but not the T2 values of the AF (P = 0.854). However, non-degenerated discs (Pfirrmann grades I and II) showed a wide range of T2 relaxation time. T2 values according to disc degeneration level classification were as follows: grade I (>62.03 ms), grade II (54.60-62.03 ms), grade III (<54.60 ms). T2 quantitation provides a more sensitive and robust approach for detecting and characterizing the early stage of cervical IVD degeneration and to create a reliable quantitative in healthy young adults.

Silent Reading Fluency and Comprehension in Bilingual Children

PubMed Central

O'Brien, Beth A.; Wallot, Sebastian

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on reading fluency by bilingual primary school students, and the relation of text fluency to their reading comprehension. Group differences were examined in a cross-sectional design across the age range when fluency is posed to shift from word-level to text-level. One hundred five bilingual children from primary grades 3, 4, and 5 were assessed for English word reading and decoding fluency, phonological awareness, rapid symbol naming, and oral language proficiency with standardized measures. These skills were correlated with their silent reading fluency on a self-paced story reading task. Text fluency was quantified using non-linear analytic methods: recurrence quantification and fractal analyses. Findings indicate that more fluent text reading appeared by grade 4, similar to monolingual findings, and that different aspects of fluency characterized passage reading performance at different grade levels. Text fluency and oral language proficiency emerged as significant predictors of reading comprehension. PMID:27630590

Kids in Germany: Comparing Students from Different Cultures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzhugh, William P.

This unit of study, intended for intermediate grade students, focuses on comparing students from different cultures: Germany and the United States. The unit addresses National Social Studies Standards (NCSS) standards; presents an introduction, such as purpose/rationale; cites a recommended grade level; states objectives; provides a time…

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations

PubMed Central

John, Ann M.; John, Elizabeth S.; Hansberry, David R.

2016-01-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23–28.) PMID:27878059

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations.

PubMed

John, Ann M; John, Elizabeth S; Hansberry, David R; Lambert, William Clark

2016-09-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23-28.).

Factors in seventh grade academics associated with performance levels on the tenth grade biology end of course test in selected middle and high schools in northwest Georgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Jennifer Henry

This study attempted to identify factors in seventh grade academics that are associated with overall success in tenth grade biology. The study addressed the following research questions: Are there significant differences in performance levels in seventh grade Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores in science, math, reading, and language arts associated with performance categories in tenth grade biology End of Course Test (EOCT) and the following demographic variables : gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability category, and English language proficiency level? Is there a relationship among the categorical variables on the tenth grade biology EOCT and the same five demographic variables? Retrospective causal comparative research was used on a representative sample from the middle schools in three North Georgia counties who took the four CRCTs in the 2006-2007 school year, and took the biology EOCT in the 2009-2010 school year. Chi square was used to determine the relationships of the various demographic variables on three biology EOCT performance categories. Twoway ANOVA determined relationships between the seventh grade CRCT scores of students in the various demographic groups and their performance levels on the biology EOCT. Students' performance levels on the biology EOCT matched their performance levels on the seventh grade CRCTs consistently. Females performed better than males on all seventh grade CRCTs. Black and Hispanic students did worse than White and Asian/Asian Indian students on the math CRCT. Students living in poverty did worse on reading and language arts CRCTs than students who were better off. Special education students did worse on science, reading, and language arts CRCTs than students not receiving special education services. English language learners did worse than native English speakers on all seventh grade CRCTs. These findings suggest that remedial measures may be taken in the seventh grade that could impact performance levels on the biology EOCT.

A cross-age study of student understanding of the concept of diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westbrook, Susan L.; Marek, Edmund A.

This study examined 7th-grade life science students, 10th-grade biology students, and college zoology students for understanding of the concept of diffusion. Responses from 100 students from each grade level were randomly selected for data analysis. Each student responded to a test packet consisting of a biographical questionnaire, two Piagetian-like developmental tasks, and a Concept Evaluation Statement (CES). The CESs were used to measure the students' understandings of the concept of diffusion. None of the 300 students across the three grade levels exhibited complete understanding of the diffusion concept. There was no appreciable difference among the grade levels in sound or partial understanding, misconceptions, or no understanding. An analysis of the misconceptions exhibited by the college sample showed that many of the misconceptions could be traced to a misapplication of scientific terminology.

Readability of Online Patient Educational Resources Found on NCI-Designated Cancer Center Web Sites.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Stephen A; Francis, David; Hullett, Craig R; Morris, Zachary S; Fisher, Michael M; Brower, Jeffrey V; Bradley, Kristin A; Anderson, Bethany M; Bassetti, Michael F; Kimple, Randall J

2016-06-01

The NIH and Department of Health & Human Services recommend online patient information (OPI) be written at a sixth grade level. We used a panel of readability analyses to assess OPI from NCI-Designated Cancer Center (NCIDCC) Web sites. Cancer.gov was used to identify 68 NCIDCC Web sites from which we collected both general OPI and OPI specific to breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. This text was analyzed by 10 commonly used readability tests: the New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, Flesch Reading Ease scale, Flesch-Kinaid Grade Level, FORCAST scale, Fry Readability Graph, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook test, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook index, New Fog Count, Raygor Readability Estimate Graph, and Coleman-Liau Index. We tested the hypothesis that the readability of NCIDCC OPI was written at the sixth grade level. Secondary analyses were performed to compare readability of OPI between comprehensive and noncomprehensive centers, by region, and to OPI produced by the American Cancer Society (ACS). A mean of 30,507 words from 40 comprehensive and 18 noncomprehensive NCIDCCs was analyzed (7 nonclinical and 3 without appropriate OPI were excluded). Using a composite grade level score, the mean readability score of 12.46 (ie, college level: 95% CI, 12.13-12.79) was significantly greater than the target grade level of 6 (middle-school: P<.001). No difference between comprehensive and noncomprehensive centers was identified. Regional differences were identified in 4 of the 10 readability metrics (P<.05). ACS OPI provides easier language, at the seventh to ninth grade level, across all tests (P<.01). OPI from NCIDCC Web sites is more complex than recommended for the average patient. Copyright © 2016 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Exploring Native American Students' Perceptions of Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laubach, Timothy A.; Crofford, Geary Don; Marek, Edmund A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore Native American (NA) students' perceptions of scientists by using the Draw-A-Scientist Test and to determine if differences in these perceptions exist between grade level, gender, and level of cultural tradition. Data were collected for students in Grades 9-12 within a NA grant off-reservation…

Semantic Categorization and Reading Skill across Dutch Primary Grades: Development Yes, Relationship No

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gijsel, Martine A. R.; Ormel, Ellen A.; Hermans, Daan; Verhoeven, L.; Bosman, Anna M. T.

2011-01-01

In the present study, the development of semantic categorization and its relationship with reading was investigated across Dutch primary grade students. Three Exemplar-level tasks (Experiment 1) and two Superordinate-level tasks (Experiment 2) with different types of distracters (phonological, semantic and perceptual) were administered to assess…

Differences in Physical Activity during School Recess

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridgers, Nicola D.; Saint-Maurice, Pedro F.; Welk, Gregory J.; Siahpush, Mohammad; Huberty, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Background: School recess provides a daily opportunity for physical activity engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine physical activity levels during recess by gender, ethnicity, and grade, and establish the contribution of recess to daily school physical activity levels. Methods: Two hundred and ten children (45% boys) from grades 3…

When and Why Dropouts Leave High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stearns, Elizabeth; Glennie, Elizabeth J.

2006-01-01

Teens may leave school because of academic failure, disciplinary problems, or employment opportunities. In this article, the authors test whether the reasons dropouts leave school differ by grade level and age. We compare dropout rates and reasons across grade levels and ages for all high school students, ethnic groups, and gender groups. Across…

An analysis of global problem issues in sixth-and seventh-grade textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamm, Mary; Adams, Dennis

The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth- and seventh-grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages of content devoted to each issue, and the degree of depth in which issues were treated. Differences between grade levels were also explored. Of the 4,393 pages of content analyzed, less than 2 percent was devoted to these issues identified as the most serious human problems. No significant differences were found between textbook series. Significant differences were found in the number of pages of content presented on each issue. Most of the content fell into the categories of water resources, population growth, air quality, and atmosphere. The issue of war technology had the least amount of content. Distribution of content did not vary by grade level. Both levels addressed the issues of population growth, air quality, and water resources with a greater degree of depth than the issue of world hunger or war technology. The study concludes that the most widely used textbooks at the sixth- and seventh-grade levels avoid serious discussion of major global problems. And like the career indecision of a recent Miss America contestant, purchasers don't seem to be able to decide whether they want science textbooks to be a brain surgeon or a movie actress. Implications stemming from this dichotomy and its relationship to future science education curricular are also explored.

Instructional and behavior management practices implemented by elementary general education teachers.

PubMed

Reddy, Linda A; Fabiano, Gregory A; Dudek, Christopher M; Hsu, Louis

2013-12-01

This investigation examined 317 general education kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers' use of instructional and behavioral management strategies as measured by the Classroom Strategy Scale (CSS)-Observer Form, a multidimensional tool for assessing classroom practices. The CSS generates frequency of strategy use and discrepancy scores reflecting the difference between recommended and actual frequencies of strategy use. Hierarchical linear models (HLMs) suggested that teachers' grade-level assignment was related to their frequency of using instructional and behavioral management strategies: Lower grade teachers utilized more clear 1 to 2 step commands, praise statements, and behavioral corrective feedback strategies than upper grade teachers, whereas upper grade teachers utilized more academic monitoring and feedback strategies, content/concept summaries, student focused learning and engagement, and student thinking strategies than lower grade teachers. Except for the use of praise statements, teachers' usage of instructional and behavioral management strategies was not found to be related to years of teaching experience or to the interaction of years of teaching experience and grade-level assignment. HLMs suggested that teachers' grade level was related to their discrepancy scores of some instructional and behavioral management strategies: Upper grade teachers had higher discrepancy scores in academic performance feedback, behavioral feedback, and praise than lower grade teachers. Teachers' discrepancy scores of instructional and behavioral management strategies were not found to be related to years of teaching experience or to the interaction of years of teaching experience and grade-level assignment. Implications of results for school psychology practice are outlined. © 2013.

People or Machines? Measured Reading Comprehension from Different Reader Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conner, Timothy W., II; Aagaard, Lola

2009-01-01

Differences in reading comprehension were examined in students with disabilities after use of three reader modification types. Participants (n=10) conveniently selected from two school districts were students grades three through eight reading on a third grade level that received a reader as a modification in their Individualized Education…

Systems for grading the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations I: Critical appraisal of existing approaches The GRADE Working Group

PubMed Central

Atkins, David; Eccles, Martin; Flottorp, Signe; Guyatt, Gordon H; Henry, David; Hill, Suzanne; Liberati, Alessandro; O'Connell, Dianne; Oxman, Andrew D; Phillips, Bob; Schünemann, Holger; Edejer, Tessa Tan-Torres; Vist, Gunn E; Williams, John W

2004-01-01

Background A number of approaches have been used to grade levels of evidence and the strength of recommendations. The use of many different approaches detracts from one of the main reasons for having explicit approaches: to concisely characterise and communicate this information so that it can easily be understood and thereby help people make well-informed decisions. Our objective was to critically appraise six prominent systems for grading levels of evidence and the strength of recommendations as a basis for agreeing on characteristics of a common, sensible approach to grading levels of evidence and the strength of recommendations. Methods Six prominent systems for grading levels of evidence and strength of recommendations were selected and someone familiar with each system prepared a description of each of these. Twelve assessors independently evaluated each system based on twelve criteria to assess the sensibility of the different approaches. Systems used by 51 organisations were compared with these six approaches. Results There was poor agreement about the sensibility of the six systems. Only one of the systems was suitable for all four types of questions we considered (effectiveness, harm, diagnosis and prognosis). None of the systems was considered usable for all of the target groups we considered (professionals, patients and policy makers). The raters found low reproducibility of judgements made using all six systems. Systems used by 51 organisations that sponsor clinical practice guidelines included a number of minor variations of the six systems that we critically appraised. Conclusions All of the currently used approaches to grading levels of evidence and the strength of recommendations have important shortcomings. PMID:15615589

A Comparison of Children's Physical Activity Levels in Physical Education, Recess, and Exergaming.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Chen, Senlin; Stodden, David F

2015-03-01

To compare young children's different intensity physical activity (PA) levels in physical education, recess and exergaming programs. Participants were 140 first and second grade children (73 girls; Meanage= 7.88 years). Beyond the daily 20-minute recess, participants attended 75-minute weekly physical education classes and another 75-minute weekly exergaming classes. Children's PA levels were assessed by ActiGraph GTX3 accelerometers for 3 sessions in the 3 programs. The outcome variables were percentages of time spent in sedentary, light PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). There were significant main effects for program and grade, and an interaction effect for program by grade. Specifically, children's MVPA in exergaming and recess was higher than in physical education. The 2nd-grade children demonstrated lower sedentary behavior and MVPA than the first-grade children during recess; less light PA in both recess and exergaming than first-grade children; and less sedentary behavior but higher MVPA in exergaming than first-grade children. Young children generated higher PA levels in recess and exergaming as compared with physical education. Hence, other school-based PA programs may serve as essential components of a comprehensive school PA program. Implications are provided for educators and health professionals.

Student selection: are the school-leaving A-level grades in biology and chemistry important?

PubMed

Green, A; Peters, T J; Webster, D J

1993-01-01

This study determined the relationships of grades in A-level biology and chemistry with examination success or failure during the medical course. By inspection of medical student records, A-level grades at entry to medical school and examination performance were obtained for 128 (91%) of the students who sat their final MBBCh examination at the University of Wales College of Medicine in June 1988. The majority, 92 (72%), completed their medical school careers with no professional examination failures; 15 failed examinations just in the period up to 2nd MB; 11 failed examinations in the clinical period only and 10 failed examinations in both periods. Whereas grade achieved in A-level chemistry was not associated with undergraduate examination performance, students with a grade A or B in A-level biology were less likely to have problems than the others (21% compared with 47%; the difference of 26% has a 95% confidence interval of 7% to 44%). Specifically, there appears to be a strong relationship between a low grade in biology and difficulties in the preclinical examinations. Moreover, for those who have difficulties at this stage, this association continues later in the course.

The Contribution of Executive Functions to Narrative Writing in Fourth Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drijbooms, Elise; Groen, Margriet A.; Verhoeven, Ludo

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the contribution of executive functions to narrative writing in fourth grade children, and evaluated to what extent executive functions contribute differentially to different levels of narrative composition. The written skills of 102 Dutch children in fourth grade were assessed using a narrative picture-elicitation…

Grade 9 Astronomy Study: Interests of Boys and Girls Studying Astronomy at Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krstovic, Mirjan; Brown, Laura; Chacko, Merin; Trinh, Brenda

In this report, we discuss the interests of Grade 9 boys and girls studying astronomy at Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario. A total of 152 Grade 9 academic students were asked to rate their interest levels in various astronomy topics on a scale of 0 3, where 0 represented no interest and 3 represented a high level of interest. We also asked the students to rate all the in-class activities on the same scale. Our analysis of the data suggests that there are many similarities in interest levels in various astronomy topics between boys and girls. In addition, boys and girls expressed similar preferences for in-class astronomy activities with only minor differences, suggesting similar learning styles in astronomy for boys and girls at the Grade 9 level.

EMMPRIN expression positively correlates with WHO grades of astrocytomas and meningiomas.

PubMed

Tsai, Wen-Chiuan; Chen, Ying; Huang, Li-Chun; Lee, Herng-Sheng; Ma, Hsin-I; Huang, Shih-Ming; Sytwu, Huey-Kang; Hueng, Dueng-Yuan

2013-09-01

High-grade primary brain tumors possessed poor outcome due to invasiveness. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) stimulates peri-tumoral fibroblasts to secrete matrix metalloproteinase and promote invasiveness. This study hypothesized that high-grade brain tumors overexpress EMMPRIN. Analyzing the public delinked database from the Gene Expression Omnibus profile, the results showed that the EMMPRIN mRNA level was higher in WHO grade IV (n = 81) than in grade III (n = 19, p < 0.0005) astrocytomas and non-tumor brain tissue controls (n = 23, p < 0.00001). The results of tissue microarray-based immunohistochemical (IHC) staining revealed that EMMPRIN levels positively correlated with WHO grades for astrocytomas (p = 0.008) and meningiomas (p = 0.048). EMMPRIN mRNA levels in conventional glioma cell lines (n = 36) was not less than those in glioma primary culture cells (n = 27) and glioblastoma stem-like cells (n = 12). The GBM8401, U87MG, and LN229 human glioma cell lines also overexpressed EMMPRIN. Hematoxylin and eosin, IHC, and immunofluorescence staining of xenografts confirmed that high-grade brain tumors overexpressed EMMPRIN. Lastly, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed poorer survival in WHO grade IV (n = 56) than in grade III astrocytomas (n = 21, by log-rank test; p = 0.0001, 95 % CI: 1.842-3.053). However, in high-grade astrocytomas, there was no difference in survival between high and low EMMPRIN mRNA levels. Thus, this study identified that high-grade brain tumors overexpress EMMPRIN, which positively correlates with WHO grades in human astrocytomas and meningiomas, and suggests that EMMPRIN may be a therapeutic target of brain tumor.

Content, format, gender and grade level differences in elementary students' ability to read science materials as measured by the cloze procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Richard L.; Yore, Larry D.

Present instructional trends in science indicate a need to reexamine a traditional concern in science education: the readability of science textbooks. An area of reading research not well documented is the effect of color, visuals, and page layout on readability of science materials. Using the cloze readability method, the present study explored the relationships between page format, grade level, sex, content, and elementary school students ability to read science material. Significant relationships were found between cloze scores and both grade level and content, and there was a significant interaction effect between grade and sex in favor of older males. No significant relationships could be attributed to page format and sex. In the area of science content, biological materials were most difficult in terms of readability followed by earth science and physical science. Grade level data indicated that grade five materials were more difficult for that level than either grade four or grade six materials were for students at each respective level. In eight of nine cases, the science text materials would be classified at or near the frustration level of readability. The implications for textbook writers and publishers are that science reading materials need to be produced with greater attention to readability and known design principles regarding visual supplements. The implication for teachers is that students need direct instruction in using visual materials to increase their learning from text material. Present visual materials appear to neither help nor hinder the student to gain information from text material.

Consciousness as a graded and an all-or-none phenomenon: A conceptual analysis.

PubMed

Windey, Bert; Cleeremans, Axel

2015-09-01

The issue whether consciousness is a graded or an all-or-none phenomenon has been and continues to be a debate. Both contradictory accounts are supported by solid evidence. Starting from a level of processing framework allowing for states of partial awareness, here we further elaborate our view that visual experience, as it is most often investigated in the literature, is both graded and all-or-none. Low-level visual experience is graded, whereas high-level visual experience is all-or-none. We then present a conceptual analysis starting from the notion that consciousness is a general concept. We specify a number of different subconcepts present in the literature on consciousness, and outline how each of them may be seen as either graded, all-or-none, or both. We argue that such specifications are necessary to lead to a detailed and integrated understanding of how consciousness should be conceived of as graded and all-or-none. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Science self-efficacy of African American middle school students: Relationship to motivation self-beliefs, achievement, gender, and gender orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Britner, Shari Lynn

Motivation researchers have established that students' self-efficacy beliefs, the confidence they have in their academic capabilities, are related to academic outcomes. Self-efficacy has been amply researched in mathematics and language arts and nearly exclusively with White students. African American students and the area of science have each received scant attention. Typically, gender differences favor boys in mathematics and girls in language arts. Researchers have also found that these differences may be a function of gender orientation beliefs. The purpose of this study was to extend findings in science self-efficacy and to African American middle school students. I sought to determine whether self-efficacy assessed at differing levels of specificity (lab skills versus science grades) would each predict science achievement assessed at corresponding levels, to discover whether mean scores in academic motivation and achievement would differ by gender, and to determine whether these differences are a function of gender orientation (N = 268). Science grade self-efficacy was positively associated with the grades obtained by boys and by girls. For girls, grades were also associated positively with science self-concept and negatively with value of science. For reasons resulting from problematic instructional practices, lab skills self-efficacy was not associated with lab grades. Girls reported stronger science self-efficacy and received higher grades in science class. Gender orientation beliefs did not account for these differences, but masculinity and femininity were each associated with science grade self-efficacy, suggesting that androgyny is an adaptive orientation for the science self-efficacy beliefs of African American students. Findings are interpreted within the framework of A. Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory.

Comparative Analysis of Anterior Chamber Flare Grading between Clinicians with Different Levels of Experience and Semi-automated Laser Flare Photometry.

PubMed

Agrawal, Rupesh; Keane, Pearse A; Singh, Jasmin; Saihan, Zubin; Kontos, Andreas; Pavesio, Carlos E

2016-01-01

To assess correlation for anterior chamber flare grading between clinicians with different levels of experience and with semi-automated flare reading in a cohort of patients with heterogeneous uveitic entities. Fifty-nine observations from 36 patients were recorded and analyzed for statistical association. In each patient, flare was assessed objectively using the Kowa FM-700 laser flare photometer, and subjective masked grading by two clinicians was performed. The study demonstrated disparity in flare readings between clinical graders with one step disagreement in clinical grading in 26 (44.06%) eyes (p < 0.001) and concordance between the flare readings by experienced grader and flare photometry. After review of semi-automated flare readings, management was changed in 11% of the patients. Laser flare photometry can be a valuable tool to remove the observer bias in grading flare for selected cohort of uveitis patients. It can be further applied to titrate therapy in intraocular inflammation.

Readability of arthroscopy-related patient education materials from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Arthroscopy Association of North America Web sites.

PubMed

Yi, Paul H; Ganta, Abhishek; Hussein, Khalil I; Frank, Rachel M; Jawa, Andrew

2013-06-01

We sought to assess the readability levels of arthroscopy-related patient education materials available on the Web sites of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA). We identified all articles related to arthroscopy available in 2012 from the online patient education libraries of AAOS and AANA. After performing follow-up editing, we assessed each article with the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. Mean readability levels of the articles from the AAOS Web site and the AANA Web site were compared. We also determined the number of articles with readability levels at or below the eighth-grade level (the average reading ability of the US adult population) and sixth-grade level (the widely recommended level for patient education materials). Intraobserver reliability and interobserver reliability of FK grade assessment were evaluated. A total of 62 articles were reviewed (43 from AAOS and 19 from AANA). The mean overall FK grade level was 10.2 (range, 5.2 to 12). The AAOS articles had a mean FK grade level of 9.6 (range, 5.2 to 12), whereas the AANA articles had a mean FK grade level of 11.4 (range, 8.7 to 12); the difference was significant (P < .0001). Only 3 articles had a readability level at or below the eighth-grade level and only 1 was at or below the sixth-grade level; all were from AAOS. Intraobserver reliability and interobserver reliability were excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient of 1 for both). Online patient education materials related to arthroscopy from AAOS and AANA may be written at a level too difficult for a large portion of the patient population to comprehend. Copyright © 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Under the Radar: The Impact of Relatively Young Age for Grade Level on Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryken, Klazina

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether age differences affect students' academic achievement, and whether age differences affect students in low-income areas differently than those in mixed or higher-income areas. Student achievement data for grades 3, 7, and 11 in language arts and math were obtained from a variety of schools located…

Monocular oral reading after treatment of dense congenital unilateral cataract

PubMed Central

Birch, Eileen E.; Cheng, Christina; Christina, V; Stager, David R.

2010-01-01

Background Good long-term visual acuity outcomes for children with dense congenital unilateral cataracts have been reported following early surgery and good compliance with postoperative amblyopia therapy. However, treated eyes rarely achieve normal visual acuity and there has been no formal evaluation of the utility of the treated eye for reading. Methods Eighteen children previously treated for dense congenital unilateral cataract were tested monocularly with the Gray Oral Reading Test, 4th edition (GORT-4) at 7 to 13 years of age using two passages for each eye, one at grade level and one at +1 above grade level. In addition, right eyes of 55 normal children age 7 to 13 served as a control group. The GORT-4 assesses reading rate, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Results Visual acuity of treated eyes ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 logMAR and of fellow eyes from −0.1 to 0.2 logMAR. Treated eyes scored significantly lower than fellow and normal control eyes on all scales at grade level and at +1 above grade level. Monocular reading rate, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension were correlated with visual acuity of treated eyes (rs = −0.575 to −0.875, p < 0.005). Treated eyes with 0.1-0.3 logMAR visual acuity did not differ from fellow or normal control eyes in rate, accuracy, fluency, or comprehension when reading at grade level or at +1 above grade level. Fellow eyes did not differ from normal controls on any reading scale. Conclusions Excellent visual acuity outcomes following treatment of dense congenital unilateral cataracts are associated with normal reading ability of the treated eye in school-age children. PMID:20603057

Problem Solving at the Middle School Level: A Comparison of Different Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baraké, Farah; El-Rouadi, Naim; Musharrafieh, Juhaina

2015-01-01

This article sheds light and reflects on how students in grades seven and eight read and understand implicit data when solving a story problem. Problem solving experiences help in adding up to the child's mathematical knowledge and promote a higher level of critical thinking abilities. Seventh and eighth grade students were selected from two…

Elementary Students' Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Science: Role of Grade Level, Gender, and Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaarslan, Guliz; Sungur, Semra

2011-01-01

This study examined grade level and gender difference with respect to elementary students' science and technology self-efficacy. Additionally, relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and self-efficacy was examined. A total of 145 elementary students participated in the study. Self efficacy towards Science and Technology Scale was used to…

The Interaction Effects of Gender and Grade Level on Secondary School Students' Attitude towards Learning Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heng, Chua Kah; Karpudewan, Mageswary

2015-01-01

This quantitative study reports the effects of gender and grade level on secondary students' attitude towards chemistry lessons. For this purpose, the Attitude towards Chemistry Lessons Scale (ATCLS) was administered to 446 secondary school students between 16-19 years old. The ATCLS consists of four different subscales: liking for chemistry…

Investigating Pre-Service Science Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Problem Solving Skills in Terms of Different Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yenice, Nilgun

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to examine pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills based on gender, grade level and graduated high school variables. Also relationship between pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills was examined based on gender, grade level and…

Race/ethnicity and marijuana use in the United States: Diminishing differences in the prevalence of use, 2006-2015.

PubMed

Keyes, Katherine M; Wall, Melanie; Feng, Tianshu; Cerdá, Magdalena; Hasin, Deborah S

2017-10-01

Marijuana use has been decreasing in the past several years among adolescents, though variation in the extent and rate of decrease across racial/ethnic groups is inadequately understood. The present study utilized nationally-representative data in Monitoring the Future from 2006 to 2015 to examine trends over time in past 30-day marijuana use. We examine whether differences in trends over time by race and ethnicity also differ by individual-level, school-level, and state-level factors. Sample included 131,351 8th grade students, 137,249 10th grade students, and 123,293 12th grade students; multi-level models and difference-in-differences tests were used. In 10th grade, Black students had a positive linear increase in marijuana use (est=0.04, SE=0.01, p<0.001), and the magnitude of the increase was significantly greater than among non-Hispanic White students (est=0.38, SE=0.009, p<0.001). The increase trend among Black students was greater among those in large class sizes. In 12th grade, all racial ethnic groups except non-Hispanic Whites demonstrated a linear increase in prevalence across time. The magnitude of the increase among Hispanic students was greater among those in urban areas and large class sizes. The magnitude of the increase among Black students was greater in states with a medical marijuana law before 2006 (est=0.06, SE=0.03, p=0.02), among other state-level covariates. Together these results suggest that the next stage of public health approaches to reducing the harms associated with adolescent drug use should attend to shifting demographic patterns of use among adolescents and ensure that services and programmatic approaches to adolescent prevention are applied equitably. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Readability of Patient Education Materials From the Web Sites of Orthopedic Implant Manufacturers.

PubMed

Yi, Meghan M; Yi, Paul H; Hussein, Khalil I; Cross, Michael B; Della Valle, Craig J

2017-12-01

Prior studies indicate that orthopedic patient education materials are written at a level that is too high for the average patient. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of online patient education materials provided by orthopedic implant manufacturers. All patient education articles available in 2013 from the web sites of the 5 largest orthopedic implant manufacturers were identified. Each article was evaluated with the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. The number of articles with readability ≤ the eighth-grade level (average reading ability of US adults) and the sixth-grade level (recommended level for patient education materials) was determined. Mean readability levels of each company's articles were compared using analysis of variance (significance set at P < .05). A total of 581 articles were reviewed from the 5 largest implant manufacturers. The mean overall FK grade level was 10.9 (range, 3.8-16.1). Only 58 articles (10%) were written ≤ the eighth-grade level, and only 13 (2.2%) were ≤ the sixth-grade level. The mean FK grade level was significantly different among groups (Smith & Nephew = 12.0, Stryker = 11.6, Biomet = 11.3, DePuy = 10.6, Zimmer = 10.1; P < .0001). The majority of patient education materials from implant manufacturers are written at a level too high to be comprehended by the average patient. Future efforts should be made to improve the readability of orthopedic patient education materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mathematical tasks, study approaches, and course grades in undergraduate mathematics: a year-by-year analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciejewski, Wes; Merchant, Sandra

2016-04-01

Students approach learning in different ways, depending on the experienced learning situation. A deep approach is geared toward long-term retention and conceptual change while a surface approach focuses on quickly acquiring knowledge for immediate use. These approaches ultimately affect the students' academic outcomes. This study takes a cross-sectional look at the approaches to learning used by students from courses across all four years of undergraduate mathematics and analyses how these relate to the students' grades. We find that deep learning correlates with grade in the first year and not in the upper years. Surficial learning has no correlation with grades in the first year and a strong negative correlation with grades in the upper years. Using Bloom's taxonomy, we argue that the nature of the tasks given to students is fundamentally different in lower and upper year courses. We find that first-year courses emphasize tasks that require only low-level cognitive processes. Upper year courses require higher level processes but, surprisingly, have a simultaneous greater emphasis on recall and understanding. These observations explain the differences in correlations between approaches to learning and course grades. We conclude with some concerns about the disconnect between first year and upper year mathematics courses and the effect this may have on students.

Cervical range of motion, cervical and shoulder strength in senior versus age-grade Rugby Union International front-row forwards.

PubMed

Davies, Mark; Moore, Isabel S; Moran, Patrick; Mathema, Prabhat; Ranson, Craig A

2016-05-01

To provide normative values for cervical range of motion (CROM), isometric cervical and shoulder strength for; International Senior professional, and International Age-grade Rugby Union front-row forwards. Cross-sectional population study. All international level front-row players within a Rugby Union Tier 1 Nation. Nineteen Senior and 21 Age-grade front-row forwards underwent CROM, cervical and shoulder strength testing. CROM was measured using the CROM device and the Gatherer System was used to measure multi-directional isometric cervical and shoulder strength. The Age-grade players had significantly lower; cervical strength (26-57% deficits), cervical flexion to extension strength ratios (0.5 vs. 0.6), and shoulder strength (2-36% deficits) than the Senior players. However, there were no differences between front-row positions within each age group. Additionally, there were no differences between age groups or front-row positions in the CROM measurements. Senior Rugby Union front-row forwards have greater cervical and shoulder strength than Age-grade players, with the biggest differences being in cervical strength, highlighting the need for age specific normative values. Importantly, Age-grade players should be evaluated to ensure they have developed sufficient cervical strength prior to entering professional level Rugby Union. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To Share or Not to Share--How Is the Question!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagen, Pamela A.; Hooyberg, Terra; Marsden, Paul; Simonski, Jana; Yuen, Gary

2007-01-01

Can a rich problem-solving task challenge a diverse range of students? How would students across various grade levels, from elementary school to secondary school, respond to the same task? These were the questions five different teachers in different schools wanted to explore in their respective classes, ranging from first grade through ninth…

The Influence of Different Representations on Solving Concentration Problems at Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chia-Ju; Shen, Ming-Hsun

2011-01-01

This study investigated the students' learning process of the concept of concentration at the elementary school level in Taiwan. The influence of different representational types on the process of proportional reasoning was also explored. The participants included nineteen third-grade and eighteen fifth-grade students. Eye-tracking technology was…

Student victimization by school staff in the context of an Israeli national school safety campaign.

PubMed

Khoury-Kassabri, Mona; Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami

2008-01-01

In this study, we examined and compared findings from four nationally representative studies of victimization of students by school staff in Israel. We explored whether levels of student victimization by school staff (teachers, principals, secretaries, janitors, etc.) have changed between 1998, 1999, 2002, and 2005, and whether patterns of group differences (gender, age, and cultural groups) were replicated across those four points in time. We employed representative samples stratified by ethnic affiliation and school levels. In 1998, there were 15,916 4th-11th grade students from 232 schools; in 1999, 16,414 4th-11th grade students from 239 schools; in 2002, 21,577 4th-11th grade students from 410 schools and in 2005, 27,316 4th-11th grade students from 526 schools across Israel. Overall, the results reveal that for the entire student population in Israel reports of victimization are quite similar across the four waves of data collection. Levels of physical victimization were consistently higher among boys and Arab students, but other group differences were less consistent, especially with regard to differences between age groups. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Readability Analysis of the Package Leaflets for Biological Medicines Available on the Internet Between 2007 and 2013: An Analytical Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background The package leaflet included in the packaging of all medicinal products plays an important role in the transmission of medicine-related information to patients. Therefore, in 2009, the European Commission published readability guidelines to try to ensure that the information contained in the package leaflet is understood by patients. Objective The main objective of this study was to calculate and compare the readability levels and length (number of words) of the package leaflets for biological medicines in 2007, 2010, and 2013. Methods The sample of this study included 36 biological medicine package leaflets that were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in three different years: 2007, 2010, and 2013. The readability of the selected package leaflets was obtained using the following readability formulas: SMOG grade, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt’s perspicuity index. The length (number of words) of the package leaflets was also measured. Afterwards, the relationship between these quantitative variables (three readability indexes and length) and categorical (or qualitative) variables were analyzed. The categorical variables were the year when the package leaflet was downloaded, the package leaflet section, type of medicine, year of authorization of biological medicine, and marketing authorization holder. Results The readability values of all the package leaflets exceeded the sixth-grade reading level, which is the recommended value for health-related written materials. No statistically significant differences were found between the three years of study in the readability indexes, although differences were observed in the case of the length (P=.002), which increased over the study period. When the relationship between readability indexes and length and the other variables was analyzed, statistically significant differences were found between package leaflet sections (P<.001) and between the groups of medicine only with regard to the length over the three studied years (P=.002 in 2007, P=.007 in 2010, P=.009 in 2013). Linear correlation was observed between the readability indexes (SMOG grade and Flesch-Kincaid grade level: r2=.92; SMOG grade and Szigriszt’s perspicuity index: r2=.81; Flesch-Kincaid grade level and Szigriszt’s perspicuity index: r2=.95), but not between the readability indexes and the length (length and SMOG grade: r2=.05; length and Flesch-Kincaid grade level: r2=.03; length and Szigriszt’s perspicuity index: r2=.02). Conclusions There was no improvement in the readability of the package leaflets studied between 2007 and 2013 despite the European Commission’s 2009 guideline on the readability of package leaflets. The results obtained from the different readability formulas coincided from a qualitative point of view. Efforts to improve the readability of package leaflets for biological medicines are required to promote the understandability and accessibility of this online health information by patients and thereby contribute to the appropriate use of medicines and medicine safety. PMID:27226241

Readability Analysis of the Package Leaflets for Biological Medicines Available on the Internet Between 2007 and 2013: An Analytical Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Piñero-López, María Ángeles; Modamio, Pilar; Lastra, Cecilia F; Mariño, Eduardo L

2016-05-25

The package leaflet included in the packaging of all medicinal products plays an important role in the transmission of medicine-related information to patients. Therefore, in 2009, the European Commission published readability guidelines to try to ensure that the information contained in the package leaflet is understood by patients. The main objective of this study was to calculate and compare the readability levels and length (number of words) of the package leaflets for biological medicines in 2007, 2010, and 2013. The sample of this study included 36 biological medicine package leaflets that were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in three different years: 2007, 2010, and 2013. The readability of the selected package leaflets was obtained using the following readability formulas: SMOG grade, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt's perspicuity index. The length (number of words) of the package leaflets was also measured. Afterwards, the relationship between these quantitative variables (three readability indexes and length) and categorical (or qualitative) variables were analyzed. The categorical variables were the year when the package leaflet was downloaded, the package leaflet section, type of medicine, year of authorization of biological medicine, and marketing authorization holder. The readability values of all the package leaflets exceeded the sixth-grade reading level, which is the recommended value for health-related written materials. No statistically significant differences were found between the three years of study in the readability indexes, although differences were observed in the case of the length (P=.002), which increased over the study period. When the relationship between readability indexes and length and the other variables was analyzed, statistically significant differences were found between package leaflet sections (P<.001) and between the groups of medicine only with regard to the length over the three studied years (P=.002 in 2007, P=.007 in 2010, P=.009 in 2013). Linear correlation was observed between the readability indexes (SMOG grade and Flesch-Kincaid grade level: r(2)=.92; SMOG grade and Szigriszt's perspicuity index: r(2)=.81; Flesch-Kincaid grade level and Szigriszt's perspicuity index: r(2)=.95), but not between the readability indexes and the length (length and SMOG grade: r(2)=.05; length and Flesch-Kincaid grade level: r(2)=.03; length and Szigriszt's perspicuity index: r(2)=.02). There was no improvement in the readability of the package leaflets studied between 2007 and 2013 despite the European Commission's 2009 guideline on the readability of package leaflets. The results obtained from the different readability formulas coincided from a qualitative point of view. Efforts to improve the readability of package leaflets for biological medicines are required to promote the understandability and accessibility of this online health information by patients and thereby contribute to the appropriate use of medicines and medicine safety.

[Low level auditory skills compared to writing skills in school children attending third and fourth grade: evidence for the rapid auditory processing deficit theory?].

PubMed

Ptok, M; Meisen, R

2008-01-01

The rapid auditory processing defi-cit theory holds that impaired reading/writing skills are not caused exclusively by a cognitive deficit specific to representation and processing of speech sounds but arise due to sensory, mainly auditory, deficits. To further explore this theory we compared different measures of auditory low level skills to writing skills in school children. prospective study. School children attending third and fourth grade. just noticeable differences for intensity and frequency (JNDI, JNDF), gap detection (GD) monaural and binaural temporal order judgement (TOJb and TOJm); grade in writing, language and mathematics. correlation analysis. No relevant correlation was found between any auditory low level processing variable and writing skills. These data do not support the rapid auditory processing deficit theory.

The Association of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 (PAI-1) Level and PAI-1 4G/5G Gene Polymorphism with the Formation and the Grade of Endometrial Cancer.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Malik Ejder; Karakuş, Savas; Kurtulgan, Hande Küçük; Kılıçgün, Hasan; Erşan, Serpil; Bakır, Sevtap

2017-08-01

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) is a serine protease inhibitor (Serpine 1), and it inhibits both tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase plasminogen activator which are important in fibrinolysis. We aimed to find whether there is a possible association between PAI-1 level, PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism, and endometrial cancer. PAI-1 levels in peripheral blood were determined in 82 patients with endometrial carcinoma and 76 female healthy controls using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Then, the genomic DNA was extracted and screened by reverse hybridization procedure (Strip assay) to detect PAI 1 4G/5G polymorphism. The levels of PAI-1 in the patients were higher statistically in comparison to controls (P < 0.001). The distribution of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was quite different between patients and controls (P = 0.008), and 4G allelic frequency was significantly higher in the patients of endometrial cancer than in controls (P = 0.026). We found significant difference between Grade 1 and Grade 2+3 patients in terms of the PAI-1 levels (P = 0.047). There was no association between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and the grades of endometrial cancer (P = 0.993). Our data suggest that the level of PAI-1 and PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism are effective in the formation of endometrial cancer. PAI-1 levels are also associated with the grades of endometrial cancer.

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

Carroll, Mark C.

High-purity graphite is the core structural material of choice in the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design, a graphite-moderated, helium-cooled configuration capable of producing thermal energy for power generation as well as process heat for industrial applications that require temperatures higher than the outlet temperatures of present nuclear reactors. The Baseline Graphite Characterization Program is establishing accurate as-manufactured mechanical and physical property distributions in nuclear-grade graphites by providing comprehensive data that captures the level of variation in measured values. In addition to providing a thorough comparison between these values in different graphite grades, the program is also carefully tracking individualmore » specimen source, position, and orientation information in order to provide comparisons both in specific properties and in the associated variability between different lots, different billets, and different positions from within a single billet. This report is a preliminary comparison between each of the grades of graphite that are considered “candidate” grades from four major international graphite producers. These particular grades (NBG-18, NBG-17, PCEA, IG-110, and 2114) are the major focus of the evaluations presently underway on irradiated graphite properties through the series of Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) experiments. NBG-18, a medium-grain pitch coke graphite from SGL from which billets are formed via vibration molding, was the favored structural material in the pebble-bed configuration. NBG-17 graphite from SGL is essentially NBG-18 with the grain size reduced by a factor of two. PCEA, petroleum coke graphite from GrafTech with a similar grain size to NBG-17, is formed via an extrusion process and was initially considered the favored grade for the prismatic layout. IG-110 and 2114, from Toyo Tanso and Mersen (formerly Carbone Lorraine), respectively, are fine-grain grades produced via an isomolding process. An analysis of the comparison between each of these grades will include not only the differences in fundamental and statistically-significant individual strength levels, but also the differences in the overall variability in properties within each of the grades that will ultimately provide the basis for predicting in-service performance. The comparative performance of the different types of nuclear-grade graphites will naturally continue to evolve as thousands more specimens are fully characterized with regard to strength, physical properties, and thermal performance from the numerous grades of graphite being evaluated.« less

Enactment of Scientific Inquiry: Observation of Two Cases at Different Grade Levels in China Mainland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lei; Zhang, Ronghui; Clarke, David; Wang, Weizhen

2014-01-01

Enactment of scientific inquiry in classroom has attracted a great attention of science educators around the world. In this study, we examined two competent teachers' (one Grade 9 chemistry teacher and one Grade 4 science teacher) enactment of scientific inquiry in selected teaching units to reveal the characteristics of enacted inquiry at…

Health Education Resource Guide, Grades 1-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Way School District 210, WA.

As part of a health education program for K-12, these curriculum guides for grades one, two and three provide: (1) a short overview of health education; (2) a scope and sequence chart which lists specific topics to teach on mental health, physical health, community health, and safety that are appropriate at different grade levels; (3) a list of…

An Evaluation of a Comprehensive Mentoring Program on Selected At-Risk Students with Specific School Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Taren L.

2015-01-01

This study evaluated a comprehensive mentoring program on selected at-risk students with specific school problems (attendance, discipline referrals, and core area grades). The sample included youths in Grades 4-8 who differed on some characteristics including grade-level, ethnicity, and gender. For the purpose of this mixed methods study, the…

Middle School Science Curriculum Design and 8th Grade Student Achievement in Massachusetts Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifford, Betsey A.

2016-01-01

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released proposed Science and Technology/Engineering standards in 2013 outlining the concepts that should be taught at each grade level. Previously, standards were in grade spans and each district determined the method of implementation. There are two different methods used…

Availability and Use of Informational Texts in Second-, Third-, and Fourth-Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Jongseong; Gaffney, Janet S.; Choi, Jin-Oh

2010-01-01

A sharp increase in the proportion of informational text with the corresponding expansion of cognitive demands and conceptual structures is a widely held explanation for the decline in reading achievement at the fourth-grade level. In this study, differences in the proportion of informational text across the second, third, and fourth grades were…

Developing and validating a chemical bonding instrument for Korean high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Nak Han

The major purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument designed to collect and investigate on Korean high school students' understanding about concepts regarding chemical bonding. The Chemical Bonding Diagnostic Test (CBDT) was developed by the procedure by previously relevant researches (Treagust, 1985; Peterson, 1986; Tan, 1994). The final instrument consisted of 15 two-tier items. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach alpha) for the whole test was 0.74. Also, the range of values for the discrimination index was from 0.38 to 0.90 and the overall average difficulty index was 0.38. The test was administered to 716 science declared students in Korean high school. The 37 common misconceptions on chemical bonding were identified through analysis of the items from the CBDT. The grade 11 students had slightly more misconceptions than the grade 12 students for ionic bonding, covalent bonding, and hydrogen bonding while the grade 12 students had more misconceptions about octet rule and hydrogen bonding than the grade 11 students. From the analysis of ANCOVA, there was no significant difference in grades, and between grade levels and gender on the mean score of CBDT. However, there was a significant difference in gender and a significant interaction between grade levels and chemistry preference. In conclusion, Korean high school students had the most common misconception about the electron configuration on ionic bonding and the water density on hydrogen bonding. Korean students' understanding about the chemical bonding was dependent on the interaction between grade levels and the chemistry preference. Consequently, grade 12 chemistry-preferred students had the highest mean scores among student groups concerned by this study.

Olympic Scoring of English Compositions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Follman, John; Panther, Edward

1974-01-01

Examines empirically the efficacy of utilizing Olympic diving and gymnastic scoring systems for grading graduate students' English compositions. Results indicated that such scoring rules do not produce ratings different in reliability or in level from conventional letter grades. (ED)

Attitudes toward science and science knowledge of intellectually gifted and average students in third, seventh, and eleventh grades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrington, Byron L.; Hendricks, Bryan

A questionnaire regarding attitudes toward science and scientific knowledge (Yager & Yager, 1985b) was administered to 143 intellectually gifted (IQ > 130) and intellectually average third-, seventh-, and eleventh-grade students. Measures of internal reliability on four attitude subscales and a content knowledge subscale are reported. Three-way ANOVAs comparing grade, sex, and ability revealed significant differences between average and gifted students in attitudes toward being a scientist, usefulness of science, and, as might be expected, in knowledge of science. Similarly, there were significant differences between grades on attitudes toward teachers and toward science classes, with the most favorable attitudes expressed in third grade, next most favorable in eleventh grade, and clearly more negative attitudes expressed by students in seventh grade. There also was a significant interaction between grade level and ability regarding attitudes toward science classes. In contrast to what might be expected from reported differences between males and females in attitudes toward science, gender as a separate variable did not have a significant main effect in any of the comparisons.

The value of DCE-MRI in assessing histopathological and molecular biological features in induced rat epithelial ovarian carcinomas.

PubMed

Yuan, Su Juan; Qiao, Tian Kui; Qiang, Jin Wei; Cai, Song Qi; Li, Ruo Kun

2017-09-26

To investigate dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for assessing histopathological and molecular biological features in induced rat epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs). 7,12-dimethylbenz[A]anthracene (DMBA) was applied to induce EOCs in situ in 46 SD rats. Conventional MRI and DCE-MRI were performed to evaluate the morphology and perfusion features of the tumors, including the time-signal intensity curve (TIC), volume transfer constant (K trans ), rate constant (K ep ), extravascular extracellular space volume ratio (V e ) and initial area under the curve (IAUC). DCE-MRI parameters were correlated with histological grade, microvascular density (MVD), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fraction of Ki67-positive cells and the serum level of cancer antigen 125 (CA125). Thirty-five of the 46 rats developed EOCs. DCE-MRI showed type III TIC more frequently than type II (29/35 vs. 6/35, p < 0.001) in EOCs. The two types of TIC of tumors had significant differences in the histological grade, MVD, expression of VEGF and Ki67, and the serum level of CA125 (all p < 0.01). K trans , K ep and IAUC values showed significant differences in different histological grades in overall and pairwise comparisons except for IAUC in grade 2 vs. grade 3 (all p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in V e values among the three grade groups (p > 0.05). K trans , K ep and IAUC values were positively correlated with MVD, VEGF and Ki67 expression (all p < 0.01). V e was not significantly correlated with MVD, VEGF expression, Ki67 expression and the CA125 level (all p > 0.05). TIC types and perfusion parameters of DCE-MRI can reflect tumor grade, angiogenesis and cell proliferation to some extent, thereby helping treatment planning and predicting prognosis.

School Factors Related to Reading Achievement in Rural Schools with and without High Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Seth W.

2013-01-01

This quantitative study identified how rural schools differ on five school-level factors related to student achievement according to their performance on Grade 3 reading. Through use of a MANOVA test, it was shown that principals of high-poverty rural schools that made AYP in Grade 3 reading reported significantly higher levels of guaranteed and…

An Empirical Method for Deriving Grade Equivalence for University Entrance Qualifications: An Application to A Levels and the International Baccalaureate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Francis; Vignoles, Anna

2012-01-01

We present a method to compare different qualifications for entry to higher education by studying students' subsequent performance. Using this method for students holding either the International Baccalaureate (IB) or A-levels gaining their degrees in 2010, we estimate an "empirical" equivalence scale between IB grade points and UCAS…

Evaluating the impacts of grades on vehicular speeds on interstate highways.

PubMed

Chen, Xinqiang; Li, Zhibin; Wang, Yinhai; Cui, Zhiyong; Shi, Chaojian; Wu, Huafeng

2017-01-01

Grade variation on interstate highways affects the roadway geometric design, vehicle performance and driver behavior, thus possibly exerting an unexpected effect on vehicular speed. Hence, determining the internal relationship between grade and speed is important and useful for drivers, traffic regulators and other traffic participants. However, the problem with performing this research is the lack of large-scale gradient and speed data. Google Earth (GE) provides an application programming interface for extracting elevation data worldwide. The elevation dataset from GE can be easily converted to grade data. In addition, our team has collected and stored speed series data for different freeways over several years. Based on the above obtainable grade and speed datasets, we conducted research on the effect of grades on free flow speeds from two perspectives. First, the influence of grades on speed was analyzed from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The analysis of the distributions of four typical types of speeds demonstrated a decreasing tendency as the speed increased. Steeper grades generated a more intense speed fluctuation in terms of the four types of speeds. Second, a model based on the Student's t-test was developed to evaluate the level of significant difference among speed series under neighboring grades. The Student's t-test demonstrated that adjacent grades do not significantly influence the speeds. In summary, speeds under different grades showed obviously different tendencies. The findings of this study can help transport authorities set more reasonable speed limits and improve the geometric design of interstates with grade variation constraints.

8th Grade Algebra Teachers in Arkansas to Need State Nod

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Sean

2008-01-01

Lindsay E. Carlton has taught mathematics to students at different grades, with different ability levels. Now, the young educator's state wants to recognize her ability to work with one group in particular: 8th graders enrolled in introductory algebra. Carlton is one of many math educators across Arkansas who plan to acquire a new, unusual state…

Developmental and Individual Differences in Chinese Writing

PubMed Central

Guan, Connie Qun; Ye, Feifei; Wagner, Richard K.; Meng, Wanjin

2015-01-01

The goal of the present study was to examine the generalizability of a model of the underlying dimensions of written composition across writing systems (Chinese Mandarin vs. English) and level of writing skill. A five-factor model of writing originally developed from analyses of 1st and 4th grade English writing samples was applied to Chinese writing samples obtained from 4th and 7th grade students. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the fits of alternative models of written composition. The results suggest that the five-factor model of written composition generalizes to Chinese writing samples and applies to both less skilled (Grade 4) and more skilled (Grade 7) writing, with differences in factor means between grades that vary in magnitude across factors. PMID:26038631

Effects of Education and Health Literacy on Postoperative Hospital Visits in Bariatric Surgery.

PubMed

Mahoney, Stephen T; Tawfik-Sexton, Dahlia; Strassle, Paula D; Farrell, Timothy M; Duke, Meredith C

2018-04-02

Hospital readmissions following bariatric surgery are high and it is necessary to identify modifiable risk factors to minimize this postoperative cost. We hypothesize that lower levels of education and health literacy are associated with increased risks of nonadherence, thus leading to increased emergency department (ED) visits and preventable readmissions postoperatively. Bariatric surgery patients presenting between October 2015 and December 2016 were administered a preoperative questionnaire that measured education level and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Short Form (REALM-SF) health literacy test. The rates of postoperative ED visits and readmissions were across education levels (≤12th grade versus >12th grade) and health literacy scores (≤8th grade versus high school level). A composite "hospital visit" outcome was also assessed. Ninety-five patients were enrolled; 23 had ≤12th grade level education and 7 scored ≤8th grade on the REALM-SF. Patients with ≤12th grade education were significantly more likely to have a hospital visit after surgery, compared with patients with >12th grade education (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 3.06, P = .008). No significant difference in ED visits, readmission, or hospital visits was seen when stratified by REALM-SF health literacy score. Lower level of education was associated with more than threefold increased risk of postoperative ED visits and readmission in our center's bariatric surgery patients. A patient's education level is a low-cost means to identify patients who are at risk for postoperative hospital visits, and who may benefit from enhanced educational efforts or more intensive postoperative follow-up.

Twice-Exceptional Students' Use of Metacognitive Skills on a Comprehension Monitoring Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

hannah, c. lynne; Shore, Bruce M.

2008-01-01

Boys identified as learning-disabled gifted or twice exceptional, at two different grade levels (5th or 6th grades, and 11th or 12th grades), were asked to read a history text with unknown vocabulary words, internal inconsistencies, and prior knowledge violations inserted to make immediate comprehension difficult. The students were asked to read…

Discrepancies between School Grades and Test Scores at Individual and School Level: Effects of Gender and Family Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lekholm, Alli Klapp; Cliffordson, Christina

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to use multivariate multilevel techniques to investigate whether it was possible to separate different dimensions in grades that relate to subject-matter achievement and to other factors. Data were derived from The Gothenburg Educational Longitudinal Database (GOLD), and the subjects were 99,070 ninth-grade students…

Examination of the 8th Grade Students' TIMSS Mathematics Success in Terms of Different Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaleli-Yilmaz, Gül; Hanci, Alper

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine how the TIMSS mathematics success of the 8th grade students differentiates according to the school type, gender, mathematics report mark, parents' education level, cognitive domains and cognitive domains by gender. Relational survey method was used in the study. Six-hundred fifty two 8th grade students…

A descriptive study of beverage consumption among an ethnically diverse sample of public school students in Texas.

PubMed

Evans, Alexandra E; Springer, Andrew E; Evans, Martin H; Ranjit, Nalini; Hoelscher, Deanna M

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine prevalence rates of 5 types of beverage consumption by sociodemographic factors among 4th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade public school students in Texas. This study is based on secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the 2004-2005 School Physical Activity and Nutrition study, a comprehensive surveillance study of energy balance-related behaviors and behavioral antecedents in a state-representative sample of 4th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade public school students in Texas (N = 23,190). Previous-day beverage consumption prevalence estimates were calculated for 5 types of beverages (i.e., fruit-flavored drinks, regular sodas, diet sodas, milk, and 100% fruit juice) by grade level, gender, ethnicity, school-level socioeconomic status, and metropolitan status. Logistic regression estimates of consumption prevalence were obtained for important sociodemographic indicators, including sex, grade, and ethnicity. Adjusted Wald tests were used to derive significance tests for sex differences in consumption, as sex emerged as a key determinant of consumption prevalence and varied systematically by type of beverage. The most commonly consumed beverage by all participants was milk. However, more than 50% of students also reported regular soda and fruit-flavored drink consumption during the previous day. Milk and fruit juice consumption showed a steady decline with grade level, while consumption of regular soda increased with grade level. By 11th grade, the prevalence of any beverage consumption, including milk and juice, was significantly greater among boys. Ethnic differences in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption were most prevalent in 8th and 11th grades, with the highest estimated prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages (i.e., fruit-flavored drink and regular soda) consumption among African Americans. Differences in beverage consumption by school-level socioeconomic status and metropolitan status were small. These findings indicate that a large proportion of public elementary students in Texas are consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages varies by a range of sociodemographic factors. Given the important link between sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity in children, these findings can be used to tailor obesity prevention efforts to specific subpopulations for the promotion of healthier beverage consumption.

The readability of American Academy of Pediatrics patient education brochures.

PubMed

Freda, Margaret Comerford

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) patient education brochures. Seventy-four brochures were analyzed using two readability formulas. Mean readability for all 74 brochures was grade 7.94 using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, and grade 10.1 with SMOG formula (P = .001). Using the SMOG formula, no brochures were of acceptably low (< or =8th grade) readability levels (range 8.3 to 12.7). Using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, 41 of the 74 had acceptable readability levels (< or =8th grade). The SMOG formula routinely assessed brochures 2 to 3 grade levels higher than did the Flesch-Kincaid formula. Some AAP patient education brochures have acceptably low levels of readability, but at least half are written at higher than acceptable readability levels for the general public. This study also demonstrated statistically significant variability between the two different readability formulas; had only the SMOG formula been used, all of the brochures would have had unacceptably high readability levels. Readability is an essential concept for patient education materials. Professional associations that develop and market patient education materials should test for readability and publish those readability levels on each piece of patient education so health care providers will know if the materials are appropriate for their patients.

Significantly greater expression of ER, PR, and ECAD in advanced-stage low-grade ovarian serous carcinoma as revealed by immunohistochemical analysis.

PubMed

Wong, Kwong-Kwok; Lu, Karen H; Malpica, Anais; Bodurka, Diane C; Shvartsman, Hyun S; Schmandt, Rosemarie E; Thornton, Angela D; Deavers, Michael T; Silva, Elvio G; Gershenson, David M

2007-10-01

A 2-tier system that classifies ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC) as low grade or high grade is gaining acceptance. Women with low-grade OSC generally have higher 5-year survival rates than do women with high-grade OSC. We examined the expression of various markers to further understand the molecular differences between low-grade and high-grade OSCs: the potential therapeutic targets or prognostic markers Her-2/neu, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor (PR); the metastasis-associated markers cyclin D1 (BCL1), E-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, and MMP-9; and the cell proliferation-associated markers BCL1, Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67), and p53. For this immunohistochemical analysis, we used paraffin-embedded specimens from 47 patients with advanced-stage low-grade OSC and from 49 patients with advanced-stage high-grade OSC. Our results showed that low-grade tumors expressed significantly higher levels of estrogen receptor, PR, and E-cadherin than did high-grade tumors, suggesting the involvement of gonadal steroid hormones, especially in the pathogenesis of low-grade OSC; the PR positivity was also observed in the stromal component of these low-grade tumors. On the other hand, high-grade tumors trended toward increased expression of MMP-9, BCL1, p53, and Ki-67, and robust MMP-9 positivity was observed in the stromal component of these high-grade tumors. These differences may lead to the development of different therapeutic strategies for women with either the low-grade or the high-grade form of OSC.

Readability of spine-related patient education materials from subspecialty organization and spine practitioner websites.

PubMed

Vives, Michael; Young, Lyle; Sabharwal, Sanjeev

2009-12-01

Analysis of spine-related websites available to the general public. To assess the readability of spine-related patient educational materials available on professional society and individual surgeon or practice based websites. The Internet has become a valuable source of patient education material. A significant percentage of patients, however, find this Internet based information confusing. Healthcare experts recommend that the readability of patient education material be less than the sixth grade level. The Flesch-Kincaid grade level is the most widely used method to evaluate the readability score of textual material, with lower scores suggesting easier readability. We conducted an Internet search of all patient education documents on the North American Spine Society (NASS), American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and a sample of 10 individual surgeon or practice based websites. The Flesch-Kincaid grade level of each article was calculated using widely available Microsoft Office Word software. The mean grade level of articles on the various professional society and individual/practice based websites were compared. A total of 121 articles from the various websites were available and analyzed. All 4 categories of websites had mean Flesch-Kincaid grade levels greater than 10. Only 3 articles (2.5%) were found to be at or below the sixth grade level, the recommended readability level for adult patients in the United States. There were no significant differences among the mean Flesch-Kincaid grade levels from the AAOS, NASS, AANS, and practice-based web-sites (P = 0.065, ANOVA). Our findings suggest that most of the Spine-related patient education materials on professional society and practice-based websites have readability scores that may be too high, making comprehension difficult for a substantial portion of the United States adult population.

Thalamic diffusion differences related to cognitive function in white matter lesions.

PubMed

Fernández-Andújar, Marina; Soriano-Raya, Juan José; Miralbell, Júlia; López-Cancio, Elena; Cáceres, Cynthia; Bargalló, Núria; Barrios, Maite; Arenillas, Juan Francisco; Toran, Pere; Alzamora, Maite; Clemente, Imma; Dávalos, Antoni; Mataró, Maria

2014-05-01

Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) are related to cognitive deficits, probably due to a disruption of frontal-subcortical circuits. We explored thalamic diffusion differences related to white matter lesions (WMLs) and their association with cognitive function in middle-aged individuals. Ninety-six participants from the Barcelona-AsIA Neuropsychology Study were included. Participants were classified into groups based on low grade and high grade of periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs). Tract-Based Spatial Statistics was used to study thalamic diffusion differences between groups. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values in significant areas were calculated for each subject and correlated with cognitive performance. Participants with high-grade PVHs and DWMHs showed lower FA thalamic values compared to those with low-grade PVHs and DWMHs, respectively. Decreased FA thalamic values in high-grade DWMHs, but not high-grade PVH, were related to lower levels of performance in psychomotor speed, verbal fluency, and visuospatial skills. Thalamic diffusion differences are related to lower cognitive function only in participants with high-grade DWMHs. These results support the hypothesis that fronto-subcortical disruption is associated with cognitive function only in DWMHs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

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

Readability assessment of the American Rhinologic Society patient education materials.

PubMed

Kasabwala, Khushabu; Misra, Poonam; Hansberry, David R; Agarwal, Nitin; Baredes, Soly; Setzen, Michael; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2013-04-01

The extensive amount of medical literature available on the Internet is frequently accessed by patients. To effectively contribute to healthcare decision-making, these online resources should be worded at a level that is readable by any patient seeking information. The American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommend the readability of patient information material should be between a 4th to 6th grade level. In this study, we evaluate the readability of online patient education information available from the American Rhinologic Society (ARS) website using 9 different assessment tools that analyze the materials for reading ease and grade level of the target audience. Online patient education material from the ARS was downloaded in February 2012 and assessed for level of readability using the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning-Fog Index, FORCAST formula, Raygor Readability Estimate, the Fry Graph, and the New Dale-Chall Readability Formula. Each article was pasted as plain text into a Microsoft® Word® document and each subsection was analyzed using the software package Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2012.1. All healthcare education materials assessed were written between a 9th grade and graduate reading level and were considered "difficult" to read by the assessment scales. Online patient education materials on the ARS website are written above the recommended 6th grade level and may require revision to make them easily understood by a broader audience. © 2013 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

Students' Conceptions of Selected Science, Technology and Society Issues: An Exploratory Multidimensional Scaling Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thirunarayanan, M. O.

The purpose of this study was to explore students' conceptions of 31 selected science, technology, and society issues. Differences in such conceptions across different grade-levels and among males and females also were examined. A total of 138 males and females enrolled in grades five through eleven in a unified school district, and in…

Effect of School Belonging Trajectories in Grades 6–8 on Achievement: Gender and Ethnic Differences

PubMed Central

Hughes, Jan N.; Im, Myung Hee; Allee, Paula J.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the association between trajectories of school belonging across grades 6–8 and academic achievement in grade 8 in an ethnically diverse sample of 527 academically at-risk adolescents. Students reported annually on school belonging. Reading and math achievement were assessed at grade 5 (baseline) and grade 8. Interactive effects of gender and ethnicity were found in the conditional growth models for school belonging. Girls of all ethnicities had identical growth trajectories and reported higher initial school belonging than Euro-American or Latino boys. Latino and Euro-American males had lower initial level of school belonging than African American males, and Latino males had lower growth in school belonging than Euro-American males. In structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses, initial level of school belonging predicted grade 8 reading for girls and grade 8 math for boys and girls, above prior achievement and school and child covariates, but growth in school belonging predicted grade 8 achievement only for African American students. Implications for strategies to improve school belonging among academically at-risk youth are discussed. PMID:26563601

Evaluating the direction of effects in the relationship between religious versus non-religious activities, academic success, and substance use.

PubMed

Good, Marie; Willoughby, Teena

2011-06-01

This longitudinal study tested the influence of involvement and selection hypotheses for the association between religious versus non-religious activity involvement and two salient indicators of adolescent psychosocial adjustment (substance use and academic achievement). Participants included 3,993 Canadian adolescents (49.4% girls) who were surveyed each year from grades 9-12. More frequent religious attendance (but not non-religious club involvement) in one grade predicted lower levels of substance use in the next grade. Higher levels of non-religious club involvement (but not religious service attendance) in one grade predicted higher academic achievement in the next grade, and higher academic achievement in one grade predicted more frequent non-religious club involvement in the next grade. The effects were robust, as they were invariant across grade and significant after controlling for individual, peer, and family characteristics. Most importantly, these results suggest that religious activities are not just another club, but, rather, that different developmental assets may be fostered in religious as compared to non-religious activities.

Evaluating the impacts of grades on vehicular speeds on interstate highways

PubMed Central

Li, Zhibin; Wang, Yinhai; Cui, Zhiyong; Shi, Chaojian; Wu, Huafeng

2017-01-01

Grade variation on interstate highways affects the roadway geometric design, vehicle performance and driver behavior, thus possibly exerting an unexpected effect on vehicular speed. Hence, determining the internal relationship between grade and speed is important and useful for drivers, traffic regulators and other traffic participants. However, the problem with performing this research is the lack of large-scale gradient and speed data. Google Earth (GE) provides an application programming interface for extracting elevation data worldwide. The elevation dataset from GE can be easily converted to grade data. In addition, our team has collected and stored speed series data for different freeways over several years. Based on the above obtainable grade and speed datasets, we conducted research on the effect of grades on free flow speeds from two perspectives. First, the influence of grades on speed was analyzed from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The analysis of the distributions of four typical types of speeds demonstrated a decreasing tendency as the speed increased. Steeper grades generated a more intense speed fluctuation in terms of the four types of speeds. Second, a model based on the Student’s t-test was developed to evaluate the level of significant difference among speed series under neighboring grades. The Student’s t-test demonstrated that adjacent grades do not significantly influence the speeds. In summary, speeds under different grades showed obviously different tendencies. The findings of this study can help transport authorities set more reasonable speed limits and improve the geometric design of interstates with grade variation constraints. PMID:28863157

An Analysis of the Spelling Patterns of Children in Grades Two through Eight: A Study of a National Sample of Children's Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farr, Roger; And Others

This report (a continuation of the Indiana University vocabulary study) identifies words children frequently misspell and analyzes the representative spelling patterns at different grade levels. The report is in three sections and addresses seven questions. Section 1 reports on the analysis of the high frequency words across grades, asking: (1)…

Research on Peer Grading in an Astronomy Massive Open Online Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formanek, Martin; Impey, Chris David; Wenger, Matthew; Sonam, Tenzin; Buxner, Sanlyn

2017-01-01

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are opportunities for thousands of students to take university level courses at little to no cost. The aim of this talk is to present and analyze an often used assessment tool in MOOCs - peer grading. We collected a wealth of data on peer grading process during our session based MOOC “Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space” offered through Coursera in Spring 2015. We found that peer-grading participants are different from the general course population. Additionally, we found that peer grading participation is the single best predictor for course completion. We compared three different essay-based peer graded assignments throughout the course according to the lengths of submitted essays, time spent grading, number of essays graded by individual users, and a percentage of relevant videos watched. In all of these criteria participation in the first assignment turned out to be statistically significantly different from the other two. Finally we investigated validity and reliability of peer graders by comparing their grades with trained undergraduate graders and instructors on a subsample of 300 essays. Although we found out that validity and reliability of peer grading is limited, we were still able to show that results of peer grading strongly correlate with the final grades from the course and also invested effort in general. Therefore despite its shortcomings, peer grading still manages to identify good students and is very viable tool useful for MOOC-scale formative assessment.

Hemorrhoids and matrix metalloproteinases: A multicenter study on the predictive role of biomarkers.

PubMed

Serra, Raffaele; Gallelli, Luca; Grande, Raffaele; Amato, Bruno; De Caridi, Giovanni; Sammarco, Giuseppe; Ferrari, Francesco; Butrico, Lucia; Gallo, Gaetano; Rizzuto, Antonia; de Franciscis, Stefano; Sacco, Rosario

2016-02-01

An association between hemorrhoidal disease and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been described previously. MMPs regulate extracellular structural proteins and tissue remodeling. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is involved in the regulation of MMP activity. The aim of this work was to study the relationship between tissue immunoreactive levels of MMPs and NGAL and different stages of hemorrhoids. In a multicenter, open-label, prospective study, the population under investigation consisted of 2 groups: group I (with symptomatic hemorrhoids; Goligher grade I-IV) and group II (healthy volunteers). We enrolled 97 patients with hemorrhoids: 21 with grade I hemorrhoids, 37 with grade II, 14 with grade III, and 25 with grade IV. Finally, 90 healthy volunteers (53 males and 37 females; age range, 19-70 years; median, 56) were enrolled in group II. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis revealed greater levels of immunoreactive MMPs and NGAL in all patients with hemorrhoids. We recorded significantly greater levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in grade I and II patients compared with control, and greater levels of MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-8, and MMP-9 in grade III compared with grade II. MMP-9 and NGAL were particularly increased in patients with grade IV especially in case of thrombosed hemorrhoids. These results provide potentially important insights into the understanding of the natural history of hemorrhoids. MMPs and NGAL play a role in development of disease and may represent molecular markers for the complications such as hemorrhoidal thrombosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of expression of microRNAs and genes involved in the control of key signaling mechanisms that support or inhibit development of brain tumors of different grades.

PubMed

Koshkin, Philip Alexandrovich; Chistiakov, Dimitry Alexandrovich; Nikitin, Alexey Georgievich; Konovalov, Alexander Nikolaevich; Potapov, Alexander Alexandrovich; Usachev, Dmitry Yrevich; Pitskhelauri, David Ilich; Kobyakov, Gregory Lvovich; Shishkina, Lyudmila Valentinovna; Chekhonin, Vladimir Pavlovich

2014-03-20

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules involved in the regulation of key biological processes. Different miRNAs with pro-oncogenic and anti-oncogenic properties have been identified in glioblastomas. We decided to analyze expression profiles of 10 mature miRNAs (miR-7-1, miR-10а, miR-17, miR-20а, miR-21, miR-23а, miR-26а, miR-137, and miR-222) in post-surgery glioma specimens of different grades in order to find whether the expression level correlates with tumor grades. We also measured expression of six key genes such as PTEN, p21/CDKN1A, MDR1, ABCG2, BAX, and BCL-2 involved in the regulation of critical glioma signaling pathways to establish the effect of miRNAs on these signaling mechanisms. Using RT-PCR, we performed expression analysis of 25 tumor fresh samples (grades II-IV). We found gradual increase in miR-21 and miR-23a levels in all tumor grades whereas miR-7 and miR-137 were significantly down-regulated depending on the glioma grade. MDR, ABCG2, and p21/CDKN1A levels were significantly up-regulated while expression of PTEN was down-regulated in tumor samples compared to the normal brain tissue. These observations provide new insights into molecular pathogenic mechanisms of glioma progression and suggest about a potential value of miRNAs as a putative diagnostic marker of brain tumors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth trajectories of mathematics achievement: Longitudinal tracking of student academic progress.

PubMed

Mok, Magdalena M C; McInerney, Dennis M; Zhu, Jinxin; Or, Anthony

2015-06-01

A number of methods to investigate growth have been reported in the literature, including hierarchical linear modelling (HLM), latent growth modelling (LGM), and multidimensional scaling applied to longitudinal profile analysis (LPAMS). This study aimed at modelling the mathematics growth of students over a span of 6 years from Grade 3 to Grade 9. The sample comprised secondary longitudinal data collected in three waves from n = 866 Hong Kong students when they were in Grade 3, Grade 6, and Grade 9. Mathematics achievement was measured thrice on a vertical scale linked with anchor items. Linear and nonlinear latent growth models were used to assess students' growth. Gender differences were also examined. A nonlinear latent growth curve with a decelerated rate had a good fit to the data. Initial achievement and growth rate were negatively correlated. No gender difference was found. Mathematics growth from Grade 6 to Grade 9 was slower than that from Grade 3 to Grade 6. Students with lower initial achievement improved at a faster rate than those who started at a higher level. Gender did not affect growth rate. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Meta-analysis of diffusion metrics for the prediction of tumor grade in gliomas.

PubMed

Miloushev, V Z; Chow, D S; Filippi, C G

2015-02-01

Diffusion tensor metrics are potential in vivo quantitative neuroimaging biomarkers for the characterization of brain tumor subtype. This meta-analysis analyzes the ability of mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy to distinguish low-grade from high-grade gliomas in the identifiable tumor core and the region of peripheral edema. A meta-analysis of articles with mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy data for World Health Organization low-grade (I, II) and high-grade (III, IV) gliomas, between 2000 and 2013, was performed. Pooled data were analyzed by using the odds ratio and mean difference. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed for patient-level data. The minimum mean diffusivity of high-grade gliomas was decreased compared with low-grade gliomas. High-grade gliomas had decreased average mean diffusivity values compared with low-grade gliomas in the tumor core and increased average mean diffusivity values in the peripheral region. High-grade gliomas had increased FA values compared with low-grade gliomas in the tumor core, decreased values in the peripheral region, and a decreased fractional anisotropy difference between the tumor core and peripheral region. The minimum mean diffusivity differs significantly with respect to the World Health Organization grade of gliomas. Statistically significant effects of tumor grade on average mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were observed, supporting the concept that high-grade tumors are more destructive and infiltrative than low-grade tumors. Considerable heterogeneity within the literature may be due to systematic factors in addition to underlying lesion heterogeneity. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Quantitative assessment of hTERT mRNA expression in dysplastic nodules of HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

PubMed

Oh, Bong-Kyeong; Kim, Young-Joo; Park, Young Nyun; Choi, Jinsub; Kim, Kyung Sik; Park, Chanil

2006-04-01

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the rate-limiting determinant of telomerase, which is critical for carcinogenesis. Dysplastic nodules (DNs) appear to be preneoplastic lesions of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). In this study, in order to characterize DNs, hTERT mRNA, hTERT gene dosage, and mRNA for c-myc, a transcriptional activator of hTERT were studied in human multi-step hepatocarcinogenesis. Fifty four hepatic nodules including 5 large regenerative nodules, 14 low-grade DNs, 7 high-grade DNs, 11 DNs with HCC foci and 17 HCCs, 23 livers with chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis, and 6 normal livers were examined. Transcript levels were measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and gene dosages by real-time PCR and Southern blotting. The hTERT mRNA levels increased with the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis, and a significant induction in the transition between low- and high-grade DNs was seen. Most high-grade DNs strongly expressed hTERT mRNA at levels similar to those of HCCs. Twenty-one percent of low-grade DNs had high levels of hTERT mRNA, up to those of high-grade DNs and there was no difference in the pathological features between low-grade DNs with and without increased hTERT mRNA levels. No correlation was found between hTERT mRNA levels, hTERT gene dosage, and c-myc mRNA levels. These results suggest that the induction of hTERT mRNA is an important early event and that its measurement by real-time quantitative RT-PCR is a useful tool to detect premalignant/malignant tendencies in hepatic nodules. However, hTERT gene dosage and c-myc expression are not the main mechanisms regulating hTERT expression in hepatocarcinogenesis.

[Correlation between facial nerve functional evaluation and efficacy evaluation of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy].

PubMed

Zhou, Zhang-ling; Li, Cheng-xin; Jiang, Yue-bo; Zuo, Cong; Cai, Yun; Wang, Rui

2012-09-01

To assess and grade facial nerve dysfunction according to the extent of facial paralysis in the clinical course of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy, and to observe the interrelationship between the grade, the efficacy and the period of treatment, as well as the effect on prognosis. The authors employed the House-Brackmann scale, a commonly used evaluation scale for facial paralysis motor function, and set standards for eye fissure and lips. According to the improved scale, the authors assessed and graded the degree of facial paralysis in terms of facial nerve dysfunction both before and after treatment. The grade was divided into five levels: mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe dysfunction and complete paralysis. The authors gave acupuncture treatment according to the state of the disease without artificially setting the treatment period. The observation was focused on the efficacy and the efficacy was evaluated throughout the entire treatment process. Fifty-three cases out of 68 patients with Bell's palsy were cured and the overall rate of efficacy was 97%. Statistically significant differences (P<0.01) were perceived among the efficacy of five levels of facial nerve dysfunction. Efficacy was correlated with the damage level of the disease (correlation coefficient r=0.423, P<0.01). The course of treatment also extended with the severity of facial nerve dysfunction (P<0.01). Differences exist in patients with Bell's palsy in terms of severity of facial nerve dysfunction. Efficacy is reduced in correlation with an increase in facial nerve dysfunction, and the period of treatment varies in need of different levels of facial nerve dysfunction. It is highly necessary to assess and grade patients before observation and treatment in clinical study, and choose corresponding treatment according to severity of damage of the disease.

How reliable is computerized assessment of readability?

PubMed

Mailloux, S L; Johnson, M E; Fisher, D G; Pettibone, T J

1995-01-01

To assess the consistency and comparability of readability software programs, four software programs (Corporate Voice, Grammatix IV, Microsoft Word for Windows, and RightWriter) were compared. Standard materials included 28 pieces of printed educational materials on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome distributed nationally and the Gettysburg Address. Statistical analyses for the educational materials revealed that each of the three formulas assessed (Flesch-Kincaid, Flesch Reading Ease, and Gunning Fog Index) provided significantly different grade equivalent scores and that the Microsoft Word program provided significantly lower grade levels and was more inconsistent in the scores provided. For the Gettysburg Address, considerable variation was revealed among formulas, with the discrepancy being up to two grade levels. When averaging across formulas, there was a variation of 1.3 grade levels between the four software programs. Given the variation between formulas and programs, implications for decisions based on results of these software programs are provided.

The social status of aggressive students across contexts: the role of classroom status hierarchy, academic achievement, and grade.

PubMed

Garandeau, Claire F; Ahn, Hai-Jeong; Rodkin, Philip C

2011-11-01

This study tested the effects of 5 classroom contextual features on the social status (perceived popularity and social preference) that peers accord to aggressive students in late elementary school, including classroom peer status hierarchy (whether within-classroom differences in popularity are large or small), classroom academic level, and grade level as the main predictors of interest as well as classroom aggression and ethnic composition as controls. Multilevel analyses were conducted on an ethnically diverse sample of 968 fourth- and fifth-graders from 46 classrooms in 9 schools. Associations between aggression and status varied greatly from one classroom to another. Aggressive students were more popular and better liked in classrooms with higher levels of peer status hierarchy. Aggressive students had higher social status in Grade 5 than in Grade 4 and lower social preference in classrooms of higher academic level. Classroom aggression and ethnic composition did not moderate aggression-status associations. Limitations and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Self-esteem among Arab adolescents in Israel.

PubMed

Abu-Saad, I

1999-08-01

This study examined the level of global self-esteem of Arab adolescents in Israel and its relationship to perceived academic status and aspirations, interpersonal relationships, community type, and various demographic variables. A group of 1,560 11th- and 12th-grade Israeli-Arab adolescents answered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1965). The results revealed significant relationships (a) between global self-esteem and students' evaluations of their scholastic levels, their schools' academic levels, and their plans to take matriculation exams and (b) between self-esteem and family and peer relations. There was a significant relationship between self-esteem and community type. Participants living in cities and villages scored higher than those living in Bedouin townships. There were no significant gender differences or differences among grade levels.

The New Zealand rugby injury and performance project. III. Anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of players.

PubMed Central

Quarrie, K L; Handcock, P; Waller, A E; Chalmers, D J; Toomey, M J; Wilson, B D

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of New Zealand rugby players of different ages and both sexes. METHODS: 356 rugby players (264 male, 92 female) took part in the study during a single season. Playing grade ranged from schoolboys and schoolgirls to senior men and women. Assessment of height, weight, neck circumference, and somatotype was performed before the competitive rugby season. A battery of six physical performance assessments was completed after the anthropometry. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in these variables between field positions and grades. RESULTS: Significant differences between forwards and backs on anthropometric and physical performance variables were apparent at all grades assessed. In terms of anthropometric characteristics, forwards of a given grade were generally taller, possessed greater body mass, and were more endomorphic and less ectomorphic than backs of the same grade. The backs tended to perform better on physical performance measures than forwards, being more aerobically fit, faster, more agile, and possessing a higher degree of muscular endurance. Differences in anthropometry and physical performance attributes were also apparent between players from the various grades. The players at higher levels were generally larger, and performed better on tests of physical performance than the players at lower levels. These differences were found in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The greater body mass of the forwards allows them to obtain greater momentum than the backs when sprinting. The ability to obtain greater momentum is important in the body contact phases of the game. Forwards may compromise their aerobic fitness and speed to some extent in order to maintain a high body mass. The anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of players appear to reflect the demands placed on them by the sport. PMID:8808542

Prospective study of the participation patterns of Grade 6 and Year 8 students in Victoria, Australia in activities outside of school.

PubMed

McMullan, Sarah; Chin, Rachel; Froude, Elspeth; Imms, Christine

2012-06-01

Positive participation outcomes are deemed the ultimate goal of health care and specifically of occupational therapy. Knowledge of the typical participation patterns of children in Australia will provide essential information to support our understanding of participation and the goal of maximising children's engagement. This study investigated the participation of Grade 6 and Year 8 Victorian students in activities outside school and explored differences between genders and between students in different year levels. Secondarily, we began to establish Australian normative data on the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children. This cross sectional survey methods study recruited students from a random selection of public schools. Participation was measured using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children questionnaires. Participants included 84 (37 female, 47 male) students in Grade 6 (n = 43) and Year 8 (n = 41). Differences between year levels were only evident for participation in Recreational and Active Physical activities. Grade 6 students did more activities, more intensely than Year 8 students, but with no difference in enjoyment. The mean number of Recreational activities done by Grade 6 students was 8.5 (95%CI: 7.9-9.1) compared to Year 8 students 6.9 (95%CI: 6.1-7.7; P = 0.001). Gender differences were evident in the participation patterns within Social, Skill-Based and Self-Improvement activities. The findings suggested that gender was a more important influence on participation patterns than a 2-year age gap, with participation patterns being relatively stable between Grade 6 and Year 8. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Grade classification of neuroepithelial tumors using high-resolution magic-angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and pattern recognition.

PubMed

Chen, WenXue; Lou, HaiYan; Zhang, HongPing; Nie, Xiu; Lan, WenXian; Yang, YongXia; Xiang, Yun; Qi, JianPin; Lei, Hao; Tang, HuiRu; Chen, FenEr; Deng, Feng

2011-07-01

Clinical data have shown that survival rates vary considerably among brain tumor patients, according to the type and grade of the tumor. Metabolite profiles of intact tumor tissues measured with high-resolution magic-angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HRMAS (1)H NMRS) can provide important information on tumor biology and metabolism. These metabolic fingerprints can then be used for tumor classification and grading, with great potential value for tumor diagnosis. We studied the metabolic characteristics of 30 neuroepithelial tumor biopsies, including two astrocytomas (grade I), 12 astrocytomas (grade II), eight anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III), three glioblastomas (grade IV) and five medulloblastomas (grade IV) from 30 patients using HRMAS (1)H NMRS. The results were correlated with pathological features using multivariate data analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA). There were significant differences in the levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine, myo-inositol, glycine and lactate between tumors of different grades (P<0.05). There were also significant differences in the ratios of NAA/creatine, lactate/creatine, myo-inositol/creatine, glycine/creatine, scyllo-inositol/creatine and alanine/creatine (P<0.05). A soft independent modeling of class analogy model produced a predictive accuracy of 87% for high-grade (grade III-IV) brain tumors with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 93%. HRMAS (1)H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with pattern recognition thus provides a potentially useful tool for the rapid and accurate classification of human brain tumor grades.

SOCIAL CLASS BACKGROUND OF 8TH GRADE PUPILS, SOCIAL CLASS COMPOSITION OF THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR ACADEMIC ASPIRATIONS AND SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WALDO, LESLIE C.; WALLIN, PAUL

AN EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES AMONG EIGHTH GRADE BOYS AND GIRLS IN REGARD TO THEIR LEVEL OF EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATION AND THEIR ADJUSTMENT IN THE SCHOOL SITUATION WAS PRESENTED. THE STUDENTS STUDIED ATTENDED SEVEN DIFFERENT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. FOUR OF THE SCHOOLS WERE PREDOMINANTLY COMPOSED OF CHILDREN FROM MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES, AND THREE, OF…

Readability evaluation of Internet-based patient education materials related to the anesthesiology field.

PubMed

De Oliveira, Gildasio S; Jung, Michael; Mccaffery, Kirsten J; McCarthy, Robert J; Wolf, Michael S

2015-08-01

The main objective of the current investigation was to assess the readability of Internet-based patient education materials related to the field of anesthesiology. We hypothesized that the majority of patient education materials would not be written according to current recommended readability grade level. Online patient education materials describing procedures, risks, and management of anesthesia-related topics were identified using the search engine Google (available at www.google.com) using the terms anesthesia, anesthesiology, anesthesia risks, and anesthesia care. Cross-sectional evaluation. None. Assessments of content readability were performed using validated instruments (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Formulae, the Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, the New Dale-Chall Test, the Fry graph, and the Flesch Reading Ease score). Ninety-six Web sites containing Internet patient education materials (IPEMs) were evaluated. The median (interquartile range) readability grade level for all evaluated IPEMs was 13.5 (12.0-14.6). All the evaluated documents were classified at a greater readability level than the current recommended readability grade, P < .001. Readability grades were not significantly different among different IPEM sources. Assessment by the Flesch Reading Ease test classified all but 4 IPEMs as at least fairly difficult to read. Internet-based patient education materials related to the field of anesthesiology are currently written far above the recommended readability grade level. High complexity of written education materials likely limits access of information to millions of American patients. Redesign of online content of Web sites that provide patient education material regarding anesthesia could be an important step in improving access to information for patients with poor health literacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating Improvements in Laboratory Report Writing Skills with Less Grading: A Laboratory Report Peer-Review Process†

PubMed Central

Brigati, Jennifer R.; Swann, Jerilyn M.

2015-01-01

Incorporating peer-review steps in the laboratory report writing process provides benefits to students, but it also can create additional work for laboratory instructors. The laboratory report writing process described here allows the instructor to grade only one lab report for every two to four students, while giving the students the benefits of peer review and prompt feedback on their laboratory reports. Here we present the application of this process to a sophomore level genetics course and a freshman level cellular biology course, including information regarding class time spent on student preparation activities, instructor preparation, prerequisite student knowledge, suggested learning outcomes, procedure, materials, student instructions, faculty instructions, assessment tools, and sample data. T-tests comparing individual and group grading of the introductory cell biology lab reports yielded average scores that were not significantly different from each other (p = 0.13, n = 23 for individual grading, n = 6 for group grading). T-tests also demonstrated that average laboratory report grades of students using the peer-review process were not significantly different from those of students working alone (p = 0.98, n = 9 for individual grading, n = 6 for pair grading). While the grading process described here does not lead to statistically significant gains (or reductions) in student learning, it allows student learning to be maintained while decreasing instructor workload. This reduction in workload could allow the instructor time to pursue other high-impact practices that have been shown to increase student learning. Finally, we suggest possible modifications to the procedure for application in a variety of settings. PMID:25949758

Facilitating improvements in laboratory report writing skills with less grading: a laboratory report peer-review process.

PubMed

Brigati, Jennifer R; Swann, Jerilyn M

2015-05-01

Incorporating peer-review steps in the laboratory report writing process provides benefits to students, but it also can create additional work for laboratory instructors. The laboratory report writing process described here allows the instructor to grade only one lab report for every two to four students, while giving the students the benefits of peer review and prompt feedback on their laboratory reports. Here we present the application of this process to a sophomore level genetics course and a freshman level cellular biology course, including information regarding class time spent on student preparation activities, instructor preparation, prerequisite student knowledge, suggested learning outcomes, procedure, materials, student instructions, faculty instructions, assessment tools, and sample data. T-tests comparing individual and group grading of the introductory cell biology lab reports yielded average scores that were not significantly different from each other (p = 0.13, n = 23 for individual grading, n = 6 for group grading). T-tests also demonstrated that average laboratory report grades of students using the peer-review process were not significantly different from those of students working alone (p = 0.98, n = 9 for individual grading, n = 6 for pair grading). While the grading process described here does not lead to statistically significant gains (or reductions) in student learning, it allows student learning to be maintained while decreasing instructor workload. This reduction in workload could allow the instructor time to pursue other high-impact practices that have been shown to increase student learning. Finally, we suggest possible modifications to the procedure for application in a variety of settings.

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4.

PubMed

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one's own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one's own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons.

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one’s own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one’s own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons. PMID:28542384

Investigation of the chemical markers for experiential quality evaluation of crude aconite by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS.

PubMed

Zhang, Ding-Kun; Han, Xue; Li, Rui-Yu; Niu, Ming; Dong, Qin; Yang, Ming; Wang, Jia-Bo; Xiao, Xiao-He

2016-11-01

Many foods and herbs are experientially classified into different commodity grades in commercial circulation. Regarding the hypertoxic herb aconite, large samples are considered to be of better quality. However, this experiential classification lacks a scientific basis. In this study, we focused on the quality diversity among different grades and studied it using the minimum lethal dose assay and a novel ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry method. Toxicity assay result suggested grade I aconite had the lowest toxicity (p < 0.05). Using this method with partial least squares-discriminant analysis, we discovered nine chemomarkers, including neoline, songorine, fuziline, mesaconitine, talatizidine, dexyaconitine, talatisamine, hypaconitine, and fuzitine. Considering their toxicity and activity, we found the levels of toxic ingredients hypaconitine, dexyaconitine, and mesaconitine in grade I were lower than those in grade II (p < 0.01), while the levels of efficacy ingredients songorine, talatisamine, and neoline were the highest in grade I (p < 0.01). Further study demonstrated that the quality variation was associated with plant tissue development and toxic ingredient distribution law. Our results provide scientific evidence for the experiential quality evaluation of aconite, and it will be of great utility for other foods and herbs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison and correlation of pelvic parameters between low-grade and high-grade spondylolisthesis.

PubMed

Min, Woo-Kie; Lee, Chang-Hwa

2014-05-01

This study was retrospectively conducted on 51 patients with L5-S1 spondylolisthesis. This study was conducted to compare a total of 11 pelvic parameters, such as the level of displacement by Meyerding method, lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, lumbosacral angle, slip angle, S2 inclination, pelvic incidence (PI), L5 inclination, L5 slope, pelvic tilt (PT), and sacral slope (SS) between low-grade and high-grade spondylolisthesis, and to investigate a correlation of the level of displacement by Meyerding method with other pelvic parameters. Pelvic parameters were measured using preoperational erect lateral spinal simple radiographs. The patients were divided into 39 patients with low-grade spondylolisthesis and 12 patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis before analysis. In all patients of both groups, 11 radiographic measurements including the level of displacement by Meyerding method, lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, lumbosacral angle, slip angle, S2 inclination, PI, L5 inclination, L5 slope, PT, and SS were performed. T test and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted to compare and analyze each measurement. As for the comparison between the 2 groups, a statistically great significance in the level of displacement by Meyerding method, lumbosacral angle, slip angle, L5 incidence, PI, and L5 slope (P≤0.001) was shown. Meanwhile, a statistical significance in the sacral inclination and PT (P<0.05) was also shown. However, no statistical significance in the S2 incidence and SS was shown. A correlation of the level of displacement by Meyerding method with each parameter was analyzed in the both the groups. A high correlation was observed in the lumbar lordosis, lumbosacral angle, slip angle, L5 incidence, and L5 slope (Pearson correlation coefficient, P=0.01), as well as the sacral inclination, PI, and PT (Pearson correlation coefficient, P=0.05). Meanwhile, no correlation was shown in the S2 incidence and SS. A significant difference in the lumbosacral angle, slip angle, L5 incidence, PI, L5 slope, sacral inclination, and PT was shown between the patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis and patients with low-grade spondylolisthesis. Among the aforementioned measurements, the PI showed a significant difference between the 2 groups and also had a significant correlation with the dislocation level in all the patients.

Effects of Engineering Design-Based Science on Elementary School Science Students' Engineering Identity Development across Gender and Grade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capobianco, Brenda M.; Yu, Ji H.; French, Brian F.

2015-04-01

The integration of engineering concepts and practices into elementary science education has become an emerging concern for science educators and practitioners, alike. Moreover, how children, specifically preadolescents (grades 1-5), engage in engineering design-based learning activities may help science educators and researchers learn more about children's earliest identification with engineering. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which engineering identity differed among preadolescents across gender and grade, when exposing students to engineering design-based science learning activities. Five hundred fifty preadolescent participants completed the Engineering Identity Development Scale (EIDS), a recently developed measure with validity evidence that characterizes children's conceptions of engineering and potential career aspirations. Data analyses of variance among four factors (i.e., gender, grade, and group) indicated that elementary school students who engaged in the engineering design-based science learning activities demonstrated greater improvements on the EIDS subscales compared to those in the comparison group. Specifically, students in the lower grade levels showed substantial increases, while students in the higher grade levels showed decreases. Girls, regardless of grade level and participation in the engineering learning activities, showed higher scores in the academic subscale compared to boys. These findings suggest that the integration of engineering practices in the science classroom as early as grade one shows potential in fostering and sustaining student interest, participation, and self-concept in engineering and science.

Are we failing to communicate? Internet-based patient education materials and radiation safety.

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; Ramchand, Tekchand; Patel, Shyam; Kraus, Carl; Jung, Jin; Agarwal, Nitin; Gonzales, Sharon F; Baker, Stephen R

2014-09-01

Patients frequently turn to the Internet when seeking answers to healthcare related inquiries including questions about the effects of radiation when undergoing radiologic studies. We investigate the readability of online patient education materials concerning radiation safety from multiple Internet resources. Patient education material regarding radiation safety was downloaded from 8 different websites encompassing: (1) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2) the Environmental Protection Agency, (3) the European Society of Radiology, (4) the Food and Drug Administration, (5) the Mayo Clinic, (6) MedlinePlus, (7) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and (8) the Society of Pediatric Radiology. From these 8 resources, a total of 45 articles were analyzed for their level of readability using 10 different readability scales. The 45 articles had a level of readability ranging from 9.4 to the 17.2 grade level. Only 3/45 (6.7%) were written below the 10th grade level. No statistical difference was seen between the readability level of the 8 different websites. All 45 articles from all 8 websites failed to meet the recommendations set forth by the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association that patient education resources be written between the 3rd and 7th grade level. Rewriting the patient education resources on radiation safety from each of these 8 websites would help many consumers of healthcare information adequately comprehend such material. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Normative Functional Performance Values in High School Athletes: The Functional Pre-Participation Evaluation Project.

PubMed

Onate, James A; Starkel, Cambrie; Clifton, Daniel R; Best, Thomas M; Borchers, James; Chaudhari, Ajit; Comstock, R Dawn; Cortes, Nelson; Grooms, Dustin R; Hertel, Jay; Hewett, Timothy E; Miller, Meghan Maume; Pan, Xueliang; Schussler, Eric; Van Lunen, Bonnie L

2018-01-01

  The fourth edition of the Preparticipation Physical Evaluation recommends functional testing for the musculoskeletal portion of the examination; however, normative data across sex and grade level are limited. Establishing normative data can provide clinicians reference points with which to compare their patients, potentially aiding in the development of future injury-risk assessments and injury-mitigation programs.   To establish normative functional performance and limb-symmetry data for high school-aged male and female athletes in the United States.   Cross-sectional study.   Athletic training facilities and gymnasiums across the United States.   A total of 3951 male and female athletes who participated on high school-sponsored basketball, football, lacrosse, or soccer teams enrolled in this nationwide study.   Functional performance testing consisted of 3 evaluations. Ankle-joint range of motion, balance, and lower extremity muscular power and landing control were assessed via the weight-bearing ankle-dorsiflexion-lunge, single-legged anterior-reach, and anterior single-legged hop-for-distance (SLHOP) tests, respectively. We used 2-way analyses of variance and χ 2 analyses to examine the effects of sex and grade level on ankle-dorsiflexion-lunge, single-legged anterior-reach, and SLHOP test performance and symmetry.   The SLHOP performance differed between sexes (males = 187.8% ± 33.1% of limb length, females = 157.5% ± 27.8% of limb length; t = 30.3, P < .001). A Cohen d value of 0.97 indicated a large effect of sex on SLHOP performance. We observed differences for SLHOP and ankle-dorsiflexion-lunge performance among grade levels, but these differences were not clinically meaningful.   We demonstrated differences in normative data for lower extremity functional performance during preparticipation physical evaluations across sex and grade levels. The results of this study will allow clinicians to compare sex- and grade-specific functional performances and implement approaches for preventing musculoskeletal injuries in high school-aged athletes.

Middle school science curriculum design and 8th grade student achievement in Massachusetts public schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifford, Betsey A.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released proposed Science and Technology/Engineering standards in 2013 outlining the concepts that should be taught at each grade level. Previously, standards were in grade spans and each district determined the method of implementation. There are two different methods used teaching middle school science: integrated and discipline-based. In the proposed standards, the Massachusetts DESE uses grade-by-grade standards using an integrated approach. It was not known if there is a statistically significant difference in student achievement on the 8th grade science MCAS assessment for students taught with an integrated or discipline-based approach. The results on the 8th grade science MCAS test from six public school districts from 2010 -- 2013 were collected and analyzed. The methodology used was quantitative. Results of an ANOVA showed that there was no statistically significant difference in overall student achievement between the two curriculum models. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference for the various domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Technology/Engineering. This information is useful for districts hesitant to make the change from a discipline-based approach to an integrated approach. More research should be conducted on this topic with a larger sample size to better support the results.

Performance-based alternative assessments as a means of eliminating gender achievement differences on science tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Norman Merrill

1998-09-01

Historically, researchers have reported an achievement difference between females and males on standardized science tests. These differences have been reported to be based upon science knowledge, abstract reasoning skills, mathematical abilities, and cultural and social phenomena. This research was designed to determine how mastery of specific science content from public school curricula might be evaluated with performance-based assessment models, without producing gender achievement differences. The assessment instruments used were Harcourt Brace Educational Measurement's GOALSsp°ler: A Performance-Based Measure of Achievement and the performance-based portion of the Stanford Achievement Testspcopyright, Ninth Edition. The identified independent variables were test, gender, ethnicity, and grade level. A 2 x 2 x 6 x 12 (test x gender x ethnicity x grade) factorial experimental design was used to organize the data. A stratified random sample (N = 2400) was selected from a national pool of norming data: N = 1200 from the GOALSsp°ler group and N = 1200 from the SAT9spcopyright group. The ANOVA analysis yielded mixed results. The factors of test, gender, ethnicity by grade, gender by grade, and gender by grade by ethnicity failed to produce significant results (alpha = 0.05). The factors yielding significant results were ethnicity, grade, and ethnicity by grade. Therefore, no significant differences were found between female and male achievement on these performance-based assessments.

Investigation of the plastic fracture of high strength steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, T. B.; Low, J. R., Jr.

1972-01-01

An investigation of the plastic fracture process to improve tensile strength in high strength steels is presented. Two generic types of steels are considered: a quenched and tempered grade and a maraging grade, in order to compare two different matrix microstructures. Each type of steel was studied in commercial grade purity and in special melted high purity form, low in residual and impurity elements. The specific alloys dealt with include AISI 4340 and 18 Ni, 200 grade maraging steel, both heat treated to the same yield strength level of approximately 200 ksi.

Novel strategies of Raman imaging for brain tumor research.

PubMed

Anna, Imiela; Bartosz, Polis; Lech, Polis; Halina, Abramczyk

2017-10-17

Raman diagnostics and imaging have been shown to be an effective tool for the analysis and discrimination of human brain tumors from normal structures. Raman spectroscopic methods have potential to be applied in clinical practice as they allow for identification of tumor margins during surgery. In this study, we investigate medulloblastoma (grade IV WHO) (n= 5), low-grade astrocytoma (grades I-II WHO) (n =4), ependymoma (n=3) and metastatic brain tumors (n= 1) and the tissue from the negative margins used as normal controls. We compare a high grade medulloblastoma, low grade astrocytoma and non-tumor samples from human central nervous system (CNS) tissue. Based on the properties of the Raman vibrational features and Raman images we provide a real-time feedback method that is label-free to monitor tumor metabolism that reveals reprogramming of biosynthesis of lipids, proteins, DNA and RNA. Our results indicate marked metabolic differences between low and high grade brain tumors. We discuss molecular mechanisms causing these metabolic changes, particularly lipid alterations in malignant medulloblastoma and low grade gliomas that may shed light on the mechanisms driving tumor recurrence thereby revealing new approaches for the treatment of malignant glioma. We have found that the high-grade tumors of central nervous system (medulloblastoma) exhibit enhanced level of β-sheet conformation and down-regulated level of α-helix conformation when comparing against normal tissue. We have found that almost all tumors studied in the paper have increased Raman signals of nucleic acids. This increase can be interpreted as increased DNA/RNA turnover in brain tumors. We have shown that the ratio of Raman intensities I 2930 /I 2845 at 2930 and 2845 cm -1 is a good source of information on the ratio of lipid and protein contents. We have found that the ratio reflects the different lipid and protein contents of cancerous brain tissue compared to the non-tumor tissue. We found that levels of the saturated fatty acids were significantly reduced in the high grade medulloblastoma samples compared with non-tumor brain samples and low grade astrocytoma. Differences were also noted in the n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content between medulloblastoma and non-tumor brain samples. The content of the oleic acid (OA) was significantly smaller in almost all brain high grade brain tumors than that observed in the control samples. It indicates that the fatty acid composition of human brain tumors differs from that found in non-tumor brain tissue. The iodine number N I for the normal brain tissue is 60. For comparison OA has 87, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 464, α-linolenic acid (ALA) 274. The high grade tumors have the iodine numbers between that for palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid (N I =0) and oleic acid (N I =87). Most low grade tumors have N I similar to that of OA. The iodine number for arachidonic acid (AA) (N I =334) is much higher than those observed for all studied samples.

Novel strategies of Raman imaging for brain tumor research

PubMed Central

Anna, Imiela; Bartosz, Polis; Lech, Polis; Halina, Abramczyk

2017-01-01

Raman diagnostics and imaging have been shown to be an effective tool for the analysis and discrimination of human brain tumors from normal structures. Raman spectroscopic methods have potential to be applied in clinical practice as they allow for identification of tumor margins during surgery. In this study, we investigate medulloblastoma (grade IV WHO) (n= 5), low-grade astrocytoma (grades I-II WHO) (n =4), ependymoma (n=3) and metastatic brain tumors (n= 1) and the tissue from the negative margins used as normal controls. We compare a high grade medulloblastoma, low grade astrocytoma and non-tumor samples from human central nervous system (CNS) tissue. Based on the properties of the Raman vibrational features and Raman images we provide a real–time feedback method that is label-free to monitor tumor metabolism that reveals reprogramming of biosynthesis of lipids, proteins, DNA and RNA. Our results indicate marked metabolic differences between low and high grade brain tumors. We discuss molecular mechanisms causing these metabolic changes, particularly lipid alterations in malignant medulloblastoma and low grade gliomas that may shed light on the mechanisms driving tumor recurrence thereby revealing new approaches for the treatment of malignant glioma. We have found that the high-grade tumors of central nervous system (medulloblastoma) exhibit enhanced level of β-sheet conformation and down-regulated level of α-helix conformation when comparing against normal tissue. We have found that almost all tumors studied in the paper have increased Raman signals of nucleic acids. This increase can be interpreted as increased DNA/RNA turnover in brain tumors. We have shown that the ratio of Raman intensities I2930/I2845 at 2930 and 2845 cm-1 is a good source of information on the ratio of lipid and protein contents. We have found that the ratio reflects the different lipid and protein contents of cancerous brain tissue compared to the non-tumor tissue. We found that levels of the saturated fatty acids were significantly reduced in the high grade medulloblastoma samples compared with non-tumor brain samples and low grade astrocytoma. Differences were also noted in the n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content between medulloblastoma and non-tumor brain samples. The content of the oleic acid (OA) was significantly smaller in almost all brain high grade brain tumors than that observed in the control samples. It indicates that the fatty acid composition of human brain tumors differs from that found in non-tumor brain tissue. The iodine number NI for the normal brain tissue is 60. For comparison OA has 87, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 464, α-linolenic acid (ALA) 274. The high grade tumors have the iodine numbers between that for palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid (NI=0) and oleic acid (NI=87). Most low grade tumors have NI similar to that of OA. The iodine number for arachidonic acid (AA) (NI=334) is much higher than those observed for all studied samples. PMID:29156720

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory and mathematical ability in different domains throughout primary school.

PubMed

Van de Weijer-Bergsma, Eva; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Van Luit, Johannes E H

2015-04-01

The relative importance of visual-spatial and verbal working memory for mathematics performance and learning seems to vary with age, the novelty of the material, and the specific math domain that is investigated. In this study, the relations between verbal and visual-spatial working memory and performance in four math domains (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) at different ages during primary school are investigated. Children (N = 4337) from grades 2 through 6 participated. Visual-spatial and verbal working memory were assessed using online computerized tasks. Math performance was assessed at the start, middle, and end of the school year using a speeded arithmetic test. Multilevel Multigroup Latent Growth Modeling was used to model individual differences in level and growth in math performance, and examine the predictive value of working memory per grade, while controlling for effects of classroom membership. The results showed that as grade level progressed, the predictive value of visual-spatial working memory for individual differences in level of mathematics performance waned, while the predictive value of verbal working memory increased. Working memory did not predict individual differences between children in their rate of performance growth throughout the school year. These findings are discussed in relation to three, not mutually exclusive, explanations for such age-related findings.

[Expression and mechanism of Twist2 in glioma].

PubMed

Wang, L Z; Wang, W J; Xiong, Y F; Xu, S; Wang, S S; Tu, Y; Wang, Z Y; Yan, X L; Mei, J H; Wang, C L

2017-12-08

Objective: To investigate the significance of Twist2 in glioma and whether it is involved in the malignant transformation of glioma by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods: Using immunohistochemical method detected the expression level of Twist2 in 60 cases of gliomas (including WHO grades Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, each for 20 cases) and 20 cases of non-tumor brain tissues. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression level of Twist2 mRNA and protein in 61 cases of fresh glioma tissue (WHO grade Ⅱ 16 cases, Ⅲ 21 cases, Ⅳ 24 cases) and 12 cases of adjacent tissues, and the expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and vimentin were also investigated in fresh glioma tissue. Results: Immunohistochemistry results showed that the percentages of Twist2 expression in glioma was 90%(54/60) compared with 30%(6/20) in non-tumor brain tissues( P <0.01). The percentages of Twist2 expression were 75% (15/20), 95% (19/20), and 100% (20/20) in the WHO gradesⅡ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ gliomas, respectively. WHO grades Ⅳ and Ⅲ were significantly higher than that of WHO grade Ⅱ ( P <0.01). There was no significant difference between WHO grade Ⅳand WHO Ⅲ glioma ( P >0.05). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot showed that the expression level of Twist 2 in gliomas was significantly higher than that in para-cancerous tissues ( P <0.01), and those in WHO grades Ⅳ and Ⅲ gliomas were significantly higher than that in WHO grade Ⅱ glioma ( P <0.01). There was no significant difference between WHO grade Ⅳand grade Ⅲ glioma ( P >0.05). Detection of key protein expression in EMT by Western blot displayed that the expression of E-cadherin was negatively associated with Twist2 in glioma ( r =-0.972, P <0.01). The expression of N-cadherin and vimentin was positively associated with Twist2 in glioma( r =0.971, P <0.01; r =0.968, P <0.01). Conclusions: The expression of Twist2 in human glioma is positively correlated with the malignant grade of glioma, which may be involved in the malignant progression of glioma by EMT.

Personality Traits and Intelligence Predict Academic School Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furnham, Adrian; Monsen, Jeremy

2009-01-01

This study examines the extent to which personality traits and intelligence scores predict school level academic performance (AP), (British GCSE: General Certificate of Secondary Education; America Grade 10) in different disciplines. The participant sample consisted of approximately 250 school pupils from three schools in the South East of…

Inferiority, Efficacy, and Race.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoll, Clarice S.; McPartland, James

Racial, sex, and family background differences of ninth- and twelfth-grade students in feelings of individual control over environment were analyzed from the data of the Coleman Report. For the ninth-grade group of black students the situational components of social class level of classmates, racial composition of the classroom, and close…

Implementing Multiage Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaustad, Joan

1996-01-01

Multiage education is the placement of children of varying ages, grades, and ability levels in the same classroom with the aim of improving learning for all of them. Teaching a multiage class requires very different knowledge and skills than teaching traditional single-grade classes. Interest in multiage education has grown in recent years, and…

Results of Two Tenth-Grade Biology Teaching Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purser, Roger K.; Renner, John W.

1983-01-01

Examined influence of teaching methods on content achievement of concrete and formal concepts by students differing in level of operational thought and influence of concrete/formal teaching on the intellectural development of students (N=86 grade 9-10 biology students). Methodology, results, conclusions, and implications are discussed. (Author/JN)

Genetic and environmental influences on early literacy skills across school grade contexts.

PubMed

Haughbrook, Rasheda; Hart, Sara A; Schatschneider, Christopher; Taylor, Jeanette

2017-09-01

Recent research suggests that the etiology of reading achievement can differ across environmental contexts. In the US, schools are commonly assigned grades (e.g. 'A', 'B') often interpreted to indicate school quality. This study explored differences in the etiology of early literacy skills for students based on these school grades. Participants included twins drawn from the Florida Twin Project on Reading (n = 1313 pairs) aged 4 to 10 years during the 2006-07 school year. Early literacy skills were assessed with DIBELS subtests: Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF), Initial Sound Fluency (ISF), Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), and Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF). School grade data were retrieved from the Florida Department of Education. Multi-group analyses were conducted separately for subsamples defined by 'A' or 'non-A' schools, controlling for school-level socioeconomic status. Results indicated significant etiological differences on pre-reading skills (ISF, LNF, and PSF), but not word-level reading skills (ORF and NWF). There was a consistent trend of greater environmental influences on pre-reading skills in non-A schools, arguably representing 'poorer' environmental contexts than the A schools. Importantly, this is the case outside of resources linked with school-level SES, indicating that something about the direct environment on pre-reading skills in the non-A school context is more variable than for A schools. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Readability assessment of patient education materials from the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

PubMed

Kasabwala, Khushabu; Agarwal, Nitin; Hansberry, David R; Baredes, Soly; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2012-09-01

Americans are increasingly turning to the Internet as a source of health care information. These online resources should be written at a level readily understood by the average American. This study evaluates the readability of online patient education information available from the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) professional Web site using 7 different assessment tools that analyze the materials for reading ease and grade level of its target audience. Analysis of Internet-based patient education material from the AAO-HNSF Web site. Online patient education material from the AAO-HNSF was downloaded in January 2012 and assessed for level of readability using the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning-Fog Index, Raygor Readability Estimate graph, and Fry Readability graph. The text from each subsection was pasted as plain text into Microsoft Word document, and each subsection was subjected to readability analysis using the software package Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2012.1. All health care education material assessed is written between an 11th grade and graduate reading level and is considered "difficult to read" by the assessment scales. Online patient education materials on the AAO-HNSF Web site are written above the recommended 6th grade level and may need to be revised to make them more easily understood by a broader audience.

DECS tries out instructional materials on AIDS prevention education.

PubMed

1994-01-01

A national try-out of the newly developed print and non-print instructional materials on AIDS Education is being conducted by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) this school year 1993-to 1994. To determine the effectiveness of these materials, various public and private schools in Region IV (Southern Tagalog), VII (Central Visayas) XI (Southern Mindanao) and National Capital Region (Metro, Manila) were chosen as try-out institutions. The AIDS education materials will be tried out in different subjects in some grade and year levels such as civics and culture (grade one); science and health (grades three and six); home economics and livelihood education (grade five); physical education, health and music (second year) and Pilipino Language (third year). The materials for the elementary level consist of posters, cut-out pictures, voice tapes, jingles, talking books and slides, while the secondary school level utilizes modules. For the tertiary level, a Resource Book on AIDS Prevention Education is used by the Teacher Training Institutions and the Non-Formal Education employs the Facilitator's Guide for Levels I-III. These materials will be tried out in both urban and rural schools, with control school and experimental school at each level. full text

Grade Level Differences in High School Students' Conceptions of and Motives for Learning Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ya-Ling; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2017-08-01

Students' conceptions of learning science and their relations with motive for learning may vary as the education level increases. This study aimed to compare the quantitative patterns in students' conceptions of learning science (COLS) and motives for learning science (MLS) across grade levels by adopting two survey instruments. A total of 768 high school students were surveyed in Taiwan, including 204 eighth graders, 262 tenth graders, and 302 12th graders. In the current research, memorizing, testing, and calculating and practicing were categorized as reproductive conceptions of learning science, while increase of knowledge, applying, understanding and seeing-in-a-new-way were regarded as constructivist conceptions. The results of multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) revealed that conceptions of learning science are more constructivist as education level increases. Both tenth graders and 12th graders endorsed understanding, seeing-in-a-new-way, and the constructivist COLS composite more strongly than the eighth graders did. In addition, the results of multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that the positive relations between testing and reproductive COLS were stronger as the grade level increased, while the negative relations between reproductive COLS and deep motive were tighter with the increase in grade level.

Self-regulation, motivation, and math achievement in middle school: variations across grade level and math context.

PubMed

Cleary, Timothy J; Chen, Peggy P

2009-10-01

The current study examined grade level, achievement group, and math-course-type differences in student self-regulation and motivation in a sample of 880 suburban middle-school students. Analysis of variance was utilized to assess group differences in student self-regulation and motivation, and linear regression analysis was used to identify variables that best predicted students' use of regulatory strategies. A key finding was that although seventh graders exhibited a more maladaptive self-regulation and motivation profile than sixth graders, achievement groups in seventh grade (high, moderate, low) were more clearly differentiated across both self-regulation and motivation than achievement groups in sixth grade. The pattern of achievement group differences also varied across math course type, as self-regulation and motivation processes more consistently differentiated achievement groups in advanced classes than regular math courses. Finally, task interest was shown to be the primary motivational predictor of students' use of regulatory strategies during math learning. The study highlights the importance of identifying shifting student motivation and self-regulation during the early middle school years and the potential role that context may have on these processes.

Studies in the Control of Stochastic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-31

scientists and engineers. 2. Math Awareness Months (MAM) (Every April for the past twenty-three years) Agenda: workshops each year for fifth...graders from two schools on different days, math competitions on the first Saturday of April, lectures for a broad audience, MAM declarations from city...and state. Math Competitions at three levels: 3-6 grades, 8-9 grades and 9-12 grades: the local schools, the schools in Kansas City and Topeka are

Readability of Orthopedic Trauma Patient Education Materials on the Internet.

PubMed

Mohan, Rohith; Yi, Paul H; Morshed, Saam

In this study, we used the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Scale to determine the readability levels of orthopedic trauma patient education materials on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) website and to examine how subspecialty coauthorship affects readability level. Included articles from the AAOS online patient education library and the AAOS OrthoPortal website were categorized as trauma or broken bones and injuries on the AAOS online library or were screened by study authors for relevance to orthopedic trauma. Subsequently, the Flesch-Kincaid scale was used to determine each article's readability level, which was reported as a grade level. Subspecialty coauthorship was noted for each article. A total of 115 articles from the AAOS website were included in the study and reviewed. Mean reading level was grade 9.1 for all articles reviewed. Nineteen articles (16.5%) were found to be at or below the eighth-grade level, and only 1 article was at or below the sixth-grade level. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between articles coauthored by the various orthopedic subspecialties and those authored exclusively by AAOS. Orthopedic trauma readability materials on the AAOS website appear to be written at a reading comprehension level too high for the average patient to understand.

Social Involvement of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Elementary School Classrooms

PubMed Central

Rotheram-Fuller, Erin; Kasari, Connie; Chamberlain, Brandt; Locke, Jill

2010-01-01

Background Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement. Methods Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 randomly-selected, gender-matched peers (88.6% male) in 75 early (K-1), middle (2nd–3rd), and late (4th–5th) elementary classrooms across 30 schools completed social network surveys examining each child’s reciprocal friendships, peer rejection, acceptance, and social involvement. Results Across grade levels, peers less frequently reciprocated friendships with children with ASD than students in the matched sample. While children with ASD were not more likely to be rejected by peers, they were less accepted and had fewer reciprocal friendships than matched peers at each grade level. Although 48.1% of children with ASD were involved in the social networks of their classrooms, children with ASD were more likely to be isolated or peripheral to social relationships within the classroom across all grade levels, and this difference is even more dramatic in later elementary grades. Conclusions In inclusive classrooms, children with ASD are only involved in peers’ social relationships about half of the time, and appear to be even less connected with increasing grade level. Promoting children with ASD’s skills in popular activities to share with peers in early childhood may be a key preventive intervention to protect social relationships in late elementary school grades. PMID:20673234

Teacher's opinion about learning continuum of genetics based on student's level of competence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniati, Etika; Subali, Bambang

2017-08-01

This study focuses on designing learning continuum for developing a curriculum. The objective of this study is to get the opinion of junior and senior high school teachers about Learning Continuum based on Student's Level of Competence and Specific Pedagogical Learning Material on Aspect of Genetics Aspects. This research is a survey research involving 281 teachers from junior and senior high school teachers as respondents taken from five districts and city in Yogyakarta Special Region. The results of this study show that most of the junior high school teachers argue that sub aspects individual reproduction should be taught to students of grade VII and IX, virus reproduction at the grade X, and cell reproduction to mutation at the grade IX with level of competence to understand (C2) while most of the senior high school teachers argue that sub aspects individual, cell, and virus reproduction must be taught to students of grade X and division mechanism to mutation at the grade XII with level of competence to understand (C2), apply (C3), and analyze (C4). Based on the opinion of teachers, sub concepts in genetics can be taught from junior high school with different in the scope of materials but learning continuum that has been developed is not relevant with the students cognitive development and their grades.

Gender gap or program gap? Students' negotiations of study practice in a course in electromagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, Staffan; Johansson, Anders

2016-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] This study of achievement differences, as reflected by course grades, on a third-semester electromagnetism course at a Swedish research university was motivated by instructor concerns about gender inequalities. Quantitative analysis showed a gender gap in course grades between female and male students for the period of fall 2007 to spring 2013. Dynamics behind this gap were explored through interpretative discourse analysis on interviews of 21 students who had recently passed the course. A recurring pattern was identified in the interviews. Students described studying electromagnetism as either studying to pass or studying to learn. Their choice of practice was influenced by the significance recognized in the course, which primarily was discussed in relation to program affiliation. Students stressed that perceived differences, in their study context, were larger between students affiliated with different programs than between male and female students on the same program. This was supported by quantitative analysis of course grades in relation to study programs, where the grade difference between female and male students on the same program in most cases were not statistically significant. The gender gap in grades for the whole course was related to different achievements on different programs. Programs further from the discipline of physics had lower mean grades and also enrolled a larger fraction of female students. Society-wide gender differences in interest and study choice are reflected in the grades on this single course. These results displace the achievement gap from the level of individuals to that of programs, and the gender gap from a difference in achievement to a difference in study choice. We discuss the implications of this shift of perspective in relation to gender differences for both research and teaching.

Potential Risk Assessment of Mountain Torrent Disasters on Sloping Fields in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

GAO, X.

2017-12-01

China's sloping fields have the problems of low production and serious soil erosion, and mountain torrent disasters will bring more serious soil and water loss to traditional extensive exploitation of sloping field resources. In this paper, China's sloping fields were classified into three grades, such as slightly steep, steep and very steep grade. According to the geological hazards prevention and control regulation, the historical data of China's mountain torrent disasters were spatially interpolated and divided into five classes, such as extremely low, low, middle, high and extremely high level. And the risk level map of mountain torrents was finished in ArcGIS. By using overlaying analysis on sloping fields and risk level map, the potential risk regionalization map of sloping fields in various slope grades was obtained finally. The results shows that the very steep and steep sloping fields are mainly distributed in the first or second stage terraces in China. With the increase of hazard risk level, the area of sloping fields decreases rapidly and the sloping fields in extremely low and low risk levels of mountain torrents reach 98.9%. With the increase of slope grade, the area of sloping fields in various risk levels also declines sharply. The sloping fields take up approximately 60 65% and 26 30% in slightly steep and steep grade areas separately at different risk level. The risk regionalization map can provide effective information for returning farmland to forests or grassland and reducing water and soil erosion of sloping fields in the future.

Results of the Annual DOD/FAI Acquisition Research Symposium (9th)

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

study is directed toward the four major DSARC and (S)SARC decision milestones and the use of the Decision Coordination Paper (DCP) and Mission...the techniques of systems engineering. The emphasis of this study is directed toward the four major-decision milestones (0, I, II, and III), the...grade level. Two years later the pilot study group presented an entirely different picture: 60 percent were reading at or above the 9th grade level

Development of Gender Typicality and Felt Pressure in European French and North African French Adolescents.

PubMed

Hoffman, Adam J; Dumas, Florence; Loose, Florence; Smeding, Annique; Kurtz-Costes, Beth; Régner, Isabelle

2017-11-14

Trajectories of gender identity were examined from Grade 6 (M age  = 11.9 years) to Grade 9 in European French (n = 570) and North African French (n = 534) adolescents, and gender and ethnic group differences were assessed in these trajectories. In Grade 6, boys of both ethnic groups reported higher levels of gender typicality and felt pressure for gender conformity than girls. European French girls and boys and North African French girls reported decreasing gender typicality from Grade 6 to Grade 9, whereas North African French boys did not change. Felt pressure decreased among girls, did not change in European French boys, and increased in North African French boys. Ethnic and gender differences in gender identity development are discussed. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Readability Levels of Dental Patient Education Brochures.

PubMed

Boles, Catherine D; Liu, Ying; November-Rider, Debra

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate dental patient education brochures produced since 2000 to determine if there is any change in the Flesch-Kincaid grade level readability. A convenience sample of 36 brochures was obtained for analysis of the readability of the patient education material on multiple dental topics. Readability was measured using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level through Microsoft Word. Pearson's correlation was used to describe the relationship among the factors of interest. Backward model selection of multiple linear regression model was used to investigate the relationship between Flesch-Kincaid Grade level and a set of predictors included in this study. A convenience sample (n=36) of dental education brochures produced from 2000 to 2014 showed a mean Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level of 9.15. Weak to moderate correlations existed between word count and grade level (r=0.40) and characters count and grade level (r=0.46); strong correlations were found between grade level and average words per sentence (r=0.70), average characters per word (r=0.85) and Flesch Reading Ease (r=-0.98). Only 1 brochure out of the sample met the recommended sixth grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 5.7). Overall, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of all brochures was significantly higher than the recommended sixth grade reading level (p<0.0001). The findings from this study demonstrated that there has generally been an improvement in the Flesch-Kincaid grade level readability of the brochures. However, the majority of the brochures analyzed are still testing above the recommended sixth grade reading level. Copyright © 2016 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Widespread epigenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic differences between hip osteophytic and articular chondrocytes in osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Steinberg, Julia; Brooks, Roger A; Southam, Lorraine; Bhatnagar, Sahir; Roumeliotis, Theodoros I; Hatzikotoulas, Konstantinos; Zengini, Eleni; Wilkinson, J Mark; Choudhary, Jyoti S; McCaskie, Andrew W; Zeggini, Eleftheria

2018-05-08

To identify molecular differences between chondrocytes from osteophytic and articular cartilage tissue from OA patients. We investigated genes and pathways by combining genome-wide DNA methylation, RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomics in isolated primary chondrocytes from the cartilaginous layer of osteophytes and matched areas of low- and high-grade articular cartilage across nine patients with OA undergoing hip replacement surgery. Chondrocytes from osteophytic cartilage showed widespread differences to low-grade articular cartilage chondrocytes. These differences were similar to, but more pronounced than, differences between chondrocytes from osteophytic and high-grade articular cartilage, and more pronounced than differences between high- and low-grade articular cartilage. We identified 56 genes with significant differences between osteophytic chondrocytes and low-grade articular cartilage chondrocytes on all three omics levels. Several of these genes have known roles in OA, including ALDH1A2 and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, which have functional genetic variants associated with OA from genome-wide association studies. An integrative gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that differences between osteophytic and low-grade articular cartilage chondrocytes are associated with extracellular matrix organization, skeletal system development, platelet aggregation and regulation of ERK1 and ERK2 cascade. We present a first comprehensive view of the molecular landscape of chondrocytes from osteophytic cartilage as compared with articular cartilage chondrocytes from the same joints in OA. We found robust changes at genes relevant to chondrocyte function, providing insight into biological processes involved in osteophyte development and thus OA progression.

Predicting Development of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Across the Intermediate Grades

PubMed Central

Tolar, Tammy D.; Fuchs, Lynn; Cirino, Paul T.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2012-01-01

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures of WPS at low and high levels of complexity. Language skills were related to initial performance at both levels of complexity and did not predict growth at either level. Computational skills had an effect on initial performance in low- but not high-complexity problems and did not predict growth at either level of complexity. Attentive behavior did not predict initial performance but did predict growth in low-complexity, whereas it predicted initial performance but not growth for high-complexity problems. Nonverbal reasoning predicted initial performance and growth for low-complexity WPS, but only growth for high-complexity WPS. This evidence suggests that although mathematical structure is fixed, different cognitive resources may act as limiting factors in WPS development when the WPS context is varied. PMID:23325985

Evaluation of food grade solvents for lipid extraction and impact of storage temperature on fatty acid composition of edible seaweeds Laminaria digitata (Phaeophyceae) and Palmaria palmata (Rhodophyta).

PubMed

Schmid, Matthias; Guihéneuf, Freddy; Stengel, Dagmar B

2016-10-01

This study evaluated the impact of different food- and non-food grade extraction solvents on yield and fatty acid composition of the lipid extracts of two seaweed species (Palmaria palmata and Laminaria digitata). The application of chloroform/methanol and three different food grade solvents (ethanol, hexane, ethanol/hexane) revealed significant differences in both, extraction yield and fatty acid composition. The extraction efficiency, in terms of yields of total fatty acids (TFA), was in the order: chloroform/methanol>ethanol>hexane>ethanol/hexane for both species. Highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were achieved by the extraction with ethanol. Additionally the effect of storage temperature on the stability of PUFA in ground and freeze-dried seaweed biomass was investigated. Seaweed samples were stored for a total duration of 22months at three different temperatures (-20°C, 4°C and 20°C). Levels of TFA and PUFA were only stable after storage at -20°C for the two seaweed species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Difference in rural and urban driver-injury severities in highway-rail grade crossing accidents.

PubMed

Hao, Wei; Kamga, Camille

2017-06-01

Based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, there were 25,945 highway-rail crossing accidents in the United States between 2002 and 2011. With an extensive research, analysis results showed that there were substantial differences between rural and urban areas at highway-rail grade crossings. However, there is no published study specific on driver's injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings classified by area types. Using an ordered probit modelling approach, the study explores the determinants of driver-injury severity at rural highway-rail grade crossings compared with urban highway-rail grade crossings. The analysis found that motor vehicle driver's injury level at rural highway-rail grade crossing is extremely higher than urban area. Compared to collisions at urban area, collisions happened at rural area tend to result in more severe injuries. These crashes were more prevalent if vehicle drivers are driving at a high speed or the oncoming trains are high-speed. Moreover, highway-rail grade crossing accidents were more likely to occur at rural area without pavement and lighting.

Teaching Children to Become Fluent and Automatic Readers

PubMed Central

Kuhn, Melanie R.; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.; Morris, Robin D.; Morrow, Lesley Mandel; Woo, Deborah Gee; Meisinger, Elizabeth B.; Sevcik, Rose A.; Bradley, Barbara A.; Stahl, Steven A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of two instructional approaches designed to improve the reading fluency of 2nd-grade children. The first approach was based on Stahl and Heubach’s (2005) fluency-oriented reading instruction (FORI) and involved the scaffolded, repeated reading of grade-level texts over the course of each week. The second was a wide-reading approach that also involved scaffolded instruction. hut that incorporated the reading of 3 different grade-level texts each week and provicled significantly less opportunity for repetition. By the end of the school year. FORI and wide-reading approaches showed similar benefits for standardized measures of word reading efficiency and reading comprehension skills compared to control approachcs. although the benefits of the wide-reading approach emerged earlier and included oral text reading fluency skill. Thus, we conclude that fluency instruction that emphasizes extensive oral reading of grade-level text using scaffolded approaches is effective for promoting reading development in young learners. PMID:19946472

Assessing readability formula differences with written health information materials: application, results, and recommendations.

PubMed

Wang, Lih-Wern; Miller, Michael J; Schmitt, Michael R; Wen, Frances K

2013-01-01

Readability formulas are often used to guide the development and evaluation of literacy-sensitive written health information. However, readability formula results may vary considerably as a result of differences in software processing algorithms and how each formula is applied. These variations complicate interpretations of reading grade level estimates, particularly without a uniform guideline for applying and interpreting readability formulas. This research sought to (1) identify commonly used readability formulas reported in the health care literature, (2) demonstrate the use of the most commonly used readability formulas on written health information, (3) compare and contrast the differences when applying common readability formulas to identical selections of written health information, and (4) provide recommendations for choosing an appropriate readability formula for written health-related materials to optimize their use. A literature search was conducted to identify the most commonly used readability formulas in health care literature. Each of the identified formulas was subsequently applied to word samples from 15 unique examples of written health information about the topic of depression and its treatment. Readability estimates from common readability formulas were compared based on text sample size, selection, formatting, software type, and/or hand calculations. Recommendations for their use were provided. The Flesch-Kincaid formula was most commonly used (57.42%). Readability formulas demonstrated variability up to 5 reading grade levels on the same text. The Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) readability formula performed most consistently. Depending on the text sample size, selection, formatting, software, and/or hand calculations, the individual readability formula estimated up to 6 reading grade levels of variability. The SMOG formula appears best suited for health care applications because of its consistency of results, higher level of expected comprehension, use of more recent validation criteria for determining reading grade level estimates, and simplicity of use. To improve interpretation of readability results, reporting reading grade level estimates from any formula should be accompanied with information about word sample size, location of word sampling in the text, formatting, and method of calculation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of hybrid delivery of education on student academic performance and the student experience.

PubMed

Congdon, Heather Brennan; Nutter, Douglas A; Charneski, Lisa; Butko, Peter

2009-11-12

To compare student academic performance and the student experience in the first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program between the main and newly opened satellite campuses of the University of Maryland. Student performance indicators including graded assessments, course averages, cumulative first-year grade point average (GPA), and introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) evaluations were analyzed retrospectively. Student experience indicators were obtained via an online survey instrument and included involvement in student organizations; time-budgeting practices; and stress levels and their perceived effect on performance. Graded assessments, course averages, GPA, and IPPE evaluations were indistinguishable between campuses. Students' time allocation was not different between campuses, except for time spent attending class and watching lecture videos. There was no difference between students' stress levels at each campus. The implementation of a satellite campus to expand pharmacy education yielded academic performance and student engagement comparable to those from traditional delivery methods.

Stomach position versus liver-to-thoracic volume ratio in left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

PubMed

Cordier, Anne-Gaël; Cannie, Mieke M; Guilbaud, Lucie; De Laveaucoupet, Jocelyne; Martinovic, Jéléna; Nowakowska, Dorota; Milejska-Lewandowska, Malgorzata; Rodó, Carlota; Viaris de Lesegno, Benjamin; Votino, Carmela; Senat, Marie-Victoire; Jani, Jacques C; Benachi, Alexandra

2015-01-01

To describe a new grading method for stomach position (SP) in fetuses with left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (L-CDH) using ultrasound and to correlate SP to liver position and to liver-to-thoracic cavity volume ratio (LiTR) using magnetic resonance imaging. SP were graded at the level of the 4-chamber view as following: grade 1-to-4 for stomach not visualised, visualised anteriorly at the apex of the heart, stomach showing abdominal structures anteriorly and stomach with its larger part posterior to the level of the atrial-ventricular heart valves, respectively. The LiTR was calculated and correlated to SP using the Mann-Whitney U test. Seventy-four fetuses were included. Median LiTR for grade 1 SP was 0% and was not different from median LiTR for grade 2 SP (0%, p=NS). Median LiTR for grade 3 SP was 14.9% and was significantly higher than for grade 2 SP (p<0.001). Similarly, median LiTR for grade 4 SP was 20.7% and was significantly higher than for grade 3 SP (p<0.05). When SP was grade 1 or 2, liver was intra-abdominal in 21 (84%) out of 25 fetuses while it was always intrathoracic for SP 3 or 4. In L-CDH, SP as described represents a simple indirect measurement of intrathoracic position and quantification of liver.

The Development of Nonverbal Communication Behavior in School Children, Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Peter A.; And Others

A study was conducted to examine how different kinds of children's nonverbal behavior developed across grade levels. The six kinds of behavior studied were (1) proxemic, or observance of personal space; (2) haptic, or touching behavior; (3) oculesic, or gazing; (4) kinesic, or interpreting emotions from facial expressions; (5) vocalic, or…

Differential Outcomes of Two Bilingual Education Programs on English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Maria G.; Tashakkori, Abbas

2006-01-01

This study investigated the effects of two types of bilingual programs (two-way and transitional) on the academic performance and attitudes of fifth-grade students who entered kindergarten or first grade with different levels of English proficiency. A mixed methods design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses phases…

A Framework for Readability Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Albert J.; Jacobson, Milton D.

There is a need for basic readability research and for an easily applied and accurate new readability formula. Two steps taken toward the development of such a formula are the revision of a vocabulary list for primary grades and the combination of reading exercises given at different grade levels into a single scale of ascending difficulty. Much…

Do Class Size Effects Differ across Grades?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandrup, Anne Brink

2016-01-01

This paper contributes to the class size literature by analysing whether short-run class size effects are constant across grade levels in compulsory school. Results are based on administrative data on all pupils enrolled in Danish public schools. Identification is based on a government-imposed class size cap that creates exogenous variation in…

Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomlinson, Carol Ann

In most elementary classrooms, some students struggle with learning, others perform well beyond grade-level expectations, and the rest fit somewhere in between. Within each of these categories of students, individuals also learn in a variety of ways and have different interests. To meet the needs of a diverse student population, many teachers…

Productivity and Capital Goods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zicht, Barbara, Ed.; And Others

1981-01-01

Providing teacher background on the concepts of productivity and capital goods, this document presents 3 teaching units about these ideas for different grade levels. The grade K-2 unit, "How Do They Do It?," is designed to provide students with an understanding of how physical capital goods add to productivity. Activities include a field trip to…

Suggestions, Resources and Activities for Teaching about Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Paul F.

This teacher resource packet contains a total of 28 modules for teaching about Japan at the elementary and secondary level. Activities on the Japanese family appropriate for grade 1 focus on similarities and differences, family size, family needs, and family roles. Grade 2 lessons look at the school, neighborhood, roles of children in the…

Learning Difficulties Experienced by Grade 12 South African Students in the Chemical Representation of Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramnarain, Umesh; Joseph, Aleyamma

2012-01-01

This study investigated the learning difficulties of grade 12 South African students in a national chemistry examination. A quantitative analysis of students' performance in the examination revealed there was a significant difference between student performance in questions where students needed to execute a transformation across levels of…

Determinants of Student Mobility in Primary School in Rural Malawi: "An Event History Analysis"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taniguchi, Kyoko

2017-01-01

This study identifies individual, family, and school factors associated with student mobility. Specifically, for Grade 5 students, parents alive and school location were associated with transfer. For students in Grade 7, gender differences, levels of achievement, feelings about school, number of household tasks, distance to school, and parental…

Exploring the Functions of Reading: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Vincent; Neuman, Susan B.

To determine if purposes in reading differ with sex, grade level, and nationality, a 16-item "Functions of Reading Scale" (developed from content analysis of student essays on why they like to read) was administered to 459 Irish (Dublin, Ireland) and American (Windham, Connecticut) students in grades three, five, and eight. Data…

Student learning outcomes and attitudes when biotechnology lab partners are of different academic levels.

PubMed

Miller, Heather B; Witherow, D Scott; Carson, Susan

2012-01-01

The North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program offers laboratory-intensive courses to both undergraduate and graduate students. In "Manipulation and Expression of Recombinant DNA," students are separated into undergraduate and graduate sections for the laboratory, but not the lecture, component. Evidence has shown that students prefer pairing with someone of the same academic level. However, retention of main ideas in peer learning environments has been shown to be greater when partners have dissimilar abilities. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that there will be enhanced student learning when lab partners are of different academic levels. We found that learning outcomes were met by both levels of student, regardless of pairing. Average undergraduate grades on every assessment method increased when undergraduates were paired with graduate students. Many of the average graduate student grades also increased modestly when graduate students were paired with undergraduates. Attitudes toward working with partners dramatically shifted toward favoring working with students of different academic levels. This work suggests that offering dual-level courses in which different-level partnerships are created does not inhibit learning by students of different academic levels. This format is useful for institutions that wish to offer "boutique" courses in which student enrollment may be low, but specialized equipment and faculty expertise are needed.

Student Learning Outcomes and Attitudes When Biotechnology Lab Partners Are of Different Academic Levels

PubMed Central

Miller, Heather B.; Witherow, D. Scott; Carson, Susan

2012-01-01

The North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program offers laboratory-intensive courses to both undergraduate and graduate students. In “Manipulation and Expression of Recombinant DNA,” students are separated into undergraduate and graduate sections for the laboratory, but not the lecture, component. Evidence has shown that students prefer pairing with someone of the same academic level. However, retention of main ideas in peer learning environments has been shown to be greater when partners have dissimilar abilities. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that there will be enhanced student learning when lab partners are of different academic levels. We found that learning outcomes were met by both levels of student, regardless of pairing. Average undergraduate grades on every assessment method increased when undergraduates were paired with graduate students. Many of the average graduate student grades also increased modestly when graduate students were paired with undergraduates. Attitudes toward working with partners dramatically shifted toward favoring working with students of different academic levels. This work suggests that offering dual-level courses in which different-level partnerships are created does not inhibit learning by students of different academic levels. This format is useful for institutions that wish to offer “boutique” courses in which student enrollment may be low, but specialized equipment and faculty expertise are needed. PMID:22949428

Readability of Online Health Information: A Meta-Narrative Systematic Review.

PubMed

Daraz, Lubna; Morrow, Allison S; Ponce, Oscar J; Farah, Wigdan; Katabi, Abdulrahman; Majzoub, Abdul; Seisa, Mohamed O; Benkhadra, Raed; Alsawas, Mouaz; Larry, Prokop; Murad, M Hassan

2018-01-01

Online health information should meet the reading level for the general public (set at sixth-grade level). Readability is a key requirement for information to be helpful and improve quality of care. The authors conducted a systematic review to evaluate the readability of online health information in the United States and Canada. Out of 3743 references, the authors included 157 cross-sectional studies evaluating 7891 websites using 13 readability scales. The mean readability grade level across websites ranged from grade 10 to 15 based on the different scales. Stratification by specialty, health condition, and type of organization producing information revealed the same findings. In conclusion, online health information in the United States and Canada has a readability level that is inappropriate for general public use. Poor readability can lead to misinformation and may have a detrimental effect on health. Efforts are needed to improve readability and the content of online health information.

Neuroanatomical correlates of performance in a state-wide test of math achievement.

PubMed

Wilkey, Eric D; Cutting, Laurie E; Price, Gavin R

2018-03-01

The development of math skills is a critical component of early education and a strong indicator of later school and economic success. Recent research utilizing population-normed, standardized measures of math achievement suggest that structural and functional integrity of parietal regions, especially the intraparietal sulcus, are closely related to the development of math skills. However, it is unknown how these findings relate to in-school math learning. The present study is the first to address this issue by investigating the relationship between regional differences in grey matter (GM) volume and performance in grade-level mathematics as measured by a state-wide, school-based test of math achievement (TCAP math) in children from 3rd to 8th grade. Results show that increased GM volume in the bilateral hippocampal formation and the right inferior frontal gyrus, regions associated with learning and memory, is associated with higher TCAP math scores. Secondary analyses revealed that GM volume in the left angular gyrus had a stronger relationship to TCAP math in grades 3-4 than in grades 5-8 while the relationship between GM volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus and TCAP math was stronger for grades 5-8. These results suggest that the neuroanatomical architecture related to in-school math achievement differs from that related to math achievement measured by standardized tests, and that the most related neural structures differ as a function of grade level. We suggest, therefore, that the use of school-relevant outcome measures is critical if neuroscience is to bridge the gap to education. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Students' attitudes towards mathematics in single-sex and coeducational schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norton, Stephen J.; Rennie, Léonie J.

1998-04-01

This paper examines students' attitudes towards mathematics at the secondary school level. Using five of the Fennema-Sherman scales, the attitudes of boys and girls in Grades 8 to 12 in four schools were compared: a single-sex boys' and a single-sex girls' private school, and a state and a private coeducational school. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to guide an exploration of how students' attitudes varied according to grade, sex and educational setting. There were no differences between students in the two coeducational schools. In general, students' attitudes were found to be less positive in more senior grades; and overall, boys had more positive attitudes than girls. There were clear differences between boys and girls on the Mathematics as a Male Domain scale, with girls being less stereotyped in their perceptions than boys. Except for this scale, effects related to the sex of the student were small, and effects relating to grade level and school type on all variables were also small. Implications are drawn for future research in this area.

Supporting local diversity of habitats and species on farmland: a comparison of three wildlife-friendly schemes.

PubMed

Hardman, Chloe J; Harrison, Dominic P G; Shaw, Pete J; Nevard, Tim D; Hughes, Brin; Potts, Simon G; Norris, Ken

2016-02-01

Restoration and maintenance of habitat diversity have been suggested as conservation priorities in farmed landscapes, but how this should be achieved and at what scale are unclear. This study makes a novel comparison of the effectiveness of three wildlife-friendly farming schemes for supporting local habitat diversity and species richness on 12 farms in England.The schemes were: (i) Conservation Grade (Conservation Grade: a prescriptive, non-organic, biodiversity-focused scheme), (ii) organic agriculture and (iii) a baseline of Entry Level Stewardship (Entry Level Stewardship: a flexible widespread government scheme). Conservation Grade farms supported a quarter higher habitat diversity at the 100-m radius scale compared to Entry Level Stewardship farms. Conservation Grade and organic farms both supported a fifth higher habitat diversity at the 250-m radius scale compared to Entry Level Stewardship farms. Habitat diversity at the 100-m and 250-m scales significantly predicted species richness of butterflies and plants. Habitat diversity at the 100-m scale also significantly predicted species richness of birds in winter and solitary bees. There were no significant relationships between habitat diversity and species richness for bumblebees or birds in summer.Butterfly species richness was significantly higher on organic farms (50% higher) and marginally higher on Conservation Grade farms (20% higher), compared with farms in Entry Level Stewardship. Organic farms supported significantly more plant species than Entry Level Stewardship farms (70% higher) but Conservation Grade farms did not (10% higher). There were no significant differences between the three schemes for species richness of bumblebees, solitary bees or birds. Policy implications . The wildlife-friendly farming schemes which included compulsory changes in management, Conservation Grade and organic, were more effective at increasing local habitat diversity and species richness compared with the less prescriptive Entry Level Stewardship scheme. We recommend that wildlife-friendly farming schemes should aim to enhance and maintain high local habitat diversity, through mechanisms such as option packages, where farmers are required to deliver a combination of several habitats.

An analysis of the readability characteristics of oral health information literature available to the public in Tasmania, Australia.

PubMed

Barnett, Tony; Hoang, Ha; Furlan, Ashlea

2016-03-17

The effectiveness of print-based health promotion materials is dependent on their readability. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of print-based oral health information literature publically available in Tasmania, Australia. Oral health education brochures were collected from 11 dental clinics across Tasmania and assessed for structure and format, content and readability. Reading level was calculated using three widely-used measures: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) reading grade level. The FKGL of the 67 brochures sampled ranged from grade 3 to 13. The grade level for government health department brochures (n = 14) ranged from grade 4 to 11 (5.6 ± 1.8). Reading levels for materials produced by commercial sources (n = 22) ranged from 3 to 13 (8.3 ± 2.1), those from professional associations (n = 22) ranged from grade 7 to 11 (8.9 ± 0.9) and brochures produced by other sources (n = 9) ranged from 5 to 10 (7.6 ± 1.5). The SMOG test was positively correlated with the FKGL (rs = 0.92, p < 0.001) though consistently rated materials 2-3 grades higher. The reading level required to comprehend brochures published by government sources were, on average, lower than those from commercial, professional and other sources. Government materials were also more likely to contain fewer words and professional jargon terms than brochures from the other sources. A range of oral health information brochures were publically available for patients in both public and private dental clinics. However, their readability characteristics differed. Many brochures required a reading skill level higher than that suited to a large proportion of the Tasmanian population. Readability and other characteristics of oral health education materials should be assessed to ensure their suitability for use with patients, especially those suspected of having low literacy skills.

An Investigation of Students' Personality Traits and Attitudes toward Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Zuway-R.; Lin, Huann-shyang

2011-05-01

The purposes of this study were to validate an instrument of attitudes toward science and to investigate grade level, type of school, and gender differences in Taiwan's students' personality traits and attitudes toward science as well as predictors of attitudes toward science. Nine hundred and twenty-two elementary students and 1,954 secondary students completed the School Student Questionnaire in 2008. Factor analyses, correlation analyses, ANOVAs, and regressions were used to compare the similarities and differences among male and female students in different grade levels. The findings were as follows: female students had higher interest in science and made more contributions in teams than their male counterparts across all grade levels. As students advanced through school, student scores on the personality trait scales of Conscientiousness and Openness sharply declined; students' scores on Neuroticism dramatically increased. Elementary school and academic high school students had significantly higher total scores on interest in science than those of vocational high and junior high school students. Scores on the scales measuring the traits of Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness were the most significant predictors of students' attitudes toward science. Implications of these findings for classroom instruction are discussed.

The influence of speed and grade on wheelchair propulsion hand pattern.

PubMed

Slowik, Jonathan S; Requejo, Philip S; Mulroy, Sara J; Neptune, Richard R

2015-11-01

The hand pattern used during manual wheelchair propulsion (i.e., full-cycle hand path) can provide insight into an individual's propulsion technique. However, previous analyses of hand patterns have been limited by their focus on a single propulsion condition and reliance on subjective qualitative characterization methods. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of objective quantitative parameters to characterize hand patterns and determine the influence of propulsion speed and grade of incline on the patterns preferred by manual wheelchair users. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected from 170 experienced manual wheelchair users on an ergometer during three conditions: level propulsion at their self-selected speed, level propulsion at their fastest comfortable speed and graded propulsion (8%) at their level self-selected speed. Hand patterns were quantified using a set of objective parameters, and differences across conditions were identified. Increased propulsion speed resulted in a shift away from under-rim hand patterns. Increased grade of incline resulted in the hand remaining near the handrim throughout the cycle. Manual wheelchair users change their hand pattern based on task-specific constraints and goals. Further work is needed to investigate how differences between hand patterns influence upper extremity demand and potentially lead to the development of overuse injuries and pain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Speed and Grade on Wheelchair Propulsion Hand Pattern

PubMed Central

Slowik, Jonathan S.; Requejo, Philip S.; Mulroy, Sara J.; Neptune, Richard R.

2015-01-01

Background The hand pattern used during manual wheelchair propulsion (i.e., full-cycle hand path) can provide insight into an individual's propulsion technique. However, previous analyses of hand patterns have been limited by their focus on a single propulsion condition and reliance on subjective qualitative characterization methods. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of objective quantitative parameters to characterize hand patterns and determine the influence of propulsion speed and grade of incline on the patterns preferred by manual wheelchair users. Methods Kinematic and kinetic data were collected from 170 experienced manual wheelchair users on an ergometer during three conditions: level propulsion at their self-selected speed, level propulsion at their fastest comfortable speed, and graded propulsion (8%) at their level self-selected speed. Hand patterns were quantified using a set of objective parameters and differences across conditions were identified. Findings Increased propulsion speed resulted in a shift away from under-rim hand patterns. Increased grade of incline resulted in the hand remaining near the handrim throughout the cycle. Interpretation Manual wheelchair users change their hand pattern based on task-specific constraints and goals. Further work is needed to investigate how differences between hand patterns influence upper extremity demand and potentially lead to the development of overuse injuries and pain. PMID:26228706

Age and Race Differences in Racial Stereotype Awareness and Endorsement

PubMed Central

Copping, Kristine E.; Kurtz-Costes, Beth; Rowley, Stephanie J.; Wood, Dana

2012-01-01

Age and race differences in race stereotype awareness and endorsement were examined in 382 Black and White fourth, sixth, and eighth graders. Youth reported their own beliefs and their perceptions of adults’ beliefs about racial differences in ability in two domains: academics and sports. Children’s own endorsement of race stereotypes was highly correlated with their perceptions of adults’ race stereotypes. Blacks reported stronger traditional sports stereotypes than Whites, and fourth- and sixth-grade Blacks reported roughly egalitarian academic stereotypes. At every grade level, Whites reported academic stereotypes that favored Whites, and sixth and eighth grade Whites reported sports stereotypes that favored Blacks. Results support the tenets of status theory and have implications for identity development and achievement motivation in adolescents. PMID:23729837

A multilevel latent growth modelling of the longitudinal changes in motivation regulations in physical education.

PubMed

Jaakkola, Timo; Wang, John; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Liukkonen, Jarmo

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine individual- and classroom-level differences in the longitudinal change in motivational regulations during physical education students' transition from elementary (Grade 6) across middle school (Grades 7 to 9). A sample of 757 Finnish adolescents (M = 12.71, SD = 0.23) participated in this study. Participants of the study responded to questionnaires collected six times. A multilevel latent growth modelling approach was used to analyze the data. Results showed that motivational regulations in physical education developed at different rates during middle school. More specifically, students': (a) identified regulation increased across Grades 6 to 9; (b) amotivation increased during middle school transition from Grade 6 to 7; and (c) introjected regulation declined from Grade 8 to 9. Other motivational regulations remained stable across time. The changes in amotivation and introjected regulation were largely due to individual factors, whereas the changes in identified regulation were due to environmental factors. Key pointsStudents' identified regulation increased across Grades 6 to 9.Students' amotivation increased across middle school transition from Grade 6 to 7.Students' introjected regulation declined from Grade 8 to 9.Other motivational regulations remained stable across time.

A Multilevel Latent Growth Modelling of the Longitudinal Changes in Motivation Regulations in Physical Education

PubMed Central

Jaakkola, Timo; Wang, John; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Liukkonen, Jarmo

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine individual- and classroom-level differences in the longitudinal change in motivational regulations during physical education students’ transition from elementary (Grade 6) across middle school (Grades 7 to 9). A sample of 757 Finnish adolescents (M = 12.71, SD = 0.23) participated in this study. Participants of the study responded to questionnaires collected six times. A multilevel latent growth modelling approach was used to analyze the data. Results showed that motivational regulations in physical education developed at different rates during middle school. More specifically, students’: (a) identified regulation increased across Grades 6 to 9; (b) amotivation increased during middle school transition from Grade 6 to 7; and (c) introjected regulation declined from Grade 8 to 9. Other motivational regulations remained stable across time. The changes in amotivation and introjected regulation were largely due to individual factors, whereas the changes in identified regulation were due to environmental factors. Key points Students’ identified regulation increased across Grades 6 to 9. Students’ amotivation increased across middle school transition from Grade 6 to 7. Students’ introjected regulation declined from Grade 8 to 9. Other motivational regulations remained stable across time. PMID:25729304

Visual grading analysis of digital neonatal chest phantom X-ray images: Impact of detector type, dose and image processing on image quality.

PubMed

Smet, M H; Breysem, L; Mussen, E; Bosmans, H; Marshall, N W; Cockmartin, L

2018-07-01

To evaluate the impact of digital detector, dose level and post-processing on neonatal chest phantom X-ray image quality (IQ). A neonatal phantom was imaged using four different detectors: a CR powder phosphor (PIP), a CR needle phosphor (NIP) and two wireless CsI DR detectors (DXD and DRX). Five different dose levels were studied for each detector and two post-processing algorithms evaluated for each vendor. Three paediatric radiologists scored the images using European quality criteria plus additional questions on vascular lines, noise and disease simulation. Visual grading characteristics and ordinal regression statistics were used to evaluate the effect of detector type, post-processing and dose on VGA score (VGAS). No significant differences were found between the NIP, DXD and CRX detectors (p>0.05) whereas the PIP detector had significantly lower VGAS (p< 0.0001). Processing did not influence VGAS (p=0.819). Increasing dose resulted in significantly higher VGAS (p<0.0001). Visual grading analysis (VGA) identified a detector air kerma/image (DAK/image) of ~2.4 μGy as an ideal working point for NIP, DXD and DRX detectors. VGAS tracked IQ differences between detectors and dose levels but not image post-processing changes. VGA showed a DAK/image value above which perceived IQ did not improve, potentially useful for commissioning. • A VGA study detects IQ differences between detectors and dose levels. • The NIP detector matched the VGAS of the CsI DR detectors. • VGA data are useful in setting initial detector air kerma level. • Differences in NNPS were consistent with changes in VGAS.

Social validity of the Social Skills Improvement System-Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP) in the primary grades.

PubMed

Wollersheim Shervey, Sarah; Sandilos, Lia E; DiPerna, James C; Lei, Pui-Wa

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the social validity of the Social Skills Improvement System-Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP) for teachers in the primary grades. Participants included 45 first and second grade teachers who completed a 16-item social validity questionnaire during each year of the SSIS-CIP efficacy trial. Findings indicated that teachers generally perceived the SSIS-CIP as a socially valid and feasible intervention for primary grades; however, teachers' ratings regarding ease of implementation and relevance and sequence demonstrated differences across grade levels in the second year of implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of a One-to-One Laptop Computer Program on the Literacy Achievement of Eighth-Grade Students with Differing Measured Cognitive Skill Levels Who Are Eligible and Not Eligible for Free or Reduced Price Lunch Program Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Eric G.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a one-to-one laptop computer program on the literacy achievement of eighth-grade students with above average, average, and below average measured cognitive skill levels who are eligible and not eligible for free or reduced price lunch program participation. The study analyzed, student…

Serum C-reactive protein level in COPD patients stratified according to GOLD 2011 grading classification

PubMed Central

Lin, Yi-Hua; Wang, Wan-Yu; Hu, Su-Xian; Shi, Yong-Hong

2016-01-01

Background and Objective: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2011 grading classification has been used to evaluate the severity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, little is known about the relationship between the systemic inflammation and this classification. We aimed to study the relationship between serum CRP and the components of the GOLD 2011 grading classification. Methods: C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in 391 clinically stable COPD patients and in 50 controls from June 2, 2015 to October 31, 2015 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University. The association between CRP levels and the components of the GOLD 2011 grading classification were assessed. Results: Correlation was found with the following variables: GOLD 2011 group (0.240), age (0.227), pack year (0.136), forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted (FEV1%; -0.267), forced vital capacity % predicted (-0.210), number of acute exacerbations in the past year (0.265), number of hospitalized exacerbations in the past year (0.165), British medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (0.121), COPD assessment test score (CAT, 0.233). Using multivariate analysis, FEV1% and CAT score manifested the strongest negative association with CRP levels. Conclusions: CRP levels differ in COPD patients among groups A-D based on GOLD 2011 grading classification. CRP levels are associated with several important clinical variables, of which FEV1% and CAT score manifested the strongest negative correlation. PMID:28083044

Multiwavelet grading of prostate pathological images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltanian-Zadeh, Hamid; Jafari-Khouzani, Kourosh

2002-05-01

We have developed image analysis methods to automatically grade pathological images of prostate. The proposed method generates Gleason grades to images, where each image is assigned a grade between 1 and 5. This is done using features extracted from multiwavelet transformations. We extract energy and entropy features from submatrices obtained in the decomposition. Next, we apply a k-NN classifier to grade the image. To find optimal multiwavelet basis, preprocessing, and classifier, we use features extracted by different multiwavelets with either critically sampled preprocessing or repeated row preprocessing and different k-NN classifiers and compare their performances, evaluated by total misclassification rate (TMR). To evaluate sensitivity to noise, we add white Gaussian noise to images and compare the results (TMR's). We applied proposed methods to 100 images. We evaluated the first and second levels of decomposition using Geronimo, Hardin, and Massopust (GHM), Chui and Lian (CL), and Shen (SA4) multiwavelets. We also evaluated k-NN classifier for k=1,2,3,4,5. Experimental results illustrate that first level of decomposition is quite noisy. They also show that critically sampled preprocessing outperforms repeated row preprocessing and has less sensitivity to noise. Finally, comparison studies indicate that SA4 multiwavelet and k-NN classifier (k=1) generates optimal results (with smallest TMR of 3%).

Principals' Perceptions of Public Schools' Professional Development Changes during NCLB

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wieczorek, Douglas

2017-01-01

This study investigated public school principals' reports of professional development implementation at the school level while working in different state- and local-level contexts (state accountability level, geographic locations, socioeconomic status, demographics, and grade levels). I attempted to measure principals' reported changes in levels…

An exploration of the perceptions, developmental reasoning levels, differences in learning processes, and academic achievement levels of students in introductory college microbiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poole, Barbara Ann Matherly

1997-11-01

This study explored the relationship between the grades students earned in introductory college microbiology and American College Testing scores, sex, race, age, GED or high school diploma, full-time or part-time student status, developmental reasoning levels, memory tactics, and expected achievement. The study also explored student perceptions at the beginning and the end of the microbiology courses for science preparation, expected achievement, relevancy of microbiology, and expectations for the course. Archival records for 121 freshman level and 119 sophomore level microbiology students were accessed to obtain final grades, ACT scores, sex, race, age, GED or high school diploma and full-time or part-time status. The same information was obtained for the 113 freshman level and the 85 sophomore level students who participated in the study. The study groups were given the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking to assess their level of formal reasoning ability, the Inventory of Learning Processes-Revised to assess three memory techniques, an initial perception survey, and an exit perception survey. Academic achievement in microbiology could not be predicted using composites of the predictor variables. There were significant relationships between the GALT scores and the predicted grades with both the freshman and the sophomore final grades. The Self-Efficacy Fact Retention scores and the Literal Memorization scores had significant relationships to the final grades of the freshmen but not the sophomores. There was not a significant relationship between the Deep Semantic scores and the final grades in either group. Students indicated that high school science had given them only a medium to low level of preparation for college microbiology. The sophomores felt that previous college science classes had given them a much better preparation for microbiology than did the freshmen students. Both groups expressed the importance of the laboratory experience to the understanding of science and also the relevancy of microbiology both to their chosen professions and to their own personal lives.

Sensitivity of standing radiographs to detect knee arthritis: a systematic review of Level I studies.

PubMed

Duncan, Stephen T; Khazzam, Michael S; Burnham, Jeremy M; Spindler, Kurt P; Dunn, Warren R; Wright, Rick W

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the available literature to define the level of quality evidence for determining the sensitivity and specificity of different radiographic views in detecting knee osteoarthritis and to determine the impact of different grading systems on the ability to detect knee osteoarthritis. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify studies that evaluated the standing anteroposterior (AP) and 45° posteroanterior (PA) views for tibiofemoral and patellofemoral arthritis and those comparing the use of the Kellgren-Lawrence versus the joint space narrowing (JSN) radiographic grading systems using arthroscopy as the gold standard. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database, Clinicaltrial.gov, and EMBASE was performed using the keywords "osteoarthritis," "knee," "x-ray," "sensitivity," and "arthroscopy." Six studies were included in the evaluation. The 45° flexion PA view showed a higher sensitivity than the standing AP view for detecting severe arthritis involving either the medial or lateral tibiofemoral compartment. There was no difference in the specificities for the 2 views. The direct comparison of the Kellgren-Lawrence and the JSN radiographic grading systems found no clinical difference between the 2 systems regarding the sensitivities, although the specificity was greater for the JSN system. The ability to detect knee osteoarthritis continues to be difficult without using advanced imaging. However, as an inexpensive screening tool, the 45° flexion PA view is more sensitive than the standing AP view to detect severe tibiofemoral osteoarthritis. When evaluating the radiograph for severe osteoarthritis using either the Kellgren-Lawrence or JSN grading system, there is no clinical difference in the sensitivity between the 2 methods; however, the JSN may be more specific for ruling in severe osteoarthritis in the medial compartment. Level I, systematic review of Level I studies. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Readability of Orthopaedic Patient-reported Outcome Measures: Is There a Fundamental Failure to Communicate?

PubMed

Perez, Jorge L; Mosher, Zachary A; Watson, Shawna L; Sheppard, Evan D; Brabston, Eugene W; McGwin, Gerald; Ponce, Brent A

2017-08-01

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to quantify patients' perceptions of functional ability. The American Medical Association and NIH suggest patient materials be written at or below 6th to 8th grade reading levels, respectively, yet one recent study asserts that few PROMs comply with these recommendations, and suggests that the majority of PROMs are written at too high of a reading level for self-administered patient use. Notably, this study was limited in its use of only one readability algorithm, although there is no commonly accepted, standard readability algorithm for healthcare-related materials. Our study, using multiple readability equations and heeding equal weight to each, hopes to yield a broader, all-encompassing estimate of readability, thereby offering a more accurate assessment of the readability of orthopaedic PROMS. (1) What proportion of orthopaedic-related PROMs and orthopaedic-related portions of the NIH Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) are written at or below the 6th and 8th grade levels? (2) Is there a correlation between the number of questions in the PROM and reading level? (3) Using systematic edits based on guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, what proportion of PROMs achieved American Medical Association and NIH-recommended reading levels? Eighty-six (86) independent, orthopaedic and general wellness PROMs, drawn from commonly referenced orthopaedic websites and prior studies, were chosen for analysis. Additionally, owing to their increasing use in orthopaedics, four relevant short forms, and 11 adult, physical health question banks from the PROMIS ® , were included for analysis. All documents were analyzed for reading grade levels using 19 unique readability algorithms. Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS Version 22.0. The majority of the independent PROMs (64 of 86; 74%) were written at or below the 6th grade level, with 81 of 86 (94%) written at or below the 8th grade level. All item banks (11 of 11) and short forms (four of four) of the PROMIS ® were written below the 6th grade reading level. The median reading grade level of the 86 independent PROMs was 5.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 4.6-6.1). The PROMIS ® question banks had a median reading grade level of 4.1 (IQR, 3.5-4.8); the Adult Short Forms had a median reading grade level of 4.2 (IQR, 4.2-4.3) There was no correlation appreciated between the median reading grade level and the number of questions contained in a PROM (r = -0.081; p = 0.460). For PROMs above NIH-recommended levels, following edits, all (five of five) achieved NIH reading level goals and three (three of five) achieved American Medical Association goals. Editing of these PROMs improved readability by 4.3 median grade level (before, 8.9 [IQR, 8.4-9.1], after 4.6 [IQR, 4.6-6.4], difference of medians, 4.3; p = 0.008). Patient literacy has great influence on healthcare outcomes, and readability is an important consideration in all patient-directed written materials. Our study found that more than 70% of PROMs commonly used in orthopaedics, and all orthopaedic-related portions of the PROMIS ® are written at or below the most stringent recommendations (≤ 6th grade reading level), and more than 90% of independent PROMs and all PROMIS ® materials are written at or below an 8th grade level. Additionally, the use of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines for editing high reading level PROMs yields satisfactory results. Fears of widely incomprehensible PROMs may be unfounded. Future research to identify the most appropriate readability algorithm for use in the healthcare sector, and revalidation of PROMs after readability-improving edits is warranted.

Colorectal cancer screening patient education materials-how effective is online health information?

PubMed

John, Elizabeth Sheena; John, Ann M; Hansberry, David R; Thomas, Prashant J; Agarwal, Prateek; Deitch, Christopher; Chokhavatia, Sita

2016-12-01

Patients screened for colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently turn to the Internet to improve their understanding of tests used for detection, including colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test (FOBT), and CT colonography. It was of interest to determine the quality and readability levels of online health information. The screening tools were googled, and the top 20 results of each test were analyzed for readability, accessibility, usability, and reliability. The 80 articles excluded scientific literature and blogs. We used ten validated readability scales to measure grade levels, and one-way ANOVA and Tukey's honestly statistical different (HSD) post hoc analyses to determine any statistically significant differences among the four diagnostic tests. The LIDA tool assessed overall quality by measuring accessibility, usability, and reliability. The 80 articles were written at an 11.7 grade level, with CT colonography articles written at significantly higher levels than FOBT articles, F(3, 75) = 3.07, p = 0.033. LIDA showed moderate percentages in accessibility (83.9 %), usability (73.0 %), and reliability (75.9 %). Online health information about CRC screening tools are written at higher levels than the National Institute of Health (NIH) and American Medical Association (AMA) recommended third to seventh grade levels. More patients could benefit from this modality of information if it were written at a level and quality that would better facilitate understanding.

Social involvement of children with autism spectrum disorders in elementary school classrooms.

PubMed

Rotheram-Fuller, Erin; Kasari, Connie; Chamberlain, Brandt; Locke, Jill

2010-11-01

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement. Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 randomly selected, gender-matched peers (88.6% male) in 75 early (K-1), middle (2nd-3rd), and late (4th-5th) elementary classrooms across 30 schools completed social network surveys examining each child's reciprocal friendships, peer rejection, acceptance, and social involvement. Across grade levels, peers less frequently reciprocated friendships with children with ASD than students in the matched sample. While children with ASD were not more likely to be rejected by peers, they were less accepted and had fewer reciprocal friendships than matched peers at each grade level. Although 48.1% of children with ASD were involved in the social networks of their classrooms, children with ASD were more likely to be isolated or peripheral to social relationships within the classroom across all grade levels, and this difference is even more dramatic in later elementary grades. In inclusive classrooms, children with ASD are only involved in peers' social relationships about half of the time, and appear to be even less connected with increasing grade level. Promoting children with ASD's skills in popular activities to share with peers in early childhood may be a key preventive intervention to protect social relationships in late elementary school grades. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2010 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Student achievement in science and mathematics on campuses that have implemented the CSCOPE curriculum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Emily R.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in student achievement exist between school campuses which followed a specific standards-based curriculum model (CSCOPE) and school campuses which followed a non-CSCOPE or traditional curriculum model. One-hundred and sixty CSCOPE curriculum campuses and 160 non-CSCOPE curriculum campuses were used in the study. Achievement data were collected on students in the fifth, eighth, and eleventh grades using the campuses percentage passing on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for both science and mathematics. The TAKS is the state-mandated assessment system used to comply with federal testing guidelines. Data for the 2007-2008 school year were used for the elementary level while data from 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 were used for junior high (middle school) and high school levels. Data were analyzed by overall class as well as aggregated by ethnic classifications. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize achievement results and t-tests were utilized to analyze achievement differences between the two curriculum models. Overall fifth grade students in CSCOPE schools outperformed (p < .05) non-CSCOPE counterparts in science and mathematics. Also, fifth grade Hispanic students using CSCOPE curriculum scored higher (p < .05) than those in traditional curricula. Eighth grade students in CSCOPE schools performed better (p < .05) in science than students in non-CSCOPE schools. Finally, eighth grade Hispanic and White subgroups using CSCOPE curriculum outperformed ( p < .05) their ethnic counterparts using traditional curriculum models. The only statistically significant finding at the eleventh grade level was the African-American subgroup in science, but this subgroup had too small of a sample to infer the findings to the population. Thus, the results would tend to support use of the standardized curriculum model (CSCOPE) at lower levels whereas achievement in high school may not be differentially affected by the standardized model.

A Cross-Grade Study Validating the Evolutionary Pathway of Student Mental Models in Electric Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Jing-Wen

2017-01-01

Cross-grade studies are valuable for the development of sequential curriculum. However such studies are time and resource intensive and fail to provide a clear representation to integrate different levels of representational complexity. Lin (Lin, 2006; Lin & Chiu, 2006; Lin, Chiu, & Hsu, 2006) proposed a cladistics approach in conceptual…

A Comparison of Speed Achievement of Students in Grades 3-6 Who Learn Keyboarding on the Microcomputer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sormunen, Carolee

1988-01-01

A study concluded that there were no significant differences in posttest speed achievement of students in grades 3 through 6 when pretest typewriting speed score was used as a covariate. Fifteen or fewer hours of instruction allows development of typewriting speed at the lowest level of skill acquisition. (JOW)

Travel On! Mini-Units and Learning Activities on Transportation for Grades K-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Jane; And Others

One of a series of eleven curriculum manuals which cover the four transportation topics of public transportation, transportation and the environment, transportation safety, and bicycles for elementary, secondary, and adult levels, this manual for grades K-3 covers all four topics. Materials in the thirteen mini-units present different aspects of…

Improving Second Grade Student's Reading Fluency and Comprehension Using Teacher-Guided iPad® App Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redcay, Jessica D.; Preston, Sean M.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine the differences in second grade students' reading fluency and comprehension scores when using varying levels of teacher-guided iPad® app instruction to determine effective reading practices. Design/methodology/approach: This study reports the results of the quasi-experimental pre-post study by providing…

The Effects of Adult-Oriented Advertising on First, Second, and Third Grade Children across Socioeconomic Bounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Richard Jay

The purpose of this study was to examine the socializing effect the viewing of adult-oriented commercials has on young children of differing socioeconomic backgrounds. The subjects, 227 children in the first, second, and third grades, included 109 lower-socioeconomic-level black children and 118 white children representing upper-middle-income…

A Study Comparing Fifth Grade Student Achievement in Mathematics in Departmentalized and Non-Departmentalized Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Karen Ann

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to examine the application of the teaching and learning theory of social constructivism in order to determine if mathematics instruction provided in a departmentalized classroom setting at the fifth grade level resulted in a statistically significant difference in student achievement…

Geographic Variation of District-Level Gender Achievement Gaps within the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Sean; Fahle, Erin; Kalogrides, Demetra; Podolsky, Anne; Zarate, Rosalia

2016-01-01

Gender achievement gaps on national and state assessments have been a popular research topic over the last few decades. Many prior studies examine these gaps in different subjects (e.g., mathematics, reading, and science) and grades (typically kindergarten through eighth grade) for students living in various regions (typically states or countries)…

Differentiation Practices in Grade 2 and 3: Variations in Teacher Behavior in Mathematics and Reading Comprehension Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritzema, Evelien S.; Deunk, Marjolein I.; Bosker, Roel J.

2016-01-01

This study focused on the differentiation practices of second- and third-grade teachers in mathematics and reading comprehension lessons. Preconditions for differentiation, classroom organization, and how teachers dealt with students of different ability levels were investigated through observations, using a time-sampling instrument. Data of 43…

Alleviating Prejudice among Ninth Grade World History Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weston, Bonnie Walker

The high level of prejudice in an average 9th grade world history class was addressed by the implementation of a custom-designed prejudice reduction program. Lessons were drawn from "The Prejudice Book" (Shiman, 1979); "A World of Difference" (Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, 1986); and "Hands Across the Campus" (Tiara, 1981). Lessons were…

Conceptual versus Algorithmic Problem-Solving: Focusing on Problems Dealing with Conservation of Matter in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salta, Katerina; Tzougraki, Chryssa

2011-01-01

The students' performance in various types of problems dealing with the conservation of matter during chemical reactions has been investigated at different levels of schooling. The participants were 499 ninth grade (ages 14, 15 years) and 624 eleventh grade (ages 16, 17 years) Greek students. Data was collected using a written questionnaire…

Health Education Resource Guide, Junior High.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Way School District 210, WA.

As part of a health education program for K-12, this curriculum guide for grade eight provides: (1) a short overview of health education; (2) a scope and sequence chart which lists specific topics to teach on mental health, physical health, community health, and safety that are appropriate at different grade levels; (3) a list of objectives; and…

The Hows and Whys of Studying: The Relationship of Goals to Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolen, Susan Bobbitt

A correlational study of 62 8th grade, 60 11th grade, and 58 college students investigated developmental differences in learning goals, study strategy beliefs and their inter-relationship for science classes. Questionnaires measured levels of task orientation, ego orientation, and work avoidance, as well as belief in the utility of two types of…

Sex and Grade Level Differences in Marijuana Use among Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Keith A.; Vidourek, Rebecca A.; Hoffman, Ashlee R.

2012-01-01

A total of 54,361 students in seventh through twelfth grades completed a survey examining the impact of perceived harm of marijuana use, ease of access in obtaining marijuana, and perceived parent/peer disapproval of marijuana use on youth involvement in annual and recent marijuana use. Results indicated that 1 in 6 (16%) students used marijuana…

Estimating the circuit delay of FPGA with a transfer learning method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Xiuhai; Liu, Datong; Peng, Yu; Peng, Xiyuan

2017-10-01

With the increase of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) functionality, FPGA has become an on-chip system platform. Due to increase the complexity of FPGA, estimating the delay of FPGA is a very challenge work. To solve the problems, we propose a transfer learning estimation delay (TLED) method to simplify the delay estimation of different speed grade FPGA. In fact, the same style different speed grade FPGA comes from the same process and layout. The delay has some correlation among different speed grade FPGA. Therefore, one kind of speed grade FPGA is chosen as a basic training sample in this paper. Other training samples of different speed grade can get from the basic training samples through of transfer learning. At the same time, we also select a few target FPGA samples as training samples. A general predictive model is trained by these samples. Thus one kind of estimation model is used to estimate different speed grade FPGA circuit delay. The framework of TRED includes three phases: 1) Building a basic circuit delay library which includes multipliers, adders, shifters, and so on. These circuits are used to train and build the predictive model. 2) By contrasting experiments among different algorithms, the forest random algorithm is selected to train predictive model. 3) The target circuit delay is predicted by the predictive model. The Artix-7, Kintex-7, and Virtex-7 are selected to do experiments. Each of them includes -1, -2, -2l, and -3 different speed grade. The experiments show the delay estimation accuracy score is more than 92% with the TLED method. This result shows that the TLED method is a feasible delay assessment method, especially in the high-level synthesis stage of FPGA tool, which is an efficient and effective delay assessment method.

The Relationship between Delivery Models and the Grade-Level Reading Development of Sixth-Grade English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Holly Weber

2013-01-01

This study examines the relationship between delivery models (the class size reduction model and the sheltered instruction model) and language development levels on the grade-level reading development of sixth-grade English learners (ELs) attending public middle schools in metro Atlanta, Georgia. The instrument used to measure grade-level mastery…

Competitive sports participation in high school and subsequent substance use in young adulthood: Assessing differences based on level of contact

PubMed Central

Veliz, Philip; Schulenberg, John; Patrick, Megan; Kloska, Deb; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Zarrett, Nicole

2016-01-01

The objective of this analysis is to examine how participation in different types of competitive sports (based on level of contact) during high school is associated with substance use 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade. The analysis uses nationally representative samples of 12th graders from the Monitoring the Future Study who were followed 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade. The longitudinal sample consisted of 970 12th graders from six recent cohorts (2006–2011). The analyses found that respondents who participated in at least one competitive sport during the 12th grade had greater odds of binge drinking during the past two weeks (AOR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.43, 2.90) 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade, when compared to their peers who did not participate in sports during their 12th grade year. Moreover, respondents who participated in high-contact sports (i.e., football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling) had greater odds of binge drinking (AOR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.72) and engaging in marijuana use during the past 30 days (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.12, 2.93) 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade when compared to their peers who did not participate in these types of sports during their 12th grade year. Accordingly, the findings indicate important distinctions in sport participation experiences on long-term substance use risk that can help inform potential interventions among young athletes. PMID:28344426

Associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with academic skills--a follow-up study among primary school children.

PubMed

Haapala, Eero A; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Kukkonen-Harjula, Katriina; Tompuri, Tuomo; Lintu, Niina; Väistö, Juuso; Leppänen, Paavo H T; Laaksonen, David E; Lindi, Virpi; Lakka, Timo A

2014-01-01

There are no prospective studies that would have compared the relationships of different types of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with academic skills among children. We therefore investigated the associations of different types of PA and SB with reading and arithmetic skills in a follow-up study among children. The participants were 186 children (107 boys, 79 girls, 6-8 yr) who were followed-up in Grades 1-3. PA and SB were assessed using a questionnaire in Grade 1. Reading fluency, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills were assessed using standardized tests at the end of Grades 1-3. Among all children more recess PA and more time spent in SB related to academic skills were associated with a better reading fluency across Grades 1-3. In boys, higher levels of total PA, physically active school transportation and more time spent in SB related to academic skills were associated with a better reading fluency across the Grades 1-3. Among girls, higher levels of total PA were related to worse arithmetic skills across Grades 1-3. Moreover, total PA was directly associated with reading fluency and arithmetic skills in Grades 1-3 among girls whose parents had a university degree, whereas these relationships were inverse in girls of less educated parents. Total PA, physically active school transportation and SB related to academic skills may be beneficial for the development of reading skills in boys, whereas factors that are independent of PA or SB may be more important for academic skills in girls. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01803776.

Role of Renin-Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Level and ACE Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

PubMed

Tekatas, Demet D; Bahcecioglu, Ibrahim H; Ispiroglu, Murat; Sahin, Abdurrahman; Ilhan, Necip; Yalniz, Mehmet; Demirel, Ulvi

2016-01-01

In this study, we aimed to investigate the histological and clinical effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE gene polymorphism in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and their roles in the progression of the disease. Liver function tests, body mass index, waist circumference, lipid parameters, fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR), ACE, and ACE gene polymorphism were evaluated in the NAFLD group and control group. The study group was evaluated by dividing the group into four subgroups by ACE gene polymorphism (D/D homozygous, I/I homozygous, D/I heterozygous, I/D heterozygous). Liver biopsies were evaluated according to Brunt Classification. A total of 31 patients who were diagnosed with NAFLD and 40 healthy individuals were included in the study. The ACE level was found to be 11.69 ± 1.99 in the NAFLD group and 11.52 ± 1.72 in the control group (p = 0.70). There was a negative correlation between ACE levels and HOMA-IR levels (p = 0.008, r= -0.512). Biochemical parameters were not different among ACE gene polimorphism subgroups, except FBG (between D/D, I/D and D/I, I/D; p = 0.02). When the ACE levels were compared in terms of grade and stage, no significant difference was found (for stage and grade p = 0.68). The ACE gene polymorphism subgroups did not differ by histopathologic findings; grade and stage (for grade p = 0.42, for stage p = 0.92). In this study, we could not find a correlation of ACE and ACE gene polymorphism with metabolic risk factors and the disease severity in NAFLD. Tekatas DD, Bahcecioglu IH, Ispiroglu M, Sahin A, Ilhan N, Yalniz M, Demirel U. Role of Renin-Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Level and ACE Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2016;6(2):137-142.

Automated Grading of Gliomas using Deep Learning in Digital Pathology Images: A modular approach with ensemble of convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Ertosun, Mehmet Günhan; Rubin, Daniel L

2015-01-01

Brain glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults with different pathologic subtypes: Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade II, Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade III, and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Grade IV. The survival and treatment options are highly dependent of this glioma grade. We propose a deep learning-based, modular classification pipeline for automated grading of gliomas using digital pathology images. Whole tissue digitized images of pathology slides obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to train our deep learning modules. Our modular pipeline provides diagnostic quality statistics, such as precision, sensitivity and specificity, of the individual deep learning modules, and (1) facilitates training given the limited data in this domain, (2) enables exploration of different deep learning structures for each module, (3) leads to developing less complex modules that are simpler to analyze, and (4) provides flexibility, permitting use of single modules within the framework or use of other modeling or machine learning applications, such as probabilistic graphical models or support vector machines. Our modular approach helps us meet the requirements of minimum accuracy levels that are demanded by the context of different decision points within a multi-class classification scheme. Convolutional Neural Networks are trained for each module for each sub-task with more than 90% classification accuracies on validation data set, and achieved classification accuracy of 96% for the task of GBM vs LGG classification, 71% for further identifying the grade of LGG into Grade II or Grade III on independent data set coming from new patients from the multi-institutional repository.

Automated Grading of Gliomas using Deep Learning in Digital Pathology Images: A modular approach with ensemble of convolutional neural networks

PubMed Central

Ertosun, Mehmet Günhan; Rubin, Daniel L.

2015-01-01

Brain glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults with different pathologic subtypes: Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade II, Lower Grade Glioma (LGG) Grade III, and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Grade IV. The survival and treatment options are highly dependent of this glioma grade. We propose a deep learning-based, modular classification pipeline for automated grading of gliomas using digital pathology images. Whole tissue digitized images of pathology slides obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to train our deep learning modules. Our modular pipeline provides diagnostic quality statistics, such as precision, sensitivity and specificity, of the individual deep learning modules, and (1) facilitates training given the limited data in this domain, (2) enables exploration of different deep learning structures for each module, (3) leads to developing less complex modules that are simpler to analyze, and (4) provides flexibility, permitting use of single modules within the framework or use of other modeling or machine learning applications, such as probabilistic graphical models or support vector machines. Our modular approach helps us meet the requirements of minimum accuracy levels that are demanded by the context of different decision points within a multi-class classification scheme. Convolutional Neural Networks are trained for each module for each sub-task with more than 90% classification accuracies on validation data set, and achieved classification accuracy of 96% for the task of GBM vs LGG classification, 71% for further identifying the grade of LGG into Grade II or Grade III on independent data set coming from new patients from the multi-institutional repository. PMID:26958289

Injuries in national Olympic level judo athletes: an epidemiological study.

PubMed

Kim, Keun-Suh; Park, Ki Jun; Lee, Jaekoo; Kang, Byung Yong

2015-09-01

To present an epidemiological study of injuries found among South Korea's National level Judo athletes as a foundation for future injury prevention and skill enhancement in this group. This study is a prospective study on a 4-year injury assessment held from January 2010 to December 2013 at the training centre in South Korea for National Level athletes. Athlete's weight class, gender, injury location and injury grade (grade I=1-3 treatment days, grade II=4-7 treatment days, and grade III ≥8 treatment days) were analysed. There were a total of 782 injuries recorded during this period, equalling to four injuries per athlete annually. Almost half of these injuries (47%) were grade I injuries. Injury occurrence was the highest in the Lower body (44.2%). This was then followed by injuries in the upper body (29.8%), trunk (20.3%) and head and neck (5.6%). Men and women showed similar, non-significantly different trends in the proportion of body parts injured. Women experienced more grade III injuries than males (p=0.0228). Comparison between women in different weight classes also showed that heavyweights incurred more grade III injuries than lightweights (p=0.0087). Lightweights had a higher rate of injury than heavyweights in males and females, although this was statistically significant only among males (p<0.001). Many body regions are prone to injury in the elite judo population. Women, especially those in the heavyweight classification, were more prone to severe injuries. Lightweights experienced more injuries than heavyweights among male athletes. Specifically, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to address the impact of rapid weight loss practices on injury risk to implement effective preventive measures. 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.

Cold chain monitoring of OPV at transit levels in India: correlation of VVM and potency status.

PubMed

Jain, R; Sahu, A K; Tewari, S; Malik, N; Singh, S; Khare, S; Bhatia, R

2003-12-01

We have conducted a study to analyze monitoring of the cold chain of 674 OPV field samples collected at four different levels of vaccine distribution viz., immunization clinics, district stores, hospitals and Primary Health Centers (PHC) from states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. The study design included: collection and scoring of vaccine vial monitor (VVM) status of the samples and testing for total oral polio virus concentration (TOPV) by standard WHO protocol. Ten samples each were exposed to 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C, and 10 samples as controls were kept at -20 degrees C. VVM were scored daily till they attained grade 4 and each sample was subsequently subjected to potency testing for individual polio serotypes 1, 2 and 3, and TOPV. Of the 674 samples tested it was observed that: samples from immunization clinics and district stores had an acceptable VVM score of grade 1 and 2; however the probable risk that a sub potent vaccine could have been administered was 2.15%. In 2.5% samples received from district stores vaccine had a VVM score of grade 3 (i.e., discard point), although vaccine when tested was found to be potent (i.e., leading to the vaccine wastage). With exposure to higher temperatures, VVM changed score to grade 2 and 3 when the vaccine was kept at 25 degrees C/37 degrees C, and the titres of individual serotypes 1, 2 and 3 and TOPV were beyond the acceptable limits. Important observations at the different levels of vaccine distribution network and correlation of VVM and potency status of OPV are discussed in the paper which will be of help to the EPI program managers at different transit levels.

O-Level Grades and Teachers' Estimates as Predictors of the A-Level Results of UCCA Applicants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, R. J. L.

1981-01-01

This investigation studied the relationship between both GCE O-level examination grades and teachers' estimates of A-level examination grades, and actual A-level grades obtained by a sample of university applicants. Moderate levels of correlation were reported in both cases, although teachers' estimates appeared to be slightly better predictors.…

Student Success in Face-to-Face and Online Sections of Biology Courses at a Community College in East Tennessee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garman, Deanna Essington

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences in student success in face-to-face and online biology courses as categorized by gender, major, and age; and as measured by lecture grades, lab grades, and final course grades. The data used for analyses included data from 170 face-to-face sections and 127 online sections from a biology course during the fall and spring semesters beginning fall 2008 through spring 2011. Researchers have reported mixed findings in previous studies juxtaposing online and face-to-face course delivery formats, from no significant differences to differences in grades, learning styles, and satisfaction levels. Four research questions guided this study with data analysis involving t-tests for independent groups and chi-square tests. This researcher noted significant differences in the results of this study: grades, success rates by gender, success rates by health and nonhealth majors, and nontraditional age (≥25) success rate were higher for students in the face-to-face courses; and the attrition rate was higher for students in the online course sections. There was no significant difference found in the success rate for traditional age (<25) students in the face-to-face sections compared to those in the online sections.

Reactive oxygen species level in follicular fluid--embryo quality marker in IVF?

PubMed

Das, S; Chattopadhyay, R; Ghosh, S; Ghosh, S; Goswami, S K; Chakravarty, B N; Chaudhury, K

2006-09-01

The impact of oxidative stress in female reproduction is not clear. Contradictory reports on the effect of various oxidative stress markers on follicular fluid, oocytes and embryo quality and fertilization potential exist. The objectives of this study were to examine reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in follicular fluid of women undergoing IVF and to relate these levels to embryo formation and quality. A total of 208 follicular fluid samples were obtained from 78 women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and analysed for ROS and lipid peroxidation (LPO). These samples were divided into groups I and II which represented follicular fluid containing grade III and grade II oocytes, respectively. These groups were further subdivided into groups IA, IB, IIA and IIB according to embryo quality. Subgroups IA and IIA consisted of follicular fluid samples corresponding to grade I/II embryo formation. Subgroups IB and IIB represented fertilization failure/pro-nucleolus (PN) arrest/grade III embryos. No significant correlation was observed in ROS levels on comparing groups I and II (P > 0.05). However, ROS levels were observed to be significantly different on comparing groups IA and IB (P < or = 0.01) and groups IIA and IIB (P < or = 0.05). LPO levels further supported our results. ROS levels in follicular fluid appear to play a significant role in embryo formation and quality.

Any Effects of Different Levels of Online User Identity Revelation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Fu-Yun

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of different levels of identity revelation in relation to aspects most relevant to engaged online learning activities. An online learning system supporting question-generation and peer-assessment was adopted. Three 7th grade classes (N=101) were assigned to three identity revelation modes (real-name, nickname and…

Comparison of gray-scale contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with contrast-enhanced computed tomography in different grading of blunt hepatic and splenic trauma: an animal experiment.

PubMed

Tang, Jie; Li, Wenxiu; Lv, Faqin; Zhang, Huiqin; Zhang, Lihai; Wang, Yuexiang; Li, Junlai; Yang, Li

2009-04-01

To compare the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for the detection of different grading of solid organ injuries in blunt abdominal trauma in animals. A self-made miniature tools were used as models to simulate a blunt hepatic or splenic trauma in 16 and 14 anesthetized dogs, respectively. Baseline ultrasound, CEUS and CECT were used to detect traumatic injuries of livers and spleens. The degree of injuries was determined by CEUS according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) scale and the results compared with injury scale based on CECT evaluation. CEUS showed 22 hepatic injury sites in 16 animals and 17 splenic injury sites in other 14 animals. According to AAST scale, 2 grade I, 4 grade II, 3 grade III, 5 grade IV and 2 grade V hepatic lesions were present in 16 animals; 2 grade I, 4 grade II, 6 grade III and 2 grade IV splenic lesions in 14 animals. On CECT scan, 21 hepatic and 17 splenic injuries were demonstrated. According to Becker CT scaling for hepatic injury, 1 grade I, 2 grade II, 4 grade III, 5 grade IV and 2 grade V hepatic injuries were present. On the basis of Buntain spleen scaling, 2 grade I, 5 grade II, 5 grade III, 2 grade IV splenic injuries were showed. After Spearman rank correlation analysis, the agreement of CEUS with CECT on the degree of hepatic and splenic injury is 93.3% and 92.9%, respectively. CT is currently considered as the reference method for grading blunt abdominal trauma, according to experiment results, CEUS grading showed high levels of concordance with CECT. CEUS can accurately determine the degree of injury and will play an important role in clinical application.

Anxieties in Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents in comparison with the American norm.

PubMed

Li, Huijun; Ang, Rebecca P; Lee, Jiyoon

2008-10-01

There is a growing literature base on child and adolescent anxiety. Cross-cultural research on child and adolescent anxiety, however, has been relatively limited. This study examined whether there were similarities and differences in the self reported anxieties in Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents (12-17 years of age), and whether these similarities or differences were related to gender and/or grade. This study also compared anxiety levels of Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents with the American normative sample (12-17 years of age). The results indicate that the levels of anxieties did not differ based on country (China and Singapore). Gender differences were evident. Gender and grade interaction effects were found on the anxiety scales. Mixed results were found when comparing Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese with the American normative sample on the different anxiety scales.

Readability assessment of Internet-based patient education materials related to endoscopic sinus surgery.

PubMed

Cherla, Deepa V; Sanghvi, Saurin; Choudhry, Osamah J; Liu, James K; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2012-08-01

Numerous professional societies, clinical practices, and hospitals provide Internet-based patient education materials (PEMs) to the general public, but not all of this information is written at a reading level appropriate for the average patient. The National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Health and Human Services recommend that PEMs be written at or below the sixth-grade level. Our purpose was to assess the readability of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS)-related PEMs available on the Internet and compare readability levels of PEMs provided by three sources: professional societies, clinical practices, and hospitals. A descriptive and correlational design was used for this study. The readability of 31 ESS-related PEMs was assessed with four different readability indices: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (Gunning FOG). Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance and t tests. The majority of PEMs (96.8%) were written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level, based on FKGL (P < .001). Only one article (3.2%) had an FKGL at or below the sixth-grade level. The mean readability values were: FRES 47.1 ± 13.4, FKGL 10.7 ± 2.4, SMOG 13.7 ± 1.6, and Gunning FOG 12.4 ± 2.7. Current Internet-based PEMs related to ESS, regardless of source type, were written well above the recommended sixth-grade level. Materials from the hospitals/university-affiliated websites had lower readability scores, but were still above recommended levels. Web-based PEMs pertaining to ESS should be written with the average patient in mind. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Motivation, Classroom Environment, and Learning in Introductory Geology: A Hierarchical Linear Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, L. A.; Hilpert, J. C.; Van Der Hoeven Kraft, K.; Budd, D.; Jones, M. H.; Matheney, R.; Mcconnell, D. A.; Perkins, D.; Stempien, J. A.; Wirth, K. R.

2013-12-01

Prior research has indicated that highly motivated students perform better and that learning increases in innovative, reformed classrooms, but untangling the student effects from the instructor effects is essential to understanding how to best support student learning. Using a hierarchical linear model, we examine these effects separately and jointly. We use data from nearly 2,000 undergraduate students surveyed by the NSF-funded GARNET (Geoscience Affective Research NETwork) project in 65 different introductory geology classes at research universities, public masters-granting universities, liberal arts colleges and community colleges across the US. Student level effects were measured as increases in expectancy and self-regulation using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al., 1991). Instructor level effects were measured using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol, (RTOP; Sawada et al., 2000), with higher RTOP scores indicating a more reformed, student-centered classroom environment. Learning was measured by learning gains on a Geology Concept Inventory (GCI; Libarkin and Anderson, 2005) and normalized final course grade. The hierarchical linear model yielded significant results at several levels. At the student level, increases in expectancy and self-regulation are significantly and positively related to higher grades regardless of instructor; the higher the increase, the higher the grade. At the instructor level, RTOP scores are positively related to normalized average GCI learning gains. The higher the RTOP score, the higher the average class GCI learning gains. Across both levels, average class GCI learning gains are significantly and positively related to student grades; the higher the GCI learning gain, the higher the grade. Further, the RTOP scores are significantly and negatively related to the relationship between expectancy and course grade. The lower the RTOP score, the higher the correlation between change in expectancy and grade. As such, students with low motivation show higher grades and greater learning gains in high RTOP (student-centered) classrooms than in low RTOP ones. These results support the recommendation of student-centered practices in the classroom and consideration of student motivation in our approach to the future of geoscience education.

5 CFR 842.206 - Involuntary retirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...; and (iv) Not lower than the equivalent of two grades or pay levels below the employee's current grade or pay level, without consideration of the employee's eligibility to retain his or her current grade... systems, the comparison rate of the grade or pay level that is two grades below that of the current...

The effect of variable S/N on the subjective evaluation of protection ratios for direct-TV satellite services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groumpos, P. P.; Dimitriadis, B. D.; Whyte, W.

1984-01-01

Protection ratios, the ratio of wanted-to-unwanted signal power at the receiver input, for acceptable picture quality were experimentally evaluated for four different still pictures. The variation of carrier-to-interference, C/I, with picture impairment grade is investigated when different noise levels are present. Results are presented which show the relationship between the impairment grade and the C/I ratio for FM/TV co-channel systems under variable S/N conditions.

Association between serum ligands and the skin toxicity of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody in metastatic colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Takahashi, Naoki; Yamada, Yasuhide; Furuta, Koh; Nagashima, Kengo; Kubo, Akiko; Sasaki, Yusuke; Shoji, Hirokazu; Honma, Yoshitaka; Iwasa, Satoru; Okita, Natsuko; Takashima, Atsuo; Kato, Ken; Hamaguchi, Tetsuya; Shimada, Yasuhiro

2015-05-01

Skin toxicity is a known clinical signature used to predict the prognosis of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). There are no biological markers to predict skin toxicity before anti-EGFR antibody treatment in mCRC patients. Between August 2008 and August 2011, pretreatment serum samples were obtained from KRAS wild-type (WT) patients who received anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Serum levels of ligands were measured by ELISA. A total of 103 KRAS WT patients were enrolled in the study. Progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with a high grade (grade 2-3) of skin toxicity were significantly longer than those with a low grade (grade 0-1) of skin toxicity (median progression-free survival, 6.4 months vs 2.4 months, P < 0.001; median overall survival, 14.6 months vs 7.1 months, P = 0.006). There were significant differences in distribution of serum levels of epiregulin (EREG), amphiregulin (AREG), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) between groups of low/high grade of skin toxicity (P < 0.048, P < 0.012, P < 0.012, respectively). In addition, serum levels of HGF, EREG, and AREG were inversely proportional to grades of skin toxicity as determined by the Cochran-Armitage test (P = 0.019, P = 0.047, P = 0.021, respectively). Our study indicated that serum levels such as HGF, EREG, and AREG may be significant markers to predict the grade of skin toxicity and the prognosis of anti-EGFR antibody treatment, which contribute to improvement of the management of skin toxicity and survival time in mCRC patients. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

An Analysis of Final Course Grades in Two Different Entry Level Mathematics Courses between and among First Year College Students with Different Levels of High School Mathematics Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Carrie

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of first year college students with similar high school mathematics backgrounds in two introductory level college mathematics courses, "Fundamentals and Techniques of College Algebra and Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Skills," and to compare the performance of students…

The Effects of Student and Text Characteristics on the Oral Reading Fluency of Middle-Grade Students

PubMed Central

Barth, Amy E.; Tolar, Tammy D.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Francis, David

2014-01-01

We evaluated the effects of student characteristics (sight word reading efficiency, phonological decoding, verbal knowledge, level of reading ability, grade, gender) and text features (passage difficulty, length, genre, and language and discourse attributes) on the oral reading fluency of a sample of middle-school students in Grades 6–8 (N = 1,794). Students who were struggling (n = 704) and typically developing readers (n = 1,028) were randomly assigned to read five 1-min passages from each of 5 Lexile bands (within student range of 550 Lexiles). A series of multilevel analyses showed that student and text characteristics contributed uniquely to oral reading fluency rates. Student characteristics involving sight word reading efficiency and level of decoding ability accounted for more variability than reader type and verbal knowledge, with small, but statistically significant effects of grade and gender. The most significant text feature was passage difficulty level. Interactions involving student text characteristics, especially attributes involving overall ability level and difficulty of the text, were also apparent. These results support views of the development of oral reading fluency that involve interactions of student and text characteristics and highlight the importance of scaling for passage difficulty level in assessing individual differences in oral reading fluency. PMID:24567659

The Influence of Reading on Vocabulary Growth: A Case for a Matthew Effect.

PubMed

Duff, Dawna; Tomblin, J Bruce; Catts, Hugh

2015-06-01

Individual differences in vocabulary development may affect academic or social opportunities. It has been proposed that individual differences in word reading could affect the rate of vocabulary growth, mediated by the amount of reading experience, a process referred to as a Matthew effect (Stanovich, 1986). In the current study, assessments of written word-reading skills in the 4th grade and oral vocabulary knowledge collected in kindergarten and in the 4th, 8th, and 10th grades from a large epidemiologically based sample (n = 485) allowed a test of the relationship of early word-reading skills and the subsequent rate of vocabulary growth. Consistent with the hypothesis, multilevel modeling revealed the rate of vocabulary growth after the 4th grade to be significantly related to 4th-grade word reading after controlling for kindergarten vocabulary level, that is, above average readers experienced a higher rate of vocabulary growth than did average readers. Vocabulary growth rate differences accumulated over time such that the effect on vocabulary size was large.

Planar polymer and glass graded index waveguides for data center applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitwon, Richard; Yamauchi, Akira; Brusberg, Lars; Wang, Kai; Ishigure, Takaaki; Schröder, Henning; Neitz, Marcel; Worrall, Alex

2016-03-01

Embedded optical waveguide technology for optical printed circuit boards (OPCBs) has advanced considerably over the past decade both in terms of materials and achievable waveguide structures. Two distinct classes of planar graded index multimode waveguide have recently emerged based on polymer and glass materials. We report on the suitability of graded index polymer waveguides, fabricated using the Mosquito method, and graded index glass waveguides, fabricated using ion diffusion on thin glass foils, for deployment within future data center environments as part of an optically disaggregated architecture. To this end, we first characterize the wavelength dependent performance of different waveguide types to assess their suitability with respect to two dominant emerging multimode transceiver classes based on directly modulated 850 nm VCSELs and 1310 silicon photonics devices. Furthermore we connect the different waveguide types into an optically disaggregated data storage system and characterize their performance with respect to different common high speed data protocols used at the intra and inter rack level including 10 Gb Ethernet and Serial Attached SCSI.

Immunopathological and Modulatory Effects of Cag A+ Genotype on Gastric Mucosa, Inflammatory Response, Pepsinogens, and Gastrin-17 Secretion in Iraqi Patients infected with H. pylori.

PubMed

Al-Ezzy, Ali Ibrahim Ali

2018-05-20

To determine the immunopathological correlation between Cag A+ H. pylori -specific IgG; pepsinogen I&II (PI&PII); gastrin-17 (G-17); status of gastric and duodenal mucosa and inflammatory activities on different gastroduodenal disorders. Eighty gastroduodenal biopsies were taken from patients with gastroduodenal disorders for histopathological evaluation and H. pylori diagnosis. Serum samples were used for evaluation of gastric hormones and detection of H. pylori -specific IgG antibodies. The tissue expression of H. pylori Cag A gene was detected by in situ hybridisation. H. pylori IgG antibodies were detected in (88.8%) of enrolled patients. According to Cag A gene expression, Significant difference (P value ˂ 0.05) was detected in levels of PG I; PGII, PG I/PG II among patients with gastric disorders. Serum G-17 level was negatively correlated with Cag A gene expression (P-value = 0.04). There was a significant correlation between H. pylori IgG and PG I; PG II; G-17. The current study revealed that corpus atrophic gastritis was diagnosed histologically with (5%) gastric ulcer cases; (3.75%) of duodenal ulcer cases; (3.75%) of duodenitis cases; (1.25%) of gastropathy cases and (8.75%) of gastritis cases. At the same time H. pylori gastritis diagnosed concurrently with (8.75%) of gastric ulcer cases; (11.25%) of duodenal ulcer cases; (17.5%) of gastropathy cases; (3.75%) of duodenitis cases and (2.5%) of prepyloric ulcer cases. A significant correlation was reported between the Immunopathological status of gastric mucosa and endoscopic mucosal finding among duodenal ulcer cases and gastritis cases only. A positive correlation was reported between serum levels of PGI; PGII; PGI/PGII; G-17; PMNs grade and Immunopathological status of the gastroduodenal mucosa of H. pylori Infected patients. A significant difference was reported in lymphocyte grades among gastric disorders without correlation with immunohistopathological changes in the mucosa (P-value = 0.002). A significant difference was reported in lymphocyte grades among different disorders according to H. pylori IgG. A significant difference was reported in serum level of PG I; PG II; PG I/PG II; G-17 according to PMN and lymphocyte grades (P-value ˂ 0.01). PMNs grades positively correlated with gastric Cag A expression; H. pylori IgG; PG II; G-17 levels. PG I; PG I/ PG II correlated with lymphocyte grades (P-value ˂ 0.05); while PGII has a negative correlation (P-value = 0.039). Endoscopic mucosal finding does not reflect exactly the actual immunopathological changes of gastric mucosa during H. pylori infection. Secretion of gastrin was not affected by the presence of Cag A in gastric tissue. Instead, the fluctuation in the hormone level appears to be due to the presence of H. pylori infection in gastric tissue. Gastric tissue infiltration with PMNs & lymphocytes inflammatory infiltrates has a direct effect on PGs and gastrin levels in serum of infected patients. The level of PG I; PG II; G-17 secretion correlated with the development of immune response against H. pylori and production of specific H. pylori IgG. Finally, H. pylori can modulate gastric secretions through Cag A dependent and independent pathways.

Sexism in Textbooks in Pittsburgh Public Schools, Grades K-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scardina, Florence

Thirty-six textbooks used by the Pittsburgh public schools at grade levels K-5 were reviewed to see how they treat girls vs. boys and men vs. women. Language, reading, science, social studies, and mathematics texts were evaluated. Blatant sexism is found in all areas. Different ideas of behavior and mores are propagated for boys than for girls;…

Improving Voting in Ohio through Education. A Voter Education Program for Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celebrezze, Anthony J., Jr.; Walter, Franklin

This resource booklet contains activities for elementary teachers who want to teach their students about voting and the election process. Part I consists of suggestions for conducting an election at different grade levels. All of the elections involve real choices that affect the student (e.g. choice of ice cream flavor or other treat for a class…

Impact of School Violence on Youth Alcohol Abuse: Differences Based on Gender and Grade Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidourek, Rebecca A.; King, Keith A.; Merianos, Ashley L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of school violence on recent alcohol use and episodic heavy drinking among seventh- through 12th-grade students. A total of 54,631 students completed a survey assessing substance use and other risky behaviors. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the research questions. Results…

Analysis of 4th Grade Students' Problem Solving Skills in Terms of Several Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sungur, Gülcan; Bal, Pervin Nedim

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine if the level of primary school students in solving problems differs according to some demographic variables. The research is descriptive type in the general survey method, it was carried out with quantitative research techniques. The sample of the study consisted of 587 primary school students in Grade 4. The…

Examining Differences in Mathematics and Reading Achievement among Grade 5 Pupils in Vietnam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hungi, Njora

2008-01-01

This study employed a multilevel technique to examine pupil-, school- and province-level factors that influence achievement in mathematics and reading of Grade 5 primary school pupils in Vietnam. The data for this study were collected as part of a major survey that sought to examine the quality of education offered in Vietnam primary schools.…

Early Adolescents' Significant Others: Grade and Gender Differences in Perceived Relationships with Familial and Nonfamilial Adults and Young People.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blyth, Dale A.; And Others

1982-01-01

To provide a fuller description of the significant others in the social world of an adolescent, the Social Relations Questionnaire was developed and administered to approximately 3000 seventh- through tenth-graders. Results indicate that parents and siblings are almost always listed as significant others by adolescents in all four grade levels.…

Interest Differences between Male and Female Students and Correlation to Their Academic Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Ileana F.

A six week study in an urban district was conducted attempting to compare the academic interests between male and female students at the second and third grade levels, and correlate these with the students' academic performance, as put forth on the Record of Student Growth, or Report Card. The children completed teacher made interest inventories.…

Common Core Standards for High School English Language Arts: A Quick-Start Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall, John; Frazee, Dana; Ryan, Susan

2012-01-01

High school teachers and leaders with responsibility for English language arts (ELA) need this handy guide to successfully implement the Common Core in their respective grade levels. Getting a copy for every staff member ensures they know: (1) How grades 11-12 ELA content differs from and builds upon 9-10 standards; (2) How the four strands…

Gender and Racial Differences: Development of Sixth Grade Students' Geometric Spatial Visualization within an Earth/Space Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Christa; Wilhelm, Jennifer Anne; Lamar, Mary; Cole, Merryn

2015-01-01

This study investigated sixth-grade middle-level students' geometric spatial development by gender and race within and between control and experimental groups at two middle schools as they participated in an Earth/Space unit. The control group utilized a regular Earth/Space curriculum and the experimental group used a National Aeronautics and…

The Effects and Predictor Value of In-Class Texting Behavior on Final Course Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Sylvia E.

2013-01-01

Cell phones have become a norm within the collegiate environment but little research has examined their impact on academic attainment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects that in-class texting behavior had on the final grade score in a freshmen level introductory social science course. Students in three different sections were…

A study of safety and tolerability of rotatory vestibular input for preschool children

PubMed Central

Su, Wen-Ching; Lin, Chin-Kai; Chang, Shih-Chung

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine a safe rotatory vestibular stimulation input for preschool children and to study the effects of grade level and sex of preschool children during active, passive, clockwise, and counterclockwise rotation vestibular input. This study adopted purposive sampling with 120 children from three kindergarten levels (K1, K2, and K3) in Taiwan. The subjects ranged in age from 46 to 79 months of age (mean: 62.1 months; standard deviation =9.60). This study included testing with four types of vestibular rotations. The number, duration, and speed of rotations were recorded. The study found that the mean number of active rotations was 10.28; the mean duration of rotation was 24.17 seconds; and the mean speed was 2.29 seconds per rotation. The mean number of passive rotations was 23.04. The differences in number of rotations in clockwise, counterclockwise, active, and passive rotations were not statistically significant. Sex and grade level were not important related factors in the speed and time of active rotation. Different sexes, rotation methods (active, passive), and grades made significant differences in the number of rotations. The safety and tolerability of rotatory vestibular stimulation input data obtained in this study can provide useful reference data for therapists using sensory integration therapy. PMID:25657579

Predicting early adolescent gang involvement from middle school adaptation.

PubMed

Dishion, Thomas J; Nelson, Sarah E; Yasui, Miwa

2005-03-01

This study examined the role of adaptation in the first year of middle school (Grade 6, age 11) to affiliation with gangs by the last year of middle school (Grade 8, age 13). The sample consisted of 714 European American (EA) and African American (AA) boys and girls. Specifically, academic grades, reports of antisocial behavior, and peer relations in 6th grade were used to predict multiple measures of gang involvement by 8th grade. The multiple measures of gang involvement included self-, peer, teacher, and counselor reports. Unexpectedly, self-report measures of gang involvement did not correlate highly with peer and school staff reports. The results, however, were similar for other and self-report measures of gang involvement. Mean level analyses revealed statistically reliable differences in 8th-grade gang involvement as a function of the youth gender and ethnicity. Structural equation prediction models revealed that peer nominations of rejection, acceptance, academic failure, and antisocial behavior were predictive of gang involvement for most youth. These findings suggest that the youth level of problem behavior and the school ecology (e.g., peer rejection, school failure) require attention in the design of interventions to prevent the formation of gangs among high-risk young adolescents.

Resolving Conflicts. Lawyers Helping Young People Become Good Citizens.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Bar Association, Chicago, IL. Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship.

Organized around the theme of conflict resolution, this booklet provides teachers and lawyers with classroom materials for elementary grades K-3 (Level A), intermediate grades 4-6 (Level B), middle school grades 6-8 (Level C), and high school grades 9-12 (Level D). In addition, each level contains pages for the lawyer (marked by the scales of…

Influence of Tönnis Grade on Outcomes of Arthroscopic Management of Symptomatic Femoroacetabular Impingement.

PubMed

Byrd, J W Thomas; Bardowski, Elizabeth A; Jones, Kay S

2018-05-19

To define the outcomes of arthroscopic correction of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) based on Tönnis findings within a previously reported patient population, including a comparative analysis of Tönnis grade 0 and 1 versus grade 2 changes. Outcomes (modified Harris Hip Score [mHHS]) of a previously published study of arthroscopic correction of FAI were correlated with Tönnis grade. The inclusion criteria were the first 100 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic FAI correction with minimum 2-year follow-up. These procedures were performed between December 2003 and May 2006. Grades were determined independently by 2 experienced clinicians. Tönnis grades 0 and 1 were compared with Tönnis grade 2. Independent variables of sex and age were also evaluated. The average age of the entire group was 34.7 years (range, 13-76 years), with 66 male and 34 female patients. Of the patients, 17 had Tönnis grade 0, 49 had Tönnis grade 1, 29 had Tönnis grade 2, and 4 had Tönnis grade 3 (1 unknown). The average mHHS improvement for Tönnis grade 0 was 20.6 points; Tönnis grade 1, 22.2 points; Tönnis grade 2, 14.9 points; and Tönnis grade 3, 18.8 points. The improvement was statistically (P < .01) and clinically (>8 points) significant across all Tönnis grades. There was no difference (P = .077) between Tönnis grades 0 and 1 (21.8 points) versus grade 2 (14.9 points). There was no difference based on sex or age. These data support that statistically and clinically meaningful successful patient-reported outcomes (mHHS) at 2 years can be encountered even in the presence of Tönnis grade 2 radiographic features. Neither age nor sex was an indicator of poorer results within similar Tönnis grades. Level III, case-control study. Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proposed clinical pathway for nonoperative management of high-grade pediatric pancreatic injuries based on a multicenter analysis: A pediatric trauma society collaborative.

PubMed

Naik-Mathuria, Bindi J; Rosenfeld, Eric H; Gosain, Ankush; Burd, Randall; Falcone, Richard A; Thakkar, Rajan; Gaines, Barbara; Mooney, David; Escobar, Mauricio; Jafri, Mubeen; Stallion, Anthony; Klinkner, Denise B; Russell, Robert; Campbell, Brendan; Burke, Rita V; Upperman, Jeffrey; Juang, David; St Peter, Shawn; Fenton, Stephon J; Beaudin, Marianne; Wills, Hale; Vogel, Adam; Polites, Stephanie; Pattyn, Adam; Leeper, Christine; Veras, Laura V; Maizlin, Ilan; Thaker, Shefali; Smith, Alexis; Waddell, Megan; Drews, Joseph; Gilmore, James; Armstrong, Lindsey; Sandler, Alexis; Moody, Suzanne; Behrens, Brandon; Carmant, Laurence

2017-10-01

Guidelines for nonoperative management (NOM) of high-grade pancreatic injuries in children have not been established, and wide practice variability exists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate common clinical strategies across multiple pediatric trauma centers to develop a consensus-based standard clinical pathway. A multicenter, retrospective review was conducted of children with high-grade (American Association of Surgeons for Trauma grade III-V) pancreatic injuries treated with NOM between 2010 and 2015. Data were collected on demographics, clinical management, and outcomes. Eighty-six patients were treated at 20 pediatric trauma centers. Median age was 9 years (range, 1-18 years). The majority (73%) of injuries were American Association of Surgeons for Trauma grade III, 24% were grade IV, and 3% were grade V. Median time from injury to presentation was 12 hours and median ISS was 16 (range, 4-66). All patients had computed tomography scan and serum pancreatic enzyme levels at presentation, but serial enzyme level monitoring was variable. Pancreatic enzyme levels did not correlate with injury grade or pseudocyst development. Parenteral nutrition was used in 68% and jejunal feeds in 31%. 3Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram was obtained in 25%. An organized peripancreatic fluid collection present for at least 7 days after injury was identified in 59% (42 of 71). Initial management of these included: observation 64%, percutaneous drain 24%, and endoscopic drainage 10% and needle aspiration 2%. Clear liquids were started at a median of 6 days (IQR, 3-13 days) and regular diet at a median of 8 days (IQR 4-20 days). Median hospitalization length was 13 days (IQR, 7-24 days). Injury grade did not account for prolonged time to initiating oral diet or hospital length; indicating that the variability in these outcomes was largely due to different surgeon preferences. High-grade pancreatic injuries in children are rare and significant variability exists in NOM strategies, which may affect outcomes and effective resource utilization. A standard clinical pathway is proposed. Therapeutic/care management, level V (case series).

Readability, complexity, and suitability of online resources for mastectomy and lumpectomy.

PubMed

Tran, Bao Ngoc N; Singh, Mansher; Singhal, Dhruv; Rudd, Rima; Lee, Bernard T

2017-05-15

Nearly half of American adults have low or marginal health literacy. This negatively affects patients' participation, decision-making, satisfaction, and overall outcomes especially when there is a mismatch between information provided and the skills of the intended audience. Recommendations that patient information be written below the sixth grade level have been made for over three decades. This study compares online resources for mastectomy versus lumpectomy using expanded metrics including readability level, complexity, and density of data and overall suitability for public consumption. The 10 highest ranked Web sites for mastectomy and lumpectomy were identified using the largest Internet engine (Google). Each Web site was assessed for readability (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook), complexity (PMOSE/iKIRSCH), and suitability (Suitability Assessment of Materials). Scores were analyzed by each Web site and overall. Readability analysis showed a significant reading grade level difference between mastectomy and lumpectomy online information (15.4 and 13.9, P = 0.04, respectively). Complexity analysis via PMOSE/iKIRSCH revealed a mean score of 6.5 for mastectomy materials corresponding to "low" complexity and eighth to 12 th grade education. Lumpectomy literature had a lower PMOSE/iKIRSCH score of 5.8 corresponding to a "very low" complexity and fourth to eighth grade education (P = 0.05). Suitability assessment showed mean values of 41% and 46% (P = 0.83) labeled as the lowest level of "adequacy" for mastectomy and lumpectomy materials, respectively. Inter-rater reliability was high for both complexity and suitability analysis. Online resources for the surgical treatment of breast cancer are above the recommended reading grade level. The suitability level is barely adequate indicating a need for revision. Online resources for mastectomy have a higher reading grade level than do materials for lumpectomy and tend to be more complex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spelling performance of 2nd to 5th grade students from public school.

PubMed

Capellini, Simone Aparecida; Amaral, Amanda Corrêa do; Oliveira, Andrea Batista; Sampaio, Maria Nobre; Fusco, Natália; Cervera-Mérida, José Francisco; Ygual-Fernández, Amparo

2011-09-01

To characterize, compare and classify the performance of 2nd to 5th grade students from public schools according to the semiology of spelling errors. Participants were 120 students from 2nd to 5th grades of a public school in Marília (SP), Brazil, 30 students from each grade, who were divided into four groups: GI (2nd grade), GII (3rd grade), GIII (4th grade), and GIV (5th grade). The tasks of the Pro-Ortografia test were applied: collective version (writing of alphabet letters, randomized dictation of letters, words dictation, nonwords dictation, dictation with pictures, thematic writing induced by picture) and individual version (dictation of sentences, purposeful error, spelled dictation, orthographic lexical memory). Significant difference was found in the between-group comparison indicating better performance of students in every subsequent grade in most of the individual and collective version tasks. With the increase of grade level, the groups decreased the average of writing errors. The profile of spelling acquisition of the Portuguese writing system found in these public school students indicates normal writing development in this population.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Educator Workshops: Exploring Their Impact on Teacher Attitudes and Concerns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreschel, Thomas W.

1996-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration holds summer teacher workshops to motivate teachers to use space science in their lessons. In evaluating these workshops, the areas of interest were participant beliefs about science and science teaching and concerns about educational change and innovation. The teachers attending workshops in 1995, past participants, teachers that received materials but had not attended a workshop, and science researchers were surveyed using the Beliefs about Science and Science Education Survey and/or the Stages of Concern Questionnaire. Comparisons were made by workshop length, time since workshop, and highest grade taught. Reductions in concerns were most evident in the four week workshop. Changes in beliefs were also observed relative to teaching approach and ability. Differences in beliefs were observed between teachers and science researchers. Differences were also observed relative to time since attendance and by grade level taught. It is recommended that the workshops be at least four weeks in length and in length and target specific grade levels, that refresher workshops be offered.

Impact of Hybrid Delivery of Education on Student Academic Performance and the Student Experience

PubMed Central

Nutter, Douglas A.; Charneski, Lisa; Butko, Peter

2009-01-01

Objectives To compare student academic performance and the student experience in the first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program between the main and newly opened satellite campuses of the University of Maryland. Methods Student performance indicators including graded assessments, course averages, cumulative first-year grade point average (GPA), and introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) evaluations were analyzed retrospectively. Student experience indicators were obtained via an online survey instrument and included involvement in student organizations; time-budgeting practices; and stress levels and their perceived effect on performance. Results Graded assessments, course averages, GPA, and IPPE evaluations were indistinguishable between campuses. Students' time allocation was not different between campuses, except for time spent attending class and watching lecture videos. There was no difference between students' stress levels at each campus. Conclusions The implementation of a satellite campus to expand pharmacy education yielded academic performance and student engagement comparable to those from traditional delivery methods. PMID:19960080

Student attitudes toward science-technology-society resulting from visitation to a science-technology museum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finson, Kevin D.; Enochs, Larry G.

Are student attitudes toward science-technology-society (TSS) affected by visitation to science-technology museums? The purpose of this study was to determine whether such visitations affected student STS attitudes, and in what ways particular factors of the visitation impacted these attitudes. Factors examined included prior classroom experience with STS, instructional methodology employed by teachers, grade level, socioeconomic status, school type (public or private), and gender. The subjects involved in the study were 194 Kansas students in grades 6-8, and their 13 classroom teachers. Data were collected via a pretest-posttest control group design by using study-specific questionnaires and the Moore-Sutman Scientific Attitudes Inventory. Results indicated that significant differences in attitudes were present between visiting and nonvisiting students and between grade levels. No significant differences were found between other factors. One possible conclusion is that sound pedagogy should be used prior to and during museum visitations as well as in the classroom.

Electromyographic and kinematic analysis of graded treadmill walking and the implications for knee rehabilitation.

PubMed

Lange, G W; Hintermeister, R A; Schlegel, T; Dillman, C J; Steadman, J R

1996-05-01

Muscle activity, joints, angles, and heart rate during uphill walking were compared for application in knee rehabilitation. The objectives of this study were to quantify muscle activation levels at different treadmill grades and to determine the grade(s) at which knee range of motion would not further compromise the joint. Average and peak electromyographic activity of the quadriceps (vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis) and hamstrings (biceps femoris and medial hamstrings (semimembranosus/semitendinosus)] was recorded during walking at 0, 12, and 24% grade. Six subjects (age = 28.5 +/- 3.7 years, stature = 1.79 +/- .05 m, and mass = 74.7 +/- 7.9 kg) walked at self-selected speeds at each grade while ankle, knee and hip angles, heart rate, and electromyographic activity (surface electrodes) were recorded. Maximum voluntary contractions provided a relative reference for the electromyographic activity during walking. Average and peak electromyographic activity increased significantly across grades for the vastus medialis oblique (125 and 154%), vastus lateralis (109 and 139%), and biceps femoris (53 and 46%), but remained similar for the medial hamstrings. Maximum knee flexion at heel strike increased significantly with grade. Despite decreased self-selected speeds with increasing grade, there were significant increases in heart rate across grades. The results of this study provide a basic understanding of the quadriceps and hamstrings activity levels, lower extremity joint range of motion, and cardiovascular requirements of graded treadmill walking in normal subjects. The results also suggest that a grade just greater than 12% may be most beneficial for knee rehabilitation to minimize patellofemoral discomfort or potential strain on the anterior cruciate ligament. The benefits achieved through this functional activity encourage its implementation in rehabilitation and provide a basis for comparison with injured patients.

A levels and intelligence as predictors of medical careers in UK doctors: 20 year prospective study

PubMed Central

McManus, I C; Smithers, Eleni; Partridge, Philippa; Keeling, A; Fleming, Peter R

2003-01-01

Objective To assess whether A level grades (achievement) and intelligence (ability) predict doctors' careers. Design Prospective cohort study with follow up after 20 years by postal questionnaire. Setting A UK medical school in London. Participants 511 doctors who had entered Westminster Medical School as clinical students between 1975 and 1982 were followed up in January 2002. Main outcome measures Time taken to reach different career grades in hospital or general practice, postgraduate qualifications obtained (membership/fellowships, diplomas, higher academic degrees), number of research publications, and measures of stress and burnout related to A level grades and intelligence (result of AH5 intelligence test) at entry to clinical school. General health questionnaire, Maslach burnout inventory, and questionnaire on satisfaction with career at follow up. Results 47 (9%) doctors were no longer on the Medical Register. They had lower A level grades than those who were still on the register (P < 0.001). A levels also predicted performance in undergraduate training, performance in postregistration house officer posts, and time to achieve membership qualifications (Cox regression, P < 0.001; b=0.376, SE=0.098, exp(b)=1.457). Intelligence did not independently predict dropping off the register, career outcome, or other measures. A levels did not predict diploma or higher academic qualifications, research publications, or stress or burnout. Diplomas, higher academic degrees, and research publications did, however, significantly correlate with personality measures. Conclusions Results of achievement tests, in this case A level grades, which are particularly used for selection of students in the United Kingdom, have long term predictive validity for undergraduate and postgraduate careers. In contrast, a test of ability or aptitude (AH5) was of little predictive validity for subsequent medical careers. PMID:12869457

Upregulation of ASCL1 and inhibition of Notch signaling pathway characterize progressive astrocytoma.

PubMed

Somasundaram, Kumaravel; Reddy, Sreekanth P; Vinnakota, Katyayni; Britto, Ramona; Subbarayan, Madhavan; Nambiar, Sandeep; Hebbar, Aparna; Samuel, Cini; Shetty, Mitesh; Sreepathi, Hari Kishore; Santosh, Vani; Hegde, Alangar Sathyaranjandas; Hegde, Sridevi; Kondaiah, Paturu; Rao, M R S

2005-10-27

Astrocytoma is the most common type of brain cancer constituting more than half of all brain tumors. With an aim to identify markers describing astrocytoma progression, we have carried out microarray analysis of astrocytoma samples of different grades using cDNA microarray containing 1152 cancer-specific genes. Data analysis identified several differentially regulated genes between normal brain tissue and astrocytoma as well as between grades II/III astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; grade IV). We found several genes known to be involved in malignancy including Achaete-scute complex-like 1 (Drosophila) (ASCL1; Hash 1). As ASCL has been implicated in neuroendocrine, medullary thyroid and small-cell lung cancers, we chose to examine the role of ASCL1 in the astrocytoma development. Our data revealed that ASCL1 is overexpressed in progressive astrocytoma as evidenced by increased levels of ASCL1 transcripts in 85.71% (6/7) of grade II diffuse astrocytoma (DA), 90% (9/10) of grade III anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and 87.5% (7/8) of secondary GBMs, while the majority of primary de novo GBMs expressed similar to or less than normal brain levels (66.67%; 8/12). ASCL1 upregulation in progressive astrocytoma is accompanied by inhibition of Notch signaling as seen by uninduced levels of HES1, a transcriptional target of Notch1, increased levels of HES6, a dominant-negative inhibitor of HES1-mediated repression of ASCL1, and increased levels of Notch ligand Delta1, which is capable of inhibiting Notch signaling by forming intracellular Notch ligand autonomous complexes. Our results imply that inhibition of Notch signaling may be an important early event in the development of grade II DA and subsequent progression to grade III AA and secondary GBM. Furthermore, ASCL1 appears to be a putative marker to distinguish primary GBM from secondary GBM.

Readability of Spine-Related Patient Education Materials From Leading Orthopedic Academic Centers.

PubMed

Ryu, Justine H; Yi, Paul H

2016-05-01

Cross-sectional analysis of online spine-related patient education materials from leading academic centers. To assess the readability levels of spine surgery-related patient education materials available on the websites of academic orthopedic surgery departments. The Internet is becoming an increasingly popular resource for patient education. Yet many previous studies have found that Internet-based orthopedic-related patient education materials from subspecialty societies are written at a level too difficult for the average American; however, no prior study has assessed the readability of spine surgery-related patient educational materials from leading academic centers. All spine surgery-related articles from the online patient education libraries of the top five US News & World Report-ranked orthopedic institutions were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. Mean readability levels of articles amongst the five academic institutions and articles were compared. We also determined the number of articles with readability levels at or below the recommended sixth- or eight-grade levels. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability of readability assessment were assessed. A total of 122 articles were reviewed. The mean overall FK grade level was 11.4; the difference in mean FK grade level between each department varied significantly (range, 9.3-13.4; P < 0.0001). Twenty-three articles (18.9%) had a readability level at or below the eighth grade level, and only one (0.8%) was at or below the sixth grade level. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability were both excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient of 1 for both). Online patient education materials related to spine from academic orthopedic centers are written at a level too high for the average patient, consistent with spine surgery-related patient education materials provided by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and spine subspecialty societies. This study highlights the potential difficulties patients might have in reading and comprehending the information in publicly available education materials related to spine. N/A.

Neurosurgical Skills Assessment: Measuring Technical Proficiency in Neurosurgery Residents Through Intraoperative Video Evaluations.

PubMed

Sarkiss, Christopher A; Philemond, Steven; Lee, James; Sobotka, Stanislaw; Holloway, Terrell D; Moore, Maximillian M; Costa, Anthony B; Gordon, Errol L; Bederson, Joshua B

2016-05-01

Although technical skills are fundamental in neurosurgery, there is little agreement on how to describe, measure, or compare skills among surgeons. The primary goal of this study was to develop a quantitative grading scale for technical surgical performance that distinguishes operator skill when graded by domain experts (residents, attendings, and nonsurgeons). Scores provided by raters should be highly reliable with respect to scores from other observers. Neurosurgery residents were fitted with a head-mounted video camera while performing craniotomies under attending supervision. Seven videos, 1 from each postgraduate year (PGY) level (1-7), were anonymized and scored by 16 attendings, 8 residents, and 7 nonsurgeons using a grading scale. Seven skills were graded: incision, efficiency of instrument use, cauterization, tissue handling, drilling/craniotomy, confidence, and training level. A strong correlation was found between skills score and PGY year (P < 0.001, analysis of variance). Junior residents (PGY 1-3) had significantly lower scores than did senior residents (PGY 4-7, P < 0.001, t test). Significant variation among junior residents was observed, and senior residents' scores were not significantly different from one another. Interrater reliability, measured against other observers, was high (r = 0.581 ± 0.245, Spearman), as was assessment of resident training level (r = 0.583 ± 0.278, Spearman). Both variables were strongly correlated (r = 0.90, Pearson). Attendings, residents, and nonsurgeons did not score differently (P = 0.46, analysis of variance). Technical skills of neurosurgery residents recorded during craniotomy can be measured with high interrater reliability. Surgeons and nonsurgeons alike readily distinguish different skill levels. This type of assessment could be used to coach residents, to track performance over time, and potentially to compare skill levels. Developing an objective tool to evaluate surgical performance would be useful in several areas of neurosurgery education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

5 CFR 831.503 - Retirement based on involuntary separation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... lower than the equivalent of two grades or pay levels below the employee's current grade or pay level, without consideration of the employee's eligibility to retain his or her current grade or pay under part... comparison rate of the grade or pay level that is two grades below that of the current position will be...

Development of a Nomogram for Predicting Severe Neutropenia Associated With Docetaxel-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Hirasawa, Yosuke; Nakashima, Jun; Sugihara, Toru; Takizawa, Issei; Gondo, Tatsuo; Nakagami, Yoshihiro; Horiguchi, Yutaka; Ohno, Yoshio; Namiki, Kazunori; Ohori, Makoto; Tachibana, Masaaki

2017-02-01

Neutropenia is a major adverse event of docetaxel-based chemotherapy. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of neutropenia and to develop a nomogram for predicting Grade 4 neutropenia during the first cycle of docetaxel-based chemotherapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study included 112 patients with CRPC treated with docetaxel-based systemic chemotherapy. We evaluated the incidence and risk factors for Grade 4 neutropenia in the first cycle of chemotherapy. Sixty-two of 112 patients (55.4%) developed Grade 4 neutropenia in the first cycle of docetaxel-based chemotherapy. There were significant differences in age, baseline white blood cell count, and baseline neutrophil count between patients with non-Grade 4 neutropenia and those with Grade 4 neutropenia in univariate analyses. The serum prostate-specific antigen level, hemoglobin level, creatinine, albumin, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, metastatic sites, extent of disease, and history of external beam radiotherapy to the prostate were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; P = .019) and baseline neutrophil counts (OR, 0.79; P = .045) were significant independent risk factors for severe neutropenia. A nomogram and a calibration plot on the basis of these results were developed from a multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict the probability of Grade 4 neutropenia. Age and baseline neutrophil counts were significant independent risk factors for Grade 4 neutropenia. The nomogram to predict it provides useful information for the management of patients with CRPC treated with docetaxel chemotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Academic Skills – A Follow-Up Study among Primary School Children

PubMed Central

Haapala, Eero A.; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Kukkonen-Harjula, Katriina; Tompuri, Tuomo; Lintu, Niina; Väistö, Juuso; Leppänen, Paavo H. T.; Laaksonen, David E.; Lindi, Virpi; Lakka, Timo A.

2014-01-01

Background There are no prospective studies that would have compared the relationships of different types of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with academic skills among children. We therefore investigated the associations of different types of PA and SB with reading and arithmetic skills in a follow-up study among children. Methods The participants were 186 children (107 boys, 79 girls, 6–8 yr) who were followed-up in Grades 1–3. PA and SB were assessed using a questionnaire in Grade 1. Reading fluency, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills were assessed using standardized tests at the end of Grades 1–3. Results Among all children more recess PA and more time spent in SB related to academic skills were associated with a better reading fluency across Grades 1–3. In boys, higher levels of total PA, physically active school transportation and more time spent in SB related to academic skills were associated with a better reading fluency across the Grades 1–3. Among girls, higher levels of total PA were related to worse arithmetic skills across Grades 1–3. Moreover, total PA was directly associated with reading fluency and arithmetic skills in Grades 1–3 among girls whose parents had a university degree, whereas these relationships were inverse in girls of less educated parents. Conclusions Total PA, physically active school transportation and SB related to academic skills may be beneficial for the development of reading skills in boys, whereas factors that are independent of PA or SB may be more important for academic skills in girls. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01803776 PMID:25207813

Student achievement in science: A longitudinal look at individual and school differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Alina

The importance of science in today's technological society necessitates continued attention to students' experiences in science and specifically their achievement in science. There is a need to look at gender and race/ethnicity simultaneously when studying students' experiences in science and to explore factors related to higher achievement among students. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, this study contributes to existing literature on student achievement in science by simultaneously exploring the effects of race/ethnicity and gender. Capitalizing on the availability of yearly science achievement scores, I present trajectories of student achievement from 7th to 12th grade. This study also includes an exploration of school effects. Overall, student achievement in science increases from 7th to 12th grade, although some leveling is seen in later grades. Growth in achievement differs by both gender and race/ethnicity, but racial/ethnic differences are larger than gender differences. Hispanic, Black, Asian, and White males score higher, on average, throughout the secondary grades than their female counterparts. Achievement scores of Asian students are consistently higher than White students, who in turn score higher than Hispanic and finally Black students. Both background and science-related factors help explain variation in achievement status and growth in achievement. Parental education is positively associated with achievement status among all groups except Black students for whom there is no effect of parental education. Science related resources in the home are positively associated with student achievement and the effect of these resources increases in later grades. Student achievement in science is also positively related to student course taking and attitude toward science. Furthermore, both the negative effect of viewing science as a male domain, which exists for males and females, and the positive effect of parental support for science increase in magnitude in later grades. Thirteen percent of the variation in achievement was found to occur between schools. At the school level, student/teacher ratio is positively related to student achievement in 7th grade and the percent of students who receive free lunch in a school is negatively related to achievement, but neither of these is related to growth in achievement over time.

An Analysis of High School Students' Performance on Five Integrated Science Process Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaumont-Walters, Yvonne; Soyibo, Kola

2001-02-01

This study determined Jamaican high school students' level of performance on five integrated science process skills and if there were statistically significant differences in their performance linked to their gender, grade level, school location, school type, student type and socio-economic background (SEB). The 305 subjects comprised 133 males, 172 females, 146 ninth graders, 159 10th graders, 150 traditional and 155 comprehensive high school students, 164 students from the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) project and 141 non-ROSE students, 166 urban and 139 rural students and 110 students from a high SEB and 195 from a low SEB. Data were collected with the authors' constructed integrated science process skills test the results indicated that the subjects' mean score was low and unsatisfactory; their performance in decreasing order was: interpreting data, recording data, generalising, formulating hypotheses and identifying variables; there were statistically significant differences in their performance based on their grade level, school type, student type, and SEB in favour of the 10th graders, traditional high school students, ROSE students and students from a high SEB. There was a positive, statistically significant and fairly strong relationship between their performance and school type, but weak relationships among their student type, grade level and SEB and performance.

Back pain in the German adult population: prevalence, severity, and sociodemographic correlates in a multiregional survey.

PubMed

Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Raspe, Heiner; Pfingsten, Michael; Hasenbring, Monika; Basler, Heinz Dieter; Eich, Wolfgang; Kohlmann, Thomas

2007-08-15

A population-based cross-sectional multiregion postal survey. To provide a descriptive epidemiology of the prevalence and severity of back pain in German adults and to analyze sociodemographic correlates for disabling back pain within and across regions. Back pain is a leading health problem in Germany. However, comprehensive population-based evidence on the severity of back pain is still fragmentary for this country. Despite earlier findings concerning large prevalence differences across regions, systematic explanations remain to be ascertained. Questionnaire data were collected for 9263 subjects in 5 German cities and regions (population-based random samples, postal questionnaire). Point, 1-year, and lifetime prevalence were assessed using direct questions, and graded back pain was determined using the Graded Chronic Pain Scale. Poststratification was applied to adjust for cross-regional sociodemographic differences. Point-prevalence was 37.1%, 1-year prevalence 76.0%, and lifetime prevalence 85.5%. A substantial minority had severe (Grade II, 8.0%) or disabling back pain (Grade III-IV, 11.2%). Subjects with a low educational level reported substantially more disabling back pain. This variable was an important predictor for large cross-regional differences in the burden of back pain. Back pain is a highly prevalent condition in Germany. Disabling back pain in this country may be regarded as part of a social disadvantage syndrome. Educational level should receive greater attention in future cross-regional comparisons of back pain.

Analysis of EZH2: micro-RNA network in low and high grade astrocytic tumors.

PubMed

Sharma, Vikas; Purkait, Suvendu; Takkar, Sonam; Malgulwar, Prit Benny; Kumar, Anupam; Pathak, Pankaj; Suri, Vaishali; Sharma, Mehar C; Suri, Ashish; Kale, Shashank Sharad; Kulshreshtha, Ritu; Sarkar, Chitra

2016-04-01

Enhancer of Zeste homologue2 (EZH2) is an epigenetic regulator that functions as oncogene in astrocytic tumors, however, EZH2 regulation remains little studied. In this study, we measured EZH2 levels in low (Gr-II,DA) and high grade (Gr-IV,GBM) astrocytic tumors and found significant increased EZH2 transcript level with grade(median DA-8.5, GBM-28.9).However, a different trend was reflected in protein levels, with GBMs showing high EZH2 LI(median-26.5) compared to DA (median 0.3). This difference in correlation of EZH2 protein and RNA levels suggested post-transcriptional regulation of EZH2, likely mediated by miRNAs. We selected eleven miRNAs that strongly predicted to target EZH2 and measured their expression. Three miRNAs (miR-26a-5p,miR27a-3p and miR-498) showed significant correlation with EZH2 protein, suggesting them as regulators of EZH2, however miR-26a-5p levels decreased with grade. ChIP analyses revealed H3K27me3 modifications in miR-26a promoter suggesting feedback loop between EZH2 and miR26a. We further measured six downstream miRNA targets of EZH2 and found significant downregulation of four (miR-181a/b and 200b/c) in GBM. Interestingly, EZH2 associated miRNAs were predicted to target 25 genes in glioma-pathway, suggesting their role in tumor formation or progression. Collectively, our work suggests EZH2 and its miRNA interactors may serve as promising biomarkers for progression of astrocytic tumors and may offer novel therapeutic strategies.

Dual-component video image analysis system (VIASCAN) as a predictor of beef carcass red meat yield percentage and for augmenting application of USDA yield grades.

PubMed

Cannell, R C; Tatum, J D; Belk, K E; Wise, J W; Clayton, R P; Smith, G C

1999-11-01

An improved ability to quantify differences in the fabrication yields of beef carcasses would facilitate the application of value-based marketing. This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the Dual-Component Australian VIASCAN to 1) predict fabricated beef subprimal yields as a percentage of carcass weight at each of three fat-trim levels and 2) augment USDA yield grading, thereby improving accuracy of grade placement. Steer and heifer carcasses (n = 240) were evaluated using VIASCAN, as well as by USDA expert and online graders, before fabrication of carcasses to each of three fat-trim levels. Expert yield grade (YG), online YG, VIASCAN estimates, and VIASCAN estimated ribeye area used to augment actual and expert grader estimates of the remaining YG factors (adjusted fat thickness, percentage of kidney-pelvic-heart fat, and hot carcass weight), respectively, 1) accounted for 51, 37, 46, and 55% of the variation in fabricated yields of commodity-trimmed subprimals, 2) accounted for 74, 54, 66, and 75% of the variation in fabricated yields of closely trimmed subprimals, and 3) accounted for 74, 54, 71, and 75% of the variation in fabricated yields of very closely trimmed subprimals. The VIASCAN system predicted fabrication yields more accurately than current online yield grading and, when certain VIASCAN-measured traits were combined with some USDA yield grade factors in an augmentation system, the accuracy of cutability prediction was improved, at packing plant line speeds, to a level matching that of expert graders applying grades at a comfortable rate.

Differences in the Relationship of Oral Reading Fluency and High-Stakes Measures of Reading Comprehension

PubMed Central

Wanzek, Jeanne; Roberts, Greg; Linan-Thompson, Sylvia; Vaughn, Sharon; Woodruff, Althea L.; Murray, Christy S.

2011-01-01

The current study examined the predictive validity of oral reading fluency measures across first, second, and third grades for two reading achievement measures at the end of third grade. Oral reading fluency measures were administered to students from first grade to third. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and the Stanford Achievement Test were also administered in the third grade. Oral reading fluency was a reliable predictor of student success on both measures. Data suggest that greater student growth in oral reading fluency is needed through the grade levels to ensure high probabilities of success on the nationally normed measure, as compared to what is needed for the state-normed measure. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. PMID:21479152

Serum TIMP1 and TIMP2 concentration in patients with different grades of meningioma.

PubMed

Mashayekhi, Farhad; Saberi, Alia; Mashayekhi, Sohail

2018-07-01

Meningiomas are common primary brain tumors that constitute about 13% of all intracranial tumors. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is able to degrade the extracellular matrix and basement membrane leading to cancer cell invasion and metastasis. MMPs are specifically inhibited by a family of small extracellular proteins known as the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). The objective of this project was to evaluate serum concentration of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in patients with different grades of meningioma. Ninety samples from different stages of patients with meningitis (42 cases of grade I, 28 grade II, 20 grade III) and 51 samples from normal healthy were included in this study. Total protein concentration (TPC) and the level TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 serum were determined by Bio-Rad protein assay based on the Bradford dye procedure and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. No significant change in the TPC was seen in the serum of patients with meningioma when compared with normal controls. Results obtained demonstrated that all serum samples presented TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression, whereas, starting from grade I to III meningiomas, a significant decrease of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression was observed as compared to controls. The results of this study show that a low expression of TIMP1 and TIMP2 is correlated with advanced stages of meningioma. It is also concluded that the detection of serum TIMP1 and TIMP2 may be useful in classifying different grades of meningioma. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immunohistochemical expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in mucoepidermoid carcinoma compared to normal salivary gland tissues.

PubMed

Kamal, Noura M; Salem, Hend M; Dahmoush, Heba M

2017-07-01

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor which displays biological, histological and clinical diversity thus representing a challenge for its diagnosis and management. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a transmembrane glycoprotein identified as a tumor specific antigen due to its frequent overexpression in the majority of epithelial carcinomas and its correlation with prognosis. It is considered to be a promising biomarker used as a therapeutic target already in ongoing clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pattern, cellular characterization and level of EpCAM expression in MEC and demonstrate its correlation with histologic grading which may benefit future clinical trials using EpCAM targeted therapy. 48 specimens (12 normal salivary gland tissue and 36 MEC) were collected and EpCAM membranous expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Total immunoscore (TIS) was evaluated, the term 'EpCAM overexpression' was given for tissues showing a total immunoscore >4. A highly significant difference was observed between TIS percent values in control and different grades of MEC (p<0.001). High grade MEC (HG-MEC) was the highest EpCAM expressor. In addition, EpCAM expression pattern differed among the different grades. EpCAM expression was detected in MEC, and its overexpression correlated with increasing the histological grade. The diffuse membranous expression in HG-MEC could be of diagnostic value in relation to the patchy expression observed in both low grade and intermediate grade MEC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multivariate Assessment of Middle School Students' Interest in STEM Career: a Profile from Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyunlu Ünlü, Zeynep; Dökme, İlbilge

2018-05-01

According to a report by the Turkish Industry and Business Association, Turkey will need approximately 1 million individuals to be employed in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) fields by 2023, and 31% of this requirement will not be met. For continuous economic development, there is a need to integrate STEM into education in Turkey, which brings the need for research in this area. This study, based on a survey model, aimed to determine the level of interest of a sample of Turkish middle school students in STEM careers on the basis of gender, where they lived, grade levels, their end-of-semester grades, and their parents' educational status and levels of income. The research data was collected using the STEM Career Interest Survey (STEM-CIS) and Personal Information Form, which were applied to 851 middle school students (fifth and eighth graders). The collected data was analyzed with SPSS using Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests. It was found that middle school students' interest in STEM careers differed according to sex, where they lived, and grade levels but it did not differ in relation to their parents' educational status and the levels of income of the family. It is believed that the results obtained in this study reflecting the profile in Turkey will guide educational policy makers, curriculum developers, teachers, pre-service teachers, and researchers about STEM education.

An examination of anxiety levels of nursing students caring for patients in terminal period

PubMed Central

Sancar, Behire; Yalcin, Ayse Saba; Acikgoz, Inci

2018-01-01

Objective: To investigate the anxiety levels of the nursing students who are caring for the patients in the terminal period and to determine whether there is a difference between 3rd, 4th grade in this direction. Methods: A 40-item “State and Trait Anxiety Scale” was used together with the questionnaire on “Determining the Level of Anxiety Levels of Nursing Students Caring for the Patient at the Terminal Period” for determining the data. Results: The mean scores and standard deviations of all students from the state and trait anxiety scales were respectively 41.95±5.06, 48.15±5.44. Averages of 3rd state anxiety scale score was 42.03 ± 5.26, trait anxiety scale averages were 48.08 ± 5.59; Averages of 4th state anxiety scale score was 41.85 ± 4.83, trait anxiety scale averages were 48.24 ± 5.30. Conclusion: In our study, it was found that there wasn't significant difference between the 3rd, 4th grade students related to ill patient care in terms of high level of state and trait anxiety during communication and patient care. The state and trait anxiety scores of the students in both grades were found to be higher than the average scores of the scale's previous applications. PMID:29643886

Readability assessment of patient education materials on major otolaryngology association websites.

PubMed

Eloy, Jean Anderson; Li, Shawn; Kasabwala, Khushabu; Agarwal, Nitin; Hansberry, David R; Baredes, Soly; Setzen, Michael

2012-11-01

Various otolaryngology associations provide Internet-based patient education material (IPEM) to the general public. However, this information may be written above the fourth- to sixth-grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of otolaryngology-related IPEMs on various otolaryngology association websites and to determine whether they are above the recommended reading level for patient education materials. Analysis of patient education materials from 9 major otolaryngology association websites. The readability of 262 otolaryngology-related IPEMs was assessed with 8 numerical and 2 graphical readability tools. Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) analysis. Mean readability scores for each otolaryngology association website were compared. Mean website readability scores using Flesch Reading Ease test, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Coleman-Liau Index, SMOG grading, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST Formula, New Fog Count Test, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Readability Graph ranged from 20.0 to 57.8, 9.7 to 17.1, 10.7 to 15.9, 11.6 to 18.2, 10.9 to 15.0, 8.6 to 16.0, 10.4 to 12.1, 8.5 to 11.8, 10.5 to 17.0, and 10.0 to 17.0, respectively. ANOVA results indicate a significant difference (P < .05) between the websites for each individual assessment. The IPEMs found on all otolaryngology association websites exceed the recommended fourth- to sixth-grade reading level.

The Simple View, Instructional Level, and the Plight of Struggling Fifth-/Sixth-Grade Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Darrell; Meyer, Carla; Trathen, Woodrow; McGee, Jennifer; Vines, Nora; Stewart, Trevor; Gill, Tom; Schlagal, Robert

2017-01-01

This study explored print-processing and vocabulary differences among a group of 5th- and 6th-grade students who had scored below the 50th percentile on a standardized reading test. Guided by the simple view of reading, we applied cut scores (low/high) to the students' performance on print-processing and vocabulary tasks. The design allowed for…

The Impact of Reading Recovery on the Reading Achievement of First Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Marguerite

2015-01-01

There are so many different intervention programs for educators to use to increase the reading achievement of below grade level students, that it can often be difficult to choose the appropriate one for the students. Most programs are scripted and are used with small groups of students. Reading Recovery is not a scripted program and is taught in a…

US: A Cultural Mosaic Program. Groups: Alike and Different. A Social Studies Unit for Level 2 (Grades 2, 1-2, 1-2-3).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Jimmie; And Others

This curriculum guide emphasizes a multicultural approach to the teaching of social studies in grades one through three. The guide is organized around three principal objectives. The first objective is for children to describe how cultural heritage is transmitted through the recognition of special days. Lesson plans presented under this objective…

The Connections between Students Self-Motivation, Their Classification (Typical Learners, Academic Intervention Services Learners, and Gifted), and Gender in a Standardized Social Studies Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dupree, Jeffrey J.; Morote, Elsa Sofia

2011-01-01

This study examines differences, if any, between gender, level of motivation, and students' classification (typical learners, academic intervention services learners, and gifted) in scores upon DBQ (document-based questions) among the sixth grade students. 64 grade students were given a DBQ as part of their final examination. Students' scores were…

The Influence of Laboratory Instruction on Science Achievement and Attitude toward Science among Ninth Grade Students across Gender Differences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedman, Michael P.

This study investigated the use of a hands-on laboratory program as a means of improving attitude toward science and increasing achievement levels in science knowledge among students in a ninth grade physical science course. Using a posttest-only control group design, a curriculum referenced objective final examination was used to measure student…

Maine School Library Survey. Statistics of Public School Libraries in Maine Serving Grades K-12, from Data Gathered February 1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soule, Margaret

This survey of the current status of public school libraries in Maine was intended to provide statistical data as a basis for improving the school library media center program in these schools. Information was gathered that detailed how resources and delivery of services differed across grade level; across variation in size of school; between…

Characteristics of General Education Reading Interventions Implemented in Elementary Schools for Students with Reading Difficulties.

PubMed

Wanzek, Jeanne; Cavanaugh, Christie

2012-05-01

The implementation of response to intervention requires interventions for struggling students be provided through general education prior to referral for special education. We surveyed elementary teachers (K-3) in one state to examine the characteristics of the supplemental reading interventions that their students receive through general education. Findings reveal differences between grade levels in the amount of time interventions are provided to students, the providers of the intervention, and the material selection for the interventions. No differences between grade levels were noted in the frequency of intervention or instructional group sizes. Three-quarters of the teachers reported providing the supplemental interventions to students in their class. The findings provide insight into the resources utilized by schools to implement supplemental interventions.

The relative role of "A" level chemistry, physics and biology in the medical course.

PubMed

Tomilson, R W; Clack, G B; Pettingale, K W; Anderson, J; Ryan, K C

1977-03-01

The performance of 209 students in the 2nd MBBS, first clinical year and final MBBS examinations has been compared retrospectively with their grades in chemistry, physics and biology at "A" level. The mean grade has also been determined for students from different social classes and secondary education. Significant differences in marks for biology were found between successful and not so successful students, especially in the pre-clinical part of the course. Significnat differences in marks and significant correlations were also found for physics but not to any great extent for chemistry. The relative role of these three basic sciences in the medical course is discussed. The suggestion is made that there is a need for a re-appraisal of the privleged position of chemistry and an unquestioned science requirement for entry to medical school.

No differences in grades or level of satisfaction in a flipped classroom for neuroanatomy.

PubMed

Whillier, Stephney; Lystad, Reidar Petter

2015-10-01

The intensive nature of a 5- or 6-week teaching block poses unique problems for adequate delivery of content. This study was designed to compare the delivery of a unit of undergraduate neuroanatomy in a short summer school period, as a traditionally taught unit, with a rendition given in the form of the "Flipped Classroom." The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in the intensive mode classroom. The flipped classroom encompassed the same learning outcomes, but students were responsible for covering the content at home in preparation for tutorials that applied their acquired knowledge to higher levels of thinking. The main outcome measures were the final course grades and the level of satisfaction with the course. There were no significant differences between the 2 cohorts in final grades (p = .259), self-rated knowledge (p = .182), or overall satisfaction with the course (p = .892). This particular design of the flipped classroom did not add value to the intensive mode experience. It may be that this mode of delivery is ill suited to intensive classes for subjects that carry a lot of content. The use of the flipped classroom requires further research to fully evaluate its value.

Effects of Self-Instructional Methods and Above Real Time Training (ARTT) for Maneuvering Tasks on a Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ali, Syed Firasat; Khan, Javed Khan; Rossi, Marcia J.; Crane, Peter; Heath, Bruce E.; Knighten, Tremaine; Culpepper, Christi

2003-01-01

Personal computer based flight simulators are expanding opportunities for providing low-cost pilot training. One advantage of these devices is the opportunity to incorporate instructional features into training scenarios that might not be cost effective with earlier systems. Research was conducted to evaluate the utility of different instructional features using a coordinated level turn as an aircraft maneuvering task. In study I, a comparison was made between automated computer grades of performance with certified flight instructors grades. Every one of the six student volunteers conducted a flight with level turns at two different bank angles. The automated computer grades were based on prescribed tolerances on bank angle, airspeed and altitude. Two certified flight instructors independently examined the video tapes of heads up and instrument displays of the flights and graded them. The comparison of automated grades with the instructors grades was based on correlations between them. In study II, a 2x2 between subjects factorial design was used to devise and conduct an experiment. Comparison was made between real time training and above real time training and between feedback and no feedback in training. The performance measure to monitor progress in training was based on deviations in bank angle and altitude. The performance measure was developed after completion of the experiment including the training and test flights. It was not envisaged before the experiment. The experiment did not include self- instructions as it was originally planned, although feedback by experimenter to the trainee was included in the study.

Effects of Self-Instructional Methods and Above Real Time Training (ARTT) for Maneuvering Tasks on a Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norlin, Ken (Technical Monitor); Ali, Syed Firasat; Khan, M. Javed; Rossi, Marcia J.; Crane, Peter; Heath, Bruce E.; Knighten, Tremaine; Culpepper, Christi

2003-01-01

Personal computer based flight simulators are expanding opportunities for providing low-cost pilot training. One advantage of these devices is the opportunity to incorporate instructional features into training scenarios that might not be cost effective with earlier systems. Research was conducted to evaluate the utility of different instructional features using a coordinated level turn as an aircraft maneuvering task. In study I, a comparison was made between automated computer grades of performance with certified flight instructors grades. Every one of the six student volunteers conducted a flight with level turns at two different bank angles. The automated computer grades were based on prescribed tolerances on bank angle, airspeed and altitude. Two certified flight instructors independently examined the video tapes of heads up and instrument displays of the flights and graded them. The comparison of automated grades with the instructors grades ms based on correlations between them. In study II, a 2x2 between subjects factorial design was used to devise and conduct an experiment. Comparison was made between real time training and above real time training and between feedback and no feedback in training. The performance measure to monitor progress in training was based on deviations in bank angle and altitude. The performance measure was developed after completion of the experiment including the training and test flights. It was not envisaged before the experiment. The experiment did not include self-instructions as it was originally planned, although feedback by experimenter to the trainee was included in the study.

Heterotopic ossification and clinical outcome in nonconstrained cervical arthroplasty 2 years after surgery: the Norwegian Cervical Arthroplasty Trial (NORCAT).

PubMed

Sundseth, Jarle; Jacobsen, Eva Astrid; Kolstad, Frode; Sletteberg, Ruth O; Nygaard, Oystein P; Johnsen, Lars Gunnar; Pripp, Are Hugo; Andresen, Hege; Fredriksli, Oddrun Anita; Myrseth, Erling; Zwart, John A

2016-07-01

Heterotopic ossification is a phenomenon in cervical arthroplasty. Previous reports have mainly focused on various semiconstrained devices and only a few publications have focused on ossification around devices that are nonconstrained. The purpose of this study was to assess the occurrence of heterotopic ossification around a nonconstrained cervical device and how it affects clinical outcome 2 years after surgery. Thirty-seven patients were included from a larger cohort of a randomized controlled trial (NORCAT) which compared single-level cervical arthroplasty with fusion. The occurrence of heterotopic ossification was assessed with a CT scan and two neuroradiologists determined its degree. For grading, we used the Mehren/Suchomel classification system (grade 0-4). The patients were divided by level of ossification, low grade (0-2) or high grade (3-4), and clinical outcomes were compared. Self-rated disability for neck and arm pain (Neck Disability Index), health-related quality of life (the Short Form-36 and EuroQol-5D), and pain (the Numeric Rating Scale 11) were used as clinical outcome measures. Heterotopic ossification was encountered in all patients 2 years after surgery. Complete fusion (grade 4) was found in 16 % of participants, and high-grade ossification (grade 3-4) occurred in 62 %. The remaining patients were classified as having low-grade ossification (grade 2). There were no differences in the clinical outcomes of patients with low- and high-grade ossification. High-grade heterotopic ossification and spontaneous fusion 2 years after surgery were seen in a significant number of patients. However, the degree of ossification did not influence the clinical outcome.

PBOV1 as a potential biomarker for more advanced prostate cancer based on protein and digital histomorphometric analysis.

PubMed

Carleton, Neil M; Zhu, Guangjing; Gorbounov, Mikhail; Miller, M Craig; Pienta, Kenneth J; Resar, Linda M S; Veltri, Robert W

2018-05-01

There are few tissue-based biomarkers that can accurately predict prostate cancer (PCa) progression and aggressiveness. We sought to evaluate the clinical utility of prostate and breast overexpressed 1 (PBOV1) as a potential PCa biomarker. Patient tumor samples were designated by Grade Groups using the 2014 Gleason grading system. Primary radical prostatectomy tumors were obtained from 48 patients and evaluated for PBOV1 levels using Western blot analysis in matched cancer and benign cancer-adjacent regions. Immunohistochemical evaluation of PBOV1 was subsequently performed in 80 cancer and 80 benign cancer-adjacent patient samples across two tissue microarrays (TMAs) to verify protein levels in epithelial tissue and to assess correlation between PBOV1 proteins and nuclear architectural changes in PCa cells. Digital histomorphometric analysis was used to track 22 parameters that characterized nuclear changes in PBOV1-stained cells. Using a training and test set for validation, multivariate logistic regression (MLR) models were used to identify significant nuclear parameters that distinguish Grade Group 3 and above PCa from Grade Group 1 and 2 PCa regions. PBOV1 protein levels were increased in tumors from Grade Group 3 and above (GS 4 + 3 and ≥ 8) regions versus Grade Groups 1 and 2 (GS 3 + 3 and 3 + 4) regions (P = 0.005) as assessed by densitometry of immunoblots. Additionally, by immunoblotting, PBOV1 protein levels differed significantly between Grade Group 2 (GS 3 + 4) and Grade Group 3 (GS 4 + 3) PCa samples (P = 0.028). In the immunohistochemical analysis, measures of PBOV1 staining intensity strongly correlated with nuclear alterations in cancer cells. An MLR model retaining eight parameters describing PBOV1 staining intensity and nuclear architecture discriminated Grade Group 3 and above PCa from Grade Group 1 and 2 PCa and benign cancer-adjacent regions with a ROC-AUC of 0.90 and 0.80, respectively, in training and test sets. Our study demonstrates that the PBOV1 protein could be used to discriminate Grade Group 3 and above PCa. Additionally, the PBOV1 protein could be involved in modulating changes to the nuclear architecture of PCa cells. Confirmatory studies are warranted in an independent population for further validation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fatigue associated with prolonged graded running.

PubMed

Giandolini, Marlene; Vernillo, Gianluca; Samozino, Pierre; Horvais, Nicolas; Edwards, W Brent; Morin, Jean-Benoît; Millet, Guillaume Y

2016-10-01

Scientific experiments on running mainly consider level running. However, the magnitude and etiology of fatigue depend on the exercise under consideration, particularly the predominant type of contraction, which differs between level, uphill, and downhill running. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively summarize the neurophysiological and biomechanical changes due to fatigue in graded running. When comparing prolonged hilly running (i.e., a combination of uphill and downhill running) to level running, it is found that (1) the general shape of the neuromuscular fatigue-exercise duration curve as well as the etiology of fatigue in knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles are similar and (2) the biomechanical consequences are also relatively comparable, suggesting that duration rather than elevation changes affects neuromuscular function and running patterns. However, 'pure' uphill or downhill running has several fatigue-related intrinsic features compared with the level running. Downhill running induces severe lower limb tissue damage, indirectly evidenced by massive increases in plasma creatine kinase/myoglobin concentration or inflammatory markers. In addition, low-frequency fatigue (i.e., excitation-contraction coupling failure) is systematically observed after downhill running, although it has also been found in high-intensity uphill running for different reasons. Indeed, low-frequency fatigue in downhill running is attributed to mechanical stress at the interface sarcoplasmic reticulum/T-tubule, while the inorganic phosphate accumulation probably plays a central role in intense uphill running. Other fatigue-related specificities of graded running such as strategies to minimize the deleterious effects of downhill running on muscle function, the difference of energy cost versus heat storage or muscle activity changes in downhill, level, and uphill running are also discussed.

[Treatment of acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's Syndrome). Systematic review].

PubMed

Ben Ameur, Hazem; Boujelbene, Salah; Beyrouti, Mohamed Issam

2013-10-01

Ogilvie's syndrome is acute colonic dilatation without organic obstacle in a previously healthy colon. Surgery is the only treatment of cases complicated by necrosis or perforation. In contrast, treatment of uncomplicated forms is not unanimous, and is the subject of this literature review. Determine the results of different therapeutic methods of uncomplicated forms of Ogilvie's syndrome in terms of efficiency of removal of colonic distension, recurrence, morbidity and mortality. Clarify their respective indications. An electronic literature search in the "MEDLINE" database, supplemented by hand searching on the reference lists of articles, was conducted for the period between 1980 and 2012. Conservative treatment is effective in 53 to 96% of cases with a risk of colonic perforation less than 2.5% and a mortality of 0 to 14% % (level of evidence 4, recommendation grade C). Neostigmine is effective in 64 to 91% of cases after a first dose, with a risk of recurrence of 0 to 38%. It remains effective in 40 to 100% of cases after a second dose (evidence level 2, grade recommendation B). Endoscopic decompression is a safe and effective technique with a success rate of 61 to 100% at the first attempt , a recurrence rate of 0 to 50%, a rate of colonic perforation less than 5% and a mortality less than 5% (level evidence 4, recommendation grade C). PEG may be recommended for the prevention of recurrence of the ACPO after successful treatment with neostigmine or endoscopic decompression (evidence level 2, recommendation grade B). The cecostomy is more effective and safer than conventional colostomy (level of evidence 4, recommendation grade C). The cecostomy is highly effective in colonic decompression but associated with a high mortality (level of evidence 4, recommendation grade C). Conservative treatment is recommended in first intention. In case of failure, neostigmine should be tried. If unsuccessful, the endoscopic decompression is proposed. The cecostomy is indicated as a last resort after failure of endoscopic decompression.

Correlation between increasing tissue ischemia and circulating levels of angiogenic growth factors in peripheral artery disease.

PubMed

Jalkanen, Juho; Hautero, Olli; Maksimow, Mikael; Jalkanen, Sirpa; Hakovirta, Harri

2018-04-21

The aim of the present study was to assess the circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other suggested therapeutic growth factors with the degree of ischemia in patients with different clinical manifestations of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) according to the Rutherford grades. The study cohort consists of 226 consecutive patients admitted to a Department of Vascular Surgery for elective invasive procedures. PAD patients were grouped according to the Rutherford grades after a clinical assessment. Ankle-brachial pressure indices (ABI) and absolute toe pressure (TP) values were measured. Serum levels of circulating VEGF, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) were measured from serum and analysed against Rutherford grades and peripheral hemodynamic measurements. The levels of VEGF (P = 0.009) and HGF (P < 0.001) increased significantly as the ischaemic burden became more severe according to the Rutherford grades. PDGF behaved in opposite manner and declined along increasing Rutherford grades (P = 0.004). A significant, inverse correlations between Rutherford grades was detected as follows; VEGF (Pearson's correlation = 0.183, P = 0.004), HGF (Pearson's correlation = 0.253, P < 0.001), bFGF (Pearson's correlation = 0.169, P = 0.008) and PDGF (Pearson's correlation = 0.296, P < 0.001). In addition, VEGF had a clear direct negative correlation with ABI (Pearson's correlation -0.19, P = 0.009) and TP (Pearson's correlation -0.20, P = 0.005) measurements. Our present observations show that the circulating levels of VEGF and other suggested therapeutic growth factors are significantly increased along with increasing ischemia. These findings present a new perspective to anticipated positive effects of gene therapies utilizing VEGF, HGF, and bFGF, because the levels of these growth factors are endogenously high in end-stage PAD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Gender Differences across Elementary, Middle, and High School Students' Science and Math Attitudes and Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LeGrand, Julie

The issue of female underrespresentation in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology careers and courses has been well researched over the last several decades. However, as gender gaps in achievement close and representation becomes more equitable in certain academic domains, research has turned to social and cultural factors to explain why fewer women persist in STEM studies and careers than men. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in science and math attitudes and interests from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. To examine possible gender-specific shifts in students' interest and attitudes in science and math, 136 students from a suburban, public school district were surveyed at the elementary school level (N=31), middle school level (N=54), and high school level (N=51) and various constructs were used to assess the responses in accordance with expectancy-value theory. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, a random sample of students from each grade level then participated in focus groups, and corollary themes were identified. Results from a logistical regression analysis and Mann-Whitney Test indicated that significant gender differences exist for interest, efficacy, expectancy, and value within science domains (p<.05), although these differences are not the same at each grade level or for each scientific discipline. Significant gender differences in mathematics are present only at the elementary school level.

Physical activity during school in urban minority kindergarten and first-grade students.

PubMed

Reznik, Marina; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Kim, Mimi; Ozuah, Philip O

2013-01-01

To determine if physical activity (PA) during the school day varied by school, grade level, gender, weight status, and physical education (PE) and recess participation among urban kindergarten and first-grade students. Cross-sectional study at 4 Bronx, NY, schools. Student PA was measured by a Yamax Digi-Walker pedometer, an objective and validated measure of PA in children. Each student wore a sealed pedometer during school for 5 consecutive days. Hierarchical models were fit to identify variables predictive of PA. A total of 916 had valid pedometer data (53% male, 70% Hispanic, mean age 5.98 years [SD 0.66], 45% overweight). PA varied by school (P < .0001). First-grade students took a significantly greater mean number of steps during school than kindergarten students. Overall, students took an average of 2479.7 (SD 961.8) steps/school day. PA did not differ by BMI status. Students took on average 724 more steps on PE days than on non-PE days and 490 more steps on days with outdoor recess than nonrecess days (P < .05 for both). Fewer than 1% of all students achieved lower cut points for previously published mean range of steps/school day for boys and girls. Multivariable analysis revealed higher grade level, participation in PE class, and outdoor recess as independent predictors of PA. PA levels were low in kindergarten and first-grade students. Future interventions incorporating classroom-based PA and outdoor recess may increase PA in resource-poor urban schools with limited PE facilities.

Serving the Community. Lawyers Helping Young People Become Good Citizens. I'm the People--It's about Citizenship and You.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Bar Association, Chicago, IL. Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship.

Organized around the theme of community service, this booklet provides teachers and lawyers with classroom materials for elementary grades K-3 (Level A), intermediate grades 4-6 (Level B), middle school grades 6-8 (Level C), and high school grades 9-12 (Level D). In addition, each level contains pages for the lawyer (marked by the scales of…

Calculation and word problem-solving skills in primary grades - Impact of cognitive abilities and longitudinal interrelations with task-persistent behaviour.

PubMed

Jõgi, Anna-Liisa; Kikas, Eve

2016-06-01

Primary school math skills form a basis for academic success down the road. Different math skills have different antecedents and there is a reason to believe that more complex math tasks require better self-regulation. The study aimed to investigate longitudinal interrelations of calculation and problem-solving skills, and task-persistent behaviour in Grade 1 and Grade 3, and the effect of non-verbal intelligence, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning on math skills and task persistence. Participants were 864 students (52.3% boys) from 33 different schools in Estonia. Students were tested twice - at the end of Grade1 and at the end of Grade 3. Calculation and problem-solving skills, and teacher-rated task-persistent behaviour were measured at both time points. Non-verbal intelligence, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning were measured in Grade 1. Cross-lagged structural equation modelling indicated that calculation skills depend on previous math skills and linguistic abilities, while problem-solving skills require also non-verbal intelligence, executive functioning, and task persistence. Task-persistent behaviour in Grade 3 was predicted by previous problem-solving skills, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning. Gender and mother's educational level were added as covariates. The findings indicate that math skills and self-regulation are strongly related in primary grades and that solving complex tasks requires executive functioning and task persistence from children. Findings support the idea that instructional practices might benefit from supporting self-regulation in order to gain domain-specific, complex skill achievement. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Understanding Male Underachievement in Middle School Science: Challenging the Assumptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holbrooks, Marilyn Jane

The overall purpose of this collaborative action research study was to explore the experiences of eight middle school science teachers. This collaborative action research study concerned itself with male student underachievement in science at the middle school level. The study was conducted at Sherwood Forest Middle School (a pseudonym) with sixth through eighth grade science teachers with more than three years of experience, various teaching backgrounds within academic subjects as well as special education, and different grade levels. The interviews probed the teachers' personal experiences and insights regarding male underachievement in science. This collaborative action research study relied on qualitative data from interviews and other pieces of evidence that might support the teachers' observations, specifically standardized test data and class grades. In addition, four of the seven teachers participated in a focus group, developing strategies for more effective teaching in science for all students. Understanding the experiences of science educators for sixth through eighth grade students can assist local, state, and federal policymakers in educational decision-making processes for the future.

An Investigation of the Generalizability of Medical School Grades.

PubMed

Kreiter, Clarence D; Ferguson, Kristi J

2016-01-01

Construct/Background: Medical school grades are currently unstandardized, and their level of reliability is unknown. This means their usefulness for reporting on student achievement is also not well documented. This study investigates grade reliability within 1 medical school. Generalizability analyses are conducted on grades awarded. Grades from didactic and clerkship-based courses were treated as 2 levels of a fixed facet within a univariate mixed model. Grades from within the 2 levels (didactic and clerkship) were also entered in a multivariate generalizability study. Grades from didactic courses were shown to produce a highly reliable mean score (G = .79) when averaged over as few as 5 courses. Although the universe score correlation between didactic and clerkship courses was high (r = .80), the clerkship courses required almost twice as many grades to reach a comparable level of reliability. When grades were converted to a Pass/Fail metric, almost all information contained in the grades was lost. Although it has been suggested that the imprecision of medical school grades precludes their use as a reliable indicator of student achievement, these results suggest otherwise. While it is true that a Pass/Fail system of grading provides very little information about a student's level of performance, a multi-tiered grading system was shown to be a highly reliable indicator of student achievement within the medical school. Although grades awarded during the first 2 didactic years appear to be more reliable than clerkship grades, both yield useful information about student performance within the medical college.

Developmental Dynamics of General and School-Subject-Specific Components of Academic Self-Concept, Academic Interest, and Academic Anxiety

PubMed Central

Gogol, Katarzyna; Brunner, Martin; Preckel, Franzis; Goetz, Thomas; Martin, Romain

2016-01-01

The present study investigated the developmental dynamics of general and subject-specific (i.e., mathematics, French, and German) components of students' academic self-concept, anxiety, and interest. To this end, the authors integrated three lines of research: (a) hierarchical and multidimensional approaches to the conceptualization of each construct, (b) longitudinal analyses of bottom-up and top-down developmental processes across hierarchical levels, and (c) developmental processes across subjects. The data stemmed from two longitudinal large-scale samples (N = 3498 and N = 3863) of students attending Grades 7 and 9 in Luxembourgish schools. Nested-factor models were applied to represent each construct at each grade level. The analyses demonstrated that several characteristics were shared across constructs. All constructs were multidimensional in nature with respect to the different subjects, showed a hierarchical organization with a general component at the apex of the hierarchy, and had a strong separation between the subject-specific components at both grade levels. Further, all constructs showed moderate differential stabilities at both the general (0.42 < r < 0.55) and subject-specific levels (0.45 < r < 0.73). Further, little evidence was found for top-down or bottom-up developmental processes. Rather, general and subject-specific components in Grade 9 proved to be primarily a function of the corresponding components in Grade 7. Finally, change in several subject-specific components could be explained by negative effects across subjects. PMID:27014162

Developmental Dynamics of General and School-Subject-Specific Components of Academic Self-Concept, Academic Interest, and Academic Anxiety.

PubMed

Gogol, Katarzyna; Brunner, Martin; Preckel, Franzis; Goetz, Thomas; Martin, Romain

2016-01-01

The present study investigated the developmental dynamics of general and subject-specific (i.e., mathematics, French, and German) components of students' academic self-concept, anxiety, and interest. To this end, the authors integrated three lines of research: (a) hierarchical and multidimensional approaches to the conceptualization of each construct, (b) longitudinal analyses of bottom-up and top-down developmental processes across hierarchical levels, and (c) developmental processes across subjects. The data stemmed from two longitudinal large-scale samples (N = 3498 and N = 3863) of students attending Grades 7 and 9 in Luxembourgish schools. Nested-factor models were applied to represent each construct at each grade level. The analyses demonstrated that several characteristics were shared across constructs. All constructs were multidimensional in nature with respect to the different subjects, showed a hierarchical organization with a general component at the apex of the hierarchy, and had a strong separation between the subject-specific components at both grade levels. Further, all constructs showed moderate differential stabilities at both the general (0.42 < r < 0.55) and subject-specific levels (0.45 < r < 0.73). Further, little evidence was found for top-down or bottom-up developmental processes. Rather, general and subject-specific components in Grade 9 proved to be primarily a function of the corresponding components in Grade 7. Finally, change in several subject-specific components could be explained by negative effects across subjects.

Association of outdoor recreation availability with physical activity and weight status in Minnesota youth.

PubMed

Wilhelm Stanis, Sonja A; Oftedal, Andrew; Schneider, Ingrid

2014-03-01

Examine macro-level associations of youth physical activity (PA) and weight status with availability of outdoor recreation resources (i.e., parkland, forestland, natural preserves, nonmotorized trails, and motorized trails) across counties in Minnesota. Hierarchical regression models examined if availability of recreation resources significantly improved prediction of PA and weight status of 9th and 12th grade boys and girls (2010) across Minnesota counties. The inclusion of county-level densities of recreational land variables did not produce a significant increase in R(2) for any of the models predicting 9th grade outcomes, yet county-level densities of recreational trails did significantly increase R(2) for both levels of PA and weight status. In contrast, the inclusion of recreational trails did not produce any significant increases in R(2) for 12th grade outcomes, although the inclusion of recreational land did significantly increase the R(2) for 12th grade girls achieving 30min of PA 5 or more days of the week. Findings indicate that various recreational land and trail types may have different impacts on and associations with PA and health outcomes. As such, it is important that future studies focus not only on parks, but also on other types of recreational lands and trails as well. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography Quantitative Analysis during Adenosine Stress versus Visual Analysis before Percutaneous Therapy in Acute Coronary Pain: A Coronary Artery TIMI Grading Comparing Study

PubMed Central

Yang, Lixia; Mu, Yuming; Quaglia, Luiz Augusto; Tang, Qi; Guan, Lina; Wang, Chunmei; Shih, Ming Chi

2012-01-01

The study aim was to compare two different stress echocardiography interpretation techniques based on the correlation with thrombosis in myocardial infarction (TIMI ) flow grading from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Forty-one patients with suspected ACS were studied before diagnostic coronary angiography with myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) at rest and at stress. The correlation of visual interpretation of MCE and TIMI flow grade was significant. The quantitative analysis (myocardial perfusion parameters: A, β, and A × β) and TIMI flow grade were significant. MCE visual interpretation and TIMI flow grade had a high degree of agreement, on diagnosing myocardial perfusion abnormality. If one considers TIMI flow grade <3 as abnormal, MCE visual interpretation at rest had 73.1% accuracy with 58.2% sensitivity and 84.2% specificity and at stress had 80.4% accuracy with 76.6% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity. The MCE quantitative analysis has better accuracy with 100% of agreement with different level of TIMI flow grading. MCE quantitative analysis at stress has showed a direct correlation with TIMI flow grade, more significant than the visual interpretation technique. Further studies could measure the clinical relevance of this more objective approach to managing acute coronary syndrome patient before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PMID:22778555

Exploring differential item functioning (DIF) with the Rasch model: a comparison of gender differences on eighth grade science items in the United States and Spain.

PubMed

Babiar, Tasha Calvert

2011-01-01

Traditionally, women and minorities have not been fully represented in science and engineering. Numerous studies have attributed these differences to gaps in science achievement as measured by various standardized tests. Rather than describe mean group differences in science achievement across multiple cultures, this study focused on an in-depth item-level analysis across two countries: Spain and the United States. This study investigated eighth-grade gender differences on science items across the two countries. A secondary purpose of the study was to explore the nature of gender differences using the many-faceted Rasch Model as a way to estimate gender DIF. A secondary analysis of data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was used to address three questions: 1) Does gender DIF in science achievement exist? 2) Is there a relationship between gender DIF and characteristics of the science items? 3) Do the relationships between item characteristics and gender DIF in science items replicate across countries. Participants included 7,087 eight grade students from the United States and 3,855 students from Spain who participated in TIMSS. The Facets program (Linacre and Wright, 1992) was used to estimate gender DIF. The results of the analysis indicate that the content of the item seemed to be related to gender DIF. The analysis also suggests that there is a relationship between gender DIF and item format. No pattern of gender DIF related to cognitive demand was found. The general pattern of gender DIF was similar across the two countries used in the analysis. The strength of item-level analysis as opposed to group mean difference analysis is that gender differences can be detected at the item level, even when no mean differences can be detected at the group level.

Most American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' online patient education material exceeds average patient reading level.

PubMed

Eltorai, Adam E M; Sharma, Pranav; Wang, Jing; Daniels, Alan H

2015-04-01

Advancing health literacy has the potential to improve patient outcomes. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) online patient education materials serve as a tool to improve health literacy for orthopaedic patients; however, it is unknown whether the materials currently meet the National Institutes of Health/American Medical Association's recommended sixth grade readability guidelines for health information or the mean US adult reading level of eighth grade. The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the mean grade level readability of online AAOS patient education materials; and (2) to determine what proportion of the online materials exceeded recommended (sixth grade) and mean US (eighth grade) reading level. Reading grade levels for 99.6% (260 of 261) of the online patient education entries from the AAOS were analyzed using the Flesch-Kincaid formula built into Microsoft Word software. Mean grade level readability of the AAOS patient education materials was 9.2 (SD ± 1.6). Two hundred fifty-one of the 260 articles (97%) had a readability score above the sixth grade level. The readability of the AAOS articles exceeded the sixth grade level by an average of 3.2 grade levels. Of the 260 articles, 210 (81%) had a readability score above the eighth grade level, which is the average reading level of US adults. Most of the online patient education materials from the AAOS had readability levels that are far too advanced for many patients to comprehend. Efforts to adjust the readability of online education materials to the needs of the audience may improve the health literacy of orthopaedic patients. Patient education materials can be made more comprehensible through use of simpler terms, shorter sentences, and the addition of pictures. More broadly, all health websites, not just those of the AAOS, should aspire to be comprehensible to the typical reader.

Motivating Students by Increasing Student Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birdsell, Becky S.; Ream, Sarah M.; Seyller, Ann M.; Zobott, Pam L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to increase motivation in 7th grade students. Four teacher researchers examined the change in motivational levels as a result of choice strategies. They gathered data from four different classes, 101 students in all, to track levels of motivation. They monitored their levels of observable behavioral patterns with a…

Readability of Trauma-Related Patient Education Materials From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

PubMed

Eltorai, Adam E M; P Thomas, Nathan; Yang, Heejae; Daniels, Alan H; Born, Christopher T

2016-02-01

According to the american medical association (AMA) and the national institutes of health (NIH), the recommended readability of patient education materials should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. The online patient education information produced by the american academy of orthopaedic surgeons (AAOS) may be too complicated for some patients to understand. This study evaluated whether the AAOS's online trauma-related patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information. Ninety-nine articles from the "Broken Bones and Injuries" section of the AAOS-produced patient education website, orthoinfo.org, were analyzed for grade level readability using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, a widely-used and validated tool to evaluate the text reading level. Results for each webpage were compared to the AMA/NIH recommended sixth-grade reading level and the average reading level of U.S. adults (eighth-grade). The mean (SD) grade level readability for all patient education articles was 8.8 (1.1). All but three of the articles had a readability score above the sixth-grade level. The readability of the articles exceeded this level by an average of 2.8 grade levels (95% confidence interval, 2.6 - 3.0; P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the average readability of the articles exceeded the average reading skill level of U.S. adults (eighth grade) by nearly an entire grade level (95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.0; P < 0.0001). The majority of the trauma-related articles from the AAOS patient education website have readability levels that may make comprehension difficult for a substantial portion of the patient population.

Assessing the reading level of online sarcoma patient education materials.

PubMed

Patel, Shaan S; Sheppard, Evan D; Siegel, Herrick J; Ponce, Brent A

2015-01-01

Cancer patients rely on patient education materials (PEMs) to gather information regarding their disease. Patients who are better informed about their illness have better health outcomes. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that PEMs be written at a sixth- to seventh-grade reading level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of online PEMs of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas and related conditions. We identified relevant online PEMs from the following websites: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, academic training centers, sarcoma specialists, Google search hits, Bonetumor.org, Sarcoma Alliance, Sarcoma Foundation of America, and Medscape. We used 10 different readability instruments to evaluate the reading level of each website's PEMs. In assessing 72 websites and 774 articles, we found that none of the websites had a mean readability score at or below 7 (seventh grade). Collectively, all websites had a mean readability score of 11.4, and the range of scores was grade level 8.9 to 15.5. None of the PEMs in this study of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas and related conditions met the NIH recommendation for PEM reading levels. Concerted efforts to improve the reading level of orthopedic oncologic PEMs are necessary.

Cultural and School-Grade Differences in Korean and White American Children's Narrative Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Meesook

2003-03-01

A great deal of ethnographic research describes different communicative styles in Asian and Western countries. Asian cultures emphasise the listener's role in assuring successful communication, whereas Western cultures place the responsibility primarily on the speaker. This pattern suggests that Asian children may develop higher-level receptive skills and Western children may develop higher-level expressive skills. However, the language of children in formal education may develop in certain ways regardless of cultural influences. The present study quantifies the cultural and school-grade differences in language abilities reflected in middle-class Korean and white American children's story-telling and story-listening activities. Thirty-two Korean first- and fourth-grade children and their American counterparts were individually asked to perform two tasks: one producing a story from a series of pictures, and one involving listening to and then retelling a story. The individual interview was transcribed in their native languages and analysed in terms of ambiguity of reference, the number of causal connectors, the amount of information, and the number of central and peripheral idea units that were included in the story retelling. The data provided some empirical evidence for the effects of culture and school education in children's language acquisition.

Graded versus ungraded inferior oblique anterior transposition in patients with asymmetric dissociated vertical deviation.

PubMed

Rajavi, Zhale; Feizi, Mohadeseh; Naderi, Ali; Sabbaghi, Hamideh; Behradfar, Narges; Yaseri, Mehdi; Faghihi, Mohammad

2017-12-01

To report the surgical outcomes of graded versus ungraded inferior oblique anterior transposition (IOAT) in treatment of patients with asymmetric dissociated vertical deviation (DVD) and bilateral inferior oblique overaction (IOOA). A total of 74 eyes of 37 patients with asymmetric DVD (interocular difference of ≥5 Δ ) and bilateral IOOA of > +1 were included in this randomized clinical trial. In the ungraded group (n = 18), both inferior oblique muscles were sutured at the inferior rectus level; in the graded group (n = 19), the inferior oblique muscles of eyes with more DVD were sutured at the level of the inferior rectus and inferior oblique muscles of eyes with less DVD were sutured 2 mm posterior to the level of the inferior rectus muscle. DVD was significantly reduced in each group (P < 0.001 for both). Although the postoperative mean difference of asymmetry of DVD was less in the ungraded group compared to the graded group (1.2 ± 1.9 vs 3.2 ± 1.2 [P = 0.001]), the absolute amounts of reduction of DVD asymmetry were similar (4.3 ± 2.3 vs 4.4 ± 3.1 [P = 0.78]). IOOA and V patterns were also reduced postoperatively. Each method of IOAT was effective in reducing DVD, asymmetry, IOOA, and V patterns. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased expression of placental growth factor in high-grade endometrial carcinoma

PubMed Central

COENEGRACHTS, LIEVE; SCHRAUWEN, STEFANIE; VAN BREE, RITA; DESPIERRE, EVELYN; LUYTEN, CATHERINE; JONCKX, BART; STASSEN, JEAN MARIE; VERGOTE, IGNACE; AMANT, FRÉDÉRIC

2013-01-01

Placental growth factor (PlGF), a homolog of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), exerts pleiotropic functions in cancer by affecting tumor cells as well as endothelial and inflammatory cells. Moreover, PlGF expression correlates with tumor stage, recurrence, metastasis and patient outcome in different types of cancer. Recently, administration of anti-PlGF therapy reduced tumor growth and metastasis in preclinical tumor models. In the present study, we evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic value of systemic and local expression of PlGF in primary endometrial carcinomas. PlGF levels in tumor lysates (n=128) and serum (n=88) of patients with primary endometrial cancer were determined using ELISA. PlGF mRNA expression in endometrial carcinoma tissues was quantified by quantitative qRT-PCR. Results were compared to endometrial cancer stage and grade. Systemic PlGF levels were not altered in patients with endometrial cancer (FIGO stage I-II-III) as compared to healthy controls. Only in FIGO stage IV patients, serum PlGF levels were slightly increased. Local PlGF mRNA and protein expression in endometrial tumors progressively increased with tumor grade. In endometrioid carcinomas, PlGF mRNA expression was significantly increased in endometrioid grade 3 tumors as compared to normal endometrial tissue. PlGF protein expression was significantly increased in endometrioid grade 2 and 3 carcinomas and in serous carcinomas as compared to normal endometrial tissue. Our study showed that systemic/serum PlGF levels cannot be used as a diagnostic or prognostic marker in endometrial cancer. However, the increased local expression of PlGF, primarily in high-grade carcinomas, underscores the possibility for preclinical assessment of anti-PlGF therapy in endometrial cancer. PMID:23232836

Increased expression of placental growth factor in high-grade endometrial carcinoma.

PubMed

Coenegrachts, Lieve; Schrauwen, Stefanie; Van Bree, Rita; Despierre, Evelyn; Luyten, Catherine; Jonckx, Bart; Stassen, Jean Marie; Vergote, Ignace; Amant, Frédéric

2013-02-01

Placental growth factor (PlGF), a homolog of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), exerts pleiotropic functions in cancer by affecting tumor cells as well as endothelial and inflammatory cells. Moreover, PlGF expression correlates with tumor stage, recurrence, metastasis and patient outcome in different types of cancer. Recently, administration of anti-PlGF therapy reduced tumor growth and metastasis in preclinical tumor models. In the present study, we evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic value of systemic and local expression of PlGF in primary endometrial carcinomas. PlGF levels in tumor lysates (n=128) and serum (n=88) of patients with primary endometrial cancer were determined using ELISA. PlGF mRNA expression in endometrial carcinoma tissues was quantified by quantitative qRT-PCR. Results were compared to endometrial cancer stage and grade. Systemic PlGF levels were not altered in patients with endometrial cancer (FIGO stage I-II-III) as compared to healthy controls. Only in FIGO stage IV patients, serum PlGF levels were slightly increased. Local PlGF mRNA and protein expression in endometrial tumors progressively increased with tumor grade. In endometrioid carcinomas, PlGF mRNA expression was significantly increased in endometrioid grade 3 tumors as compared to normal endometrial tissue. PlGF protein expression was significantly increased in endometrioid grade 2 and 3 carcinomas and in serous carcinomas as compared to normal endometrial tissue. Our study showed that systemic/serum PlGF levels cannot be used as a diagnostic or prognostic marker in endometrial cancer. However, the increased local expression of PlGF, primarily in high-grade carcinomas, underscores the possibility for preclinical assessment of anti-PlGF therapy in endometrial cancer.

Testin (TES) as a candidate tumour suppressor and prognostic marker in human astrocytoma.

PubMed

Steponaitis, Giedrius; Kazlauskas, Arunas; Skiriute, Daina; Valiulyte, Indre; Skauminas, Kestutis; Tamasauskas, Arimantas; Vaitkiene, Paulina

2016-11-01

Astrocytomas are one of the most common brain tumours; however, the current methods used to characterize these tumours are inadequate. The establishment of molecular markers may identify variables required to improve tumour characterization and subtyping, and may aid to specify targets for improved treatment with essential prognostic value for patient survival. One such candidate is testin (TES), which was reported to have prognostic value for glioblastoma patients. However, the role of TES protein in gliomagenesis is currently unknown. In the present study, the methylation status of the TES promoter was investigated in post-operative astrocytoma tumours of different malignancy grade, and its association with the survival of astrocytoma patients was evaluated. In addition, the expression of TES protein was investigated in the same set of astrocytoma tumours tissue, and the association of protein expression with glioma patients survival was evaluated. The methylation status of TES was assessed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in 138 different grade astrocytoma samples. Western blot analysis was used to characterize the expression pattern of TES in 86 different grade astrocytoma specimens: 13 of pathological grade I, 31 of pathological grade II, 17 of pathological grade III and 25 of pathological grade IV (glioblastoma). Statistical analyses were conducted to investigate the association between tumour molecular pattern, patient clinical variables and overall survival. The methylation analysis of the TES promoter exhibited a distinct profile between astrocytomas of different malignancy grade (P<0.001). Furthermore, gene promoter methylation was significantly associated with patients' age, survival and pathological grade (P<0.001). The protein expression level of TES was significantly lower in glioblastoma (grade IV astrocytoma) than in lower grade (II-III) astrocytoma tissue (P=0.028 and P=0.04, respectively). Additionally, short overall survival of patients was markedly associated with low TES protein expression (P=0.007). However, no association between TES methylation and TES protein expression was noticed. The present study demonstrated that decreased expression of TES may be important in tumour progression and prognosis in human astrocytomas. TES may be a useful marker for predicting the clinical outcome of astrocytoma patients.

Testin (TES) as a candidate tumour suppressor and prognostic marker in human astrocytoma

PubMed Central

Steponaitis, Giedrius; Kazlauskas, Arunas; Skiriute, Daina; Valiulyte, Indre; Skauminas, Kestutis; Tamasauskas, Arimantas; Vaitkiene, Paulina

2016-01-01

Astrocytomas are one of the most common brain tumours; however, the current methods used to characterize these tumours are inadequate. The establishment of molecular markers may identify variables required to improve tumour characterization and subtyping, and may aid to specify targets for improved treatment with essential prognostic value for patient survival. One such candidate is testin (TES), which was reported to have prognostic value for glioblastoma patients. However, the role of TES protein in gliomagenesis is currently unknown. In the present study, the methylation status of the TES promoter was investigated in post-operative astrocytoma tumours of different malignancy grade, and its association with the survival of astrocytoma patients was evaluated. In addition, the expression of TES protein was investigated in the same set of astrocytoma tumours tissue, and the association of protein expression with glioma patients survival was evaluated. The methylation status of TES was assessed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in 138 different grade astrocytoma samples. Western blot analysis was used to characterize the expression pattern of TES in 86 different grade astrocytoma specimens: 13 of pathological grade I, 31 of pathological grade II, 17 of pathological grade III and 25 of pathological grade IV (glioblastoma). Statistical analyses were conducted to investigate the association between tumour molecular pattern, patient clinical variables and overall survival. The methylation analysis of the TES promoter exhibited a distinct profile between astrocytomas of different malignancy grade (P<0.001). Furthermore, gene promoter methylation was significantly associated with patients' age, survival and pathological grade (P<0.001). The protein expression level of TES was significantly lower in glioblastoma (grade IV astrocytoma) than in lower grade (II–III) astrocytoma tissue (P=0.028 and P=0.04, respectively). Additionally, short overall survival of patients was markedly associated with low TES protein expression (P=0.007). However, no association between TES methylation and TES protein expression was noticed. The present study demonstrated that decreased expression of TES may be important in tumour progression and prognosis in human astrocytomas. TES may be a useful marker for predicting the clinical outcome of astrocytoma patients. PMID:27899997

Are middle schools harmful? The role of transition timing, classroom quality and school characteristics.

PubMed

Holas, Igor; Huston, Aletha C

2012-03-01

Are middle schools ill-suited for early adolescents, or can school characteristics account for any differences in student functioning? Achievement, school engagement, and perceived competence of children starting middle schools in 5th and 6th grades were compared to those of their same-grade peers in elementary schools in a national, longitudinal sample (NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, n = 855; 52% Female, 82% White). Classroom quality (observed and teacher-reported) and school characteristics (composition and size) were considered as explanations for any relationships between school-level and student functioning. Fifth grade middle school students did not differ from those in elementary school, but students entering middle school in 6th grade, compared to those in elementary school, experienced lower classroom quality, which in turn predicted slightly lower achievement. They also had lower school engagement, explained by larger school size. Classroom quality and school characteristics predicted youth functioning regardless of school type. We suggest reshaping the research and policy debate with renewed focus on classroom quality and school size instead of grade organization.

Sub-ply level scaling approach investigated for graphite-epoxy composite beam columns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Karen E.; Kellas, Sotiris

1994-01-01

Scale model graphite-epoxy composite specimens were fabricated using the 'sub-ply level' approach and tested as beam-columns under an eccentric axial load to determine the effect of specimen size on flexural response and failure. In the current research project, although the fiber diameters are not scaled, the thickness of the pre-preg material itself has been scaled by adjusting the number of fibers through the thickness of a single ply. Three different grades of graphite-epoxy composite material (AS4/3502) were obtained from Hercules, Inc., in which the number of fibers through the thickness of a single ply was reduced (Grade 190 with 12 to 16 fibers, Grade 95 with 6 to 8 fibers, and Grade 48 with 3 to 4 fibers). Thus, using the sub-ply level approach, a baseline eight ply quasi-isotropic laminate could be fabricated using either the Grade 48 or Grade 95 material and the corresponding full-scale laminate would be constructed from Grade 95 or standard Grade 190 material, respectively. Note that in the sub-ply level approach, the number of ply interfaces is constant for the baseline and full-scale laminates. This is not true for the ply level and sublaminate level scaled specimens. The three grades of graphite-epoxy composite material were used to fabricate scale model beam-column specimens with in-plane dimensions of 0.5*n x 5.75*n, where n=1,2,4 corresponsing to 1/4, 1/2, and full-scale factors. Angle ply, cross ply, and quasi-isotropic laminate stacking sequences were chosen for the investigation and the test matrices for each laminate type are given. Specimens in each laminate family with the same in-plane dimensions but different thicknesses were tested to isolate the influence of the thickness dimension on the flexural response and failure. Also, specific lay-ups were chosen with blocked plies and dispersed plies for each laminate type. Specimens were subjected to an eccentric axial load until failure. The load offset was introduced through a set of hinges which were attached to the platens of a standard load test machine. Three sets of geometrically scaled hinges were used to ensure that scaled loading conditions were applied. This loading condition was chosen because it promotes large flexural deformations and specimens fail at the center of the beam, away from the grip supports. Five channels of data including applied vertical load, end shortening displacement, strain from gages applied back-to-back at the midspan of the beam, and rotation of the hinge from a bubble inclinometer were recorded for each specimen. The beam-column test configuration was used previously to study size effects in ply level scaled composite specimens of the same material system, sizes, and stacking sequences. Thus, a direct comparison between the two scaling approaches is possible. Ply level scaled beam-columns with angle ply, cross ply, and quasi-isotropic lay-ups exhibited no size dependencies in the flexural response, but significant size effects in strength. The reduction in strength with increasing specimen size was not predicted successfully by analysis techniques. It is anticipated that results from this investigation will lead to a better understanding of the strength scale effect in composite structures.

Compositional grading of InxGa1-xAs/GaAs tunnel junctions enhanced by ErAs nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salas, R.; Krivoy, E. M.; Crook, A. M.; Nair, H. P.; Bank, S. R.

2011-10-01

We investigate the electrical conductivity of GaAs-based tunnel junctions enhanced with semimetallic ErAs nanoparticles. In particular, we examine the effects of digitally-graded InGaAs alloys on the n-type side of the tunnel junction, along with different p-type doping levels. Device characteristics of the graded structures indicate that the n-type Schottky barrier may not be the limiting factor in the tunneling current as initially hypothesized. Moreover, significantly improved forward and reverse bias tunneling currents were observed with increased p-type doping, suggesting p-side limitation.

Flow and diffusion of high-stakes test scores.

PubMed

Marder, M; Bansal, D

2009-10-13

We apply visualization and modeling methods for convective and diffusive flows to public school mathematics test scores from Texas. We obtain plots that show the most likely future and past scores of students, the effects of random processes such as guessing, and the rate at which students appear in and disappear from schools. We show that student outcomes depend strongly upon economic class, and identify the grade levels where flows of different groups diverge most strongly. Changing the effectiveness of instruction in one grade naturally leads to strongly nonlinear effects on student outcomes in subsequent grades.

Comparative Readability Analysis of Online Patient Education Resources on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

PubMed

Gulati, Rishabh; Nawaz, Mohammad; Lam, Linh; Pyrsopoulos, Nikolaos T

2017-01-01

The National Institutes of Health recommend a readability grade level of less than 7th grade for patient directed information. In this study, we use validated readability metrics to analyze patient information from prominent websites pertaining to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The terms "Crohn's Disease," "Ulcerative Colitis," and "Inflammatory Bowel Disease" were queried on Google and Bing. Websites containing patient education material were saved as a text file and then modified through expungement of medical terminology that was described within the text. Modified text was then divided into subsections that were analyzed using six validated readability scales. None of the websites analyzed in this study achieved an estimated reading grade level below the recommended 7th grade. The median readability grade level (after modification) was 11.5 grade levels for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The treatment subsection required the highest level of education with a median readability grade of 12th grade (range of 6.9 to 17). Readability of online patient education material from the analyzed popular websites far exceeds the recommended level of being less than 7th grade. Patient education resources should be revised to achieve wider health literacy.

Associations Between Adolescents' Weight and Maladjustment Differ With Deviation From Weight Norms in Social Contexts.

PubMed

Sutter, Carolyn; Nishina, Adrienne; Witkow, Melissa R; Bellmore, Amy

2016-09-01

In line with the reflected self-appraisal hypothesis, previous research finds associations between weight and maladjustment are strongest when there is a mismatch between individuals' weight and the weight norm of their social contexts. However, research has not considered associations in more proximal social contexts. We examined differences in associations between weight and maladjustment for 2 proximal social contexts: grade-level peers and friendship groups. We used sixth-graders (N = 565; Mage  = 12 years) self-reported height and weight (used to calculate body mass index (BMI) z-score), experiences of peer victimization, and depressive symptoms. Deviation from the normative weight was calculated as the students' BMI z-score minus the average BMI z-score for the context (grade-level peers or friendship group). Considering deviations from grade-level peers, greater BMI z-scores were associated with more self-reported peer victimization only for students above the weight norm. For the friendship group, greater weight was associated with more self-reported depressive symptoms only for those who were above the normative weight. Being heavier during adolescence may be especially problematic for students who differ from the norm in their proximal social contexts. Intervention efforts focused on weight and maladjustment may want to consider the contexts involved in adolescents' self-appraisals. © 2016, American School Health Association.

Comparison between DICOM-calibrated and uncalibrated consumer grade and 6-MP displays under different lighting conditions in panoramic radiography

PubMed Central

Haapea, M; Liukkonen, E; Huumonen, S; Tervonen, O; Nieminen, M T

2015-01-01

Objectives: To compare observer performance in the detection of anatomical structures and pathology in panoramic radiographs using consumer grade with and without digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM)-calibration and 6-megapixel (6-MP) displays under different lighting conditions. Methods: 30 panoramic radiographs were randomly evaluated on three displays under bright (510 lx) and dim (16 lx) ambient lighting by two observers with different years of experience. Dentinoenamel junction, dentinal caries and periapical inflammatory lesions, visibility of cortical border of the floor and pathological lesions in maxillary sinus were evaluated. Consensus between the observers was considered as reference. Intraobserver agreement was determined. Proportion of equivalent ratings and weighted kappa were used to assess reliability. The level of significance was set to p < 0.05. Results: The proportion of equivalent ratings with consensus differed between uncalibrated and DICOM-calibrated consumer grade displays in dentinal caries in the lower molar in dim lighting (p = 0.021) and between DICOM-calibrated consumer grade and 6-MP display in bright lighting (p = 0.038) for an experienced observer. Significant differences were found between uncalibrated and DICOM-calibrated consumer grade displays in dentinal caries in bright lighting (p = 0.044) and periapical lesions in the upper molar in dim lighting (p = 0.008) for a less experienced observer. Intraobserver reliability was better at detecting dentinal caries than at detecting periapical and maxillary sinus pathology. Conclusions: DICOM calibration may improve observer performance in panoramic radiography in different lighting conditions. Therefore, a DICOM-calibrated consumer grade display can be used instead of a medical display in dental practice without compromising the diagnostic quality. PMID:25564888

Cancer understanding among Japanese students based on a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Sugisaki, Koshu; Ueda, Seiji; Monobe, Hirofumi; Yako-Suketomo, Hiroko; Eto, Takashi; Watanabe, Masaki; Mori, Ryoichi

2014-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine cancer understanding among Japanese primary and secondary school students. The study design was a cross-sectional nationwide survey using a self-administered questionnaire. The prefecture with the lowest student population was set to 1, and that with the highest student population was set to 18 for elementary schools and 19 for junior high and high schools based on the ratio of the student population. In this way, 213 elementary schools, 222 junior high schools, and 208 high schools were selected from all 47 prefectures in Japan, and questionnaires were sent to each school. The questionnaire listed the names of 15 cancers and asked respondents to choose one answer from three: "Never heard of," "Heard of/Don't understand," or "Heard of/Understand." Response rates for schools were 44.1 % (n = 94) for elementary schools, 46.4 % (n = 103) for junior high schools, and 55.8 % (n = 116) for high schools. A total of 8,876 questionnaires were used for the analysis. Our survey suggests that the most commonly understood types of cancer differed by grade, with lung cancer the most commonly understood in elementary school, leukemia in junior high schools, and breast cancer in high schools. Girls tended to demonstrate greater cancer understanding than boys, with particularly large differences by gender in rates of understanding of breast and uterine cancer at each assessed grade level. Here, we examined Japanese primary and secondary school students. Marked differences in cancer recognition by grade and gender suggest that educational efforts are needed at various grade levels and gender-specific cancer education. Further, more than 50 % of students at any school level were not familiar with most cancers. It suggests that cancer education is deficient.

A National Survey of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of Chinese City Children and Youth Using Accelerometers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chao; Chen, Peijie; Zhuang, Jie

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to objectively assess levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) of Chinese city children and youth aged 9 to 17 years old using accelerometers and to examine their differences by gender, age, grade, and weight status. Method: The PA and SB of 2,163 students in 4th grade through 11th grade…

THE LANGUAGE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN--ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE LANGUAGE OF READING TEXTBOOKS AND THE QUALITY OF READING OF SELECTED CHILDREN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STRICKLAND, RUTH G.

THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO (1) ANALYZE THE ORAL LANGUAGE STRUCTURE OF FIRST- THROUGH SIXTH-GRADE CHILDREN, (2) COMPARE THAT STRUCTURE WITH THE LANGUAGE STRUCTURE IN BOOKS BY WHICH CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO READ, AND (3) ASCERTAIN, AT THE SECOND-GRADE LEVEL, THE INFLUENCE OF ANY DETERMINED DIFFERENCES ON THE QUALITY OF READING, READING INTERPRETATION,…

INFLUENCE OF PARENT-ADOLESCENT CONFLICT FREQUENCY ON ADOLESCENT FAMILY SATISFACTION AND SELF-SATISFACTION IN CHINA: CONFLICT COPING TACTICS AS MODERATORS.

PubMed

Zhao, Hongyu; Xu, Yan; Wang, Fang; Jiang, Jiang; Zhang, Xiaohui

2015-12-01

Existing studies have found that parent-adolescent conflict frequency and conflict coping tactics influence adolescent family satisfaction and self-satisfaction under the background of Western culture. However, due to differences between Eastern and Western cultures, it is unknown whether previous results of the Western population can be extended to Chinese adolescents. The present study investigated grade differences in parent-adolescent conflict frequency and conflict coping tactics and examined the moderating effects of conflict coping tactics on the relationships between conflict frequency and adolescent family satisfaction and between conflict frequency and adolescent self-satisfaction. Chinese adolescents in Grades 7, 8, 10, and 11 (N = 524) completed measures on conflict frequency, conflict coping tactics, family satisfaction, and self-satisfaction. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equation model analyses found, first, that conflict frequency decreased with grade level. For coping tactics, conciliation, avoidance, and assertion behaviors increased with grade level. Second, conflict frequency was negatively related to family satisfaction regardless of conciliation and avoidance tactics. By contrast, conflict frequency was negatively related to self-satisfaction when high conciliation and high avoidance behaviors were practiced. In addition, at low conflict frequency conciliation was positively associated with self-satisfaction and was not significant at high conflict frequency.

Depressive Symptoms Anticipate Changes in the Frequency of Alcohol Intoxication Among Low-Accepted Adolescents

PubMed Central

Richmond, Ashley D.; Laursen, Brett; Kerr, Margaret; Stattin, Håkan

2015-01-01

Objective: There is strong evidence that depression anticipates later drinking problems among adults. These associations have not been consistently documented during adolescence, perhaps because little attention has been given to individual differences in peer relationships, which are the primary setting for adolescent alcohol consumption. This study investigated associations between depressive affect and alcohol misuse as moderated by peer group acceptance. Method: A community sample of 1,048 Swedish youth provided self-reports of depressive symptoms and intoxication frequency at annual intervals across the middle school years (seventh grade: M = 13.21 years old; eighth grade: M = 14.27 years old; ninth grade: M = 15.26 years old). Peer nominations provided a measure of individual acceptance. Results: Growth curve analyses revealed differences in the extent to which initial levels of depressive symptoms predicted the slope of increase in intoxication frequency. Higher levels of depressive symptoms at the outset anticipated sharp increases in intoxication frequency from seventh to ninth grades for low-accepted youth but not for average- or high-accepted youth. Conclusions: poor peer relations and depressive affect are vulnerabilities that set the stage for escalating adolescent alcohol misuse. Across the middle school years, when most youth have their first experiences with alcohol, peer difficulties exacerbated the tendency of depressed youth to drink to excess. PMID:26098034

Environmental literacy of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meuth, Amber M.

With the global crises facing the planet that bring major implications, (Hart & Nolan, 1999; Hungerford & Simmons, 2003) it is imperative that there be an environmentally literate citizenry who can identify, solve, and prevent environmental issues. Since middle school students are evolving into participating citizens and are developing the ability to think in abstract terms, they are a critical group to study regarding levels of environmental literacy. Additionally, with the increased resource needs and decreased air and water quality in highly populated urban areas, focusing on the environmental literacy of students living and attending school in urban areas is essential. The purpose of this study was to describe the levels of environmental literacy of a group of Hispanic, urban, middle school students in Houston, Texas. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who attend a charter school in Houston, Texas were given, the Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey (MSELS). This survey has been developed to measure components of environmental literacy as related to domains identified critical to environmental literacy (McBeth et al., 2008). The four domains include ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior. Data collected from the survey was used to determine levels of environmental literacy in the following variables: ecological knowledge, verbal commitment, actual commitment, environmental sensitivity, general environmental feelings, and environmental issue and action skills. Descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed for each grade level and as an entire sample for each variable in order to generate a profile of the group. Composite scores were calculated in the four domains (ecological knowledge, environmental affect, cognitive skills, and behavior) and were compared to high, moderate, and low levels of environmental literacy set forth by top environmental education researchers (McBeth et al., 2008). Additionally, two secondary analyses were conducted. First, mean scores for each grade level were compared by gender to see if gender plays a role in environmental literacy variables. Second, mean scores in each environmental literacy variable were compared by grade level to investigate if significant differences occur between grade levels. The results indicate that the participants in this sample have high levels of ecological knowledge but convey only moderate feelings towards the environment. The students report that they are willing to engage in more pro-environmental behaviors than they actually report doing. They also display modest abilities to indentify and analyze environmental issues as well as select appropriate action plans. Regarding the domains critical to environmental literacy, the mean scores for this sample fell within the high range for ecological knowledge; scores for affect, cognitive skills, and behavior all fell within the moderate range. For each grade level, the overall environmental literacy composite scores also fell within the moderate range. When compared to students in a national study, generally, in the performance based sections of the MSELS, the 6 th and 8th grade students in this sample scored at or above the students in the national sample while on the self-report sections, the 6th and 8th grade students in this sample generally scored below the students in the national sample. That being said, however, when comparing composite scores for the Affect, Cognitive Skills, and Behavior domains, both sets of students scored within the moderate range. In the Knowledge domain, the students in this sample scored in the high range while the students in the national sample scored in the moderate range. Gender did not appear to play a part in the levels of the environmental literacy variables, while grade level may make a difference for certain variables such as verbal commitment, actual commitment, and environmental sensitivity.

The Influence of Reading on Vocabulary Growth: A Case for a Matthew Effect

PubMed Central

Tomblin, J. Bruce; Catts, Hugh

2015-01-01

Purpose Individual differences in vocabulary development may affect academic or social opportunities. It has been proposed that individual differences in word reading could affect the rate of vocabulary growth, mediated by the amount of reading experience, a process referred to as a Matthew effect (Stanovich, 1986). Method In the current study, assessments of written word–reading skills in the 4th grade and oral vocabulary knowledge collected in kindergarten and in the 4th, 8th, and 10th grades from a large epidemiologically based sample (n = 485) allowed a test of the relationship of early word-reading skills and the subsequent rate of vocabulary growth. Results Consistent with the hypothesis, multilevel modeling revealed the rate of vocabulary growth after the 4th grade to be significantly related to 4th-grade word reading after controlling for kindergarten vocabulary level, that is, above average readers experienced a higher rate of vocabulary growth than did average readers. Conclusions Vocabulary growth rate differences accumulated over time such that the effect on vocabulary size was large. PMID:25812175

Sex Differences in Examination Performance: Do These Reflect Differences in Ability or Sex-Role Stereotypes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Roger J. L.

1978-01-01

Sex differences in GCE 'O' level examination performance are reflected both in the number of boys and girls entering for different subjects and in the numbers obtaining the higher grades. From a review of possible factors, it seems that sex-role stereotyping is the most influential. (Author/SJL)

Nitroproteins in Human Astrocytomas Discovered by Gel Electrophoresis and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Fang; Li, Jianglin; Guo, Tianyao; Yang, Haiyan; Li, Maoyu; Sang, Shushan; Li, Xuejun; Desiderio, Dominic M.; Zhan, Xianquan

2015-12-01

Protein tyrosine nitration is involved in the pathogenesis of highly fatal astrocytomas, a type of brain cancer. To understand the molecular mechanisms of astrocytomas and to discover new biomarkers/therapeutic targets, we sought to identify nitroproteins in human astrocytoma tissue. Anti-nitrotyrosine immunoreaction-positive proteins from a high-grade astrocytoma tissue were detected with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE)-based nitrotyrosine immunoblots, and identified with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fifty-seven nitrotyrosine immunopositive protein spots were detected. A total of 870 proteins (nitrated and non-nitrated) in nitrotyrosine-immunopositive 2D gel spots were identified, and 18 nitroproteins and their 20 nitrotyrosine sites were identified with MS/MS analysis. These nitroproteins participate in multiple processes, including drug-resistance, signal transduction, cytoskeleton, transcription and translation, cell proliferation and apoptosis, immune response, phenotypic dedifferentiation, cell migration, and metastasis. Among those nitroproteins that might play a role in astrocytomas was nitro-sorcin, which is involved in drug resistance and metastasis and might play a role in the spread and treatment of an astrocytoma. Semiquantitative immune-based measurements of different sorcin expressions were found among different grades of astrocytomas relative to controls, and a semiquantitative increased nitration level in high-grade astrocytoma relative to control. Nitro-β-tubulin functions in cytoskeleton and cell migration. Semiquantitative immunoreactivity of β-tubulin showed increased expression among different grades of astrocytomas relative to controls and semiquantitatively increased nitration level in high-grade astrocytoma relative to control. Each nitroprotein was rationalized and related to the corresponding functional system to provide new insights into tyrosine nitration and its potential role in the pathogenesis of astrocytoma formation.

Comparative transcriptomics reveals similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades.

PubMed

Seifert, Michael; Garbe, Martin; Friedrich, Betty; Mittelbronn, Michel; Klink, Barbara

2015-12-16

Astrocytomas are the most common primary brain tumors distinguished into four histological grades. Molecular analyses of individual astrocytoma grades have revealed detailed insights into genetic, transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations. This provides an excellent basis to identify similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades. We utilized public omics data of all four astrocytoma grades focusing on pilocytic astrocytomas (PA I), diffuse astrocytomas (AS II), anaplastic astrocytomas (AS III) and glioblastomas (GBM IV) to identify similarities and differences using well-established bioinformatics and systems biology approaches. We further validated the expression and localization of Ang2 involved in angiogenesis using immunohistochemistry. Our analyses show similarities and differences between astrocytoma grades at the level of individual genes, signaling pathways and regulatory networks. We identified many differentially expressed genes that were either exclusively observed in a specific astrocytoma grade or commonly affected in specific subsets of astrocytoma grades in comparison to normal brain. Further, the number of differentially expressed genes generally increased with the astrocytoma grade with one major exception. The cytokine receptor pathway showed nearly the same number of differentially expressed genes in PA I and GBM IV and was further characterized by a significant overlap of commonly altered genes and an exclusive enrichment of overexpressed cancer genes in GBM IV. Additional analyses revealed a strong exclusive overexpression of CX3CL1 (fractalkine) and its receptor CX3CR1 in PA I possibly contributing to the absence of invasive growth. We further found that PA I was significantly associated with the mesenchymal subtype typically observed for very aggressive GBM IV. Expression of endothelial and mesenchymal markers (ANGPT2, CHI3L1) indicated a stronger contribution of the micro-environment to the manifestation of the mesenchymal subtype than the tumor biology itself. We further inferred a transcriptional regulatory network associated with specific expression differences distinguishing PA I from AS II, AS III and GBM IV. Major central transcriptional regulators were involved in brain development, cell cycle control, proliferation, apoptosis, chromatin remodeling or DNA methylation. Many of these regulators showed directly underlying DNA methylation changes in PA I or gene copy number mutations in AS II, AS III and GBM IV. This computational study characterizes similarities and differences between all four astrocytoma grades confirming known and revealing novel insights into astrocytoma biology. Our findings represent a valuable resource for future computational and experimental studies.

[Association between occupational stress and presenteeism among medical staff at grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China].

PubMed

Dai, Junming; Hua, Yujie; Zhang, Hao; Huang, Li; Fu, Hua

2015-10-01

To investigate the current status of occupational stress and presenteeism among medical staff at grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China, and to analyze the association between occupational stress and presenteeism. A total of 2356 healthcare workers from eight grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai were investigated by stratified random sampling. All the subjects were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires with informed consent. The occupational stress was assessed by the occupational stress core questionnaire. The presenteeism was evaluated by the Stanford Presenteeism Scale. In all subjects, the average score of presenteeism was 15.23 ± 3.89, and 72.5% felt occupational stress in self-evaluation. There were significant differences in the score of presenteeism between subjects with different ages, education levels, occupations, lengths of service, job titles, and shifts (all P<0.05). There were significant differences in the score of presenteeism and the rate of high presenteeism between subjects with different indices of occupational stress, including job demand, control, social support, and demand-control ratio (P<0.01). High job demand and high demand-control ratio were risk factors for high presenteeism (OR=2.56, 95% CI=2.01~3.27; OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.23~1.90). High social support was a protective factor for high presenteeism (OR=0.23, 95% CI=0.18~0.29). The intensity of occupational stress in medical staff from grade A tertiary hospitals is positively correlated with the level of presenteeism. It is important to promote social support to reduce the loss of work efficiency due to presenteeism.

T-lymphokine-activated killer cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) as a prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target in glioma

PubMed Central

Duan, Qiuhong; Yuan, Ping; Xue, Peipei; Lu, Hui; Yan, Meng; Guo, Dongsheng; Xu, Sanpeng; Zhang, Xiaohui; Lin, Xuan; Wang, Yong; Dogan, Soner; Zhang, Jianmin; Zhu, Feng; Ke, Changshu; Liu, Lin

2018-01-01

TOPK is overexpressed in various types of cancer and associated with poor outcomes in different types of cancer. In this study, we first found that the expression of T-lymphokine-activated killer cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) was significantly higher in Grade III or Grade IV than that in Grade II in glioma (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001, respectively). Expression of TOPK was positively correlated with Ki67 (P < 0.001). Knockdown of TOPK significantly inhibited cell growth, colony formation and increased sensitivities to temozolomide (TMZ) in U-87 MG or U-251 cells, while TOPK overexpression promoted cell growth and colony formation in Hs 683 or A-172 cells. Glioma patients expressing high levels of TOPK have poor survival compared with those expressing low levels of TOPK in high-grade or low-grade gliomas (hazard ratio = 0.2995; 95% CI, 0.1262 to 0.7108; P = 0.0063 and hazard ratio = 0.1509; 95% CI, 0.05928 to 0.3842; P < 0.0001, respectively). The level of TOPK was low in TMZ-sensitive patients compared with TMZ-resistant patients (P = 0.0056). In TMZ-resistant population, patients expressing high TOPK have two months’ shorter survival time than those expressing low TOPK. Our findings demonstrated that TOPK might represent as a promising prognostic and predictive factor and potential therapeutic target for glioma. PMID:29487691

Readability analysis of healthcare-oriented education resources from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

PubMed

Misra, Poonam; Agarwal, Nitin; Kasabwala, Khushabu; Hansberry, David R; Setzen, Michael; Eloy, Jean Anderson

2013-01-01

Deficient health literacy remains a widespread public issue. As such, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that all patient resources should be written around a sixth-grade level. The authors evaluate healthcare-oriented resources specified for patient use on the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) Web site in order to identify potential areas of improvement and highlight those sections that may serve as paradigms for future revisions. Descriptive and correlational design. Seventeen healthcare-oriented resources specifically for patients were downloaded in February 2012 from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Web site. Readability assessments of each article were performed using Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2012.1. These tests included the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning-Fog Index, the New Fog Count, the New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST formula, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Graph. Patient health education material found on the AAFPRS Web site has been found to be written at an average grade level of 12th grade using 10 different readability scales. Modifications of the patient education section of the AAFPRS Web site can increase the readability of the literature, and allow greater comprehension among a wider audience. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

The role of facial canal diameter in the pathogenesis and grade of Bell's palsy: a study by high resolution computed tomography.

PubMed

Celik, Onur; Eskiizmir, Gorkem; Pabuscu, Yuksel; Ulkumen, Burak; Toker, Gokce Tanyeri

The exact etiology of Bell's palsy still remains obscure. The only authenticated finding is inflammation and edema of the facial nerve leading to entrapment inside the facial canal. To identify if there is any relationship between the grade of Bell's palsy and diameter of the facial canal, and also to study any possible anatomic predisposition of facial canal for Bell's palsy including parts which have not been studied before. Medical records and temporal computed tomography scans of 34 patients with Bell's palsy were utilized in this retrospective clinical study. Diameters of both facial canals (affected and unaffected) of each patient were measured at labyrinthine segment, geniculate ganglion, tympanic segment, second genu, mastoid segment and stylomastoid foramen. The House-Brackmann (HB) scale of each patient at presentation and 3 months after the treatment was evaluated from their medical records. The paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for comparison of width between the affected side and unaffected side. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was also used for evaluation of relationship between the diameter of facial canal and the grade of the Bell's palsy. Significant differences were established at a level of p=0.05 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0.; Armonk, NY, IBM Corp). Thirty-four patients - 16 females, 18 males; mean age±Standard Deviation, 40.3±21.3 - with Bell's palsy were included in the study. According to the HB facial nerve grading system; 8 patients were grade V, 6 were grade IV, 11 were grade III, 8 were grade II and 1 patient was grade I. The mean width at the labyrinthine segment of the facial canal in the affected temporal bone was significantly smaller than the equivalent in the unaffected temporal bone (p=0.00). There was no significant difference between the affected and unaffected temporal bones at the geniculate ganglion (p=0.87), tympanic segment (p=0.66), second genu (p=0.62), mastoid segment (p=0.67) and stylomastoid foramen (p=0.16). We did not find any relationship between the HB grade and the facial canal diameter at the level of labyrinthine segment (p=0.41), tympanic segment (p=0.12), mastoid segment (p=0.14), geniculate ganglion (p=0.13) and stylomastoid foramen (p=0.44), while we found significant relationship at the level of second genu (p=0.02). We found the diameter of labyrinthine segment of facial canal as an anatomic risk factor for Bell's palsy. We also found significant relationship between the HB grade and FC diameter at the level of second genu. Future studies (MRI-CT combined or 3D modeling) are needed to promote this possible relevance especially at second genu. Thus, in the future it may be possible to selectively decompress particular segments in high grade BP patients. Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Burnout and study engagement among medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, China: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liu, Hongchun; Yansane, Alfa Ibrahim; Zhang, Yurong; Fu, Haijun; Hong, Nanrui; Kalenderian, Elsbeth

2018-04-01

This study aims to investigate burnout and study engagement among medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, China.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students of Sun Yat-sen University, China. A total of 453 undergraduate students completed a self-administered, structured questionnaire between January and February, 2016. Burnout and study engagement were measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the UTRECHT Work Engagement Scale-Students (UWES-S), respectively. Subjects who scored high in emotional exhaustion subscale, high in cynicism subscale, and low in professional efficacy subscale simultaneously were graded as having high risk of burnout. Independent sample t tests and chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in burnout and work engagement between genders, majors, and grade levels.The means (standard deviations) of the MBI-SS subscales were 3.42 (1.45) for emotional exhaustion, 2.34 (1.64) for cynicism, and 3.04 (1.30) for professional efficacy. The means (standard deviations) of the UWES-S subscales were 3.13 (1.49) for vigor, 3.44 (1.47) for dedication and 3.00 (1.51) for absorption. Approximately 1 in 11 students experienced a high risk of burnout. There were no statistically significant gender differences in burnout and study engagement. There were also no statistically significant differences in burnout and study engagement subscales according to student major. Students in higher grades displayed increased burnout risk, higher mean burnout subscale score of cynicism, lower mean burnout subscale score of professional efficacy, and decreased mean study engagement subscale scores of dedication and absorption. There were strong correlations within study engagement subscales.Chinese medical students in this university experience a high level of burnout. Students at higher-grade level experience more burnout and decreased study engagement compared with students in lower level.

Burnout and study engagement among medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, China

PubMed Central

Liu, Hongchun; Yansane, Alfa Ibrahim; Zhang, Yurong; Fu, Haijun; Hong, Nanrui; Kalenderian, Elsbeth

2018-01-01

Abstract This study aims to investigate burnout and study engagement among medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students of Sun Yat-sen University, China. A total of 453 undergraduate students completed a self-administered, structured questionnaire between January and February, 2016. Burnout and study engagement were measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the UTRECHT Work Engagement Scale-Students (UWES-S), respectively. Subjects who scored high in emotional exhaustion subscale, high in cynicism subscale, and low in professional efficacy subscale simultaneously were graded as having high risk of burnout. Independent sample t tests and chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in burnout and work engagement between genders, majors, and grade levels. The means (standard deviations) of the MBI-SS subscales were 3.42 (1.45) for emotional exhaustion, 2.34 (1.64) for cynicism, and 3.04 (1.30) for professional efficacy. The means (standard deviations) of the UWES-S subscales were 3.13 (1.49) for vigor, 3.44 (1.47) for dedication and 3.00 (1.51) for absorption. Approximately 1 in 11 students experienced a high risk of burnout. There were no statistically significant gender differences in burnout and study engagement. There were also no statistically significant differences in burnout and study engagement subscales according to student major. Students in higher grades displayed increased burnout risk, higher mean burnout subscale score of cynicism, lower mean burnout subscale score of professional efficacy, and decreased mean study engagement subscale scores of dedication and absorption. There were strong correlations within study engagement subscales. Chinese medical students in this university experience a high level of burnout. Students at higher-grade level experience more burnout and decreased study engagement compared with students in lower level. PMID:29642167

Prognostic Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Her-2 Protein in the Genesis of Cervical Carcinoma.

PubMed

Rahmani, Arshad H; Babiker, Ali Yousif; Alsahli, Mohammed A; Almatroodi, Saleh A; Husain, Nazik Elmalaika O S

2018-02-15

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the progression of tumours through the formation of new blood vessels. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a chief factor responsible for inducing and regulating angiogenesis. Additionally, the human epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptors also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of tumours. This study aimed to examine the association between VEGF and Her-2 protein expression and its correlation with clinic-pathological characteristics; in particular, prognosis. A total of 65 cases of cervical carcinoma and 10 samples of inflammatory lesions were evaluated for VEGF and Her-2 protein expression. Expression of VEGF and Her-2 was detected in 63.07% and 43.07% in cervical carcinoma cases respectively whereas control cases did not show any expression. The difference in the expression pattern of both markers comparing cancer and control cases was statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference in the expression pattern of VEGF protein was observed among the different grades and stages of tumours (p > 0.05). Comparing different grades of a tumour, expression of Her-2 was detected in 31.8% of well-differentiated tumours, 36.0 % in moderately differentiated tumours and 66.66 % in poorly differentiated cancers. The expression of Her-2 was increased in high-grade tumours, and the difference of expression level between tumour grades was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The expression level of Her-2 protein was not correlated with the stage of a tumour (p > 0.05). The present study supports earlier findings that over-expression / up-regulation of VEGF and Her - 2 is linked with poor prognosis and may play a vital role in the development and progression of cervical cancer.

Prognostic Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Her-2 Protein in the Genesis of Cervical Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Rahmani, Arshad H.; Babiker, Ali Yousif; Alsahli, Mohammed A.; Almatroodi, Saleh A.; Husain, Nazik Elmalaika O. S.

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the progression of tumours through the formation of new blood vessels. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a chief factor responsible for inducing and regulating angiogenesis. Additionally, the human epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptors also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of tumours. AIM: This study aimed to examine the association between VEGF and Her-2 protein expression and its correlation with clinic-pathological characteristics; in particular, prognosis. METHODS: A total of 65 cases of cervical carcinoma and 10 samples of inflammatory lesions were evaluated for VEGF and Her-2 protein expression. RESULTS: Expression of VEGF and Her-2 was detected in 63.07% and 43.07% in cervical carcinoma cases respectively whereas control cases did not show any expression. The difference in the expression pattern of both markers comparing cancer and control cases was statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference in the expression pattern of VEGF protein was observed among the different grades and stages of tumours (p > 0.05). Comparing different grades of a tumour, expression of Her-2 was detected in 31.8% of well-differentiated tumours, 36.0 % in moderately differentiated tumours and 66.66 % in poorly differentiated cancers. The expression of Her-2 was increased in high-grade tumours, and the difference of expression level between tumour grades was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The expression level of Her-2 protein was not correlated with the stage of a tumour (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study supports earlier findings that over-expression / up-regulation of VEGF and Her - 2 is linked with poor prognosis and may play a vital role in the development and progression of cervical cancer. PMID:29531585

Effect of Retention in Elementary Grades on Transition to Middle School

PubMed Central

Im, Myung Hee; Hughes, Jan H.; Kwok, Oi-man; Puckett, Stevie; Cerdia, Carissa Analise

2013-01-01

The authors investigated the effects of retention in grades 1 to 5 on students’ reading and math achievement, teacher-rated engagement, and student-reported school belonging in middle school. From a multiethnic sample (N = 784) of children who scored below the median on a test of literacy in grade 1, an average of 75 students subsequently retained in grades 1 to 5 were matched with an average of 299 continuously promoted students on the basis of propensity to be retained in the elementary grades. A total of 20 imputed datasets were analyzed, all of which showed good balance across the 67 baseline covariates used to calculate propensity scores. The hypothesis that retained students, who are “old for grade” when they make the transition to middle school, would have a more difficult transition to middle school than promoted peers was tested with 3-level, piecewise growth modeling. Piece 1 included assessments prior to the transition to middle school, and piece 2 included assessments after the transition. Retained and continuously promoted students did not differ on any of the outcome measures during the year prior to transition, nor did they differ in their post-transition trajectories. Discrepancies between these results and results of prior research are discussed in terms of demographic and generational differences as well as differences in methodological rigor. PMID:23816229

Differences in fluorescence profiles from breast cancer tissues due to changes in relative tryptophan content via energy transfer: tryptophan content correlates with histologic grade and tumor size but not with lymph node metastases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sordillo, Laura A.; Sordillo, Peter P.; Budansky, Yury; Pu, Yang; Alfano, Robert R.

2014-12-01

The correlation between histologic grade, an increasingly important measure of prognosis for patients with breast cancer, and tryptophan levels from tissues of 15 breast carcinoma patients was investigated. Changes in the relative content of key native organic biomolecule tryptophan were seen from the fluorescence spectra of cancerous and paired normal tissues with excitation wavelengths of 280 and 300 nm. Due to a large spectral overlap and matching excitation-emission spectra, fluorescence resonance energy transfer from tryptophan-donor to reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides-acceptor was noted. We used the ratios of fluorescence intensities at their spectral emission peaks, or spectral fingerprint peaks, at 340, 440, and 460 nm. Higher ratios correlated strongly with high histologic grade, while lower-grade tumors had low ratios. Large tumor size also correlated with high ratios, while the number of lymph node metastases, a major factor in staging, was not correlated with tryptophan levels. High histologic grade correlates strongly with increased content of tryptophan in breast cancer tissues and suggests that measurement of tryptophan content may be useful as a part of the evaluation of these patients.

Gary O's Fence Question.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, David S.

1993-01-01

Discusses the problem of finding the amount of fence it would require for the outfield fence of a baseball field of given dimensions. Presents different solution methods for each of the levels from grades 9-12. The different methods incorporate geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and calculus. (MDH)

The Readability of AAOS Patient Education Materials: Evaluating the Progress Since 2008.

PubMed

Roberts, Heather; Zhang, Dafang; Dyer, George S M

2016-09-07

The Internet has become a major resource for patients; however, patient education materials are frequently written at relatively high levels of reading ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of patient education materials on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) web site. Readability scores were calculated for all patient education articles on the AAOS web site using 5 algorithms: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) Grade, Coleman-Liau Index, and Gunning-Fog Index. The mean readability scores were compared across the anatomic categories to which they pertained. Using a liberal measure of readability, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, 3.9% of articles were written at or below the recommended sixth-grade reading level, and 84% of the articles were written above the eighth-grade reading level. Articles in the present study had a lower mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level than those available in 2008 (p < 0.00005). Articles categorized as "Hand & Wrist" or "Foot & Ankle" had significantly lower mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores than the mean for all categories (p < 0.0005). Regardless of the algorithm used, the mean readability levels of AAOS articles are higher than generally recommended. Although the mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was lower in the present study than it was in 2008, a need remains to improve the readability of AAOS patient education articles. Ensuring that online patient education materials are written at an appropriate reading grade level would be expected to improve physician-patient communication. Copyright © 2016 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

National Science Education Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

The National Science Education Standards present a vision of a scientifically literate populace. The standards outline what students need to know, understand, and be able to do to be scientifically literate at different grade levels. They describe an educational system in which all students demonstrate high levels of performance, teachers are…

The Purdue Elementary Problem-Solving Inventory (PEPSI), Grade Level, and Socioeconomic Status: A Preliminary Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, David W.

1985-01-01

The effects of grade level and socioeconomic status upon Purdue Elementary Problem-Solving Inventory (PEPSI) scores were investigated with 123 elementary students. It was concluded that the PEPSI is usable with most grade two through grade six pupils at both lower and middle socioeconomic levels, and has potential utility in teaching…

Increasing Oral Reading Fluency of below Grade-Level Elementary Students through Parent Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royal, Louise I.

2012-01-01

An increasing number of elementary students in a rural school were promoted to a higher grade without having grade-level reading fluency skills, thereby becoming at risk of not reaching or maintaining their academic grade level reading skills. The purpose of this ex post facto quantitative study involving archival data analysis was to investigate…

Methylation and expression patterns of tropomyosin-related kinase genes in different grades of glioma.

PubMed

Palani, Mahalakshmi; Arunkumar, R; Vanisree, Arrambakam Janardhanam

2014-09-01

Tropomyosin-related kinase family (NTRK1, NTRK2 and NTRK3) is well known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of brain tumour, which exhibit heterogeneity in its biological and clinical behaviour. However, the mechanism that regulates NTRKs in glioma is not well understood. The present study investigates the epigenetic status (methylation) of NTRKs and their expression in different grades of glioma. Promoter methylation and structural relationship of NTRKs was assessed using methylation-specific PCR followed by chromatin immunoprecipitation in brain tissue samples from 220 subjects with different grades of glioma. Control brain samples were also assessed similarly. Reverse transcriptase PCR was performed to analyse the expressions of NTRK mRNAs in the grades of glioma. In addition, the expression level of p75(NTR) protein was analysed using immunofluorescent technique in all of the samples. The overall percentage of NTRK3 gene methylation frequency with subsequent loss of mRNA expression was significantly higher in glioma compared with control samples (p < 0.05). No such significance was observed in other NTRK1 and NTRK2 genes. Further, mRNA expression pattern of NTRK1 and NTRK2 genes was found to be significantly higher in low grades as compared with high grades (HG) and control samples (p < 0.05). Survival rate of HG patients with negative expressions of NTRK1 and NTRK2 was poor than those with the positive expressions of both NTRK1 and NTRK2. Further, a significant correlation was observed with reduced expression of p75(NTR) and the expression pattern of NTRK family in glioma as compared with the control samples (p < 0.05). There exists a correlation between the expression of NTRK family and different grades of glioma with a significant suggestion that the promoter methylation does not play role in the regulation of these genes in glioma. Further, poor survival could be associated with NTRK mRNAs 1 and 2. Hence, NTRKs are potential probes for assessing the behaviour of different grades of glioma, which could also function as significant prognostic factors and thus deserve wider attention for an effective management of the grades.

Evaluating the efficacy of osteopontin expression as a prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Indian subpopulation.

PubMed

Ingale, Yashwant; Routray, Samapika; Kheur, Supriya M; Kheur, Mohit; Mohanty, Neeta

2014-09-01

This study aimed to correlate the prognostic value of osteopontin (OPN) expression using both tissue and plasma samples from patients with clinically and histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study group comprised of sixty patients (n = 60), which were clinically and histologically diagnosed for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The Control group comprised of ten (n = 10) healthy volunteers. Plasma OPN levels were assayed using a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (OPN ELISA). Expression of OPN was also identified and evaluated by immunohistochemistry in tissue sections. These OPN expressions were then correlated with different parameters like age, sex, site, clinical presentation, tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging, histopathological grading and lymph node metastasis. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the difference in tissue intensity and plasma OPN levels between the OSCC and the normal control groups. The distribution of the plasma OPN levels and tissue OPN intensity in OSCC cohorts were compared to histopathological grades and analyzed. When evaluated OPN expression in tissue had higher intensity observed in OSCC (95% +ve) cases. And the mean plasma OPN concentration in OSCC cohort was more in comparison to the normal cohort. The results clearly showed that the plasma OPN levels and intensity grading in tissue correlated with tumor grades. The study highlights OPN as a biomarker for prognosis in OSCC in both plasma and tissue samples. We would like to emphasize on the evaluation of plasma OPN as a protocol of blood examination for all cancer patient, as it may serve as an indicator for tumor progression and potential risk of metastasis.

The development of science achievement in middle and high school. Individual differences and school effects.

PubMed

Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jesse L M

2002-08-01

Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), hierarchical linear models (HLMs) were used to model the growth of student science achievement in three areas (biology, physical science, and environmental science) during middle and high school. Results showed significant growth in science achievement across all areas. The growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning grades of middle school but slow growth at the ending grades of high school. At the student level, socioeconomic status (SES) and age were related to the rate of growth in all areas. There were no gender differences in the rate of growth in any of the three areas. At the school level, variables associated with school context (school mean SES and school size) and variables associated with school climate (principal leadership, academic expectation, and teacher autonomy) were related to the growth in science achievement. Initial (Grade 7) status in science achievement was not associated with the rate of growth in science achievement among either students or schools in any of the three areas.

Development and validation of an energy-balance knowledge test for fourth- and fifth-grade students.

PubMed

Chen, Senlin; Zhu, Xihe; Kang, Minsoo

2017-05-01

A valid test measuring children's energy-balance (EB) knowledge is lacking in research. This study developed and validated the energy-balance knowledge test (EBKT) for fourth and fifth grade students. The original EBKT contained 25 items but was reduced to 23 items based on pilot result and intensive expert panel discussion. De-identified data were collected from 468 fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in four schools to examine the psychometric properties of the EBKT items. The Rasch model analysis was conducted using the Winstep 3.65.0 software. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis flagged 1 item (item #4) functioning differently between boys and girls, which was deleted. The final 22-item EBKT showed desirable model-data fit indices. The items had large variability ranging from -3.58 logit (item #10, the easiest) to 1.70 logit (item #3, the hardest). The average person ability on the test was 0.28 logit (SD = .78). Additional analyses supported known-group difference validity of the EBKT scores in capturing gender- and grade-based ability differences. The test was overall valid but could be further improved by expanding test items to discern various ability levels. For lack of a better test, researchers and practitioners may use the EBKT to assess fourth- and fifth-grade students' EB knowledge.

Comparing Dropout Predictors for Two State-Level Panels Using Grade 6 and Grade 8 Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Bobby J.; Trouard, Stephen B.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of dropout predictors across time. Two state-level high school graduation panels were selected to begin with the seventh and ninth grades but end at the same time. The first panel (seventh grade) contained 29,554 students and used sixth grade predictors. The second panel (ninth grade)…

Predicting Mathematics Achievement by Motivation and Self-Efficacy across Gender and Achievement Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sartawi, AbdelAziz; Alsawaie, Othman N.; Dodeen, Hamzeh; Tibi, Sana; Alghazo, Iman M.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which self-efficacy and motivation served as a predictor for mathematics achievement of fifth grade students in United Arab Emirates (UAE) across gender and achievement levels. Self-efficacy was measured by two scales, which differed in levels of specificity--Category Specific and Task Specific. Motivation was…

Advancing the Physical Activity Curriculum at the Collegiate Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Bradley; Odenheimer Brin, Eleanor

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess college students' pre- and post- health-related, fitness levels, as determined by the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) five components of fitness, in a one-credit, graded college course and to objectively measure any differences between those pre- and post- health-related fitness levels.…

The KSS 2011 reflects symptoms, physical activities, and radiographic grades in a Japanese population.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Naoya; Matsuda, Shuichi; Kawaguchi, Takahisa; Tabara, Yasuharu; Ikezoe, Tome; Tsuboyama, Tadao; Ichihashi, Noriaki; Nakayama, Takeo; Matsuda, Fumihiko; Ito, Hiromu

2015-01-01

Cultural and ethnic differences are present both in subjective and objective measures of patient health, but scoring systems do not always reflect these differences, and so validation of outcomes tools in different cultural settings is important. Recently, a revised version of The Knee Society Score® (KSS 2011) was developed, but to our knowledge, the degree that this tool evaluates clinical symptoms, physical activities, and radiographic grades in the general Japanese population is not known. We therefore asked: (1) how KSS 2011 reflects knee conditions and function in the general Japanese population, in particular evaluating changes with increasing patient age; (2) can objective measures of physical function be correlated with KSS 2011; and (3) does radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) grade correlate with KSS 2011? Two hundred twenty-six people in the general Japanese population, aged 35 to 92 years, with and without knee arthritis, voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study. Residents who had no serious disease or symptoms based on a self-assessment were recruited. This study consisted of a questionnaire including self-administered KSS 2011, physical examination, and weightbearing radiographs of the knee. Leg muscle strength, Timed Up and Go test, and body mass index (BMI) were examined in all the participants. Radiographs were graded according to the Kellgren and Lawrence scale (KL grade). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that KSS 2011 correlated with age (coefficient: -0.30±0.12, p=0.011), BMI (coefficient: -1.47±0.42, p<0.001), leg muscle strength (coefficient: 0.41±0.13, p=0.002), and Timed Up and Go Test (coefficient: -1.96±0.92, p=0.034), but not sex, as independent variables by a stepwise method. KSS 2011 was also correlated with radiographic OA evaluated by KL grade (coefficient: -12.2±2.9, p<0.001). KSS 2011 reflects symptoms, physical activities, and radiographic OA grades of the knee in an age-dependent manner in the general Japanese population. Level IV, diagnostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Failing to progress or progressing to fail? Age-for-grade heterogeneity and grade repetition in primary schools in Karonga district, northern Malawi

PubMed Central

Sunny, Bindu S.; Elze, Markus; Chihana, Menard; Gondwe, Levie; Crampin, Amelia C.; Munkhondya, Masoyaona; Kondowe, Scotch; Glynn, Judith R.

2018-01-01

Timely progression through school is an important measure for school performance, completion and the onset of other life transitions for adolescents. This study examines the risk factors for grade repetition and establishes the extent to which age-for-grade heterogeneity contributes to subsequent grade repetition at early and later stages of school. Using data from a demographic surveillance site in Karonga district, northern Malawi, a cohort of 8174 respondents (ages 5–24 years) in primary school was followed in 2010 and subsequent grade repetition observed in 2011. Grade repetition was more common among those at early (grades 1–3) and later (grades 7–8) stages of school, with little variation by sex. Being under-age or over-age in school has different implications on schooling outcomes, depending on the stage of schooling. After adjusting for other risk factors, boys and girls who were under-age at early stages were at least twice as likely to repeat a grade as those at the official age-for-grade (girls: adjusted OR 2.06 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 2.37 p < 0.01); while those over-age at early stages were about 30% less likely to repeat (girls: adjusted OR 0.65 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 0.72 p < 0.01). Being under/over-age at later grades (4–8) was not associated with subsequent repetition but being over-age was associated with dropout. Other risk factors identified that were associated with repetition included both family-level factors (living away from their mother, having young children in the household, lower paternal education) and school-level factors (higher student-teacher ratio, proportion of female teachers and schools without access to water). Reducing direct and indirect costs of schooling for households; and improving school quality and resources at early stages of school may enable timely progression at early stages for greater retention at later stages. PMID:29391662

Failing to progress or progressing to fail? Age-for-grade heterogeneity and grade repetition in primary schools in Karonga district, northern Malawi.

PubMed

Sunny, Bindu S; Elze, Markus; Chihana, Menard; Gondwe, Levie; Crampin, Amelia C; Munkhondya, Masoyaona; Kondowe, Scotch; Glynn, Judith R

2017-01-01

Timely progression through school is an important measure for school performance, completion and the onset of other life transitions for adolescents. This study examines the risk factors for grade repetition and establishes the extent to which age-for-grade heterogeneity contributes to subsequent grade repetition at early and later stages of school. Using data from a demographic surveillance site in Karonga district, northern Malawi, a cohort of 8174 respondents (ages 5-24 years) in primary school was followed in 2010 and subsequent grade repetition observed in 2011. Grade repetition was more common among those at early (grades 1-3) and later (grades 7-8) stages of school, with little variation by sex. Being under-age or over-age in school has different implications on schooling outcomes, depending on the stage of schooling. After adjusting for other risk factors, boys and girls who were under-age at early stages were at least twice as likely to repeat a grade as those at the official age-for-grade (girls: adjusted OR 2.06 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 2.37 p < 0.01); while those over-age at early stages were about 30% less likely to repeat (girls: adjusted OR 0.65 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 0.72 p < 0.01). Being under/over-age at later grades (4-8) was not associated with subsequent repetition but being over-age was associated with dropout. Other risk factors identified that were associated with repetition included both family-level factors (living away from their mother, having young children in the household, lower paternal education) and school-level factors (higher student-teacher ratio, proportion of female teachers and schools without access to water). Reducing direct and indirect costs of schooling for households; and improving school quality and resources at early stages of school may enable timely progression at early stages for greater retention at later stages.

Baking properties and biochemical composition of wheat flour with bran and shorts.

PubMed

Kaprelyants, Leonid; Fedosov, Sergey; Zhygunov, Dmytro

2013-11-01

Bran, being a by-product of grain grinding, is characterised by a high biological value and is thus widely used in food production. In this study, different streams of bran and shorts from the wheat graded milling process were incorporated into wheat flour at levels of 5, 11, 17 and 23% (w/w) to investigate their influence on the nutritional and baking properties of flour. Bran and shorts streams improved the baking properties of flour blends. The best result in the case of graded flour blends with different bran products was obtained at the 95:5 ratio. The products containing peripheral parts of grain had higher proteolytic enzyme and superoxide dismutase activities and lower trypsin inhibitor content and β-amylase activity compared with graded flour. Streams of wheat milled fractions including peripheral parts of grain increase the content of bioactive substances and dietary fibre in blends with wheat graded flour. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Relationship of the Van Herick Grading System with Peripheral Iris Configuration and Level of Iris Insertion.

PubMed

Khan, Faisal Aziz; Niazi, Shafaq Pervez Khan; Khan, Assad Zaman

2017-09-01

To determine the relationship of the van Herick angle grading system with the level of iris insertion and peripheral iris configuration. Observational study. Eye department, Combined Military Hospital, Malir Cantt., Karachi, from May to October 2015. Sixty-five eyes of 65 patients were recruited. Anterior chamber depth at the temporal limbus was measured as a fraction of corneal section thickness using van Herick technique and graded on the standard 4-point scale of the van Herick grading system. Gonioscopy of the temporal quadrant was performed with a Posner 4 mirror goniolens and both the true level of iris insertion and peripheral iris configuration were recorded on a 4-point scale so as to equate with the van Herick 4-point grading system. Spearman's rho test was applied to determine the relationship of the van Herick grading system with level of iris root insertion and peripheral iris configuration. Amoderate positive correlation between van Herick grade and peripheral iris configuration was found which was statistically significant (rs=0.42, p < 0.001). Astatistically significant and moderate positive correlation was also detected between van Herick grade and the level of iris insertion (rs=0.45, p < 0.001). The van Herick grade has a moderately positive relationship with the peripheral iris configuration and true level of iris insertion.

Association of Irisin and CRP Levels with the Radiographic Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Mao, Yongtao; Xu, Wei; Xie, Zonggang; Dong, Qirong

2016-02-01

Irisin, a recently identified myokine, is implicated in protecting mice from obesity. This study was designed to examine the relation of irisin levels in serum and synovial fluid (SF) with the radiographic severity of osteoarthritis (OA). Our study included 215 patients with knee OA. Irisin levels in serum and SF were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The progression of OA was assessed using Kellgren-Lawrence grading system. Knee OA patients had lower serum irisin concentrations and increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared with healthy controls. There were markedly decreased irisin levels in both the serum and the SF, as well as increased serum CRP levels of knee OA patients with Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grade 4 compared with patients classified as KL grade 2 and 3. Furthermore, patients with KL grade 3 showed markedly reduced serum and SF levels of irisin, as well as increased serum CRP levels compared with patients classified as KL grade 2. Irisin levels in serum and SF of knee OA patients were negatively correlated with disease severity evaluated by KL grading criteria. Irisin levels in the serum and SF of knee OA patients were negatively correlated with disease severity evaluated by the radiographic KL grading criteria.

Healthy Lifestyles of University Students in China and Influential Factors

PubMed Central

Xing, Xiao-Hui; Wu, Xian-Bo

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to analyze to what extent university students exhibit healthy lifestyles and which sociodemographic variables influence healthy lifestyles. 4809 university students randomly selected were measured by use of the Healthy Lifestyle Scale for University Students questionnaire. When controlling for the other variables, the total healthy lifestyles score was predicted by gender, grade, father's level of education, and type of institution; exercise behaviour was partially predicted by gender, grade, type of institution, and family monthly income; regular behaviour was modulated by gender, grade, type of institution, family monthly income, and father's educational level; nutrition behaviour was partially affected by type of institution, family monthly income, and father's educational level; health risk behaviour was modulated by gender, mother's level of education, and family monthly income; health responsibility was modulated by gender, grade, type of institution, and father's educational level; social support was modulated by gender, grade, and father's educational level; stress management was modulated by gender, grade, type of institution, and mother's education level; life appreciation was modulated by grade, type of institution, and mother's educational level. These influences should be taken into account in designing interventions for specific socio-demographic profiles that might be at higher risk for certain behaviours. PMID:23935418

A Comparative Study of the Reliability and Validity of the "Degrees of Reading Power" and the "Iowa Tests of Basic Skills."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrand, Myrene; Hoover, H. D.

This study compared the reliability and validity of two different measures of reading ability, the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) and the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Reading test and the ITBS Vocabulary test. The data consisted of scores of 377 grade 5 and grade 6 students on these tests, along with their assigned reading levels in the…

The Effects of Educational Technology upon the Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills of Below Grade-Level and or Non-College Bound High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santavenere, Alex

An action research study was undertaken to examine the effects of educational technology resources on critical thinking and analytical skills. The researcher observed 3 different 11th grade classes, a total of 75 students, over a week as they worked in the school's computer lab. Each class was composed of 25 to 30 students, all of whom were…

Analyzing Entrepreneurship Skill Levels of the 3rd Grade Primary School Students in Life Sciences Course Based on Different Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Hüseyin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate Life Sciences course entrepreneurship skills of the 3rd grade primary school students as evaluated by their parents. The study was conducted with the screening model. The participants of the study were the parents (47 mothers and 23 fathers) of the students (32 girls, 38 boys) who study in the center of…

Parental Reasoning, Denying Privileges, Yelling, and Spanking: Ethnic Differences and Associations with Child Externalizing Behavior.

PubMed

Lansford, Jennifer E; Wager, Laura B; Bates, John E; Dodge, Kenneth A; Pettit, Gregory S

2012-01-01

This study was designed to examine whether African American and European American mothers differ in their discipline use when reasoning, denying privileges, yelling, and spanking are considered simultaneously and whether there are ethnic group differences in how these four forms of discipline are associated with child externalizing behavior. Structural equation models were used to examine relations between children's externalizing behavior in kindergarten (age 5), mothers' discipline in grades 1-3 (ages 6-8), and children's externalizing behavior in grade 4 (age 9) in a sample of 585 mothers and children. African American and European American mothers showed the same rank order frequency of reported use of each of the four forms of discipline, most frequently using reasoning, followed by yelling, denying privileges, and least frequently spanking. However, European American mothers more frequently reported using three of the four forms of discipline than did African American mothers, with no ethnic differences in the frequency with which mothers reported spanked. For European American children, higher levels of teacher-reported child externalizing in kindergarten predicted mothers' more frequent report of denying privileges, yelling, and spanking in grades 1-3; only spanking was associated with more child externalizing behaviors in grade 4. For African American children, teacher-reported child externalizing in kindergarten was unrelated to mothers' report of discipline in grades 1-3; considering predictions from discipline to grade 4 child externalizing, only denying privileges was predictive. European American and African American families differ in links between children's teacher-reported externalizing behaviors and subsequent mother-reported discipline as well as links between mother-reported discipline and children's subsequent teacher-reported externalizing.

Parental Reasoning, Denying Privileges, Yelling, and Spanking: Ethnic Differences and Associations with Child Externalizing Behavior

PubMed Central

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Wager, Laura B.; Bates, John E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.

2012-01-01

Synopsis Objective This study was designed to examine whether African American and European American mothers differ in their discipline use when reasoning, denying privileges, yelling, and spanking are considered simultaneously and whether there are ethnic group differences in how these four forms of discipline are associated with child externalizing behavior. Design Structural equation models were used to examine relations between children's externalizing behavior in kindergarten (age 5), mothers' discipline in grades 1-3 (ages 6-8), and children's externalizing behavior in grade 4 (age 9) in a sample of 585 mothers and children. Results African American and European American mothers showed the same rank order frequency of reported use of each of the four forms of discipline, most frequently using reasoning, followed by yelling, denying privileges, and least frequently spanking. However, European American mothers more frequently reported using three of the four forms of discipline than did African American mothers, with no ethnic differences in the frequency with which mothers reported spanked. For European American children, higher levels of teacher-reported child externalizing in kindergarten predicted mothers' more frequent report of denying privileges, yelling, and spanking in grades 1-3; only spanking was associated with more child externalizing behaviors in grade 4. For African American children, teacher-reported child externalizing in kindergarten was unrelated to mothers' report of discipline in grades 1-3; considering predictions from discipline to grade 4 child externalizing, only denying privileges was predictive. Conclusions European American and African American families differ in links between children's teacher-reported externalizing behaviors and subsequent mother-reported discipline as well as links between mother-reported discipline and children's subsequent teacher-reported externalizing. PMID:23750114

Quality of breast and thigh meats when broilers are fed rations containing graded levels of sugar syrup.

PubMed

Hashim, I B; Hussein, A S; Afifi, H S

2013-08-01

The dietary energy for broiler chicken is provided through the inclusion of cereal grains and vegetable oil in the ration. The cost of corn is increasing exponentially, whereas sugar syrup (SS) is available with reasonable cost. Sugar syrup can be used as a substitute for starch/grains and vegetable oil. No research has been reported on the effect of SS on broiler meat quality. In this study, Hubbard commercial broiler chicks were fed a control basal diet (corn-soy basal diet on an ad libitum basis) alone or with graded levels of SS. A completely randomized design with 3 replications (n = 3, treatments = 4 with 4 subsamples per treatment) were used to investigate the effect of replacing part of the corn and oil in broiler chicken rations with graded levels of SS (5, 10, and 15%) on breast and thigh meat quality (proximate analysis, cooking loss, instrumental color, and texture and sensory properties). Rations containing up to 15% SS had a slight effect on proximate composition of raw and cooked broiler breast and thigh meats. Cooking loss of thigh meat decreased significantly with increasing SS but increased significantly for breast meats. No significant differences were detected (P > 0.05) among breast or thigh meats fed rations with a different level of SS on all sensory properties, except that cooked thigh meat had a slightly harder texture. Overall, results suggest that feeding broilers with SS rations (up to 15%) produced high-quality breast and thigh meats with minimal differences.

Examining the progression and consistency of thermal concepts: a cross-age study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adadan, Emine; Yavuzkaya, Merve Nur

2018-03-01

This cross-sectional study examined how the progression and consistency of students' understanding of thermal concepts in everyday contexts changes across the grade levels. A total of 656 Turkish students from Grade 8 (age 13-14), Grade 10 (age 15-16), and the first year of college (age 19-20) participated in the study. The data were analysed using statistical procedures (descriptive and inferential). Findings indicated a substantial progression in the students' scientific understanding of thermal concepts across grade levels. In addition, the students' alternative conceptions about thermal concepts generally decreased in frequency across grade levels, but certain alternative conceptions were observed in every grade level to a similar extent. Even though the number of students who consistently used scientific ideas increased across grade levels, the number of students who consistently used non-scientific ideas decreased across grade levels. However, the number of students who used scientific and non-scientific ideas inconsistently generally increased as they progressed in the science curriculum. These findings can be associated with either fragmentation or alternative conceptions that result from the gradual enrichment processes students experience when they try to integrate scientific concepts into their conceptual frameworks.

Comparing Biology Grades Based on Instructional Delivery and Instructor at a Community College: Face-to-Face Course Versus Online Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenzweig, Amanda H.

Through distance learning, the community college system has been able to serve more students by providing educational opportunities to students who would otherwise be unable to attend college. The community college of focus in the study increased its online enrollments and online course offerings due to the growth of overall enrollment. The need and purpose of the study is to address if there is a difference in students' grades between face-to-face and online biology related courses and if there are differences in grades between face-to-face and online biology courses taught by different instructors and the same instructor. The study also addresses if online course delivery is a viable method to educate students in biology-related fields. The study spanned 14 semesters between spring 2006 and summer 2011. Data were collected for 6,619 students. For each student, demographic information, cumulative grade point average, ACT, and data on course performance were gathered. Student data were gathered from General Biology I, Microbiology of Human Pathogens, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and Human Anatomy and Physiology II courses. Univariate analysis of variance, linear regression, and descriptive analysis were used to analyze the data and determine which variables significantly impacted grade achievement for face-to-face and online students in biology classes. The findings from the study showed that course type, face-to-face or online, was significant for Microbiology of Human Pathogens and Human Anatomy and Physiology I, both upper level courses. Teachers were significant for General Biology I, a lower level course, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and Human Anatomy and Physiology II. However, in every class, there were teachers who had significant differences within their courses between their face-to-face and online courses. This study will allow information to be concluded about the relationship between the students' final grades and class type, face-to-face or online, and instructor. Administrators, faculty and students can use this information to understand what needs to be done to successfully teach and enroll in biology courses, face-to-face or online. biology courses, online courses, face-to-face courses, class type, teacher influence, grades, CGPA, community college

Clinical and histopathologic independent prognostic factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective study of 334 cases.

PubMed

Arduino, Paolo G; Carrozzo, Marco; Chiecchio, Andrea; Broccoletti, Roberto; Tirone, Federico; Borra, Eleonora; Bertolusso, Giorgio; Gandolfo, Sergio

2008-08-01

This retrospective hospital-based study reviewed and evaluated the outcome of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with the aim of identifying factors affecting the clinical course and survival rate. Patients with a follow-up of at least 12 months were included. The data collected were statistically analyzed for the presence of factors valuable for prognosis; survival curves were processed in accordance with the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences in the expression of variables in different grading levels were investigated. Cox's proportional hazard model for Z(i) covariates (grading, age, T, N) also was calculated. Mean patient age was 67.7 years in women (n = 152) and 62.4 years in men (n = 182). A total of 98 patients were identified with Broder's/World Health Organization grade 1 histology, 176 with grade 2, and 55 with grade 3; 5 patients were identified as grade 4 (carcinoma in situ). Gender and risk factors seemed to be unrelated to prognosis, whereas a significant increase in mortality was seen in patients over age 70. Histological grading, tumor size, and neck involvement were related, as independent factors, in predicting survival in patients with OSCC (QM-H > 3.9). Gender, age, and risk factors had no statistical relationship with cancer histological differentiation. Our analysis reveals a statistically significant relationship among histological Broder's grading of malignancy, tumor size, locoregional involvement, and survival rates, underscoring the utility of tumor differentiation in predicting the clinical course and outcome of OSCC.

Differences in Procrastination and Motivation between Undergraduate and Graduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Li

2012-01-01

Procrastination became increasingly prevalent among students in recent years. However, little research was found that directly compares academic procrastination across different academic grade levels. The present study used a self-regulated learning perspective to compare procrastination types and associated motivation between undergraduate and…

No differences in grades or level of satisfaction in a flipped classroom for neuroanatomy

PubMed Central

Whillier, Stephney; Lystad, Reidar Petter

2015-01-01

Objective The intensive nature of a 5- or 6-week teaching block poses unique problems for adequate delivery of content. This study was designed to compare the delivery of a unit of undergraduate neuroanatomy in a short summer school period, as a traditionally taught unit, with a rendition given in the form of the “Flipped Classroom.” The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in the intensive mode classroom. Methods The flipped classroom encompassed the same learning outcomes, but students were responsible for covering the content at home in preparation for tutorials that applied their acquired knowledge to higher levels of thinking. The main outcome measures were the final course grades and the level of satisfaction with the course. Results There were no significant differences between the 2 cohorts in final grades (p = .259), self-rated knowledge (p = .182), or overall satisfaction with the course (p = .892). Conclusion This particular design of the flipped classroom did not add value to the intensive mode experience. It may be that this mode of delivery is ill suited to intensive classes for subjects that carry a lot of content. The use of the flipped classroom requires further research to fully evaluate its value. PMID:25902472

Sensory Afferents Use Different Coding Strategies for Heat and Cold.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Bélanger, Erik; Côté, Sylvain L; Desrosiers, Patrick; Prescott, Steven A; Côté, Daniel C; De Koninck, Yves

2018-05-15

Primary afferents transduce environmental stimuli into electrical activity that is transmitted centrally to be decoded into corresponding sensations. However, it remains unknown how afferent populations encode different somatosensory inputs. To address this, we performed two-photon Ca 2+ imaging from thousands of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in anesthetized mice while applying mechanical and thermal stimuli to hind paws. We found that approximately half of all neurons are polymodal and that heat and cold are encoded very differently. As temperature increases, more heating-sensitive neurons are activated, and most individual neurons respond more strongly, consistent with graded coding at population and single-neuron levels, respectively. In contrast, most cooling-sensitive neurons respond in an ungraded fashion, inconsistent with graded coding and suggesting combinatorial coding, based on which neurons are co-activated. Although individual neurons may respond to multiple stimuli, our results show that different stimuli activate distinct combinations of diversely tuned neurons, enabling rich population-level coding. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The O-Linked Glycome and Blood Group Antigens ABO on Mucin-Type Glycoproteins in Mucinous and Serous Epithelial Ovarian Tumors

PubMed Central

Vitiazeva, Varvara; Kattla, Jayesh J.; Flowers, Sarah A.; Lindén, Sara K.; Premaratne, Pushpa; Weijdegård, Birgitta; Sundfeldt, Karin; Karlsson, Niclas G.

2015-01-01

Background Mucins are heavily O-glycosylated proteins where the glycosylation has been shown to play an important role in cancer. Normal epithelial ovarian cells do not express secreted mucins, but their abnormal expression has previously been described in epithelial ovarian cancer and may relate to tumor formation and progression. The cyst fluids were shown to be a rich source for acidic glycoproteins. The study of these proteins can potentially lead to the identification of more effective biomarkers for ovarian cancer. Methods In this study, we analyzed the expression of the MUC5AC and the O-glycosylation of acidic glycoproteins secreted into ovarian cyst fluids. The samples were obtained from patients with serous and mucinous ovarian tumors of different stages (benign, borderline, malignant) and grades. The O-linked oligosaccharides were released and analyzed by negative-ion graphitized carbon Liquid Chromatography (LC) coupled to Electrospray Ionization tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MSn). The LC-ESI-MSn of the oligosaccharides from ovarian cyst fluids displayed differences in expression of fucose containing structures such as blood group ABO antigens and Lewis-type epitopes. Results The obtained data showed that serous and mucinous benign adenomas, mucinous low malignant potential carcinomas (LMPs, borderline) and mucinous low-grade carcinomas have a high level of blood groups and Lewis type epitopes. In contrast, this type of fucosylated structures were low abundant in the high-grade mucinous carcinomas or in serous carcinomas. In addition, the ovarian tumors that showed a high level of expression of blood group antigens also revealed a strong reactivity towards the MUC5AC antibody. To visualize the differences between serous and mucinous ovarian tumors based on the O-glycosylation, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using mass spectrometry average compositions (MSAC). Conclusion Mucinous benign and LMPs along with mucinous low-grade carcinomas appear to be different from serous and high-grade mucinous carcinomas based on their O-glycan profiles. PMID:26075384

An assessment of the impact of demographic, cognitive, and non-cognitive variables on student success in a community college science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackey, Audrey Leroy

The impact of demographic, cognitive, and non-cognitive variables on academic success among community college science students was studied. Demographic variables included gender, employment status, and ethnicity. Cognitive variables included college grade point average, assessment status, course prerequisites, college course success ratios, final course grade, withdrawal patterns, and curriculum format. Non-cognitive variables included enrollment status, educational objectives, academic expectations, and career goals. The sample population included students enrolled in human anatomy courses (N = 191) at a large metropolitan community college located in central Texas. Variables that potentially influence attrition and achievement in college level science courses were examined. Final course grade and withdrawal phenomena were treated as dependent variables, while all other variables were treated as independent variables. No significant differences were found to exist between any of the demographic variables studied and the numbers of students who withdrew passing or failing. A difference was shown to be associated with the ethnicity variable and achievement levels. Educational objectives and career goals were shown to have an impact on the number of students who withdrew failing. The career goals variable and the academic expectations variable were shown to have an impact on achievement among daytime and evening students. College grade point average and course success ratios were shown to make a difference among students who withdrew passing. None of the other cognitive variables studied were shown to influence the numbers of students who withdrew passing or failing. College grade point average and course prerequisites, however, were shown to make a difference in achievement. The collaborative learning instructional format was found to have no impact on attrition or achievement, however, mean scores earned by students experiencing the collaborative learning format were higher than mean scores among other students. These results are extremely valuable when engaging in the process of developing advising strategies and instructional methodologies for community college science students.

Effect of orlistat on periostin, adiponectin, inflammatory markers and ultrasound grades of fatty liver in obese NAFLD patients.

PubMed

Ali Khan, Rashid; Kapur, Prem; Jain, Abhinav; Farah, Farrukh; Bhandari, Uma

2017-01-01

Orlistat is recommended in the treatment of obesity, which is an independent risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The reported findings of orlistat in NAFLD are divisive. Recently, periostin is identified as an important regulatory molecule in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced fatty liver. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of orlistat in the treatment of NAFLD. A 16-week prospective observational study was conducted, with obese NAFLD patient (n=77) receiving orlistat (120 mg capsules, three times a day) with hypocaloric diet or hypocaloric diet only. Grades of fatty liver were determined using ultrasound (US) echogenicity of liver; serum levels of periostin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6 were determined using ELISA kits at 0 and 16 weeks. Correlations of US grades of fatty liver with these biomarkers were also determined. Orlistat significantly reversed the US grades of fatty liver ( P =0.016), decreased serum levels of periostin ( P =0.030) and TNF-α ( P =0.040), and increased serum adiponectin levels ( P <0.001) when compared with hypocaloric diet only. Serum interleukin-6 levels were not found to be significantly different in both groups after the treatment. In the orlistat group, the degree of reduction in grades of fatty liver was found to be positively correlated with the changes in serum levels of periostin (r s =0.306, P =0.041) and adiponectin (r s =0.314, P =0.036), whereas the associations were insignificant with the change in serum levels of TNF-α (r s =0.053, P =0.729). Mild gastrointestinal side effects (20%) were reported in the orlistat group. In conclusion, orlistat is effective in the treatment of NAFLD patients without fibrosis. This study demonstrated a positive association between the reduction of fatty infiltration in the liver and the changes in serum levels of periostin and adiponectin in obese NAFLD patients.

Effect of orlistat on periostin, adiponectin, inflammatory markers and ultrasound grades of fatty liver in obese NAFLD patients

PubMed Central

Ali Khan, Rashid; Kapur, Prem; Jain, Abhinav; Farah, Farrukh; Bhandari, Uma

2017-01-01

Orlistat is recommended in the treatment of obesity, which is an independent risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The reported findings of orlistat in NAFLD are divisive. Recently, periostin is identified as an important regulatory molecule in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced fatty liver. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of orlistat in the treatment of NAFLD. A 16-week prospective observational study was conducted, with obese NAFLD patient (n=77) receiving orlistat (120 mg capsules, three times a day) with hypocaloric diet or hypocaloric diet only. Grades of fatty liver were determined using ultrasound (US) echogenicity of liver; serum levels of periostin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6 were determined using ELISA kits at 0 and 16 weeks. Correlations of US grades of fatty liver with these biomarkers were also determined. Orlistat significantly reversed the US grades of fatty liver (P=0.016), decreased serum levels of periostin (P=0.030) and TNF-α (P=0.040), and increased serum adiponectin levels (P<0.001) when compared with hypocaloric diet only. Serum interleukin-6 levels were not found to be significantly different in both groups after the treatment. In the orlistat group, the degree of reduction in grades of fatty liver was found to be positively correlated with the changes in serum levels of periostin (rs=0.306, P=0.041) and adiponectin (rs=0.314, P=0.036), whereas the associations were insignificant with the change in serum levels of TNF-α (rs=0.053, P=0.729). Mild gastrointestinal side effects (20%) were reported in the orlistat group. In conclusion, orlistat is effective in the treatment of NAFLD patients without fibrosis. This study demonstrated a positive association between the reduction of fatty infiltration in the liver and the changes in serum levels of periostin and adiponectin in obese NAFLD patients. PMID:28260907

Girls' Physically Active Play and Parental Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tauber, Margaret A.

Sex differences in children's physical activity levels, and associations between girls' activity level, childrearing characteristics and parent-child play behavior were investigated in a quasi-naturalistic situation. As part of a longitudinal project, 144 third grade children were videotaped in a 1-hour play session with one of their parents. A…

Academic Procrastination and Motivation of Adolescents in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klassen, Robert M.; Kuzucu, Elcin

2009-01-01

This article presents a study of academic procrastination and associated motivation variables in 508 adolescents from a general secondary school in central Turkey. Girls reported higher levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation and predicted higher Turkish grades than boys, but there was no difference in levels of procrastination. Academic…

Readability of patient education materials on the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine website.

PubMed

Eltorai, Adam E M; Han, Alex; Truntzer, Jeremy; Daniels, Alan H

2014-11-01

The recommended readability of patient education materials by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. However, online resources may be too complex for some patients to understand, and poor health literacy predicts inferior health-related quality of life outcomes. This study evaluated whether the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) website's patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information. We hypothesized that the readability of these online materials would have a Flesch-Kincaid formula grade above the sixth grade. All 65 patient education entries of the AOSSM website were analyzed for grade level readability using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, a widely used and validated tool to evaluate the text reading level. The average (standard deviation) readability of all 65 articles was grade level 10.03 (1.44); 64 articles had a readability score above the sixth-grade level, which is the maximum level recommended by the AMA and NIH. Mean readability of the articles exceeded this level by 4.03 grade levels (95% CI, 3.7-4.4; P < 0.0001). We found post-hoc that only 7 articles had a readability score ≤ an eighth-grade level, the average reading level of US adults. Mean readability of the articles exceeded this level by 2.03 grade levels (95% CI, 1.7-2.4; P < 0.0001). The readability of online AOSSM patient education materials exceeds the readability level recommended by the AMA and NIH, and is above the average reading level of the majority of US adults. This online information may be of limited utility to most patients due to a lack of comprehension. Our study provides a clear example of the need to improve the readability of specific education material in order to maximize the efficacy of multimedia sources.

Pediatric low-grade gliomas and the need for new options for therapy: why and how?

PubMed Central

Qaddoumi, Ibrahim; Sultan, Iyad; Broniscer, Alberto

2009-01-01

Pediatric low-grade gliomas are the most common tumors of the central nervous system in children, accounting for almost 50% of all childhood brain tumors. They are a heterogeneous group of tumors with different histologic subtypes. Most treatment studies address low-grade gliomas as a single entity, depriving us of histology-specific treatment outcomes. This is mostly due to a lack of understanding of tumor biology at the molecular level. Pediatric low-grade gliomas are not benign, and most incompletely resected tumors will progress and negatively affect quality of life. The advancements made in understanding sporadic pilocytic astrocytoma and neurofibromatosis 1-associated pilocytic astrocytoma in particular have paved the way for potential targeted therapy and biological stratification. Such progress in pilocytic astrocytoma needs to be consolidated and expanded to other histologic varieties of pediatric low-grade gliomas. PMID:19164945

Age-Related and Intelligence-Related Differences in Implicit Memory: Effects of Generation on a Word-Fragment Completion Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Komatsu, Shin-Ichi; And Others

1996-01-01

Investigated developmental differences in implicit memory performance. Subjects ranged in age from second grade to college level. Results suggested that there are two different components in implicit memory, one that shows no developmental difference and relies heavily on perceptual processing and one that shows an age-related or…

Violence, bullying and academic achievement: a study of 15-year-old adolescents and their school environment.

PubMed

Strøm, Ida Frugård; Thoresen, Siri; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Dyb, Grete

2013-04-01

This study investigated academic achievement among adolescents exposed to violence, sexual abuse and bullying. Moreover, we sought to determine the individual and contextual influence of the adolescents' school environment in terms of bullying, classmate relationships and teacher support on academic achievement. Finally, we wished to assess whether school-level influence is different for the adolescents exposed to violence and sexual abuse versus the adolescents not exposed to these forms of abuse. This is a cross-sectional study of a sample of 7,343 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 16 from 56 schools in Oslo, Norway. We investigated associations between violence, sexual abuse, bullying, classmate relationships, teacher support and academic achievement. Linear regression was used to investigate associations on the individual level. Multilevel analyses were conducted to test for school level differences while controlling for both individual and contextual factors. On the individual level, all combinations of violence and sexual abuse categories were significantly associated with lower grades. This was also true for bullying, while teacher support resulted in better grades. At the school level, the analysis showed that students in schools with higher levels of bullying performed worse academically. Each unit of increment in bullying in school corresponded to an average 0.98 point decrease in grades (p<.01) when we controlled for sociodemographic characteristics. The association remained significant when the model was tested separately for the nonbullied students, with a small reduction in the coefficient value (-.84, p<.01). No overall significance was found for the interaction between the school environment and adolescent exposure to violence, indicating that the school environment affects all students. Factors on both levels can contribute to reduced grades. This stresses the need to investigate individual and contextual factors simultaneously when examining academic achievement. Our results indicated that students attending schools with higher levels of bullying may show poorer school performance. This was true for all students regardless of previous exposure to violence and sexual abuse. This emphasizes the need for preventive efforts that focus not only on vulnerable groups, but on all students and the school context. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health Literacy: Readability of ACC/AHA Online Patient Education Material.

PubMed

Kapoor, Karan; George, Praveen; Evans, Matthew C; Miller, Weldon J; Liu, Stanley S

To determine whether the online patient education material offered by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) is written at a higher level than the 6th-7th grade level recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Online patient education material from each website was subjected to reading grade level (RGL) analysis using the Readability Studio Professional Edition. One-sample t testing was used to compare the mean RGLs obtained from 8 formulas to the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean. In total, 372 articles from the ACC website and 82 from the AHA were studied. Mean (±SD) RGLs for the 454 articles were 9.6 ± 2.1, 11.2 ± 2.1, 11.9 ± 1.6, 10.8 ± 1.6, 9.7 ± 2.1, 10.8 ± 0.8, 10.5 ± 2.6, and 11.7 ± 3.5 according to the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG Index), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Gunning-Fog Index (GFI), New Dale-Chall reading level formula (NDC), FORCAST, Raygor Readability Estimate (RRE), and Fry Graph (Fry), respectively. All analyzed articles had significantly higher RGLs than both the NIH-recommended grade level of 6.5 and the national mean grade level of 8 (p < 0.00625). Patient education material provided on the ACC and AHA websites is written above the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean reading level. Additional studies are required to demonstrate whether lowering the RGL of this material improves outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Transcript profiling of pattern recognition receptors in a semi domesticated breed of buffalo, Toda, of India.

PubMed

Vignesh, A R; Dhanasekaran, S; Raj, G Dhinakar; Balachandran, C; Pazhanivel, N; Sreekumar, C; Tirumurugaan, K G; Raja, A; Kumanan, K

2012-06-15

The primary objective of this study was to assess the expression profile and levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) mRNAs in the spleen, lung, mediastinal lymph node (MLN), jejunum, rectum, skin and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of Toda and Murrah buffalos. Spleen and PBMC had increased expression of TLR mRNAs 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10; lung had increased expression of TLR mRNAs 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8, MLN TLR mRNA 6, 9, 10 and decrease in TLR 3 and 7 mRNAs in skin. No significant differences were observed in the expression levels of any of the TLR mRNA in jejunum and rectum. Toda buffaloes showed significantly higher expression levels of TLR 9 mRNA in MLN, TLR mRNAs 1, 5, 6, 9 and 10 in skin and TLR mRNAs 2, 4, 7 and 9 in PBMC than Murrah buffaloes living in the vicinity. Toda and Murrah buffaloes were inoculated with TLR5 (flagellin) and TLR9 (CpG ODN) ligands in vivo and expression levels of the respective TLRs analyzed 12h later. Following CpG inoculation, Toda buffaloes had significantly higher levels of TLR 9 mRNA expression but not in Murrah. However, flagellin induction did not increase TLR 5 mRNA expression in both these breeds. Histological sections of the skin were made and infiltrating cell clusters were graded and quantified. Following CpG inoculation, Toda buffaloes showed higher numbers of infiltrating grade 1 and grade 3 cell clusters while Murrah showed lower numbers of infiltrating grade 1 cells as compared to mock-inoculated skin sections. Flagellin treatment revealed no significant differences in infiltrating cell clusters in both the breeds. The results have shown differential expression of TLR mRNAs in various tissues between two divergent buffalo breeds with the highest difference in TLR expression profile seen in the skin, the largest portal of entry of pathogens, of Toda. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Current oral contraceptive use instructions: an analysis of patient package inserts.

PubMed

Williams-Deane, M; Potter, L S

1992-01-01

Oral contraceptive use instructions contained in manufacturers' patient package inserts (PPIs) are often inconsistent or conflicting, both among manufacturers and among different brands and regimens from the same manufacturer. Instructions on what to do about missed pills are often incomplete or inadequate, as are instructions on backup contraceptive use when pills are missed. The format of many PPIs is confusing and makes instructions difficult to find and read. Comprehending the PPIs requires the user to read at a 10th-12th-grade level, far higher than the generally accepted 5th-6th grade level considered standard for health education materials.

Prognostic relevance of Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer grade and MDM2 amplification levels in dedifferentiated liposarcoma: a study of 50 cases.

PubMed

Jour, George; Gullet, Ashley; Liu, Mingdong; Hoch, Benjamin L

2015-01-01

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma represents a form of liposarcoma composed of a non-lipogenic sarcoma associated with well-differentiated liposarcoma. The prognostic significance of histological grading of the dedifferentiated component remains to be elucidated due to vague grading criteria employed in previous studies. Molecular markers of tumor behavior, including amplification levels of murine double minute-2 (MDM2) and cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK4) genes, have been explored in a limited number of cases. Here we investigate whether 'Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer' (FNCLCC) grade and MDM2 gene amplification levels have prognostic value in dedifferentiated liposarcoma in terms of local recurrence and disease-specific survival. Fifty cases were retrieved, reviewed and FNCLCC grade was scored for the dedifferentiated component. Testing for MDM2 gene amplification was performed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Amplification was categorized as high level (≥20 copies) and as low level (<20 copies). Follow-up data was obtained through chart review. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the effect of grade and level of MDM2 amplification on outcomes. Our series includes 50 patients (male n=28, female n=22) with an average age of 63 years (range, 28-88) and a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 2-120). Tumors were graded as grade 1 (6%), grade 2 (58%), and grade 3 (36%). When adjusted for age, sex, site, tumor size, and margin status, grade 3 patients had a higher recurrence rate than grades 1 and 2 (HR=2.07, 95% CI: 1.24, 7.62; P=0.015). Patients with high-level MDM2 amplification had higher recurrence rate on univariate analysis (P=0.028), but not on multivariate analysis (HR=1.69, 95% CI: 0.73, 3.94; P=0.221). FNCLCC grade 3 dedifferentiation confers a worse prognosis in dedifferentiated liposarcoma in terms of local recurrence. MDM2 amplification level remains a useful diagnostic tool in dedifferentiated liposarcoma, but has no prognostic value in terms of local recurrence.

Visual Arts Performance Standards at Grades 4, 8 and 12 for North Dakota Visual Art Standards and Benchmarks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw-Elgin, Linda; Jackson, Jane; Kurkowski, Bob; Riehl, Lori; Syvertson, Karen; Whitney, Linda

This document outlines the performance standards for visual arts in North Dakota public schools, grades K-12. Four levels of performance are provided for each benchmark by North Dakota educators for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 grade levels. Level 4 describes advanced proficiency; Level 3, proficiency; Level 2, partial proficiency; and Level 1, novice. Each…

Cognitive ability influences on written expression: Evidence for developmental and sex-based differences in school-age children.

PubMed

Hajovsky, Daniel B; Villeneuve, Ethan F; Reynolds, Matthew R; Niileksela, Christopher R; Mason, Benjamin A; Shudak, Nicholas J

2018-04-01

Some studies have demonstrated that the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) cognitive abilities influence writing; however, little research has investigated whether CHC cognitive abilities influence writing the same way for males and females across grades. We used multiple group structural equation models to investigate whether CHC cognitive ability influences on written expression differed between grades or sex using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition and the Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement, Second Edition co-normed standardization sample data (N=2117). After testing for consistent measurement of cognitive abilities across grades and sex, we tested whether the cognitive ability influences on written expression were moderated by grade level or sex. An important developmental shift was observed equally across sex groups: Learning Efficiency (Gl) influences decreased whereas Crystallized Ability (Gc) influences increased after fourth grade. Further, Short-Term Memory (Gsm) and Retrieval Fluency (Gr) influences on written expression depended on sex at grades 1-4, with larger Gr influences for females and larger Gsm influences for males. We internally replicated our main findings using two different cognitive explanatory models, adding further support for the developmental and sex-based differential cognitive ability influences on writing. Explanatory cognitive models of writing need to incorporate development, and possibly, sex to provide an expanded understanding of writing development and guard against potential generalizability issues characteristic of special population (i.e., male-female) studies. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Postoperative Biomechanical Changes Induce Heterotopic Ossification After Cervical Arthroplasty?: A 5-Year Follow-up Study.

PubMed

Kim, Keun Su; Heo, Dong Hwa

2016-07-01

Prospective clinical study. To evaluate the factors that would predispose a patient to heterotopic ossification (HO) formation after cervical arthroplasty. HO after arthroplasty is one of the complications of cervical total disk replacement (TDR). However, the predisposing factors and pathophysiology of HO have not been precisely described. We prospectively enrolled and followed up 23 patients, who received single-level arthroplasty with ProDisc-C, for 5 years after the operation. The patients who developed grade 3 or 4 HO were classified into the "high-grade HO group," whereas the patients with grade 0, 1, or 2 HO were classified into the "low-grade HO group." We compared the postoperative changes in the range of motion (ROM) and height of the functional segmental unit (FSU) of the implantation segments between the 2 groups. The mean differences in height and ROM of the FSU were 2.59±1.42 mm and 6.7±3.2 degrees in the high-grade HO group, and 0.87±0.72 mm and 3.1±2.8 degrees in the low-grade HO group. The mean differences in height and ROM of the FSU were significantly higher in the high-grade HO group than in the low-grade HO group (P<0.05). After cervical arthroplasty, the height of the FSU and ROM of the implantation segments were significantly increased in the high-grade HO group compared with the low-grade HO group. Overcorrection of the height of the FSU and increase in the ROM of the implantation segment may influence the formation of HOs after cervical arthroplasty.

A Computer-Aided Distinction Method of Borderline Grades of Oral Cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sami, Mustafa M.; Saito, Masahisa; Muramatsu, Shogo; Kikuchi, Hisakazu; Saku, Takashi

We have developed a new computer-aided diagnostic system for differentiating oral borderline malignancies in hematoxylin-eosin stained microscopic images. Epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in-situ (CIS) of oral mucosa are two different borderline grades similar to each other, and it is difficult to distinguish between them. A new image processing and analysis method has been applied to a variety of histopathological features and shows the possibility for differentiating the oral cancer borderline grades automatically. The method is based on comparing the drop-shape similarity level in a particular manually selected pair of neighboring rete ridges. It was found that the considered similarity level in dysplasia was higher than those in epithelial CIS, of which pathological diagnoses were conventionally made by pathologists. The developed image processing method showed a good promise for the computer-aided pathological assessment of oral borderline malignancy differentiation in clinical practice.

Results From Portugal's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Mota, Jorge; E Silva, Manuel Joâo Coelho; Raimundo, Armando M; Sardinha, Luís B

2016-11-01

This article describes the procedures and development of the first Portuguese Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents. Comprehensive searches for data related to indicators of physical activity (PA) were completed by a committee of physical activity and sports specialists. Grades were assigned to each indicator consistent with the process and methodology outlined by the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card model. Nine indicators of PA were graded. The following grades were assigned: Overall Physical Activity Levels, D; Organized Sport Participation, B; Active Play, D; Active Transportation, C; Sedentary Behaviors, D; Family and Peers, C; Schools, B; Community and the Built Environment, D; and Government, C. Portuguese children and adolescents do not reach sufficient physical activity levels and spend larger amounts of time spent in sedentary behaviors compared with recommendations. Effective policies of PA promotion and implementation are needed in different domains of young people's daily lives.

Academic achievement of children and adolescents with oral clefts.

PubMed

Wehby, George L; Collet, Brent; Barron, Sheila; Romitti, Paul A; Ansley, Timothy N; Speltz, Matthew

2014-05-01

Previous studies of academic achievement of children with oral clefts have mostly relied on small, clinic-based samples prone to ascertainment bias. In the first study in the United States to use a population-based sample with direct assessment, we evaluated the academic achievement of children with oral clefts relative to their classmates. Children born with isolated oral clefts in Iowa from 1983 to 2003 were identified from the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders and matched to unaffected classmates by gender, school/school district, and month and year of birth. Academic achievement was assessed by using standardized tests of academic progress developed by the Iowa Testing Programs. Iowa Testing Programs data were linked to birth certificates for all children. Regression models controlled for household demographic and socioeconomic factors. The analytical sample included 588 children with clefts contributing 3735 child-grade observations and 1874 classmates contributing 13 159 child-grade observations. Children with oral clefts had lower scores than their classmates across all domains and school levels, with a 5-percentile difference in the overall composite score. Children with clefts were approximately one-half grade level behind their classmates and had higher rates of academic underachievement and use of special education services by 8 percentage points. Group differences were slightly lower but remained large and significant after adjusting for many background characteristics. Children with oral clefts underperformed across all academic areas and grade levels compared with their classmates. The results support a model of early testing and intervention among affected children to identify and reduce academic deficits. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The diagnostic accuracy of multiparametric MRI to determine pediatric brain tumor grades and types.

PubMed

Koob, Mériam; Girard, Nadine; Ghattas, Badih; Fellah, Slim; Confort-Gouny, Sylviane; Figarella-Branger, Dominique; Scavarda, Didier

2016-04-01

Childhood brain tumors show great histological variability. The goal of this retrospective study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of multimodal MR imaging (diffusion, perfusion, MR spectroscopy) in the distinction of pediatric brain tumor grades and types. Seventy-six patients (range 1 month to 18 years) with brain tumors underwent multimodal MR imaging. Tumors were categorized by grade (I-IV) and by histological type (A-H). Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of single and combined MR modalities, and of single imaging parameters to distinguish the different groups. The highest diagnostic accuracy for tumor grading was obtained with diffusion-perfusion (73.24%) and for tumor typing with diffusion-perfusion-MR spectroscopy (55.76%). The best diagnostic accuracy was obtained for tumor grading in I and IV and for tumor typing in embryonal tumor and pilocytic astrocytoma. Poor accuracy was seen in other grades and types. ADC and rADC were the best parameters for tumor grading and typing followed by choline level with an intermediate echo time, CBV for grading and Tmax for typing. Multiparametric MR imaging can be accurate in determining tumor grades (primarily grades I and IV) and types (mainly pilocytic astrocytomas and embryonal tumors) in children.

The development of a test of biodiversity knowledge of high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajayi, Olabisi Modupe

2002-09-01

The primary purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable test of the knowledge of biodiversity of high school students. The test differentiated students' knowledge on three levels of biodiversity: species, ecosystem and genetics. A secondary purpose was to examine how biodiversity scores were affected by gender, grade point average, and families' socioeconomic status. The initial phase of the instrument development involved the construction of 60 dichotomous items (true/false). To establish content validity, a panel of biodiversity experts reviewed the items for appropriateness and clarity. The items were checked for readability using Flesch-Kincaid Readability Index and the readability was at the fifth grade level. The instrument was subjected to factor analysis. As a result, the final instrument was compiled and named the Ajayi Biodiversity Instrument (ABI). The reliability of ABI was .87. The mean score on the 25-item test was 79%. No significant difference at >0.05 was found in the score of students on each of the three subtests for genetics, species, and ecosystem. No significant difference was found in the score of students relative to their family's socioeconomic status. There was a significant correlation between grade point average and participation in extracurricular activities that related to biodiversity concepts and scores on ABI. Gender differences emerged at the ecosystem level, females scoring higher than males. Differences among ethnic groups also emerged. Anglo-Americans scored significantly higher on the test of knowledge of biodiversity for high school students than the rest of the ethnic groups combined.

Political efficacy in adolescence: Development, gender differences, and outcome relations.

PubMed

Arens, A Katrin; Watermann, Rainer

2017-05-01

The present study focuses on political efficacy in terms of students' competence self-perceptions related to the domain of politics. The investigation addresses the mean level development and longitudinal relations to outcome variables including gender differences. Drawing on a sample of N = 2,504 German students, political efficacy, along with meaningful outcome variables (i.e., political information behavior, political knowledge, and interest in politics), was measured at 2 measurement points, once in Grade 7 and once in Grade 10. Students' mean levels of political efficacy increased from the first to the second measurement point, and boys consistently displayed higher levels. Political efficacy demonstrated reciprocal relations to political information behavior and political knowledge, and showed a unidirectional relation to interest in politics across time. The pattern of outcome relations was invariant across gender. This study contributes to research and theory on political socialization in adolescence as it outlines temporal relations among, and gender differences in, facets of political socialization. Therefore, this study also offers new practical insights into effectively facilitating political education in adolescent students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Increased expression of stathmin and elongation factor 1α in precancerous nodules with telomere dysfunction in hepatitis B viral cirrhotic patients

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Telomere dysfunction is important in carcinogenesis, and recently, stathmin and elongation factor 1α (EF1α) were reported to be up-regulated in telomere dysfunctional mice. Methods In the present study, the expression levels of stathmin and EF1α in relation to telomere length, telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIF), γ-H2AX, and p21WAF1/CIP1 expression were assessed in specimens of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, including 13 liver cirrhosis specimens, 14 low-grade dysplastic nodules (DN), 17 high-grade DNs, and 14 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Five normal liver specimens were used as controls. TIF were analyzed by telomere fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) combined with immunostaining, while the protein expressions of stathmin, EF1α, γ-H2AX, and p21WAF1/CIP1 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Result The expressions of stathmin and EF1α gradually increased as multistep hepatocarcinogenesis progressed, showing the highest levels in HCC. Stathmin mRNA levels were higher in high-grade DNs than normal liver and liver cirrhosis, whereas EF1α mRNA expression did not show such a difference. The protein expressions of stathmin and EF1α were found in DNs of precancerous lesions, whereas they were absent or present at very low levels in normal liver and liver cirrhosis. Stathmin histoscores were higher in high-grade DNs and low-grade DNs than in normal liver (all, P < 0.05). EF1α histoscores were higher in high-grade DNs than in normal liver and liver cirrhosis (all, P < 0.05). Stathmin mRNA levels and histoscores, as well as EF1α histoscores (but not mRNA levels), were positively correlated with telomere shortening and γ-H2AX labeling index (all, P < 0.05). EF1α histoscores were also positively correlated with TIF (P < 0.001). Significantly greater inactivation of p21WAF1/CIP1 was observed in low-grade DNs, high-grade DNs, and HCC, compared to liver cirrhosis (all, P < 0.05). p21WAF1/CIP1 labeling index was inversely correlated with TIF, stathmin mRNA level, and EF1α histoscore (all, P < 0.05). Conclusion Stathmin and EF1α are suggested to be closely related to telomere dysfunction, DNA damage, and inactivation of p21WAF1/CIP1 in HBV-related multistep hepatocarcinogenesis. Accordingly, assessment of stathmin and EF1α levels as a reflection of telomere dysfunction may be helpful in evaluating the biological characteristics of precancerous hepatic nodules in hepatitis B viral cirrhotic patients. PMID:24885363

Increased expression of stathmin and elongation factor 1α in precancerous nodules with telomere dysfunction in hepatitis B viral cirrhotic patients.

PubMed

Ahn, Ei Yong; Yoo, Jeong Eun; Rhee, Hyungjin; Kim, Myung Soo; Choi, Junjeong; Ko, Jung Eun; Lee, Jee San; Park, Young Nyun

2014-05-31

Telomere dysfunction is important in carcinogenesis, and recently, stathmin and elongation factor 1α (EF1α) were reported to be up-regulated in telomere dysfunctional mice. In the present study, the expression levels of stathmin and EF1α in relation to telomere length, telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIF), γ-H2AX, and p21WAF1/CIP1 expression were assessed in specimens of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, including 13 liver cirrhosis specimens, 14 low-grade dysplastic nodules (DN), 17 high-grade DNs, and 14 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Five normal liver specimens were used as controls. TIF were analyzed by telomere fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) combined with immunostaining, while the protein expressions of stathmin, EF1α, γ-H2AX, and p21WAF1/CIP1 were detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of stathmin and EF1α gradually increased as multistep hepatocarcinogenesis progressed, showing the highest levels in HCC. Stathmin mRNA levels were higher in high-grade DNs than normal liver and liver cirrhosis, whereas EF1α mRNA expression did not show such a difference. The protein expressions of stathmin and EF1α were found in DNs of precancerous lesions, whereas they were absent or present at very low levels in normal liver and liver cirrhosis. Stathmin histoscores were higher in high-grade DNs and low-grade DNs than in normal liver (all, P<0.05). EF1α histoscores were higher in high-grade DNs than in normal liver and liver cirrhosis (all, P<0.05). Stathmin mRNA levels and histoscores, as well as EF1α histoscores (but not mRNA levels), were positively correlated with telomere shortening and γ-H2AX labeling index (all, P<0.05). EF1α histoscores were also positively correlated with TIF (P<0.001). Significantly greater inactivation of p21WAF1/CIP1 was observed in low-grade DNs, high-grade DNs, and HCC, compared to liver cirrhosis (all, P<0.05). p21WAF1/CIP1 labeling index was inversely correlated with TIF, stathmin mRNA level, and EF1α histoscore (all, P<0.05). Stathmin and EF1α are suggested to be closely related to telomere dysfunction, DNA damage, and inactivation of p21WAF1/CIP1 in HBV-related multistep hepatocarcinogenesis. Accordingly, assessment of stathmin and EF1α levels as a reflection of telomere dysfunction may be helpful in evaluating the biological characteristics of precancerous hepatic nodules in hepatitis B viral cirrhotic patients.

Using student motivation to design groups in a non-majors biology course for team-based collaborative learning: Impacts on knowledge, views, attitudes, and perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walters, Kristi L.

The importance of student motivation and its connection to other learning variables (i.e., attitudes, knowledge, persistence, attendance) is well established. Collaborative work at the undergraduate level has been recognized as a valuable tool in large courses. However, motivation and collaborative group work have rarely been combined. This project utilized student motivation to learn biology to place non-major biology undergraduates in collaborative learning groups at East Carolina University, a mid-sized southeastern American university, to determine the effects of this construct on student learning. A pre-test measuring motivation to learn biology, attitudes toward biology, perceptions of biology and biologists, views of science, and content knowledge was administered. A similar post-test followed as part of the final exam. Two sections of the same introductory biology course (n = 312) were used and students were divided into homogeneous and heterogeneous groups (based on their motivation score). The heterogeneous groups (n = 32) consisted of a mixture of different motivation levels, while the homogeneous groups (n = 32) were organized into teams with similar motivation scores using tiers of high-, middle-, and low-level participants. Data analysis determined mixed perceptions of biology and biologists. These include the perceptions biology was less intriguing, less relevant, less practical, less ethical, and less understandable. Biologists were perceived as being neat and slightly intelligent, but not very altruistic, humane, ethical, logical, honest, or moral. Content knowledge scores more than doubled from pre- to post-test. Half of the items measuring views of science were not statistically significantly different from pre- to post-test. Many of the factors for attitudes toward biology became more agreeable from pre- to post-test. Correlations between motivation scores, participation levels, attendance rates, and final course grades were examined at both the individual and group level. Motivation had low correlations with the other variables. Changes in group membership (i.e., attrition) were evaluated at the group level and showed the highest rates with the heterogeneous groups and the lowest with the homogeneous middle groups. Group gender ratios were examined, but showed no correlation with final course grade. Linear regression was utilized to identify any variables that might be useful in predicting the final course grade of each student. Only participation, attendance, and final exam grade were predictive, but as they were components of the final course grade, they were not useful for the model. Differences between the groups were also examined to determine if the group type was predictive of final course grade, but no significant difference was found. Results of the study are discussed in the context of the literature on student motivation to learn science. Implications of the study are discussed through the lens of the Millennial generation's perspectives on teaching and learning. Millennials often consider an education to be a commodity and may expect results with less effort. Millennials may be expressing a pseudo-intrinsic motivation in order to impress peers and instructors, while they may actually be more extrinsically motivated to succeed

Post-hepatectomy haemorrhage: a definition and grading by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS).

PubMed

Rahbari, Nuh N; Garden, O James; Padbury, Robert; Maddern, Guy; Koch, Moritz; Hugh, Thomas J; Fan, Sheung Tat; Nimura, Yuji; Figueras, Joan; Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas; Rees, Myrddin; Adam, Rene; Dematteo, Ronald P; Greig, Paul; Usatoff, Val; Banting, Simon; Nagino, Masato; Capussotti, Lorenzo; Yokoyama, Yukihiro; Brooke-Smith, Mark; Crawford, Michael; Christophi, Christopher; Makuuchi, Masatoshi; Büchler, Markus W; Weitz, Jürgen

2011-08-01

A standardized definition of post-hepatectomy haemorrhage (PHH) has not yet been established. An international study group of hepatobiliary surgeons from high-volume centres was convened and a definition of PHH was developed together with a grading of severity considering the impact on patients' clinical management. The definition of PHH varies strongly within the hepatic surgery literature. PHH is defined as a drop in haemoglobin level > 3 g/dl post-operatively compared with the post-operative baseline level and/or any post-operative transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) for a falling haemoglobin and/or the need for radiological intervention (such as embolization) and/or re-laparotomy to stop bleeding. Evidence of intra-abdominal bleeding should be obtained by imaging or blood loss via the abdominal drains if present. Transfusion of up to two units of PRBC is considered as being Grade A PHH. Grade B PHH requires transfusion of more than two units of PRBC, whereas the need for invasive re-intervention such as embolization and/ or re-laparotomy defines Grade C PHH. The proposed definition and grading of severity of PHH enables valid comparisons of results from different studies. It is easily applicable in clinical routine and should be applied in future trials to standardize reporting of complications. © 2011 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Glutathione-S-transferase-oxidative stress relationship in the internal spermatic vein blood of infertile men with varicocele.

PubMed

Mostafa, T; Rashed, L A; Zeidan, A S; Hosni, A

2015-02-01

This study aimed to assess glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzyme- oxidative stress (OS) relationship in the internal spermatic vein (ISV) of infertile men associated with varicocele (Vx). Ninety five infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospemic (OAT) men associated with Vx were subjected to history taking, clinical examination and semen analysis. During inguinal varicocelectomy, GST, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were estimated in the blood samples drawn from ISV and median cubital veins. The mean levels of GST, GPx were significantly decreased and the mean level of GPx was significantly increased in the ISV compared with the peripheral blood. The mean level of GST and GPx in the ISV was significantly decreased, and the mean level of MDA was significantly increased in Vx grade III compared with Vx grade II cases. There was nonsignificant difference in the mean level of GST in the ISV in unilateral Vx cases compared with bilateral Vx cases. There was significant positive correlation of GST with sperm count, sperm motility, GPx and significant negative correlation with sperm abnormal forms, MDA. It is concluded that ISV of infertile men associated with Vx has decreased levels of GST compared with peripheral venous circulation that is correlated with both OS and Vx grade. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Art. Elementary Teacher Resource, 1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton.

Designed to accompany the "Elementary Art Curriculum Guide," this resource is divided into 3 levels: level 1 grades 1-2, level 2 grades 3-4, and level 3 grades 5-6. The material is presented in a standardized format which includes four major components: reflection, depiction, composition, and expression. Once a concept has been chosen,…

School Violence and the Law.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopecky, Frank

Organized around the theme of school violence, this booklet provides teachers and lawyers with classroom materials for elementary grades 4-6 (Level A), intermediate grades 6-8 (Level B), and high school grades 9-12 (Level C). In addition, each level contains pages for the lawyer (marked by the scales of justice), the teacher (an apple), and the…

The impact of prematurity and maternal socioeconomic status and education level on achievement-test scores up to 8th grade.

PubMed

ElHassan, Nahed O; Bai, Shasha; Gibson, Neal; Holland, Greg; Robbins, James M; Kaiser, Jeffrey R

2018-01-01

The relative influence of prematurity vs. maternal social factors (socioeconomic status and education level) on academic performance has rarely been examined. To examine the impact of prematurity and maternal social factors on academic performance from 3rd through 8th grade. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants born in 1998 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The study sample included 58 extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs, 23‒<28 weeks), 171 preterm (≥28‒<34 weeks), 228 late preterm (≥34‒<37 weeks), and 967 term ((≥37‒<42 weeks) infants. Neonatal and maternal variables were collected including maternal insurance status (proxy measure for socioeconomic status) and education level. The primary outcomes were literacy and mathematics achievement-test scores from 3rd through 8th grade. Linear mixed models were used to identify significant predictors of academic performance. All two-way interactions between grade level, gestational-age (GA) groups, and social factors were tested for statistical significance. Prematurity, social factors, gender, race, gravidity, and Apgar score at one minute were critical determinants of academic performance. Favorable social factors were associated with a significant increase in both literacy and mathematic scores, while prematurity was associated with a significant decrease in mathematic scores. Examination of GA categories and social factors interaction suggested that the impact of social factors on test scores was similar for all GA groups. Furthermore, the impact of social factors varied from grade to grade for literacy, while the influence of either GA groups or social factors was constant across grades for mathematics. For example, an ELGAN with favorable social factors had a predicted literacy score 104.1 (P <.001), 98.2 (P <.001), and 76.4 (P <.01) points higher than an otherwise similar disadvantaged term infant at grades 3, 5, and 8, respectively. The difference in their predicted mathematic scores was 33.4 points for all grades (P <.05). While there were significant deficits in academic performance for ELGANs compared to PT, LPT, and term infants, the deficit could be offset by higher SES and better-educated mothers. These favorable social factors were critical to a child's academic achievement. The role of socioeconomic factors should be incorporated in discussions on outcome with families of preterm infants.

Responses to the Tiles and Sides Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Melfried; Olson, Judith

2001-01-01

Discusses the Tiles and Sides problem from the December 2000 issue. Indicates that this problem is accessible to students at different grade levels. Presents samples of student responses and their teachers' analysis. (KHR)

The Level of Creative Abilities Dimensions According to Torrance Formal Test (B) and Their Relationship with Some Variables (Sex, Age, GPA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awamleh, Habis; Al Farah, Yacoub; El-Zraigat, Ibrahim

2012-01-01

This study aimed to identify the level of dimensions for creative abilities (originality, flexibility, originality, elaboration) among students in Al Rai Jordanian schools according to Torrance Formal test, and to investigate the differences in these levels attributable to the study variables (gender, age, grade point average "GPA"). The…

Readability Formulas and User Perceptions of Electronic Health Records Difficulty: A Corpus Study

PubMed Central

Yu, Hong

2017-01-01

Background Electronic health records (EHRs) are a rich resource for developing applications to engage patients and foster patient activation, thus holding a strong potential to enhance patient-centered care. Studies have shown that providing patients with access to their own EHR notes may improve the understanding of their own clinical conditions and treatments, leading to improved health care outcomes. However, the highly technical language in EHR notes impedes patients’ comprehension. Numerous studies have evaluated the difficulty of health-related text using readability formulas such as Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning-Fog Index (GFI). They conclude that the materials are often written at a grade level higher than common recommendations. Objective The objective of our study was to explore the relationship between the aforementioned readability formulas and the laypeople’s perceived difficulty on 2 genres of text: general health information and EHR notes. We also validated the formulas’ appropriateness and generalizability on predicting difficulty levels of highly complex technical documents. Methods We collected 140 Wikipedia articles on diabetes and 242 EHR notes with diabetes International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code. We recruited 15 Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) users to rate difficulty levels of the documents. Correlations between laypeople’s perceived difficulty levels and readability formula scores were measured, and their difference was tested. We also compared word usage and the impact of medical concepts of the 2 genres of text. Results The distributions of both readability formulas’ scores (P<.001) and laypeople’s perceptions (P=.002) on the 2 genres were different. Correlations of readability predictions and laypeople’s perceptions were weak. Furthermore, despite being graded at similar levels, documents of different genres were still perceived with different difficulty (P<.001). Word usage in the 2 related genres still differed significantly (P<.001). Conclusions Our findings suggested that the readability formulas’ predictions did not align with perceived difficulty in either text genre. The widely used readability formulas were highly correlated with each other but did not show adequate correlation with readers’ perceived difficulty. Therefore, they were not appropriate to assess the readability of EHR notes. PMID:28254738

Leptin status in adolescence is associated with academic performance in high school: a cross-sectional study in a Chilean birth cohort.

PubMed

Correa-Burrows, Paulina; Blanco, Estela; Reyes, Marcela; Castillo, Marcela; Peirano, Patricio; Algarín, Cecilia; Lozoff, Betsy; Gahagan, Sheila; Burrows, Raquel

2016-10-18

Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone associated with learning and memory via brain receptors. However, elevated plasma leptin levels may impair cognitive and memory functions. Since individual differences in memory performance affect students' ability to learn, we aimed to study the relation between leptin status in adolescence and school performance. We studied 568 adolescents aged 16-17 years from Santiago. A cross-sectional analysis was carried out on a birth cohort conducted in Santiago (Chile). We measured serum leptin concentration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cut-offs from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) Study for 16-year-olds were used to define abnormally high leptin levels (hyperleptinaemia). Academic performance was measured using high-school grades and grade point average (GPA). Data were collected in 2009-2012; data analysis was performed in 2014. 15% of participants had hyperleptinaemia. They had significantly lower school grades and GPA compared with participants with normal leptin levels (eg, GPA mean difference=33.8 points). Leptin levels were negative and significantly correlated with school grades in 9th, 10th and 12th. Similarly, it was negatively correlated with high-school GPA. After controlling for health, sociodemographic and education confounders, the chances of having a performance ≥75th centile in students having hyperleptinaemia were 32% (95% CI 0.19% to 0.89%) that of students having normal serum leptin concentration. In high school students, abnormally high levels of leptin were associated with poorer academic performance. These findings support the idea of a relationship between leptin and cognition. Further research is needed on the cognitive effects of leptin in younger populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Controversy in the classroom: How eighth-grade and undergraduate students reason about tradeoffs of genetically modified food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seethaler, Sherry Lynn

Current issues in science provide a rich context for learning because they can involve complex tradeoffs that cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Despite this potential benefit, and the need for citizens to make decisions about such issues, science controversy remains rare in the classroom. Consequently, there is much unknown about how students make sense of complex, multidisciplinary science. This research examined eighth-grade (n = 190) and undergraduate (n = 9) students' reasoning about tradeoffs in the genetically modified food controversy (main study). To extend the findings from the main study, undergraduate students' reasoning was followed as they learned about ten additional science controversies (extension). The studies took place in the context of curricula designed on the basis of the Scaffolded Knowledge Integration Framework, which posits a set of design principles that help students form a rich, integrated network of ideas about a topic. Two new methodologies were developed for this work. The Embedded Perspective of Science Controversy was used to study students' integration of content in their written arguments (main study) and oral and written questions (extension). The Perspective views science controversy as a set of nested levels, where tradeoffs are one of the levels, but connecting to other levels (underlying scientific details, bigger picture context, etc.) is important for the weighing of tradeoffs. A scheme based on Toulmin's (1958) work on argumentation provided a way of comparing the structure of students' arguments. As indicated by pre and post test scores, the curriculum helped both eighth-grade students (t = 11.7, p < 0.0001) and undergraduates (t = 13.9, p < 0.0001) learn about genetically modified food. In their final papers, both eighth-grade and undergraduate students presented evidence for and against their positions, in contrast with prior literature showing individuals have difficulty coming up with evidence against their positions. The students were also moving across the levels in the Embedded Perspective, also in contrast with work that has shown individuals fail to consider tradeoffs in an appropriate context. There were differences in eighth-grade and undergraduate students' reasoning, including how well they weighed tradeoffs. These differences were linked to differences in content knowledge, metacognition, and students' views of what constitutes good evidence.

The Great Balancing Act. Nutrition Comes Alive. Level 4. Nutrition Educator's Guide and Work Sheets, Information Sheets, Story, Letters to Parents. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldron, Laurie

This guide offers a nutrition education program for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. Activities span all grades as well as activities for the specific level. Nutrition education objectives are stated for each grade level: (1) grade four--students will explore how to balance food intake and energy output for overall health and physical…

Difference in the volatile composition of pine-mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake Sing.) according to their grades.

PubMed

Cho, In Hee; Choi, Hyung-Kyoon; Kim, Young-Suk

2006-06-28

The differences in volatile components of pine-mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake Sing.) according to their grades were observed by applying multivariate statistical methods to GC-MS data sets. A total of 35 and 37 volatile components were identified in raw and cooked pine-mushrooms, respectively. The volatile components in pine-mushrooms were primarily composed of C8 species, such as 3-octanol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octanol, (E)-2-octen-1-ol, 3-octanone, 1-octen-3-one, (E)-2-octenal, and octanoic acid. The levels of ethyl octanoate, junipene, and 3-methyl-3-buten-2-one were much higher in raw pine-mushroom of higher grades, whereas the reverse was true for C8 components. On the other hand, furfuryl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, dihydro-5-methyl-2(3H)-furanone, 2(5H)-furanone, (E)-2-methyl-2-butenal, furfural, phenylacetaldehyde, benzoic acid methyl ester, camphene, and beta-pinene were the major components of cooked mushrooms. These volatile components formed by various thermal reactions could be mainly responsible for the difference in volatile components of cooked pine-mushrooms according to their grades.

The role of radiotherapy in the management of patients with diffuse low grade glioma: A systematic review and evidence-based clinical practice guideline.

PubMed

Ryken, Timothy C; Parney, Ian; Buatti, John; Kalkanis, Steven N; Olson, Jeffrey J

2015-12-01

(1) What is the optimal role of external beam radiotherapy in the management of adult patients with newly diagnosed low-grade glioma (LGG) in terms of improving outcome (i.e., survival, complications, seizure control or other reported outcomes of interest)? (2) Which radiation strategies (dose, timing, fractionation, stereotactic radiation, brachytherapy, chemotherapy) improve outcomes compared to standard external beam radiation therapy in the initial management of low grade gliomas in adults? (3) Do specific factors (e.g., age, volume, extent of resection, genetic subtype) identify subgroups with better outcomes following radiation therapy than the general population of adults with newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas? These recommendations apply to adults with newly diagnosed diffuse LGG. OUTCOMES IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED LOW GRADE GLIOMA TREATED WITH RADIOTHERAPY: Level I Radiotherapy is recommended in the management of newly diagnosed low-grade glioma in adults to prolong progression free survival, irrespective of extent of resection. Level II Radiotherapy is recommended in the management of newly diagnosed low grade glioma in adults as an equivalent alternative to observation in preserving cognitive function, irrespective of extent of resection. Level III Radiotherapy is recommended in the management of newly diagnosed low grade glioma in adults to improve seizure control in patients with epilepsy and subtotal resection. Level III Radiotherapy is recommended in the management of newly diagnosed low-grade glioma in adults to prolong overall survival in patients with subtotal resection. Level III Consideration of the risk of radiation induced morbidity, including cognitive decline, imaging abnormalities, metabolic dysfunction and malignant transformation, is recommended when the delivery of radiotherapy is selected in the management of newly diagnosed low-grade glioma in adults. STRATEGIES OF RADIOTHERAPY IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED LOW GRADE GLIOMA: Level I Lower dose radiotherapy is recommended as an equivalent alternative to higher dose immediate postoperative radiotherapy (45-50.4 vs. 59.4-64.8 Gy) in the management of newly diagnosed low-grade glioma in adults with reduced toxicity. Level III Delaying radiotherapy until recurrence or progression is recommended as an equivalent alternative to immediate postoperative radiotherapy in the management of newly diagnosed low-grade glioma in adults but may result in shorter time to progression. Level III The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy is not recommended over whole brain radiotherapy alone in the management of low-grade glioma, as it provides no additional survival benefit. Level III Limited-field radiotherapy is recommended over whole brain radiotherapy in the management of low-grade glioma. Level III Either stereotactic radiosurgery or brachytherapy are recommended as acceptable alternatives to external radiotherapy in selected patients. PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED LOW GRADE GLIOMA TREATED WITH RADIOTHERAPY: Level II It is recommended that age greater than 40 years, astrocytic pathology, diameter greater than 6 cm, tumor crossing the midline and preoperative neurological deficit be considered as negative prognostic indicators when predicting overall survival in adult low grade glioma patients treated with radiotherapy. Level II It is recommended that smaller tumor size, extent of surgical resection and higher mini-mental status exam be considered as positive prognostic indicators when predicting overall survival and progression free survival in patients in adult low grade glioma patients treated with radiotherapy. Level III It is recommended that seizures at presentation, presence of oligodendroglial histological component and 1p19q deletion (along with additional relevant factors-see Table 1) be considered as positive prognostic indicators when predicting response to radiotherapy in adults with low grade gliomas. Level III It is recommended that increasing age, decreasing performance status, decreasing cognition, presence of astrocytic histological component (along with additional relevant factors (see Tables 1, 2) be considered as negative prognostic indicators when predicting response to radiotherapy.

Diagnostic performance of 68Gallium-PSMA-11 PET/CT to detect significant prostate cancer and comparison with 18FEC PET/CT.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Manuela A; Miederer, Matthias; Wieler, Helmut J; Ruf, Christian; Jakobs, Frank M; Schreckenberger, Mathias

2017-12-19

Radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has proven to be a highly accurate method to detect recurrence and metastases of prostate cancer, but only sparse data is available about its performance in the diagnosis of clinically significant primary prostate cancer. We compared 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in 25 patients with 18 FEC PET/CT in 40 patients with suspected prostate carcinoma based on an increased PSA level.The PET/CT results were compared with the histopathologic Gleason Score (GS) of biopsies. The 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT revealed highly suspect prostatic lesions (maximum standardized uptake value/SUV max >2.5) in 21/25 patients (84%), associated with GS≥6 (low-grade/high-grade carcinoma). Two histopathologic non-malignancy-relevant cases (GS<6) had PSMA-SUV max ≤2.5; all histopathologic high-grade cases (GS≥7b) showed PSMA-SUV max >12.0 which further increased with rising GS. There were 2 false positives and no false negative findings for high-grade prostate cancer using a cut off-level for SUV max of 2.5.In contrast, the 18 FEC PET/CT showed suspected malignant lesions in 38/40 patients (95%), which included 3 lesions with GS<6. The mean SUV max values did not differ with different GS. There were 11 false positives and 1 false negative for detection of high-grade prostate cancer (cut off 2.5).By means of ROC analysis a SUV max of 5.4 was found to be an optimal cut off-level to distinguish between low- and high-grade carcinoma in 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (AUC=0.9692; 95% CI 0.9086;1.0000;SD(AUC)=0.0309)). Choosing a cut off-level of SUV max 5.4, 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT was able to distinguish between GS ≤7a/≥7b with a sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 100%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 67%, and an efficiency of 88% ( p <0.001).The ROC analysis revealed a SUV max 6.5 as an optimal cut off-level to distinguish between low- and high-grade carcinoma in 18 FEC PET/CT (AUC=0.7470; 95% CI 0.5919;0.9020;SD(AUC)=0.0791) with a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 92%; but the efficiency was only 70% and the NPV 50% ( p =0.01). 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT guided biopsy of the prostate increases diagnostic precision and is likely to help to reduce overtreatment of low-grade malignant disease as well as detect the foci of the highest Gleason pattern. Both methods ( 68 Ga-PSMA-11, 18 FEC) were suitable to detect primary prostate cancer, but the excellent image quality, the higher specificity and the good correlation of positive scans with GS are advantages of 68 Ga-PSMA-11.

Are we effectively informing patients? A quantitative analysis of on-line patient education resources from the American Society of Neuroradiology.

PubMed

Hansberry, D R; Agarwal, N; Gonzales, S F; Baker, S R

2014-07-01

The ubiquitous use of the Internet by the public in an attempt to better understand their health care requires the on-line resources written at an appropriate level to maximize comprehension for the average user. The National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association recommend on-line patient education resources written at a third-to-seventh grade level. We evaluated the readability of the patient education resources provided on the Web site of the American Society of Neuroradiology (http://www.asnr.org/patientinfo/). All patient education material from the ASNR Web site and the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web site were downloaded and evaluated with the computer software, Readability Studio Professional Edition, by using 10 quantitative readability scales: the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall, FORCAST Formula, Fry Graph, Raygor Reading Estimate, and New Fog Count. An unpaired t test was used to compare the readability level of resources available on the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web sites. The 20 individual patient education articles were written at a 13.9 ± 1.4 grade level with only 5% written at <11th grade level. There was no statistical difference between the level of readability of the resources on the American Society of Neuroradiology and Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web sites. The patient education resources on these Web sites fail to meet the guidelines of the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association. Members of the public may fail to fully understand these resources and would benefit from revisions that result in more comprehensible information cast in simpler language. © 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

The Impact of School Environment and Grade Level on Student Delinquency: A Multilevel Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Celia C.; Kim, Young S.; Allen, Thomas M.; Allen, Andrea N.; Minugh, P. Allison; Lomuto, Nicoletta

2011-01-01

Effects on delinquency made by grade level, school type (based on grade levels accommodated), and prosocial school climate were assessed, controlling for individual-level risk and protective factors. Data were obtained from the Substance Abuse Services Division of Alabama's state mental health agency and analyzed via hierarchical linear modeling,…

High Interest - Low Vocabulary Science Books, Reading Level Grades 1-4 (Prepared for the Remedial Reading Teacher).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gott, Margaret E., Comp.; Wailes, James R., Comp.

This booklist is intended for elementary school science students with high interest and low vocabulary skills. The Spache Readability Scale, Dale-Chall formula, sentence structure, paragraph flow, illustration, and diagram analysis or publishers stated grade level were used to determine grade level designations. The included interest level varies…

Assessing the Readability of Online Information About Hip Arthroscopy.

PubMed

Mehta, Manish P; Swindell, Hasani W; Westermann, Robert W; Rosneck, James T; Lynch, T Sean

2018-04-06

To investigate the current readability of online information pertaining to hip arthroscopy. The terms "hip arthroscopy" and "hip scope" were entered into the advanced search functions of Google, Yahoo!, and Bing on March 25, 2017, and results from the first 3 pages were analyzed. Results were required to be unique, accessible websites with information about hip arthroscopy conveyed primarily via analyzable text. Two reviewers applied inclusion criteria to the initial 97 results, discussing to reach consensus in cases of disagreement. Overall, 60 unique results were reviewed with 48 meeting inclusion criteria. Websites were categorized as physician-sponsored, academic, commercial, governmental and nonprofit organization (NPO), or unspecified. Readability was measured via 6 different indices: the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Gunning Fog Score, SMOG Index, Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), and Automated Readability Index (ARI) along with an average grade level and readability classification score. Forty-eight unique websites were assessed for readability, with physician-sponsored webpages composing the majority (47.92%) followed by academic sources (35.42%). The webpages' average grade level, incorporating information from all 6 metrics, was 12.79 ± 1.98. The current readability of online information pertaining to hip arthroscopy is at an inappropriately high reading level compared with the sixth-grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health, thus introducing significant barriers to understanding for many patients. Online materials should be edited to reduce word and sentence length and complexity, use simpler terms, and minimize use of passive voice to facilitate patient knowledge acquisition and understanding of online information about hip arthroscopy. This study shows that the current readability of online information on hip arthroscopy exceeds the suggested sixth-grade reading level. It also emphasizes the need for simplifying written materials and offers specific suggestions on doing so to increase accessibility of information for patients. Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in food preferences of school-aged children and adolescents.

PubMed

Caine-Bish, Natalie L; Scheule, Barbara

2009-11-01

Schools have the opportunity, through the National School Lunch Program and Local School Wellness Policies, to have a significant impact on healthy eating behaviors. An understanding of children's and adolescents' food preferences in relation to gender and age will facilitate the successful creation of both healthy and financially viable school menus. The purpose of this study was to identify food preferences with respect to gender of school-age children and adolescents in an Ohio school district. A survey was administered to 1818 3rd- to 12th-grade students in 1 rural northeast Ohio school district. Students filled out an anonymous questionnaire about their preferences for 80 different foods using a 5-point rating scale. The student data were grouped according to school level attended: elementary (3rd-6th), middle (7th-8th), and high school (9th-12th). An exploratory factor analysis identified entrée and side dish factors. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure each factor's internal reliability. Differences in mean scores by gender and grade for each of the entrée and side dish factors by gender and grade were identified using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Boys preferred the meat, fish, and poultry foods over girls; girls preferred fruits and vegetables over boys (p < .05). Furthermore, gender differences in preferences were also demonstrated with respect to school level. Food preferences differed between genders and these gender differences varied among elementary, middle, and high school students. Gender differences should be considered when providing food choices to boys and girls at all ages.

Behavioral and Academic Differences between an Inclusive and Non-Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatch, Sherry Lynn

2013-01-01

Although educators continue to provide all students access to their grade-level curriculum, students with disabilities are not performing academically in accordance with state standards. The purpose of this sequential transformative mixed methods study was to investigate academic and/or behavioral differences between an inclusion classroom and a…

Secondary School Counselors As Their Students See Them At Different Grade Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCandless, C. E.; Pope, Henry D.

1976-01-01

In this study of high school student perceptions of counselors, perception most frequently differed between freshmen/sophomores and juniors/seniors. All students perceived the counselor's activities as being primarily directed toward educational and career guidance functions rather than as an assistant with personal problems. (Author/HLM)

5 CFR 330.1104 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... any grade level, offered by the agency (whether competitive or excepted) when the employee applied and... without time limit in any Federal agency at any grade level; (4) When the DC DOC employee voluntarily... official inquiry of availability from the agency for a permanent appointment, at any grade level, offered...

Assessing the Preparedness Level of Incoming Principles of Accounting Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imel, Phillip W.

2000-01-01

Reports that the introductory level Principles of Accounting classes at Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC) had high unsuccessful grade rates between 1989 and 1999. Describes a study conducted to determine whether there was a statistical difference in the test scores and GPA of successful versus unsuccessful accounting students. Finds that…

Cross-Grade Comparison of Students' Conceptual Understanding with Lenses in Geometric Optics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tural, G.

2015-01-01

Students commonly find the field of physics difficult. Therefore, they generally have learning problems. One of the subjects with which they have difficulties is optics within a physics discipline. This study aims to determine students' conceptual understanding levels at different education levels relating to lenses in geometric optics. A…

An Investigation of Pre-Service Science and Mathematics Teachers' Personal Growth Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Büyükgöze, Hilal

2015-01-01

The current paper primarily aims to investigate pre-service science and mathematics teachers' personal growth initiative levels. The second aim of the study is to examine whether participants' initiative levels differ in relation to their gender, grade, department, perceived academic achievement, and willingness to attend graduate education after…

Differences in Information Mapping Strategies in Left and Right Brain Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauck, LaVerne S., Jr.

The Information Mapping technique was used to present a learning packet, and its usefulness in helping right-brain cerebrally dominant students to achieve the same level of subject mastery as their left-brain counterparts was examined. Reading level, grade point average, and gender were also analyzed. Torrance's "Your Style of Learning and…

Should medical research have a place in future clinical training?

PubMed

Bass, Nicholas J; Vos, Adrian; Woodgate, Sarah

2007-09-01

To determine the attitudes of training grade (Senior House Officer - SHO, Specialist Registrar - SpR) and non-training grade doctors (both Staff Grade and senior or Consultant level) towards the place of research in the curriculum for junior doctors and also the pursuit of research by senior (but non-academic) clinicians. A survey of a range of doctors from differing grades (above) was sent to all doctors of the employing Trust (comprising most of the regional training scheme) with a number of fixed questions but also an opportunity to provide free-text responses. Percentages of the fixed responses were estimated and free-text responses were grouped into main themes and miscellaneous items. Despite much criticism of the current protected research time for higher trainees in psychiatry in the UK and the anticipated abolition of this within the new training structure after August 2007, we found surprising and strong support for structured research training, experience and the opportunity to pursue this at senior level even for non-academic clinical consultants. Urgent review of the new training grade curriculum is needed with emphasis on how to address the research opportunities for trainees and seniors without compromising clinical, teaching and managerial obligations. A better use of such opportunities was strongly supported rather than the proposed abolition, which seems to be fast approaching.

Individual differences in anxiety trajectories from Grades 2 to 8: Impact of the middle school transition.

PubMed

Nelemans, Stefanie A; Hale, William W; Branje, Susan J T; Meeus, Wim H J; Rudolph, Karen D

2017-11-21

This study examined the impact of the middle school transition on general anxiety trajectories from middle childhood to middle adolescence, as well as how youths' individual vulnerability and exposure to contextual stressors were associated with anxiety trajectories. Participants were 631 youth (47% boys, M age = 7.96 years at Time 1), followed for 7 successive years from second to eighth grade. Teachers reported on youths' individual vulnerability to anxiety (anxious solitude) in second grade; youth reported on their anxiety in second to eighth grade and aspects of their social contexts particularly relevant to the school transition (school hassles, peer victimization, parent-child relationship quality, and friendship quality) in sixth to eighth grade. The results revealed two subgroups that showed either strongly increasing (5%) or decreasing (14%) levels of anxiety across the transition and two subgroups with fairly stable levels of either high (11%) or low (70%) anxiety over time. Youth in the latter two subgroups could be distinguished based on their individual vulnerability to anxiety, whereas youth with increasing anxiety reported more contextual stressors and less contextual support than youth with decreasing anxiety. In sum, findings suggest that the middle school transition has the potential to alter developmental trajectories of anxiety for some youth, for better or for worse.

Patterns of parenting during adolescence: perceptions of adolescents and parents.

PubMed

Paulson, S E; Sputa, C L

1996-01-01

The purposes of this study were (1) to explore differences in maternal and paternal parenting style and parental involvement, (2) to examine the differences between parents' and adolescents' perceptions of parenting style and parental involvement, and (3) to explore the changes in parenting style and parental involvement between the adolescents' ninth and twelfth grade years. Subjects were 244 ninth graders recruited from several school districts in the Southeast and Midwest. Thirty-one subjects participated in a small longitudinal study three years later when they were in the twelfth grade. Measures of maternal and parental demandingness, responsiveness, values toward achievement, involvement in schoolwork, and involvement in school functions, designed for this program of research, were obtained from both adolescents and their parents. Results showed that both adolescents and parents perceived mothers to be more involved in parenting than were fathers during both ninth and twelfth grades. Mothers and fathers were not found to be different regarding their values toward achievement. Additionally, both mothers and fathers perceived themselves to be higher on all aspects of parenting than their adolescents perceived them to be during both ninth and twelfth grades. In the longitudinal study, both adolescents and parents perceived levels of parenting to drop between ninth and twelfth grades, except values toward achievement which did not change. Implications for interpretation of existing research and for considerations of future research are discussed.

Another look at the safety effects of horizontal curvature on rural two-lane highways.

PubMed

Saleem, Taha; Persaud, Bhagwant

2017-09-01

Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) are used to represent the effects on crashes of changes to highway design elements and are usually obtained from observational studies based on reported crashes. The design element of interest for this paper is horizontal curvature on rural 2-lane highways. The data for this study came from the Washington State database in the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS). Crash prediction models are developed for curve sections on rural 2-lane highway and the tangent sections up- and down-stream of the curve sections. Different negative binomial models were developed for segments on level grades (<3%), moderate grades (3-6%), and steep grades (>6%) to account for the confounding effects of gradient. The relationships between crashes at different traffic volumes and deflection angles are explored to illustrate how to get estimates of CMFs for increases in the minimum radius, considering the effect of increased tangent length for sharper curves, an effect that is overlooked in the Highway Safety Manual CMF, in addition to the effect of gradient. The results of that exploration indicated that even at different design speeds and deflection angles, the CMF estimates for incremental increases in radius lie within the same range, and that the crash reduction rate (CRR) is higher at segments on higher grades compared to the ones on lower grades. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teachers' Promotion or Inhibition of Children's Aggression Depends on Peer-Group Characteristics.

PubMed

Peets, Kätlin; Kikas, Eve

2017-01-01

Researchers have increasingly started to pay attention to how contextual factors, such as the classroom peer context and the quality of student-teacher interactions, influence children's aggressive behavior. This longitudinal study was designed to examine the degree to which benefits and costs of different teaching practices (child-centered and child-dominated) would be dependent on the initial peer-group composition (aggregate levels of aggression and victimization at the beginning of first grade). Teachers provided ratings of aggression and victimization (N = 523 first-grade students; M age at the beginning of first grade = 7.49 years, SD = 0.52). Information about different teaching practices was obtained via observations. Our results show that whereas child-centered practices are beneficial in high-victimization classrooms, child-dominated practices inhibit the development of aggression in low-victimization classroom contexts. Our findings highlight the importance of moving beyond main-effect models to studying how different contextual influences interact to promote, or inhibit, the development of aggression.

Activities with Antlions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrott, Annette

2000-01-01

Introduces a 2-day laboratory experiment on scientific inquiry and the environment. Studies antlion classification and investigates anatomy, habitat, life cycle, behavior, and other properties of antlions. Adapted for different grade levels and includes a scientific journal report. (YDS)

Adjuvant tamoxifen influences the lipid profile in breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Lin, Che; Chen, Li-Sheng; Kuo, Shou-Jen; Chen, Dar-Ren

2014-02-01

Currently there is a debate regarding whether tamoxifen used in breast cancer has an impact on lipid profiles. The aim of this study was to determine whether tamoxifen has an impact on the serum lipid profile in Taiwanese women. Data of 109 patients were collected from the routine clinical follow-up for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who were treated between July 2005 and March 2008. These patients were divided into 2 subgroups, based on their tumor grade and lymph node status. Subgroup 1 patients had tumor grade I/II and a negative lymph node status. Those patients with tumor grade III or a positive lymph node status were defined as subgroup 2. In the 109 patients, the mean serum total cholesterol (TC) levels after tamoxifen treatment, as well as the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, were lower than the baseline levels, with statistically significant differences. Treatment with tamoxifen lowered the serum TC and LDL-C levels in both subgroups. The results indicate that tamoxifen has an impact on the serum lipid profile of breast cancer patients in Taiwan. Physicians should follow up the lipid profile in these patients.

The effects of graded levels of calorie restriction: XI. Evaluation of the main hypotheses underpinning the life extension effects of CR using the hepatic transcriptome.

PubMed

Derous, Davina; Mitchell, Sharon E; Wang, Lu; Green, Cara L; Wang, Yingchun; Chen, Luonan; Han, Jing-Dong J; Promislow, Daniel E L; Lusseau, David; Douglas, Alex; Speakman, John R

2017-07-31

Calorie restriction (CR) may extend longevity by modulating the mechanisms involved in aging. Different hypotheses have been proposed for its main mode of action. We quantified hepatic transcripts of male C57BL/6 mice exposed to graded levels of CR (0% to 40% CR) for three months, and evaluated the responses relative to these various hypotheses. Of the four main signaling pathways implied to be linked to the impact of CR on lifespan (insulin/insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-ĸB), mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and sirtuins (SIRTs)), all the pathways except SIRT were altered in a manner consistent with increased lifespan. However, the expression levels of SIRT4 and SIRT7 were decreased with increasing levels of CR. Changes consistent with altered fuel utilization under CR may reduce reactive oxygen species production, which was paralleled by reduced protection. Downregulated major urinary protein (MUP) transcription suggested reduced reproductive investment. Graded CR had a positive effect on autophagy and xenobiotic metabolism, and was protective with respect to cancer signaling. CR had no significant effect on fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) transcription but affected transcription in the hydrogen sulfide production pathway. Responses to CR were consistent with several different hypotheses, and the benefits of CR on lifespan likely reflect the combined impact on multiple aging related processes.

The effects of graded levels of calorie restriction: XI. Evaluation of the main hypotheses underpinning the life extension effects of CR using the hepatic transcriptome

PubMed Central

Derous, Davina; Mitchell, Sharon E.; Wang, Lu; Green, Cara L.; Wang, Yingchun; Chen, Luonan; Han, Jing-Dong J.; Promislow, Daniel E.L.; Lusseau, David; Douglas, Alex; Speakman, John R.

2017-01-01

Calorie restriction (CR) may extend longevity by modulating the mechanisms involved in aging. Different hypotheses have been proposed for its main mode of action. We quantified hepatic transcripts of male C57BL/6 mice exposed to graded levels of CR (0% to 40% CR) for three months, and evaluated the responses relative to these various hypotheses. Of the four main signaling pathways implied to be linked to the impact of CR on lifespan (insulin/insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-ĸB), mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and sirtuins (SIRTs)), all the pathways except SIRT were altered in a manner consistent with increased lifespan. However, the expression levels of SIRT4 and SIRT7 were decreased with increasing levels of CR. Changes consistent with altered fuel utilization under CR may reduce reactive oxygen species production, which was paralleled by reduced protection. Downregulated major urinary protein (MUP) transcription suggested reduced reproductive investment. Graded CR had a positive effect on autophagy and xenobiotic metabolism, and was protective with respect to cancer signaling. CR had no significant effect on fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) transcription but affected transcription in the hydrogen sulfide production pathway. Responses to CR were consistent with several different hypotheses, and the benefits of CR on lifespan likely reflect the combined impact on multiple aging related processes. PMID:28768896

Readability and suitability assessment of patient education materials in rheumatic diseases.

PubMed

Rhee, Rennie L; Von Feldt, Joan M; Schumacher, H Ralph; Merkel, Peter A

2013-10-01

Web-based patient education materials and printed pamphlets are frequently used by providers to inform patients about their rheumatic disease. Little attention has been given to the readability and appropriateness of patient materials. The objective of this study was to examine the readability and suitability of commonly used patient education materials for osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and vasculitis. Five or 6 popular patient resources for each disease were chosen for evaluation. Readability was measured using the Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level and suitability was determined by the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), a score that considers characteristics such as content, graphics, layout/topography, and cultural appropriateness. Three different reviewers rated the SAM score and means were used in the analysis. Twenty-three resources written on the 4 diseases were evaluated. The education material for all 4 diseases studied had readability above the eighth-grade level and readability did not differ among the diseases. Only 5 of the 23 resources received superior suitability scores, and 3 of these 5 resources were written for OA. All 4 diseases received adequate suitability scores, with OA having the highest mean suitability score. Most patient education materials for rheumatic diseases are written at readability levels above the recommended sixth-grade reading level and have only adequate suitability. Developing more appropriate educational resources for patients with rheumatic diseases may improve patient comprehension. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.

Impact of 1p/19q codeletion on the diagnosis and prognosis of different grades of meningioma.

PubMed

Basaran, Recep; Uslu, Serap; Gucluer, Berrin; Onoz, Mustafa; Isik, Nejat; Tiryaki, Mehmet; Yakicier, Cengiz; Sav, Aydin; Elmaci, Ilhan

2016-10-01

Meningiomas are one of the most common tumours to affect the central nervous system. Genetic mutations are important in meningeal tumourigenesis, progression and prognosis. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of 1p/19q deletion on the diagnosis and prognosis of meningioma subtypes using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. Twenty-four patients with meningioma were retrospectively studied. Tumour samples were obtained from 10 typical, 11 atypical and three anaplastic malignant meningiomas. The most representative tumour sections were screened for 1p/19q deletion using the FISH method. Of the 24 patients, eight were women (33.3%) and 16 (66.7%) were men. The mean age was 56.6 years. The higher-grade meningioma was usually seen in males and had a higher rate of deletion on 1p (p = 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the grades and the rate of deletion on 19q (p = 0.042) and between the grades and the rates of polysomy, monosomy and amplification on 19q (p = 0.002; p = 0.001; p = 0.002, respectively). There was no statistical difference between 1p/19q codeletion and the grades of meningioma (p > 0.05). We detected higher level of Ki-67 in the condition of codeletion but did not find a statistical difference (p = 0.0553). Deletion on 1p, as well as deletion, polysomy, monosomy and amplification on 19q, are detected more frequently in high grade meningiomas. This amplification is most likely due to the amplification of oncogenes.

A Classroom-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Urban Kindergarten and First-Grade Students: A Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Kim, Mimi; Ozuah, Philip O.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: Urban elementary schools in minority communities with high obesity prevalence may have limited resources for physical education (PE) to achieve daily activity recommendations. Little is known whether integrating physical activity (PA) into classrooms can increase activity levels of students attending such schools. Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized, controlled trial among kindergarten and first-grade students from four Bronx, New York, schools to determine feasibility and impact of a classroom-based intervention on students' PA levels. Students in two intervention schools received the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Joining Academics and Movement (CHAM JAM), an audio CD consisting of 10-minute, education-focused aerobic activities led by teachers three times a day. PA was objectively measured by pedometer. Each subject wore a sealed pedometer during the 6-hour school day for 5 consecutive days at baseline (Time 1) and 8 weeks postintervention (Time 2). Hierarchical linear models were fit to evaluate differences in mean number of steps between the two groups. Results: A total of 988 students participated (intervention group, n=500; control group, n=488). There was no significant difference at baseline between the two groups on mean number of steps (2581 [standard deviation (SD), 1284] vs. 2476 [SD, 1180]; P=0.71). Eight weeks post–CHAM JAM, intervention group students took significantly greater mean number of steps than controls (2839 [SD, 1262] vs. 2545 [SD, 1153]; P=0.0048) after adjusting for baseline number of steps and other covariates (grade, gender, recess, and PE class). CHAM JAM was equally effective in gender, grade level, and BMI subgroups. Conclusions: CHAM JAM significantly increased school-based PA among kindergarten and first-grade students in inner-city schools. This approach holds promise as a cost-effective means to integrate the physical and cognitive benefits of PA into high-risk schools. PMID:25747719

[The BK virus load in urine in association with the development of hemorrhagic cystitis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

PubMed

Xie, Ying; Han, Yue; Wu, De-pei; Sun, Ai-ning; Cen, Jian-nong; Yao, Li; Ruan, Chang-geng

2009-08-01

To analyze the relationship between BK viruria and the late onset hemorrhagic cystitis (LOHC) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and investigate the role of BK virus load in the development of LOHC. From August 2006 to April 2008, urine samples were collected weekly from 113 patients undergoing HSCT. Virus DNA were extracted from the urine samples and amplified by qualitative PCR. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to quantify BKV DNA in the urine samples of all BK viruria patients. LOHC occurred in 22 patients (19.5%), including grade 1 in 7, grade 2 in 11, grade 3 in 3, and grade 4 in one. The median onset time was 44 (13 - 114) days after transplantation. Twenty-one of which (95.5%) were BK virus positive, being significantly higher than that in non-LOHC patients (31.9%) (P = 0.000). No BK virus was detected in the healthy control group at the same time. Quantitative PCR detection showed that the mean BK virus DNA copies in LOHC patients at a week before occurring HC was higher than that at the first positive samples (10(5) copies/microl versus 10(4) copies/microl, P = 0.025), and it was no significant change at the onset and a week after HC. Meanwhile, there was no statistical difference in the mean level of BK virus DNA copies among the LOHC patients with different grades. The mean level of BK virus DNA copies in non-HC patients was 10(3) to 10(4) copies/microl, being lower than that in LOHC patients. BK viruria is an important pathogenic cause of the LOHC after HSCT. The occurrence of BKV viruria in HSCT patients, together with the increasing of BK virus DNA copies in urine, over the level of 10(5) copies/microl may indicate a possible development of LOHC.

Analysis of the Characteristics of Discussion Materials that Promote Group Discussion in the Medical Humanities.

PubMed

Ahn, Jae Hee; Jeon, Woo Taek

2011-12-01

This study aims to analyze the characteristics of discussion materials that promote student participation in discussions, satisfaction with student instruction, and tutor intervention in the medical humanities. We surveyed 117 premedical students and 7 tutors who attended 4-week group discussions in the medical humanities in 2010. We described the discussion materials using the following 4 characteristics as independent variables: material type, level of understanding, interest, and quantity. Dependent variables were: student participation in the discussion, student instruction satisfaction, and tutor intervention. Correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and crosstab were performed using SPSS 15.0. The correlation between the characteristics of the discussion materials differed by grade. When the books were chosen as the discussion material in the instruction of first-year premedical students, the correlation between level of understanding, interest, and quantity was negative. Higher levels of understanding of the material and interest in the material led to an increase in discussion participation among both first- and second-year premedical students. Higher levels of understanding and interest of the discussion material also increased student satisfaction with the instruction, regardless of grade. Finally, levels of understanding of the material affected the degree of tutor intervention. Tutors intervened more often in discussions with first-year premedical students than with second-year premedical students. Differences in grades and the understanding of the discussion material should be considered when choosing discussion materials. Further study is required to continue the development of the discussion model and improve methods of facilitate discussion among students in the medical humanities.

Readability of websites containing information on dental implants.

PubMed

Jayaratne, Yasas S N; Anderson, Nina K; Zwahlen, Roger A

2014-12-01

It is recommended that health-related materials for patients be written at sixth grade level or below. Many websites oriented toward patient education about dental implants are available, but the readability of these sites has not been evaluated. To assess readability of patient-oriented online information on dental implants. Websites containing patient-oriented information on dental implants were retrieved using the Google search engine. Individual and mean readability/grade levels were calculated using standardized formulas. Readability of each website was classified as easy (≤ 6th-grade level) or difficult (≥ 10th grade level). Thirty nine websites with patient-oriented information on dental implant were found. The average readability grade level of these websites was 11.65 ± 1.36. No website scored at/below the recommended 6th grade level. Thirty four of 39 websites (87.18%) were difficult to read. The number of characters, words, and sentences on these sites varied widely. All patient-oriented websites on dental implants scored above the recommended grade level, and majority of these sites were "difficult" in their readability. There is a dire need to create patient information websites on implants, which the majority can read. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High School Sport Specialization Patterns of Current Division I Athletes

PubMed Central

Post, Eric G.; Thein-Nissenbaum, Jill M.; Stiffler, Mikel R.; Brooks, M. Alison; Bell, David R.; Sanfilippo, Jennifer L.; Trigsted, Stephanie M.; Heiderscheit, Bryan C.; McGuine, Timothy A.

2016-01-01

Background: Sport specialization is a strategy to acquire superior sport performance in 1 sport but is associated with increased injury risk. Currently, the degree of high school specialization among Division I athletes is unknown. Hypothesis: College athletes will display increased rates of specialization as they progress through their high school careers. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Three hundred forty-three athletes (115 female) representing 9 sports from a Midwest Division I University completed a previously utilized sport specialization questionnaire regarding sport participation patterns for each grade of high school. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations of grade, sport, and sex with prevalence of sport specialization category (low, moderate, high) (a priori P ≤ 0.05). Results: Specialization increased throughout high school, with 16.9% (n = 58) and 41.1% (n = 141) of athletes highly specialized in 9th and 12th grades, respectively. Football athletes were less likely to be highly specialized than nonfootball athletes for each year of high school (P < 0.001). There was no difference in degree of specialization between sexes at any grade level (P > 0.23). Conclusion: The majority of Division I athletes were not classified as highly specialized throughout high school, but the prevalence of high specialization increased as athletes progressed through high school. Nonfootball athletes were more likely to be highly specialized than football athletes at each grade level. Clinical Relevance: Most athletes who are recruited to participate in collegiate athletics will eventually specialize in their sport, but it does not appear that early specialization is necessary to become a Division I athlete. Athletes should be counseled regarding safe participation in sport during high school to minimize injury and maximize performance. PMID:27807260

Systematic analysis underlying the quality of the scientific evidence and conflicts of interest in interventional medicine subspecialty guidelines.

PubMed

Feuerstein, Joseph D; Akbari, Mona; Gifford, Anne E; Hurley, Christine M; Leffler, Daniel A; Sheth, Sunil G; Cheifetz, Adam S

2014-01-01

To determine the validity of guidelines published by interventional medical societies. We reviewed the interventional medicine subspecialty society websites of the American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP), American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) as of November 15, 2012, for published interventional guidelines. The study was performed between November 15, 2012, and January 1, 2013. The AABIP did not publish guidelines, so American Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physicians guidelines were reviewed. All the guidelines were reviewed for graded levels of evidence, methods used to grade the evidence, and disclosures of conflicts of interest (COIs). Of 153 interventional guidelines evaluated, 4 were duplicates. Forty-six percent of guidelines (69 of 149) graded the quality of evidence using 7 different methods. The ASGE graded 71% of guidelines (46 of 65) compared with 29% (23 of 78) by the SCAI and 0 by the ASDIN (n=4) and the pulmonary societies (n=2). Of the 3425 recommendations reviewed, 11% (n=364) were supported by level A, 42% (n=1432) by level B, and 48% (n=1629) by level C. The mean age of the guidelines was 5.2 years. Additionally, 62% of the guidelines (92 of 149) failed to comment on COIs; when disclosed, 91% of guidelines (52 of 57) reported COIs. In total, 1827 COIs were reported by 45% of the authors (317 of 697), averaging 5.8 COIs per author. Most of the interventional guidelines failed to grade the evidence. When present, most guidelines used lower-quality evidence. Furthermore, most guidelines failed to disclose COIs. When commented on, numerous COIs were present. Future guidelines should clearly state the quality of evidence, use a standard grading system, be transparent regarding potential biases, and provide frequent updates. Copyright © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fostering Girls' Computer Literacy through Laptop Learning: Can Mobile Computers Help To Level Out the Gender Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaumburg, Heike

The goal of this study was to find out if the difference between boys and girls in computer literacy can be leveled out in a laptop program where each student has his/her own mobile computer to work with at home and at school. Ninth grade students (n=113) from laptop and non-laptop classes in a German high school were tested for their computer…

A comparative study on undergraduate students' academic motivation and academic self-concept.

PubMed

Isiksal, Mine

2010-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate Turkish and American undergraduate students' academic motivation and academic self-concept scores regarding the years that they spent in university. The analysis was based on 566 (284 Turkish, 282 American) undergraduate students where, Academic Motivation Scale and Academic Self-Concept Scale were used as measuring instruments. The results showed that there was a statistical significant effect of nationality and number of years spent in university on undergraduate students' intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-concept scores. Turkish students had higher intrinsic scores whereas American students had higher extrinsic scores and more positive academic-self concept compared to Turkish partners. Regarding grade level, senior students from both cultures had higher intrinsic motivation and academic self-concept scores compared to other grade levels. In terms of extrinsic motivation, there is steady decline in American students' scores as grade level increases. On the other hand, Turkish undergraduates' extrinsic scores decrease in the second year but increase in the third and fourth year of university education. Results were discussed by taking into consideration the social and cultural differences between two nations.

Phase I Results of Vinorelbine With Concurrent Radiotherapy in Elderly Patients With Unresectable, Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: West Japan Thoracic Oncology Group (WJTOG3005-DI)

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

Harada, Hideyuki, E-mail: h.harada@scchr.jp; Seto, Takashi; Igawa, Satoshi

Purpose: To investigate the safety and efficacy of concurrent vinorelbine and thoracic radiotherapy in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Eligible patients were 71 years of age or older with unresectable Stage III NSCLC. Patients were treated with thoracic radiotherapy (60 Gy) and concurrent vinorelbine (20 mg/m{sup 2} in Level 1 and 25 mg/m{sup 2} in Level 2) on Days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for two cycles, followed by adjuvant vinorelbine (25 mg/m{sup 2}) on Days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for two cycles. Results: Four patients were enrolled at Levelmore » 1. One patient experienced Grade 3 febrile neutropenia at Level 1 and the dose was escalated to Level 2. At Level 2, 2 of 6 patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities (Grade 4 neutropenia in 1 patient and Grade 3 infection in another). Three of 6 patients developed late Grade 2 or 3 pneumonitis. Therefore, the dose was de-escalated to Level 1. An additional 6 patients were enrolled at Level 1, 4 of whom experienced dose-limiting toxicities (incomplete radiotherapy because of Grade 2 pneumonitis in 1 patient and Grade 3 infection in 1, Grade 3 febrile neutropenia in 1, and Grade 3 esophagitis in 1). Moreover, late Grade 3 pneumothorax and Grade 5 pneumonitis occurred in 1 and 1 patient, respectively. Overall, Grade 2, 3 and 5 pneumonitis occurred in 3, 3, and 1 among 16 patients, respectively. Conclusions: Concurrent vinorelbine and thoracic radiotherapy resulted in a high incidence of severe pneumonitis when the standard dose of this agent was used for elderly patients. We therefore recommend caution in the use of this regimen and schedule for elderly patients.« less

Predicting Third Grade Reading Achievement for Mexican-American Students from Lower Socioeconomic Levels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Frances Ann Bennett

The purpose of this study was to determine if measures of first grade readiness, scholastic aptitude, and reading achievement were significant predictors of third grade reading achievement for Mexican-American students from two lower socioeconomic levels. The sample included 94 third grade students for whom the following measurements had been…

Selective angiographic embolization of blunt splenic traumatic injuries in adults decreases failure rate of nonoperative management.

PubMed

Bhullar, Indermeet S; Frykberg, Eric R; Siragusa, Daniel; Chesire, David; Paul, Julia; Tepas, Joseph J; Kerwin, Andrew J

2012-05-01

To determine whether angioembolization (AE) in hemodynamically stable adult patients with blunt splenic trauma (BST) at high risk for failure of nonoperative management (NOM) (contrast blush [CB] on computed tomography, high-grade IV-V injuries, or decreasing hemoglobin) results in lower failure rates than reported. The records of patients with BST from July 2000 to December 2010 at a Level I trauma center were retrospectively reviewed using National Trauma Registry of the American College of Surgeons. Failure of NOM (FNOM) occurred if splenic surgery was required after attempted NOM. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with FNOM. A total of 1,039 patients with BST were found. Pediatric patients (age <17 years), those who died in the emergency department, and those requiring immediate surgery for hemodynamic instability were excluded. Of the 539 (64% of all BST) hemodynamically stable patients who underwent NOM, 104 (19%) underwent AE and 435 (81%) were observed without AE (NO-AE). FNOM for the various groups were as follows: overall NOM (4%), NO-AE (4%), and AE (4%). There was no significant difference in FNOM for NO-AE versus AE for grades I to III: grade I (1% vs. 0%, p = 1), grade II (2% vs. 0%, p = 0.318), and grade III (5% vs. 0%, p = 0.562); however, a significant decrease in FNOM was noted with the addition of AE for grades IV to V: grade IV (23% vs. 3%, p = 0.04) and grade V (63% vs. 9%, p = 0.03). Statistically significant independent risk factors for FNOM were grade IV to V injuries and CB. Application of strictly defined selection criteria for NOM and AE in patients with BST resulted in one of the lowest overall FNOM rates (4%). Hemodynamically stable BST patients are candidates for NOM with selective AE for high-risk patients with grade IV to V injuries, CB on initial computed tomography, and/or decreasing hemoglobin levels. III, therapeutic study.

Asking the Right Questions: Developing Thinking Skills through Wisconsin's Grade Level Foundations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratway, Beth

2008-01-01

In an attempt to deal with the problem of generating the thinking skills needed for the 21st century, this article discusses how a statewide of 30 teachers developed Grade Level Foundations. The core component of the Grade Level Foundations for Social Studies consists of a set of questions that are designed to stimulate higher level thinking about…

Impact of Leveled Reading Books on the Fluency and Comprehension Levels of First Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seals, Melissa Paige

2013-01-01

The purpose of this nonequivalent, control group, pretest-posttest design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of leveled book programs on first-grade students' oral reading fluency rates and comprehension levels. This study was conducted over a 10-week time span with four first-grade classes. All of the students in each class were given a…

Different Success Rates and Associated Factors at Three Levels of Career Progression Among US Marine Corps Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

establish a database of sufficient proportions to track Marine Corps officer career success from accession to the grade of 0-4. 12 "* To profile the...OBJECTIVES Accordingly, this study had three objectives. First, to establish a database of sufficient proportions to track Marine Corps officer career ... success from accession to the grade of 0-4. Second, to profile the successful Marine officer; that is, to determine what variables are associated with

Interactive Contributions of Cumulative Peer Stress and Executive Function Deficits to Depression in Early Adolescence.

PubMed

Agoston, Anna M; Rudolph, Karen D

2016-01-01

Exposure to peer stress contributes to adolescent depression, yet not all youth experience these effects. Thus, it is important to identify individual differences that shape the consequences of peer stress. This research investigated the interactive contribution of cumulative peer stress during childhood (second-fifth grades) and executive function (EF) deficits to depression during early adolescence (sixth grade). Youth (267 girls, 227 boys; X̄ age at Wave 1 = 7.95, SD = .37) completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to assess peer stress and depression, respectively; teachers completed the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function to assess everyday performance in several EF domains. As anticipated, exposure to peer stress in childhood predicted heightened sixth-grade depression in girls but not boys with higher levels of EF deficits. This study extends theory and research on individual differences in vulnerability to adolescent depression, in turn elucidating potential intervention targets.

Interactive Contributions of Cumulative Peer Stress and Executive Function Deficits to Depression in Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Agoston, Anna M.; Rudolph, Karen D.

2017-01-01

Exposure to peer stress contributes to adolescent depression, yet not all youth experience these effects. Thus, it is important to identify individual differences that shape the consequences of peer stress. This research investigated the interactive contribution of cumulative peer stress during childhood (second-fifth grades) and executive function (EF) deficits to depression during early adolescence (sixth grade). Youth (267 girls, 227 boys; X̄age at Wave 1 = 7.95, SD = .37) completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to assess peer stress and depression, respectively; teachers completed the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function to assess everyday performance in several EF domains. As anticipated, exposure to peer stress in childhood predicted heightened sixth-grade depression in girls but not boys with higher levels of EF deficits. This study extends theory and research on individual differences in vulnerability to adolescent depression, in turn elucidating potential intervention targets. PMID:28936024

NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGGRESSION IN BOYS AND GIRLS

PubMed Central

Vanfossen, Beth; Brown, C. Hendricks; Kellam, Sheppard; Sokoloff, Natalie; Doering, Susan

2010-01-01

We examine the roles of neighborhood characteristics in the development of the aggressive behavior of 1,409 urban boys and girls between the first and seventh grades. The multilevel, longitudinal growth analyses find strong neighborhood effects in all models, while controlling for individual-level variables. Results indicated that the effects of neighborhood violence, employment, income, and percentages of single males and female-headed households do not manifest in first grade, but affect the trajectory of child aggression between first and seventh grades. The influence of family income and frequent physical discipline on boys’ and girls’ aggression occurs at first grade, and family income has a modest effect on the trajectory. The findings strongly suggest that the neighborhood sources of the development of child aggression are independent and different from early childhood experiences. PMID:20689683

School-Level Correlates of Adolescent Tobacco, Alcohol and Marijuana Use

PubMed Central

Hill, Danielle; Mrug, Sylvie

2016-01-01

Background School-level characteristics are related to students’ substance use, but little research systematically examined multiple school characteristics in relation to different types of substance use across grade levels. Objectives This study examines multiple school-level characteristics as correlates of students’ tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and combined substance use across three grade levels. Methods Students (N = 23,615) from 42 urban and suburban middle schools and 24 high schools in the U.S. reported on their tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Students’ mean age was 14 years; 47% were male, 53% African American and 41% Caucasian. School-level data included poverty, racial composition, academic achievement, student-teacher ratio, absenteeism, and school size. Multilevel logistic and Poisson regressions tested associations between school-level predictors and adolescent substance use in middle school, early high school and late high school. Results School-level poverty, more ethnic minority students, low achievement, and higher absenteeism were related to alcohol, marijuana and combined substance use, particularly at lower grade levels. By contrast, cigarette smoking was more prevalent in more affluent high schools with more White students. After adjusting for other school characteristics, absenteeism emerged as the most consistent predictor of student substance use. Conclusions/Importance Interventions addressing absenteeism and truancy in middle and high schools may help prevent student substance use. Schools serving poor, urban, and mostly minority students may benefit from interventions targeting alcohol and marijuana use, whereas interventions focusing on tobacco use prevention may be more relevant for schools serving more affluent and predominantly White students. PMID:26584423

Extracellular levels of amino acids and choline in human high grade gliomas: an intraoperative microdialysis study.

PubMed

Bianchi, L; De Micheli, E; Bricolo, A; Ballini, C; Fattori, M; Venturi, C; Pedata, F; Tipton, K F; Della Corte, L

2004-01-01

The concentrations of endogenous amino acids and choline in the extracellular fluid of human cerebral gliomas have been measured, for the first time, by in vivo microdialysis. Glioblastoma growth was associated with increased concentrations of choline, GABA, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, taurine, tyrosine, and valine. There was no difference between grade III and grade IV tumors in the concentrations of phenylalanine, isoleucine, tyrosine, valine, and lysine, whereas the concentrations of choline, aspartate, taurine, GABA, leucine, and glutamate were significantly different in the two tumor-grade subgroups. In contrast to the other compounds, the concentration of glutamate was decreased in glioma. The parenchyma adjacent to the tumor showed significant changes only in the extracellular concentration of glutamate, isoleucine, and valine. The concentrations of choline and the amino acids, glutamate, leucine, taurine, and tyrosine showed significant positive correlations with the degree of cell proliferation. Epilepsy, which is relatively common in subjects with gliomas, was shown to be a significant confounding variable when the extracellular concentrations of aspartate, glutamate and GABA were considered.

Does the Aged Care Funding Instrument provide increased funding in residential care? Comparisons with the Residential Classification Scale.

PubMed

Chan, Geoffrey Z P; Chin, Collin K L; McKitrick, Douglas J; Warne, Roger W

2014-06-01

To determine whether the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) provides more funding than the Residential Classification Scale (RCS) for residents in the Hellenic Residential Care Facility. All residents within the care facility were assessed over a six 6-month period using ACFI, RCS and Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly (CAPE) scores. Differences in funding levels were calculated using ACFI and RCS instruments against a standardised CAPE score. CAPE dependency RCS funding per resident per day varied from $32.20 for grade A to $116.20 for grade E4 residents. CAPE ACFI funding varied from $20.20 for grade A to $127.50 for grade E4. There was no significant difference in mean overall funding between the two scales (ACFI $92.50 vs RCS $90.35, P = 0.76). The ACFI does provide a small but not significant increase in funding to residents in residential care. It redirects funding to higher dependency residents. © 2013 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing © 2013 ACOTA.

Ultrasonography and C-reactive protein can predict the outcomes of voiding cystography after the first urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Kido, Jun; Yoshida, Fuminori; Sakaguchi, Katsuya; Ueno, Yasushi; Yanai, Masaaki

2015-05-01

This study evaluated whether sex, clinical variables, laboratory variables or ultrasonography predicted the presence of vesicoureteric reflux during the first episode of urinary tract infection in paediatric patients. We also aimed to define the criteria that indicated the need for voiding cystography testing. We used voiding cystography to investigate 200 patients who experienced their first urinary tract infection at our institution between 2004 and 2013 and retrospectively analysed the data by reviewing their medical records. Sex (p = 0.001), peak blood C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.001), the duration of fever after antibiotic administration (p = 0.007) and the ultrasonography findings grade (p < 0.001) were significantly different between patients with and without vesicoureteric reflux. Grade IV-V ultrasonography findings and C-reactive protein levels of ≥80 mg/L predicted vesicoureteric reflux with a sensitivity, specificity and odds ratio of 47.8%, 87.8% and 6.59 (95% confidence interval = 3.26-13.33), respectively (p < 0.001). Voiding cystography should be performed for patients with C-reactive protein levels of ≥80 mg/L and grade IV-V ultrasonography findings, but is not necessary in patients with C-reactive protein levels of <80 mg/L and grade I-III ultrasonography findings. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Classroom-level adversity: Associations with children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors across elementary school.

PubMed

Abry, Tashia; Bryce, Crystal I; Swanson, Jodi; Bradley, Robert H; Fabes, Richard A; Corwyn, Robert F

2017-03-01

Concerns regarding the social-behavioral maladjustment of U.S. youth have spurred efforts among educators and policymakers to identify and remedy educational contexts that exacerbate children's anxiety, depression, aggression, and misconduct. However, investigations of the influence of collective classroom student characteristics on individuals' social-behavioral functioning are few. The present study examined concurrent and longitudinal relations between adversity factors facing the collective classroom student group and levels of children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors across the elementary school years, and whether the pattern of relations differed for girls and boys. First-, third-, and fifth-grade teachers reported on the extent to which adversity-related factors (e.g., home/family life, academic readiness, social readiness, English proficiency, tardiness/absenteeism, student mobility, health) presented a challenge in their classrooms (i.e., classroom-level adversity [CLA]). Mothers reported on their child's internalizing and externalizing behavior at each grade. Autoregressive, lagged panel models controlled for prior levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior, mothers' education, family income-to-needs, and class size. For all children at each grade, CLA was concurrently and positively associated with externalizing behavior. For first-grade girls, but not boys, CLA was also concurrently and positively associated with internalizing behavior. Indirect effects suggested CLA influenced later internalizing and externalizing behavior through its influence on maladjustment in a given year. Discussion highlights possible methods of intervention to reduce CLA or the negative consequences associated with being in a higher-adversity classroom. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevalence of sedentary behavior and its correlates among primary and secondary school students

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Rodrigo Wiltgen; Rombaldi, Airton José; Ricardo, Luiza Isnardi Cardoso; Hallal, Pedro Curi; Azevedo, Mario Renato

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: To determine the students’ exposure to four different sedentary behavior (SB) indicators and their associations with gender, grade, age, economic status and physical activity level. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013. The SB was collected using the HELENA instrument, composed by screen time questions (TV, video games and internet) and sitting activities on school opposite shift. The cut point of ≥2h/day was used to categorize the outcome. The Poisson regression was used for associations between the outcome and the independent variables (95% significance level), controlling for confounding variables and the possible design effect. Results: The sample was composed by 8661 students. The overall prevalence of SB was 69.2% (CI95% 68.1–70.2) on weekdays, and 79.6% (CI95% 78.7–80.5) on weekends. Females were more associated with the outcome, except to electronic games. Advanced grades students were more involved in sitting tasks when compared to the early grades. Older students were more likely to surf on net for ≥2h/day. Higher economic level students were more likely to engage in video games and internet. Active individuals were less likely to engage in SB on weekdays. Conclusions: The prevalence of SB was high, mainly on weekends. The associations with sex, age, grade and physical activity level should be considered into elaboration of more efficient interventions on SB control. PMID:26826878

34 CFR 300.309 - Determining the existence of a specific learning disability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of the following areas, when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the child's age or State-approved grade-level standards: (i) Oral... solving. (2)(i) The child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved grade-level...

34 CFR 300.311 - Specific documentation for the eligibility determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... does not achieve adequately for the child's age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards...-approved grade-level standards consistent with § 300.309(a)(2)(i); or (B) The child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade level...

34 CFR 300.311 - Specific documentation for the eligibility determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... adequately for the child's age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards consistent with § 300.309(a)(1); and (ii)(A) The child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved grade-level... weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, State-approved grade level standards or...