Examining the Reading Level of Internet Medical Information for Common Internal Medicine Diagnoses.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Nora; Baird, Grayson L; Garg, Megha

2016-06-01

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that health materials be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, which has generally not been achieved in online reading materials. Up to the present time, there have not been any assessments focused on the reading level of online educational materials across the most popular consumer Web sites for common internal medicine diagnoses. In this study, we examined the readability of open-access online health information for 9 common internal medicine diagnoses. Nine of the most frequently encountered inpatient and ambulatory internal medicine diagnoses were selected for analysis. In November and December 2014, these diagnoses were used as search terms in Google, and the top 5 Web sites across all diagnoses and a diagnosis-specific site were analyzed across 5 validated reading indices. On average, the lowest reading grade-level content was provided by the NIH (10.7), followed by WebMD (10.9), Mayo Clinic (11.3), and diagnosis-specific Web sites (11.5). Conversely, Wikipedia provided content that required the highest grade-level readability (14.6). The diagnoses with the lowest reading grade levels were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (10.8), followed by diabetes (10.9), congestive heart failure (11.7), osteoporosis (11.7) and hypertension (11.7). Depression had the highest grade-level readability (13.8). Despite recommendations for patient health information to be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, our examination of online educational materials pertaining to 9 common internal medicine diagnoses revealed reading levels significantly above the NIH recommendation. This was seen across both diagnosis-specific and general Web sites. There is a need to improve the readability of online educational materials made available to patients. These improvements have the potential to greatly enhance patient awareness, engagement, and physician-patient communication. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Social Studies: Grades 4, 8, & 11. Content Specifications for Statewide Assessment by Standard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jefferson City.

This state of Missouri guide to content specifications for social studies assessment is designed to give teachers direction for assessment at the benchmark levels of grades 4, 8, and 11 for each standard that is appropriate for a statewide assessment. The guide includes specifications of what students are expected to know at the benchmark levels…

Nebraska Schools 83-84 Immunization Levels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebraska State Dept. of Health, Lincoln.

The data contained in this report represents all of the 297,696 students, K-12, in the state of Nebraska. High levels of immunity are documented among children grades K-6. Some immunization levels of children grades 7-12 are yet below the 95 percent established as a minimum for the prevention of vaccine preventable diseases. Specifically, there…

Japanese Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the Japanese Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the Japanese Language and Culture…

German Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the German Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the German Language and Culture Nine-year…

Punjabi Language and Culture: 9-Year Program Classroom Assessment Materials, Grade 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This document is designed to provide assessment materials for specific Grade 4 outcomes in the Punjabi Language and Culture Nine-year Program, Grades 4-5-6. The assessment materials are designed for the beginner level in the context of teaching for communicative competence. Grade 4 learning outcomes from the Punjabi Language and Culture Nine-year…

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

Classroom Norms and Individual Smoking Behavior in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarnell, Lisa M.; Brown, H. Shelton, III; Pasch, Keryn E.; Perry, Cheryl L.; Komro, Kelli A.

2012-01-01

Objectives: To investigate whether smoking prevalence in grade-level networks influences individual smoking, suggesting that peers are important social multipliers in teen smoking. Methods: We measured gender-specific, grade-level recent and life-time smoking among urban middle-school students who participated in Project Northland Chicago in a…

5 CFR 330.604 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...: (1) A current career or career conditional competitive service employee in tenure group 1 or 2, at grade levels GS-15 or equivalent and below, who has received a specific reduction in force (RIF... service, serving on an appointment without time limit, at grade levels GS-15 or equivalent and below, who...

5 CFR 330.703 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... career or career-conditional competitive service employee, in tenure group 1 or 2, at grades GS-15 level... employee means: (1) A current career or career-conditional competitive service employee, in tenure group 1 or 2, at grade levels GS-15 or equivalent and below, who has received a specific RIF separation...

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.

Let's Go Exploring. Nutrition Comes Alive. Level 1. Nutrition Educator's Guide and Work Sheets, Letters to Parents, Recipes. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Tracy J.

This guide provides a nutrition education program for elementary school students that spans kindergarten through Grade 3 as well as providing activities for specific levels. Nutrition education objectives are stated for each grade level: (1) kindergarten--students will become familiar with and motivated to eat a variety of foods; (2) grade…

The Food Peddlers. Nutrition Comes Alive. Level 3. Nutrition Educator's Guide and Work Sheets, Letters to Parents, Recipes. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mapes, Martha C.; Thonney, Patricia

This guide provides a nutrition education program for elementary school students that spans kindergarten through Grade 3 as well as providing activities for specific levels. Nutrition education objectives are stated for each grade level: (1) kindergarten--students will become familiar with and motivated to eat a variety of foods; (2) grade…

Family Life and Human Development: Sample Units, K-6. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

Sample unit outlines, designed for kindergarten through grade six, define the content, activities, and assessment tasks appropriate to specific grade levels. The units have been extracted from the Board-approved curriculum, Health Education: The Curricular Approach to Optimal Health. The instructional guidelines for grade one are: describing a…

K-8 Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Web Feet, 2001

2001-01-01

This annotated subject guide to Web sites for grades K-8 focuses on biography, dinosaurs, fairy tales and folk tales, history, math, science, and calendar connections for December observances. Specific grade levels are indicated for each annotation. (LRW)

Mathematics Content Standards Benchmarks and Performance Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2008

2008-01-01

New Mexico Mathematics Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards identify what students should know and be able to do across all grade levels, forming a spiraling framework in the sense that many skills, once introduced, develop over time. While the Performance Standards are set forth at grade-specific levels, they do not exist as…

Sequential Prediction of Literacy Achievement for Specific Learning Disabilities Contrasting in Impaired Levels of Language in Grades 4 to 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Elizabeth A.; Berninger, Virginia W.; Abbott, Robert D.

2018-01-01

Sequential regression was used to evaluate whether language-related working memory components uniquely predict reading and writing achievement beyond cognitive-linguistic translation for students in Grades 4 through 9 (N = 103) with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in subword handwriting (dysgraphia, n = 25), word reading and spelling…

Be a Choosy Chewer. Nutrition Comes Alive. Level 2. Nutrition Educator's Guide and Work Sheets, Letters to Parents, Recipes. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thonney, Patricia; Mapes, Martha C.

This guide provides a nutrition education program for elementary school students that spans kindergarten through Grade 3 as well as providing activities for specific levels. Nutrition education objectives are stated for each grade level: (1) kindergarten--students will become familiar with and motivated to eat a variety of foods; (2) grade…

Quantitative Reporting Practices in Middle-Grades Research Journals: Lessons to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capraro, Robert M.; Capraro, Mary Margaret

2009-01-01

This study examines two journals specific to the middles grades where original quantitative empirical articles are published, Research in Middle Level Education and Middle Grades Research Journal to determine what quantitative statistics are used, how they are used, and what study designs are used. Important for those who write for the…

Unmet Needs of Low Academic Level Adult (0-4th Grade Level) Students: A Follow-Up Study. A Special Demonstration/Teacher Training Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portage Township Schools, IN.

An Indiana 310 Project was conducted to determine the needs of very low level adult basic education students (0-4th grade). Specifically, the study sought to answer the following four questions: (1) What brings low academic level students into ABE programs? (2) What aspects of the ABE programs do low academic level students dislike? (3) Why do low…

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…

ConfChem Conference on Select 2016 BCCE Presentations: Specifications Grading in the Flipped Organic Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Joshua

2017-01-01

Specifications Grading is a system of course-long student assessment based on the division of learning objectives into clearly defined skill tests or assignments. Each skill is evaluated at a mastery level, with opportunities for students to learn from their mistakes and then be re-evaluated for skill tests, or resubmit assignments. Specifications…

The Association between Standards- Based Grading and Standardized Test Scores in a High School Reform Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollio, Marty; Hochbein, Craig

2015-01-01

Background/Context: From two decades of research on the grading practices of teachers in secondary schools, researchers discovered that teachers evaluated students on numerous factors that do not validly assess a student's achievement level in a specific content area. These consistent findings suggested that traditional grading practices evolved…

Science Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruton, Sheila, Ed.; Ong, Faye, Ed.; Geeting, Greg, Ed.

This document represents the content of science education in California and includes the essential skills and knowledge students will need to be scientifically literate citizens in the 21st century. The standards include grade-level specific content for kindergarten through grade 8. A significant feature is the focus on earth science in the 6th…

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…

Career Awareness Units, Magnolia Public Schools, Grades 1-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnolia School District 14, AR.

The guide contains career awareness units for grades one through seven. A chart for each grade level lists the unit titles with textbook references, resource speakers, and study trips. Some of the speakers and study trips suggested throughout the guide are specific to the local area. For each unit, concepts to be developed are coordinated in chart…

Suggestions for Teaching Mathematics Using Laboratory Approaches Grades 1-6. 4. Measurement. Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Elementary Curriculum Development.

This guide describes activities and materials which can be used in a mathematics laboratory approach to a basic mathematics program for grades 1-6. One-hundred thirteen activities pertaining to measurement concepts are described in terms of purpose, suggested grade levels, materials needed, and procedures. Some specific concepts include: linear…

Effective Literacy Instruction for Adults with Specific Learning Disabilities: Implications for Adult Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hock, Michael F.

2012-01-01

Adults with learning disabilities (LD) attending adult basic education, GED programs, or community colleges are among the lowest performers on measures of literacy. For example, on multiple measures of reading comprehension, adults with LD had a mean reading score at the third grade level, whereas adults without LD read at the fifth grade level.…

Are patients comprehending? A critical assessment of online patient educational materials.

PubMed

Bui, Thanh-Lan; Silva-Hirschberg, Catalina; Torres, Josefina; Armstrong, April W

2018-05-01

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the readability, understandability, suitability and actionability of online psoriasis patient educational materials. A secondary aim was to identify areas for improvement. We conducted an evaluation study to assess online psoriasis patient educational materials from the American Academy of Dermatology and National Psoriasis Foundation available in July 2017. We used two validated assessment tools specific to online healthcare materials. Outcomes were expressed as percentages, where higher percentages corresponded to higher quality materials. Overall, the educational materials had a mean understandability score (72.7%) that was understandable; a suitability score (58.8%) that was adequate; a reading grade level (10.5) that was not readable; and an actionability score (54.7%) that was not actionable. Areas of improvement include reading grade level, visual aids, word choice, specific steps for actions and cultural appropriateness. Online psoriasis patient educational materials are understandable and suitable, but they are written above the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health's recommended 6th-8th grade reading level and are not actionable. Materials can benefit from decreasing reading grade level, including more visual elements, incorporating more actionable items and being culturally inclusive.

Which Specific Skills Developing during Preschool Years Predict the Reading Performance in the First and Second Grade of Primary School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Artemis M.; Vlachos, Filippos M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine if specific skills that are developed during preschool years could predict the reading performance in the first and second grade of primary school. Two hundred and eighty-seven children participated in this longitudinal study. At the kindergarten level, phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatised naming,…

Maryland State and Local Governments: An Instructional Unit for the Eighth Grade Social Studies Course "Maryland Studies."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Wanda B.; Stamm, Michael J.

An eighth grade social studies unit on Maryland state and local governments contains three sections. In the first section, a two-column chart matches grade level objectives related to Maryland governments to specific activities discussed in the next section. A content outline is divided into sections on introductory materials, including vocabulary…

Comparing the Distribution of Education across the Developing World, 1960-2005: What Does the Grade Enrollment Distribution Tell about Latin America?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankema, Ewout

2008-01-01

The present paper introduces a new indicator of educational inequality, the grade distribution ratio (GDR), focusing on levels of grade repetition and drop out rates in primary and secondary education. The indicator is specifically suitable to evaluate the distributive implications of expanding educational systems in developing countries. A…

Teachers Guide to Economic Concepts: Grade 10-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Milo F.

This grades 10-12 teachers guide is one of five resource guides developed to aid teachers in helping students in South Dakota to achieve a high degree of economic literacy. It is felt that schools must prepare students at all grade levels to develop an understanding of the economy in which they live. This guide was specifically prepared to assist…

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.

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.

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.

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.

Interrelating Selected Aspects of Home Economics and Physical Education for a Health Program in the Middle School at the Sixth Grade Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Virginia Malzahn

This study was conducted to develop, implement, and evaluate a 9-week unit interrelating the health aspects of home economics and physical education at the sixth grade level. The curriculum, which emphasizes physical, social, and mental health, was designed by: (1) diagnosing needs of the students, (2) formulating specific objectives, (3)…

Is This the End of the English Tradition of Practical A-Level Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Ian

2014-01-01

From September 2015, schools in England will be teaching new A-level science specifications that have been developed by examination boards to encompass new higher levels of demand developed by the Department for Education. Integral to these new specifications is a radical change to the contribution of practical science to the A-level grade of the…

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.

The learning continuum based on student's level of competence and specific pedagogical learning material on physiological aspects from teachers's opinions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadi, Ria Fitriyani; Subali, Bambang

2017-08-01

The scope of learning continuum at the conceptual knowledge is formulated based on the student's level of competence and specific pedagogical learning material. The purpose of this study is to develop a learning continuum of specific pedagogical material aspects of physiology targeted for students in primary and secondary education. This research was conducted in Province of Yogyakarta Special Region from October 2016 to January 2017. The method used in this study was survey method. The data were collected using questionnaire that had been validated from the aspects of construct validity and experts judgements. Respondents in this study consist of 281 Science/Biology teachers at Public Junior and Senior High Schools in the Province of Yogyakarta Special Region which spread in Yogyakarta city and 4 regencies namely Sleman, Bantul, Kulonprogo, and Gunungkidul. The data were taken using a census. Data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis technique. The results show the learning continuum of physiology based on teachers's opinion from grade VII, VIII, and IX are taught in grade VII, VIII, IX and X on level of C2 (understanding) and the learning continuum of physiology based on teachers's opinion from grade X, XI and XII are taught in grade X and XI on level of C2 (understanding), C3 (applying), and C4 (analyzing) based on teachers's opinions. The conclusion is that many teachers refer to the existing curriculum rather than their own original idea for developing learning continuum.

Linguistic pattern analysis of misspellings of typically developing writers in grades 1-9.

PubMed

Bahr, Ruth Huntley; Sillian, Elaine R; Berninger, Virginia W; Dow, Michael

2012-12-01

A mixed-methods approach, evaluating triple word-form theory, was used to describe linguistic patterns of misspellings. Spelling errors were taken from narrative and expository writing samples provided by 888 typically developing students in Grades 1-9. Errors were coded by category (phonological, orthographic, and morphological) and specific linguistic feature affected. Grade-level effects were analyzed with trend analysis. Qualitative analyses determined frequent error types and how use of specific linguistic features varied across grades. Phonological, orthographic, and morphological errors were noted across all grades, but orthographic errors predominated. Linear trends revealed developmental shifts in error proportions for the orthographic and morphological categories between Grades 4 and 5. Similar error types were noted across age groups, but the nature of linguistic feature error changed with age. Triple word-form theory was supported. By Grade 1, orthographic errors predominated, and phonological and morphological error patterns were evident. Morphological errors increased in relative frequency in older students, probably due to a combination of word-formation issues and vocabulary growth. These patterns suggest that normal spelling development reflects nonlinear growth and that it takes a long time to develop a robust orthographic lexicon that coordinates phonology, orthography, and morphology and supports word-specific, conventional spelling.

Green Power: Clothing. Grade Two, Unit One, 2.1. Comprehensive Social Studies Curriculum for the Inner City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Mary Louise

The second unit of the second grade level of the Focus on Inner City Social Studies (FICSS) series (see SO 008 271) continues to build upon the economic principles introduced in grade one. Specifically, the focus is on the procurement of essential and non-essential clothing. The learning activities help students to learn the sources of fabrics,…

Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Education Teacher's Guide, [Grades] 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Aviation Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

This guide is one in a series of four resource guides specifically designed for those interested in aviation education. Activities and lessons that can be used in a variety of content areas and grade levels are featured. Grades 4-6 are the focus of this guide, which is organized under the broad topics of properties of air, lighter than air flight,…

Teachers' opinion about learning continuum based on student's level of competence and specific pedagogical material in classification topics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriani, Aldina Eka; Subali, Bambang

2017-08-01

This research discusses learning continuum development for designing a curriculum. The objective of this study is to gather the opinion of public junior and senior high school teachers about learning continuum based on student's level of competence and specific pedagogical material in classification topics. This research was conducted in Yogyakarta province from October 2016 to January 2017. This research utilizes a descriptive survey method. Respondents in this study consist of 281 science teachers at junior and senior high school in Yogyakarta city and 4 regencies namely Sleman, Bantul, Kulonprogo, and Gunung Kidul. The sample were taken using a census. The collection of data used questionnaire that had been validated from the aspects of construct validity and experts judgements. Data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis technique. The results of the analysis show that the opinions of teachers regarding specific pedagogical material in classification topics of living things at the junior high school taught in grade VII to the ability level of C2 (Understanding). At senior high school level, it is taught in grade X with the ability level C2 (Understanding). Based on these results, it can be concluded that the opinions of teachers still refer to the current syllabus and curriculum so that the teachers do not have pure opinions about the student's competence level in classification topics that should be taught at the level of the grade in accordance with the level of corresponding competency.

American Revolution, Fitness, Presidents, U.S., Rocks & Minerals, Spelling, Vocabulary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Web Feet, 2002

2002-01-01

This annotated subject guide to Web sites for grades K-8 focuses on the American Revolution, fitness, U.S. Presidents, rocks and minerals, spelling, vocabulary, and calendar connections for Women's History Month and other March observations. Specific grade levels are indicated for each annotation. (LRW)

Suggested Curriculum Guidelines for an Effective Bilingual Program, 1972-1973. Destrezas Comunicativas del Idioma Espanol. Spanish Language Skills. Third Grade, Level 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Artesia Public Schools, NM.

This volume contains suggested curriculum guidelines for an effective bilingual program, with specific focus on Spanish language skills for the third grade level. The philosophy of the program views bilingual education as a vehicle and pedagogical tool to be used to better prepare all children to function in society. The point of departure for…

Suggested Curriculum Guidelines for an Effective Bilingual Program. 1972-1973. Destrezas Comunicativas del Idioma Espanol. Spanish Language Skills. Second Grade, Level 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Artesia Public Schools, NM.

This volume contains suggested curriculum guidelines for an effective bilingual program, with specific focus on Spanish language skills for the second grade level. The philosophy of the program views bilingual education as a vehicle and pedagogical tool to be used to better prepare all children to function in society. The point of departure for…

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.

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.

Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District. Educational Specifications: Dry Creek Middle School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, Roseville, CA.

An Educational Specification Committee was convened to determine the design specifications required for a new middle school in Roseville, California's Dry Creek District. This report presents revisions to an earlier document that examined school room specifications for each grade level and administrative area. Specification considerations are…

The Attitudinal and Cognitive Effects of Planetarium Integration in Teaching Selected Astronomical Concepts to Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth-Grade Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twiest, Mark Gilbert

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudinal and cognitive differences among students in an astronomy curriculum which utilizes a planetarium in comparison to an astronomy curriculum which is presented solely in the classroom. The specific attitudes of interest in this study are those student attitudes toward science as a whole and toward astronomy in particular. Researcher developed attitude and astronomy achievement measures were developed and administered to 423 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in three schools. Pre and post test data were collected from students in this quasi-experimental design. Two way analysis of covariance techniques were used to analyze the independent variables of gender and treatment. Results revealed significant differences (p < .05) in student attitudes toward astronomy in the fourth grade favoring the control school students. No other significant differences in student attitudes were found with respect to treatment or gender. Achievement was analyzed at both the knowledge and comprehension levels. Significant differences (p <.05) in student achievement were found fourth and fifth grades with respect to knowledge level questions. In both instances these differences favored the control school setting. Significant differences (p <.05) in student achievement were found for comprehension level questions at every grade level. In this case the control school outperformed the experimental setting in the fourth and sixth grades. Fifth grade experimental setting students had significantly higher achievement on comprehension level questions. A significant interaction occurred between treatment and gender with respect to student attitudes toward astronomy in the fifth grade. A second significant interaction occurred between treatment and gender for knowledge level questions for sixth grade students. No other significant interactions were found between treatment and gender. Correlations between post test attitudes and achievement were also calculated for each grade level in both the control and experimental settings. Correlations remained below.2 in every instance except one. Post test correlations between attitudes overall and achievement in the control school's sixth grade were.54.

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

An Examination of Principals' Leadership and Its Impact on Early Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallissey, Megan

2017-01-01

This exploratory, qualitative multiple-site case study examined principals' expectations of teaching practices and children's learning for early elementary grade levels (K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd). Specifically, this study investigated principals' understanding of developmentally appropriate practices regarding instructional methods, curriculum…

Bicentennial Source Book, Level II, Grades 3-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orth, Nancy; And Others

This study activities source book is one of a series of four developed by the Carroll County Public School System, Maryland, for celebration of the Bicentennial. It is specifically designed to generate ideas integrating the Bicentennial celebration into various disciplines, classroom activities, and school-wide events at the third grade through…

Careers; Current Events; Government, U.S.; Insects; Science Experiments; Terrorism, War on.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Web Feet, 2001

2001-01-01

This annotated subject guide to Web sites for grades K-8 focuses on careers, current events, government, insects, science experiments, the war on terrorism, and calendar connections for Martin Luther King Day and other January observances. Specific grade levels are indicated for each annotation. (LRW)

Fast and slow myosins as markers of muscle injury.

PubMed

Guerrero, M; Guiu-Comadevall, M; Cadefau, J A; Parra, J; Balius, R; Estruch, A; Rodas, G; Bedini, J L; Cussó, R

2008-07-01

The diagnosis of muscular lesions suffered by athletes is usually made by clinical criteria combined with imaging of the lesion (ultrasonography and/or magnetic resonance) and blood tests to detect the presence of non-specific muscle markers. This study was undertaken to evaluate injury to fast and slow-twitch fibres using specific muscle markers for these fibres. Blood samples were obtained from 51 non-sports people and 38 sportsmen with skeletal muscle injury. Western blood analysis was performed to determine fast and slow myosin and creatine kinase (CK) levels. Skeletal muscle damage was diagnosed by physical examination, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance and biochemical markers. The imaging tests were found to be excellent for detecting and confirming grade II and III lesions. However, grade I lesions were often unconfirmed by these techniques. Grade I lesions have higher levels of fast myosin than slow myosin with a very small increase in CK levels. Grade II and III lesions have high values of both fast and slow myosin. The evaluation of fast and slow myosin in the blood 48 h after the lesion occurs is a useful aid for the detection of type I lesions in particular, since fast myosin is an exclusive skeletal muscle marker. The correct diagnosis of grade I lesions can prevent progression of the injury in athletes undergoing continual training sessions and competitions, thus aiding sports physicians in their decision making.

Predicting early spelling difficulties in children with specific language impairment: a clinical perspective.

PubMed

Cordewener, Kim A H; Bosman, Anna M T; Verhoeven, Ludo

2012-01-01

This study focused on the precursors of spelling difficulties in first grade for children with specific language impairment (SLI). A sample of 58 second-year kindergartners in The Netherlands was followed until the end of first grade. Linguistic, phonological, orthographic, letter knowledge, memory, and nonverbal-reasoning skills were considered as precursors, as was spelling level at an earlier point in time. Spelling difficulties at the end of first grade were most accurately identified by letter knowledge at the beginning of first grade and word spelling at the middle of first grade. It is concluded that spelling development in children with SLI can be seen as an autocatalytic process in which, without intervention, poor spellers generally remain poor spellers, and good spellers remain good spellers. A focus on early spelling intervention is thus emphasized. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linguistic Pattern Analysis of Misspellings of Typically Developing Writers in Grades 1 to 9

PubMed Central

Bahr, Ruth Huntley; Silliman, Elaine R.; Berninger, Virginia W.; Dow, Michael

2012-01-01

Purpose A mixed methods approach, evaluating triple word form theory, was used to describe linguistic patterns of misspellings. Method Spelling errors were taken from narrative and expository writing samples provided by 888 typically developing students in grades 1–9. Errors were coded by category (phonological, orthographic, and morphological) and specific linguistic feature affected. Grade level effects were analyzed with trend analysis. Qualitative analyses determined frequent error types and how use of specific linguistic features varied across grades. Results Phonological, orthographic, and morphological errors were noted across all grades, but orthographic errors predominated. Linear trends revealed developmental shifts in error proportions for the orthographic and morphological categories between grades 4–5. Similar error types were noted across age groups but the nature of linguistic feature error changed with age. Conclusions Triple word-form theory was supported. By grade 1, orthographic errors predominated and phonological and morphological error patterns were evident. Morphological errors increased in relative frequency in older students, probably due to a combination of word-formation issues and vocabulary growth. These patterns suggest that normal spelling development reflects non-linear growth and that it takes a long time to develop a robust orthographic lexicon that coordinates phonology, orthography, and morphology and supports word-specific, conventional spelling. PMID:22473834

Is the Cure Worse than the Disease? A Longitudinal Study on the Effect of Grade Retention in Secondary Education on Achievement and Academic Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamote, Carl; Pinxten, Maarten; Van Den Noortgate, Wim; Van Damme, Jan

2014-01-01

Holding students back when they do not meet a specific attainment level is common practice in a lot of countries. However, this practice is not without controversy and recent studies point at the negative effects of grade retention, especially in the long-term. The majority of these studies focused on grade retention in primary education. In our…

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.

Potential of MR spectroscopy for assessment of glioma grading.

PubMed

Bulik, Martin; Jancalek, Radim; Vanicek, Jiri; Skoch, Antonin; Mechl, Marek

2013-02-01

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is an imaging diagnostic method based that allows non-invasive measurement of metabolites in tissues. There are a number of metabolites that can be identified by standard brain proton MRS but only a few of them has a clinical significance in diagnosis of gliomas including N-acetylaspartate, choline, creatine, myo-inositol, lactate, and lipids. In this review, we describe potential of MRS for grading of gliomas. Low-grade gliomas are generally characterized by a relatively high concentration of N-acetylaspartate, low level of choline and absence of lactate and lipids. The increase in creatine concentration indicates low-grade gliomas with earlier progression and malignant transformation. Progression in grade of a glioma is reflected in the progressive decrease in the N-acetylaspartate and myo-inositol levels on the one hand and elevation in choline level up to grade III on the other. Malignant transformation of the glial tumors is also accompanied by the presence of lactate and lipids in MR spectra of grade III but mainly grade IV gliomas. It follows that MRS is a helpful method for detection of glioma regions with aggressive growth or upgrading due to favorable correlation of the choline and N-acetylaspartate levels with histopathological proliferation index Ki-67. Thus, magnetic resonance spectroscopy is also a suitable method for the targeting of brain biopsies. Gliomas of each grade have some specific MRS features that can be used for improvement of the diagnostic value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging in non-invasive assessment of glioma grade. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deaf college students' mathematical skills relative to morphological knowledge, reading level, and language proficiency.

PubMed

Kelly, Ronald R; Gaustad, Martha G

2007-01-01

This study of deaf college students examined specific relationships between their mathematics performance and their assessed skills in reading, language, and English morphology. Simple regression analyses showed that deaf college students' language proficiency scores, reading grade level, and morphological knowledge regarding word segmentation and meaning were all significantly correlated with both the ACT Mathematics Subtest and National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Mathematics Placement Test scores. Multiple regression analyses identified the best combination from among these potential independent predictors of students' performance on both the ACT and NTID mathematics tests. Additionally, the participating deaf students' grades in their college mathematics courses were significantly and positively associated with their reading grade level and their knowledge of morphological components of words.

An Integrated Curriculum for Kindergarten/First Grade Children Utilizing Project Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Yuehkuei

An integrated curriculum allows children's learning in all traditional subject areas to occur primarily through projects that the teachers plan and that reflect children's interests. This paper presents a curriculum web on Chinese festivals, specifically, the Chinese New Year, for kindergarten and first grade levels. The paper first presents a…

Secondary Schools Curriculum Guide, Mathematics, Grades 10-12, Levels 87-112.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Arnold R., Ed.; And Others

Behavioral objectives for geometry, algebra, computer mathematics, trigonometry, analytic geometry, calculus, and probability are specified for grades 10 through 12. General objectives are stated for major areas under each topic and are followed by a list of specific objectives for that area. This work was prepared under an ESEA Title III…

Mathematics Awareness through Technology, Teamwork, Engagement, and Rigor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Laurie

2016-01-01

The purpose of this two-year observational study was to determine if the use of technology and intervention groups affected fourth-grade math scores. Specifically, the desire was to identify the percentage of students who met or exceeded grade-level standards on the state standardized test. This study indicated possible reasons that enhanced…

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…

Connecticut Music Trace Map for Grades 10 and 12. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Board of Education, Hartford.

The Connecticut Curriculum Trace Maps for music are designed to help curriculum developers and teachers translate Connecticut's K-12 performance standards into objectives and classroom practice. The Trace Maps provide specific descriptions of what students should know and be able to do at smaller grade level clusters. The elements in the Trace…

Connecticut Music Trace Map for Grades 6 and 8. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Board of Education, Hartford.

These Connecticut Curriculum Trace Maps for music are designed to help curriculum developers and teachers translate Connecticut's K-12 performance standards into objectives and classroom practices. Trace Maps provide specific descriptions of what students should know and be able to do at smaller grade level clusters. Elements in the Trace Maps are…

Connecticut Music Trace Map for Grades 2 and 4. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Board of Education, Hartford.

These Connecticut Curriculum Trace Maps for music are designed to help curriculum developers and teachers translate Connecticut's K-12 performance standards into objectives and classroom practice. The music Trace Maps provide specific descriptions of what students should know and be able to do at smaller grade level clusters. Connecticut's Trace…

Repeat prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test before prostate biopsy: a 20% decrease in PSA values is associated with a reduced risk of cancer and particularly of high-grade cancer.

PubMed

De Nunzio, Cosimo; Lombardo, Riccardo; Nacchia, Antonio; Tema, Giorgia; Tubaro, Andrea

2018-07-01

To analyse the impact of repeating a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level assessment on prostate biopsy decision in a cohort of men undergoing prostate biopsy. From 2015 onwards, we consecutively enrolled, at a single institution in Italy, men undergoing 12-core transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate needle biopsy. Indication for prostate biopsy was a PSA level of ≥4 ng/mL. Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data were collected. The PSA level was tested at enrolment (PSA 1 ) and 4 weeks later on the day before biopsy (PSA 2 ). Variations in PSA level were defined as: stable PSA 2 within a 10% variation, stable PSA 2 within a 20% variation, PSA 2 decreased by ≥10%, PSA 2 decreased by ≥20%, PSA 2 increased by ≥10%, PSA 2 increased by ≥20%, and PSA 2 <4 ng/mL. Percentages and multinomial logistic regression were used to analyse biopsy outcomes. High-grade cancer was defined as Grade group ≥3. Overall, 331 patients were enrolled. Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 153/331 (46%) patients and of them 80/153 (52%) had high-grade disease. When compared to the rest of the population, patients with a stable PSA within 20% variation had a higher risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.80, P < 0.05) and high grade disease (OR 2.56, P < 0.05), patients with a PSA2 decreased by ≥20% had a lower risk of prostate cancer (OR 0.37, P < 0.05) and high grade disease (OR 0.13, P < 0.05), whilst patients with a PSA2 increased by ≥10% had an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer (OR 1.93, P < 0.05). When PSA returned to normal values (<4 ng/mL) both risks of prostate cancer and high-grade disease were reduced (OR 0.33 and 0.01, respectively, P = 0.001). In a cohort of Italian men undergoing prostate biopsy, a reduction of ≥20% in PSA levels significantly reduced the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Further multicentre studies should validate our present results. © 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Effect of Planetariums on Teaching Specific Astronomy Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türk, Cumhur; Kalkan, Hüseyin

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine students' knowledge levels related to specific astronomy concepts and the effect of a planetarium environment on teaching. The study sample included seventh-grade (12-13 years old) students. For this purpose, 240 students of various socioeconomic and cultural levels from six schools (two in the city center, two…

Borrowing Legitimacy as English Learner (EL) Leaders: Indiana's 14-Year History with English Language Proficiency Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morita-Mullaney, Trish

2017-01-01

English language proficiency or English language development (ELP/D) standards guide how content-specific instruction and assessment is practiced by teachers and how English learners (ELs) at varying levels of English proficiency can perform grade-level-specific academic standards in K-12 US schools. With the transition from the state-developed…

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.

Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement of Elementary Students in Mississippi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCorvey-Watson, Catherine

2012-01-01

In 2002, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which added accountability to President Lyndon Johnson's original Title I legislation of 1964. Specifically, it required that all children in Grades 3-8, by school year 2014, regardless of socioeconomic status, perform at or above grade level requirements in mathematics…

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…

[Analysis of commercial specifications and grades of wild and cultivated Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix based on multi-indicative constituents].

PubMed

Yang, Yan-Mei; Lin, Li; Lu, You-Yuan; Ma, Xiao-Hui; Jin, Ling; Zhu, Tian-Tian

2016-03-01

The study is aimed to analyze the commercial specifications and grades of wild and cultivated Gentianae Macrophllae Radix based on multi-indicative constituents. The seven kinds of main chemical components containing in Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix were determined by UPLC, and then the quality levels of chemical component of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix were clustered and classified by modern statistical methods (canonical correspondence analysis, Fisher discriminant analysis and so on). The quality indices were selected and their correlations were analyzed. Lastly, comprehensively quantitative grade division for quality under different commodity-specifications and different grades of same commodity-specifications of wild and planting were divided. The results provide a basis for a reasonable division of specification and grade of the commodity of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix. The range of quality evaluation of main index components (gentiopicrin, loganin acid and swertiamarin) was proposed, and the Herbal Quality Index (HQI) was introduced. The rank discriminant function was established based on the quality by Fisher discriminant analysis. According to the analysis, the quality of wild and cultivated Luobojiao, one of the commercial specification of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix was the best, Mahuajiao, the other commercial specification, was average , Xiaoqinjiao was inferior. Among grades, the quality of first-class cultivated Luobojiao was the worst, of second class secondary, and the third class the best; The quality of the first-class of wild Luobojiao was secondary, and the second-class the best; The quality of the second-class of Mahuajiao was secondary, and the first-class was the best; the quality of first-class Xiaoqinjiao was secondary, and the second-class was the better one between the two grades, but not obvious significantly. The method provides a new idea and method for evaluation of comprehensively quantitative on the quality of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

M-Health for Improving Screening Accuracy of Acute Malnutrition in a Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition Program in Mumbai Informal Settlements.

PubMed

Chanani, Sheila; Wacksman, Jeremy; Deshmukh, Devika; Pantvaidya, Shanti; Fernandez, Armida; Jayaraman, Anuja

2016-12-01

Acute malnutrition is linked to child mortality and morbidity. Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programs can be instrumental in large-scale detection and treatment of undernutrition. The World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 weight-for-height/length tables are diagnostic tools available to screen for acute malnutrition. Frontline workers (FWs) in a CMAM program in Dharavi, Mumbai, were using CommCare, a mobile application, for monitoring and case management of children in combination with the paper-based WHO simplified tables. A strategy was undertaken to digitize the WHO tables into the CommCare application. To measure differences in diagnostic accuracy in community-based screening for acute malnutrition, by FWs, using a mobile-based solution. Twenty-seven FWs initially used the paper-based tables and then switched to an updated mobile application that included a nutritional grade calculator. Human error rates specifically associated with grade classification were calculated by comparison of the grade assigned by the FW to the grade each child should have received based on the same WHO tables. Cohen kappa coefficient, sensitivity and specificity rates were also calculated and compared for paper-based grade assignments and calculator grade assignments. Comparing FWs (N = 14) who completed at least 40 screenings without and 40 with the calculator, the error rates were 5.5% and 0.7%, respectively (p < .0001). Interrater reliability (κ) increased to an almost perfect level (>.90), from .79 to .97, after switching to the mobile calculator. Sensitivity and specificity also improved significantly. The mobile calculator significantly reduces an important component of human error in using the WHO tables to assess acute malnutrition at the community level. © The Author(s) 2016.

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.

Grading Rigor in Counselor Education: A Specifications Grading Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonner, Matthew W.

2016-01-01

According to accreditation and professional bodies, evaluation and grading are a high priority in counselor education. Specifications grading, an evaluative tool, can be used to increase grading rigor. This article describes the components of specifications grading and applies the framework of specifications grading to a counseling theories course.

Retrospective Analysis of the Risk Factors for Grade IV Neutropenia in Oesophageal Cancer Patients Treated with a Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-Fluorouracil Regimen.

PubMed

Naito, Masahito; Yamamoto, Tomoya; Shimamoto, Chikao; Miwa, Yoshihiro

2017-01-01

Previous Japanese trials of the docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil regimen for oesophageal cancer have demonstrated that a large proportion of patients also develop grade IV neutropenia. Our aim was to examine the risk factors for neutropenia in patients treated with this regimen. We retrospectively analysed the risk factors for developing grade IV neutropenia in 66 patients with oesophageal cancer using a multivariate analysis. After administering the docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil regimen, 49 patients (74.2%) developed grade IV neutropenia. Grade IV neutropenia was significantly associated with platelet count (p < 0.01), alanine transaminase level (p = 0.05), and proton-pump inhibitor administration (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed a platelet count of 290 × 103/μL as the optimal diagnostic cut-off value for grade IV neutropenia. The receiver operating characteristic area for grade IV neutropenia was increased by including patients that were administered a proton-pump inhibitor and alanine transaminase level (updated model; sensitivity and specificity, 75.5 and 88.2%, respectively). Our findings suggest that a platelet count is the most significant predictor of grade IV neutropenia. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prediction of heart transplant rejection with a breath test for markers of oxidative stress.

PubMed

Phillips, Michael; Boehmer, John P; Cataneo, Renee N; Cheema, Taseer; Eisen, Howard J; Fallon, John T; Fisher, Peter E; Gass, Alan; Greenberg, Joel; Kobashigawa, Jon; Mancini, Donna; Rayburn, Barry; Zucker, Mark J

2004-12-15

The Heart Allograft Rejection: Detection with Breath Alkanes in Low Levels study evaluated a breath test for oxidative stress in heart transplant recipients, and we report here a mathematical model predicting the probability of grade 3 rejection. The breath test divided the heart transplant recipients into 3 groups: positive for grade 3 rejection, negative for grade 3 rejection, and intermediate. The test was 100% sensitive for grade 3 heart transplant rejection when the p value was >/=0.98, and 100% specific when the p value was

Analysis of transportation network design strategies for forced transfer busing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

Forced transfer busing occurs primarily at the elementary school level when students are bused : to an alternate school when their geographically-assigned school is full at their specific grade : level. Ineffective forced transfer busing can result i...

Online patient information from radiation oncology departments is too complex for the general population.

PubMed

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

Nearly two-thirds of cancer patients seek information about their diagnosis online. We assessed the readability of online patient education materials found on academic radiation oncology department Web sites to determine whether they adhered to guidelines suggesting that information be presented at a sixth-grade reading level. The Association of American Medical Colleges Web site was used to identify all academic radiation oncology departments in the United States. One-third of these department Web sites were selected for analysis using a random number generator. Both general information on radiation therapy and specific information regarding various radiation modalities were collected. To test the hypothesis that the readability of these online educational materials was written at the recommended grade level, a panel of 10 common readability tests was used. A composite grade level of readability was constructed using the 8 readability measures that provide a single grade-level output. A mean of 5605 words (range, 2058-12,837) from 30 department Web sites was collected. Using the composite grade level score, the overall mean readability level was determined to be 13.36 (12.83-13.89), corresponding to a collegiate reading level. This was significantly higher than the target sixth-grade reading level (middle school, t (29) = 27.41, P < .001). Online patient educational materials from academic radiation oncology Web sites are significantly more complex than recommended by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. To improve patients' comprehension of radiation therapy and its role in their treatment, our analysis suggests that the language used in online patient information should be simplified to communicate the information at a more appropriate level. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase II Study of Long-Term Androgen Suppression With Bevacizumab and Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

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

Vuky, Jacqueline, E-mail: vukyja@ohsu.edu; Pham, Huong T.; Warren, Sarah

Purpose: We report a Phase II trial assessing the acute and late toxicities of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), long-term androgen suppression (LTAS), and bevacizumab in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: We treated 18 patients with LTAS with bicalutamide and goserelin in combination with bevacizumab and IMRT. Bevacizumab (10 mg/kg every 2 weeks) was administered for the first 16 weeks, and 15 mg/kg was then given every 3 weeks for 12 additional weeks, with an IMRT dose of 77.9 Gy to the prostate, 64.6 Gy to the seminal vesicles, and 57 Gy to the pelvic lymph nodes.more » Patients were eligible if they had clinical stage T2b to T4, a Gleason sum score of 8 to 10, or a prostate- specific antigen level of 20ng/mL or greater. The primary endpoint of the study was evaluation of acute and late toxicities. Results: The median age was 69 years, with a median pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level of 12.5 ng/mL and Gleason score of 8. The pretreatment clinical stage was T1c in 4 patients, T2 in 11, and T3 in 3. All patients completed IMRT with median follow-up of 34 months (range, 28-40 months) The most common Grade 2 or higher toxicities were hypertension (61% of patients with Grade 2 and 11% with Grade 3), proteinuria (28% with Grade 2 and 6% with Grade 3), and leucopenia (28% with Grade 2). No Grade 4 or higher acute toxicities were reported. Late toxicities included proctitis (6% of patients with Grade 2 and 11% with Grade 3), rectal bleeding (6% with Grade 2 and 11% with Grade 3), hematuria (6% with Grade 2), proteinuria (17% with Grade 2), hyponatremia (6% with Grade 3), cystitis (6% with Grade 3), and urinary retention (6% with Grade 2 and 11% with Grade 3). Grade 4 prostatitis occurred in 1 patient (6%). Conclusions: Bevacizumab does not appear to exacerbate the acute effects of IMRT. Late toxicities may have been worsened with this regimen. Further investigations of bevacizumab with LTAS and IMRT should be performed cautiously.« less

Effects of a College Access Program for Youth Underrepresented in Higher Education: A Randomized Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergin, David A.; Cooks, Helen C.; Bergin, Christi C.

2007-01-01

This article describes EXCEL, a program that encourages youth underrepresented in higher education to enroll in higher education, specifically at the sponsoring university. Eighty-three eighth grade students with GPA of B and above and standardized test scores at grade level or above were randomly assigned to the program or to a control group. The…

Truth: Humanities Unit (Middle and Secondary Grade Levels). Programs for Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Barbara; Kolman, Peter

One in a series of instructional units designed for gifted students, this booklet describes a humanities unit for students in middle and secondary grades. The specific focus of the unit is on truth as it is perceived and expressed in philosophy, literature, art, music, drama, and the social sciences. The study of truth and its surrounding concepts…

Strategies for Estimating Teacher Supply and Demand Using Student and Teacher Data. REL 2017-197

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Jim; Wan, Yinmei; Berg-Jacobson, Alexander; Walston, Jill; Redford, Jeremy

2016-01-01

Every year the U.S. Department of Education reports for each state in the country the grade levels, subject areas, and geographic areas that have experienced teacher shortages (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, 2015). A teacher shortage occurs when the number of teachers available in a specific grade, subject matter…

Into the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1996

1996-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, health and nutrition, mathematics, science, and social studies. Library media skills, objectives, grade levels, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. Specific topics include aardvarks,…

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.

38 CFR 39.81 - Preapplication requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (9) A gravesite assessment survey documenting the State cemetery's performance related to the..., leveling of gravesites, or turf conditions. Specifically, the preapplication should explain the need for... must blend in with adjacent grade levels. (v) Turf conditions. 100 percent of visually prominent areas...

[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 influence of alcohol-specific communication on adolescent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences.

PubMed

Reimuller, Alison; Hussong, Andrea; Ennett, Susan T

2011-12-01

Alcohol-specific communication, a direct conversation between an adult and an adolescent regarding alcohol use, contains messages about alcohol relayed from the adult to the child. The current study examined the construct of alcohol-specific communication and the effect of messages on adolescent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Parent-adolescent dyads were assessed biannually for 3 years (grades 9-11 at wave 6) to examine these relations in a large longitudinal study of adolescents initially in grades 6 through 8. An exploratory factor analysis identified two factors among alcohol-specific communication items, permissive messages and negative alcohol messages. Results showed previous level of adolescent alcohol use moderated the relation between permissive messages and alcohol use outcomes. Plotting of these interactions showed greater alcohol use and consequences with increasing permissive messages in adolescents with higher versus lower levels of previous alcohol use. Results suggest that parental messages regarding alcohol use may impact adolescent alcohol use beyond the effect of general parenting style and parental alcohol use.

The Influence of Alcohol-specific Communication on Adolescent Alcohol Use and Alcohol-related Consequences

PubMed Central

Reimuller, Alison; Hussong, Andrea; Ennett, Susan T.

2013-01-01

Alcohol-specific communication, a direct conversation between an adult and an adolescent regarding alcohol use, contains messages about alcohol relayed from the adult to the child. The current study examined the construct of alcohol-specific communication and the effect of messages on adolescent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Parent-adolescent dyads were assessed biannually for 3 years (grades 9-11 at wave 6) to examine these relations in a large longitudinal study of adolescents initially in grades 6 through 8. An exploratory factor analysis identified two factors among alcohol-specific communication items, permissive messages and negative alcohol messages. Results showed previous level of adolescent alcohol use moderated the relation between permissive messages and alcohol use outcomes. Plotting of these interactions showed greater alcohol use and consequences with increasing permissive messages in adolescents with higher versus lower levels of previous alcohol use. Results suggest that parental messages regarding alcohol use may impact adolescent alcohol use beyond the effect of general parenting style and parental alcohol use. PMID:21667141

Earth melter with rubble walls and method of use

DOEpatents

Chapman, Chris C.

1998-01-01

The present invention is an improvement to the earth melter described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,618. The improvement is the use of rubble for retaining walls. More specifically, the retaining walls rest on ground level and extend above ground level piling rubble around a melt zone. A portion of the melter may be below grade wherein sidewalls are formed by the relatively undisturbed native soil or rock, and the rubble may be used as a backfill liner for the below grade sidewalls.

Oedema of gallbladder wall: correlation with chronic hepatitis B on MR imaging.

PubMed

Shu, Jian; Zhao, Jian Nong; Han, Fu Gang; Tang, Guang Cai; Luo, Yin Deng; Chen, Xin; Luo, Li

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to characterise gallbladder wall oedema and correlate it with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sixty-seven patients who were clinically and histologically diagnosed with CHB and 18 healthy individuals without any history of liver disease underwent abdominal MR imaging. Hepatic inflammation (grade 0-4) and fibrosis (stage 0-4) for patients were assessed histologically. Gallbladder wall oedema was noted. Twelve patients showed gallbladder wall oedema on MR imaging, including six with grade 3 and six with grade 4 disease. There was a statistically significant difference for the presence of gallbladder wall oedema among groups with grade 0-4 (p=0.000), but not between groups with grades 3 and 4 (p=0.729). Gallbladder wall oedema was related to moderate-severe inflammatory activity (p<0.05), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p=0.012) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (p=0.027) levels but not to fibrosis or other laboratory data, including serum quantitative DNA for hepatitis B virus (HBV), with the p=0.105-0.846. Sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of hepatic moderate-severe inflammation using gallbladder wall oedema were 33.33% and 100%, respectively. Gallbladder wall oedema for patients with CHB can be specifically demonstrated on MR imaging and is correlated with hepatic moderate-severe inflammatory activity, elevated ALT and AST levels but not with fibrosis or other laboratory data, including viremia.

Injury risk factors, screening tests and preventative strategies: a systematic review of the evidence that underpins the perceptions and practices of 44 football (soccer) teams from various premier leagues

PubMed Central

McCall, Alan; Carling, Chris; Davison, Michael; Nedelec, Mathieu; Le Gall, Franck; Berthoin, Serge; Dupont, Gregory

2015-01-01

Purpose To systematically review the scientific level of evidence for the ‘Top 3’ risk factors, screening tests and preventative exercises identified by a previously published survey of 44 premier league football (soccer) teams. Also, to provide an overall scientific level of evidence and graded recommendation based on the current research literature. Methods A systematic literature search (Pubmed [MEDLINE], SportDiscus, PEDRO and Cochrane databases). The quality of the articles was assessed and a level of evidence (1++ to 4) was assigned. Level 1++ corresponded to the highest level of evidence available and 4, the lowest. A graded recommendation (A: strong, B: moderate, C: weak, D: insufficient evidence to assign a specific recommendation) for use in the practical setting was given. Results Fourteen studies were analysed. The overall level of evidence for the risk factors previous injury, fatigue and muscle imbalance were 2++, 4 and ‘inconclusive’, respectively. The graded recommendation for functional movement screen, psychological questionnaire and isokinetic muscle testing were all ‘D’. Hamstring eccentric had a weak graded ‘C’ recommendation, and eccentric exercise for other body parts was ‘D’. Balance/proprioception exercise to reduce ankle and knee sprain injury was assigned a graded recommendation ‘D’. Conclusions The majority of perceptions and practices of premier league teams have a low level of evidence and low graded recommendation. This does not imply that these perceptions and practices are not important or not valid, as it may simply be that they are yet to be sufficiently validated or refuted by research. PMID:25576530

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.

[Intradiverticular bladder tumours: review of the Cancer Committee of the French Association of Urology].

PubMed

Neuzillet, Y; Comperat, E; Rouprêt, M; Larre, S; Roy, C; Quintens, H; Houede, N; Pignot, G; Wallerand, H; Soulie, M; Pfister, C

2012-07-01

Cancer Committee of the French Association of Urology (CCAFU) conducted a review of the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of intradiverticular bladder tumours (TVID) and proposed therapeutic management. A bibliographic research in French and English using Medline(®) with the keywords "tumor", "bladder" and "diverticulum" was performed. TVID are more frequently of stage T ≥ 3a and with non urothelial histology than classical bladder tumors. At diagnosis, the risk of underestimation of the extent and multifocality of the tumor was described. Their prognosis, that was more pejorative than conventional tumors, should impelled to limit the indications of conservative treatment. The evidence levels of analyzed publications were low, with C level according to Sackett score. the specificities of the TVID have lead the CCAFU to propose specific therapeutic guidelines, based on poor evidence level. Ta-T1 low grade TVID can be treated by transurethral resection alone or followed by BCG therapy in cases of associated carcinoma in situ. High-grade TVID, unifocal and without associated carcinoma in situ, can be treated by diverticulectomy associated with pelvic lymphadenectomy. High grade TVID, multiple or associated with carcinoma in situ, warranted total cystectomy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Fast ForWord[R] on Sixth Grade Students' Use of Standard Edited American English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogowsky, Beth A.

2010-01-01

This study investigated the impact of Fast ForWord[R] products, specifically Fast ForWord[R] Literacy (FFL) and Fast ForWord[R] Reading Level 2 (FFR2), on sixth grade students' use of Standard Edited American English (SEAE). Fast ForWord[R] is a computer-based program that focuses on phonological awareness and makes use of modeled…

A Study of Turkish High School Students' Burnout and Proficiency Levels in Relation to Their Sex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeni Palabiyik, Pinar

2014-01-01

The present study examines high school students' burnout levels. The main aims of the study are to investigate whether their burnout levels vary according to gender and grade levels, and to check the correlation between overall burnout levels and their English language proficiency attained with a specific test. The study followed a quantitative…

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.

Developmental Change in the Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Domain-Specific Knowledge on Mathematics Achievement: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.; Nicholas, Alan; Li, Yaoran; Sun, Jianguo

2016-01-01

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade mathematics achievement and mathematical cognition measures of prior grade number knowledge, addition skills, and fraction knowledge. Use of functional data analysis enabled grade-by-grade estimation of overall domain-general and domain-specific effects on subsequent mathematics achievement, the relative importance of individual domain-general and domain-specific variables on this achievement, and linear and non-linear across-grade estimates of these effects. The overall importance of domain-general abilities for subsequent achievement was stable across grades, with working memory emerging as the most important domain-general ability in later grades. The importance of prior mathematical competencies on subsequent mathematics achievement increased across grades, with number knowledge and arithmetic skills critical in all grades and fraction knowledge in later grades. Overall, domain-general abilities were more important than domain-specific knowledge for mathematics learning in early grades but general abilities and domain-specific knowledge were equally important in later grades. PMID:28781382

78 FR 9900 - National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... and specifications, developing appropriate student achievement levels for each grade and subject... briefing on the NAEP 2012 Economics Report. The Board will receive an embargoed briefing on preliminary...

Toward a Graded Psycholexical Space Mapping Model: Sublexical and Lexical Representations in Chinese Character Reading Development.

PubMed

Tong, Xiuli; McBride, Catherine

2017-07-01

Following a review of contemporary models of word-level processing for reading and their limitations, we propose a new hypothetical model of Chinese character reading, namely, the graded lexical space mapping model that characterizes how sublexical radicals and lexical information are involved in Chinese character reading development. The underlying assumption of this model is that Chinese character recognition is a process of competitive mappings of phonology, semantics, and orthography in both lexical and sublexical systems, operating as functions of statistical properties of print input based on the individual's specific level of reading. This model leads to several testable predictions concerning how the quasiregularity and continuity of Chinese-specific radicals are organized in memory for both child and adult readers at different developmental stages of reading.

Development and validation of the Rapid Estimate of Adolescent Literacy in Medicine (REALM-Teen): a tool to screen adolescents for below-grade reading in health care settings.

PubMed

Davis, Terry C; Wolf, Michael S; Arnold, Connie L; Byrd, Robert S; Long, Sandra W; Springer, Thomas; Kennen, Estela; Bocchini, Joseph A

2006-12-01

The magnitude and consequences of low literacy in adolescent health and health care are unknown. The purpose of this study was to validate the Rapid Estimate of Adolescent Literacy in Medicine (REALM-Teen), a word-recognition test in English that can be used as a brief literacy-screening tool in health care settings. A total of 1533 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years attending 1 of 5 middle schools, 3 high schools, 1 pediatric clinic, or 2 summer programs in Louisiana and North Carolina participated in face-to-face interviews. Demographic information was solicited, and participants were administered a battery of reading tests, including the REALM-Teen, Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-3), and Slosson Oral Reading Test-Revised (SORT-R). Internal consistency for the REALM-Teen was determined using Cronbach's alpha, and criterion validity was established through correlations with both the WRAT-R and SORT-R. Using reading below grade level (according to SORT-R scores) as an outcome, instrument accuracy and corresponding cutoff scores were calculated by plotting receiver operating characteristic curves and stratum-specific likelihood ratios. Participants were 50% black and 53% female; 34% were enrolled in middle school and 66% in high school. The average time required to administer the REALM-Teen was 3 minutes. Internal consistency was excellent, as was test-retest reliability. The REALM-Teen is strongly correlated with both the WRAT-R and SORT-R. Five reading level categories were identified: 3rd grade and below, 4th to 5th grade, 6th to 7th grade, 8th to 9th grade, and 10th grade and above. Forty-six percent of participants were reading below grade level according to the SORT-R and 28% had repeated at least 1 grade. The REALM-Teen is a brief, reliable instrument for assessing adolescent literacy skills and reading below grade level.

The effects of school policies and practices on eighth-grade science achievement: A multilevel analysis of TIMSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyth, Carol Ann Mary

Identifying the relative importance of both alterable school policies and fairly stable contextual factors as they relate to middle level science achievement, a domain of identified national concern, requires simultaneous investigation of multilevel predictors (i.e., student level and school level) specific to the grade level and academic subject area. The school level factors are predictors associated with both the school (e.g., average socioeconomic status, tracking, and instructional time) and the classroom (e.g., average academic press of peers, teacher collaboration, and instructional strategies). The current study assessed the effects of school policies, practices, and contextual factors on the science achievement of eighth grade students. These influences were considered to be both additive (i.e., influencing the mean achievement in a school after controlling for student characteristics) and interactive (i.e., affecting the relationships between student background characteristics and individual achievement). To account for the nested structure of predictors and cross level interactions among predictors, a multilevel model for middle level science achievement was estimated using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with data collected from eighth grade students, science teachers, and administrators in 1995 as part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The major findings of this research suggest that although average eighth grade science achievement in a school was primarily associated with the contextual characteristics of the classroom and the school (e.g., average socioeconomic status and average academic press), both the academic differentiating influence of prior achievement and the social differentiating influence of parental education on the science achievement of eighth grade students were related not only to contextual characteristics of the classroom and the school, but also to the instructional policies of the classroom. Using these results, policy makers can identify factors that can be modified to advance academic excellence in eighth grade science while promoting an equitable distribution of that achievement across students of varying backgrounds.

Circulating anti-filamin C autoantibody as a potential serum biomarker for low-grade gliomas

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Glioma is the most common primary malignant central nervous system tumor in adult, and is usually not curable due to its invasive nature. Establishment of serum biomarkers for glioma would be beneficial both for early diagnosis and adequate therapeutic intervention. Filamins are an actin cross-linker and filamin C (FLNC), normally restricted in muscle tissues, offers many signaling molecules an essential communication fields. Recently, filamins have been considered important for tumorigenesis in cancers. Methods We searched for novel glioma-associated antigens by serological identification of antigens utilizing recombinant cDNA expression cloning (SEREX), and found FLNC as a candidate protein. Tissue expressions of FLNC (both in normal and tumor tissues) were examined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Serum anti-FLNC autoantibody level was measured by ELISA in normal volunteers and in the patients with various grade gliomas. Results FLNC was expressed in glioma tissues and its level got higher as tumor grade advanced. Anti-FLNC autoantibody was also detected in the serum of glioma patients, but its levels were inversely correlated with the tissue expression. Serum anti-FLNC autoantibody level was significantly higher in low-grade glioma patients than in high-grade glioma patients or in normal volunteers, which was confirmed in an independent validation set of patients’ sera. The autoantibody levels in the patients with meningioma or cerebral infarction were at the same level of normal volunteers, and they were significantly lower than that of low-grade gliomas. Total IgG and anti-glutatione S-transferase (GST) antibody level were not altered among the patient groups, which suggest that the autoantibody response was specific for FLNC. Conclusions The present results suggest that serum anti-FLNC autoantibody can be a potential serum biomarker for early diagnosis of low-grade gliomas while it needs a large-scale clinical study. PMID:24946857

Evaluation of Course-Specific Self-Efficacy Assessment Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bong, Mimi

A study was conducted to compare three methods of assessing course-level self-efficacy beliefs within a multitrait multimethod (MTMM) framework. The methods involved: (1) successfully performing a number of domain-related tasks; (2) obtaining specific letter grades in the course; and (3) successfully performing generic academic tasks in the…

14 CFR 33.7 - Engine ratings and operating limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

....m., manifold pressure, and time at critical pressure altitude and sea level pressure altitude for... turbine wheel inlet gas. (5) Pressure of— (i) Fuel at the fuel inlet; and (ii) Oil at the main oil gallery... operation. (2) Fuel designation or specification. (3) Oil grade or specification. (4) Hydraulic fluid...

14 CFR 33.7 - Engine ratings and operating limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

....m., manifold pressure, and time at critical pressure altitude and sea level pressure altitude for... turbine wheel inlet gas. (5) Pressure of— (i) Fuel at the fuel inlet; and (ii) Oil at the main oil gallery... operation. (2) Fuel designation or specification. (3) Oil grade or specification. (4) Hydraulic fluid...

14 CFR 33.7 - Engine ratings and operating limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

....m., manifold pressure, and time at critical pressure altitude and sea level pressure altitude for... turbine wheel inlet gas. (5) Pressure of— (i) Fuel at the fuel inlet; and (ii) Oil at the main oil gallery... operation. (2) Fuel designation or specification. (3) Oil grade or specification. (4) Hydraulic fluid...

14 CFR 33.7 - Engine ratings and operating limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

....m., manifold pressure, and time at critical pressure altitude and sea level pressure altitude for... turbine wheel inlet gas. (5) Pressure of— (i) Fuel at the fuel inlet; and (ii) Oil at the main oil gallery... operation. (2) Fuel designation or specification. (3) Oil grade or specification. (4) Hydraulic fluid...

Use Standards to Draw Curriculum Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Pat; Stephens, Claire Gatrell

2009-01-01

Specific curriculum is taught at every grade level and it is the job of library media specialists to know subject area content. Library media specialists should develop collections to meet the content associated with curriculum standards. To ensure that these collections meet school needs, collection mapping with specific curriculum related to…

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

Mammography Patient Information at Hospital Websites: Most Neither Comprehensible Nor Guideline Supported.

PubMed

Sadigh, Gelareh; Singh, Kush; Gilbert, Kirven; Khan, Ramsha; Duszak, Abigail M; Duszak, Richard

2016-11-01

Ongoing controversy regarding screening mammography guidelines has created confusion for many patients. Given recommendations that patient educational material be prepared at or below the 7th grade reading level of average Americans, the purpose of this study was to assess the readability of online mammography information offered by hospitals nationwide. During 2015, online mammography patient educational materials were identified for all Medicare-recognized hospitals nationwide for which screening mammography metrics were publicly available. Patient educational materials were assessed using six validated readability score algorithms. All references to official screening guidelines were captured. Of 4105 hospitals nationwide, 3252 had websites and confirmable screening mammography services. Of those, 1753 (54%) offered mammography information material online. Only 919 (28%) referenced any professional society guidelines. After excluding information not formatted in HTML and shorter than 100 words (to improve algorithm reliability), 1524 hospital mammography webpages were assessed for grade level scores. Nationally, the mean of each readability score for all hospitals varied between the 10th and 14th grade levels, all higher than the recommended 7th grade level (p < 0.001). At the individual hospital level, only 14 hospitals (0.4%) had mean scores at or below the 7th grade level. Of U.S. hospitals that offer screening mammography and have websites, only 54% provide online mammography educational material. Of those, only 0.4% present information at a reading level comprehensible to average Americans, and only 28% offer specific information to help patients reconcile conflicting guidelines. Health systems offering mammography should strive to better meet women's health information and literacy needs.

Clinical significance of serum and urinary HER2/neu protein levels in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

PubMed

Arikan, Ozgur; Yýldýrým, Asýf; Ýsbilen, Banu; Canakci, Cengiz; Atýs, Gokhan; Gurbuz, Cenk; Erol, Bulent; Ýsman, Ferruh Kemal; Ozkanli, Seyma; Caskurlu, Turhan

2015-01-01

We aimed to compare serum and urinary HER2/neu levels between healthy control group and patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Additionally, we evaluated relationship of HER2/neu levels with tumor stage, grade, recurrence and progression. Fourty-four patients with primary non-muscle invasive bladder tumors (Group 2) and 40 healthy control group (Group 1) were included the study. Blood and urinary samples were collected from all patients and HER2/neu levels were measured by ELISA method. Blood and urinary HER2/neu levels and additionally, ratio of urinary HER2/neu levels to urinary creatinine levels were recorded. Demographic data and tumor characteristics were recorded. Mean serum HER2/neu levels were similar between two groups and statistically significant difference wasn't observed. Urinary HER2/neu levels were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. Ratio of urinary HER2/neu to urinary creatinine was significantly higher in group 2 than group 1, (p=0,021). Serum and urinary HER2/ neu levels were not associated with tumor stage, grade, recurrence and progression while ratio of urinary HER2/neu to urinary creatinin levels were significantly higher in high-grade tumors. HER2/neu, the sensitivity of the test was found to be 20.5%, and the specificity was 97.5%, also for the urinary HER2/neu/urinary creatinine ratio, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were found to be 31.8% and 87.5%, respectively. Urinary HER2/neu and ratio of urinary creatinine urine were significantly higher in patients with bladder cancer compared to healthy subjects. Large series and controlled studies are needed for use as a tumor marker.

Results from Kenya's 2014 Report Card on the Physical Activity and Body Weight of Children and Youth.

PubMed

Wachira L, Joy M; Muthuri, Stella K; Tremblay, Mark S; Onywera, Vincent O

2014-05-01

The report card presents available evidence on the physical activity (PA) and body weight status of Kenyan children and youth. It highlights areas where Kenya is succeeding and those in which more action is needed. Comprehensive review and analysis of available data on core indicators for Kenyan children and youth 5-17 years were conducted. The grading system used was based on a set of specific criteria and existing grading schemes from similar report cards in other countries. Of the 10 core indicators discussed, body composition was favorable (grade B) while overall PA levels, organized sport participation, and active play were assigned grades of C. Active transportation and sedentary behaviors were also favorable (grade B). Family/peers, school, governmental and nongovernmental strategies were graded C. The majority of Kenyan children and youth have healthy body composition levels and acceptable sedentary time, but are not doing as well in attaining the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation on PA. Although Kenya seems to be doing well in most indicators compared with some developed countries, there is a need for action to address existing trends toward unhealthy lifestyles. More robust and representative data for all indicators are required.

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.

45 CFR 2522.520 - What special terms are used in this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... their reading scores to grade-level, or other specific measures of academic achievement. (g) Grantee includes subgrantees, programs, and projects. (h) National performance measures are performance measures...

45 CFR 2522.520 - What special terms are used in this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... their reading scores to grade-level, or other specific measures of academic achievement. (g) Grantee includes subgrantees, programs, and projects. (h) National performance measures are performance measures...

25 CFR 36.12 - Standard III-Program needs assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., skills, attitudes, or concepts students are expected to exhibit upon completion of a grade level. Student educational objectives are defined as statements of more specific knowledge, skills, attitudes, or concepts...

Drug treatment of inborn errors of metabolism: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Alfadhel, Majid; Al-Thihli, Khalid; Moubayed, Hiba; Eyaid, Wafaa; Al-Jeraisy, Majed

2013-01-01

Background The treatment of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) has seen significant advances over the last decade. Many medicines have been developed and the survival rates of some patients with IEM have improved. Dosages of drugs used for the treatment of various IEM can be obtained from a range of sources but tend to vary among these sources. Moreover, the published dosages are not usually supported by the level of existing evidence, and they are commonly based on personal experience. Methods A literature search was conducted to identify key material published in English in relation to the dosages of medicines used for specific IEM. Textbooks, peer reviewed articles, papers and other journal items were identified. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for material published since 1947 and 1974, respectively. The medications found and their respective dosages were graded according to their level of evidence, using the grading system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Results 83 medicines used in various IEM were identified. The dosages of 17 medications (21%) had grade 1 level of evidence, 61 (74%) had grade 4, two medications were in level 2 and 3 respectively, and three had grade 5. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to address this matter and the authors hope that it will serve as a quickly accessible reference for medications used in this important clinical field. PMID:23532493

Curriculum Units on Nonsexist Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckland, Freddie; And Others

Designed to broaden cognitive knowledge about issues of sexism, over 35 nonsexist curriculum units for students ranging from preschool to postsecondary levels are presented. Although individual curriculum units were designed for a specific educational level, all units can be adapted to fit the needs of teachers in other grades. Arranged in five…

Deaf College Students' Mathematical Skills Relative to Morphological Knowledge, Reading Level, and Language Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Ronald R.; Gaustad, Martha G.

2007-01-01

This study of deaf college students examined specific relationships between their mathematics performance and their assessed skills in reading, language, and English morphology. Simple regression analyses showed that deaf college students' language proficiency scores, reading grade level, and morphological knowledge regarding word segmentation and…

Addressing the Mathematics-Specific Needs of Beginning Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britton, Edward

2012-01-01

Beginning mathematics teachers at the secondary level (middle and high school grades) have mathematics-specific needs that induction programs should address more substantially. However, a number of issues in how programs can accomplish this are more complex than often framed in discussions occurring in the induction programs and the field of…

Teachers' Perceptions of Students' Challenging Behavior and the Impact of Teacher Demographics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alter, Peter; Walker, Ja'Nina; Landers, Eric

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to update the research regarding perceptions of specific challenging behaviors that teachers find to be most prevalent and/or problematic. This study analyzes the role of teacher demographics (gender, race, grade level, and years of experience) on their perceptions of specifically defined challenging behaviors. After…

Workplace Mathematics. Modules 1 & 2. A Working Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Edward J.

This curriculum for mathematics is designed as a teachable curriculum directed toward workplace needs. It is intended to be workplace specific and to move the learner toward a full 12th-grade level attainment. The two modules in this curriculum are further divided into modules dealing with specific topics. The first module, Basic Mathematics,…

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.

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.

Successful return to sports in athletes following non-operative management of acute isolated posterior cruciate ligament injuries: medium-term follow-up.

PubMed

Agolley, D; Gabr, A; Benjamin-Laing, H; Haddad, F S

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to report the outcome of the non-operative treatment of high-grade posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries, particularly Hughston grade III injuries, which have not previously been described. This was a prospective study involving 46 consecutive patients who were athletes with MRI-confirmed isolated PCL injuries presenting within four weeks of injury. All had Hughston grade II (25 athletes) or III (21 athletes) injuries. Our non-operative treatment regimen involved initial bracing, followed by an individualised rehabilitation programme determined by the symptoms and physical signs. The patients were reviewed until they had returned to sports-specific training, and were reviewed again at a mean of 5.2 years (3 to 9). The mean time to return to sports-specific training was 10.6 weeks and the mean time to return to full competitive sport was 16.4 weeks (10 to 40). A total of 42 patients (91.3%) were playing at the same or higher level of sport two years after the injury, with a mean Tegner activity score of 9 (5 to 10). At five years, 32 patients (69.5%) were playing at the same or higher level of sport, and 38 patients (82.6%) were playing at a competitive level, with a mean Tegner activity score of 9 (5 to 10). Medium-term review of a series of athletes suggests that commencing the non-operative management of isolated, Hughston grade II and III PCL injuries within four weeks of injury gives excellent functional outcomes with a high proportion returning to the same or higher level of sport. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:774-8. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT OF AN ISOLATED GRADE III LATERAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT INJURY IN AN ADOLESCENT MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE: A CASE REPORT

PubMed Central

Haddad, M. Alex; Budich, Justin M.; Eckenrode, Brian J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Study design Case report Background Isolated, grade III lateral collateral ligament knee injuries are an uncommon traumatic injury with little guidance available in the literature for conservative management and prognosis for return to sport. The purpose of this case report is to describe the clinical decision-making in both differential diagnosis and physical therapy management of an isolated grade III lateral collateral ligament sprain in an adolescent multi-sport high school athlete. Case Description A 16 year-old male, high school, multi-sport athlete (cross country, wrestling, track and field) sustained a traumatic knee injury during a wrestling match when his involved lower extremity was forcefully externally rotated by his opponent. Initial clinical presentation revealed pain and increased laxity with varus stress testing of the left knee, which was subsequently identified via MRI as a complete lateral collateral ligament rupture (grade III). A conservative physical therapy program was developed targeting the active and neuromuscular subsystems, theorized to compensate for the lack of an intact lateral collateral ligament. Outcomes The subject attended 18 visits of physical therapy over a period of 12 weeks. His rehabilitation program focused on functional strengthening of the posterolateral corner, enhancement of neuromuscular control, and graded progression to sports specific drills. Return to play decisions were based on a combination of lower extremity functional performance measures, condition specific outcome measures and subjective performance on sports specific tasks. At discharge from physical therapy, he reported 0/10 pain, scored a 76/80 on the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, and was able to return to competitive track and field events. Discussion Few descriptions in the literature exist for the conservative management of isolated, grade III lateral collateral ligament injuries. A program of selective functional strengthening, proprioceptive training, and graded sport specific activities may allow these individuals to return to sport with conservative management. Levels of Evidence 4 (Single Case Report) PMID:27525183

What Can We Expect from A-Level Mathematics Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Duncan

1997-01-01

Discusses the results obtained by students with A-level mathematics on Coventry University's diagnostic test in October 1997. Compares these results with those of students who entered the university in 1991. Provides detailed analysis of specific questions that indicate those areas in which students with grade A clearly outperform students with…

Individualized Instruction and Unipacs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohut, Sylvester, Jr.

Individualized instruction is an educational program in which grade levels and time units are designed to permit the student to work at his own pace and level with the use of unipacs. The unipac, a "unique package," is a specially designed group of learning activities based on specific behavioral objectives chosen by the student. Unipacs consist…

Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Patellofemoral Chondromalacia: Is There a Role for T2 Mapping?

PubMed

van Eck, Carola F; Kingston, R Scott; Crues, John V; Kharrazi, F Daniel

2017-11-01

Patellofemoral pain is common, and treatment is guided by the presence and grade of chondromalacia. To evaluate and compare the sensitivity and specificity in detecting and grading chondral abnormalities of the patella between proton density fat suppression (PDFS) and T2 mapping magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. A total of 25 patients who underwent MRI of the knee with both a PDFS sequence and T2 mapping and subsequently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery were included. The cartilage surface of the patella was graded on both MRI sequences by 2 independent, blinded radiologists. Cartilage was then graded during arthroscopic surgery by a sports medicine fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon. Reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were determined for both MRI methods. The findings during arthroscopic surgery were considered the gold standard. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement for both PDFS (98.5% and 89.4%, respectively) and T2 mapping (99.4% and 91.3%, respectively) MRI were excellent. For T2 mapping, the sensitivity (61%) and specificity (64%) were comparable, whereas for PDFS there was a lower sensitivity (37%) but higher specificity (81%) in identifying cartilage abnormalities. This resulted in a similar accuracy for PDFS (59%) and T2 mapping (62%). Both PDFS and T2 mapping MRI were reliable but only moderately accurate in predicting patellar chondromalacia found during knee arthroscopic surgery.

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.

NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Guide to Teaching Materials for English, Grades 7-12; An Annotated Listing of Textbooks and Related Materials for Secondary Schools Prepared by the NCTE Staff. 1975-76 Supplement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.

This supplement to the "NCTE Guide to Teaching Materials for English, Grades 7-12" contains annotations for English anthologies, textbooks, workbooks, multimedia packages, and other materials for the junior high and high school levels. Works of literature, audiovisual materials, and professional publications are included when related to specific,…

Handbook: Statewide Student Assessment System. Information for Parents, Students, Teachers, and Other School Personnel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rael, Patricia S.; Travelstead, Jim

This document provides basic information about the Statewide Student Assessment System in New Mexico. There are four components of the Statewide Student Assessment System that are guided by the State Department of Education. Each component serves a specific purpose and targets specific grade levels. The purpose of the reading assessment of grades…

Readability, suitability, and health content assessment of web-based patient education materials on colorectal cancer screening.

PubMed

Tian, Chenlu; Champlin, Sara; Mackert, Michael; Lazard, Allison; Agrawal, Deepak

2014-08-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in the Unites States are still below target level. Web-based patient education materials are used by patients and providers to provide supplemental information on CRC screening. Low literacy levels and patient perceptions are significant barriers to screening. There are little data on the quality of these online materials from a health literacy standpoint or whether they address patients' perceptions. To evaluate the readability, suitability, and health content of web-based patient education materials on colon cancer screening. Descriptive study. Web-based patient materials. Twelve reputable and popular online patient education materials were evaluated. Readability was measured by using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, and suitability was determined by the Suitability Assessment of Materials, a scale that considers characteristics such as content, graphics, layout/typography, and learning stimulation. Health content was evaluated within the framework of the Health Belief Model, a behavioral model that relates patients' perceptions of susceptibility to disease, severity, and benefits and barriers to their medical decisions. Each material was scored independently by 3 reviewers. Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level score, Suitability Assessment of Materials score, health content score. Readability for 10 of 12 materials surpassed the maximum recommended sixth-grade reading level. Five were 10th grade level and above. Only 1 of 12 materials received a superior suitability score; 3 materials received inadequate scores. Health content analysis revealed that only 50% of the resources discussed CRC risk in the general population and <25% specifically addressed patients at high risk, such as African Americans, smokers, patients with diabetes, and obese patients. For perceived barriers to screening, only 8.3% of resources discussed embarrassment, 25% discussed pain with colonoscopy, 25% addressed cost of colonoscopy, and none specifically mentioned the need to get colonoscopy when no symptoms are present. No material discussed the social benefits of screening. Descriptive design. Most online patient education materials for CRC screening are written beyond the recommended sixth-grade reading level, with suboptimal suitability. Health content is lacking in addressing key perceived risks, barriers, and benefits to CRC screening. Developing more appropriate and targeted patient education resources on CRC may improve patient understanding and promote screening. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Declines in arrestin and rhodopsin in the macula with progression of age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Ethen, Cheryl M; Feng, Xiao; Olsen, Timothy W; Ferrington, Deborah A

2005-03-01

Biochemical analysis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at distinct stages of the disease will help further understanding of the molecular events associated with disease progression. This study was conducted to determine the ability of a new grading system for eye bank eyes, the Minnesota Grading System (MGS), to discern distinct stages of AMD so that retinal region-specific changes in rod photoreceptor protein expression from donors could be determined. Donor eyes were assigned to a specific level of AMD by using the MGS. Expression of the rod photoreceptor proteins rhodopsin and arrestin was evaluated by Western immunoblot analysis in the macular and peripheral regions of the neurosensory retina from donors at different stages of AMD. A significant linear decline in both arrestin and rhodopsin content correlated with progressive MGS levels in the macula. In contrast, the peripheral region showed no significant correlation between MGS level and the content of either protein. The statistically significant relationship between decreasing macular rod photoreceptor proteins and progressive MGS levels of AMD demonstrates the utility of the clinically based MGS to correspond with specific protein changes found at known, progressive stages of degeneration. Future biochemical analysis of clinically characterized donor eyes will further understanding of the pathobiochemistry of AMD.

Reactivity to stress and the cognitive components of math disability in grade 1 children.

PubMed

MacKinnon McQuarrie, Maureen A; Siegel, Linda S; Perry, Nancy E; Weinberg, Joanne

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship among working memory, processing speed, math performance, and reactivity to stress in 83 Grade 1 children. Specifically, 39 children with math disability (MD) were compared to 44 children who are typically achieving (TA) in mathematics. It is the first study to use a physiological index of stress (salivary cortisol levels) to measure children's reactivity while completing tasks that assess the core components of MD: working memory for numbers, working memory for words, digits backward, letter number sequence, digit span forward, processing speed for numbers and words, block rotation, and math tasks. Grade 1 children with MD obtained significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence and quantitative concepts tasks. Higher levels of reactivity significantly predicted poorer performance on the working memory for numbers, working memory for words, and quantitative concepts tasks for Grade 1 children, regardless of math ability. Grade 1 children with MD and higher reactivity had significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence task than the children with MD and low reactivity. The findings suggest that high reactivity impairs performance in working memory and math tasks in Grade 1 children, and young children with high reactivity may benefit from interventions aimed at lowering anxiety in stressful situations, which may improve learning. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2012.

Reactivity to Stress and the Cognitive Components of Math Disability in Grade 1 Children

PubMed Central

MacKinnon McQuarrie, Maureen A.; Siegel, Linda S.; Perry, Nancy E.; Weinberg, Joanne

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship among working memory, processing speed, math performance, and reactivity to stress in 83 Grade 1 children. Specifically, 39 children with math disability (MD) were compared to 44 children who are typically achieving (TA) in mathematics. It is the first study to use a physiological index of stress (salivary cortisol levels) to measure children’s reactivity while completing tasks that assess the core components of MD: working memory for numbers, working memory for words, digits backward, letter number sequence, digit span forward, processing speed for numbers and words, block rotation, and math tasks. Grade 1 children with MD obtained significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence and quantitative concepts tasks. Higher levels of reactivity significantly predicted poorer performance on the working memory for numbers, working memory for words, and quantitative concepts tasks for Grade 1 children, regardless of math ability. Grade 1 children with MD and higher reactivity had significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence task than the children with MD and low reactivity. The findings suggest that high reactivity impairs performance in working memory and math tasks in Grade 1 children, and young children with high reactivity may benefit from interventions aimed at lowering anxiety in stressful situations, which may improve learning. PMID:23124381

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.

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

Environmental statistics and optimal regulation.

PubMed

Sivak, David A; Thomson, Matt

2014-09-01

Any organism is embedded in an environment that changes over time. The timescale for and statistics of environmental change, the precision with which the organism can detect its environment, and the costs and benefits of particular protein expression levels all will affect the suitability of different strategies--such as constitutive expression or graded response--for regulating protein levels in response to environmental inputs. We propose a general framework-here specifically applied to the enzymatic regulation of metabolism in response to changing concentrations of a basic nutrient-to predict the optimal regulatory strategy given the statistics of fluctuations in the environment and measurement apparatus, respectively, and the costs associated with enzyme production. We use this framework to address three fundamental questions: (i) when a cell should prefer thresholding to a graded response; (ii) when there is a fitness advantage to implementing a Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) when retaining memory of the past provides a selective advantage. We specifically find that: (i) relative convexity of enzyme expression cost and benefit influences the fitness of thresholding or graded responses; (ii) intermediate levels of measurement uncertainty call for a sophisticated Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) in dynamic contexts, intermediate levels of uncertainty call for retaining memory of the past. Statistical properties of the environment, such as variability and correlation times, set optimal biochemical parameters, such as thresholds and decay rates in signaling pathways. Our framework provides a theoretical basis for interpreting molecular signal processing algorithms and a classification scheme that organizes known regulatory strategies and may help conceptualize heretofore unknown ones.

Health literacy in vascular and interventional radiology: a comparative analysis of online patient education resources.

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; Kraus, Carl; Agarwal, Nitin; Baker, Stephen R; Gonzales, Sharon F

2014-08-01

The Internet is frequently accessed by patients as a resource for medical knowledge. However, the provided material is typically written at a level well above the recommended 7th grade level. A clear understanding of the capabilities, limitations, risks, and benefits of interventional radiology by patients, both current and prospective, is hindered when the textual information offered to the public is pitched at a level of sophistication too high for general comprehension. In January 2013, all 25 patient education resources from the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe (CIRSE) Web site ( http://www.cirse.org ) and all 31 resources from the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Web site ( http://www.sirweb.org ) were analyzed for their specific level of readability using ten quantitative scales: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Gunning fog index, New Fog Count, Coleman-Liau index, FORCAST formula, Fry graph, Raygor Readability Estimate, and New Dale-Chall. Collectively, the patient education resources on the CIRSE Web site are written at the 12.3 grade level, while the resources on the SIR Web site are written at the 14.5 grade level. Educational health care materials available on both the CIRSE and the SIR Web sites are presented in language in the aggregate that could be too difficult for many lay people to fully understand. Given the complex nature of vascular and interventional radiology, it may be advantageous to rewrite these educational resources at a lower reading level to increase comprehension.

Effects of the communities that care prevention system on youth reports of protective factors.

PubMed

Kim, B K Elizabeth; Gloppen, Kari M; Rhew, Isaac C; Oesterle, Sabrina; Hawkins, J David

2015-07-01

Many interventions seeking to reduce problem behaviors and promote healthy youth development target both risk and protective factors, yet few studies have examined the effect of preventive interventions on overall levels of protection community wide. In a community-randomized controlled trial, this study tested the effect of Communities That Care (CTC) on protective factors in 24 communities across seven states. Data on protective factors were collected from a panel of 4407 youths in CTC and control communities followed from grade 5 through grade 8. Hierarchical linear modeling compared mean levels of 15 protective factors derived from the social development model in CTC and control communities in grade 8, adjusted for individual and community characteristics and baseline levels of protective factors in grade 5. Global test statistics were calculated to examine effects on protection overall and by domain. Analyses across all protective factors found significantly higher levels of overall protection in CTC compared to control communities. Analyses by domain found significantly higher levels of protection in CTC than control communities in the community, school, and peer/individual domains, but not in the family domain. Significantly higher levels of opportunities for prosocial involvement in the community, recognition for prosocial involvement in school, interaction with prosocial peers, and social skills among CTC compared to control youth contributed to the overall and domain-specific results. This is consistent with CTC's theory of change, which posits that strengthening protective factors is a mechanism through which CTC prevents behavior problems.

The relationship between ischaemia-modified albumin and good coronary collateral circulation.

PubMed

Gök, Murat; Kundi, Harun; Kızıltunç, Emrullah; Topcuoglu, Canan; Ornek, Ender

2018-01-01

It is important to determine the grade of the coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with stable coronary artery disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) level and good CCC. A total of 95 patients with coronary angiography and at least one epicardial coronary artery obstruction were included in the study. The Rentrop classification was used with CCC grading, where 0 and 1 were defined as poor collateral, and 2 and 3 were defined as good collateral. The IMA level of the patients was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to show the sensitivity and specificity of IMA levels and the optimal cut-off value for predicting good CCC. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the IMA level in the good CCC group was higher (p < 0.045). Conversely, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was lower in the good CCC group (p < 0.023). We found an IMA cut-off value (4.7 ng/mL) that indicated good CCC level, and this shows good CCC with 70.2% sensitivity and 60.3% specificity. The IMA level could serve as a simple and useful predictor of well-developed CCC.

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.

Flying Ace Activities: Aviation Curriculum Guide for Middle Grade Levels 4-6

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

Prepared ca. 1995. The Federal Aviation Administration is pleased to present the Aviation Education Teacher's Guide Series. The series includes four publications specifically designed as resources to those interested in aviation education. The guides...

The Effects of Specific Reading Interventions on Elementary Students' Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Jacqueline Laverne Meeks

2016-01-01

Many students in third, fourth and fifth grades struggle at the lowest levels of reading proficiency. In fact, fewer than 40% of fourth graders in the United States read at or above the "proficient" level on state standardized tests in 2009 (D'Ardenne, Barnes, Hightower, Lamason, Mason, Patterson, Stephens, Wilson, Smith & Erickson,…

The Prevalence of Stuttering, Voice, and Speech-Sound Disorders in Primary School Students in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinnon, David H.; McLeod, Sharynne; Reilly, Sheena

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aims of this study were threefold: to report teachers' estimates of the prevalence of speech disorders (specifically, stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders); to consider correspondence between the prevalence of speech disorders and gender, grade level, and socioeconomic status; and to describe the level of support provided to…

Auditory processing and speech perception in children with specific language impairment: relations with oral language and literacy skills.

PubMed

Vandewalle, Ellen; Boets, Bart; Ghesquière, Pol; Zink, Inge

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated temporal auditory processing (frequency modulation and between-channel gap detection) and speech perception (speech-in-noise and categorical perception) in three groups of 6 years 3 months to 6 years 8 months-old children attending grade 1: (1) children with specific language impairment (SLI) and literacy delay (n = 8), (2) children with SLI and normal literacy (n = 10) and (3) typically developing children (n = 14). Moreover, the relations between these auditory processing and speech perception skills and oral language and literacy skills in grade 1 and grade 3 were analyzed. The SLI group with literacy delay scored significantly lower than both other groups on speech perception, but not on temporal auditory processing. Both normal reading groups did not differ in terms of speech perception or auditory processing. Speech perception was significantly related to reading and spelling in grades 1 and 3 and had a unique predictive contribution to reading growth in grade 3, even after controlling reading level, phonological ability, auditory processing and oral language skills in grade 1. These findings indicated that speech perception also had a unique direct impact upon reading development and not only through its relation with phonological awareness. Moreover, speech perception seemed to be more associated with the development of literacy skills and less with oral language ability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and immunologic follow-up of patients who stop venom immunotherapy.

PubMed

Keating, M U; Kagey-Sobotka, A; Hamilton, R G; Yunginger, J W

1991-09-01

We prospectively studied 51 self-selected Hymenoptera sting-sensitive patients to determine (1) whether a minimal or optimal duration for venom immunotherapy (VIT) exists and (2) whether clinical or immunologic parameters exist that are predictive of clinical immunity after VIT was stopped. After 2 to 10 years of VIT, all patients had deliberate sting challenges (DSCs) from live insects. If DSCs were tolerated, patients voluntarily stopped VIT and returned annually for repeat venom skin tests (VSTs) and DSCs. In most patients, it was possible to monitor VST and venom-specific antibody (Ab) levels before and after VIT was stopped. One-year after VIT, VST and venom-specific IgE and IgG Ab level results were variable; 49 patients tolerated DSC, whereas two patients exhibited generalized reactions. These two patients had pre-VIT histories of grade IV field-sting reactions and had received VIT for 2 years and 4 years, respectively. The short-term (1 year) risk of recurrence of clinical allergy to stings after VIT was higher in patients who had experienced grade IV field-sting reactions before VIT versus patients experiencing grade I to III reactions before VIT (2/15, 13% versus 0/36, 0%) and higher in patients who had received VIT for less than 5 years versus patients who received VIT for 5 or more years (2/20, 10% versus 0/31, 0%). We suggest that VIT should be continued for 5 years in patients with pre-VIT field-sting reactions of grade IV severity. VST and venom-specific Ab results do not reliably predict the outcome of DSC or the subsequent clinical course in individual patients stopping VIT.

Validation of a classification system to grade fractionation in atrial fibrillation and correlation with automated detection systems.

PubMed

Hunter, Ross J; Diab, Ihab; Thomas, Glyn; Duncan, Edward; Abrams, Dominic; Dhinoja, Mehul; Sporton, Simon; Earley, Mark J; Schilling, Richard J

2009-12-01

We tested application of a grading system describing complex fractionated electrograms (CFE) in atrial fibrillation (AF) and used it to validate automated CFE detection (AUTO). Ten seconds bipolar electrograms were classified by visual inspection (VI) during ablation of persistent AF and the result compared with offline manual measurement (MM) by a second blinded operator: Grade 1 uninterrupted fractionated activity (defined as segments > or =70 ms) for > or =70% of recording and uninterrupted > or =1 s; Grade 2 interrupted fractionated activity > or =70% of recording; Grade 3 intermittent fractionated activity 30-70%; Grade 4 discrete (<70 ms) complex electrogram (> or =5 direction changes); Grade 5 discrete simple electrograms (< or =4 direction changes); Grade 6 scar. Grade by VI and MM for 100 electrograms agreed in 89%. Five hundred electrograms were graded on Carto and NavX by VI to validate AUTO in (i) detection of CFE (grades 1-4 considered CFE), and (ii) assessing degree of fractionation by correlating grade and score by AUTO (data shown as sensitivity, specificity, r): NavX 'CFE mean' 92%, 91%, 0.56; Carto 'interval confidence level' using factory settings 89%, 62%, -0.72, and other published settings 80%, 74%, -0.65; Carto 'shortest confidence interval' 74%, 70%, 0.43; Carto 'average confidence interval' 86%, 66%, 0.53. Grading CFE by VI is accurate and correlates with AUTO.

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.

Human Ecology: Curriculum Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.

1984-01-01

Describes nine commercially available programs which represent one aspect or a portion of the human ecology theme. Other information supplied for each program includes: program objectives; methods of instruction; specific subjects, grade, and ability levels; materials produced and purchasable; program implementation; teacher preparation; program…

The prognostic value of reactive stroma on prostate needle biopsy: a population-based study.

PubMed

Saeter, Thorstein; Vlatkovic, Ljiljana; Waaler, Gudmund; Servoll, Einar; Nesland, Jahn M; Axcrona, Karol; Axcrona, Ulrika

2015-05-01

Reactive tumor stroma has been shown to play an active role in prostatic carcinogenesis. A grading system for reactive stroma in prostate cancer (PC) has recently been established and found to predict biochemical recurrence and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in prostatectomized patients. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no study investigating the prognostic value of reactive stromal grading (RSG) with regard to PCSM when evaluated in diagnostic prostate needle biopsies. A population-based study on 318 patients, encompassing all cases of PC diagnosed by needle biopsies and without evidence of systemic metastasis at the time of diagnosis in Aust-Agder County in the period 1991-1999. Patients were identified by cross-referencing the Cancer Registry of Norway. Clinical data were obtained by review of medical charts. The endpoint was PCSM. RSG was evaluated on haematoxylin and eosin stained sections according to previously described criteria; grade 0, 0-5% reactive stroma; grade 1, 6-15%; grade 2, 16-50%; grade 3, 51-100%. RSG could be evaluated in 278 patients. The median follow- up time was 110 months (interquartile range: 51-171). The 10-year PC - specific survival rate for RSGs of 0, 1, 2, and 3 was 96%, 81%, 69%, and 63%, respectively (P < 0.005). RSG remained independently associated with PCSM in a multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusting for prostate-specific antigen level, clinical stage, Gleason score, and mode of treatment. The concordance index of the multivariate model was 0.814 CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that RSG in diagnostic prostate needle biopsies predicts PCSM independently of other evaluable prognostic factors. Hence, RSG could be used in addition to traditional prognostic factors for prognostication and treatment stratification of PC patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Low contaminant formic acid fuel for direct liquid fuel cell

DOEpatents

Masel, Richard I [Champaign, IL; Zhu, Yimin [Urbana, IL; Kahn, Zakia [Palatine, IL; Man, Malcolm [Vancouver, CA

2009-11-17

A low contaminant formic acid fuel is especially suited toward use in a direct organic liquid fuel cell. A fuel of the invention provides high power output that is maintained for a substantial time and the fuel is substantially non-flammable. Specific contaminants and contaminant levels have been identified as being deleterious to the performance of a formic acid fuel in a fuel cell, and embodiments of the invention provide low contaminant fuels that have improved performance compared to known commercial bulk grade and commercial purified grade formic acid fuels. Preferred embodiment fuels (and fuel cells containing such fuels) including low levels of a combination of key contaminants, including acetic acid, methyl formate, and methanol.

Online Patient Resources for Liposuction: A Comparative Analysis of Readability.

PubMed

Vargas, Christina R; Ricci, Joseph A; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

2016-03-01

As patients strive to become informed about health care, inadequate functional health literacy is a significant barrier. Nearly half of American adults have poor or marginal health literacy skills and the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association have recommended that patient information should be written at a sixth grade level. The aim of this study is to identify the most commonly used online patient information about liposuction and to evaluate its readability relative to average American literacy. An internet search of "liposuction" was performed and the 10 most popular websites identified. User and location data were disabled and sponsored results excluded. All relevant, patient-directed articles were downloaded and formatted into plain text. Articles were then analyzed using 10 established readability tests. A comparison group was constructed to identify the most popular online consumer information about tattooing. Mean readability scores and specific article characteristics were compared. A total of 80 articles were collected from websites about liposuction. Readability analysis revealed an overall 13.6 grade reading level (range, 10-16 grade); all articles exceeded the target sixth grade level. Consumer websites about tattooing were significantly easier to read, with a mean 7.8 grade level. These sites contained significantly fewer characters per word and words per sentence, as well as a smaller proportion of complex, long, and unfamiliar words. Online patient resources about liposuction are potentially too difficult for a large number of Americans to understand. Liposuction websites are significantly harder to read than consumer websites about tattooing. Aesthetic surgeons are advised to discuss with patients resources they use and guide patients to appropriate information for their skill level.

Electronic Medical Record-Based Radiation Oncology Toxicity Recording Instrument Aids Benchmarking and Quality Improvement in the Clinic.

PubMed

Albuquerque, Kevin; Rodgers, Kellie; Spangler, Ann; Rahimi, Asal; Willett, DuWayne

2018-03-01

The on-treatment visit (OTV) for radiation oncology is essential for patient management. Radiation toxicities recorded during the OTV may be inconsistent because of the use of free text and the lack of treatment site-specific templates. We developed a radiation oncology toxicity recording instrument (ROTOX) in a health system electronic medical record (EMR). Our aims were to assess improvement in documentation of toxicities and to develop clinic toxicity benchmarks. A ROTOX that was based on National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) with flow-sheet functionality was developed in the EMR. Improvement in documentation was assessed at various time intervals. High-grade toxicities (ie, grade ≥ 3 by CTCAE) by site were audited to develop benchmarks and to track nursing and physician actions taken in response to these. A random sample of OTV notes from each clinic physician before ROTOX implementation was reviewed and assigned a numerical document quality score (DQS) that was based on completeness and comprehensiveness of toxicity grading. The mean DQS improved from an initial level of 41% to 99% (of the maximum possible DQS) when resampled at 6 months post-ROTOX. This high-level DQS was maintained 3 years after ROTOX implementation at 96% of the maximum. For months 7 to 9 after implementation (during a 3-month period), toxicity grading was recorded in 4,443 OTVs for 698 unique patients; 107 episodes of high-grade toxicity were identified during this period, and toxicity-specific intervention was documented in 95%. An EMR-based ROTOX enables consistent recording of treatment toxicity. In a uniform sample of patients, local population toxicity benchmarks can be developed, and clinic response can be tracked.

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

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.

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

Urban Transportation Renewal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolter, Kurt A.; Foster, Patrick N.

1995-01-01

Describes a learning activity that involves planning a community and then altering the transportation system to meet new specifications. Includes the rationale for the activity, how it fits into the technology education curriculum, and how it was implemented to fit a variety of age and grade levels. (JOW)

34 CFR 682.210 - Deferment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... elementary or secondary school teachers; or (B) A specific grade level or academic, instructional, subject... are filled by teachers who are certified, but who are teaching in academic subject areas other than... Secretary or from an authoritative electronic database maintained or authorized by the Secretary that...

34 CFR 682.210 - Deferment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... elementary or secondary school teachers; or (B) A specific grade level or academic, instructional, subject... are filled by teachers who are certified, but who are teaching in academic subject areas other than... Secretary or from an authoritative electronic database maintained or authorized by the Secretary that...

34 CFR 682.210 - Deferment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... elementary or secondary school teachers; or (B) A specific grade level or academic, instructional, subject... are filled by teachers who are certified, but who are teaching in academic subject areas other than... Secretary or from an authoritative electronic database maintained or authorized by the Secretary that...

Into the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1986

1986-01-01

Provides six library media activities designed for use in connection with specific curriculum units in art, science, and social studies. The activities focus on appreciating Georgia O'Keefe, sound travel, rock identification, Thanksgiving customs, state road maps, and world religions. The descriptions include objectives, grade levels,…

High-dose-rate stereotactic body radiation therapy for postradiation therapy locally recurrent prostatic carcinoma: Preliminary prostate-specific antigen response, disease-free survival, and toxicity assessment.

PubMed

Fuller, Donald B; Wurzer, James; Shirazi, Reza; Bridge, Stephen S; Law, Jonathan; Mardirossian, George

2015-01-01

Patients with locally recurrent adenocarcinoma of the prostate following radiation therapy (RT) present a challenging problem. We prospectively evaluated the use of "high-dose-rate-like" prostate stereotactic body RT (SBRT) salvage for this circumstance, evaluating prostate-specific antigen response, disease-free survival, and toxicity. Between February 2009 and March 2014, 29 patients with biopsy-proven recurrent locally prostate cancer >2 years post-RT were treated. Median prior RT dose was 73.8 Gy and median interval to SBRT salvage was 88 months. Median recurrence Gleason score was 7 (79% was ≥7). Pre-existing RT toxicity >grade 1 was a reason for exclusion. Magnetic resonance imaging-defined prostate volume including any suspected extraprostatic extension, comprising the planning target volume. A total of 34 Gy/5 fractions was given, delivering a heterogeneous, high-dose-rate-like dose-escalation pattern. Toxicities were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, criteria. Twenty-nine treated patients had a median 24-month follow-up (range, 3-60 months). A median pre-SBRT salvage baseline prostate-specific antigen level of 3.1 ng/mL decreased to 0.65 ng/mL and 0.16 ng/mL at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Actuarial 2-year biochemical disease-free survival measured 82%, with no local failures. Toxicity >grade 1 was limited to the genitourinary domain, with 18% grade 2 or higher and 7% grade 3 or higher. No gastrointestinal toxicity >grade 1 occurred. Two-year disease-free survival is encouraging, and the prostate-specific antigen response kinetic appears comparable with that seen in de novo patients treated with SBRT, albeit still a preliminary finding. Grade ≥2 genitourinary toxicity was occasionally seen with no obvious predictive factor. Noting that our only brachytherapy case was 1 of the 2 cases with ≥grade 3 genitourinary toxicity, caution is recommended treating these patients. SBRT salvage of post-RT local recurrence appears clinically feasible, with longer term evaluation required to assess ultimate efficacy and late toxicity rates. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities Can Pass State Competency Exams: Systematic Strategy Instruction Makes a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Leasha M.; Moore, William E., IV

2004-01-01

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are required to pass the same competency exams as students enrolled in general education in order to graduate to new grade levels and to earn a high school diploma. In this study, the authors taught students with SLD a self-directed organizational strategy designed to assist them in passing the…

An observational study to assess if automated diabetic retinopathy image assessment software can replace one or more steps of manual imaging grading and to determine their cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Tufail, Adnan; Kapetanakis, Venediktos V; Salas-Vega, Sebastian; Egan, Catherine; Rudisill, Caroline; Owen, Christopher G; Lee, Aaron; Louw, Vern; Anderson, John; Liew, Gerald; Bolter, Louis; Bailey, Clare; Sadda, SriniVas; Taylor, Paul; Rudnicka, Alicja R

2016-12-01

Diabetic retinopathy screening in England involves labour-intensive manual grading of retinal images. Automated retinal image analysis systems (ARIASs) may offer an alternative to manual grading. To determine the screening performance and cost-effectiveness of ARIASs to replace level 1 human graders or pre-screen with ARIASs in the NHS diabetic eye screening programme (DESP). To examine technical issues associated with implementation. Observational retrospective measurement comparison study with a real-time evaluation of technical issues and a decision-analytic model to evaluate cost-effectiveness. A NHS DESP. Consecutive diabetic patients who attended a routine annual NHS DESP visit. Retinal images were manually graded and processed by three ARIASs: iGradingM (version 1.1; originally Medalytix Group Ltd, Manchester, UK, but purchased by Digital Healthcare, Cambridge, UK, at the initiation of the study, purchased in turn by EMIS Health, Leeds, UK, after conclusion of the study), Retmarker (version 0.8.2, Retmarker Ltd, Coimbra, Portugal) and EyeArt (Eyenuk Inc., Woodland Hills, CA, USA). The final manual grade was used as the reference standard. Arbitration on a subset of discrepancies between manual grading and the use of an ARIAS by a reading centre masked to all grading was used to create a reference standard manual grade modified by arbitration. Screening performance (sensitivity, specificity, false-positive rate and likelihood ratios) and diagnostic accuracy [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of ARIASs. A secondary analysis explored the influence of camera type and patients' ethnicity, age and sex on screening performance. Economic analysis estimated the cost per appropriate screening outcome identified. A total of 20,258 patients with 102,856 images were entered into the study. The sensitivity point estimates of the ARIASs were as follows: EyeArt 94.7% (95% CI 94.2% to 95.2%) for any retinopathy, 93.8% (95% CI 92.9% to 94.6%) for referable retinopathy and 99.6% (95% CI 97.0% to 99.9%) for proliferative retinopathy; and Retmarker 73.0% (95% CI 72.0% to 74.0%) for any retinopathy, 85.0% (95% CI 83.6% to 86.2%) for referable retinopathy and 97.9% (95% CI 94.9 to 99.1%) for proliferative retinopathy. iGradingM classified all images as either 'disease' or 'ungradable', limiting further iGradingM analysis. The sensitivity and false-positive rates for EyeArt were not affected by ethnicity, sex or camera type but sensitivity declined marginally with increasing patient age. The screening performance of Retmarker appeared to vary with patient's age, ethnicity and camera type. Both EyeArt and Retmarker were cost saving relative to manual grading either as a replacement for level 1 human grading or used prior to level 1 human grading, although the latter was less cost-effective. A threshold analysis testing the highest ARIAS cost per patient before which ARIASs became more expensive per appropriate outcome than human grading, when used to replace level 1 grader, was Retmarker £3.82 and EyeArt £2.71 per patient. The non-randomised study design limited the health economic analysis but the same retinal images were processed by all ARIASs in this measurement comparison study. Retmarker and EyeArt achieved acceptable sensitivity for referable retinopathy and false-positive rates (compared with human graders as reference standard) and appear to be cost-effective alternatives to a purely manual grading approach. Future work is required to develop technical specifications to optimise deployment and address potential governance issues. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme, a Fight for Sight Grant (Hirsch grant award) and the Department of Health's NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology.

Current Evidence Regarding the Treatment of Pediatric Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: A Report From the Scoliosis Research Society Evidence Based Medicine Committee.

PubMed

Crawford, Charles H; Larson, A Noelle; Gates, Marilyn; Bess, R Shay; Guillaume, Tenner J; Kim, Han Jo; Oetgen, Matthew E; Ledonio, Charles G; Sanders, James; Burton, Douglas C

2017-09-01

Structured literature review. The Scoliosis Research Society requested an assessment of the current state of peer-reviewed evidence regarding pediatric lumbar spondylolisthesis to identify what is known and what research remains essential to further understanding. Pediatric lumbar spondylolisthesis is common, yet no formal synthesis of the published literature regarding treatment has been previously performed. A comprehensive literature search was performed. From 6600 initial citations with abstract, 663 articles underwent full-text review. The best available evidence regarding surgical and medical/interventional treatment was provided by 51 studies. None of the studies were graded Level I or II evidence. Eighteen of the studies were Level III, representing the current best available evidence. Thirty-three of the studies were Level IV. Although studies suggest a benign course for "low grade" (<50% slip) isthmic spondylolisthesis, extensive literature suggests that a substantial number of patients present for treatment with pain and activity limitations. Pain resolution and return to activity is common with both medical/interventional and operative treatment. The role of medical/interventional bracing is not well established. Uninstrumented posterolateral fusion has been reported to produce good clinical results, but concerns regarding nonunion exist. Risk of slip progression is a specific concern in the "high grade" or dysplastic type. Although medical/interventional observation has been reported to be reasonable in a small series of asymptomatic high-grade slip patients, surgical treatment is commonly recommended to prevent progression. There is Level III evidence that instrumentation and reduction lowers the risk of nonunion, and that circumferential fusion is superior to posterior-only or anterior-only fusion. There is Level III evidence that patients with a higher slip angle are more likely to fail medical/interventional treatment of high-grade spondylolisthesis. The current "best available" evidence to guide the treatment of pediatric spondylolisthesis is presented. Level III; review of Level III studies. Copyright © 2017 Scoliosis Research Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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).

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.

Environmental Statistics and Optimal Regulation

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Any organism is embedded in an environment that changes over time. The timescale for and statistics of environmental change, the precision with which the organism can detect its environment, and the costs and benefits of particular protein expression levels all will affect the suitability of different strategies–such as constitutive expression or graded response–for regulating protein levels in response to environmental inputs. We propose a general framework–here specifically applied to the enzymatic regulation of metabolism in response to changing concentrations of a basic nutrient–to predict the optimal regulatory strategy given the statistics of fluctuations in the environment and measurement apparatus, respectively, and the costs associated with enzyme production. We use this framework to address three fundamental questions: (i) when a cell should prefer thresholding to a graded response; (ii) when there is a fitness advantage to implementing a Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) when retaining memory of the past provides a selective advantage. We specifically find that: (i) relative convexity of enzyme expression cost and benefit influences the fitness of thresholding or graded responses; (ii) intermediate levels of measurement uncertainty call for a sophisticated Bayesian decision rule; and (iii) in dynamic contexts, intermediate levels of uncertainty call for retaining memory of the past. Statistical properties of the environment, such as variability and correlation times, set optimal biochemical parameters, such as thresholds and decay rates in signaling pathways. Our framework provides a theoretical basis for interpreting molecular signal processing algorithms and a classification scheme that organizes known regulatory strategies and may help conceptualize heretofore unknown ones. PMID:25254493

Sex-specific hormone receptors in urothelial carcinomas of the human urinary bladder: a comparative analysis of clinicopathological features and survival outcomes according to receptor expression.

PubMed

Tuygun, Can; Kankaya, Duygu; Imamoglu, Abdurrahim; Sertcelik, Ayse; Zengin, Kursad; Oktay, Murat; Sertcelik, Nurettin

2011-01-01

To investigate the expression of sex-specific hormone receptors in normal bladder urothelium and urothelial carcinomas (UCs) of the bladder, and to analyze clinicopathological features and survival outcomes according to receptor expression. We evaluated the clinical data and tumor specimens of 139 patients with bladder cancer (BC). In addition, 72 samples of normal urothelium were included. Immunohistochemistry was performed using streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method, a monoclonal androgen receptor (AR), and an estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) antibody on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Expression levels of each receptor were assessed by evaluating 500 tumor cells for each case and the percentage of positively-stained nuclei was recorded. None of the 58 male control cases showed any AR and ERβ expression. Five (35, 71%) of the 14 female control cases expressed ERβ. Of the 139 patients with UCs, 71 (51, 07%) expressed AR (62 male vs. 9 female; P = 0.413) and 44 (31, 65%) (39 male vs. 5 female; P = 0.402) showed ERβ expression (P < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between ERβ expression levels and tumor grades, and stages (P = 0.441; P = 0.247). AR expression was significantly lower in T2-tumors (21%) than in Ta-tumors (60%) and T1-tumors (60%) (P < 0.001). It was significantly higher in low-grade papillary UCs (64%) compared with high-grade papillary UCs (44%) and infiltrative high-grade UCs (17%) (P = 0.039; P < 0.001). Data of 79 patients with noninvasive BC were eligible to present, with a median 29 months follow-up. AR expression level did not influence recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.095; P = 0.110). No significant association was found between ERβ expression level and RFS (P = 0.293). PFS in patients with lower ERβ-expressing tumors was significantly better than that in patients with higher ERβ-expressing tumors (P = 0.035). Multivariate analysis confirmed this significant influence on PFS (P = 0.025). Although ERβ expression had no impact on histopathological tumor characteristics, decrease in its expression may be associated with better PFS rates in patients with noninvasive BC. Conversely, loss of AR expression was associated with higher grade UCs and invasive UCs, but had no prognostic effect on survival. Finally, sex-specific hormone receptors alone cannot be responsible for gender differences in BC rates because they were expressed in similar rates in both sexes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher's opinions about learning continuum based on the student's level of competence and specific pedagogical materials on anatomical aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Laili Dwi; Subali, Bambang

2017-08-01

This research deals with designing learning continuum for developing a curriculum. The objective of this study is to gather the opinion of public junior and high school teachers about Learning Continuum based on Student's Level of Competence and Specific Pedagogical Material on Anatomical Aspects. This is a survey research. The population of the research is natural science teachers at junior high school and biology teacher at senior high school in Yogyakarta Special Region. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis technique. Based on the results of the survey, the teachers opinion are in accordance with the level of the students they teach. Junior high school teachers argued that anatomical aspects were taught in grade VII,VIII, IX and X on the level of C2 (understanding), the high school teacher argued that anatomical aspects were taught in grade VIII, X and XI on the level of C2 (understanding) and C3 (apply). While according to the opinions of primary school teachers about aspects of anatomy resulted from the research of Subali (2016), anatomy is mostly not taught at the elementary school level, only some of the materials that are taught in this school level. Therefore, the results of the survey can be inferred that the opinions of teachers is still based on the existing curriculum.

Science Grades 3-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Bureau of Curriculum Development.

This handbook provides the elementary school teacher with specific suggestions regarding use of materials and organization of effective learning experiences in science at this level. The book contains three sections: An introduction emphasizes both science knowledge and process while the other two sections deal with subject matter topics for…

34 CFR 682.210 - Deferment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... school teachers; or (B) A specific grade level or academic, instructional, subject-matter, or discipline... are teaching in academic subject areas other than their area of preparation. (iii) If the total number... information from the other FFEL loan holder or the Secretary or from an authoritative electronic database...

Intercultural Education Research in Primary Grades of Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabatadze, Shalva; Gorgadze, Natia

2013-01-01

The document describes the most important aspects of multicultural education, which influence the implementation of intercultural education at school, specifically: (a) Anti-discriminative legislative framework; (b) National Curriculum and school textbooks; (c) Professional teachers equipped with skills and competences and with high level of…

Stable same-sex friendships with higher achieving partners promote mathematical reasoning in lower achieving primary school children.

PubMed

DeLay, Dawn; Laursen, Brett; Kiuru, Noona; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-11-01

This study was designed to investigate friend influence over mathematical reasoning in a sample of 374 children in 187 same-sex friend dyads (184 girls in 92 friendships; 190 boys in 95 friendships). Participants completed surveys that measured mathematical reasoning in the 3rd grade (approximately 9 years old) and 1 year later in the 4th grade (approximately 10 years old). Analyses designed for dyadic data (i.e., longitudinal actor-partner interdependence model) indicated that higher achieving friends influenced the mathematical reasoning of lower achieving friends, but not the reverse. Specifically, greater initial levels of mathematical reasoning among higher achieving partners in the 3rd grade predicted greater increases in mathematical reasoning from 3rd grade to 4th grade among lower achieving partners. These effects held after controlling for peer acceptance and rejection, task avoidance, interest in mathematics, maternal support for homework, parental education, length of the friendship, and friendship group norms on mathematical reasoning. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Stable Same-Sex Friendships with Higher Achieving Partners Promote Mathematical Reasoning in Lower Achieving Primary School Children

PubMed Central

DeLay, Dawn; Laursen, Brett; Kiuru, Noona; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-01-01

This study is designed to investigate friend influence over mathematical reasoning in a sample of 374 children in 187 same-sex friend dyads (184 girls in 92 friendships; 190 boys in 95 friendships). Participants completed surveys that measured mathematical reasoning in the 3rd grade (approximately 9 years old) and one year later in the 4th grade (approximately 10 years old). Analyses designed for dyadic data (i.e., longitudinal Actor-Partner Interdependence Models) indicated that higher achieving friends influenced the mathematical reasoning of lower achieving friends, but not the reverse. Specifically, greater initial levels of mathematical reasoning among higher achieving partners in the 3rd grade predicted greater increases in mathematical reasoning from 3rd grade to 4th grade among lower achieving partners. These effects held after controlling for peer acceptance and rejection, task avoidance, interest in mathematics, maternal support for homework, parental education, length of the friendship, and friendship group norms on mathematical reasoning. PMID:26402901

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 Relationship Between Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase Levels and Severity of Bleeding and Functional Outcomes in Patients With Nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Tawk, Rabih G; Grewal, Sanjeet S; Heckman, Michael G; Rawal, Bhupendra; Miller, David A; Edmonston, Drucilla; Ferguson, Jennifer L; Navarro, Ramon; Ng, Lauren; Brown, Benjamin L; Meschia, James F; Freeman, William D

2016-04-01

The value of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in predicting clinical outcomes has been investigated in a variety of neurological disorders. To investigate the associations of serum NSE with severity of bleeding and functional outcomes in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with SAH from June 2008 to June 2012. The severity of SAH bleeding at admission was measured radiographically with the Fisher scale and clinically with the Glasgow Coma Scale, Hunt and Hess grade, and World Federation of Neurologic Surgeons scale. Outcomes were assessed with the modified Rankin Scale at discharge. We identified 309 patients with nontraumatic SAH, and 71 had NSE testing. Median age was 54 years (range, 23-87 years), and 44% were male. In multivariable analysis, increased NSE was associated with a poorer Hunt and Hess grade (P = .003), World Federation of Neurologic Surgeons scale score (P < .001), and Glasgow Coma Scale score (P = .003) and worse outcomes (modified Rankin Scale at discharge; P = .001). There was no significant association between NSE level and Fisher grade (P = .81) in multivariable analysis. We found a significant association between higher NSE levels and poorer clinical presentations and worse outcomes. Although it is still early for any relevant clinical conclusions, our results suggest that NSE holds promise as a tool for screening patients at increased risk of poor outcomes after SAH.

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.

The Effects of the Medium of Instruction in Certificate-Level Physics on Achievement and Motivation to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Dennis; Yip, Valerie

2014-01-01

A 3-year study was launched in a Hong Kong secondary school to investigate the effects of the medium of instruction (MOI), specifically English and Chinese, on the learning of certificate-level physics. A total of 199 Secondary Four (S4 or tenth-grade) students, divided into three major ability groups, participated in a teaching intervention…

Economics within Social Studies: A Comparative Analysis of Student Performance on the 2012 Kansas History-Government Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deplazes, Svetlana P.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the overall level of student achievement on the 2012 Kansas History-Government Assessment in Grades 6, 8, and high school, with major emphasis on the subject area of economics. It explored four specific research questions in order to: (1) determine the level of student knowledge of assessed economic…

Phase I study of intravenous 4-hydroxyanisole.

PubMed

Rustin, G J; Stratford, M R; Lamont, A; Bleehen, N; Philip, P A; Howells, N; Watfa, R R; Slack, J A

1992-01-01

4-Hydroxyanisole is a depigmenting agent which has been shown to have activity against malignant melanoma when given intra-arterially in man. An intravenous dose escalation study has been carried out with the aim of obtaining maximum plasma concentrations in a 5 day schedule. 8 patients entered this study which was stopped because of drug toxicity after 3 patients had been treated at the third dose escalation of 15 g/m2. 2 patients had WHO grade 4 liver and one also grade 4 renal toxicity and another had grade 4 haemoglobin toxicity. Extrapolated plateau plasma levels between 112 and 860 mumol/l were obtained, which in vitro studies suggested would be cytotoxic. Hopefully, newer analogues will have a greater specificity for the melanin pathway with less toxicity.

Product Design and Production Practice of 700MPa High Strength Hot Rolled Strip for Auto Axle Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Pan; Zhao-dong, Wang; Ya-jun, Hui; Yang, Cui; Xiang-tao, Deng; Chun-lin, Bao

According to the technical specifications of 700MPa high strength automotive axle tube steel, a low cost of 0.07%C+1.5%Mn+0.05%Nb+0.10%Ti was designed. The high strength mainly relies on grain refinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening. The recrystallization, precipitation, and CCT curves of the 700MPa grade axle tube steel were studied in order to determine a reasonable TMCP process. By controlling the low level segregation band, low level of C and N content, 700MPa grade high strength automotive axle tube steel is successfully developed with excellent mechanical property, welding property, flattening and flaring property, torsion fatigue property, static torsional property and surface quality.

Patterns of Incorrect Responses on the FCI and Course Success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wells, James; Mokaya, Fridah; Valente, Diego

The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) is often used to measure the effectiveness of instructional pedagogy in introductory physics courses both at the algebra- and calculus-based level. Scores on the FCI are correlated with the performance of students in a class, as measured by their final course grade. We have collected data from several semesters of first-semester introductory mechanics courses at a public 4-year university, taught in large-scale classrooms with pedagogy including elements of Just-in-Time Teaching pedagogy along with active learning course components. The data collected includes pre- and post-test FCI scores, midterm exam grades, and final course grades. We examine whether certain patterns of incorrect answers on the FCI post-test are predictive of course grades, indicating whether certain specific student preconceptions are more detrimental than others to the success of students in an introductory mechanics course. Funding from UConn - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).

Learning about Our World and Our Past: Using the Tools and Resources of Geography and U.S. History. A Report of the 1994 NAEP Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Evelyn; Stancavage, Fran; Mitchell, Julia; Goodman, Madeline; Lazer, Stephen

This report summarizes results from the 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), specifically those results concerning geography and U. S. history. The 1994 NAEP asked 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade students a series of questions designed to assess their knowledge level and skills applications in specific subjects. This report provides…

Body mass index influences prostate cancer risk at biopsy in Japanese men.

PubMed

Masuda, Hitoshi; Kagawa, Makoto; Kawakami, Satoru; Numao, Noboru; Matsuoka, Yoh; Yokoyama, Minato; Yamamoto, Shinya; Yonese, Junji; Fukui, Iwao; Kihara, Kazunori

2013-07-01

To determine the relationship between body mass index and prostate cancer risk at biopsy in Japanese men, and to compared the risk with that of Caucasian men. We retrospectively evaluated 3966 men with prostate-specific antigen levels from 2.5 to 19.9 ng/mL who underwent an initial extended prostate biopsy. Using logistic regression, odds ratios of each body mass index category for risk of prostate cancer and high-grade disease (Gleason score ≥4 + 3) were estimated after controlling for age, prostate-specific antigen, %free prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, digital rectal examination findings, family history of prostate cancer and the number of biopsy cores. Patients were divided into six categories according to their body mass index (kg/m(2) ) as follows: <21.0, 21.0-22.9, 23.0-24.9, 25.0-26.9, 27.0-29.9 and ≥30.0. A significant positive association was observed between body mass index and prostate cancer risk at biopsy, with an increased risk observed in men whose body mass index was ≥27.0 compared with the reference group. A significantly increased risk starting at body mass index ≥25.0 was found in high-grade disease. In contrast to our results, there has been no reported increase in the risk of prostate cancer at biopsy in Caucasians within the overweight range (body mass index of 25.0-29.9 based on World Health Organization classification). Japanese men within the overweight body mass index range who have an elevated prostate-specific antigen level also have a significant risk of harboring prostate cancer, especially high-grade disease. Overweight Japanese might be at greater prostate cancer risk at biopsy than overweight Caucasians. © 2012 The Japanese Urological Association.

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.

Dialect Variation and Reading: Is Change in Nonmainstream American English Use Related to Reading Achievement in First and Second Grades?

PubMed Central

Terry, Nicole Patton; Connor, Carol McDonald; Petscher, Yaacov; Conlin, Catherine Ross

2015-01-01

Purpose In this study, we examined (a) whether children who spoke Nonmainstream American English (NMAE) frequently in school at the beginning of 1st grade increased their use of Mainstream American English (MAE) through the end of 2nd grade, and whether increasing MAE use was associated with (b) language and reading skills and school context and (c) greater gains in reading skills. Method A longitudinal design was implemented with 49 children who spoke NMAE moderately to strongly. Spoken production of NMAE forms, word reading, and reading comprehension were measured at the beginning, middle, and end of 1st and 2nd grades. Various oral language skills were also measured at the beginning of 1st grade. Results Results indicate that most children increased their MAE production during 1st grade and maintained these levels in 2nd grade. Increasing MAE use was predicted by children’s expressive vocabulary and nonword repetition skills at the beginning of 1st grade. Finally, the more children increased their MAE production, the greater were their reading gains from 1st grade through 2nd grade. Conclusions The findings extend previous reports of a significant association between NMAE use and specific reading skills among young children and have implications for theory, educational practice, and future research. PMID:22199203

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.

Elevated expression of LSD1 (Lysine-specific demethylase 1) during tumour progression from pre-invasive to invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Lysine-specific demethylase1 (LSD1) is a nuclear protein which belongs to the aminooxidase-enzymes playing an important role in controlling gene expression. It has also been found highly expressed in several human malignancies including breast carcinoma. Our aim was to detect LSD1 expression also in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. In the current study we therefore analysed LSD1 protein expression in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in comparison to invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC). Methods Using immunohistochemistry we systematically analysed LSD1 expression in low grade DCIS (n = 27), intermediate grade DCIS (n = 30), high grade DCIS (n = 31) and in invasive ductal breast cancer (n = 32). SPSS version 18.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results LSD1 was differentially expressed in DCIS and invasive ductal breast cancer. Interestingly, LSD1 was significantly overexpressed in high grade DCIS versus low grade DCIS. Differences in LSD1 expression levels were also statistically significant between low/intermediate DCIS and invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Conclusions LSD1 is also expressed in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. Additionally, there is a gradual increase of LSD1 expression within tumour progression from pre-invasive DCIS to invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Therefore upregulation of LSD1 may be an early tumour promoting event. PMID:22920283

Elevated expression of LSD1 (Lysine-specific demethylase 1) during tumour progression from pre-invasive to invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

PubMed

Serce, Nuran; Gnatzy, Annette; Steiner, Susanne; Lorenzen, Henning; Kirfel, Jutta; Buettner, Reinhard

2012-08-24

Lysine-specific demethylase1 (LSD1) is a nuclear protein which belongs to the aminooxidase-enzymes playing an important role in controlling gene expression. It has also been found highly expressed in several human malignancies including breast carcinoma. Our aim was to detect LSD1 expression also in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. In the current study we therefore analysed LSD1 protein expression in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in comparison to invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC). Using immunohistochemistry we systematically analysed LSD1 expression in low grade DCIS (n = 27), intermediate grade DCIS (n = 30), high grade DCIS (n = 31) and in invasive ductal breast cancer (n = 32). SPSS version 18.0 was used for statistical analysis. LSD1 was differentially expressed in DCIS and invasive ductal breast cancer. Interestingly, LSD1 was significantly overexpressed in high grade DCIS versus low grade DCIS. Differences in LSD1 expression levels were also statistically significant between low/intermediate DCIS and invasive ductal breast carcinoma. LSD1 is also expressed in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. Additionally, there is a gradual increase of LSD1 expression within tumour progression from pre-invasive DCIS to invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Therefore upregulation of LSD1 may be an early tumour promoting event.

Comparison of Standardized Clinical Classification with Fundus Photograph Grading for the assessment of Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema Severity

PubMed Central

Gangaputra, Sapna; Lovato, James F.; Hubbard, Larry; Davis, Matthew D; Esser, Barbara A; Ambrosius, Walter T.; Chew, Emily Y.; Greven, Craig; Perdue, Letitia H; Wong, Wai T.; Condren, Audree; Wilkinson, Charles P.; Agrón, Elvira; Adler, Sharon; Danis, Ronald P

2013-01-01

Purpose To compare evaluation by clinical examination with image grading at a reading center (RC) for the classification of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods ACCORD and FIND had similar methods of clinical and fundus photograph evaluation. For analysis purposes the photographic grading scales were condensed to correspond to the clinical scales and agreement between clinicians and reading center classification were compared. Results 6902 eyes of ACCORD participants and 3638 eyes of FIND participants were analyzed for agreement (percent, kappa) on DR on a 5 level scale. Exact agreement between clinicians and RC on DR severity category was 69% in ACCORD and 74% in FIND (Kappa 0.42 and 0.65). Sensitivity of the clinical grading to identify presence of mild nonproliferative retinopathy or worse was 0.53 in ACCORD and 0.84 in FIND. Specificities were 0.97 and 0.96, respectively. DME agreement in 6649 eyes of ACCORD participants and 3366 eyes of FIND participants was similar in both studies (Kappa 0.35 and 0.41). Sensitivities of the clinical grading to identify DME were 0.44 and 0.53 and specificities were 0.99 and 0.94, respectively. Conclusion Our results support the use of clinical information for defining broad severity categories, but not for documenting small to moderate changes in DR over time. PMID:23615341

The use of music to enhance reading skills of second grade students and students with reading disabilities.

PubMed

Register, Dena; Darrow, Alice-Ann; Standley, Jayne; Swedberg, Olivia

2007-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of using music as a remedial strategy to enhance the reading skills of second-grade students and students who have been identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading. First, an intensive short-term music curriculum was designed to target reading comprehension and vocabulary skills at the second grade level. The curriculum was then implemented in classrooms at two public schools in the Southeast. Reading skills were evaluated pre and post curriculum intervention via the vocabulary and reading comprehension subtests of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test for second grade. Analysis of pre/posttest data revealed that students with a specific disability in reading improved significantly from pre to post on all three subtests: word decoding (p = .04), word knowledge (p = .01), reading comprehension (p = .01), and test total (p = .01). Paired t-tests revealed that for 2nd grade students, both treatment and control classes improved significantly from pre to post on the subtests word decoding, word knowledge, and test total. While both classes made gains from pre to post on the subtest, reading comprehension, neither improved significantly. Analysis of Covariance revealed that the treatment class made greater gains pre to post than the control class on all 3 subtests (Including reading comprehension), and significantly greater gains on the subtest, word knowledge (p = .01).

Thai students' mental model of chemical bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarawan, Supawadee; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This Research was finding the viewing about concept of chemical bonding is fundamental to subsequent learning of various other topics related to this concept in chemistry. Any conceptions about atomic structures that students have will be shown their further learning. The purpose of this study is to interviews conceptions held by high school chemistry students about metallic bonding and to reveal mental model of atomic structures show according to the educational level. With this aim, the questionnaire prepared making use of the literature and administered for analysis about mental model of chemical bonding. It was determined from the analysis of answers of questionnaire the 10th grade, 11th grade and 12th grade students. Finally, each was shown prompts in the form of focus cards derived from curriculum material that showed ways in which the bonding in specific metallic substances had been depicted. Students' responses revealed that learners across all three levels prefer simple, realistic mental models for metallic bonding and reveal to chemical bonding.

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.

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.

Mobile applications and patient education: Are currently available GERD mobile apps sufficient?

PubMed

Bobian, Michael; Kandinov, Aron; El-Kashlan, Nour; Svider, Peter F; Folbe, Adam J; Mayerhoff, Ross; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Raza, S Naweed

2017-08-01

Despite the increasing role of mobile applications (apps) in patient education, there has been little inquiry evaluating the quality of these resources. Because poor health literacy has been associated with inferior health outcomes, evaluating the quality of patient education materials takes on great importance. Our objective was to employ validated readability tools for the evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) mobile apps. GERD-specific apps found in the Apple App Store (Apple Inc., Cupertino CA) were evaluated using the Readability Studio Professional Version 2015 for Windows (Oleander Software, Ltd, Vandalia, OH). All text was evaluated using nine validated algorithms measuring readability including Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook grading, Gunning Fog index, Coleman-Liau, New Fog Count formula, Raygor Readability Estimate, FORCAST, Fry graph, and Flesch Reading Ease score. Average reading grade levels for individual GERD apps ranged from 9.6 to 12.9 (interquartile range 10.3-12). The average reading grade level for all apps analyzed was 11.1 ± 0.2 standard error of the mean (SEM), with an average Flesch Reading Ease score for all mobile apps analyzed of 51 ± 2.05 (SEM), falling into the "fairly difficult" category given by this measure. Raygor Readability estimates that most mobile apps have a reading grade level between 10 and 12, with the majority of this outcome due to long words. This analysis demonstrates the feasibility of assessing readability of mobile health apps. Our findings suggest significant gaps in potential comprehension between the apps analyzed and the average reader, diminishing the utility of these resources. We hope our findings influence future mobile health-related app development and thereby improve patient outcomes in GERD and other chronic diseases. NA. Laryngoscope, 127:1775-1779, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

An intermediate level of BMP signaling directly specifies cranial neural crest progenitor cells in zebrafish.

PubMed

Schumacher, Jennifer A; Hashiguchi, Megumi; Nguyen, Vu H; Mullins, Mary C

2011-01-01

The specification of the neural crest progenitor cell (NCPC) population in the early vertebrate embryo requires an elaborate network of signaling pathways, one of which is the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathway. Based on alterations in neural crest gene expression in zebrafish BMP pathway component mutants, we previously proposed a model in which the gastrula BMP morphogen gradient establishes an intermediate level of BMP activity establishing the future NCPC domain. Here, we tested this model and show that an intermediate level of BMP signaling acts directly to specify the NCPC. We quantified the effects of reducing BMP signaling on the number of neural crest cells and show that neural crest cells are significantly increased when BMP signaling is reduced and that this increase is not due to an increase in cell proliferation. In contrast, when BMP signaling is eliminated, NCPC fail to be specified. We modulated BMP signaling levels in BMP pathway mutants with expanded or no NCPCs to demonstrate that an intermediate level of BMP signaling specifies the NCPC. We further investigated the ability of Smad5 to act in a graded fashion by injecting smad5 antisense morpholinos and show that increasing doses first expand the NCPCs and then cause a loss of NCPCs, consistent with Smad5 acting directly in neural crest progenitor specification. Using Western blot analysis, we show that P-Smad5 levels are dose-dependently reduced in smad5 morphants, consistent with an intermediate level of BMP signaling acting through Smad5 to specify the neural crest progenitors. Finally, we performed chimeric analysis to demonstrate for the first time that BMP signal reception is required directly by NCPCs for their specification. Together these results add substantial evidence to a model in which graded BMP signaling acts as a morphogen to pattern the ectoderm, with an intermediate level acting in neural crest specification.

Science Facilities for Mississippi Schools, Grades 1-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mississippi State Dept. of Education, Jackson. Div. of Instruction.

Prepared to assist those planning the construction of new science facilities on the elementary, intermediate, or secondary school level. Standards are outlined and specifications detailed. A statement of fifteen general pricniples for planning science facilities in secondary schools precedes a discussion of--(1) special facilities for different…

People in the Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vredeveld, George M.; And Others

1983-01-01

The theme article of this issue provides a conceptual introduction for teachers to the local community as a market. The introduction discusses the scarcity role in forcing decisions, individuals as producers, specialization of human resources, payment of human resources, and how wages reflect market conditions. Four grade-level specific units…

Promoting Elementary Physical Education: Results of a School-Based Evaluation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle-Holmes, Trina; Grost, Lisa; Russell, Lisa; Laris, B. A.; Robin, Leah; Haller, Elizabeth; Potter, Susan; Lee, Sarah

2010-01-01

Using a quasiexperimental design, the authors examine whether fourth- and fifth-grade students exposed to a developmental physical education (PE) curriculum, Michigan's Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC), demonstrated stronger motor skill--specific self-efficacy and perceptions of physical activity competence, physical activity levels,…

Teacher's Directory of Reading Skill Aids and Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dechant, Emerald

Intended to help reading teachers match pupil needs and deficiencies with specific instructional materials, this volume contains more than 2,000 print and audiovisual instructional materials for reading instruction. Citations, which include objectives, grade level, publisher, and format, are grouped into the following sections: (1) developing the…

A-Level Science--What Value Practical?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCune, Roger

2014-01-01

The Qualifications Regulator in England (Ofqual) has decided that with the implementation of revised (linear) science specifications, first teaching from September 2015, the assessment of practical skills will not contribute to the overall qualification grade. This could have significant implications for post-16 science teaching. The decision was…

Conferencing the SMART Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akers, Pamela

2005-01-01

As schools across the nation strive to eliminate student achievement gaps, it has become more crucial than ever for parents to be involved, especially parents of children achieving below grade level. In Maryland's Howard County Public Schools, a parent-teacher conferencing program called SMART, focused on Specific, Measurable, Achievable,…

Science: Grades K-2. [Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Muriel; And Others

This document was developed to provide primary level school teachers in New York City with specific materials and suggestions for organizing effective learning experiences in the science area. The program is designed to emphasize both science knowledge and science processes. An introductory section presents ideas related to the overall philosophy…

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…

Comparison of graded exercise and graded exposure clinical outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

George, Steven Z; Wittmer, Virgil T; Fillingim, Roger B; Robinson, Michael E

2010-11-01

Quasi-experimental clinical trial. This study compared outcomes from graded exercise and graded exposure activity prescriptions for patients participating in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for chronic low back pain. Our primary purpose was to investigate whether pain and disability outcomes differed based on treatment received (graded exercise or graded exposure). Our secondary purpose was to investigate if changes in selected psychological factors were associated with pain and disability outcomes. Behavioral interventions have been advocated for decreasing pain and disability from low back pain, yet relatively few comparative studies have been reported in the literature. Consecutive sample with chronic low back pain recruited over a 16-month period from an outpatient chronic pain clinic. Patients received physical therapy supplemented with either graded exercise (n=15) or graded exposure (n=18) principles. Graded exercise included general therapeutic activities and was progressed with a quota-based system. Graded exposure included specific activities that were feared due to back pain and was progressed with a hierarchical exposure paradigm. Psychological measures were pain-related fear (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, Fear of Pain Questionnaire), pain catastrophizing (Coping Strategies Questionnaire), and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory). Primary outcome measures were pain intensity (visual analog scale) and self-report of disability (modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire). Statistically significant improvements (P<.01) were observed for pain intensity and disability at discharge. The rate of improvement did not differ based on behavioral intervention received (P>.05 for these comparisons). Overall, 50% of patients met criterion for minimally important change for pain intensity, while 30% met this criterion for disability. Change in depressive symptoms was associated with change in pain intensity, while change in pain catastrophizing was associated with change in disability. Physical therapy supplemented with graded exercise or graded exposure resulted in equivalent clinical outcomes for pain intensity and disability. The overall treatment effects were modest in this setting. Instead of being associated with a specific behavioral intervention, reductions in pain and disability were associated with reductions in depressive symptoms and pain catastrophizing, respectively. Therapy, level 2b–.

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.

Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines: How Readable Are Internet-Based Patient Education Resources?

PubMed

Hansberry, David Richard; White, Michael D; D'Angelo, Michael; Prabhu, Arpan V; Kamel, Sarah; Lakhani, Paras; Sundaram, Baskaran

2018-04-30

Following the findings of the National Lung Screening Trial, several national societies from multiple disciplines have endorsed the use of low-dose chest CT to screen for lung cancer. Online patient education materials are an important tool to disseminate information to the general public regarding the proven health benefits of lung cancer screening. This study aims to evaluate the reading level at which these materials related to lung cancer screening are written. The four terms "pulmonary nodule," "radiation," "low-dose CT," and "lung cancer screening" were searched on Google, and the first 20 online resources for each term were downloaded, converted into plain text, and analyzed using 10 well-established readability scales. If the websites were not written specifically for patients, they were excluded. The 80 articles were written at a 12.6 ± 2.7 (mean ± SD) grade level, with grade levels ranging from 4.0 to 19.0. Of the 80 articles, 62.5% required a high school education to comprehend, and 22.6% required a college degree or higher (≥ 16th grade) to comprehend. Only 2.5% of the analyzed articles adhered to the recommendations of the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association that patient education materials be written at a 3rd- to 7th-grade reading level. Commonly visited online lung cancer screening-related patient education materials are written at a level beyond the general patient population's ability to comprehend and may be contributing to a knowledge gap that is inhibiting patients from improving their health literacy.

A Comparative Study of Skin Prick Test versus Serum-Specific IgE Measurement in Indian Patients with Bronchial Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis.

PubMed

Kumar, Raj; Gupta, Nitesh; Kanuga, Jayesh; Kanuga, Mansi

2015-01-01

Skin prick testing (SPT) is the 'gold standard' in the assessment of allergic sensitivity to inhalant allergens. Serum-specific immunoglobulin E (SSIgE) measurement is a complementary test. SPT is performed with antigen extracts from India while SSIgE utilises extracts derived from European antigens. To evaluate the performance of allergic assessment by SSIgE against cockroach, housefly and mosquito aeroallergens which are frequently implicated in driving respiratory allergies in India considering SPT as the 'gold standard'. Twenty patients (mean age 28.5 years; range 15-50 years) diagnosed to have bronchial asthma and/or rhinitis underwent SPT. The SSIgE levels were obtained at the same visit. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of SSIgE testing were calculated using SPT as the 'gold standard'. The correlation between SPT grading and SSIgE levels was also evaluated. The sensitivity of SSIgE testing to each of the 3 aero-allergens was > 85%. The PPV of cockroach and mosquito SSIgE was > 85%; housefly SSIgE had PPV of 68.7%. The two tests were in agreement in 85% (cockroach), 90% (mosquito) and 55% (housefly). There was a significant correlation between the grades of SPT reactions and SSIgE levels. The SSIgE has higher sensitivity and PPV, but lacks specificity. Higher sensitivity with low specificity leads to increased false positive diagnosis of allergic disease. Unlike allergenic pollens, however, insect antigen extracts from different regions seem to give comparable results, and can thus, reliably be used in the evaluation of allergy.

The biochemical, nanomechanical and chemometric signatures of brain cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramczyk, Halina; Imiela, Anna

2018-01-01

Raman spectroscopy and imaging combined with AFM topography and mechanical indentation by AFM have been shown to be an effective tool for analysis and discrimination of human brain tumors from normal structures. Raman 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) and the tissue from the negative margins used as normal controls. We compare a high grade medulloblastoma (IV grade), and non-tumor samples from human central nervous system (CNS) tissue. Based on the properties of the Raman vibrational spectra and Raman images we provide a real-time feedback that is label-free method to monitor tumor metabolism that reveals reprogramming of biosynthesis of lipids, and proteins. 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 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 lipid and protein contents of tumorous brain tissue compared to the non-tumor tissue. Almost all brain tumors have the Raman intensity ratios significantly higher (1.99 ± 0.026) than that found in non-tumor brain tissue, which is 1.456 ± 0.02, and indicates that the relative amount of lipids compared to proteins is significantly higher in the normal brain tissue. Mechanical indentation using AFM on sliced human brain tissues (medulloblastoma, grade IV) revealed that the mechanical properties of this tissue are strongly heterogeneous, between 1.8 and 75.7 kPa, and the mean of 27.16 kPa. The sensitivity and specificity obtained directly from PLSDA and cross validation gives a sensitivity and specificity of 98.5% and 96% and 96.3% and 92% for cross-validation, respectively. The high sensitivity and specificity demonstrates usefulness for a proper decision for a Raman diagnostic test on biochemical alterations monitored by Raman spectroscopy related to brain cancer development.

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.

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.…

[Case-control study on accuracy and safety of patient-specific drill-guide templates used in scoliosis cases].

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-peng; Shi, Ya-min; Wang, Hua-dong; Hou, Shu-xun

2015-10-01

To evaluate the accuracy and safety of pedicle screw insertion with the aid of novel patient-specific drill-guide templates in scoliosis cases. Ten patients with scoliosis were selected to participate in the research (the observation group) from December 2013 to December 2014. The data was obtained from CT scanning, and put into the computer to perform reconstruction of spine, simulation of pedicle screw insertion, and design of patient-specific drill-guide templates with software. The templates were made with rapid prototyping technique. After sterilization, the templates were used to aid the pedicle screw insertion intraoperatively. The blood loss, operation duration, change of creatinine level pre- and post-operation, and complications related to pedicle screw insertion were recorded. The location of pedicle screws were graded so as to evaluate the accuracy. A comparative study was then performed with the data of ten scoliosis cases operated with free-hand method during the same period (control group). There were 5 cases of idiopathic scoliosis and 5 cases of congenital scoliosis in the observation group, including 3 males and 7 females. Their average age was 11.9 years old (ranged, 4 to 18 years old), and the average Cobb angle of main curve was 54.9° (ranged, 42.1° to 78.4°). There were also 5 cases of idiopathic scoliosis and 5 cases of congenital scoliosis in the control group,including 2 males and 8 females. Their average age was 12.6 years old (ranged, 6 to 17 years old), and the average Cobb angle of main curve was 56.6° (ranged, 38.2° to 93.4°). A total of 167 pedicle screws were inserted intraoperatively, with 138 screws (82.6%) in grade I, 26 screws (15.0%) in grade II, 4 screws in grade III (2.4%), but no screws in grade IV according to the CT image. There were 29 (17.4%) screws perforated, and 163 (97.6%) screws could be accepted. In the control group, a total of 165 pedicle screws were inserted intraoperatively, with 98 screws (59.4%) in grade I, 39 screws (23.6%) in grade II, 21 screws in grade III (12.7%), and 7 screws in grade IV (4.2%). There were 67 (40.6%) screws perforated, and 137 (83.0%) screws could be accepted. The grade distribution of screw position, ratio of perforated and accepted screws were significantly different between the two groups respectively (Z=-5.013, P=0.000; χ2=9.347, P=0.002; χ2=20.242, P=0.000). The correction rate of Cobb angle were (74.1±10.0)% vs (69.7±17.6)%; blood loss were (455±447) ml vs (415±389) ml; operation duration were (163.5±53.7) min vs (164.0±48.7) min; and the changes of creatinine level pre- and post-operatively were (-5.3±3.2) μmol/L vs (-3.4±3.1) μmol/L; all above data had no significant differences respectively (t=0.696, P=0.496; t=0.214, P=0.833; t=0.022, P=0.983; t=1.375, P=0.192). There were no complications related to pedicle screw insertion in each group. The novel patient-specific drill guide template can be used to assist the insertion of pedicle screws in scoliosis cases with much higher accuracy than that of freehand method and fair safety.

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.

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...

Prostatectomy-based validation of combined urine and plasma test for predicting high grade prostate cancer.

PubMed

Albitar, Maher; Ma, Wanlong; Lund, Lars; Shahbaba, Babak; Uchio, Edward; Feddersen, Søren; Moylan, Donald; Wojno, Kirk; Shore, Neal

2018-03-01

Distinguishing between low- and high-grade prostate cancers (PCa) is important, but biopsy may underestimate the actual grade of cancer. We have previously shown that urine/plasma-based prostate-specific biomarkers can predict high grade PCa. Our objective was to determine the accuracy of a test using cell-free RNA levels of biomarkers in predicting prostatectomy results. This multicenter community-based prospective study was conducted using urine/blood samples collected from 306 patients. All recruited patients were treatment-naïve, without metastases, and had been biopsied, designated a Gleason Score (GS) based on biopsy, and assigned to prostatectomy prior to participation in the study. The primary outcome measure was the urine/plasma test accuracy in predicting high grade PCa on prostatectomy compared with biopsy findings. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using standard formulas, while comparisons between groups were performed using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-Square, and Fisher's exact test. GS as assigned by standard 10-12 core biopsies was 3 + 3 in 90 (29.4%), 3 + 4 in 122 (39.8%), 4 + 3 in 50 (16.3%), and > 4 + 3 in 44 (14.4%) patients. The urine/plasma assay confirmed a previous validation and was highly accurate in predicting the presence of high-grade PCa (Gleason ≥3 + 4) with sensitivity between 88% and 95% as verified by prostatectomy findings. GS was upgraded after prostatectomy in 27% of patients and downgraded in 12% of patients. This plasma/urine biomarker test accurately predicts high grade cancer as determined by prostatectomy with a sensitivity at 92-97%, while the sensitivity of core biopsies was 78%. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Korean Elementary School Students' Perceptions of Relationship with Marine Organisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jong-Mun; Anderson, David; Scott, Sandra

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined the perceptions of, and relationship with, marine organisms of 81 urban sixth grade Korean students using a specifically designed survey questionnaire. The study outcomes revealed that these Korean students have limited experience with and different levels of connectedness to marine organisms. Viewed through…

Studying Watersheds: A Confluence of Important Ideas. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haury, David L.

This digest explains how the study of watersheds can serve to connect concept and skill development across subject areas and grade levels for curriculum reform and standards-based assessment. Specific resources are organized into watersheds in the curriculum, connections to National Standards, watershed concepts and activities, watershed education…

Lithographic Stripping; Printing 2: 9755.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in printing. The course is 90 hours in length. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, safety in the stripping department, and a stripping…

Platemaking; Printing 2: 9755.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in the printing industry. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, types of lithographic plates, surface plates for offset, wipe-on plates,…

Industrial Arts Curriculum Guide for Plastics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational Education.

This curriculum guide provides topic outlines and objectives for 12 units of an industrial arts program in plastics at any grade level. Introductory material describes the scope and sequence of an Industrial Arts program, gives specific guidelines for Industrial Arts, and briefly discusses the nature of plastics. Unit titles include Orientation of…

Selected Progressive Competencies for Education of the Gifted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Roberta R.; And Others

Progressive competencies were identified for gifted students in grades kindergarten through 12 as a result of a survey of over 600 administrators, classroom teachers, and teachers of the gifted. Competencies were identified for four levels of development in the following six specific skill areas: creativity, affective development, academic…

The HAWK Highway: A Vertical Model for Student IEP Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quann, Monica; Lyman, Jennifer; Crumlish, Jamie; Hines, Sally; Williams, Lynn; Pleet-Odle, Amy; Eisenman, Laura

2015-01-01

Special educators at an inclusive career-technical high school created a model to support annually increasing expectations for self-determination and levels of student participation in Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning and implementation. The grade-specific components of the model and supporting context are described. Students were…

Discrete Mathematics across the Curriculum, K-12. 1991 Yearbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenney, Margaret J., Ed.; Hirsch, Christian R., Ed.

This yearbook provides the mathematics education community with specific perceptions about discrete mathematics concerning its importance, its composition at various grade levels, and ideas about how to teach it. Many practical suggestions with respect to the implementation of a discrete mathematics school program are included. A unifying thread…

Students' Reasoning about Invariance of Volume as a Quantity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Melike

2013-01-01

The aims of this study were to investigate how upper-elementary-grade students compare the volume of rectangular prisms of equal volume (specifically, students' noticing and reasoning for invariance of volume and coordination of the three linear dimensions of rectangular prisms) and how students' levels of sophistication in volume measurement…

Reading Trajectories of Children with Language Difficulties from Preschool through Fifth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skibbe, Lori E.; Grimm, Kevin J.; Stanton-Chapman, Tina L.; Justice, Laura M.; Pence, Khara L.; Bowles, Ryan P.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The current work examined which theory of reading development, the "cumulative reading trajectory or the compensatory trajectory of development," most accurately represents the reading trajectories of children with language difficulties (LD) relative to their peers with typical language (TL) skills. Specifically, initial levels of reading…

Career Ambitions: A Comparison of Youth with and without SLD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kortering, Larry J.; Braziel, Patricia M.; McClannon, Terry W.

2010-01-01

Participants with and without specific learning disabilities (SLD) provided responses as to background and school features, postschool plans, dream career, and most likely job after completing school. Findings suggest that participant groups are similar across most background and school features, with apparent differences for grade level and…

The Role of Parental Influences on Young Adolescents' Career Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Briana K.; Whiston, Susan C.

2008-01-01

The relationship between specific parental behaviors and the career development of young adolescents was assessed. Regression analyses revealed that parental behaviors did relate to the career development of middle school students, after controlling for student grade level and gender. Parental behaviors tended to relate more to career…

Children's Recall and Recognition of Sex Role Stereotyped and Discrepant Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trepanier-Street, Mary L.; Kropp, Jerri Jaudon

Two studies were conducted to investigate the influence of differing levels of sex role stereotyped and discrepant information on the immediate and delayed memory of young children. Specifically, kindergarten and 2nd-grade children's recall and recognition of stereotyped, moderately discrepant, and highly discrepant pictures were compared. In…

An Examination of Music Teacher Job Interview Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juchniewicz, Jay

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine which interview questions principals consider most important when interviewing prospective music teachers. Additionally, data were examined to determine any differences between school grade level, school setting, or years of experience as a principal in preferences for specific interview questions.…

Cases on Technology Integration in Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polly, Drew, Ed.

2015-01-01

Common Core education standards establish a clear set of specific ideas and skills that all students should be able to comprehend at each grade level. In an effort to meet these standards, educators are turning to technology for improved learning outcomes. "Cases on Technology Integration in Mathematics Education" provides a compilation…

Literacy Instruction in Primary Level Deaf Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qiuying; Andrews, Jean F.

2017-01-01

The national policy in deaf education in Mainland China primarily focuses on oral/aural instruction and hearing rehabilitation. The curriculum in primary grades is specifically structured on speech and hearing skills for language development. But there is little evidence that documents what early literacy instruction looks like or how teachers…

Czech Student Attitudes towards Geography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubiatko, Milan; Janko, Tomas; Mrazkova, Katerina

2012-01-01

This study investigates 540 Czech lower secondary students' attitudes towards geography. It examined the general influence of gender and grade level on attitudes towards geography with an emphasis on four specific areas in particular: geography as a school subject; geography and the environment; the importance of geography; and the relevance of…

Teaching and Learning by Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doll, Carol A.

2009-01-01

As teacher and instructional partner, one will need skills in instructional design. The three main types of instructional design are curriculum planning, unit planning, and lesson planning. Curriculum planning, the big picture, looks at the entire set of skills and knowledge for the district, the school, or a specific grade level. Unit planning…

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.

Consumer health information for pet owners

PubMed Central

Murphy, Sarah Anne

2006-01-01

Objective: The author studied health information available for veterinary consumers both in print and online. Methods: WorldCat was searched using a list of fifty-three Library of Congress subject headings relevant to veterinary consumer health to identify print resources for review. Identified items were then collected and assessed for authority, comprehensiveness of coverage, validity, and other criteria outlined by Rees. An in-depth assessment of the information available for feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and canine congestive heart failure (CHF) was then conducted to examine the availability and quality of information available for specific diseases and disorders. A reading grade level was assigned for each passage using the Flesch-Kincaid formula in the Readability Statistics feature in Microsoft Word. Results/Discussion: A total of 187 books and 7 Websites were identified and evaluated. More than half of the passages relating to FLUTD and CHF were written above an 11th-grade reading level. A limited quantity of quality, in-depth resources that address specific diseases and disorders and are written at an appropriate reading level for consumers is available. Conclusion: The library's role is to facilitate access to the limited number of quality consumer health resources that are available to veterinary consumers. PMID:16636707

Phase I Trial of the Combination of Docetaxel, Prednisone, and Pasireotide in Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Thakur, Manish K; Heilbrun, Lance; Dobson, Kimberlee; Boerner, Julie; Stark, Karri; Li, Jing; Smith, Daryn; Heath, Elisabeth; Fontana, Joseph; Vaishampayan, Ulka

2018-06-01

Pasireotide (SOM230; Novartis Inc, Basel, Switzerland) is a multitargeted somatostatin receptor analogue likely to treat the neuroendocrine, and docetaxel resistant components within metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This phase I trial tested the combination of pasireotide, docetaxel, and prednisone in pretreated mCRPC. Chemotherapy naive mCRPC patients received docetaxel 75 mg/m 2 intravenously every 21 days and pasireotide intramuscularly every 28 days at escalating dose levels of 40, 60, and 80 mg. Maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase II dose (RP2D) were assessed. Eighteen patients were enrolled with a median age of 65 (range, 49-75) years, and pretherapy prostate-specific antigen of 259.9 ng/mL. The dose-limiting toxicities were Grade 4 hyperglycemia unresponsive to therapy and Grade 4 neutropenia lasting for > 7 days in 1 patient each occurring at the 80-mg dose level of pasireotide. The RP2D was determined at 60 mg every 28 days. Four patients at the 60 mg dose had Grade 3 or 4 hyperglycemia, which responded adequately to therapy. Median time to progression and survival were 7.2 and 18.3 months, respectively. Three of 6 patients with circulating tumor cells ≥5 converted to circulating tumor cells < 5 post therapy. The insulin like growth factor-1 levels revealed a median 51% decrease after therapy. The neuron-specific enolase and chromogranin did not show any marked change. The addition of pasireotide to docetaxel and prednisone is clinically feasible at a dose level of 60 mg every 28 days. The combination showed potential for clinical efficacy but needs to be compared with the standard docetaxel and prednisone regimen. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of an Electromechanical Grade to Assess Human Knee Articular Cartilage Quality.

PubMed

Sim, Sotcheadt; Hadjab, Insaf; Garon, Martin; Quenneville, Eric; Lavigne, Patrick; Buschmann, Michael D

2017-10-01

Quantitative assessments of articular cartilage function are needed to aid clinical decision making. Our objectives were to develop a new electromechanical grade to assess quantitatively cartilage quality and test its reliability. Electromechanical properties were measured using a hand-held electromechanical probe on 200 human articular surfaces from cadaveric donors and osteoarthritic patients. These data were used to create a reference electromechanical property database and to compare with visual arthroscopic International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grading of cartilage degradation. The effect of patient-specific and location-specific characteristics on electromechanical properties was investigated to construct a continuous and quantitative electromechanical grade analogous to ICRS grade. The reliability of this novel grade was assessed by comparing it with ICRS grades on 37 human articular surfaces. Electromechanical properties were not affected by patient-specific characteristics for each ICRS grade, but were significantly different across the articular surface. Electromechanical properties varied linearly with ICRS grade, leading to a simple linear transformation from one scale to the other. The electromechanical grade correlated strongly with ICRS grade (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001). Additionally, the electromechanical grade detected lesions that were not found visually. This novel grade can assist the surgeon in assessing human knee cartilage by providing a quantitative and reliable grading system.

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…

Classifying lower grade glioma cases according to whole genome gene expression.

PubMed

Chen, Baoshi; Liang, Tingyu; Yang, Pei; Wang, Haoyuan; Liu, Yanwei; Yang, Fan; You, Gan

2016-11-08

To identify a gene-based signature as a novel prognostic model in lower grade gliomas. A gene signature developed from HOXA7, SLC2A4RG and MN1 could segregate patients into low and high risk score groups with different overall survival (OS), and was validated in TCGA RNA-seq and GSE16011 mRNA array datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was performed to show that the three-gene signature was more sensitive and specific than histology, grade, age, IDH1 mutation and 1p/19q co-deletion. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and GO analysis showed high-risk samples were associated with tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and highly invasive phenotypes. Moreover, HOXA7-siRNA inhibited migration and invasion in vitro, and downregulated MMP9 at the protein level in U251 glioma cells. A cohort of 164 glioma specimens from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) array database were assessed as the training group. TCGA RNA-seq and GSE16011 mRNA array datasets were used for validation. Regression analyses and linear risk score assessment were performed for the identification of the three-gene signature comprising HOXA7, SLC2A4RG and MN1. We established a three-gene signature for lower grade gliomas, which could independently predict overall survival (OS) of lower grade glioma patients with higher sensitivity and specificity compared with other clinical characteristics. These findings indicate that the three-gene signature is a new prognostic model that could provide improved OS prediction and accurate therapies for lower grade glioma patients.

Developmental Origins of Perfectionism Among African American Youth

PubMed Central

Herman, Keith C.; Trotter, Reid; Reinke, Wendy M.; Ialongo, Nicholas

2013-01-01

The present study used a person-centered latent variable approach to classify types of perfectionism among 6th-grade African American children living in an urban setting. In particular, the authors were interested in determining whether an adaptive subtype could be found and validated against external criteria. The authors also attempted to identify any developmental precursors that could reliably differentiate the perfectionist subtypes. A social learning and competence framework was used to select potential 1st-grade risk and protective factors for future perfectionism profiles. Four classes best described the children’s perfectionism scores in 6th grade. Three of these classes resembled the profiles most commonly seen in prior perfectionism research (Non-Critical/Adaptive, Critical/Maladaptive, and Non-Perfectionist). The fourth class, Non-Striving, was characterized by extremely low levels of reported personal standards. Sixth-grade correlates confirmed the distinctiveness of these classes. In particular, the Critical/Maladaptive and Non-Striving classes had higher rates of internalizing symptoms and disorders. Additionally, several 1st-grade predictors suggested unique developmental origins of these classes. The Critical/Maladaptive class was characterized by lower academic skills and elevated teacher-rated attention problems, hyperactivity, shyness, and peer rejection. The Non-Striving class had higher rates of family alcohol problems and lower levels of parent praise. Implications regarding the universal and culture-specific origins and effects of perfectionism are discussed. PMID:21574697

Spleen and Liver Stiffness Is Positively Correlated with the Risk of Esophageal Variceal Bleeding.

PubMed

Buechter, Matthias; Kahraman, Alisan; Manka, Paul; Gerken, Guido; Jochum, Christoph; Canbay, Ali; Dechêne, Alexander

2016-01-01

Portal hypertension (PH) is a common complication of chronic liver disease and results in esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding, which is associated with a high mortality rate. Measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is considered the gold standard for diagnosing PH and estimating the risk of varices and bleeding. In contrast, upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy (UGE) can reliably demonstrate the presence of varices and bleeding. Both measures are invasive, and HVPG is mainly restricted to tertiary centers. Therefore, the development of noninvasive methods of assessing the severity of PH and the risk of variceal bleeding is warranted. We retrospectively examined the correlation of spleen stiffness (SSM) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) with the incidence of variceal bleeding among 143 patients who underwent combined liver and spleen elastography between 2013 and 2015. For 19 of 103 patients (16.8%), upper GI variceal bleeding was diagnosed and treated endoscopically. The median SSM of all patients was 35.3 kilopascals (kPa); the median LSM, 11.7 kPa. Patients with previous bleeding episodes had significantly higher SSM (75.0 kPa) and LSM (37.3 kPa) than those without a history of bleeding (SSM, 30.6 kPa; LSM, 8.2 kPa; p < 0.0001). Seventy-five patients (66.4%) underwent UGE in addition to SSM and LSM: 25 with no esophageal varices (EVs; SSM, 29.5 kPa; LSM, 11.4 kPa), 16 with EV grade 1 (SSM, 35.9 kPa; LSM, 33.4 kPa), 21 with EV grade 2 (SSM, 67.8 kPa; LSM, 27.0 kPa) and 13 with EV grade 3 (SSM, 75.0 kPa; LSM, 26.3 kPa). No statistically significant differences were found between respective grades of EV but were found between the presence and absence of varices. At a calculated cutoff level of 42.6 kPa (with application of 95% CI), SSM had sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 64% in determining the risk of bleeding, with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.97 (LSM sensitivity, 84%; LSM specificity, 80%; LSM NPV, 0.96 at LSM cutoff level of 20.8 kPa). When LSM (cutoff level, 20.8 kPa) and SSM (cutoff level, 42.6 kPa) were combined, the NPV was 1 (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 55%). SSM and LSM as determined by FibroScan (a noninvasive method of detecting PH) is positively correlated with upper GI variceal bleeding (optimal SSM cutoff level, 42.6 kPa; optimal LSM cutoff level, 20.8 kPa). No patients with both SSM and LSM below cutoff levels had a history of bleeding complications. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Quantitative analysis of the level of readability of online emergency radiology-based patient education resources.

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; D'Angelo, Michael; White, Michael D; Prabhu, Arpan V; Cox, Mougnyan; Agarwal, Nitin; Deshmukh, Sandeep

2018-04-01

The vast amount of information found on the internet, combined with its accessibility, makes it a widely utilized resource for Americans to find information pertaining to medical information. The field of radiology is no exception. In this paper, we assess the readability level of websites pertaining specifically to emergency radiology. Using Google, 23 terms were searched, and the top 10 results were recorded. Each link was evaluated for its readability level using a set of ten reputable readability scales. The search terms included the following: abdominal ultrasound, abdominal aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, appendicitis, cord compression, CT abdomen, cholecystitis, CT chest, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, epidural hematoma, dural venous thrombosis, head CT, MRI brain, MR angiography, MRI spine, ovarian torsion, pancreatitis, pelvic ultrasound, pneumoperitoneum, pulmonary embolism, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematoma. Any content that was not written for patients was excluded. The 230 articles that were assessed were written, on average, at a 12.1 grade level. Only 2 of the 230 articles (1%) were written at the third to seventh grade recommended reading level set forth by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Medical Association (AMA). Fifty-two percent of the 230 articles were written so as to require a minimum of a high school education (at least a 12th grade level). Additionally, 17 of the 230 articles (7.3%) were written at a level that exceeded an undergraduate education (at least a 16th grade level). The majority of websites with emergency radiology-related patient education materials are not adhering to the NIH and AMA's recommended reading levels, and it is likely that the average reader is not benefiting fully from these information outlets. With the link between health literacy and poor health outcomes, it is important to address the online content in this area of radiology, allowing for patient to more fully benefit from their online searches.

Associations between circulating carotenoids, genomic instability and the risk of high-grade prostate cancer.

PubMed

Nordström, Tobias; Van Blarigan, Erin L; Ngo, Vy; Roy, Ritu; Weinberg, Vivian; Song, Xiaoling; Simko, Jeffry; Carroll, Peter R; Chan, June M; Paris, Pamela L

2016-03-01

Carotenoids are a class of nutrients with antioxidant properties that have been purported to protect against cancer. However, the reported associations between carotenoids and prostate cancer have been heterogeneous and lacking data on interactions with nucleotide sequence variations and genomic biomarkers. To examine the associations between carotenoid levels and the risk of high-grade prostate cancer, also considering antioxidant-related genes and tumor instability. We measured plasma levels of carotenoids and genotyped 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in SOD1, SOD2, SOD3, XRCC1, and OGG1 among 559 men with non-metastatic prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy. We performed copy number analysis in a subset of these men (n = 67) to study tumor instability assessed as Fraction of the Genome Altered (FGA). We examined associations between carotenoids, genotypes, tumor instability and risk of high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason grade ≥ 4 + 3) using logistic and linear regression. Circulating carotenoid levels were inversely associated with the risk of high-grade prostate cancer; odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) comparing highest versus lowest quartiles were: 0.34 (95% CI: 0.18-0.66) for α-carotene, 0.31 (95% CI: 0.15-0.63) for β-carotene, 0.55 (0.28-1.08) for lycopene and 0.37 (0.18-0.75) for total carotenoids. SNPs rs25489 in XRCC1, rs699473 in SOD3 and rs1052133 in OGG1 modified these associations for α-carotene, β-carotene and lycopene, respectively (P ≤ 0.05). The proportion of men with a high degree of FGA increased with Gleason Score (P < 0.001). Among men with Gleason score ≤ 3 + 4, higher lycopene levels were associated with lower FGA (P = 0.04). Circulating carotenoids at diagnosis, particularly among men carrying specific somatic variations, were inversely associated with risk of high-grade prostate cancer. In exploratory analyses, higher lycopene level was associated with less genomic instability among men with low-grade disease which is novel and supports the hypothesis that lycopene may inhibit progression of prostate cancer early in its natural history. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specifications-Based Grading in an Introduction to Proofs Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Kristopher

2018-01-01

This article describes a system of specifications-based grading used in an introduction to proofs course. The system was introduced to address two issues that arose in the course: how to spend less time grading and how to encourage use of feedback. We describe the implementation of the system and the results on grading and on students.

Parenting behavior dimensions and child psychopathology: specificity, task dependency, and interactive relations.

PubMed

Caron, Annalise; Weiss, Bahr; Harris, Vicki; Catron, Tom

2006-02-01

This study examined the specificity of relations between parent or caregiver behaviors and childhood internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of 70 fourth-grade children (64% boys, M age = 9.7 years). Specificity was assessed via (a) unique effects, (b) differential effects, and (c) interactive effects. When measured as unique and differential effects, specificity was not found for warmth or psychological control but was found for caregiver's use of behavior control. Higher levels of behavior control were uniquely related to lower levels of externalizing problems and higher levels of internalizing problems; differential effects analyses indicated that higher levels of behavior control were related to decreases in the within-child difference in relative levels of level of internalizing versus externalizing problems. Interactive relations among the 3 parenting behavior dimensions also were identified. Although caregivers emphasized different parenting behavior dimensions across 2 separate caregiver-child interaction tasks, relations between parenting behavior dimensions and child psychopathology did not vary as a function of task. These findings indicate the importance of assessing and simultaneously analyzing multiple parenting behavior dimensions and multiple child psychopathology domains.

Evaluation of Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity by ROPtool or a Lay Reader.

PubMed

Abbey, Ashkan M; Besirli, Cagri G; Musch, David C; Andrews, Chris A; Capone, Antonio; Drenser, Kimberly A; Wallace, David K; Ostmo, Susan; Chiang, Michael; Lee, Paul P; Trese, Michael T

2016-02-01

To determine if (1) tortuosity assessment by a computer program (ROPtool, developed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Duke University, and licensed by FocusROP) that traces retinal blood vessels and (2) assessment by a lay reader are comparable with assessment by a panel of 3 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) experts for remote clinical grading of vascular abnormalities such as plus disease. Validity and reliability analysis of diagnostic tools. Three hundred thirty-five fundus images of prematurely born infants. Three hundred thirty-five fundus images of prematurely born infants were obtained by neonatal intensive care unit nurses. A panel of 3 ROP experts graded 84 images showing vascular dilatation, tortuosity, or both and 251 images showing no evidence of vascular abnormalities. These images were sent electronically to an experienced lay reader who independently graded them for vascular abnormalities. The images also were analyzed using the ROPtool, which assigns a numerical value to the level of vascular abnormality and tortuosity present in each of 4 quadrants or sectors. The ROPtool measurements of vascular abnormalities were graded and compared with expert panel grades with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Grades between human readers were cross-tabulated. The area under the ROC curve was calculated for the ROPtool, and sensitivity and specificity were computed for the lay reader. Measurements of vascular abnormalities by ROPtool and grading of vascular abnormalities by 3 ROP experts and 1 experienced lay reader. The ROC curve for ROPtool's tortuosity assessment had an area under the ROC curve of 0.917. Using a threshold value of 4.97 for the second most tortuous quadrant, ROPtool's sensitivity was 91% and its specificity was 82%. Lay reader sensitivity and specificity were 99% and 73%, respectively, and had high reliability (κ, 0.87) in repeated measurements. ROPtool had very good accuracy for detection of vascular abnormalities suggestive of plus disease when compared with expert physician graders. The lay reader's results showed excellent sensitivity and good specificity when compared with those of the expert graders. These options for remote reading of images to detect vascular abnormalities deserve consideration in the quest to use telemedicine with remote reading for efficient delivery of high-quality care and to detect infants requiring bedside examination. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Children's parasympathetic reactivity to specific emotions moderates response to intervention for early-onset aggression.

PubMed

Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M; Greenberg, Mark; Bierman, Karen

2015-01-01

Following theories that individual differences in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) denote differential sensitivity to environmental influences, this study examines whether differences in RSA reactivity to specific emotional challenges predict differential response to intervention. We present data from a randomized clinical trial of a targeted intervention for early onset aggression. In collaboration with a high-risk urban school district, 207 kindergarten children (73% African American, 66% male), identified by their teachers as having high levels of aggressive and disruptive behavior, were recruited. All children received a universal social-emotional curriculum. One hundred children were randomly assigned to an additional intervention consisting of weekly peer-based social skills training. Complete RSA data were available for 139 of the children. Teacher-reported externalizing symptoms and emotion regulation in 1st grade (post intervention) were examined controlling for baseline levels. First-grade peer nominations of aggressive behavior, controlling for baseline nominations, were also examined as outcomes. No effect of resting RSA was found. However, greater reactivity to anger was associated with higher externalizing symptoms and lower emotion regulation skills in 1st grade relative to low reactive children. Lower reactivity to fear was associated with greater improvement over time, an effect that was enhanced in the targeted intervention condition. Results suggest that measures of affective reactivity may provide insight into children's capacity to benefit from different types of interventions.

Combined immunotherapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-transduced allogeneic prostate cancer cells and ipilimumab in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1 dose-escalation trial.

PubMed

van den Eertwegh, Alfons J M; Versluis, Jurjen; van den Berg, H Pieter; Santegoets, Saskia J A M; van Moorselaar, R Jeroen A; van der Sluis, Tim M; Gall, Helen E; Harding, Thomas C; Jooss, Karin; Lowy, Israel; Pinedo, Herbert M; Scheper, Rik J; Stam, Anita G M; von Blomberg, B Mary E; de Gruijl, Tanja D; Hege, Kristen; Sacks, Natalie; Gerritsen, Winald R

2012-05-01

The granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-transduced allogeneic prostate cancer cells vaccine (GVAX) has antitumour activity against prostate cancer; preclinical studies have shown potent synergy when combined with ipilimumab, an antibody that blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4. We aimed to assess the safety of combined treatment with GVAX and ipilimumab in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We did an open-labelled, single-centre, dose-escalation study of ipilimumab concurrent with a fixed dose of GVAX, with a subsequent expansion phase, both at the VU University Medical Centre (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Eligible patients had documented mCRPC and had not been previously treated with chemotherapy. All patients received a 5×10(8) cell priming dose of GVAX intradermally on day 1 with subsequent intradermal injections of 3×10(8) cells every 2 weeks for 24 weeks. The vaccinations were combined with intravenous ipilimumab every 4 weeks. We enrolled patients in cohorts of three; each cohort received an escalating dose of ipilimumab at 0·3, 1·0, 3·0, or 5·0 mg/kg. Our primary endpoint was safety. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01510288. We enrolled 12 patients into our dose-escalation cohort. We did not record any severe immune-related adverse events at the first two dose levels. At the 3·0 mg/kg dose level, one patient had grade 2 and two patients grade 3 hypophysitis; at the 5·0 mg/kg dose level, two patients had grade 3 hypophysitis and one patient developed grade 4 sarcoid alveolitis (a dose-limiting toxic effect). Due to observed clinical activity and toxic events, we decided to expand the 3·0 mg/kg dose level, rather than enrol a further three patients at the 5·0 mg/kg level. 16 patients were enrolled in the expansion cohort, two of whom developed grade 2 hypophysitis, three colitis (one grade 1 and two grade 2), and one grade 3 hepatitis--all immune-related adverse events. The most common adverse events noted in all 28 patients were injection-site reactions (grade 1-2 events seen in all patients), fatigue (grade 1-2 in 20 patients, grade 3 in two), and pyrexia (grade 1-2 in 15 patients, grade 3 in one). 50% or greater declines in prostate-specific antigen from baseline was recorded in seven patients (25%); all had received 3·0 mg/kg or 5·0 mg/kg ipilimumab. GVAX combined with 3·0 mg/kg ipilimumab is tolerable and safe for patients with mCRPC. Further research on the combined treatment of patients with mCRPC with vaccination and ipilimumab is warranted. Cell Genesys Inc, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Dutch Cancer Society (KWF-VU 2006-3697), and Foundation Stichting VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. 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...

Prompting methods affect the accuracy of children's school lunch recalls.

PubMed

Baxter, S D; Thompson, W O; Davis, H C

2000-08-01

To evaluate the feasibility of implementing 3 specific prompting methods among students in the first and fourth grades (mean age = 7.2 and 10.1 years, respectively), to validate recall accuracy of first- and fourth-grade students against observation, to develop a single measure of inaccuracy that cumulated errors in reporting food items and amounts without allowing underreporting and overreporting to cancel each other, and to establish information regarding the measure of inaccuracy for use in future studies. Children were interviewed the morning after they were observed eating lunch provided by the school. Interviews included free recall, nonsuggestive prompted recall, and specific prompted recall (either preference, food category, or visual). Ninety-six children (48 students per grade) were studied--32 per the specific prompting method--stratified by grade, sex, and ethnicity (African-American or white). Specific prompting method was randomly assigned to children within strata. Food items were categorized and weighted as: combination entree = 2, condiments = 1/3, and other = 1. To calculate inaccuracy of recall, absolute differences between amounts reported and observed eaten were calculated for each item and then multiplied by each item's weight; these values were then summed across all items for each child. Inaccuracy of recall was determined before specific prompting and after specific prompting and for the difference (inaccuracy after specific prompting minus inaccuracy before specific prompting). Before specific prompting, median inaccuracy was 2.7 servings for the 48 first-grade students and 1.7 servings for the 48 fourth-grade students. The median difference in inaccuracy from before to after specific prompting was 0 for both grades. Specific prompting increased recall accuracy for 9 first-graders and 12 fourth-graders, but decreased recall accuracy for 21 first-graders and 7 fourth-graders, and did not change recall accuracy for 18 first-graders and 29 fourth-graders. Among children whose recall accuracy increased after specific prompting, 5 first-graders and 8 fourth-graders received prompting for food category. Among first-grade students, specific prompting (either preference, food category, or visual) may hurt more than help recall accuracy. Among fourth-grade students, prompting for food category yields small gains in recall accuracy with minimal losses. Validation studies are needed with larger sample sizes to determine prompting methods that produce more accurate dietary recalls from children of various socioeconomic status groups, other racial/ethnic groups, and at other meals.

Phase II Trial of Combined High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy and External Beam Radiotherapy for Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate: Preliminary Results of RTOG 0321

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

Hsu, I-Chow, E-mail: ihsu@radonc.ucsf.ed; Bae, Kyounghwa; Shinohara, Katsuto

2010-11-01

Purpose: To estimate the rate of late Grade 3 or greater genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events (AEs) after treatment with external beam radiotherapy and prostate high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Each participating institution submitted computed tomography-based HDR brachytherapy dosimetry data electronically for credentialing and for each study patient. Patients with locally confined Stage T1c-T3b prostate cancer were eligible for the present study. All patients were treated with 45 Gy in 25 fractions using external beam radiotherapy and one HDR implant delivering 19 Gy in two fractions. All AEs were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria formore » Adverse Events, version 3.0. Late GU/GI AEs were defined as those occurring >9 months from the start of the protocol treatment, in patients with {>=}18 months of potential follow-up. Results: A total of 129 patients from 14 institutions were enrolled in the present study. Of the 129 patients, 125 were eligible, and AE data were available for 112 patients at analysis. The pretreatment characteristics of the patients were as follows: Stage T1c-T2c, 91%; Stage T3a-T3b, 9%; prostate-specific antigen level {<=}10 ng/mL, 70%; prostate-specific antigen level >10 but {<=}20 ng/mL, 30%; and Gleason score 2-6, 10%; Gleason score 7, 72%; and Gleason score 8-10, 18%. At a median follow-up of 29.6 months, three acute and four late Grade 3 GU/GI AEs were reported. The estimated rate of late Grade 3-5 GU and GI AEs at 18 months was 2.56%. Conclusion: This is the first prospective, multi-institutional trial of computed tomography-based HDR brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy. The technique and doses used in the present study resulted in acceptable levels of AEs.« less

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.

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.

Student Engagement as a General Factor of Classroom Experience: Associations with Student Practices and Educational Outcomes in a University Gateway Course

PubMed Central

Shernof, David J.; Ruzek, Erik A.; Sannella, Alexander J.; Schorr, Roberta Y.; Sanchez-Wall, Lina; Bressler, Denise M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model for considering general and specific elements of student experience in a gateway course in undergraduate Financial Accounting in a large university on the East Coast, USA. Specifically, the study evaluated a bifactor analytic strategy including a general factor of student classroom experience, conceptualized as student engagement as rooted in flow theory, as well as factors representing specific dimensions of experience. The study further evaluated the association between these general and specific factors and both student classroom practices and educational outcomes. The sample of students (N = 407) in two cohorts of the undergraduate financial accounting course participated in the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) measuring students' classroom practices, perceptions, engagement, and perceived learning throughout the one-semester course. Course grade information was also collected. Results showed that a two-level bifactor model fit the data better than two traditional (i.e., non-bifactor) models and also avoided significant multicollinearity of the traditional models. In addition to student engagement (general factor), specific dimensions of classroom experience in the bifactor model at the within-student level included intrinsic motivation, academic intensity, salience, and classroom self-esteem. At the between-student level, specific aspects included work orientation, learning orientation, classroom self-esteem, and disengagement. Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) demonstrated that sitting in the front of the classroom (compared to the sitting in the back), taking notes, active listening, and working on problems during class had a positive effect on within-student variation in student engagement and attention. Engagement, in turn, predicted perceived learning. With respect to between-student effects, the tendency to sit in front seats had a significant effect on student engagement, which in turn had a significant effect on perceived learning and course grades. A significant indirect relationship of seating and active learning strategies on learning and course grade as mediated by student engagement was found. Support for the general aspect of student classroom experience was interpreted with flow theory and suggested the need for additional research. Findings also suggested that active learning strategies are associated with positive learning outcomes even in educational environments where possibilities for action are relatively constrained. PMID:28663733

Student Engagement as a General Factor of Classroom Experience: Associations with Student Practices and Educational Outcomes in a University Gateway Course.

PubMed

Shernof, David J; Ruzek, Erik A; Sannella, Alexander J; Schorr, Roberta Y; Sanchez-Wall, Lina; Bressler, Denise M

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model for considering general and specific elements of student experience in a gateway course in undergraduate Financial Accounting in a large university on the East Coast, USA. Specifically, the study evaluated a bifactor analytic strategy including a general factor of student classroom experience, conceptualized as student engagement as rooted in flow theory, as well as factors representing specific dimensions of experience. The study further evaluated the association between these general and specific factors and both student classroom practices and educational outcomes. The sample of students ( N = 407) in two cohorts of the undergraduate financial accounting course participated in the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) measuring students' classroom practices, perceptions, engagement, and perceived learning throughout the one-semester course. Course grade information was also collected. Results showed that a two-level bifactor model fit the data better than two traditional (i.e., non-bifactor) models and also avoided significant multicollinearity of the traditional models. In addition to student engagement (general factor), specific dimensions of classroom experience in the bifactor model at the within-student level included intrinsic motivation, academic intensity, salience, and classroom self-esteem. At the between-student level, specific aspects included work orientation, learning orientation, classroom self-esteem, and disengagement. Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) demonstrated that sitting in the front of the classroom (compared to the sitting in the back), taking notes, active listening, and working on problems during class had a positive effect on within-student variation in student engagement and attention. Engagement, in turn, predicted perceived learning. With respect to between-student effects, the tendency to sit in front seats had a significant effect on student engagement, which in turn had a significant effect on perceived learning and course grades. A significant indirect relationship of seating and active learning strategies on learning and course grade as mediated by student engagement was found. Support for the general aspect of student classroom experience was interpreted with flow theory and suggested the need for additional research. Findings also suggested that active learning strategies are associated with positive learning outcomes even in educational environments where possibilities for action are relatively constrained.

Alterations of the levels of primary antioxidant enzymes in different grades of human astrocytoma tissues.

PubMed

Yen, Hsiu-Chuan; Lin, Chih-Lung; Chen, Bing-Shian; Chen, Chih-Wei; Wei, Kuo-Chen; Yang, Mei-Lin; Hsu, Jee-Ching; Hsu, Yung-Hsing

2018-06-03

Malignant astrocytoma is the most commonly occurring brain tumor in humans. Oxidative stress is implicated in the development of cancers. Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) was found to exert tumor suppressive effect in basic research, but increased SOD2 protein level was associated with higher aggressiveness of human astrocytomas. However, studies reporting alterations of antioxidant enzymes in human astrocytomas often employed less accurate methods or included different types of tumors. Here we analyzed the mRNA levels, activities, and protein levels of primary antioxidant enzymes in control brain tissues and various grades of astrocytomas obtained from 40 patients. SOD1 expression, SOD1 activity, and SOD1 protein level were lower in Grade IV astrocytomas. SOD2 expression was lower in low-grade (Grades I and II) and Grade III astrocytomas than in controls, but SOD2 expression and SOD2 protein level were higher in Grade IV astrocytomas than in Grade III astrocytomas. Although there was no change in SOD2 activity and a lower activity of citrate synthase (CS), the MnSOD:CS ratio increased in Grade IV astrocytomas compared with controls and low-grade astrocytomas. Furthermore, SOD1 activity, CS activity, SOD1 expression, GPX4 expression, and GPX4 protein level were inversely correlated with the malignancy, whereas catalase activity, catalase protein, SOD2 protein level, and the SOD2:CS ratio were positively correlated with the degree of malignancy. Lower SOD2:CS ratio was associated with poor outcomes for Grade IV astrocytomas. This is the first study to quantify changes of various primary antioxidant enzymes in different grades of astrocytomas at different levels concurrently in human astrocytomas.

Ward-based interventions for patients with hemispatial neglect in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Klinke, Marianne E; Hafsteinsdóttir, Thóra B; Hjaltason, Haukur; Jónsdóttir, Helga

2015-08-01

To identify rehabilitation interventions that can be integrated into ward-based nursing for patients with hemispatial neglect following stroke in the right brain hemisphere. A systematic review of interdisciplinary literature. A preliminary literature search without time limits was conducted in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. We then searched the PubMed, CINAHL and PsychINFO databases for relevant articles published between January 2006 and June 2014. Selected journals were searched manually. Additional resources were explored by scrutinizing reference lists and tracking citations of the selected articles. Titles and abstracts were matched with the inclusion criteria. Articles were read in their entirety if the abstracts adhered to inclusion criteria or if there was any uncertainty. Two reviewers evaluated the risk of methodological bias independently by using quantitative appraisal forms from the Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Any disagreements were resolved by consensus. Authors of nine studies were contacted to acquire additional information. The JBI Reviewers' Manual was used to guide the overall procedure of the review. We used the PRISMA statement to ensure precise reporting of the results. The selected studies were graded according to the strength of their evidence (Levels 1-5); the proposed interventions were given recommendation grades (Grades A-D). Using 41 original studies, 11 interventions were identified. These comprise: (1) contralesional neck vibration (Grade C); (2) emotionally salient stimuli and reward (Grade D); (3) family participation and intensity of training (Grade C); (4) limb activation training (Grade C); (5) mental imagery training, (Grade D); (6) mirror therapy (Grade C); (7) music therapy (Grade D); (8) right half-field eye patching (Grade D); (9) smooth pursuit eye-movement training (Grade B); (10) virtual reality and computer-based training (Grade C); and (11) visual scanning training (Grade D). A total of 11 promising rehabilitation interventions were found. Encouraging results were, in particular, seen with smooth pursuit eye-movement training. It should be noted that the general low level of evidence and the diversity of interventions makes it difficult to endorse specific priorities and combinations for implementation. Instead, interventions should be applied after careful evaluation of each patient's unique capacities and problems. We include suggestions for operationalization into ward-based care in "Discussion" section. We also emphasize the need to integrate evidence-based interventions into nursing care to further stimulate rehabilitation outcomes and future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CDKN2D-WDFY2 is a cancer-specific fusion gene recurrent in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

PubMed

Kannan, Kalpana; Coarfa, Cristian; Rajapakshe, Kimal; Hawkins, Shannon M; Matzuk, Martin M; Milosavljevic, Aleksandar; Yen, Laising

2014-03-01

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. Almost 70% of ovarian cancer deaths are due to the high-grade serous subtype, which is typically detected only after it has metastasized. Characterization of high-grade serous cancer is further complicated by the significant heterogeneity and genome instability displayed by this cancer. Other than mutations in TP53, which is common to many cancers, highly recurrent recombinant events specific to this cancer have yet to be identified. Using high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of seven patient samples combined with experimental validation at DNA, RNA and protein levels, we identified a cancer-specific and inter-chromosomal fusion gene CDKN2D-WDFY2 that occurs at a frequency of 20% among sixty high-grade serous cancer samples but is absent in non-cancerous ovary and fallopian tube samples. This is the most frequent recombinant event identified so far in high-grade serous cancer implying a major cellular lineage in this highly heterogeneous cancer. In addition, the same fusion transcript was also detected in OV-90, an established high-grade serous type cell line. The genomic breakpoint was identified in intron 1 of CDKN2D and intron 2 of WDFY2 in patient tumor, providing direct evidence that this is a fusion gene. The parental gene, CDKN2D, is a cell-cycle modulator that is also involved in DNA repair, while WDFY2 is known to modulate AKT interactions with its substrates. Transfection of cloned fusion construct led to loss of wildtype CDKN2D and wildtype WDFY2 protein expression, and a gain of a short WDFY2 protein isoform that is presumably under the control of the CDKN2D promoter. The expression of short WDFY2 protein in transfected cells appears to alter the PI3K/AKT pathway that is known to play a role in oncogenesis. CDKN2D-WDFY2 fusion could be an important molecular signature for understanding and classifying sub-lineages among heterogeneous high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas.

Developmental Change in the Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Domain-Specific Knowledge on Mathematics Achievement: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geary, David C.; Nicholas, Alan; Li, Yaoran; Sun, Jianguo

2017-01-01

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects, and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade…

The Quality and Readability of Information Available on the Internet Regarding Lumbar Fusion

PubMed Central

Zhang, Dafang; Schumacher, Charles; Harris, Mitchel B.; Bono, Christopher M.

2015-01-01

Study Design An Internet-based evaluation of Web sites regarding lumbar fusion. Objective The Internet has become a major resource for patients; however, the quality and readability of Internet information regarding lumbar fusion is unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the quality and readability of Internet information regarding lumbar fusion and to determine whether these measures changed with Web site modality, complexity of the search term, or Health on the Net Code of Conduct certification. Methods Using five search engines and three different search terms of varying complexity (“low back fusion,” “lumbar fusion,” and “lumbar arthrodesis”), we identified and reviewed 153 unique Web site hits for information quality and readability. Web sites were specifically analyzed by search term and Web site modality. Information quality was evaluated on a 5-point scale. Information readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid score for reading grade level. Results The average quality score was low. The average reading grade level was nearly six grade levels above that recommended by National Work Group on Literacy and Health. The quality and readability of Internet information was significantly dependent on Web site modality. The use of more complex search terms yielded information of higher reading grade level but not higher quality. Conclusions Higher-quality information about lumbar fusion conveyed using language that is more readable by the general public is needed on the Internet. It is important for health care providers to be aware of the information accessible to patients, as it likely influences their decision making regarding care. PMID:26933614

The Quality and Readability of Information Available on the Internet Regarding Lumbar Fusion.

PubMed

Zhang, Dafang; Schumacher, Charles; Harris, Mitchel B; Bono, Christopher M

2016-03-01

Study Design An Internet-based evaluation of Web sites regarding lumbar fusion. Objective The Internet has become a major resource for patients; however, the quality and readability of Internet information regarding lumbar fusion is unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the quality and readability of Internet information regarding lumbar fusion and to determine whether these measures changed with Web site modality, complexity of the search term, or Health on the Net Code of Conduct certification. Methods Using five search engines and three different search terms of varying complexity ("low back fusion," "lumbar fusion," and "lumbar arthrodesis"), we identified and reviewed 153 unique Web site hits for information quality and readability. Web sites were specifically analyzed by search term and Web site modality. Information quality was evaluated on a 5-point scale. Information readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid score for reading grade level. Results The average quality score was low. The average reading grade level was nearly six grade levels above that recommended by National Work Group on Literacy and Health. The quality and readability of Internet information was significantly dependent on Web site modality. The use of more complex search terms yielded information of higher reading grade level but not higher quality. Conclusions Higher-quality information about lumbar fusion conveyed using language that is more readable by the general public is needed on the Internet. It is important for health care providers to be aware of the information accessible to patients, as it likely influences their decision making regarding care.

Comparative evaluation of H&H and WFNS grading scales with modified H&H (sans systemic disease): A study on 1000 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Ashish; Dhandapani, Sivashanmugam; Praneeth, Kokkula; Sodhi, Harsimrat Bir Singh; Pal, Sudhir Singh; Gaudihalli, Sachin; Khandelwal, N; Mukherjee, Kanchan K; Tewari, M K; Gupta, Sunil Kumar; Mathuriya, S N

2018-01-01

The comparative studies on grading in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) had several limitations such as the unclear grading of Glasgow Coma Scale 15 with neurological deficits in World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), and the inclusion of systemic disease in Hunt and Hess (H&H) scales. Their differential incremental impacts and optimum cut-off values for unfavourable outcome are unsettled. This is a prospective comparison of prognostic impacts of grading schemes to address these issues. SAH patients were assessed using WFNS, H&H (including systemic disease), modified H&H (sans systemic disease) and followed up with Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at 3 months. Their performance characteristics were analysed as incremental ordinal variables and different grading scale dichotomies using rank-order correlation, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, Youden's J and multivariate analyses. A total of 1016 patients were studied. As univariate incremental variable, H&H sans systemic disease had the best negative rank-order correlation coefficient (-0.453) with respect to lower GOS (p < 0.001). As univariate dichotomized category, WFNS grades 3-5 had the best performance index of 0.39 to suggest unfavourable GOS with a specificity of 89% and sensitivity of 51%. In multivariate incremental analysis, H&H sans systemic disease had the greatest adjusted incremental impact of 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-0.91) against a lower GOS as compared to 0.6 (95% CI 0.45-0.74) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.42-0.68) for H&H and WFNS grades, respectively. In multivariate categorical analysis, H&H grades 4-5 sans systemic disease had the greatest impact on unfavourable GOS with an adjusted odds ratio of 6.06 (95% CI 3.94-9.32). To conclude, H&H grading sans systemic disease had the greatest impact on unfavourable GOS. Though systemic disease is an important prognostic factor, it should be considered distinctly from grading. Appropriate cut-off values suggesting unfavourable outcome for H&H and WFNS were 4-5 and 3-5, respectively, indicating the importance of neurological deficits in addition to level of consciousness.

The Effect of Primary School Size on Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershenson, Seth; Langbein, Laura

2015-01-01

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

Aerospace Curriculum Resource Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Packard, John W.; Haggett, Hiram R.

This resource guide is intended for teachers of all subjects at all grade levels. It is a compilation of space related information designed to parallel and reinforce the topics and concepts normally taught. Each of the nine chapters concerns the use of this information in a specific area of education such as language arts, fine arts, industrial…

Industrial Electricity: Motors. Oklahoma Trade and Industrial Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teague, Cash; Pewewardy, Garner

This curriculum guide provides competency-based instructional materials for training in the field of industrial electricity. Materials are not geared to a specific grade level and may be used with secondary and postsecondary students as well as part- and full-time adult students. The guide includes three sections and ten instructional units. Each…

The Dawn of Development: A Guide for Educating Visually Impaired Young Children. Volume I: Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umansky, Warren; And Others

The guide offers a means for evaluating specific learning characteristics of visually impaired children at three levels: prereadiness (prekindergarten), readiness (kindergarten), and academic (primary grades). Items are designed to be administered by informal observation and structured testing. Score sheets contain space for reporting two testing…

In the Curriculum. Health: Mental Agility and Memory; Reading/Language Arts: The Writer/Reader Connection; Science: Stars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Alice A.

2003-01-01

Provides six library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in health, science, language arts, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills and curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation guidelines, and follow-up activities. (AEF)

Elementary Science Education in Classrooms and Outdoors: Stakeholder Views, Gender, Ethnicity, and Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrier, Sarah J.; Thomson, Margareta M.; Tugurian, Linda P.; Stevenson, Kathryn Tate

2014-01-01

In this article, we present a mixed-methods study of 2 schools' elementary science programs including outdoor instruction specific to each school's culture. We explore fifth-grade students in measures of science knowledge, environmental attitudes, and outdoor comfort levels including gender and ethnic differences. We further examine students'…

A Value-Added Study of a Federal Grant Program in Mathematics for Military Dependent Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marquand, Jay C.

2013-01-01

Closing the achievement gap in public education means all students are expected to be learning at grade level. In response to federal mandates requiring schools to attain specific student achievement benchmarks, many schools are placing greater resources into support programs designed to increase student achievement. Military dependent students…

The Effects of Varying Pictorial Detail and Presentation Strategy on Concept Formation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorman, Don A.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of varying pictorial detail and presentation strategy on learners of varying grade levels in a visually transmitted concept formation task. Specifically, line drawings containing only relevant details and halftones containing relevant and irrelevant detail were presented successively and…

Career Orientation Curriculum Guide: 7-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willoughby-Eastlake School District, Willoughby, OH.

The Ohio Career Development Model at the 7th and 8th grade level, the career orientation segment, states that students are to be exposed or oriented to the 15 USOE occupational clusters. Units are outlined relating each subject area to a specific cluster or clusters. Each unit includes a developmental objective, related behavioral objectives, and…

"What Is a Good Musician?" An Analysis of Student Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randles, Clint

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to discover relationships in student perceptions of what it means to be a "good musician" across grade level, with regard to gender, and according to different school music affiliations among an intact school culture. The specific problems were to determine (1) what percentage of students choose to…

An Introduction to Spoken Bolivian Quechua.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bills, Garland D.; And Others

This text is intended for use in a college-level course in Bolivian Quechua for speakers of English. It is divided into thirty units and is specifically designed for a two-semester academic year of fifteen weeks a semester. The entire text is highly structured, carefully graded, and organized on the principles of the audiolingual approach to…

One Hen: Teaching Elementary-Level Economics for Civic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlock, Annie McMahon

2013-01-01

This dissertation is a qualitative case study focused on describing and analyzing the student and teacher experience with One Hen, a project-based learning unit specifically designed to teach civic engagement. In this study I address three questions: 1) Do fifth-grade students' knowledge and skills in economics change after participating in a…

Advocacy: Emphasizing the Uncommon about the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Sandra N.

2014-01-01

The author describes key issues and uncommon concerns about the Common Core State Standards that fit within two categories: philosophical and pedagogical. Philosophically, Common Core State K-12 Standards should not be expected to be mastered at a specific grade level but based on developmental readiness. Pedagogically, Common Core State Standards…

Build a Bird House. Grades 3-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushton, Erik; Ryan, Emily; Swift, Charles

In this activity, students construct bird nests and birdhouses. Students research a bird of their choice in order to design a house that will meet that bird's specific needs. The activity works well in conjunction with a high school level woodshop class where students would partner up. This activity requires an 80-minute time period for…

Phase 1 Trial of Everolimus and Radiation Therapy for Salvage Treatment of Biochemical Recurrence in Prostate Cancer Patients Following Prostatectomy

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

Narayan, Vivek; Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Vapiwala, Neha

Purpose: In up to half of patients treated with salvage radiation therapy (SRT) for rising prostate-specific antigen levels, a second biochemical recurrence ultimately develops. Phosphatase and tensin homolog inactivation is implicated in prostate cancer progression, and upregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway can lead to tumor hypoxia and radioresistance. Everolimus is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor with both antitumor and radiosensitizing effects. Methods and Materials: We performed a phase 1 study using a modified 3 + 3 dose-escalation design to evaluate the safety and tolerability of everolimus in combination with standard SRT for the treatment of biochemical recurrence following prostatectomy. Aftermore » a 2-week run-in period of everolimus daily therapy, patients received prostate bed irradiation with daily cone beam computed tomography localization in 37 fractions of 1.8 Gy each (total dose, 66.6 Gy). Patients were monitored for both acute (≤90 days) and chronic (>90 days) treatment-related toxicities. Results: Eighteen patients received everolimus at dose levels of 5 mg (n=6), 7.5 mg (n=6), or 10 mg (n=6) daily in conjunction with SRT. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Common acute treatment-related toxicities included grade 1 or 2 mucositis (55.6%), grade 1 or 2 fatigue (38.9%), grade 1 or 2 rash (61.1%), and grade 1 urinary symptoms (61.1%). A grade 3 acute toxicity occurred in 4 patients (22.2%) (n=1 for rash, anemia, lymphopenia, and neutropenia), and no patients had a chronic toxicity of grade 3 or greater. After a median follow-up time of 17.8 months (range, 1.2-46.0 months), an undetectable prostate-specific antigen nadir was achieved in 9 patients (56.3%) and a second biochemical recurrence developed in 5 patients (31.3%). Conclusions: Everolimus at a dose of ≤10 mg daily appears to be safe and tolerable in combination with fractionated post-prostatectomy radiation therapy.« less

Phase 1 Trial of Everolimus and Radiation Therapy for Salvage Treatment of Biochemical Recurrence in Prostate Cancer Patients Following Prostatectomy.

PubMed

Narayan, Vivek; Vapiwala, Neha; Mick, Rosemarie; Subramanian, Pearl; Christodouleas, John P; Bekelman, Justin E; Deville, Curtiland; Rajendran, Ramji; Haas, Naomi B

2017-02-01

In up to half of patients treated with salvage radiation therapy (SRT) for rising prostate-specific antigen levels, a second biochemical recurrence ultimately develops. Phosphatase and tensin homolog inactivation is implicated in prostate cancer progression, and upregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway can lead to tumor hypoxia and radioresistance. Everolimus is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor with both antitumor and radiosensitizing effects. We performed a phase 1 study using a modified 3 + 3 dose-escalation design to evaluate the safety and tolerability of everolimus in combination with standard SRT for the treatment of biochemical recurrence following prostatectomy. After a 2-week run-in period of everolimus daily therapy, patients received prostate bed irradiation with daily cone beam computed tomography localization in 37 fractions of 1.8 Gy each (total dose, 66.6 Gy). Patients were monitored for both acute (≤90 days) and chronic (>90 days) treatment-related toxicities. Eighteen patients received everolimus at dose levels of 5 mg (n=6), 7.5 mg (n=6), or 10 mg (n=6) daily in conjunction with SRT. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Common acute treatment-related toxicities included grade 1 or 2 mucositis (55.6%), grade 1 or 2 fatigue (38.9%), grade 1 or 2 rash (61.1%), and grade 1 urinary symptoms (61.1%). A grade 3 acute toxicity occurred in 4 patients (22.2%) (n=1 for rash, anemia, lymphopenia, and neutropenia), and no patients had a chronic toxicity of grade 3 or greater. After a median follow-up time of 17.8 months (range, 1.2-46.0 months), an undetectable prostate-specific antigen nadir was achieved in 9 patients (56.3%) and a second biochemical recurrence developed in 5 patients (31.3%). Everolimus at a dose of ≤10 mg daily appears to be safe and tolerable in combination with fractionated post-prostatectomy radiation therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Price projections for selected grades of Douglas-fir lumber.

Treesearch

Richard W. Haynes; Thomas D. Fahey; Roger D. Fight

1988-01-01

Grade-specific price projections were developed for Douglas-fir lumber produced in the Douglas-fir region. These grade-specific price projections can be used as an aid in evaluating management practices that will affect the quality of saw logs that are produced.

[Correspondence analysis between traditional commercial specifications and quantitative quality indices of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix].

PubMed

Jiang, Shun-Yuan; Sun, Hong-Bing; Sun, Hui; Ma, Yu-Ying; Chen, Hong-Yu; Zhu, Wen-Tao; Zhou, Yi

2016-03-01

This paper aims to explore a comprehensive assessment method combined traditional Chinese medicinal material specifications with quantitative quality indicators. Seventy-six samples of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix were collected on market and at producing areas. Traditional commercial specifications were described and assigned, and 10 chemical components and volatile oils were determined for each sample. Cluster analysis, Fisher discriminant analysis and correspondence analysis were used to establish the relationship between the traditional qualitative commercial specifications and quantitative chemical indices for comprehensive evaluating quality of medicinal materials, and quantitative classification of commercial grade and quality grade. A herb quality index (HQI) including traditional commercial specifications and chemical components for quantitative grade classification were established, and corresponding discriminant function were figured out for precise determination of quality grade and sub-grade of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix. The result showed that notopterol, isoimperatorin and volatile oil were the major components for determination of chemical quality, and their dividing values were specified for every grade and sub-grade of the commercial materials of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix. According to the result, essential relationship between traditional medicinal indicators, qualitative commercial specifications, and quantitative chemical composition indicators can be examined by K-mean cluster, Fisher discriminant analysis and correspondence analysis, which provide a new method for comprehensive quantitative evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine quality integrated traditional commodity specifications and quantitative modern chemical index. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Cultural universality and specificity of student engagement in school: The results of an international study from 12 countries.

PubMed

Lam, Shui-fong; Jimerson, Shane; Shin, Hyeonsook; Cefai, Carmel; Veiga, Feliciano H; Hatzichristou, Chryse; Polychroni, Fotini; Kikas, Eve; Wong, Bernard P H; Stanculescu, Elena; Basnett, Julie; Duck, Robert; Farrell, Peter; Liu, Yi; Negovan, Valeria; Nelson, Brett; Yang, Hongfei; Zollneritsch, Josef

2016-03-01

A comprehensive understanding of the contextual factors that are linked to student engagement requires research that includes cross-cultural perspectives. This study investigated how student engagement in school is associated with grade, gender, and contextual factors across 12 countries. It also investigated whether these associations vary across countries with different levels of individualism and socio-economic development. The participants were 3,420 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students from Austria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The participants completed a questionnaire to report their engagement in school, the instructional practices they experienced, and the support they received from teachers, peers, and parents. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine the effects at both student and country levels. The results across countries revealed a decline in student engagement from Grade 7 to Grade 9, with girls reporting higher engagement than boys. These trends did not vary across the 12 countries according to the Human Development Index and Hofstede's Individualism Index. Most of the contextual factors (instructional practices, teacher support, and parent support) were positively associated with student engagement. With the exception that parent support had a stronger association with student engagement in countries with higher collectivism, most of the associations between the contextual factors and student engagement did not vary across countries. The results indicate both cultural universality and specificity regarding contextual factors associated with student engagement in school. They illustrate the advantages of integrating etic and emic approaches in cross-cultural investigations. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

7 CFR 58.434 - Calcium chloride.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw... Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.434 - Calcium chloride.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw... Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.434 - Calcium chloride.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw... Chemical Codex. ...

Bullying and victimization among black and Hispanic adolescents.

PubMed

Peskin, Melissa Fleschler; Tortolero, Susan R; Markham, Christine M

2006-01-01

The prevalence of bullying and victimization by gender, grade level, and race/ethnicity was examined among a sample of low socioeconomic, Black and Hispanic 6th- to 12th-graders in a large urban school district in Texas. Bullying and victimization were measured using specific behaviors. Students were classified as bullies (7%), victims (12%), bully-victims (5%), or neither (76%), depending on the number and frequency of reported experiences. For specific types of bullying (e.g., spreading rumors, excluding others), 4.5%-9.4% of students reported participation. Specific types of victimization (e.g., being hit or pushed, picked on) ranged from 6%-12%. Gender differences were not observed for general bullying and victimization, but physical and some verbal types were more prevalent among males. Blacks were more likely to participate in bullying and victimization, and these experiences seemed to peak in the 9th grade. This study adds to the literature as few U.S. studies on both general and specific types of bullying have been conducted among low socioeconomic, racial/ethnic minority students in middle and high school.

Saliva CA125 and TPS levels in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Geng, Xue-fei; Du, Meng; Han, Jing-xiu; Zhang, Min; Tang, Xiao-fei; Xing, Ru-dong

2013-01-01

To determine the levels of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) and tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPS) in saliva of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and patients with nonneoplastic disease of the oral cavity, and to investigate their diagnostic value and their relationship with pathological grade and clinical stage. A total of 97 hospitalized patients with OSCC, 36 patients with nonneoplastic disease of the oral cavity and 50 healthy individuals were included in this investigation. Mixed saliva was collected from these patients and the healthy controls before treatment. Saliva samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The saliva CA125 and TPS concentrations were significantly higher in patients with OSCC than in patients with nonneoplastic disease and healthy controls, but not significantly different between patients with nonneoplastic disease and controls. Neither the saliva CA125 nor the TPS level was correlated with pathological grade and clinical stage. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of saliva CA125 and TPS for the diagnosis of OSCC were 80.0%, 66.0%, 75.7%, and 82.1%, 74.0%, 79.3%, respectively. When CA125 and TPS were analyzed independently, there was no significant difference in sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between the two markers. When CA125 and TPS were analyzed in combination, there was no significant difference in sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between independent detection and combined detection. The saliva CA125 and TPS concentrations were elevated in patients with OSCC. CA125 and TPS may prove to be useful tumor markers in OSCC.

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…

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.

Family and School Influences on Youths' Behavioral and Academic Outcomes: Cross-Level Interactions between Parental Monitoring and Character Development Curriculum.

PubMed

Top, Namik; Liew, Jeffrey; Luo, Wen

2017-01-01

The authors examined the joint (interactive) roles of the Second Step curriculum (a validated social-emotional learning and bullying prevention program; Committee for Children, Seattle, WA) and parenting practices on students' behavioral and academic outcomes in Grades 5-8. Participants were 763 parents and their children from 22 schools (8 control and 14 treatment). A 2-level random coefficient model was conducted to assess the effect of parental monitoring on school outcomes, as well as the interaction between character development curriculum and parental monitoring. Results indicated that parental monitoring was a significant predictor of school behaviors and school grades. Furthermore, the Second Step curriculum moderated the relationship between parental monitoring and problem behaviors, prosocial behaviors, and grades at school. Specifically, in schools without the Second Step curriculum parental monitoring predicted higher school grades but had no impact on students' school behaviors. By contrast, in schools with the Second Step curriculum, parental monitoring predicted fewer problem behaviors as well as more prosocial behaviors. The study results highlight the joint influences of the family and the school in children's behavioral and academic trajectories. Results have implications for education and intervention, including improving the school climate, student behaviors, and learning or achievement.

[Study on commercial specification of atractylodes based on Delphi method].

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Chen, Li-Xiao; Huang, Lu-Qi; Zhang, Tian-Tian; Li, Ying; Zheng, Yu-Guang

2016-03-01

This research adopts "Delphi method" to evaluate atractylodes traditional traits and rank correlation. By using methods of mathematical statistics the relationship of the traditional identification indicators and atractylodes goods rank correlation was analyzed, It is found that the main characteristics affectingatractylodes commodity specifications and grades of main characters wereoil points of transaction,color of transaction,color of surface,grain of transaction,texture of transaction andspoilage. The study points out that the original "seventy-six kinds of medicinal materials commodity specification standards of atractylodes differentiate commodity specification" is not in conformity with the actual market situation, we need to formulate corresponding atractylodes medicinal products specifications and grades.This study combined with experimental results "Delphi method" and the market actual situation, proposed the new draft atractylodes commodity specifications and grades, as the new atractylodes commodity specifications and grades standards. It provides a reference and theoretical basis. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

DNA methylation in human papillomavirus-infected cervical cells is elevated in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and cancer.

PubMed

Kim, Mi-Kyung; Lee, In-Ho; Lee, Ki-Heon; Lee, Yoo Kyung; So, Kyeong A; Hong, Sung Ran; Hwang, Chang-Sun; Kee, Mee-Kyung; Rhee, Jee Eun; Kang, Chun; Hur, Soo Young; Park, Jong Sup; Kim, Tae-Jin

2016-03-01

DNA methylation has been shown to be a potential biomarker for early cancer detection. The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA methylation profiles according to liquid-based Pap (LBP) test results and to assess their diagnostic value in a Korean population. A total of 205 patients with various Papanicolaou test results were enrolled to this study (negative, 26; atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 39; low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 44; high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), 48; and cancer, 48). DNA methylation analysis of four genes, ADCYAP1, PAX1, MAL, and CADM1, was performed on residual cervical cells from LBP samples using a quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing method. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the four methylated genes for cancer detection, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn. Sensitivities and specificities were also tested at cutoffs determined from the ROC curves. Cervical cancer cells showed dramatically increased methylation levels for the four genes analyzed. ADCYAP1 and PAX1 also trended toward elevated methylation levels in HSIL samples, although the levels were much lower than those in cancer cells. The sensitivities of methylated ADCYAP1, PAX1, MAL, and CADM1 for the detection of cancer were 79.2%, 75.0%, 70.8%, and 52.1%, and the specificities were 92.0%, 94.0%, 94.7%, and 94.0%, respectively. Methylated ADCYAP1 and PAX1 demonstrated relatively better discriminatory ability than did methylated MAL and CADM1 (area under the curves 0.911 and 0.916 vs. 0.854 and 0.756, respectively). DNA methylation status, especially in the ADCYAP1 and PAX1 genes, showed relatively good specificity, ranging from 90% to 94%. The possible additive and complementary roles of DNA methylation testing with respect to conventional cervical cancer screening programs will need to be validated in prospective population-based studies.

DNA methylation in human papillomavirus-infected cervical cells is elevated in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and cancer

PubMed Central

Lee, Ki-Heon; So, Kyeong A; Hong, Sung Ran; Hwang, Chang-Sun; Kee, Mee-Kyung; Rhee, Jee Eun; Kang, Chun; Hur, Soo Young; Park, Jong Sup

2016-01-01

Objective DNA methylation has been shown to be a potential biomarker for early cancer detection. The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA methylation profiles according to liquid-based Pap (LBP) test results and to assess their diagnostic value in a Korean population. Methods A total of 205 patients with various Papanicolaou test results were enrolled to this study (negative, 26; atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 39; low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 44; high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), 48; and cancer, 48). DNA methylation analysis of four genes, ADCYAP1, PAX1, MAL, and CADM1, was performed on residual cervical cells from LBP samples using a quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing method. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the four methylated genes for cancer detection, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn. Sensitivities and specificities were also tested at cutoffs determined from the ROC curves. Results Cervical cancer cells showed dramatically increased methylation levels for the four genes analyzed. ADCYAP1 and PAX1 also trended toward elevated methylation levels in HSIL samples, although the levels were much lower than those in cancer cells. The sensitivities of methylated ADCYAP1, PAX1, MAL, and CADM1 for the detection of cancer were 79.2%, 75.0%, 70.8%, and 52.1%, and the specificities were 92.0%, 94.0%, 94.7%, and 94.0%, respectively. Methylated ADCYAP1 and PAX1 demonstrated relatively better discriminatory ability than did methylated MAL and CADM1 (area under the curves 0.911 and 0.916 vs. 0.854 and 0.756, respectively). Conclusion DNA methylation status, especially in the ADCYAP1 and PAX1 genes, showed relatively good specificity, ranging from 90% to 94%. The possible additive and complementary roles of DNA methylation testing with respect to conventional cervical cancer screening programs will need to be validated in prospective population-based studies. PMID:26768780

Maternal literacy and associations between education and the cognitive home environment in low-income families.

PubMed

Green, Cori M; Berkule, Samantha B; Dreyer, Benard P; Fierman, Arthur H; Huberman, Harris S; Klass, Perri E; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Yin, Hsiang Shonna; Morrow, Lesley M; Mendelsohn, Alan L

2009-09-01

To determine whether maternal literacy level accounts for associations between educational level and the cognitive home environment in low-income families. Analysis of 369 mother-infant dyads participating in a long-term study related to early child development. Urban public hospital. Low-income mothers of 6-month-old infants. Maternal literacy level was assessed using the Woodcock-Johnson III/Bateria III Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement, Letter-Word Identification Test. Maternal educational level was assessed by determining the last grade that had been completed by the mother. The cognitive home environment (provision of learning materials, verbal responsivity, teaching, and shared reading) was assessed using StimQ, an office-based interview measure. In unadjusted analyses, a maternal literacy level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and each of 4 subscales, whereas a maternal educational level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and 3 of 4 subscales. In simultaneous multiple linear regression models including both literacy and educational levels, literacy continued to be associated with scores for the overall StimQ (adjusted mean difference, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-5.7) and all subscales except teaching, whereas maternal educational level was no longer significantly associated with scores for the StimQ (1.8; 0.5-4.0) or any of its subscales. Literacy level may be a more specific indicator of risk than educational level in low-income families. Studies of low-income families should include direct measures of literacy. Pediatricians should develop strategies to identify mothers with low literacy levels and promote parenting behaviors to foster cognitive development in these at-risk families.

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.

7 CFR 58.721 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.721 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.721 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.721 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... The Food Chemical Codex. ...

Ambient Concentrations of Metabolic Disrupting Chemicals and Children's Academic Achievement in El Paso, Texas.

PubMed

Clark-Reyna, Stephanie E; Grineski, Sara E; Collins, Timothy W

2016-09-01

Concerns about children's weight have steadily risen alongside the manufacture and use of myriad chemicals in the US. One class of chemicals, known as metabolic disruptors, interfere with human endocrine and metabolic functioning and are of specific concern to children's health and development. This article examines the effect of residential concentrations of metabolic disrupting chemicals on children's school performance for the first time. Census tract-level ambient concentrations for known metabolic disruptors come from the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Air Toxics Assessment. Other measures were drawn from a survey of primary caretakers of 4th and 5th grade children in El Paso Independent School District (El Paso, TX, USA). A mediation model is employed to examine two hypothetical pathways through which the ambient level of metabolic disruptors at a child's home might affect grade point average. Results indicate that concentrations of metabolic disruptors are statistically significantly associated with lower grade point averages directly and indirectly through body mass index. Findings from this study have practical implications for environmental justice research and chemical policy reform in the US.

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.

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.

Serum Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer predicts grade F4 liver fibrosis in patients with biliary atresia.

PubMed

Yamada, Naoya; Sanada, Yukihiro; Tashiro, Masahisa; Hirata, Yuta; Okada, Noriki; Ihara, Yoshiyuki; Urahashi, Taizen; Mizuta, Koichi

2017-02-01

Mac-2 Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel fibrosis marker. We examined the ability of M2BPGi to predict liver fibrosis in patients with biliary atresia. Sixty-four patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) were included [median age, 1.1 years (range 0.4-16.0), male 16 patients (25.0 %)]. We examined M2BPGi levels in serum obtained the day before LDLT, and we compared the value of the preoperative M2BPGi levels with the histological evaluation of fibrosis using the METAVIR fibrosis score. Subsequently, we assessed the ability of M2BPGi levels to predict fibrosis. The median M2BPGi level in patients with BA was 6.02 (range, 0.36-20.0), and 0, 1, 1, 11, and 51 patients had METAVIR fibrosis scores of F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4, respectively. In patients with F4 fibrosis, the median M2BPGi level was 6.88 (quartile; 5.235, 12.10), significantly higher than that in patients with F3 fibrosis who had a median level of 2.42 (quartile; 1.93, 2.895, p < 0.01). Area under the curve analysis for the ability of M2BPGi level to predict grade fibrosis was 0.917, with a specificity and sensitivity of 0.923 and 0.941, respectively. In comparison with other fibrosis markers such as hyaluronic acid, procollagen-III-peptide, type IV collagen 7 s, and aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index, M2BPGi showed the strongest ability to predict grade F4 fibrosis. M2BPGi is a novel fibrosis marker for evaluating the status of the liver in patients with BA, especially when predicting grade F4 fibrosis.

7 CFR 58.343 - Storage of finished product in coolers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (CONTINUED) GRADING AND INSPECTION, GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading... ready for distribution or shipment. The products shall not be placed directly on floors or exposed to...

Fat-suppressed 3D spoiled gradient-echo MRI and MDCT arthrography of articular cartilage in patients with hip dysplasia.

PubMed

Nishii, Takashi; Tanaka, Hisashi; Nakanishi, Katsuyuki; Sugano, Nobuhiko; Miki, Hidenobu; Yoshikawa, Hideki

2005-08-01

Our objective was to assess the diagnostic ability of MDCT arthrography for acetabular and femoral cartilage lesions in patients with hip dysplasia. A disorder of the articular cartilage was evaluated in 20 hips of 18 patients with acetabular dysplasia who did not have osteoarthritis or who had early stage osteoarthritis before undergoing pelvic osteotomy surgery. The findings on fat-suppressed 3D fast spoiled gradient-echo MRI and MDCT arthrography of the hip were evaluated by two independent observers, and sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were determined using arthroscopic findings as the standard of reference. Kappa values were calculated to quantify the level of interobserver agreement. The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of any cartilage disorder (grade 1 or higher) were (observer 1/observer 2) 49%/67% and 89%/76%, respectively, on MRI, and 67%/67% and 89%/82%, respectively, on CT arthrography. The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of cartilage lesions with substance loss (grade 2 or higher) were (observer 1/observer 2) 47%/53% and 92%/87%, respectively, on MRI, and 70%/79% and 93%/94%, respectively, on CT arthrography. CT arthrography provided significantly higher sensitivity in the detection of grade 2 or higher lesions than MRI for both observers. Interobserver agreement in the detection of grade 2 or higher cartilage lesions was moderate (kappa = 0.53) on MRI and substantial (kappa = 0.78) on CT. MDCT arthrography is a sensitive and reproducible method for assessing articular cartilage lesions with substance loss in patients with hip dysplasia.

Importance of the Postoperative Carcinoembryonic Antigen Level during Follow-Up after Curative Resection in Patients with Liver Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Takuzo; Itabashi, Michio; Ogawa, Shinpei; Hirosawa, Tomoichiro; Bamba, Yoshiko; Kaji, Sanae; Ubukata, Mamiko; Shimizu, Satoru; Sugihara, Kenichi; Kameoka, Shingo

2014-06-01

To validate the conventional Japanese grading of liver metastasis for no residual tumor resection in Stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) with liver metastasis and to identify risk factors for postoperative recurrence. The subjects of this study were 1792 Stage IV CRC patients with liver metastasis. In 1792 cases, including unresectable cases, there was a significantly different prognosis by grade (P < 0.0001). In 421 R0 cases, there was no significant difference between Grade A and Grade B (P = 0.8527). In 381 cases without extra-hepatic metastasis, the prognosis was not significantly different among three grades. On multivariate analysis, carcinoembryonic antigen within 3 months from R0 operation (3M-CEA) was an independent risk factor regardless of extrahepatic metastasis. There was a significantly different prognosis (P < 0.0001) among Grade A', defined as a normal 3M-CEA level, Grade B', defined as Grade A or B and an abnormal 3M-CEA level, and Grade C', defined as Grade C and an abnormal 3M-CEA level. The postoperative CEA level is an important risk factor during follow-up after curative resection in patients with liver metastatic colorectal carcinoma. The combination of the 3M-CEA level and conventional grading of liver metastasis is useful for follow-up of R0 resection cases.

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.

7 CFR 58.328 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.328 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.328 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of The Food Chemical Codex. ...

7 CFR 58.328 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of The Food Chemical Codex. ...

Reconsidering price projections for selected grades of Douglas-fir, coast hem-fir, inland hem-fir, and ponderosa pine lumber.

Treesearch

Richard W. Haynes; Roger D. Fight

2004-01-01

Grade-specific price projections were once again developed for Douglas-fir, coast hem-fir, inland hem-fir, and ponderosa pine lumber. These grade-specific price projections can be used to demonstrate the returns to land management of practices that lead to high-quality logs that produce a larger proportion of high grades of lumber. The price ratios among low, medium,...

Tract-specific fractional anisotropy predicts cognitive outcome in a community sample of middle-aged participants with white matter lesions

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) have been consistently related to cognitive dysfunction but the role of white matter (WM) damage in cognitive impairment is not fully determined. Diffusion tensor imaging is a promising tool to explain impaired cognition related to WMLs. We investigated the separate association of high-grade periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs) with fractional anisotropy (FA) in middle-aged individuals. We also assessed the predictive value to cognition of FA within specific WM tracts associated with high-grade WMLs. One hundred participants from the Barcelona-AsIA Neuropsychology Study were divided into groups based on low- and high-grade WMLs. Voxel-by-voxel FA were compared between groups, with separate analyses for high-grade PVHs and DWMHs. The mean FA within areas showing differences between groups was extracted in each tract for linear regression analyses. Participants with high-grade PVHs and participants with high-grade DWMHs showed lower FA in different areas of specific tracts. Areas showing decreased FA in high-grade DWMHs predicted lower cognition, whereas areas with decreased FA in high-grade PVHs did not. The predictive value to cognition of specific WM tracts supports the involvement of cortico-subcortical circuits in cognitive deficits only in DWMHs. PMID:24549185

Tract-specific fractional anisotropy predicts cognitive outcome in a community sample of middle-aged participants with white matter lesions.

PubMed

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

2014-05-01

Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) have been consistently related to cognitive dysfunction but the role of white matter (WM) damage in cognitive impairment is not fully determined. Diffusion tensor imaging is a promising tool to explain impaired cognition related to WMLs. We investigated the separate association of high-grade periventricular hyperintensities (PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs) with fractional anisotropy (FA) in middle-aged individuals. We also assessed the predictive value to cognition of FA within specific WM tracts associated with high-grade WMLs. One hundred participants from the Barcelona-AsIA Neuropsychology Study were divided into groups based on low- and high-grade WMLs. Voxel-by-voxel FA were compared between groups, with separate analyses for high-grade PVHs and DWMHs. The mean FA within areas showing differences between groups was extracted in each tract for linear regression analyses. Participants with high-grade PVHs and participants with high-grade DWMHs showed lower FA in different areas of specific tracts. Areas showing decreased FA in high-grade DWMHs predicted lower cognition, whereas areas with decreased FA in high-grade PVHs did not. The predictive value to cognition of specific WM tracts supports the involvement of cortico-subcortical circuits in cognitive deficits only in DWMHs.

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.

7 CFR 58.124 - Denial or suspension of plant approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Denial or suspension of plant approval. 58.124 Section... (CONTINUED) GRADING AND INSPECTION, GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading...

The prevalence of stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders in primary school students in Australia.

PubMed

McKinnon, David H; McLeod, Sharynne; Reilly, Sheena

2007-01-01

The aims of this study were threefold: to report teachers' estimates of the prevalence of speech disorders (specifically, stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders); to consider correspondence between the prevalence of speech disorders and gender, grade level, and socioeconomic status; and to describe the level of support provided to schoolchildren with speech disorders. Students with speech disorders were identified from 10,425 students in Australia using a 4-stage process: training in the data collection process, teacher identification, confirmation by a speech-language pathologist, and consultation with district special needs advisors. The prevalence of students with speech disorders was estimated; specifically, 0.33% of students were identified as stuttering, 0.12% as having a voice disorder, and 1.06% as having a speech-sound disorder. There was a higher prevalence of speech disorders in males than in females. As grade level increased, the prevalence of speech disorders decreased. There was no significant difference in the pattern of prevalence across the three speech disorders and four socioeconomic groups; however, students who were identified with a speech disorder were more likely to be in the higher socioeconomic groups. Finally, there was a difference between the perceived and actual level of support that was provided to these students. These prevalence figures are lower than those using initial identification by speech-language pathologists and similar to those using parent report.

Secondary Principals' Perceptions of Grading and Grade Reporting Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akins, Jeremie

2016-01-01

Effective grading practices in the classroom as well as reporting practices such as standards-based grading (SBG) is one way to report learning (Marzano, 2010). The focus of this particular study was to address alternative ways to tackle the issue of grading and grade reporting in comparison to the traditional grading methods. Specifically, this…

The prognostic significance of preoperative serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels in endometrial carcinomas

PubMed Central

Tas, Emre E.; Yavuz, Ayse F.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To determine the associations between serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels and prognostic factors in patients with endometrial carcinomas. Additionally, we investigated the clinical utility of serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels in the selection of low-risk patients with endometrioid type, tumor size <2 cm, myometrial invasion ≤50%, and histological grade 1-2. Methods: Ninety-six patients, who were surgically staged at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey, between 2007 and 2016, were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, clinical, and surgical characteristics were retrieved from the patients’ hospital records. A p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Fifteen patients had advanced (≥Stage II) disease, 14 patients had Type 2 histology, 20 patients had Grade 3 tumors, 23 patients had lymphovascular space invasion, and 10 patients had positive lymph node involvement. Serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels were significantly higher in patients with advanced (≥Stage II) disease, Type 2 histology, Grade 3 tumors, lymp°hovascular space invasion, and positive lymph node involvement (p<0.05). Serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels were also significantly correlated with tumor size (p=0.006). Serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels were significantly lower (95% confidence interval: 0.57−0.79; p=0.03) in low-risk patients compared to other endometrial carcinoma patients. A cutoff of 25.0 IU/mL was used to identify high-risk patients with a specificity of 100%. Conclusion: Serum cancer antigen 15-3 levels significantly correlated with prognostic factors and were a useful diagnostic tool for endometrial carcinomas. PMID:29114696

Intrinsic, identified, and controlled types of motivation for school subjects in young elementary school children.

PubMed

Guay, Frédéric; Chanal, Julien; Ratelle, Catherine F; Marsh, Herbert W; Larose, Simon; Boivin, Michel

2010-12-01

There are two approaches to the differential examination of school motivation. The first is to examine motivation towards specific school subjects (between school subject differentiation). The second is to examine school motivation as a multidimensional concept that varies in terms of not only intensity but also quality (within school subject differentiation). These two differential approaches have led to important discoveries and provided a better understanding of student motivational dynamics. However, little research has combined these two approaches. This study examines young elementary students' motivations across school subjects (writing, reading, and maths) from the stance of self-determination theory. First, we tested whether children self-report different levels of intrinsic, identified, and controlled motivation towards specific school subjects. Second, we verified whether children self-report differentiated types of motivation across school subjects. Participants were 425 French-Canadian children (225 girls, 200 boys) from three elementary schools. Children were in Grades 1 (N=121), 2 (N=126), and 3 (N=178). Results show that, for a given school subject, young elementary students self-report different levels of intrinsic, identified, and controlled motivation. Results also indicate that children self-report different levels of motivation types across school subjects. Our findings also show that most differentiation effects increase across grades. Some gender effects were also observed. These results highlight the importance of distinguishing among types of school motivation towards specific school subjects in the early elementary years.

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.

Grade Level and Gender Differences in a School-Based Reading Tutoring Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Sau Hou

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the grade level and gender differences in a school-based reading tutoring program. The treatment group included 10 first-grade and 12 second-grade struggling readers, and the control group included 41 first-grade and 63 second-grade nonstruggling readers. The tutors were teacher candidates in an…

The biochemical, nanomechanical and chemometric signatures of brain cancer.

PubMed

Abramczyk, Halina; Imiela, Anna

2018-01-05

Raman spectroscopy and imaging combined with AFM topography and mechanical indentation by AFM have been shown to be an effective tool for analysis and discrimination of human brain tumors from normal structures. Raman 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) and the tissue from the negative margins used as normal controls. We compare a high grade medulloblastoma (IV grade), and non-tumor samples from human central nervous system (CNS) tissue. Based on the properties of the Raman vibrational spectra and Raman images we provide a real-time feedback that is label-free method to monitor tumor metabolism that reveals reprogramming of biosynthesis of lipids, and proteins. 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 shown that the ratio of Raman intensities I2930/I2845 at 2930 and 2845cm -1 is a good source of information on the ratio of lipid and protein contents. We have found that the ratio reflects the lipid and protein contents of tumorous brain tissue compared to the non-tumor tissue. Almost all brain tumors have the Raman intensity ratios significantly higher (1.99±0.026) than that found in non-tumor brain tissue, which is 1.456±0.02, and indicates that the relative amount of lipids compared to proteins is significantly higher in the normal brain tissue. Mechanical indentation using AFM on sliced human brain tissues (medulloblastoma, grade IV) revealed that the mechanical properties of this tissue are strongly heterogeneous, between 1.8 and 75.7kPa, and the mean of 27.16kPa. The sensitivity and specificity obtained directly from PLSDA and cross validation gives a sensitivity and specificity of 98.5% and 96% and 96.3% and 92% for cross-validation, respectively. The high sensitivity and specificity demonstrates usefulness for a proper decision for a Raman diagnostic test on biochemical alterations monitored by Raman spectroscopy related to brain cancer development. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

E-Cigarettes and the Drug Use Patterns of Adolescents.

PubMed

Miech, Richard A; O'Malley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D; Patrick, Megan E

2016-05-01

This study examines the role of e-cigarettes in the drug use patterns of adolescents. Of specific interest is whether adolescent e-cigarette users fall into a group of (1) youth who do not use traditional drugs of abuse or (2) polysubstance users. Using latent class analysis, we identify major "classes" of substance users on the basis of recent use of e-cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and prescription drugs. Analyses are conducted separately for adolescents in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Data come from 16 615 participants in the 2014 Monitoring the Future survey. Youth who do not use traditional drugs of abuse account for about 50% of e-cigarette users in 8th grade, 35% in 10th grade, and 17% in 12th grade. These youth come from a large "low-level users" group found in each grade, characterized by low probability of use for all substances (e-cigarette probability in this group for 8th graders = .046; 10th graders = .071; 12th graders = .027). Other e-cigarette users come from a smaller, "poly-users" group found in each grade, characterized by high-to-moderate probabilities (.83-.21) of using e-cigarettes and other substances. Specific to 12th grade is a third, additional polysubstance group characterized by high likelihood of e-cigarette use (.93). The proportion of e-cigarette users who do not use traditional drugs of abuse is larger at younger ages. Longitudinal panel studies starting at 8th and 10th grades may best inform the current debate on whether e-cigarette use is a risk or protective factor for future transition to the use of other substances. The proportion of e-cigarette users who do not use traditional drugs of abuse is larger at younger ages. Longitudinal panel studies starting at 8th and 10th grades may best inform the current debate on whether e-cigarette use is a risk or protective factor for future transition to the use of other substances. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

7 CFR 58.736 - Pasteurized process cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for..., and be completely sealed and not broken or soiled. ...

7 CFR 58.736 - Pasteurized process cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for..., and be completely sealed and not broken or soiled. ...

7 CFR 58.736 - Pasteurized process cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for..., and be completely sealed and not broken or soiled. ...

Evaluation of the Science Enrichment Activities (SEA) Program: A Decision Oriented Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linn, Marcia C.

1978-01-01

Three questions guided an evaluation of sixth and eighth grade science enrichment activities: (1) Does a free choice interactive program affect cognitive abilities? (2) Do students in a free choice program make predictable selections of activities based on their age, sex, or ability level? and (3) Are specific student choices associated with…

Academic Self-Concepts in Ability Streams: Considering Domain Specificity and Same-Stream Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liem, Gregory Arief D.; McInerney, Dennis M.; Yeung, Alexander S.

2015-01-01

The study examined the relations between academic achievement and self-concepts in a sample of 1,067 seventh-grade students from 3 core ability streams in Singapore secondary education. Although between-stream differences in achievement were large, between-stream differences in academic self-concepts were negligible. Within each stream, levels of…

How Important Is Content in the Ratings of Essay Assessments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shermis, Mark D.; Shneyderman, Aleksandr; Attali, Yigal

2008-01-01

This study was designed to examine the extent to which "content" accounts for variance in scores assigned in automated essay scoring protocols. Specifically it was hypothesised that certain writing genre would emphasise content more than others. Data were drawn from 1668 essays calibrated at two grade levels (6 and 8) using "e-rater[TM]", an…

Beyond Language Orders: Orthographic Processing and Word Reading in Spanish-English Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, S. Helene; Chen, Xi; Luo, Yang; Ramirez, Gloria

2013-01-01

We present the results of an empirical test of the hypothesis that transfer of orthographic processing to reading occurs when the scripts under acquisition are written with the same unit (specifically, the same alphabet). We tested 97 Spanish-English bilingual children in Grades 4 and 7. We measured mother's education level, verbal and nonverbal…

Spatial Thinking Concepts in Early Grade-Level Geography Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthamatten, Peter

2010-01-01

Research in the cognition and learning sciences has demonstrated that the human brain contains basic structures whose functions are to perform a variety of specific spatial reasoning tasks and that children are capable of learning basic spatial concepts at an early age. There has been a call from within geography to recognize research on spatial…

Using Fiction to Teach American History in Middle School: Affects on Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elias, Anjuli Rose

2010-01-01

This research highlights the effects of using literature and relevant curriculum to teach history in grade levels 6 through 8, and analyzes how students respond when learning complicated themes and events through the medium of historic fiction. Specifically, my research seeks to inform secondary educators concerning the use of the narrative and…

Colorado Model Content Standards: Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado Department of Education, 2007

2007-01-01

The Colorado Model Content Standards for Science specify what all students should know and be able to do in science as a result of their school studies. Specific expectations are given for students completing grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Five standards outline the essential level of science knowledge and skills needed by Colorado citizens to…

Does the presence of the nerve root sedimentation sign on MRI correlate with the operative level in patients undergoing posterior lumbar decompression for lumbar stenosis?

PubMed

Fazal, Akil; Yoo, Andrew; Bendo, John A

2013-08-01

Recent research describes the use of a nerve root sedimentation sign to diagnose lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The lack of sedimentation of the nerve roots (positive sedimentation sign) to the dorsal part of the dural sac is the characteristic feature of this new radiological parameter. To demonstrate how the nerve root sedimentation sign compares with other more traditional radiological parameters in patients who have been operated for LSS. A retrospective chart and image review. Preoperative magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were reviewed from 71 consecutive operative patients who presented with LSS and received spinal decompression surgery from 2006 to 2010. Preoperative T2-weighted MRIs were reviewed for each patient. One hundred thirty-four vertebral levels from L1 to L5 were measured for: sedimentation sign, cross-sectional area (CSA) and anterior/posterior (A/P) diameter of the dural sac, thickness of the ligamentum flavum, and Fujiwara grade of facet hypertrophy. Radiological measurements were made using Surgimap 1.1.2.169 software (Nemaris, Inc., New York, NY, USA). Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 17.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Significance was demonstrated using unpaired t tests and chi-squared tests. Study funding was departmental. There were no study-specific conflicts of interest-associated biases. A positive sedimentation sign was determined in 120 operated levels (89.5%), whereas 14 levels (10.5%) had no sign (negative sedimentation sign). The mean CSA and A/P diameter were 140.62 mm(2) (standard deviation [SD]=53) and 11.76 mm (SD=3), respectively, for the no-sign group; the mean CSA and A/P diameter were 81.87 mm(2) (SD=35) and 8.76 mm (SD=2.2), respectively, for the sedimentation sign group (p<.001). We found that 60% of levels with Fujiwara Grade A facet hypertrophy did not have a sedimentation sign, whereas 86.3% of levels with Grade B, 93.2% of levels with Grade C, and 100.0% of levels with Grade D did have a sedimentation sign (p<.001). The sedimentation sign is a new measurement tool that can enable physicians to objectively assess and quantify spinal stenosis. The sign is most often present in patients who have clinically significant lumbar stenosis and require surgery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental influence of problematic social relationships on adolescents' daily cortisol secretion: a monozygotic twin-difference study.

PubMed

Brendgen, M; Ouellet-Morin, I; Lupien, S J; Vitaro, F; Dionne, G; Boivin, M

2017-02-01

This study investigated the potential environmental effects of peer victimization and the quality of relationships with parents and friends on diurnal cortisol secretion in mid-adolescence. This study used the monozygotic (MZ) twin-difference design to control for genetic effects and thus estimate the unique environmental influences on diurnal cortisol. Participants were 136 MZ twin pairs (74 female pairs) for whom cortisol was assessed four times per day over four collection days grouped in a 2-week period in grade 8 (mean age = 14.07 years). Participants also provided self-reports of peer victimization from grade 4 to grade 8 and of the relationship quality with the mother, father and best friend in grade 8. The expected pattern of diurnal cortisol secretion was observed, with high levels at awakening followed by an increase 30 min later and a progressive decrease subsequently. Controlling for a host of confounders, only within-twin pair differences in peer victimization and a problematic relationship with the mother were significantly linked to twin differences in diurnal cortisol secretion. Specifically, whereas a more problematic mother-child relationship was associated with morning cortisol secretion, peer victimization was linked to cortisol secretion later in the day (diurnal slope). Controlling for genetic influences and other confounders, stressful relationships with peers and the mother exert unique and time-specific environmental influences on the pattern of diurnal cortisol secretion in mid-adolescence.

Development and evaluation of a reflective solar disinfection pouch for treatment of drinking water.

PubMed

Walker, D Carey; Len, Soo-Voon; Sheehan, Brita

2004-04-01

A second-generation solar disinfection (SODIS) system (pouch) was constructed from food-grade, commercially available packaging materials selected to fully transmit and amplify the antimicrobial properties of sunlight. Depending upon the season, water source, and challenge organism, culturable bacteria were reduced between 3.5 and 5.5 log cycles. The system was also capable of reducing the background presumptive coliform population in nonsterile river water below the level of detection. Similar experiments conducted with a model virus, the F-specific RNA bacteriophage MS2, indicated that the pouch was slightly less efficient, reducing viable plaques by 3.5 log units in comparison to a 5.0 log reduction of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli O18:H11 within the same time period. These results suggest that water of poor microbiological quality can be improved by using a freely available resource (sunlight) and a specifically designed plastic pouch constructed of food-grade packaging materials.

Automatically Grading Customer Confidence in a Formal Specification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukur, Zarina; Burke, Edmund; Foxley, Eric

1999-01-01

Describes an automatic grading system for a formal methods computer science course that is able to evaluate a formal specification written in the Z language. Quality is measured by considering first, specification correctness (syntax, semantics, and satisfaction of customer requirements), and second, specification maintainability (comparison of…

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.

Assessing reading levels of health information: uses and limitations of flesch formula.

PubMed

Jindal, Pranay; MacDermid, Joy C

2017-01-01

Written health information is commonly used by health-care professionals (HCPs) to inform and assess patients in clinical practice. With growing self-management of many health conditions and increased information seeking behavior among patients, there is a greater stress on HCPs and researchers to develop and implement readable and understandable health information. Readability formulas such as Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKRGL) are commonly used by researchers and HCPs to assess if health information is reading grade appropriate for patients. In this article, we critically analyze the role and credibility of Flesch formula in assessing the reading level of written health information. FRE and FKRGL assign a grade level by measuring semantic and syntactic difficulty. They serve as a simple tool that provides some information about the potential literacy difficulty of written health information. However, health information documents often involve complex medical words and may incorporate pictures and tables to improve the legibility. In their assessments, FRE and FKRGL do not take into account (1) document factors (layout, pictures and charts, color, font, spacing, legibility, and grammar), (2) person factors (education level, comprehension, health literacy, motivation, prior knowledge, information needs, anxiety levels), and (3) style of writing (cultural sensitivity, comprehensiveness, and appropriateness), and thus, inadequately assess reading level. New readability measures incorporate pictures and use complex algorithms to assess reading level but are only moderately used in health-care research and not in clinical practice. Future research needs to develop generic and disease-specific readability measures to evaluate comprehension of a written document based on individuals' literacy levels, cultural background, and knowledge of disease.

Comparison of neurological healthcare oriented educational resources for patients on the internet.

PubMed

Punia, Vineet; Dagar, Anjali; Agarwal, Nitin; He, Wenzhuan; Hillen, Machteld

2014-12-01

The internet has become a major contributor to health literacy promotion. The average American reads at 7th-8th grade level and it is recommended to write patient education materials at or below 6th grade reading level. We tried to assess the level of literacy required to read and understand online patient education materials (OPEM) for neurological diseases from various internet resources. We then compared those to an assumed reference OPEM source, namely the patient education brochures from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world's largest professional association of neurologists. Disease specific patient education brochures were downloaded from the AAN website. OPEM for these diseases were also accessed from other common online sources determined using a predefined criterion. All OPEM were converted to Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and their reading level was analyzed using Readability Studio Professional Edition version 2012.1 (Oleander Software, Vandalia, OH, USA). Descriptive analysis and analysis of variance were used to compare reading levels of OPEM from different resources. Medline Plus, Mayo clinic and Wikipedia qualified for OPEM analysis. All OPEM from these resources, including the AAN, were written above the recommended 6th grade reading level. They were also found to be "fairly difficult", "difficult" or "confusing" on the Flesch Reading Ease scale. AAN OPEM on average needed lower reading level, with Wikipedia OPEM being significantly (p<0.01) more difficult to read compared to the other three resources. OPEM on neurological diseases are being written at a level of reading complexity higher than the average American and the recommended reading levels. This may be undermining the utility of these resources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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…

Serum tryptase level is a better predictor of systemic side effects than prostaglandin D2 metabolites during venom immunotherapy in children.

PubMed

Cichocka-Jarosz, E; Sanak, M; Szczeklik, A; Brzyski, P; Gielicz, A; Pietrzyk, J J

2011-01-01

We performed a prospective study to analyze mast cell mediators as predictors of systemic adverse reactions during rush venom-specific immunotherapy (VIT) in children. Nineteen children aged 5-17 years received VIT with Venomenhal (HALAllergy). We analyzed serum tryptase (CAP, Phadia), plasma prostaglandin (PG) D2 metabolites (9alpha, 11beta-PGF2), and urine PGD2 metabolites (9alpha, 11beta-PGF2, tetranor-PGD-M) using gas chromatography mass spectrometry before and after the rush protocol. Three boys with high baseline serum tryptase values (>7.76 g/L) (P < .001) and low 9alpha, 11beta-PGF2 concentrations developed grade III systemic adverse reactions during VIT. Baseline serum tryptase was lowest in children who had a Mueller grade II reaction (1.93 [0.36]) before VIT and highest in children with a Mueller grade III reaction (6.31 [4.80]) (P = .029). Repeated measures analysis of variance confirmed that, in children who developed systemic adverse reactions during VIT, serum tryptase was higher both before and after desensitization and increased significantly following the procedure. Analysis of PGD2 metabolites in the prediction of systemic adverse reactions during VIT was inadequate (sensitivity 67% and specificity 0.53%), whilst prediction based on serum tryptase was accurate. In children with severe systemic adverse reactions to Hymenoptera sting, the evaluation of baseline tryptase levels should be a standard procedure. Children with Apis mellifera venom allergy and baseline tryptase levels higher than 7.75 g/L are at risk of anaphylaxis during buildup. Lower baseline values of plasma and urinary PGD2 metabolite concentration in patients with systemic adverse reaction during VIT suggest that prostaglandin catabolism is altered.

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.

Fourth and eighth grade students' conceptions of energy flow through ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkwright, Ashlie Beals

This mixed methods status study examined 32 fourth grade students' conceptual understandings of energy flow through ecosystems prior to instruction and 40 eighth grade students' conceptual understandings of the same topic after five years of daily standards-based instruction in science. Specific ecological concepts assessed related to: 1) roles of organisms; 2) the sun as the original energy source for most ecosystems; and 3) interdependency of organisms. Fourth and eighth grade students were assessed using the same three-tiered forced-choice instrument, with accompanying tasks for students to defend their forced-choice selections and rate their level of confidence in making the selections. The instrument was developed for the study by a team of researchers and was based on similar tasks presented in the research literature. Distractor options were embedded in each assessment task using common non-scientific ideas also reported in the research literature. Cronbach's alpha values at or greater than .992 for each task indicated interrater consistency of task answers, and Rasch analysis was employed to establish the reliability of the instrument. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were employed to assess the data. Constant comparative methods were employed to analyze students' written responses, which were coded and grouped into emerging themes. These themes were further developed to characterize students' conceptual understandings. Student open responses also were scored and coded by a team of researchers using a rubric to identify level of scientific understanding. Quantitative analyses included Rasch analysis used to normalize survey data. Independent samples t-tests were then employed to compare students' forced-choice responses to their written responses and to the confidence ratings, as well as to compare fourth and eighth grade students' responses. Findings indicated that eighth grade students generally outperformed the fourth grade on both the forced-choice and written responses, but both groups demonstrated conceptual difficulties in all three topics assessed. Thus, results from the current study support the assertion that students' understanding of concepts related to energy flow in ecosystems is not at the expected level according to national science education standards and frameworks. Conceptual difficulties identified in the study are discussed along with implications and curricular recommendations.

7 CFR 58.705 - Meaning of words.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Supplemental Specifications for Plants Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging Pasteurized Process Cheese and Related Products...

7 CFR 58.705 - Meaning of words.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Supplemental Specifications for Plants Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging Pasteurized Process Cheese and Related Products...

7 CFR 58.705 - Meaning of words.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Supplemental Specifications for Plants Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging Pasteurized Process Cheese and Related Products...

7 CFR 58.705 - Meaning of words.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Supplemental Specifications for Plants Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging Pasteurized Process Cheese and Related Products...

7 CFR 58.437 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of the Food Chemical Codex. Operations and Operating Procedures ...

7 CFR 58.437 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of the Food Chemical Codex. Operations and Operating Procedures ...

7 CFR 58.437 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of the Food Chemical Codex. Operations and Operating Procedures ...

7 CFR 58.437 - Salt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... requirements of the Food Chemical Codex. Operations and Operating Procedures ...

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

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)…

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.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte grade in primary melanomas is independently associated with melanoma-specific survival in the population-based genes, environment and melanoma study.

PubMed

Thomas, Nancy E; Busam, Klaus J; From, Lynn; Kricker, Anne; Armstrong, Bruce K; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Gruber, Stephen B; Gallagher, Richard P; Zanetti, Roberto; Rosso, Stefano; Dwyer, Terence; Venn, Alison; Kanetsky, Peter A; Groben, Pamela A; Hao, Honglin; Orlow, Irene; Reiner, Anne S; Luo, Li; Paine, Susan; Ollila, David W; Wilcox, Homer; Begg, Colin B; Berwick, Marianne

2013-11-20

Although most hospital-based studies suggest more favorable survival with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) present in primary melanomas, it is uncertain whether TILs provide prognostic information beyond existing melanoma staging definitions. We addressed the issue in an international population-based study of patients with single and multiple primary melanomas. On the basis of the Genes, Environment and Melanoma (GEM) study, we conducted follow-up of 2,845 patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2003 with 3,330 invasive primary melanomas centrally reviewed for TIL grade (absent, nonbrisk, or brisk). The odds of TIL grades associated with clinicopathologic features and survival by TIL grade were examined. Independent predictors (P < .05) for nonbrisk TIL grade were site, histologic subtype, and Breslow thickness, and for brisk TIL grade, they were age, site, Breslow thickness, and radial growth phase. Nonbrisk and brisk TIL grades were each associated with lower American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage compared with TIL absence (P(trend) < .001). Death as a result of melanoma was 30% less with nonbrisk TIL grade (hazard ratio [HR], 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5 to 1.0) and 50% less with brisk TIL grade (HR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.9) relative to TIL absence, adjusted for age, sex, site, and AJCC tumor stage. At the population level, higher TIL grade of primary melanoma is associated with a lower risk of death as a result of melanoma independently of tumor characteristics currently used for AJCC tumor stage. We conclude that TIL grade deserves further prospective investigation to determine whether it should be included in future AJCC staging revisions.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Grade in Primary Melanomas Is Independently Associated With Melanoma-Specific Survival in the Population-Based Genes, Environment and Melanoma Study

PubMed Central

Thomas, Nancy E.; Busam, Klaus J.; From, Lynn; Kricker, Anne; Armstrong, Bruce K.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Gruber, Stephen B.; Gallagher, Richard P.; Zanetti, Roberto; Rosso, Stefano; Dwyer, Terence; Venn, Alison; Kanetsky, Peter A.; Groben, Pamela A.; Hao, Honglin; Orlow, Irene; Reiner, Anne S.; Luo, Li; Paine, Susan; Ollila, David W.; Wilcox, Homer; Begg, Colin B.; Berwick, Marianne

2013-01-01

Purpose Although most hospital-based studies suggest more favorable survival with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) present in primary melanomas, it is uncertain whether TILs provide prognostic information beyond existing melanoma staging definitions. We addressed the issue in an international population-based study of patients with single and multiple primary melanomas. Patients and Methods On the basis of the Genes, Environment and Melanoma (GEM) study, we conducted follow-up of 2,845 patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2003 with 3,330 invasive primary melanomas centrally reviewed for TIL grade (absent, nonbrisk, or brisk). The odds of TIL grades associated with clinicopathologic features and survival by TIL grade were examined. Results Independent predictors (P < .05) for nonbrisk TIL grade were site, histologic subtype, and Breslow thickness, and for brisk TIL grade, they were age, site, Breslow thickness, and radial growth phase. Nonbrisk and brisk TIL grades were each associated with lower American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage compared with TIL absence (Ptrend < .001). Death as a result of melanoma was 30% less with nonbrisk TIL grade (hazard ratio [HR], 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5 to 1.0) and 50% less with brisk TIL grade (HR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.9) relative to TIL absence, adjusted for age, sex, site, and AJCC tumor stage. Conclusion At the population level, higher TIL grade of primary melanoma is associated with a lower risk of death as a result of melanoma independently of tumor characteristics currently used for AJCC tumor stage. We conclude that TIL grade deserves further prospective investigation to determine whether it should be included in future AJCC staging revisions. PMID:24127443

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

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.

Price projections for selected grades of Douglas-fir, coast hem-fir, inland hem-fir, and ponderosa pine lumber.

Treesearch

Richard W. Haynes; Roger D. Fight

1992-01-01

Grade-specific price projections were developed for Douglas-fir, coast hem-fir, inland hem-fir, and ponderosa pine lumber. These grade-specific price projections can be used in evaluating management practices that will affect the quality of saw logs produced under various management regimes.

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.

Effective literacy instruction for adults with specific learning disabilities: implications for adult educators.

PubMed

Hock, Michael F

2012-01-01

Adults with learning disabilities (LD) attending adult basic education, GED programs, or community colleges are among the lowest performers on measures of literacy. For example, on multiple measures of reading comprehension, adults with LD had a mean reading score at the third grade level, whereas adults without LD read at the fifth grade level. In addition, large numbers of adults perform at the lowest skill levels on quantitative tasks. Clearly, significant instructional challenges exist for adults who struggle with literacy issues, and those challenges can be greater for adults with LD. In this article, the literature on adults with LD is reviewed, and evidenced-based instructional practices that significantly narrow the literacy achievement gap for this population are identified. Primary attention is given to instructional factors that have been shown to affect literacy outcomes for adults with LD. These factors include the use of explicit instruction, instructional technology, and intensive tutoring in skills and strategies embedded in authentic contexts.

What Are You Measuring? Dimensionality and Reliability Analysis of Ability and Speed in Medical School Didactic Examinations.

PubMed

Thompson, James J

2016-01-01

Summative didactic evaluation often involves multiple choice questions which are then aggregated into exam scores, course scores, and cumulative grade point averages. To be valid, each of these levels should have some relationship to the topic tested (dimensionality) and be sufficiently reproducible between persons (reliability) to justify student ranking. Evaluation of dimensionality is difficult and is complicated by the classic observation that didactic performance involves a generalized component (g) in addition to subtest specific factors. In this work, 183 students were analyzed over two academic years in 13 courses with 44 exams and 3352 questions for both accuracy and speed. Reliability at all levels was good (>0.95). Assessed by bifactor analysis, g effects dominated most levels resulting in essential unidimensionality. Effect sizes on predicted accuracy and speed due to nesting in exams and courses was small. There was little relationship between person ability and person speed. Thus, the hierarchical grading system appears warrented because of its g-dependence.

Conceptualizing the multidimensional nature of self-efficacy: assessment of situational context and level of behavioral challenge to maintain safer sex. National Institute of Mental Health Multisite HIV Prevention Trial Group.

PubMed

Murphy, D A; Stein, J A; Schlenger, W; Maibach, E

2001-07-01

A. Bandura (1991) argued that self-efficacy measurement should be specific both to the situation in which the behavior occurs and level of challenge in that situation. Measures consistent with the 2 dimensions were developed with graded challenge levels and differing gender-appropriate situations. Participants were 1,496 controls in the National Institute of Mental Health Multisite HIV Prevention Trial recruited from STD clinics and health service centers (925 women and 571 men). The authors tested 4 separate-sex confirmatory factor analysis models as follows: (a) Condom negotiation efficacy as a unitary construct across situations and gradation of difficulty; (b) situation as preeminent, which transfers across skills whatever the gradation of difficulty; (c) skill as predominant, irrespective of situation; and (d) a multidimensional design that simultaneously accounts for both situation and graded difficulty. Consistent with Bandura's theory, the multidimensional model provided the best fit for both samples.

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.

The Contribution of Vocabulary Knowledge and Spelling to the Reading Comprehension of Adolescents Who Are and Are Not English Language Learners.

PubMed

Reed, Deborah K; Petscher, Yaacov; Foorman, Barbara R

2016-04-01

This study examined the contributions of vocabulary and spelling to the reading comprehension of students in grades 6-10 who were and were not classified as English language learners. Results indicate that vocabulary accounted for greater between-grade differences and unique variance (Δ R 2 = .11 to .31) in comprehension as compared to spelling (Δ R 2 = .01 to .09). However, the contribution of spelling to comprehension was higher in the upper grade levels included in this cross-sectional analysis and functioned as a mediator of the impact of vocabulary knowledge at all levels. The direct effect of vocabulary was strong but lower in magnitude at each successive grade level from .58 in grade 6 to .41 in grade 10 while the indirect effect through spelling increased in magnitude at each successive grade level from .09 in grade 6 to .16 in grade 10. There were no significant differences between the language groups in the magnitude of the indirect impact, suggesting both groups of students relied more on both sources of lexical information in higher grades as compared to students in lower grades.

The Contribution of Vocabulary Knowledge and Spelling to the Reading Comprehension of Adolescents Who Are and Are Not English Language Learners

PubMed Central

Reed, Deborah K.; Petscher, Yaacov; Foorman, Barbara R.

2016-01-01

This study examined the contributions of vocabulary and spelling to the reading comprehension of students in grades 6–10 who were and were not classified as English language learners. Results indicate that vocabulary accounted for greater between-grade differences and unique variance (ΔR2 = .11 to .31) in comprehension as compared to spelling (ΔR2 = .01 to .09). However, the contribution of spelling to comprehension was higher in the upper grade levels included in this cross-sectional analysis and functioned as a mediator of the impact of vocabulary knowledge at all levels. The direct effect of vocabulary was strong but lower in magnitude at each successive grade level from .58 in grade 6 to .41 in grade 10 while the indirect effect through spelling increased in magnitude at each successive grade level from .09 in grade 6 to .16 in grade 10. There were no significant differences between the language groups in the magnitude of the indirect impact, suggesting both groups of students relied more on both sources of lexical information in higher grades as compared to students in lower grades. PMID:27313395

Neuropathic pain: an updated grading system for research and clinical practice.

PubMed

Finnerup, Nanna B; Haroutounian, Simon; Kamerman, Peter; Baron, Ralf; Bennett, David L H; Bouhassira, Didier; Cruccu, Giorgio; Freeman, Roy; Hansson, Per; Nurmikko, Turo; Raja, Srinivasa N; Rice, Andrew S C; Serra, Jordi; Smith, Blair H; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Jensen, Troels S

2016-08-01

The redefinition of neuropathic pain as "pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system," which was suggested by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Special Interest Group on Neuropathic Pain (NeuPSIG) in 2008, has been widely accepted. In contrast, the proposed grading system of possible, probable, and definite neuropathic pain from 2008 has been used to a lesser extent. Here, we report a citation analysis of the original NeuPSIG grading paper of 2008, followed by an analysis of its use by an expert panel and recommendations for an improved grading system. As of February, 2015, 608 eligible articles in Scopus cited the paper, 414 of which cited the neuropathic pain definition. Of 220 clinical studies citing the paper, 56 had used the grading system. The percentage using the grading system increased from 5% in 2009 to 30% in 2014. Obstacles to a wider use of the grading system were identified, including (1) questions about the relative significance of confirmatory tests, (2) the role of screening tools, and (3) uncertainties about what is considered a neuroanatomically plausible pain distribution. Here, we present a revised grading system with an adjusted order, better reflecting clinical practice, improvements in the specifications, and a word of caution that even the "definite" level of neuropathic pain does not always indicate causality. In addition, we add a table illustrating the area of pain and sensory abnormalities in common neuropathic pain conditions and propose areas for further research.

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.

Is there a robust relationship between neighbourhood food environment and childhood obesity in the USA?

PubMed

Shier, V; An, R; Sturm, R

2012-09-01

To examine the robustness of the relationship between neighbourhood food environment and youth body mass index (BMI) percentile using alternative measures of food environment and model specifications. Observational study using individual-level longitudinal survey data of children in fifth and eighth grades merged with food outlet data based on student residential census tracts. The relationship between food environment and BMI was examined with two individual outcomes (BMI percentile in eighth grade and change in BMI percentile from fifth to eighth grade) and three alternative measures of food environment (per-capita counts of a particular outlet type, food environment indices, and indicators for specific combinations of outlet types). No consistent evidence was found across measures (counts of a particular type of food outlet per population, food environment indices, and indicators for the presence of specific combinations of types of food stores) and outcomes to support the hypothesis that improved access to large supermarkets results in lower youth BMI; or that greater exposure to fast food restaurants, convenience stores and small food stores increases BMI. To the extent that there is an association between food environment and youth BMI, the existence of more types of food outlets in an area, including supermarkets, is associated with higher BMI. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 58.633 - Color.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58... and Drug Administration as safe for human consumption. Operations and Operating Procedures ...

Grading evidence from test accuracy studies: what makes it challenging compared with the grading of effectiveness studies?

PubMed

Rogozińska, Ewelina; Khan, Khalid

2017-06-01

Guideline panels need to process a sizeable amount of information to issue a decision on whether to recommend a health technology or not. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) is being frequently applied in guideline development to facilitate this task, typically for the synthesis of effectiveness research. Questions regarding the accuracy of medical tests are ubiquitous, and they temporally precede questions about therapy. However, literature summarising the experience of applying GRADE approach to accuracy evaluations is not as rich as one for effectiveness evidence. Type of study design (cross-sectional), two-dimensional nature of the performance measures (sensitivity and specificity), propensity towards a higher level of between-study heterogeneity, poor reporting of quality features and uncertainty about how best to assess for publication bias among other features make this task challenging. This article presents solutions adopted to addresses above challenges for judicious estimation of the strength of test accuracy evidence used to inform evidence syntheses for guideline development. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Site-specific tumor grading system in colorectal cancer: multicenter pathologic review of the value of quantifying poorly differentiated clusters.

PubMed

Ueno, Hideki; Hase, Kazuo; Hashiguchi, Yojiro; Shimazaki, Hideyuki; Tanaka, Masafumi; Miyake, Ohki; Masaki, Tadahiko; Shimada, Yoshifumi; Kinugasa, Yusuke; Mori, Yoshiyuki; Kishimoto, Mitsuo; Kameoka, Shingo; Sato, Yu; Matsuda, Keiji; Nakadoi, Koichi; Shinto, Eiji; Nakamura, Takahiro; Sugihara, Kenichi

2014-02-01

The study aimed to determine the value of a novel site-specific grading system based on quantifying poorly differentiated clusters (PDC; Grade(PDC)) in colorectal cancer (CRC). A multicenter pathologic review involving 12 institutions was performed on 3243 CRC cases (stage I, 583; II, 1331; III, 1329). Cancer clusters of ≥5 cancer cells and lacking a gland-like structure (PDCs) were counted under a ×20 objective lens in a field containing the maximum clusters. Tumors with <5, 5 to 9, and ≥10 PDCs were classified as grades G1, G2, and G3, respectively. According to Grade(PDC), 1594, 1005, and 644 tumors were classified as G1, G2, and G3 and had 5-year recurrence-free survival rates of 91.6%, 75.4%, and 59.6%, respectively (P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that Grade exerted an influence on prognostic outcome independently of TNM staging; approximately 20% and 46% of stage I and II patients, respectively, were selected by Grade(PDC) as a population whose survival estimate was comparable to or even worse than that of stage III patients. Grade(PDC) surpassed TNM staging in the ability to stratify patients by recurrence-free survival (Akaike information criterion, 2915.6 vs. 2994.0) and had a higher prognostic value than American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) grading (Grade(AJCC)) at all stages. Regarding judgment reproducibility of grading tumors, weighted κ among the 12 institutions was 0.40 for Grade(AJCC) and 0.52 for Grade(PDC). Grade(PDC) has a robust prognostic power and promises to be of sufficient clinical value to merit implementation as a site-specific grading system in CRC.

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.

Into the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1991

1991-01-01

Most of these fully-developed library media activities are to be used in connection with specific curriculum units: art (paper marbling, grades 4-9); reading/language arts (national holiday customs, grades 1-6; Robin Hood, grades 4-5); science (zoo animals, grades K-2; the aurora borealis, grades 7-9; identifying and feeding birds (grades 2-3);…

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.

A stochastic model to determine the economic value of changing diagnostic test characteristics for identification of cattle for treatment of bovine respiratory disease.

PubMed

Theurer, M E; White, B J; Larson, R L; Schroeder, T C

2015-03-01

Bovine respiratory disease is an economically important syndrome in the beef industry, and diagnostic accuracy is important for optimal disease management. The objective of this study was to determine whether improving diagnostic sensitivity or specificity was of greater economic value at varied levels of respiratory disease prevalence by using Monte Carlo simulation. Existing literature was used to populate model distributions of published sensitivity, specificity, and performance (ADG, carcass weight, yield grade, quality grade, and mortality risk) differences among calves based on clinical respiratory disease status. Data from multiple cattle feeding operations were used to generate true ranges of respiratory disease prevalence and associated mortality. Input variables were combined into a single model that calculated estimated net returns for animals by diagnostic category (true positive, false positive, false negative, and true negative) based on the prevalence, sensitivity, and specificity for each iteration. Net returns for each diagnostic category were multiplied by the proportion of animals in each diagnostic category to determine group profitability. Apparent prevalence was categorized into low (<15%) and high (≥15%) groups. For both apparent prevalence categories, increasing specificity created more rapid, positive change in net returns than increasing sensitivity. Improvement of diagnostic specificity, perhaps through a confirmatory test interpreted in series or pen-level diagnostics, can increase diagnostic value more than improving sensitivity. Mortality risk was the primary driver for net returns. The results from this study are important for determining future research priorities to analyze diagnostic techniques for bovine respiratory disease and provide a novel way for modeling diagnostic tests.

A comparative analysis of neurosurgical online education materials to assess patient comprehension.

PubMed

Agarwal, Nitin; Chaudhari, Amit; Hansberry, David R; Tomei, Krystal L; Prestigiacomo, Charles J

2013-10-01

Americans have increasingly utilized the internet as a first-line resource for a variety of information, including healthcare-oriented materials. Therefore, these online resources should be written at a level the average American can understand. Patient education resources specifically written for and available to the public were downloaded from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons website and assessed for their level of readability using the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, and Gunning-Fog Index. A total of 71 subsections from different neurosurgical specialties were reviewed, including Cerebrovascular, Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Neurotrauma and Critical Care, Pain, Pediatric, Stereotactic and Functional, and Tumor material. All neurosurgical subspecialty education material provided on the American Association of Neurological Surgeons website was uniformly written at a level that was too high, as assessed by all modalities. In order to reach a larger patient population, patient education materials on the American Association of Neurological Surgeons website should be revised with the goal of simplifying readability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An investigation of gender and grade-level differences in middle school students' attitudes about science, in science process skills ability, and in parental expectations of their children's science performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Terri Renee'

The primary purpose of the study was to examine different variables (i.e. science process skill ability, science attitudes, and parents' levels of expectation for their children in science, which may impinge on science education differently for males and females in grades five, seven, and nine. The research question addressed by the study was: What are the differences between science process skill ability, science attitudes, and parents' levels of expectation in science on the academic success of fifth, seventh, and ninth graders in science and do effects differ according to gender and grade level? The subjects included fifth, seven, and ninth grade students ( n = 543) and their parents (n = 474) from six rural, public elementary schools and two rural, public middle schools in Southern Mississippi. A two-way (grade x gender) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the differences in science process skill abilities of females and males in grade five, seven, and nine. An additional separate two-way multivariate analysis of variance (grade x gender) was also used to determine the differences in science attitudes of males and females in grade five, seven, and nine. A separate analysis of variance (PPSEX [parent's gender]) with the effects being parents' gender was used to determine differences in parents' levels of expectation for their childrens' performance in science. An additional separate analysis of variance (SSEX [student's gender]) with the effects being the gender of the student was also used to determine differences in parents' levels of expectation for their childrens' performance in science. Results of the analyses indicated significant main effects for grade level (p < .001) and gender (p < .001) on the TIPS II. There was no significant grade by gender interaction on the TIPS II. Results for the TOSRA also indicated a significant main effect for grade (p < .001) and the interaction of grade by sex ( p < .001). On variable ATT 5 (enjoyment of science lessons), males' attitudes toward science decreased across the grade levels; whereas, females decreased from grade five to seven, but showed a significant increase from grade seven to nine. Results from the analysis of variance with the parent's gender as the main effect showed no significant difference. The analysis of variance with student's gender as the main effect showed no significant difference.

There were no differences in serum HBV DNA level between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B with same liver histological necroinflammation grade but differences among grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume.

PubMed

Ke, W-M; Xie, S-B; Li, X-J; Zhang, S-Q; Lai, J; Ye, Y-N; Gao, Z-L; Chen, P-J

2011-09-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels and liver histological necroinflammation grades are correlated with the antiviral efficacy. It is necessary to clarify the relationship between HBV replication levels apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume and severity of liver histological necroinflammation grades in both hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. The serum HBV DNA levels apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume were compared between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B as well as among liver histological necroinflammation grades 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. There were no differences in the serum HBV DNA levels between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B as well as among liver histological necroinflammation grades 1, 2, 3 and 4. However, there were differences in the serum HBV DNA levels apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume among liver histological necroinflammation grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, respectively. There were no differences in HBV DNA levels with the same liver histological necroinflammation grade activated by HBV wild-type and variant strains. After the differences in hepatic parenchyma cell volume for HBV replication of the same liver histological necroinflammation grade accompanied by different hepatic fibrosis stages were adjusted, the serum HBV DNA level apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume was correlated with the severity of liver histological necroinflammation grade. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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

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…

Hierarchy of evidence: a simple system for orthopaedic research?

PubMed

Pemberton, Julia; Kraeva, Juliana; Bhandari, Mohit

2007-01-01

To be able to make a sound recommendation for a treatment based on the best available evidence, it is necessary to follow specific steps in acquiring literature, appraising the study design and quality, and assessing the results. Evidence-based medicine is founded on the concepts of using best evidence, levels of evidence, and grades of recommendation, and aims to provide clinicians with standardized rules to help them appraise the validity of published research. A number of systems have been developed to categorize research studies into consistent levels of evidence. These systems are based primarily on consensus expert opinion, and have not been validated to any extent. The use of different systems does not allow for effective communication between users; there is a lack of accord even between users of the same system. The GRADE working group has devised a new rating system that attempts to address deficiencies seen within other systems.

Body mass index in relation to serum prostate-specific antigen levels and prostate cancer risk.

PubMed

Bonn, Stephanie E; Sjölander, Arvid; Tillander, Annika; Wiklund, Fredrik; Grönberg, Henrik; Bälter, Katarina

2016-07-01

High Body mass index (BMI) has been directly associated with risk of aggressive or fatal prostate cancer. One possible explanation may be an effect of BMI on serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). To study the association between BMI and serum PSA as well as prostate cancer risk, a large cohort of men without prostate cancer at baseline was followed prospectively for prostate cancer diagnoses until 2015. Serum PSA and BMI were assessed among 15,827 men at baseline in 2010-2012. During follow-up, 735 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer with 282 (38.4%) classified as high-grade cancers. Multivariable linear regression models and natural cubic linear regression splines were fitted for analyses of BMI and log-PSA. For risk analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and natural cubic Cox regression splines producing standardized cancer-free probabilities were fitted. Results showed that baseline Serum PSA decreased by 1.6% (95% CI: -2.1 to -1.1) with every one unit increase in BMI. Statistically significant decreases of 3.7, 11.7 and 32.3% were seen for increasing BMI-categories of 25 < 30, 30 < 35 and ≥35 kg/m(2), respectively, compared to the reference (18.5 < 25 kg/m(2)). No statistically significant associations were seen between BMI and prostate cancer risk although results were indicative of a positive association to incidence rates of high-grade disease and an inverse association to incidence of low-grade disease. However, findings regarding risk are limited by the short follow-up time. In conclusion, BMI was inversely associated to PSA-levels. BMI should be taken into consideration when referring men to a prostate biopsy based on serum PSA-levels. © 2016 UICC.

Reading Development in Upper Elementary Language Minority Readers of Hebrew: The Specific Challenge of Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahar-Yames, Daphna; Prior, Anat

2017-01-01

We examined reading proficiency, focusing on fluency, in 56 Russian-speaking language minority (LM) students and 56 native Hebrew-speaking (NH) peers. Fifth-grade students completed measures of Hebrew reading accuracy and fluency from word to text level as well as phonological awareness (PA), RAN and vocabulary. LM students read single words less…

The Integration of Mathematics in Physics Problem Solving: A Case Study of Greek Upper Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meli, Kalliopi; Zacharos, Konstantinos; Koliopoulos, Dimitrios

2016-01-01

This article presents a case study that examines the level of integration of mathematical knowledge in physics problem solving among first grade students of upper secondary school. We explore the ways in which two specific students utilize their knowledge and we attempt to identify the epistemological framings they refer to while solving a physics…

What Is a Watershed? Implications of Student Conceptions for Environmental Science Education and the National Science Education Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Wee, Bryan; Priddy, Michelle; Schellenberger, Lauren; Harbor, Jon

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' conceptions about watersheds. Specifically: (1) What are students' conceptions of a watershed? and (2) In what ways might students' conceptions vary by grade level and community setting? This study was descriptive in nature and reflected a cross-age design involving the collection of…

A Global Perspective on Virtual Reality. Grade Levels 9-12. Technology in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Forum for Global Education, New York, NY.

This activity packet addresses technology in the classroom, specifically using the Internet. It presents three activities that use the Internet as a resource: (1) "Whose Point of View" (the transfer of Hong Kong to Chinese control); (2) "Where to Look" (an earthquake in Afghanistan); and (3) "Research Project: The Pros and Cons of Free Trade."…

Into the Curriculum. Art: Whistler's Mother; Reading/Language Arts: Finding My Voice; Science: Where on My Tongue? Taste; Social Studies/Science: Volcanoes; Social Studies: Pompeii.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed-Mundell, Charlie

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Describes library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up for each activity. (LRW)

Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom: Practical Applications. What Works for Special-Needs Learners Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Tracey E., Ed.; Meyer, Anne, Ed.; Rose, David H., Ed.

2012-01-01

Clearly written and well organized, this book shows how to apply the principles of universal design for learning (UDL) across all subject areas and grade levels. The editors and contributors describe practical ways to develop classroom goals, assessments, materials, and methods that use UDL to meet the needs of all learners. Specific teaching…

Boosting Student Comprehension of Informational Materials at the Secondary Level at Benjamin Holt College Preparatory Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampley, Jolyne K.

2008-01-01

Without proficiency in content reading skills, seventh grade students were at risk of not being able to achieve understanding of what they read in non-fiction texts, a skill that is absolutely necessary for college-bound students. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate whether an approach that involved specific and focused…

Fruit and Vegetable Plate Waste among Students in a Suburban School District Participating in the National School Lunch Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handforth, Kellyn M.; Gilboy, Mary Beth; Harris, Jeffrey; Melia, Nicole

2016-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this project was to assess fruit and vegetable plate waste, examine patterns of selection and consumption of specific fruit and vegetable subgroups, and analyze for differences across gender, grade level, and school. Methods: A previously-validated digital photography method was used to collect plate waste data…

Online Professional Development for High-School Biology Teachers: Effects on Teachers' and Students' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Lauren B.; Culp, Katherine McMillan; Clements, Margaret; Pasquale, Marian; Anderson, Alice

2014-01-01

One chronic challenge facing professional development providers is the need to convene and support groups of role-alike K-12 teachers who require similar kinds of discipline-and grade-level-specific training. Online courses have become an increasingly common way to meet this challenge. This article reports on a randomized control trial that tested…

Course Syllabus for Grades 10-12, Art. Art 2 + 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray State Univ., KY.

This course syllabus is one of over 80 developed and written by the Henry County School System (Tennessee) as part of a Teacher Corps demonstration project. These syllabi provide specific descriptions of what is to be learned and at what level the student is expected to perform. The art course described here is available for students who have…

Science To Go: Fact and Fiction Learning Packs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauerteig, Judy

This book demonstrates how to specifically pair a fiction and nonfiction book of the same theme and package them with copies of question and activity sheets to provide students with take-home learning packets for independent learning and family use. For each grade level in K-3, 15 topic areas are explored through two books with a common theme.…

Prediction and Stability of Mathematics Skill and Difficulty

PubMed Central

Martin, Rebecca B.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2016-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance. PMID:22392890

Prediction and stability of mathematics skill and difficulty.

PubMed

Martin, Rebecca B; Cirino, Paul T; Barnes, Marcia A; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S; Stuebing, Karla K; Fletcher, Jack M

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance.

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…

Effects of resistance training on the inflammatory response

PubMed Central

Calle, Mariana C

2010-01-01

Resistance training (RT) is associated with reduced risk of low grade inflammation related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The majority of the data studying cytokines and exercise comes from endurance exercise. In contrast, evidence establishing a relationship between RT and inflammation is more limited. This review focuses on the cytokine responses both following an acute bout, and after chronic RT. In addition, the effect of RT on low grade systemic inflammation such as individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes is reviewed. Cytokines are secreted proteins that influence the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of immune cells and other organ systems. Cytokines function as intracellular signals and almost all cells in the body either secrete them or have cytokine receptors. Thus, understanding cytokine role in a specific physiological situation such as a bout of RT can be exceedingly complex. The overall effect of long term RT appears to ameliorate inflammation, but the specific effects on the inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor alpha are not clear, requiring further research. Furthermore, it is critical to differentiate between chronically and acute Interleukin-6 levels and its sources. The intensity of the RT and the characteristics of the training protocol may exert singular cytokine responses and as a result different adaptations to exercise. More research is needed in the area of RT in healthy populations, specifically sorting out gender and age RT acute responses. More importantly, studies are needed in obese individuals who are at high risk of developing low grade systemic inflammatory related diseases. Assuring adherence to the RT program is essential to get the benefits after overcoming the first acute RT responses. Hence RT could be an effective way to prevent, and delay low grade systemic inflammatory related diseases. PMID:20827340

Grade-specific prostate cancer associations of IGF1 (CA)19 repeats and IGFBP3-202A/C in blacks and whites.

PubMed

Hoyo, Cathrine; Grubber, Janet; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Marks, Jeffrey R; Freedland, Stephen J; Jeffreys, Amy S; Grambow, Steven C; Wenham, Robert M; Walther, Philip J; Schildkraut, Joellen M

2007-07-01

Carrying the cytosine-adenosine (CA)19 repeat polymorphism in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) is associated with lower serum proteins and decreased prostate cancer risk. Carrying the -202A/C genotype in insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) also has been associated with lower serum levels of the binding protein. However, the association between this variant and prostate cancer is inconsistent. To test the hypothesis that inconsistencies are partly due to cancer grade-specific differences in strength and direction of associations, we reanalyzed data from our previous Durham Veterans Administration Hospital study of blacks and whites comprising 47 cases (19 African Americans) with Gleason sum > or = 7, 50 cases (30 African Americans) with Gleason sum < 7 and 93 controls (49 African Americans). Compared to controls, the association between carrying the IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer risk was in OR(Low-Gleason) = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.4-12.3 compared to OR(High-Gleason) = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.4-2.2. Association patterns were similar in African Americans (OR(Low-Gleason) = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.0-13.2 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.4-2.3) and whites (OR(Low-Gleason) = 5.6; 95% CI: 0.6-49.0 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2-2.2). The inverse association between carrying the IGF1 (CA)19 repeat variant did not vary by grade or ethnicity. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings support the hypothesis that the association between IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer is grade specific in both ethnic groups.

Grade-specific prostate cancer associations of IGF1 (CA)19 repeats and IGFBP3-202A/C in blacks and whites.

PubMed Central

Hoyo, Cathrine; Grubber, Janet; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Marks, Jeffrey R.; Freedland, Stephen J.; Jeffreys, Amy S.; Grambow, Steven C.; Wenham, Robert M.; Walther, Philip J.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.

2007-01-01

Carrying the cytosine-adenosine (CA)19 repeat polymorphism in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) is associated with lower serum proteins and decreased prostate cancer risk. Carrying the -202A/C genotype in insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) also has been associated with lower serum levels of the binding protein. However, the association between this variant and prostate cancer is inconsistent. To test the hypothesis that inconsistencies are partly due to cancer grade-specific differences in strength and direction of associations, we reanalyzed data from our previous Durham Veterans Administration Hospital study of blacks and whites comprising 47 cases (19 African Americans) with Gleason sum > or = 7, 50 cases (30 African Americans) with Gleason sum < 7 and 93 controls (49 African Americans). Compared to controls, the association between carrying the IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer risk was in OR(Low-Gleason) = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.4-12.3 compared to OR(High-Gleason) = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.4-2.2. Association patterns were similar in African Americans (OR(Low-Gleason) = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.0-13.2 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.4-2.3) and whites (OR(Low-Gleason) = 5.6; 95% CI: 0.6-49.0 vs. OR(High-Gleason) = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2-2.2). The inverse association between carrying the IGF1 (CA)19 repeat variant did not vary by grade or ethnicity. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings support the hypothesis that the association between IGFBP3 C allele and prostate cancer is grade specific in both ethnic groups. PMID:17668637

Prognostic Evaluations Tailored to Specific Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Analysis Of 200 Cases with Extended Follow-Up.

PubMed

Vanoli, Alessandro; La Rosa, Stefano; Miceli, Emanuela; Klersy, Catherine; Maragliano, Roberta; Capuano, Francesca; Persichella, Andrea; Martino, Michele; Inzani, Frediano; Luinetti, Ombretta; Di Sabatino, Antonio; Sessa, Fausto; Paulli, Marco; Corazza, Gino Roberto; Rindi, Guido; Bordi, Cesare; Capella, Carlo; Solcia, Enrico

2018-06-12

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are very heterogeneous, ranging from mostly indolent, atrophic gastritis-associated, type I neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), through highly malignant, poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (pdNECs), to sporadic type III NETs with intermediate prognosis, and various rare tumor types. Histologic differentiation, proliferative grade, size, level of gastric wall invasion, and local or distant metastases are used as prognostic markers. However, their value remains to be tailored to specific gastric NENs. Series of type I NETs (n = 123 cases), type III NETs (n = 34 cases), and pdNECs (n = 43 cases) were retrospectively collected from four pathology centers specializing in endocrine pathology. All cases were characterized clinically and histopathologically. During follow-up (median 93 months) data were recorded to assess disease-specific patient survival. Type I NETs, type III NETs, and pdNECs differed markedly in terms of tumor size, grade, invasive and metastatic power, as well as patient outcome. Size was used to stratify type I NETs into subgroups with significantly different invasive and metastatic behavior. All 70 type I NETs < 0.5 cm (micro-NETs) were uneventful. Ki67-based grading proved efficient for the prognostic stratification of type III NETs; however, grade 2 (G2) was not associated with tumor behavior in type I NETs. Although G3 NETs (2 type I and 9 type III) had a very poor prognosis, it was found that patient survival was longer with type III G3 NETs compared to pdNECs. Given the marked, tumor type-related behavior differences, evaluation of gastric NEN prognostic parameters should be tailored to the type of neoplastic disease. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prognostic value of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and TRAIL receptors in renal cell cancer.

PubMed

Macher-Goeppinger, Stephan; Aulmann, Sebastian; Tagscherer, Katrin E; Wagener, Nina; Haferkamp, Axel; Penzel, Roland; Brauckhoff, Antje; Hohenfellner, Markus; Sykora, Jaromir; Walczak, Henning; Teh, Bin T; Autschbach, Frank; Herpel, Esther; Schirmacher, Peter; Roth, Wilfried

2009-01-15

The death ligand tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its receptors (TRAIL-R) are involved in immune surveillance and tumor development. Here, we studied a possible association between the expression of TRAIL/TRAIL-Rs and the prognosis in patients with renal cell carcinomas (RCC). A tissue microarray containing RCC tumor tissue samples and corresponding normal tissue samples from 838 patients was generated. Expression of TRAIL and TRAIL-Rs was examined by immunohistochemistry and the effect of TRAIL and TRAIL-R expression on disease-specific survival was assessed. High TRAIL-R2 expression levels were associated with high-grade RCCs (P < 0.001) and correlated negatively with disease-specific survival (P = 0.01). Similarly, high TRAIL expression was associated with a shorter disease-specific survival (P = 0.01). In contrast, low TRAIL-R4 expression was associated with high-stage RCCs (P < 0.001) as well as with the incidence of distant metastasis (P = 0.03) and correlated negatively with disease-specific survival (P = 0.02). In patients without distant metastasis, multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that TRAIL-R2 and TRAIL are independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (in addition to tumor extent, regional lymph node metastasis, grade of malignancy, and type of surgery). High TRAIL-R2, high TRAIL, and low TRAIL-R4 expression levels are associated with a worse disease-specific survival in patients with RCCs. Therefore, the assessment of TRAIL/TRAIL-R expression offers valuable prognostic information that could be used to select patients for adjuvant therapy studies. Moreover, our findings are of relevance for a potential experimental therapeutic administration of TRAIL-R agonists in patients with RCCs.

Assessment of Liver Function in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A New Evidence-Based Approach—The ALBI Grade

PubMed Central

Johnson, Philip J.; Berhane, Sarah; Kagebayashi, Chiaki; Satomura, Shinji; Teng, Mabel; Reeves, Helen L.; O'Beirne, James; Fox, Richard; Skowronska, Anna; Palmer, Daniel; Yeo, Winnie; Mo, Frankie; Lai, Paul; Iñarrairaegui, Mercedes; Chan, Stephen L.; Sangro, Bruno; Miksad, Rebecca; Tada, Toshifumi; Kumada, Takashi; Toyoda, Hidenori

2015-01-01

Purpose Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have associated chronic liver disease, the severity of which is currently assessed by the Child-Pugh (C-P) grade. In this international collaboration, we identify objective measures of liver function/dysfunction that independently influence survival in patients with HCC and then combine these into a model that could be compared with the conventional C-P grade. Patients and Methods We developed a simple model to assess liver function, based on 1,313 patients with HCC of all stages from Japan, that involved only serum bilirubin and albumin levels. We then tested the model using similar cohorts from other geographical regions (n = 5,097) and other clinical situations (patients undergoing resection [n = 525] or sorafenib treatment for advanced HCC [n = 1,132]). The specificity of the model for liver (dys)function was tested in patients with chronic liver disease but without HCC (n = 501). Results The model, the Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) grade, performed at least as well as the C-P grade in all geographic regions. The majority of patients with HCC had C-P grade A disease at presentation, and within this C-P grade, ALBI revealed two classes with clearly different prognoses. Its utility in patients with chronic liver disease alone supported the contention that the ALBI grade was indeed an index of liver (dys)function. Conclusion The ALBI grade offers a simple, evidence-based, objective, and discriminatory method of assessing liver function in HCC that has been extensively tested in an international setting. This new model eliminates the need for subjective variables such as ascites and encephalopathy, a requirement in the conventional C-P grade. PMID:25512453

7 CFR 58.135 - Bacterial estimate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Milk § 58.135 Bacterial estimate. (a) Methods of Testing. Milk shall be tested for bacterial estimate...

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.

The effects of academic grouping on student performance in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scoggins, Sally Smykla

The current action research study explored how student placement in heterogeneous or homogeneous classes in seventh-grade science affected students' eighth-grade Science State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores, and how ability grouping affected students' scores based on race and socioeconomic status. The population included all eighth-grade students in the target district who took the regular eighth-grade science STAAR over four academic school years. The researcher ran three statistical tests: a t-test for independent samples, a one-way between subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a two-way between subjects ANOVA. The results showed no statistically significant difference between eighth-grade Pre-AP students from seventh-grade Pre-AP classes and eighth-grade Pre-AP students from heterogeneous seventh-grade classes and no statistically significant difference between Pre-AP students' scores based on socioeconomic status. There was no statistically significant interaction between socioeconomic status and the seventh-grade science classes. The scores between regular eighth-grade students who were in heterogeneous seventh-grade classes were statistically significantly higher than the scores of regular eighth-grade students who were in regular seventh-grade classes. The results also revealed that the scores of students who were White were statistically significantly higher than the scores of students who were Black and Hispanic. Black and Hispanic scores did not differ significantly. Further results indicated that the STAAR Level II and Level III scores were statistically significantly higher for the Pre-AP eighth-grade students who were in heterogeneous seventh-grade classes than the STAAR Level II and Level III scores of Pre-AP eighth-grade students who were in Pre-AP seventh-grade classes.

Morphologic Features of Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Surrogate of Capsular Contracture in Breast Cancer Patients With Implant-based Reconstructions.

PubMed

Tyagi, Neelam; Sutton, Elizabeth; Hunt, Margie; Zhang, Jing; Oh, Jung Hun; Apte, Aditya; Mechalakos, James; Wilgucki, Molly; Gelb, Emily; Mehrara, Babak; Matros, Evan; Ho, Alice

2017-02-01

Capsular contracture (CC) is a serious complication in patients receiving implant-based reconstruction for breast cancer. Currently, no objective methods are available for assessing CC. The goal of the present study was to identify image-based surrogates of CC using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We analyzed a retrospective data set of 50 patients who had undergone both a diagnostic MRI scan and a plastic surgeon's evaluation of the CC score (Baker's score) within a 6-month period after mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. The MRI scans were assessed for morphologic shape features of the implant and histogram features of the pectoralis muscle. The shape features, such as roundness, eccentricity, solidity, extent, and ratio length for the implant, were compared with the Baker score. For the pectoralis muscle, the muscle width and median, skewness, and kurtosis of the intensity were compared with the Baker score. Univariate analysis (UVA) using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test and multivariate analysis with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression was performed to determine significant differences in these features between the patient groups categorized according to their Baker's scores. UVA showed statistically significant differences between grade 1 and grade ≥2 for morphologic shape features and histogram features, except for volume and skewness. Only eccentricity, ratio length, and volume were borderline significant in differentiating grade ≤2 and grade ≥3. Features with P<.1 on UVA were used in the multivariate least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis. Multivariate analysis showed a good level of predictive power for grade 1 versus grade ≥2 CC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.78, sensitivity 0.78, and specificity 0.82) and for grade ≤2 versus grade ≥3 CC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.75, sensitivity 0.75, and specificity 0.79). The morphologic shape features described on MR images were associated with the severity of CC. MRI has the potential to further improve the diagnostic ability of the Baker score in breast cancer patients who undergo implant reconstruction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom.

PubMed

Schwartz, Marlene B; Gilstad-Hayden, Kathryn; Henderson, Kathryn E; Luedicke, Joerg; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Peters, Susan M; McCaslin, Catherine; Ickovics, Jeannette R

2015-10-01

The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the link between perceived authoritative parenting behaviors and sugary drink consumption among children from low-income families who do or do not have televisions (TVs) in their bedrooms. Middle school students (N = 480) completed a baseline survey in sixth grade and a follow-up survey in seventh grade. The students were recruited from 12 schools in a low-income, predominantly black (33%) and Latino (48%), urban school district. The survey assessed the children's perception of their parents' controlling and nurturing behaviors, the presence of a TV in their bedrooms, and their level of sugary drink consumption on the previous school day. Children's report of specific controlling and nurturing parental behaviors were used to create an "authoritative parenting" score. Regression analyses were used to test the main and interactive effects of authoritative parenting behaviors and having a TV in the bedroom with sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, gender, BMI, and sugary drink consumption in sixth grade. A significant interaction emerged: The authoritative parenting score predicted lower levels of sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, but this relationship was moderated by whether or not there was a TV in the child's bedroom. A TV in the child's bedroom may weaken the positive influence of authoritative parenting behaviors on limiting sugary drink consumption among middle school children from low-income families. Stronger initiatives are recommended to educate parents and help them refrain from placing TVs in their children's bedrooms.

The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom

PubMed Central

Gilstad-Hayden, Kathryn; Henderson, Kathryn E.; Luedicke, Joerg; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Peters, Susan M.; McCaslin, Catherine; Ickovics, Jeannette R.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the link between perceived authoritative parenting behaviors and sugary drink consumption among children from low-income families who do or do not have televisions (TVs) in their bedrooms. Methods: Middle school students (N = 480) completed a baseline survey in sixth grade and a follow-up survey in seventh grade. The students were recruited from 12 schools in a low-income, predominantly black (33%) and Latino (48%), urban school district. The survey assessed the children's perception of their parents' controlling and nurturing behaviors, the presence of a TV in their bedrooms, and their level of sugary drink consumption on the previous school day. Children's report of specific controlling and nurturing parental behaviors were used to create an “authoritative parenting” score. Regression analyses were used to test the main and interactive effects of authoritative parenting behaviors and having a TV in the bedroom with sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, gender, BMI, and sugary drink consumption in sixth grade. Results: A significant interaction emerged: The authoritative parenting score predicted lower levels of sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, but this relationship was moderated by whether or not there was a TV in the child's bedroom. Conclusion: A TV in the child's bedroom may weaken the positive influence of authoritative parenting behaviors on limiting sugary drink consumption among middle school children from low-income families. Stronger initiatives are recommended to educate parents and help them refrain from placing TVs in their children's bedrooms. PMID:26317365

The relationship of plasma miR-503 and coronary collateral circulation in patients with coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Fei, Yu; Hou, Jianhua; Xuan, Wei; Zhang, Chenghua; Meng, Xiuping

2018-06-02

Although angiogenesis plays an important role in coronary collateral circulation (CCC) formation and there are many determinants of coronary angiogenesis, they cannot fully explain the mechanism of CCC formation or as potent biomarker for CCC status. Therefore, there is of great clinical significance to identify the novel molecules associated with CCC. Previously, miR-503 exerts anti-angiogenesis effect via inhibition of VEGF-A and its expression is associated with many angiogenesis-related factors. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship of plasma miR-503 with CCC formation as well as its predictive power for CCC status in patients with coronary artery disease. Among patients who underwent coronary angiography with coronary artery disease and a stenosis of ≥90% were included in our study. Collateral degree was graded according to Rentrop Cohen classification. The patients were divided to good CCC group (grade 2 or 3) and poor CCC group (grade 0 or 1) according to Rentrop grade. We investigated the plasma levels of miR-503 and VEGF-A by ELISA or q RT-PCR, respectively. In addition, we assayed the correlations of plasma miR-503 with VEGF-A or Rentrop grade using the spearman correlation test and its predictive power by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and binary logistical regression analysis. Our data showed that plasma VEGF-A was significantly higher in good CCC group than that in poor group. Plasma miR-503 was lower in CAD patients with good CCC or poor CCC compared with control subjects and lowest in good CCC group. In addition, miR-503 negatively correlated with VEGF-A and Rentrop grade, respectively. Moreover, miR-503 displayed more potent predictive power for CCC status than VEGF-A, but its sensitivity and specificity for CCC status were only 72.4 or 60.9%, respectively. Lower plasma miR-503 level was related to better CCC formation, accompanied by up-regulation of VEGF-A. In addition, miR-503 displayed potent predictive power for CCC status, but its sensitivity and specificity were not high enough, indicating that miR-503 might be as an additional prognosis biomarker for CCC. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Serum endocan levels in patients with chronic liver disease

PubMed Central

Tok, Duran; Ekiz, Fuat; Basar, Omer; Coban, Sahin; Ozturk, Gulfer

2014-01-01

Background and Aim: Early detection of fibrosis should be the main goal of treatment in liver cirrhosis. Endocan, previously called endothelial cell specific molecule-1, is expressed by endothelial cells, primarily in the lung, liver and kidney. In this study, we aimed to examine the correlation of liver fibrosis stage, histological activity and grade of steatosis between serum levels of endocan in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study includes a total of 146 subjects. 55 CHB patients, 19 CHC patients, 38 NAFLD patients and 34 healthy controls were enrolled consecutively. Liver biopsies were performed in all patients with chronic viral hepatitis. NAFLD patients had either grade 2 or grade 3 steatosis on ultrasonography and elevated liver enzymes above the upper normal limits. Serum endocan levels were assessed from blood samples obtained at admission. Results: Gender distribution was similar among the groups (p=0.056). The mean age of the CHB patients was 45.8±12.1, CHC patients was 55.0±12.8 years, NAFLD patients was 42.8±10.8, while control group was 39.4±13.6 years old. Patients with CHC were older than all the others (p=0.001). Serum endocan levels were statistically significantly lower in CHB, CHC and NAFLD groups when compared with controls. Although levels of endocan were lower in CHB and CHC groups when compared with NAFLD group, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Serum endocan concentrations decrease in patients with liver disease. Unlike previous studies, we showed a negative correlation between endocan levels and inflammation stage of chronic hepatitis. However, further studies are needed to establish the association between endocan levels, liver fibrosis and hepatic inflammation. PMID:25126183

Accuracy and reliability of retinal photo grading for diabetic retinopathy: Remote graders from a developing country and standard retinal photo grader in Australia.

PubMed

Islam, Fakir M Amirul

2017-01-01

To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of fundus retinal photos graded by local graders in Bangladesh with those graded by an expert at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) in the context of mass scale diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening in Bangladesh. A population-based cross-sectional study of 3,104 adults identified 213 (7.2%) eligible patients with diabetes of age ≥ 40 years in 2012-2013. Retinal photographs were collected using a non-mydriatic digital fundus retinal camera and a two-field imaging protocol. The photos were graded by two remote graders (G1 and G2) who were trained by a retinal specialist (RS) in Bangladesh, by the RS himself, and by a Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) grader. The local graders up skilled their grading ability by comparing 30% of the photos graded by the CERA grader with their own grades. Learning from that exercise was applied to the remaining 70% of photos, which were re-graded. Reliability and accuracy of grading amongst the graders were reported using cross tabulation, inter- and intra-grader reliability, and with sensitivity and specificity. Of 122 eyes from 61 patients, the mild (R1) DR was estimated to be 14 to 25%, pre-proliferative (R2) DR 4-8%, and proliferative (R3) DR 0.8 to 1.6%, whereas 25%, 8%, 18%, and 15% were found to be ungradable by CERA, RS, G1, and G2, respectively. Of 8 (6.6%) eyes identified as R2 by the CERA grader, 5 (63%), 3 (38%) and 3 (38%) were correctly classified as R2, whereas the rest were classified either as R1 or R3 but none were classified as no DR (R0) or ungradable by the RS, G1 and G2, respectively. After getting experience reviewing the 30% test set graded by the CERA grader, the local graders graded moderate and severe DR with 100% accuracy. After excluding ungradable photos, the sensitivity (specificity) relative to the CERA grader was 82% (88%) before and 80% (93%) after training for G1 and 56% (87%) before and 77% (90%) after training for G2. In case of maculopathy, the CERA grader reported 11.2% eyes with maculopathy, which included 100% of the 4.9% by RS, 6.6% by G1, and 7.4% by G2. Local graders in Bangladesh are able to grade retinal photos with high accuracy if the DR is at least of a moderate level. With appropriate training and experience, local graders have the ability to contribute significantly to the grading of millions of retinal photos, which required grading in resource- poor countries.

7 CFR 58.139 - Record of tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPROVED PLANTS AND STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Milk § 58.139 Record of tests. Accurate records listing the results of quality and drug residue tests...

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…

[Grades evaluation of Scutellariae Radix slices based on quality constant].

PubMed

Deng, Zhe; Zhang, Jun; Jiao, Meng-Jiao; Zhong, Wen; Cui, Wen-Jin; Cheng, Jin-Tang; Chen, Sha; Wang, Yue-Sheng; Liu, An

2017-05-01

By measuring the morphological indexes and the marker components content of 22 batches of Scutellariae Radix slices as well as calculating the quality constant, this research was aimed to establish a new method of evaluating the specifications and grades of Scutellariae Radix slices. The quality constants of these samples were in the range of 0.04-0.49, which can be divided into several grades based on the real requirement. If they were divided into three grades, the quality constant was ≥0.39 for the first grade, <0.39 but ≥0.24 for the second grade, and <0.24 for the third grade. This work indicated that the quality constants characterizing both apparent parameters and intrinsic quality can be used as a comprehensive evaluation index to classify the grades of traditional Chinese medicine quantitatively, clearly and objectively. The research results in this paper would provide new ideas and references for evaluating the specifications and grades of traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Anti-Heat Shock Protein-27 Antibody Levels in Women with Breast Cancer: Association with Disease Complications and Two-Year Disease-Free Survival

PubMed Central

Homaei-Shandiz, Fatemeh; Mehrad-Majd, Hassan; Tasbandi, Mojtaba; Aledavood, Amir; Afshari, Jalil Tavakol; Ghavami, Vahid; Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid

2016-01-01

Background and Aim: Breast cancer is a major healthcare problem in women. There are many reports about up-regulation of Hsp27 in cancer tissues but less is known about the potential relationship between Hsp27 antibody levels and breast cancer complications. We here investigated concentrations of serum Hsp27 antigen and antibodies in subjects with and without breast cancer and assessed potential associations with two-year disease-free survival, histological grade and number of lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: Specifically, serum Hsp27 antigen and antibody levels from 97 patients with breast cancer, and 65 healthy controls were determined by enzyme-linkedimmunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Results: Serum Hsp27 and antibody levels were significantly (p<0.001) higher in patients with breast cancer compared to the control group, but no relationship were found with two-year disease free survival, histological grade or number of lymph nodes (p> 0.6, 0.2 and 0.9 respectively). Conclusions: Elevated levels of Hsp27 antibody occur with women with breast cancer but do not appear to be associated with the presence of disease clinical complications. PMID:27892679

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...

Somatostatin receptor imaging in non-(131)I-avid metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma for determining the feasibility of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with (177)Lu-DOTATATE: low fraction of patients suitable for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and evidence of chromogranin A level-positive neuroendocrine differentiation.

PubMed

Jois, Bhargavi; Asopa, Ramesh; Basu, Sandip

2014-06-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate somatostatin receptor expression in non-I-concentrating metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma by Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT/Tc-HYNIC-TOC scintigraphy and to determine the feasibility of Lu-DOTATATE (therapeutic analog) therapy in cases with positive Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT/Tc-HYNIC-TOC scintigraphy. In this research study, 19 patients diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma with non-iodine-concentrating metastasis with elevated serum thyroglobulin levels, attending thyroid outpatient department for follow-up, underwent Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT/Tc-HYNIC-TOC scan for the evaluation of positivity of somatostatin receptor (SSTR). Based on the visual grading, SSTR-positive lesions were graded into 4 categories (grades I-IV) in comparison with the hepatic uptake on the scan. Patients with grades III and IV uptake in lesions (equal to or more than hepatic uptake on scan) were scheduled for Lu-DOTATATE administration. Posttherapy Lu-DOTATATE scan was undertaken during discharge from the isolation ward. Of the 19 patients studied, 12 patients (63%) showed SSTR-positive lesion expression demonstrating uptake ranging from grade I-IV, and 7 patients (37%) did not demonstrate any tracer uptake. On a lesion-specific analysis, of the total 57 metastatic lesions, 4 lesions (7%) demonstrated grade I tracer uptake, 18 lesions (31%) grade II (less than liver), 2 lesions (3.5%) grade III (equal to liver uptake), and 1 lesion showed grade IV uptake (more than liver). Interestingly, an elevated serum chromogranin A level was documented in 3 of the patients with grades III and IV tumor uptake. A comparison of Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT and Tc-HYNIC-TOC in 4 patients who underwent both the scans demonstrated no significant differences in the tracer concentration in the metastatic lesions in any of the patients on visual grading. Based on the criterion of high tracer uptake and the patient consent, finally 2 of 3 patients were treated with Lu-DOTATATE. On follow-up after 3 months, a significant fall in serum thyroglobulin level was noted in one of the patients, and the other patient was lost to follow-up. Avid expression of the SSTR on Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT/Tc-HYNIC-TOC scintigraphy in non-I-concentrating metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer is observed in a relatively low fraction of patients that could favor the feasibility of Lu-DOTATATE therapy. Although seen in a small fraction, taking into account that no treatment exists in this group, somatostatin receptor-targeted imaging can be an alternative diagnostic modality in the therapeutic decision making with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and monitoring. The documentation of elevated serum chromogranin A level in 3 patients with intense tracer uptake could suggest a possible neuroendocrine differentiation in the affected tissues leading to the expression of chromogranin A along with SSTR-avid expression. This observation needs to be explored in future studies. No definite conclusions can be drawn on the therapeutic efficacy of the Lu-DOTATATE therapy in this group at present, and more prospective research is required in this area.

Platinum sensitivity and DNA repair in a recently established panel of patient-derived ovarian carcinoma xenografts

PubMed Central

Guffanti, Federica; Fratelli, Maddalena; Ganzinelli, Monica; Bolis, Marco; Ricci, Francesca; Bizzaro, Francesca; Chilà, Rosaria; Sina, Federica Paola; Fruscio, Robert; Lupia, Michela; Cavallaro, Ugo; Cappelletti, Maria Rosa; Generali, Daniele; Giavazzi, Raffaella; Damia, Giovanna

2018-01-01

A xenobank of patient-derived (PDX) ovarian tumor samples has been established consisting of tumors with different sensitivity to cisplatin (DDP), from very responsive to resistant. As the DNA repair pathway is an important driver in tumor response to DDP, we analyzed the mRNA expression of 20 genes involved in the nucleotide excision repair, fanconi anemia, homologous recombination, base excision repair, mismatch repair and translesion repair pathways and the methylation patterns of some of these genes. We also investigated the correlation with the response to platinum-based therapy. The mRNA levels of the selected genes were evaluated by Real Time-PCR (RT-PCR) with ad hoc validated primers and gene promoter methylation by pyrosequencing. All the DNA repair genes were variably expressed in all 42 PDX samples analyzed, with no particular histotype-specific pattern of expression. In high-grade serous/endometrioid PDXs, the CDK12 mRNA expression levels positively correlated with the expression of TP53BP1, PALB2, XPF and POLB. High-grade serous/endometrioid PDXs with TP53 mutations had significantly higher levels of POLQ, FANCD2, RAD51 and POLB than high-grade TP53 wild type PDXs. The mRNA levels of CDK12, PALB2 and XPF inversely associated with the in vivo DDP antitumor activity; higher CDK12 mRNA levels were associated with a higher recurrence rate in ovarian patients with low residual tumor. These data support the important role of CDK12 in the response to a platinum based therapy in ovarian patients. PMID:29872499

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.

Causal modeling of secondary science students' intentions to enroll in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawley, Frank E.; Black, Carolyn B.

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of the theory of planned behavior model developed by social psychologists for understanding and predicting the behavioral intentions of secondary science students regarding enrolling in physics. In particular, the study used a three-stage causal model to investigate the links from external variables to behavioral, normative, and control beliefs; from beliefs to attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control; and from attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to behavioral intentions. The causal modeling method was employed to verify the underlying causes of secondary science students' interest in enrolling physics as predicted in the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected from secondary science students (N = 264) residing in a central Texas city who were enrolled in earth science (8th grade), biology (9th grade), physical science (10th grade), or chemistry (11th grade) courses. Cause-and-effect relationships were analyzed using path analysis to test the direct effects of model variables specified in the theory of planned behavior. Results of this study indicated that students' intention to enroll in a high school physics course was determined by their attitude toward enrollment and their degree of perceived behavioral control. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were, in turn, formed as a result of specific beliefs that students held about enrolling in physics. Grade level and career goals were found to be instrumental in shaping students' attitude. Immediate family members were identified as major referents in the social support system for enrolling in physics. Course and extracurricular conflicts and the fear of failure were shown to be the primary beliefs obstructing students' perception of control over physics enrollment. Specific recommendations are offered to researchers and practitioners for strengthening secondary school students' intentions to study physics.

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.

Teachers' Grade Assignment and the Predictive Validity of Criterion-Referenced Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorsen, Cecilia; Cliffordson, Christina

2012-01-01

Research has found that grades are the most valid instruments for predicting educational success. Why grades have better predictive validity than, for example, standardized tests is not yet fully understood. One possible explanation is that grades reflect not only subject-specific knowledge and skills but also individual differences in other…

A key for the Forest Service hardwood tree grades

Treesearch

Gary W. Miller; Leland F. Hanks; Harry V., Jr. Wiant

1986-01-01

A dichotomous key organizes the USDA Forest Service hardwood tree grade specifications into a stepwise procedure for those learning to grade hardwood sawtimber. The key addresses the major grade factors, tree size, surface characteristics, and allowable cull deductions in a series of paried choices that lead the user to a decision regarding tree grade.

7 CFR 58.122 - Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading... FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Purpose § 58.122 Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service. (a...

7 CFR 58.122 - Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading... FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Purpose § 58.122 Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service. (a...

7 CFR 58.122 - Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading... FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Purpose § 58.122 Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service. (a...

7 CFR 58.122 - Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading... FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Purpose § 58.122 Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service. (a...

7 CFR 58.122 - Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading... FOR GRADES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS 1 General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Purpose § 58.122 Approved plants under USDA inspection and grading service. (a...

Neuropathic pain: an updated grading system for research and clinical practice

PubMed Central

Finnerup, Nanna B.; Haroutounian, Simon; Kamerman, Peter; Baron, Ralf; Bennett, David L.H.; Bouhassira, Didier; Cruccu, Giorgio; Freeman, Roy; Hansson, Per; Nurmikko, Turo; Raja, Srinivasa N.; Rice, Andrew S.C.; Serra, Jordi; Smith, Blair H.; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Jensen, Troels S.

2016-01-01

Abstract The redefinition of neuropathic pain as “pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system,” which was suggested by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Special Interest Group on Neuropathic Pain (NeuPSIG) in 2008, has been widely accepted. In contrast, the proposed grading system of possible, probable, and definite neuropathic pain from 2008 has been used to a lesser extent. Here, we report a citation analysis of the original NeuPSIG grading paper of 2008, followed by an analysis of its use by an expert panel and recommendations for an improved grading system. As of February, 2015, 608 eligible articles in Scopus cited the paper, 414 of which cited the neuropathic pain definition. Of 220 clinical studies citing the paper, 56 had used the grading system. The percentage using the grading system increased from 5% in 2009 to 30% in 2014. Obstacles to a wider use of the grading system were identified, including (1) questions about the relative significance of confirmatory tests, (2) the role of screening tools, and (3) uncertainties about what is considered a neuroanatomically plausible pain distribution. Here, we present a revised grading system with an adjusted order, better reflecting clinical practice, improvements in the specifications, and a word of caution that even the “definite” level of neuropathic pain does not always indicate causality. In addition, we add a table illustrating the area of pain and sensory abnormalities in common neuropathic pain conditions and propose areas for further research. PMID:27115670

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.

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

Analysis of DNA Methylation at Specific Loci in Stool Samples Detects Colorectal Cancer and High-grade Dysplasia in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PubMed

Kisiel, John B; Klepp, Pasquale; Allawi, Hatim T; Taylor, William R; Giakoumopoulos, Maria; Sander, Tamara; Yab, Tracy C; Moum, Bjorn A; Lidgard, Graham P; Brackmann, Stephan; Mahoney, Douglas W; Roseth, Arne; Ahlquist, David A

2018-05-15

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are at increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). Analyses of DNA methylation patterns in stool samples have been reported to detect CRC in patients with IBD. We sought to validate these findings in larger cohorts and assess the accuracy of analysis of DNA methylation patterns in stool for detection of CRC and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) normalized to methylation level at ZDHHC1. We obtained buffered, frozen stool samples from a United States case-control study and from 2 European surveillance cohorts (referral or population based) of patients with chronic UC (n=248), CD (n=82), indeterminate colitis (n=2), or IBD with primary sclerosing cholangitis (n=38). Stool samples were collected before bowel preparation for colonoscopy or at least 1 week after colonoscopy. Among the study samples, stools from individuals with IBD but without neoplasia were used as controls (n=291). DNA was isolated from stool, exposed to bisulfite, and then assayed by multiplex quantitative allele-specific real-time target and signal amplification. We analyzed methylation levels of BMP3, NDRG4, VAV3, and SFMBT2 relative to the methylation level of ZDHHC1, and compared these between patients with CRC or HGD and controls. Levels of methylation at BMP3 and VAV3, relative to ZDHHC1 methylation, identified patients with CRC and HGD with an area under curve value of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.77-1.00). Methylation levels at specific promotor regions of these genes identified 11 of the 12 patients with CRC and HGD, with 92% sensitivity (95% CI, 60%-100%) and 90% specificity (95% CI, 86%-93%). The proportion of false-positive results did not differ significantly among the case-control, referral cohort, and population cohort studies (P=.60) when the 90% specificity cut-off from the whole sample set was applied. In an analysis of stool samples from 3 independent studies, of 332 patients with IBD, we associated levels of methylation at 2 genes (BMP3 and VAV3), relative to level of methylation at ZDHHC1, with detection of CRC and HGD. These methylation patterns identified patients with CRC and HGD with more than 90% specificity, and might be used in CRC surveillance. Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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…

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…

Maternal Literacy and Associations Between Education and the Cognitive Home Environment in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Green, Cori M.; Berkule, Samantha B.; Dreyer, Benard P.; Fierman, Arthur H.; Huberman, Harris S.; Klass, Perri E.; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Yin, Hsiang Shonna; Morrow, Lesley M.; Mendelsohn, Alan L.

2011-01-01

Objective To determine whether maternal literacy level accounts for associations between educational level and the cognitive home environment in low-income families. Design Analysis of 369 mother-infant dyads participating in a long-term study related to early child development. Setting Urban public hospital. Participants Low-income mothers of 6-month-old infants. Main Exposure Maternal literacy level was assessed using the Woodcock-Johnson III/Bateria III Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement, Letter-Word Identification Test. Maternal educational level was assessed by determining the last grade that had been completed by the mother. Main Outcome Measure The cognitive home environment (provision of learning materials, verbal responsivity, teaching, and shared reading) was assessed using StimQ, an office-based interview measure. Results In unadjusted analyses, a maternal literacy level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and each of 4 subscales, whereas a maternal educational level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and 3 of 4 subscales. In simultaneous multiple linear regression models including both literacy and educational levels, literacy continued to be associated with scores for the overall StimQ (adjusted mean difference, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-5.7) and all subscales except teaching, whereas maternal educational level was no longer significantly associated with scores for the StimQ (1.8; 0.5-4.0) or any of its subscales. Conclusions Literacy level may be a more specific indicator of risk than educational level in low-income families. Studies of low-income families should include direct measures of literacy. Pediatricians should develop strategies to identify mothers with low literacy levels and promote parenting behaviors to foster cognitive development in these at-risk families. PMID:19736337

Correlation between stressors and academic performance in second year medical students.

PubMed

Nuallaong, Winitra

2011-12-01

The present study aimed to find which type of stressors correlating to academic performance in second year medical students. One-hundred and eighty three second year medical students of Thammasat University participated in a three-week cross-sectional study. The self-report questionnaire consisted of Thai stress test, stress factors and examination grades referring academic performance were applied in the present study. Females felt stress more than males in severe, high, and medium level of stress. There was no low level of stress and no correlation between stress level and the entrance programs. Academic performance found relating to 1) fear of doing a mistake, 2) feeling of competition or comparison, 3) unilateral headache, 4) worrying, and 5) poor concentration. Students with poor concentration had significantly decreasing grade in the second year (p < 0.01). Interestingly, worrying, feeling of competition or comparison, and fear of doing a mistake correlated to increasing grade in some terms (p < 0.05). Specifically to poor concentration, there were medium linear association with fatigue, poor memory, feeling confused, feeling sad, feeling angry or irritable, changing appetite, and headache from stress (p < 0.01). Poor concentration was the only stressor significantly correlated with poorer academic performance. Poor concentration also correlated with physical, cognitive, and financial problems. The recommendation is to keep watching those issues in order to early detect problem about academic performance.

Diagnostic performance of HPV E6/E7 mRNA assay for detection of cervical high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer among women with ASCUS Papanicolaou smears.

PubMed

Ren, Chenchen; Zhu, Yuanhang; Yang, Li; Zhang, Xiaoan; Liu, Ling; Ren, Chunying

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical performance of high risk (HR) HPV E6/E7 mRNA assay in detecting cervical high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer among women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. A total of 160 patients with ASCUS who underwent HR-HPV DNA assay, HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA assay and colposcopy biopsy at Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China, from December 2015 to March 2017, were enrolled. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between pathological results with clinical biologic factors. Univariate analysis showed that the qualitative results of HR-HPV DNA, qualitative results of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA and expression levels of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA were risk factors of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer (all P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis found that only the expression levels of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA was associated with high-grade CIN and cervical cancer (OR = 8.971, 95% CI = 2.572-31.289, P = 0.001). An optimal cut-off value of ≥ 558.26 copies/ml was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve, and specificity of cut-off value were higher than E6/E7 mRNA qualitative assay and DNA qualitative assay. HPV E6/E7 mRNA quantitative assay may be a valuable tool in triage of ASCUS pap smears. A high specificity of E6/E7 mRNA quantitative assay as a triage test in women with ASCUS can be translated into a low referral for colposcopy.

Favorable Preliminary Outcomes for Men With Low- and Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer Treated With 19-Gy Single-fraction High-dose-rate Brachytherapy

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

Krauss, Daniel J., E-mail: dkrauss@beaumont.edu; Ye, Hong; Martinez, Alvaro A.

Purpose: To report the toxicity and preliminary clinical outcomes of a prospective trial evaluating 19-Gy, single-fraction high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 63 patients were treated according to an institutional review board-approved prospective study of single-fraction HDR brachytherapy. Eligible patients had tumor stage ≤T2a, prostate-specific antigen level ≤15 ng/mL, and Gleason score ≤7. Patients with a prostate gland volume >50 cm{sup 3} and baseline American Urologic Association symptom score >12 were ineligible. Patients underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided transperineal implantation of the prostate, followed by single-fraction HDR brachytherapy. Treatment was delivered using {sup 192}Irmore » to a dose of 19 Gy prescribed to the prostate, with no additional margin applied. Results: Of the 63 patients, 58 had data available for analysis. Five patients had withdrawn consent during the follow-up period. The median follow-up period was 2.9 years (range 0.3-5.2). The median age was 61.4 years. The median gland volume at treatment was 34.8 cm{sup 3}. Of the 58 patients, 91% had T1 disease, 71% had Gleason score ≤6 (29% with Gleason score 7), and the median pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level was 5.1 ng/mL. The acute and chronic grade 2 genitourinary toxicity incidence was 12.1% and 10.3%, respectively. No grade 3 urinary toxicity occurred. No patients experienced acute rectal toxicity grade ≥2, and 2 experienced grade ≥2 chronic gastrointestinal toxicity. Three patients experienced biochemical failure, yielding a 3-year cumulative incidence estimate of 6.8%. Conclusions: Single-fraction HDR brachytherapy is well-tolerated, with favorable preliminary biochemical and clinical disease control rates.« less

Ultrasound as a screening test for genitourinary anomalies in children with UTI.

PubMed

Nelson, Caleb P; Johnson, Emilie K; Logvinenko, Tanya; Chow, Jeanne S

2014-03-01

The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines state that renal and bladder ultrasound (RBUS) should be performed after initial febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in a young child, with voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) performed only if RBUS shows abnormalities. We sought to determine test characteristics and predictive values of RBUS for VCUG findings in this setting. We analyzed 3995 clinical encounters from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010 during which VCUG and RBUS were performed for history of UTI. Patients who had previous postnatal genitourinary imaging or history of prenatal hydronephrosis were excluded. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of RBUS for VCUG abnormalities were determined. We identified 2259 patients age <60 months who had UTI as the indication for imaging. RBUS was reported as "normal" in 75%. On VCUG, any vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was identified in 41.7%, VUR grade >II in 20.9%, and VUR grade >III in 2.8%. Sensitivity of RBUS for any abnormal findings on VCUG ranged from 5% (specificity: 97%) to 28% (specificity: 77%). Sensitivity for VUR grade >III ranged from 18% (specificity: 97%) to 55% (specificity: 77%). Among the 1203 children aged 2 to 24 months imaged after a first febrile UTI, positive predictive value of RBUS was 37% to 47% for VUR grade >II (13% to 24% for VUR grade >III); negative predictive value was 72% to 74% for VUR grade >II (95% to 96% for VUR grade >III). RBUS is a poor screening test for genitourinary abnormalities. RBUS and VCUG should be considered complementary as they provide important, but different, information.

Ultrasound as a Screening Test for Genitourinary Anomalies in Children With UTI

PubMed Central

Johnson, Emilie K.; Logvinenko, Tanya; Chow, Jeanne S.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines state that renal and bladder ultrasound (RBUS) should be performed after initial febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in a young child, with voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) performed only if RBUS shows abnormalities. We sought to determine test characteristics and predictive values of RBUS for VCUG findings in this setting. METHODS: We analyzed 3995 clinical encounters from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010 during which VCUG and RBUS were performed for history of UTI. Patients who had previous postnatal genitourinary imaging or history of prenatal hydronephrosis were excluded. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of RBUS for VCUG abnormalities were determined. RESULTS: We identified 2259 patients age <60 months who had UTI as the indication for imaging. RBUS was reported as “normal” in 75%. On VCUG, any vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was identified in 41.7%, VUR grade >II in 20.9%, and VUR grade >III in 2.8%. Sensitivity of RBUS for any abnormal findings on VCUG ranged from 5% (specificity: 97%) to 28% (specificity: 77%). Sensitivity for VUR grade >III ranged from 18% (specificity: 97%) to 55% (specificity: 77%). Among the 1203 children aged 2 to 24 months imaged after a first febrile UTI, positive predictive value of RBUS was 37% to 47% for VUR grade >II (13% to 24% for VUR grade >III); negative predictive value was 72% to 74% for VUR grade >II (95% to 96% for VUR grade >III). CONCLUSIONS: RBUS is a poor screening test for genitourinary abnormalities. RBUS and VCUG should be considered complementary as they provide important, but different, information. PMID:24515519

Automated Processing of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI: Correlation of Advanced Pharmacokinetic Metrics with Tumor Grade in Pediatric Brain Tumors.

PubMed

Vajapeyam, S; Stamoulis, C; Ricci, K; Kieran, M; Poussaint, T Young

2017-01-01

Pharmacokinetic parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging have proved useful for differentiating brain tumor grades in adults. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion data from children with newly diagnosed brain tumors and analyzed the pharmacokinetic parameters correlating with tumor grade. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging data from 38 patients were analyzed by using commercially available software. Subjects were categorized into 2 groups based on pathologic analyses consisting of low-grade (World Health Organization I and II) and high-grade (World Health Organization III and IV) tumors. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared between the 2 groups by using linear regression models. For parameters that were statistically distinct between the 2 groups, sensitivity and specificity were also estimated. Eighteen tumors were classified as low-grade, and 20, as high-grade. Transfer constant from the blood plasma into the extracellular extravascular space (K trans ), rate constant from extracellular extravascular space back into blood plasma (K ep ), and extracellular extravascular volume fraction (V e ) were all significantly correlated with tumor grade; high-grade tumors showed higher K trans , higher K ep , and lower V e . Although all 3 parameters had high specificity (range, 82%-100%), K ep had the highest specificity for both grades. Optimal sensitivity was achieved for V e , with a combined sensitivity of 76% (compared with 71% for K trans and K ep ). Pharmacokinetic parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging can effectively discriminate low- and high-grade pediatric brain tumors. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Comprehensive School Reform Instructional Practices throughout a School Year: The Role of Subject Matter, Grade Level, and Time of Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Caroline H.; Good, Thomas L.; McCaslin, Mary

2008-01-01

Background/Context: The achievement effects of Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) programs have been studied through the use of input-output models, in which type of CSR program is the input and student achievement is the output. Although specific programs have been found to be more effective and evaluated more than others, teaching practices in…

Improvement of Writing at Grades 10 and 11: Does Automated Essay Scoring Software Help Students Improve Their Writing Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gollnitz, Deborah-Lee

2010-01-01

Writing skills are considered essential to lifelong success, yet experts cannot agree on one model or set of traits that distinguishes good writing from poor writing. Instructional strategies in developing student writing at the high school level need to include a means by which students receive immediate, specific feedback that acts as a scaffold…

Response to Intervention and Retention for Children with Specific Learning Disabilities: Differences in Academic Achievement between Retained and Non-Retained Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller-Margulis, Milena; Gischlar, Karen

2014-01-01

Research indicates that the practice of grade-level retention may have negative effects on students; nevertheless it is often used in practice for students who fail to meet academic standards. In contrast to retention, response to intervention (RtI) is a sound practice that is based on a preventive framework and utilizes differentiated instruction…

Into the Curriculum. Dramatics/Reading/Language Arts: Jellyfish Jiggle and More; Reading/Language Arts: Birthstone Folklore; Science: Jellyfish FAQ; Science: Minerals in Caves; Social Studies: Mapping the Oceans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 2003

2003-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in dramatics, reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are describes for each…

Learner Outcomes and Satisfaction: A Comparison of Live Video-Streamed Instruction, Satellite Broadcast Instruction, and Face-to-Face Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdous, M'hammed; Yoshimura, Miki

2010-01-01

This study examined the final grade and satisfaction level differences among students taking specific courses using three different methods: face-to-face in class, via satellite broadcasting at remote sites, and via live video-streaming at home or at work. In each case, the same course was taught by the same instructor in all three delivery…

Investigating Variation in Teaching with Technology-Rich Intervention: What Matters in Teaching and Teacher Training at Scale?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Margaret Breslin

2009-01-01

A main question this dissertation addresses is: what variation in teaching and teacher training matter? This question is examined within a specific but important context: the scale-up of a technology-rich intervention focused on the algebra strand of 8th grade mathematics. I conducted a multi-level case study by gathering and analyzing data at…

Map and Compass Skills for the Secondary School (Understanding Topographic Maps, Developing Compass Skills, and Orienteering). Instructional Activities Series IA/S-18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Robert P.

This activity is one of a series of 17 teacher-developed instructional activities for geography at the secondary-grade level described in SO 009 140. The activity investigates the development of compass skills, map skills, and orienteering. It employs the educational-games approach. Given specific exercises and instructions, students become…

Grading Dysphagia as a Toxicity of Head and Neck Cancer: Differences in Severity Classification Based on MBS DIGEST and Clinical CTCAE Grades.

PubMed

Goepfert, Ryan P; Lewin, Jan S; Barrow, Martha P; Warneke, Carla L; Fuller, Clifton D; Lai, Stephen Y; Weber, Randal S; Hutcheson, Katherine A

2018-04-01

Clinician-reported toxicity grading through common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) stages dysphagia based on symptoms, diet, and tube dependence. The new dynamic imaging grade of swallowing toxicity (DIGEST) tool offers a similarly scaled five-point ordinal summary grade of pharyngeal swallowing as determined through results of a modified barium swallow (MBS) study. This study aims to inform clinicians on the similarities and differences between dysphagia severity according to clinical CTCAE and MBS-derived DIGEST grading. A cross-sectional sample of 95 MBS studies was randomly selected from a prospectively-acquired MBS database among patients treated with organ preservation strategies for head and neck cancer. MBS DIGEST and clinical CTCAE dysphagia grades were compared. DIGEST and CTCAE dysphagia grades had "fair" agreement per weighted κ of 0.358 (95% CI .231-.485). Using a threshold of DIGEST ≥ 3 as reference, CTCAE had an overall sensitivity of 0.50, specificity of 0.84, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.67 to identify severe MBS-detected dysphagia. At less than 6 months, sensitivity was 0.72, specificity was 0.76, and AUC was 0.75 while at greater than 6 months, sensitivity was 0.22, specificity was 0.90, and AUC was 0.56 for CTCAE to detect dysphagia as determined by DIGEST. Classification of pharyngeal dysphagia on MBS using DIGEST augments our understanding of dysphagia severity according to the clinically-derived CTCAE while maintaining the simplicity of an ordinal scale. DIGEST likely complements CTCAE toxicity grading through improved specificity for physiologic dysphagia in the acute phase and improved sensitivity for dysphagia in the late-phase.

It's Greek to me: Domain specific relationships between intellectual helplessness and academic performance.

PubMed

Krejtz, Izabela; Nezlek, John B

2016-01-01

In a study of the domain specificity of intellectual learned helplessness, we collected data from 376 students in 14 classrooms. We measured feelings of intellectual helplessness for mathematics and language skills, anxiety about performance in each of these domains, and general working memory. Multilevel modeling analyses found that feelings of helplessness in language skills were negatively related to grades in language but were unrelated to grades in mathematics. Similarly, feelings of helplessness in mathematics were negatively related to grades in mathematics but were unrelated to grades in language. Controlling for anxiety or working memory did not change these relationships, nor did they vary across the age of students. The results support conceptualizations in which learned helplessness has a domain specific component.

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.

Examining the accuracy of students' self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sticca, Fabio; Goetz, Thomas; Bieg, Madeleine; Hall, Nathan C; Eberle, Franz; Haag, Ludwig

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students' self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research.

Examining the accuracy of students’ self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Goetz, Thomas

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students’ self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research. PMID:29112979

[Prospective epidemiologic study of perioperative anaphylactoid reactions occurring in Catalonia (1996-7)].

PubMed

Escolano, F; Valero, A; Huguet, J; Baxarias, P; de Molina, M; Castro, A; Granel, C; Sanosa, J; Bartolomé, B

2002-01-01

To determine the incidence, immunological mechanisms, severity and clinical course of perioperative allergic reactions. Prospective epidemiological study lasting 2 years (1996-97). In 20 hospitals in Catalonia (Spain), we studied patients who suffered allergic reactions equal to or greater than grade Ib according to the classification of Laxenaire. Serum and urine samples were collected during the first and sixth hours after the onset of a reaction. Complement factors, total serum and latex-specific serum IgE antibodies, hemostatic markers, serum tryptase and urinary methylhistamine were assayed. Tests for allergy to the drugs used during the perioperative period were performed on all patients who consented. Anesthetic procedures were performed 328,430 times in the 20 hospitals. Thirty-two allergic reactions were reported (1 case/10,263 anesthesias); the frequency was greater during general anesthesia (1 case/6,978 anesthesias). Women suffered 58.3% of the reactions, and the mean patient age was 47.8 +/- 16.5 years. Fifty-six percent of the reactions were severe (grades III-IV), and 68.7% occurred upon immediate exposure. Induction was the moment of greatest risk (50%). Treatment was required by 90.6% of the patients, but no deaths or serious sequelae occurred. Complete analyses could be carried out immediately for 25 patients. High urinary methylhistamine and/or serum tryptase levels were found for 57% of the patients with grade Ib reactions, for 80% of those with grade II reactions, and for 91.7% of those with grade III reactions (p = 0.05). High serum tryptase levels were the only findings for 53.8% of the grade III reactions (p = 0.007). Skin tests were positive for 62.5% of the patients. The frequency of allergic reactions in Catalonia is 1 case per 10,263 anesthesias performed, but the rate is higher in general anesthesia. Fifty-six percent of the reactions were severe. Most developed immediately and the moment of induction involved the greatest risk. Early assessment of methylhistamine and tryptase levels has been shown to be useful and positivity is linearly associated with severity of reaction. In 62.5% of the patients, positive results were seen in skin tests performed later.

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

Why Go Modular? A Review of Modular A-Level Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taverner, Sally; Wright, Martin

1997-01-01

Attitudes, academic intentions, and attainment of students gaining a grade in A-level (Advanced level) mathematics were compared for those who followed a modular course and those assessed at the end of two years of study. Overall, the final grades of those assessed modularly were half a grade higher. (JOW)

Gender and Grade-Level Comparisons in the Structure of Problem Behaviors among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chun, Heejung; Mobley, Michael

2010-01-01

Based on Jessor's theory (1987) the comparability of a second-order problem behavior model (SPBM) was investigated across gender and grade-level among adolescents. In addition, gender and grade-level differences in problem behavior engagement were addressed examining latent mean differences. Using a sample of 6504 adolescents drawn from the…

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2015-16

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, 2017

2017-01-01

This annual report provides information for the 2015-16 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; race/ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and economic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are…

Readability of Self-Report Alcohol Misuse Measures

PubMed Central

McHugh, R Kathryn; Sugarman, Dawn E; Kaufman, Julia S; Park, Sara; Weiss, Roger D; Greenfield, Shelly F

2014-01-01

Objective: Self-report measures of alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorders are valuable assessment tools for both research and clinical practice settings. However, readability is often overlooked when establishing the validity of these measures, which may result in measures written at a reading-grade level that is higher than the ability level of many potential respondents. The aim of the current study was to estimate the reading-grade level of validated measures of alcohol misuse and associated problems. Method: A total of 45 measures were identified, and reading-grade level was calculated using three validated readability formulas. Results: The majority of measures were written above the recommended reading-grade level for patient materials (5th–6th grade), with particularly poor readability for measure instructions. Conclusions: Given that many self-report alcohol misuse measures are written at a high reading-grade level, the consideration of readability is important when selecting measures for use in research and practice settings. Moreover, the development or modification of measures to target low-literacy populations may facilitate the broader applicability of these instruments. PMID:24650827

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.

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.