Summary Report. Indiana College-Level Manpower Study Report Number 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Robert M.

Selected findings of seven previously published reports of the College-Level Manpower Study are summarized. Factors involving both manpower supply and demand were investigated and educational and occupational areas in which major supply/demand imbalances exist were determined. The primary goal was to investigate the manpower supply/demand…

Investigating Saudi Learners' Preferences for Giving and Receiving Macro and/or Micro Level Peer Feedback on Their Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alnasser, Suliman Mohammed; Alyousef, Hesham Suleiman

2015-01-01

Several studies have addressed the subject of the preferences of L2 student-writers for receiving teacher feedback (FB) on macro level features (feedback related to meaning) and micro level features (feedback related to surface level issues); however, none of these have investigated their preferences when it comes to giving and receiving peer…

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…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oz, Huseyin

2015-01-01

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

Investigating the Effects of Robot-Assisted Therapy among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder using Bio-markers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharatharaj, Jaishankar; Huang, Loulin; Al-Jumaily, Ahmed; Elara, Mohan Rajesh; Krägeloh, Chris

2017-09-01

Therapeutic pet robots designed to help humans with various medical conditions could play a vital role in physiological, psychological and social-interaction interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this paper, we report our findings from a robot-assisted therapeutic study conducted over seven weeks to investigate the changes in stress levels of children with ASD. For this study, we used the parrot-inspired therapeutic robot, KiliRo, we developed and investigated urinary and salivary samples of participating children to report changes in stress levels before and after interacting with the robot. This is a pioneering human-robot interaction study to investigate the effects of robot-assisted therapy using salivary samples. The results show that the bio-inspired robot-assisted therapy can significantly help reduce the stress levels of children with ASD.

The Investigation of the Level of Self-Directed Learning Readiness According to the Locus of Control and Personality Traits of Preschool Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balaban Dagal, Asude; Bayindir, Dilan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the level of self-directed learning readiness, locus of control and the personality traits of preschool teacher candidates. The survey method was used for this study. The study group consisted of 151 teacher candidates who volunteered to participate in the study from Preschool…

Exploring Zimbabwean Advanced Level Chemistry Students' Approaches to Investigations from a Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chirikure, Tamirirofa; Hobden, Paul; Hobden, Sally

2018-01-01

In this paper we report on the findings of a study on Advanced Level Chemistry students' approaches to investigations from a learning perspective in the Zimbabwean educational context. Students' approaches to investigations are inextricably linked to the quality of learning and performances in these practical activities. An explanatory…

Investigating the Relationship between School Level Accountability Practices and Science Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gándara, Fernanda; Randall, Jennifer

2015-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between school-level accountability practices and science achievement of 15-year-olds, across four counties: Australia, Korea, Portugal, and the United States. We used PISA 2006 data, since 2006 is the only administration that has focused on science. School-level accountability practices are here defined as…

Investigating the Digital Addiction Level of the University Students According to Their Purposes for Using Digital Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesici, Ahmet; Tunç, Nazenin Fidan

2018-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the digital addiction (DA) level of the university students according to their purposes for using digital tools. 527 students studying at the faculties of education of Erzincan, Dicle, and Siirt Universities participated this study in which general survey model was used. A form was used to reveal for which…

An Investigation Regarding the Preservice Teachers' Emotional Literacy Levels and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüktepe, Seval Eminoglu; Akbag, Müge; Özmercan, Esra Eminoglu

2017-01-01

Self-efficacy beliefs and emotional literacy skills are considered as one of the most fundamental characteristics of teachers to create positive effects on students. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between preservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and their emotional literacy levels. This study is designed as a relational…

Investigating the Resilience Levels of Parents with Children with Multiple Disabilities Based on Different Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadi, Sinem; Eldeniz Cetin, Muzeyyen

2018-01-01

This study investigated the resilience levels of parents with children with multiple disabilities by utilizing different variables. The study, conducted with survey model--a qualitative method--included a sample composed of a total of 222 voluntary parents (183 females, 39 males) residing in Bolu, Duzce and Zonguldak in Turkey. Parental…

Pre-Service Class Teacher' Ability in Solving Mathematical Problems and Skills in Solving Daily Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljaberi, Nahil M.; Gheith, Eman

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the ability of pre-service class teacher at University of Petrain solving mathematical problems using Polya's Techniques, their level of problem solving skills in daily-life issues. The study also investigates the correlation between their ability to solve mathematical problems and their level of problem solving…

High C-reactive protein levels are associated with depressive symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Faugere, M; Micoulaud-Franchi, J-A; Faget-Agius, C; Lançon, C; Cermolacce, M; Richieri, R

2018-01-01

Depressive symptoms are frequently associated with schizophrenia symptoms. C - Reactive protein (CRP), a marker of chronic inflammation, had been found elevated in patients with schizophrenia and in patients with depressive symptoms. However, the association between CRP level and depressive symptoms has been poorly investigated in patients with schizophrenia. The only study conducted found an association between high CRP levels and antidepressant consumption, but not with depressive symptoms investigated with the Calgary Depression Rating Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). The aim of this study was to evaluate CRP levels and depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, and to determine whether high CRP levels are associated with depressive symptoms and/or antidepressant consumption, independently of potential confounding factors, especially tobacco-smoking and metabolic syndrome. Three hundred and seven patients with schizophrenia were enrolled in this study (mean age = 35.74 years, 69.1% male gender). Depressive symptoms was investigated with the CDSS. Patients were classified in two groups: normal CRP level (≤ 3.0mg/L) and high CRP level (> 3.0mg/L). Current medication was recorded. 124 subjects (40.4%) were classified in the high CRP level group. After adjusting for confounding factors, these patients were found to have higher CDSS scores than those with normal CRP levels in multivariate analyses (p = 0.035, OR = 1.067, 95% CI = 1.004-1.132). No significant association between CRP levels and antidepressants consumption was found. The size sample is relatively small. The cut-off point for high cardiovascular risk was used to define the two groups. CRP was the sole marker of inflammation in this study and was collected at only one time point. The design of this study is cross-sectional and there are no conclusions about the directionality of the association between depression and inflammation in schizophrenia. This study found an association between high rates of CRP levels and depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but no association with antidepressant consumption. Further studies are needed to investigate the impact of inflammation in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the effects of magnetic field exposure on human melatonin. Interim report

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

Graham, C.; Cook, M.R.; Cohen, H.D.

Several rodent studies have suggested that magnetic field exposure may alter the daily pattern of melatonin secretion. This study investigated melatonin levels in mean exposed overnight to magnetic fields of 10 mG and 200 mG. The study also assessed the potential effects of exposure on a number of performance and self-reported endpoints in the subjects. Investigation of this area is important, as altered diurnal melatonin cycles have been linked to a variety of endpoints, including reproductive outcome, neurobehavioral function, and carcinogenesis. The results of this investigation did not support the a priori hypothesis that exposure to 60-Hz magnetic fields ofmore » 10 mG and 200 mG alters nighttime melatonin levels in a population of adult males. However, the data suggested the possibility of differential sensitivity to magnetic fields based on an individual`s baseline melatonin level.« less

Prompting Secondary Students' Use of Criteria, Feedback Specificity and Feedback Levels during an Investigative Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gan, Mark J. S.; Hattie, John

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effects of prompting on secondary students' written peer feedback in chemistry investigation reports. In particular, we examined students' feedback features in relation to the use of criteria, feedback specificity, and feedback levels. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was adopted. Reviewers in…

Investigation of Global Citizenship Levels of Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayisoglu, Numan Bahadir

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present research is to define global citizenship levels of pre-service physical education teachers and investigate whether their global citizenship levels vary by various variables. A total of 485 pre-service teachers, studying at 3rd and 4th grades of undergraduate programs of physical education teaching at thirteen different…

Investigation of Bias in Job Evaluation Ratings of Comparable Worth Study Participants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mount, Michael K.; Ellis, Rebecca A.

1987-01-01

Investigated the effects of knowledge of current pay levels and perceived job gender on subsequent job evaluations. Confirmed the hypothesis that jobs with high pay levels would receive higher evaluations than jobs with low pay levels. Found evidence of a pro-female bias in the job evaluation ratings of 53 job evaluators. (Author/ABB)

Do the Low Levels of Reading Course Material Continue? An Examination in a Forensic Psychology Graduate Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clump, Michael A.; Doll, Jason

2007-01-01

Clump, Bauer, and Bradley (2004) and Burchfield and Sappington (2000) previously found extremely low levels of reading in undergraduate psychology courses. The current study investigated whether these low levels of reading are also found with graduate students, or if this value is altered by only investigating individuals who show continued…

A Study Investigating the Perceived Service Quality Levels of Sport Center Members: A Kano Model Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Kadir; Polat, Ercan; Güzel, Pinar

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate sport center members' perceived service quality levels with a view to Kano customer expectations and requirements model. To that end, a descriptive approach and a correlational research design featuring survey method is adopted. Research group consists of 680 (300 women, 380 men) sport center members who…

The Relationship between Levels of Nomophobia Prevalence and Internet Addiction among High School Students: The Factors Influencing Nomophobia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gezgin, Deniz Mertkan; Cakir, Ozlem; Yildirim, Soner

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between nomophobia levels of high school students and their Internet Addiction. This study also investigates the factors including duration of smartphone and mobile Internet use that trigger and create this phenomenon. In order to explore the prevalence of nomophobia among high school…

Estimation of physical activity by different questionnaires in overweight subjects and patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: relationship with anthropometric and metabolic variables.

PubMed

Babić, Z; Deskin, M; Muacević-Katanec, D; Erdeljić, V; Misigoj-Duraković, M; Metelko, Z

2004-10-01

This study assessed the level of physical activity in overweight and obese subjects, and overweight and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It also compared their physical activity level with that of the general population and investigated benefits of physical activity on anthropometric and metabolic parameters and blood pressure in the studied groups of patients using Baecke's questionnaire and the Lipid Research Clinics Physical Activity (LRC PA) questionnaire. The two questionnaires were also compared in the evaluation of benefits. Physical activity level and other parameters (body weight, body height, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipoprotein and creatinine concentrations in the blood, concentration of fasting glucose and HbA1c in the blood, albuminuria-to-creatinuria ratio) of 136 subjects and their relationships were investigated during their out-patient visits. No difference in physical activity level was found among the four groups of investigated patients. The comparison between the level of physical activity in the investigated patients and the general population obtained by Baecke's questionnaire revealed a lower sports index in all groups of investigated men and obese women with diabetes mellitus. Our results confirm the benefit of physical activity on a high number of investigated parameters in the studied patients. The Baecke's questionnaire was found to estimate the effects of physical activity on metabolic and anthropometric parameters, as well as blood pressure, better than the LRC PA questionnaire, especially the two-point scoring system. LRC PA and especially Baecke's questionnaires are valuable aids in the estimation of physical activity level and its benefits in overweight and obese patients and patients with T2DM.

Word-Level and Sentence-Level Automaticity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners: a Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Dongmei; Yu, Xiaoru; Zhang, Haomin

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate second language (L2) word-level and sentence-level automatic processing among English as a foreign language students through a comparative analysis of students with different proficiency levels. As a multidimensional and dynamic construct, automaticity is conceptualized as processing speed, stability, and…

Applied Chaos Level Test for Validation of Signal Conditions Underlying Optimal Performance of Voice Classification Methods.

PubMed

Liu, Boquan; Polce, Evan; Sprott, Julien C; Jiang, Jack J

2018-05-17

The purpose of this study is to introduce a chaos level test to evaluate linear and nonlinear voice type classification method performances under varying signal chaos conditions without subjective impression. Voice signals were constructed with differing degrees of noise to model signal chaos. Within each noise power, 100 Monte Carlo experiments were applied to analyze the output of jitter, shimmer, correlation dimension, and spectrum convergence ratio. The computational output of the 4 classifiers was then plotted against signal chaos level to investigate the performance of these acoustic analysis methods under varying degrees of signal chaos. A diffusive behavior detection-based chaos level test was used to investigate the performances of different voice classification methods. Voice signals were constructed by varying the signal-to-noise ratio to establish differing signal chaos conditions. Chaos level increased sigmoidally with increasing noise power. Jitter and shimmer performed optimally when the chaos level was less than or equal to 0.01, whereas correlation dimension was capable of analyzing signals with chaos levels of less than or equal to 0.0179. Spectrum convergence ratio demonstrated proficiency in analyzing voice signals with all chaos levels investigated in this study. The results of this study corroborate the performance relationships observed in previous studies and, therefore, demonstrate the validity of the validation test method. The presented chaos level validation test could be broadly utilized to evaluate acoustic analysis methods and establish the most appropriate methodology for objective voice analysis in clinical practice.

Factors Predicting Compliance to Ecological Momentary Assessment Among Adolescent Smokers

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction: Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are increasingly used in smoking research to understand contextual and individual differences related to smoking and changes in smoking. To date, there has been little detailed research into the predictors of EMA compliance. However, patterns or predictors of compliance may affect key relationships under investigation and introduce sources of bias in results. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of compliance to random prompts among a sample of adolescents who had ever smoked. Methods: Data for this study were drawn from a sample of 461 adolescents (9th and 10th graders at baseline) participating in a longitudinal study of smoking escalation. We examined 2 outcomes: subject-level EMA compliance (overall rate of compliance over a week-long EMA wave), and in-the-moment prompt-level compliance to the most proximal random prompt. We investigated several covariates including gender, race, smoking rate, alcohol use, psychological symptomatology, home composition, mood, social context, time in study, inter-prompt interval, and location. Results: At the overall subject level, higher mean negative affect, smoking rate, alcohol use, and male gender predicted lower compliance with random EMA prompts. At the prompt level, after controlling for significant subject-level predictors of compliance, increased positive affect, being outside of the home, and longer inter-prompt interval predicted lower momentary compliance. Conclusions: This study identifies several factors associated with overall and momentary EMA compliance among a sample of adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of smoking. We also propose a conceptual framework for investigating the contextual and momentary predictors of compliance within EMA studies. PMID:24097816

Active Learning Applications in the History of Chemistry: Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers' Level of Knowledge and Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sendur, Gülten; Polat, Merve; Toku, Abdullah; Kazanci, Coskun

2014-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of a History and Philosophy of Chemistry-I course based on active learning applications on the level of knowledge of pre-service chemistry teachers about the history of chemistry. The views of pre-service chemistry teachers about these activities were also investigated. The study was carried out with 38…

A Study of Students' Loneliness Levels and Their Attachment Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin Kiralp, F. Sülen; Serin, Nergüz B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between loneliness levels and attachment styles of university students. In this research, it was investigated whether the attachment styles differed in terms of variables such as gender, class, place of stay, socio-economic level of their family, parental education levels, counterpart…

Are Educational Psychologists Stressed? A Pilot Study of Educational Psychologists' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersch, Irvine; Teuma, Anna

2005-01-01

This paper describes an exploratory pilot research project, aimed at investigating occupational stress amongst educational psychologists. It investigated three areas: educational psychologists' perceptions of their own stress levels, sources of stress and possible work conditions, which may reduce stress levels. Data was collected via…

Impact of IL1B gene polymorphisms and interleukin 1B levels on susceptibility to spontaneous preterm birth.

PubMed

Langmia, Immaculate M; Apalasamy, Yamunah D; Omar, Siti Z; Mohamed, Zahurin

2016-11-01

Genetic factors influence susceptibility to preterm birth (PTB) and the immune pathway of PTB that involves the production of cytokines such as interleukins has been implicated in PTB disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of interleukin 1β (IL1B) gene polymorphisms and IL1B levels with spontaneous PTB. Peripheral maternal blood from 495 women was used for extraction of DNA and genotyping was carried out using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Maternal plasma was used to measure IL1B levels. There was no significant association between the allelic and genotype distribution of IL1B single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs1143634, rs1143627, rs16944) and the risk of PTB among Malaysian Malay women (rs1143634, P=0.722; rs1143627, P=0.543; rs16944, P=0.615). However, IL1B levels were significantly different between women who delivered preterm compared with those who delivered at term (P=0.030); high mean levels were observed among Malay women who delivered at preterm (mean=32.52) compared with term (mean=21.68). IL1B SNPs were not associated with IL1B plasma levels. This study indicates a significant association between IL1B levels and reduced risk of PTB among the Malaysian Malay women. This study shows the impact of IL1B levels on susceptibility to PTB disease; however, the high levels of IL1B observed among women in the preterm group are not associated with IL1B SNPs investigated in this study; IL1B high levels may be because of other factors not explored in this study and therefore warrant further investigation.

Vocabulary Assessment with Varying Levels of Context: A Replication Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Brenna

2014-01-01

This replication study investigates how the level of context in vocabulary assessment affects the scores on tests of American idioms. Using Uçkun's methodology of 3 tests with 3 levels of context, 85 participants varying in level from high-beginner to advanced took an online test consisting of 30 questions, 10 questions for each level of context.…

Epigenome-wide DNA methylation study of IgE concentration in relation to self-reported allergies.

PubMed

Ek, Weronica E; Ahsan, Muhammad; Rask-Andersen, Mathias; Liang, Liming; Moffatt, Miriam F; Gyllensten, Ulf; Johansson, Åsa

2017-04-01

Epigenetic mechanisms are critical for normal immune development and epigenetic alterations might therefore be possible contributors to immune diseases. To investigate if DNA methylation in whole blood is associated with total and allergen-specific IgE levels. We performed an epigenome-wide association study to investigate the association between DNA methylation and IgE level, allergen-specific IgE and self-reported immune diseases and allergies in 728 individuals. We identified and replicated 15 CpG sites associated with IgE, mapping to biologically relevant genes, including ACOT7, ILR5A, KCNH2, PRG2 and EPX. A total of 331 loci were associated with allergen-specific IgE, but none of these CpG sites were associated with self-reported allergies and immune diseases. This study shows that IgE levels are associated with DNA methylation levels at numerous CpG sites, which might provide new leads for investigating the links between IgE and allergic inflammation.

EVALUATION AND REPORTING OF COUNTY GASOLINE USE METHODOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The report reviews two EPA studies that investigated improvements in the allocation of state-level gasoline sales to the county level in order to improve annual county-level emissions estimates from this source category. The approaches taken in these studies are compared with the...

Investigation of biological effects of some Mannich Bases containing Bis-1,2,4- Triazole.

PubMed

Parlak, A E; Celik, S; Karatepe, M; Turkoglu, S; Alayunt, N O; Dastan, S D; Ulas, M; Sandal, S; Tekin, S; Koparir, M

2016-06-30

In this study, the effects of Mannich bases containing bis-1,2,4-triazole on the levels of in vivo malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant vitamins (A, E, C) were examined in serum, livers and kidneys of rats. DA and vitamin (A, E, C) levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant effect was investigated by determining the MDA levels in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells as in vitro. Furthermore, the antitumor effects of compounds were investigated against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Interrelations of results among control and compound groups were evaluated using SPSS statistical software package. As a result, some of the compounds showed effective biological activity when compared to control conditions. The test compounds used in this study may be effective for utilization in the selection and design of model compounds for further studies.

A Study of Secondary Science Teacher Efficacy and Level of Constructivist Instructional Practice Implementation in West Virginia Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Amanda Kristen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of use of selected constructivist instructional practices and level of teacher efficacy in West Virginia secondary science classrooms. The study next sought to determine if a relationship existed between level of use of the constructivist practices and teacher efficacy. In addition the study…

Interest in Birds and Its Relationship with Attitudes and Myths: A Cross-Cultural Study in Countries with Different Levels of Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hummel, Eberhard; Fancovicová, Jana; Randler, Christoph; Ozel, Murat; Usak, Muhammet; Medina-Jerez, William; Prokop, Pavol

2015-01-01

Birds are one of the most important species that can help protect biodiversity. Although birds are important beings for biodiversity and human existence, there is a relatively less quantity of research that has investigated the interest in and attitudes toward birds. This study aims to investigate the knowledge level of and attitudes toward birds…

Teaching Geometry in the 21st Century: Investigating Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatar, Enver; Aldemir, Ruhsen; Niess, Margaret L.

2018-01-01

This qualitative case study investigated teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) for teaching high school geometry in Turkey. Four TPACK components and their corresponding five TPACK level descriptions were used for examining three geometry teachers' TPACK through their technological instructional plans, microteaching…

Quality of Feedback Following Performance Assessments: Does Assessor Expertise Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Govaerts, Marjan J. B.; van de Wiel, Margje W. J.; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate quality of feedback as offered by supervisor-assessors with varying levels of assessor expertise following assessment of performance in residency training in a health care setting. It furthermore investigates if and how different levels of assessor expertise influence feedback characteristics.…

Understanding Policy Implementation: District-Level Leaders' Perceptions of Reading Policy Implementation Efforts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Charles Dana

2013-01-01

Research investigating the complex, multi-directional relationships inherent to public education has become a focal point of reform research. This study investigated the perceptions held by district-level leaders regarding the Colorado Department of Education's efforts to facilitate the successful implementation of reading policy. In addition, it…

rs4889 polymorphism in KISS1 gene, its effect on polycystic ovary syndrome development and anthropometric and hormonal parameters in Saudi women.

PubMed

Albalawi, Fadwa S; Daghestani, Maha H; Daghestani, Mazin H; Eldali, Abdelmoneim; Warsy, Arjumand S

2018-05-30

Kisspeptin is involved in female reproduction. This study was designed to i- estimate kisspeptin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in comparison with controls, ii- study the correlations between kisspeptin and PCOS-related reproductive hormones, and iii- investigate the relation between KISS1 gene polymorphisms and hormone levels in women suffering from PCOS. The investigation was a clinically designed study on 28 women with PCOS, and 30 normal, healthy women with no signs of PCOS as controls. Blood samples were collected between day 3 and day 6 of the menstrual cycle in both groups at 8:00 a.m., and circulating levels of LH, FSH and kisspeptin were estimated. DNA was extracted from whole blood and all coding exons of KISS1 gene were sequenced. Women with PCOS had higher LH levels and BMI compared to controls. Plasma kisspeptin levels were positively correlated with LH levels. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of kisspeptin and FSH levels. The SNP rs4889 C/G, a non-synonymous SNP, was investigated in the PCOS group. The frequency of GG genotype was significantly higher in the PCOS compared to the controls. These patients were more obese, had higher kisspeptin and FSH levels. The results of the study show that the genetic variation of KISS1 gene may be a factor contributing to PCOS development. The association between the gene and the gene variation and PCOS need further validation in large-scaled and functional studies.

A collisional-radiative model for low-pressure weakly magnetized Ar plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xi-Ming; Tsankov, Tsanko; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Marchuk, Oleksandr

2016-09-01

Collisional-radiative (CR) models are widely investigated in plasma physics for describing the kinetics of reactive species and for optical emission spectroscopy. This work reports a new Ar CR model used in low-pressure (0.01-10 Pa) weakly magnetized (<0.1 Tesla) plasmas, including ECR, helicon, and NLD discharges. In this model 108 realistic levels are individually studied, i.e. 51 lowest levels of the Ar atom and 57 lowest levels of the Ar ion. We abandon the concept of an ``effective level'' usually adopted in previous models for glow discharges. Only in this way the model can correctly predict the non-equilibrium population distribution of close energy levels. In addition to studying atomic metastable and radiative levels, this model describes the kinetic processes of ionic metastable and radiative levels in detail for the first time. This is important for investigation of plasma-surface interaction and for optical diagnostics using atomic and ionic line-ratios. This model could also be used for studying Ar impurities in tokamaks and astrophysical plasmas.

Vitamin D levels do not predict the stage of hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of pooled data

PubMed Central

Saberi, Behnam; Dadabhai, Alia S; Nanavati, Julie; Wang, Lin; Shinohara, Russell T; Mullin, Gerard E

2018-01-01

AIM To investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and fibrosis stage in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS Two individual reviewers identified relevant studies using the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) Studies that evaluated adults with NAFLD and serum or plasma 25(OH)D levels; and (2) assessed fibrosis stage using liver biopsy. A rigorous analysis yielded six articles as having sufficient data to employ in evaluating the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. To meta-analyze vitamin D levels in F0-F2 vs F3-F4 fibrosis, a random-effects meta-analysis fit using restricted maximum likelihood was applied. To examine trends across each stage of fibrosis with respect to vitamin D levels, a meta-regression was performed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS A total of 937 subjects from six studies were included in the final analysis to evaluate the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. First, the investigators performed a meta-analysis to compare serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD with stage F0-F2 compared to F3-F4, which did not show significance [meta-estimate of the pooled mean difference = -0.86, P = 0.08 (-4.17, 2.46)]. A meta-regression evaluation of serum vitamin 25 (OH)D levels across the individual stages (F0-F4) of fibrosis did not show an association for the six included studies. CONCLUSION Low vitamin D status is not associated with higher stages of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. PMID:29399288

Vitamin D levels do not predict the stage of hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of pooled data.

PubMed

Saberi, Behnam; Dadabhai, Alia S; Nanavati, Julie; Wang, Lin; Shinohara, Russell T; Mullin, Gerard E

2018-01-27

To investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and fibrosis stage in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Two individual reviewers identified relevant studies using the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) Studies that evaluated adults with NAFLD and serum or plasma 25(OH)D levels; and (2) assessed fibrosis stage using liver biopsy. A rigorous analysis yielded six articles as having sufficient data to employ in evaluating the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. To meta-analyze vitamin D levels in F0-F2 vs F3-F4 fibrosis, a random-effects meta-analysis fit using restricted maximum likelihood was applied. To examine trends across each stage of fibrosis with respect to vitamin D levels, a meta-regression was performed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 937 subjects from six studies were included in the final analysis to evaluate the association of serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD based on their liver fibrosis stage by histopathological analysis. The lead investigators of each of the six studies were contacted and the data were collected. First, the investigators performed a meta-analysis to compare serum vitamin D levels in patients with NAFLD with stage F0-F2 compared to F3-F4, which did not show significance [meta-estimate of the pooled mean difference = -0.86, P = 0.08 (-4.17, 2.46)]. A meta-regression evaluation of serum vitamin 25 (OH)D levels across the individual stages (F0-F4) of fibrosis did not show an association for the six included studies. Low vitamin D status is not associated with higher stages of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

LOW-LEVEL CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE AND WORK CAPACITY AT 1600 METERS

EPA Science Inventory

At sea level, low-level carbon monoxide (CO) exposure impairs exercise performance. To determine if altitude residence at 1600 m augments this CO effect, two studies of graded treadmill work capacity were done. The Initial Study investigated nine, non-smoking male subjects breath...

The relationship between insight and the level of expressed emotion in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Ozkiris, Ayse; Essizoglu, Altan; Gulec, Gulcan; Aksaray, Gokay

2015-04-01

The aim of this study is firstly to compare the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients with good insight and OCD patients with poor insight in terms of socio-demographic and clinical features; to investigate the relation between insight and the level of the expressed emotion (EE) in the patients; and lastly to specify the factors that predict level of insight. OCD patients with good insight and patients with poor insight were compared in terms of clinical features and the perceived EE level of the patients and the individuals that they live with in order to specify the factors that predict the insight level, and to investigate the relationship between insight level and EE. It was found that the total Expressed Emotion Scale, total Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE), LEE-Emotional Response and LEE-Tolerance/Expectation subscale scores of the group comprised of patients with poor insight are higher than the other group. The results also show that the duration of illness and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) total score predict insight level. This study shows that the level of EE perceived by the patients with poor insight and the person that he/she lives with, is higher than the group with good insight. The studies that investigate the relationship between the factors of insight level and EE level, which are indicated to determine the level of the illness severity and its chronicity, will enable the researchers to understand the importance of the role of the family on the treatment processes of OCD.

Investigating Birth Control: Comparing Oestrogen Levels in Patients Using the Ortho Evra[R] Patch versus the Ortho-Cyclen[R] Pill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laurent, Theresa A.

2008-01-01

Recent drug studies have investigated the incidence of blood clots among patients using the Ortho Evra[R] birth control patch. In this article, the author describes an investigation of oestrogen levels in the body resulting from the application of the Ortho Evra[R] birth control patch versus daily use of Ortho-Cyclen[R] birth control pills.…

Focused Feasibility Study Final Field Sampling Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-01

baseline of groundwater chemistry prior to commencing additional environmental investigations of the area. Work for Phase I of the FFS is designed lo...investigations and remedial feasibility investigations at Beach Point. The groundwater data will also be used to aid in the design of any groundwater extraction...approved laboratories. The analytical data will be the equivalent of EPA Level IV data. This level of data quality has been established for environmental

Vitamin D and inflammatory markers: cross-sectional analyses using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

PubMed

de Oliveira, Cesar; Biddulph, Jane P; Hirani, Vasant; Schneider, Ione Jayce Ceola

2017-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that low vitamin D concentrations are associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers. However, there are limited studies investigating associations between vitamin D levels and inflammatory markers in the general population and much of this evidence in older adults is inconclusive. Therefore, this study investigates the cross-sectional association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with inflammatory markers in 5870 older English adults from wave 6 (2012-2013) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). ELSA is a large prospective observational study of community-dwelling people aged 50 years and over in England. Serum 25(OH)D levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, plasma fibrinogen levels, white blood cell count (WBC), age, season of blood collection, waist circumference, total non-pension household wealth, measures of health and health behaviours that included depression, number of cardiovascular, non-cardiovascular conditions and difficulties in activities of daily living, smoking, and physical activity were measured. There was a significant negative association between low 25(OH)D levels (≤30 nmol/l) and CRP (OR 1·23, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·51) and WBC (OR 1·35, 95 % CI 1·13, 1·60) that remained after adjustment for a wide range of covariates of clinical significance. However, for fibrinogen, the association did not remain significant when waist circumference was entered in the final model. Our findings showed that 25(OH)D levels were associated with two out the three inflammatory markers investigated. The independent and inverse association between serum 25(OH)D levels and inflammation suggests a potential anti-inflammatory role for vitamin D in older English individuals from the general population.

Learning Social Studies through Mastery Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adeyemi, B. A.

2007-01-01

This study examined learning Social Studies by investigating the effectiveness of mastery approach on students' performance in Social Studies of two groups of students drawn from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun and University of Uyo, Ila-Orangun Study Centre which consisted of 200 level Social Studies students and 200 level degree…

Investigating the Performance of Omega Index According to Item Parameters and Ability Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunbul, Onder; Yormaz, Seha

2018-01-01

Purpose: Several studies can be found in the literature that investigate the performance of ? under various conditions. However no study for the effects of item difficulty, item discrimination, and ability restrictions on the performance of ? could be found. The current study aims to investigate the performance of ? for the conditions given below.…

Job Satisfaction Levels of Secondary School Physics, Chemistry and Biology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maskan, A. Kadir

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the job satisfaction levels of the teachers participating in the study and to investigate whether their job satisfaction levels differ with respect to certain variables. The participants of the study were 297 science teachers (physics: 104, chemistry: 105, biology: 87 and 1 N/A) from secondary schools in…

The Analysis of Reading Skills and Visual Perception Levels of First Grade Turkish Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Memis, Aysel; Sivri, Diler Ayvaz

2016-01-01

In this study, primary school first grade students' reading skills and visual perception levels were investigated. Sample of the study, which was designed with relational scanning model, consisted of 168 first grade students studying at three public primary schools in Kozlu, Zonguldak, in 2013-2014 education year. Students' reading level, reading…

A Study on the Reduction of the Depression Level and Improvement of the Psychological Adjustment Level of University Students through a Counseling Programme, Using Beck's Theories of Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malii, Ibraheem; Alshareef, Basma

2017-01-01

This study aims to investigate the reduction of university students' depression level as well as improvement of their psychological adjustment level through a counseling programme, using Beck's Theories of depression. The sample of this study was randomly selected, and categorized into two groups: experimental and control groups. The former…

The relationship investigation between factors affecting demand for broadband and the level of satisfaction among broadband customers in the South East Coast of Sabah, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, S. H. A.; Hamid, F. A.; Kiram, J. J.; Sulaiman, J.

2017-09-01

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between factors that affecting the demand for broadband and the level of satisfaction. Previous researchers have found that the adoption of broadband is greatly influenced by many factors. Thus, in this study, a self-administered questionnaire was developed to obtain the factors affecting demand for broadband among broadband customers as well as their level of satisfaction. Pearson correlation, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test were used for statistical interpretation of the relationship. This study shows that there are better relationships between several factors over demand for broadband and satisfaction level.

Multicollinearity in hierarchical linear models.

PubMed

Yu, Han; Jiang, Shanhe; Land, Kenneth C

2015-09-01

This study investigates an ill-posed problem (multicollinearity) in Hierarchical Linear Models from both the data and the model perspectives. We propose an intuitive, effective approach to diagnosing the presence of multicollinearity and its remedies in this class of models. A simulation study demonstrates the impacts of multicollinearity on coefficient estimates, associated standard errors, and variance components at various levels of multicollinearity for finite sample sizes typical in social science studies. We further investigate the role multicollinearity plays at each level for estimation of coefficient parameters in terms of shrinkage. Based on these analyses, we recommend a top-down method for assessing multicollinearity in HLMs that first examines the contextual predictors (Level-2 in a two-level model) and then the individual predictors (Level-1) and uses the results for data collection, research problem redefinition, model re-specification, variable selection and estimation of a final model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating tangible and mental resources as predictors of perceived household food insecurity during pregnancy among women in a South African birth cohort study.

PubMed

Pellowski, Jennifer A; Barnett, Whitney; Kuo, Caroline C; Koen, Nastassja; Zar, Heather J; Stein, Dan J

2017-08-01

Food insecurity during pregnancy is concerning given the increased nutritional needs of the mother for proper fetal development. However, research is lacking within the South African context to investigate the association of economic and psychosocial factors and food insecurity among pregnant women, using comprehensive, conceptually driven models. This study applies the Network-Individual-Resource (NIR) Model to investigate individual, intimate dyadic, and family level predictors of perceived household food insecurity for pregnant women. 826 pregnant women enrolled in the Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS), a birth cohort in two communities in a peri-urban area of South Africa. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to investigate the impact of household/family, intimate dyads, and individual tangible and mental resources on perceived household food insecurity during the critical period of pregnancy. Perceived household food insecurity was assessed through an adapted version of the USDA Household Food Security Scale - Short Form. Among 826 pregnant women in South Africa, individual-level tangible resources (e.g. income, social assistance, HIV status) and mental resources (e. g. depression, childhood trauma) predicted perceived household food insecurity and these predictors differed by community. Intimate dyadic and family level resources did not predict household food insecurity. Our findings of the economic and psychosocial predictors of perceived household food insecurity among pregnant women in South Africa, mirror findings in general populations. This study provides support for the extension of the NIR model to perceived household food insecurity, particularly regarding individual-level mental and tangible resources, as well as the impact of community-level factors. Future research should investigate the extent to which resource sharing occurs within networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Modified Fujita Technique Uvulopalatoplasty on Oxidative DNA Damage Levels in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

PubMed

Bakan, Ebubekir; Fidan, Vural; Alp, Hamit Hakan; Baygutalp, Nurcan Kilic; Cokluk, Erdem

2015-07-01

Snoring is a social hindrance problem and it can cause life threatening problems. Because of this it must be taken seriously and must be treated. Although there are many ways for treating this problem, still uvulopalatopharngoplasty (UPPP) which is an accepted classical method maintains its importance. Antioxidant status in patients with snoring have been investigated. All studies investigated the effect of CPAP treatment on the level of antioxidant agents. In this study we have examined the effect of UPPP on the level of antioxidant agents in patients with snoring.

Toward a process-level view of distributed healthcare tasks: Medication management as a case study.

PubMed

Werner, Nicole E; Malkana, Seema; Gurses, Ayse P; Leff, Bruce; Arbaje, Alicia I

2017-11-01

We aim to highlight the importance of using a process-level view in analyzing distributed healthcare tasks through a case study analysis of medication management (MM). MM during older adults' hospital-to-skilled-home-healthcare (SHHC) transitions is a healthcare process with tasks distributed across people, organizations, and time. MM has typically been studied at the task level, but a process-level is needed to fully understand and improve MM during transitions. A process-level view allows for a broader investigation of how tasks are distributed throughout the work system through an investigation of interactions and the resultant emergent properties. We studied MM during older adults' hospital-to-SHHC transitions through interviews and observations with 60 older adults, their 33 caregivers, and 79 SHHC providers at 5 sites associated with 3 SHHC agencies. Study findings identified key cross-system characteristics not observable at the task-level: (1) identification of emergent properties (e.g., role ambiguity, loosely-coupled teams performing MM) and associated barriers; and (2) examination of barrier propagation across system boundaries. Findings highlight the importance of a process-level view of healthcare delivery occurring across system boundaries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Studies Student Teachers' Levels of Understanding Sociology Concepts within Social Studies Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatekin, Kadir

2013-01-01

This study aims at investigating social studies student teachers' levels of understanding sociology concepts within social studies curriculum. Study group of the research consists of 266 teacher candidates attending the Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Education, Kastamonu University during 2012 to 2013 education year. A semi-structured…

Investigating Teachers' Organizational Socialization Levels and Perceptions about Leadership Styles of Their Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadi, Aysegül

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' organizational socialization levels and perceptions about leadership styles of their principals. Research was conducted with 361 teachers. Research design is determined as survey and correlational. Multi-Factor Leadership Scale originally was developed by Bass (1999) and adapted to Turkish…

Effectiveness of Constructivist Approach on Academic Achievement in Science at Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adak, Samaresh

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the effectiveness of constructivist approach on academic achievement in science at secondary level using pre-test, post-test, experimental and control group design, with 58 samples grouped as experimental group (29) and control group (29) on the basis of matching by intelligence test. The investigators conducted this…

An Investigation of Pre-Service Science and Mathematics Teachers' Personal Growth Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Büyükgöze, Hilal

2015-01-01

The current paper primarily aims to investigate pre-service science and mathematics teachers' personal growth initiative levels. The second aim of the study is to examine whether participants' initiative levels differ in relation to their gender, grade, department, perceived academic achievement, and willingness to attend graduate education after…

Investigation and Development of Competency Standards and Certification Requirements for Secondary-Level Vocational Foodservice Programs. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usiewicz, Ronald A.

An investigation ascertained, analyzed, and documented competency standards and certification requirements for secondary-level vocational food service programs. A literature review produced no instruments used in past studies to measure the attitudes of food service professionals toward task competencies. Six occupations were selected for the…

Improvement of TOPEX/POSEIDON and Jason-1 Geophysical Data Record for Global Change Studies and Coastal Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shum, C. K.

1999-01-01

The Earth's modem climate change has been characterized by interlinked changes in temperature, CO2, ice sheets and sea level. Global sea level change is a critical indicator for study of contemporary climate change. Sea level rise appears to have accelerated since the ice sheet retreats have stopped some 5000 years ago and it is estimated that the sea level rise has been approx. 15 cm over the last century. Contemporary radar altimeters represent the only technique capable of monitoring global sea level change with accuracy approaching 1 mm/yr and with a temporal scale of days and a spatial scale of 100 km or longer. This report highlights the major accomplishments of the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) Extended Mission and Jason-1 science investigation. The primary objectives of the investigation include the calibration and improvement of T/P and Jason-1 altimeter data for global sea level change and coastal tide and circulation studies. The scientific objectives of the investigation include: (1) the calibration and improvement of T/P and Jason-1 data as a reference measurement system for the accurate cross-linking with other altimeter systems (Seasat, Geosat, ERS-1, ERS-2, GFO-1, and Envisat), (2) the improved determination and the associated uncertainties of the long-term (15-year) global mean sea level change using multiple altimeters, (3) the characterization of the sea level change by analyses of independent data, including tide gauges, sea surface temperature, and (4) the improvement coastal radar altimetry for studies including coastal ocean tide modeling and coastal circulation. Major accomplishments of the investigation include the development of techniques for low-cost radar altimeter absolute calibration (including the associated GPS-buoy technology), coastal ocean tide modeling, and the linking of multiple altimeter systems and the resulting determination of the 15-year (1985-1999) global mean sea level variations. The current rate of 15-year sea level rise observed by multiple satellite altimetry is +2.3 +/- 1.2 mm/yr, which is in general agreement with the analysis of sparsely distributed tide gauge measurements for the same data span, and represents the first such determination of sea level change in its kind.

Investigating the Relationship among Test Anxiety, Gender, Academic Achievement and Years of Study: A Case of Iranian EFL University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rezazadeh, Mohsen; Tavakoli, Mansoor

2009-01-01

The construct of anxiety plays a major role in one's life. One of these anxieties is test anxiety or apprehension over academic evaluation. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between gender, academic achievement, years of study and levels of test anxiety. This investigation is a descriptive analytic study and was done…

Pre-slaughter sound levels and pre-slaughter handling from loading at the farm till slaughter influence pork quality.

PubMed

Vermeulen, L; Van de Perre, V; Permentier, L; De Bie, S; Verbeke, G; Geers, R

2016-06-01

This study investigates the relationship between sound levels, pre-slaughter handling during loading and pork quality. Pre-slaughter variables were investigated from loading till slaughter. A total of 3213 pigs were measured 30 min post-mortem for pH(30LT) (M. Longissimus thoracis). First, a sound level model for the risk to develop PSE meat was established. The difference in maximum and mean sound level during loading, mean sound level during lairage and mean sound level prior to stunning remained significant within the model. This indicated that sound levels during loading had a significant added value to former sound models. Moreover, this study completed the global classification checklist (Vermeulen et al., 2015a) by developing a linear mixed model for pH(30LT) and PSE prevalence, with the difference in maximum and mean sound level measured during loading, the feed withdrawal period and the difference in temperature during loading and lairage. Hence, this study provided new insights over previous research where loading procedures were not included. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational investigations of trans-platinum(II) oxime complexes used as anticancer drug

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayin, Koray; Karakaş, Duran

2018-01-01

Some platinum oxime complexes are optimized at HF/CEP-31G level which has been reported as the best level for these type complexes in the gas phase. IR spectrum is calculated and the new scale factor is derived. NMR spectrum is calculated at the same level of theory and examined in detail. Quantum chemical parameters which have been mainly used are investigated and their formulas are given in detail. Additionally, selected quantum chemical parameters of studied complexes are calculated. New theoretical IC50% formulas are derived and biological activity rankings of mentioned complexes are investigated.

The Effects of Test Trial and Processing Level on Immediate and Delayed Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Sau Hou

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of test trial and processing level on immediate and delayed retention. Seventy-six college students were randomly assigned first to the single test and the repeated test trials, and then to the shallow processing level and the deep processing level to study forty stimulus words.…

Sustainability knowledge using “AKASA” model among architecture students from Klang Valley private universities, Malaysia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuppusamy, Sivaraman; Faris Khamidi, Mohd; Sheng, Lee Xia; Salvi Mari, Tamil

2017-12-01

The study intend to investigate sustainability knowledge using “AKASA” model. This model comprises all the literacy level which is the awareness, knowledge, attitude, skills and action. 234 students from 5 selected private universities were surveyed using questionnaires. Students were specifically selected from year 2 and year 3 from private universities in Klang valley, Malaysia. The study intends to investigate the environmental literacy level specifically the knowledge variable. The parametric study was conducted with descriptive analysis and the results shows that the environmental knowledge is at high level compared to other environmental literacy variables among year 2, year 3 and combine year 2 and year 3.

Deep investigation on inorganic fraction of atmospheric PM in Mediterranean area by neutron and photon activation analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Anthropogenic activities introduce materials increasing levels of many dangerous substances for the environmental quality and being hazardous to human health. Major attention has been given to those elements able to alter the environment and endanger human health. The airborne particulate matter pollutant is considered one of the most difficult task in environmental chemistry for its complex composition and implications complicating notably the behavior comprehension. So, for investigating deeply the elemental composition we used two nuclear techniques, Neutron Activation Analysis and Photon Activation Analysis, characterized by high sensitivity, precision and accuracy. An important task has been devoted to the investigation of Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) of the methodology used in this study. This study was therefore extended as far back as possible in time (from 1965 until 2000) in order to analyze the trend of airborne concentration of pollutant elements in connection with the industrial and lifestyle growth during the entire period. Results Almost all the elements may be attributed to long-range transport phenomena from other natural and/or anthropogenic sources: this behavior is common to all the periods studied even if a very light decreasing trend can be evidenced from 1970 to 2002. Finally, in order to investigate a retrospective study of elements in PM10 and their evolution in relationship with the natural or anthropogenic origins, we have investigated the Enrichment Factors. The study shows the EF trends for some elements in PM10 during four decades. Conclusions The two nuclear techniques have allowed to reach elevated sensibility/accuracy levels for determining elements at very low concentrations (trace and ultra-trace levels). The element concentrations determined in this study do not basically show a significant level of attention from a toxicological point of view. PMID:24196275

Reliability of Chinese medicine diagnostic variables in the examination of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

PubMed

Hua, Bin; Abbas, Estelle; Hayes, Alan; Ryan, Peter; Nelson, Lisa; O'Brien, Kylie

2012-11-01

Chinese medicine (CM) has its own diagnostic indicators that are used as evidence of change in a patient's condition. The majority of studies investigating efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) have utilized biomedical diagnostic endpoints. For CM clinical diagnostic variables to be incorporated into clinical trial designs, there would need to be evidence that these diagnostic variables are reliable. Previous studies have indicated that the reliability of CM syndrome diagnosis is variable. Little information is known about where the variability stems from--the basic data collection level or the synthesis of diagnostic data, or both. No previous studies have investigated systematically the reliability of all four diagnostic methods used in the CM diagnostic process (Inquiry, Inspection, Auscultation/Olfaction, and Palpation). The objective of this study was to assess the inter-rater reliability of data collected using the four diagnostic methods of CM in Australian patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), in order to investigate if CM variables could be used with confidence as diagnostic endpoints in a clinical trial investigating the efficacy of a CHM in treating OA. An inter-rater reliability study was conducted as a substudy of a clinical trial investigating the treatment of knee OA with Chinese herbal medicine. Two (2) experienced CM practitioners conducted a CM examination separately, within 2 hours of each other, in 40 participants. A CM assessment form was utilized to record the diagnostic data. Cohen's κ coefficient was used as a measure of the level of agreement between 2 practitioners. There was a relatively good level of agreement for Inquiry and Auscultation variables, and, in general, a low level of agreement for (visual) Inspection and Palpation variables. There was variation in the level of agreement between 2 practitioners on clinical information collected using the Four Diagnostic Methods of a CM examination. Some aspects of CM diagnosis appear to be reliable, while others are not. Based on these results, it was inappropriate to use CM diagnostic variables as diagnostic endpoints in the main study, which was an investigation of efficacy of CHM treatment of knee OA.

In Good Company? A Multi-Study, Multi-Level Investigation of the Effects of Coworker Relationships on Employee Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Lauren S.; Judge, Timothy A.; Halvorsen-Ganepola, Marie D. K.

2010-01-01

Two multi-level studies were conducted to examine the effects of attitudes towards coworkers on daily well-being. Study 1 linked daily levels of coworker satisfaction to job satisfaction and life satisfaction and examined the extent to which job satisfaction mediated the relationship between coworker satisfaction and life satisfaction among 33…

Plasma and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and their association with neurocognition in at-risk mental state, first episode psychosis and chronic schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Heitz, Ulrike; Papmeyer, Martina; Studerus, Erich; Egloff, Laura; Ittig, Sarah; Andreou, Christina; Vogel, Tobias; Borgwardt, Stefan; Graf, Marc; Eckert, Anne; Riecher-Rössler, Anita

2018-06-25

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in numerous cognitive processes. Since cognitive deficits are a core feature of psychotic disorders, the investigation of BDNF levels in psychosis and their correlation with cognition has received increased attention. However, there are no studies investigating BDNF levels in individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis. Hence, the aims of the present study were: (1) assessing peripheral BDNF levels across different (potential) stages of psychosis; (2) investigating their association with cognition. Plasma and serum BDNF levels and neuropsychological performance were assessed in 16 ARMS, six first-episode psychosis (FEP), and 11 chronic schizophrenia (CS) patients. Neuropsychological assessment covered intelligence, verbal memory, working memory, attention and executive functioning. Both plasma and serum BDNF levels were highest in CS, intermediate in FEP and lowest in ARMS. Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant positive association of plasma BDNF levels with planning ability across all groups. The lower peripheral BDNF levels in ARMS compared to FEP and CS might point towards an important drop of this neurotrophin prior to the onset of frank psychosis. The associations of peripheral BDNF with planning-abilities match previous findings.

Chloral hydrate-dependent reduction in the peptidoglycan-induced inflammatory macrophage response is associated with lower expression levels of toll-like receptor 2.

PubMed

Pan, Qingjun; Liu, Yuan; Zhu, Xuezhi; Liu, Huafeng

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of chloral hydrate on the peptidoglycan (PGN)-induced inflammatory macrophage response. The effect of chloral hydrate on the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by murine peritoneal macrophages with PGN-stimulation was investigated. In addition, RAW264.7 cells transfected with a nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) luciferase reporter plasmid stimulated by PGN were used to study the effect of chloral hydrate on the levels NF-κB activity. Flow cytometry and western blotting were performed to investigate the expression levels of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in the treated RAW264.7 cells. It was identified that chloral hydrate reduced the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α produced by the peritoneal macrophages stimulated with PGN. The levels of NF-κB activity of the RAW264.7 cells stimulated by PGN decreased following treatment with chloral hydrate, which was associated with a reduction in the expression levels of TLR2 and reduced levels of TLR2 signal transduction. These data demonstrate that chloral hydrate reduced the magnitude of the PGN-induced inflammatory macrophage response associated with lower expression levels of TLR2.

Efficiency of Iranian Translation Syllabus at BA Level; Deficiency: A New Comprehensive Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohrabi, Sarah; Rahimi, Ramin; Arjmandi, Masoume

2015-01-01

This study aims at investigating the practicality of the current curriculum for translation studies at national level (Iranian curriculum). It is going to have a comprehensive idea of translation students and teachers (university lecturers) over the current translation syllabus at BA level in Iran. A researcher-made CEQ questionnaire (Curriculum…

The Cultural Intelligence Level among International Students in Jordanian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Jarrah, Abdelnaser

2016-01-01

This study investigated the level of cultural intelligence among international students and whether significant statistical differences could be found in their cultural intelligence at the level (a = 0.05) due to the students' gender and the nationality. To achieve the study aims, a cultural intelligence scale were adopted (Yordonova, 2011). The…

Generalized SAMPLE SIZE Determination Formulas for Investigating Contextual Effects by a Three-Level Random Intercept Model.

PubMed

Usami, Satoshi

2017-03-01

Behavioral and psychological researchers have shown strong interests in investigating contextual effects (i.e., the influences of combinations of individual- and group-level predictors on individual-level outcomes). The present research provides generalized formulas for determining the sample size needed in investigating contextual effects according to the desired level of statistical power as well as width of confidence interval. These formulas are derived within a three-level random intercept model that includes one predictor/contextual variable at each level to simultaneously cover various kinds of contextual effects that researchers can show interest. The relative influences of indices included in the formulas on the standard errors of contextual effects estimates are investigated with the aim of further simplifying sample size determination procedures. In addition, simulation studies are performed to investigate finite sample behavior of calculated statistical power, showing that estimated sample sizes based on derived formulas can be both positively and negatively biased due to complex effects of unreliability of contextual variables, multicollinearity, and violation of assumption regarding the known variances. Thus, it is advisable to compare estimated sample sizes under various specifications of indices and to evaluate its potential bias, as illustrated in the example.

Language-Learning Motivation during Short-Term Study Abroad: An Activity Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Heather Willis

2010-01-01

This study investigated the development of language-learning motivation during short-term study abroad (SA) for six intermediate-level students of French. Taking an activity theory perspective, findings demonstrated that one of two orientations motivated participants to study or continue studying French at the college level: linguistic motives or…

The Relationship between Job Satisfaction of Teachers and the Level of Servant Leadership of Their Campus Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambliss, Annette

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers' job satisfaction and their campus administrator's level of servant leadership. Although Greenleaf's (1977) seminal work on servant leadership has led to the connection between servant leadership and education, minimal research has been done to investigate the effect…

Networking and Managers' Career Success in the Malaysian Public Sector: The Moderating Effect of Managerial Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasdi, Roziah Mohd; Garavan, Thomas N.; Ismail, Maimunah

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how managerial level moderates the relationships between networking behaviours and career success (objective and subjective) in the context of a public sector organisation in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: The study utilised a cross-sectional design and investigated these relationships…

Relationships between Grade Levels, Personal Factors, and Instructional Variation among 4th-12th Grade Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Jacquelyn M.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate relationships between grade levels, personal factors of teachers, and instructional variety used by 4th-12th grade teachers in Kern County, California. The population under investigation included 2,844 teachers. 235 elementary, middle school/junior high, and secondary teachers…

An Investigation of Charter Schools' School Leader and Teacher Level of Assessment Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfeiffer-Hoens, Mareen

2017-01-01

Assessment of student performance is one of the most critical responsibilities of school leaders and teachers. Teachers and school leaders must acquire an understanding of assessment literacy for utilizing data to make sound data-driven decisions. The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the levels of assessment literacy among…

An Investigation of Preschool Children's Family Functions: A General Outlook on the Family from the Mother's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isik, Baran; Guven, Yildiz

2007-01-01

This study aims to investigate preschool children's family functions. To fulfill this aim, mothers' viewpoints and characteristics (e.g., educational level, age, number of children, time spent in Istanbul, relations with spouse, employment status, relatives living in the same house, and perceived economic level) have been considered. The study…

Heterosexism in Sport: Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men among Collegiate Varsity and Recreational Club Sport Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Austin Robert

2011-01-01

This study investigated attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among collegiate varsity athletes and recreational sport club participants, including an investigation of differences in attitudes across competitive levels, team and individual sport divisions, sport by sport comparisons, gender, grade level, race, contact with gay men and lesbians and…

Methodologies for Investigating Item- and Test-Level Measurement Equivalence in International Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveri, Maria Elena; Olson, Brent F.; Ercikan, Kadriye; Zumbo, Bruno D.

2012-01-01

In this study, the Canadian English and French versions of the Problem-Solving Measure of the Programme for International Student Assessment 2003 were examined to investigate their degree of measurement comparability at the item- and test-levels. Three methods of differential item functioning (DIF) were compared: parametric and nonparametric item…

Barriers and Facilitators to Career Advancement by Top-Level, Entry-Level and Non-Administrative Women in Public School Districts: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Eman Ibrahim El-Desouki

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers and facilitators to career advancement among women administrators occupying top-level positions, those occupying entry-level positions and those in non-administrative positions in both rural and urban public school districts in central Pennsylvania. The need to increase the awareness of the…

Assessment of Anti-Müllerian Hormone Level in Management of Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

PubMed

Dursun, Fatma; Güven, Ayla; Yıldız, Metin

2016-03-05

This study was oriented to investigate the benefit of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). To assess the impact of metformin and oral contraceptives (OC) on serum AMH levels in a cohort of adolescents with PCOS. Forty-nine adolescents with PCOS were recruited to the study. Twenty-nine patients without insulin resistance were treated with OC (group 1), and 20 patients with insulin resistance were treated with metformin and OC (group 2). AMH and androgen levels were measured prior to and 6 months after the initiation of treatment. AMH levels were significantly decreased with treatment in both group 1 (p=0.006) and group 2 (p=0.0048). There was a significant correlation between pre- and post-treatment AMH and left ovarian volume (pretreatment: rho=0.336, p=0.018; post-treatment: rho=0.310, p=0.034). This study investigated two different treatment regimens in adolescents with PCOS and revealed that AMH levels decreased with treatment. AMH levels were correlated with ovarian volume.

Cord Blood Bisphenol A Levels and Reproductive and Thyroid Hormone Levels of Neonates: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health.

PubMed

Minatoya, Machiko; Sasaki, Seiko; Araki, Atsuko; Miyashita, Chihiro; Itoh, Sachiko; Yamamoto, Jun; Matsumura, Toru; Mitsui, Takahiko; Moriya, Kimihiko; Cho, Kazutoshi; Morioka, Keita; Minakami, Hisanori; Shinohara, Nobuo; Kishi, Reiko

2017-10-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used and BPA exposure is nearly ubiquitous in developed countries. While animal studies have indicated adverse health effects of prenatal BPA exposure including reproductive dysfunction and thyroid function disruption possibly in a sex-specific manner, findings from epidemiologic studies have not been enough to prove these adverse effects. Given very limited research on human, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between cord blood BPA levels and reproductive and thyroid hormone levels of neonates and whether associations differed by neonate sex. The study population included 514 participants of the Hokkaido study recruited from 2002 to 2005 at one hospital in Sapporo, Japan. The BPA level in cord blood was determined by ID-LC/MS/MS, and the limit of quantification was 0.040 ng/ml. We measured nine types of reproductive hormone levels in cord blood, and thyroid hormone levels were obtained from neonate mass screening test data. There were 283 subjects, who had both BPA and hormone levels measurements, included for the final analyses. The geometric mean of cord blood BPA was 0.051 ng/ml. After adjustment, BPA level was negatively associated with prolactin (PRL) (β = -0.38). There was an interaction between infant sex and BPA levels on PRL; a weak negative association was found in boys (β = -0.12), whereas a weak positive association was found in girls (β = 0.14). BPA level showed weak positive association with testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in boys. No association was found between BPA and thyroid hormone levels. Our findings suggested that fetal BPA levels might be associated with changes in certain reproductive hormone levels of neonates in a sex-specific manner, though further investigations are necessary.

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.…

Investigations of Spectroscopic Factors and Sum Rules from the Single Neutron Transfer Reaction 111Cd(overrightarrow {{d}} ,p)112Cd

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamieson, D. S.; Garrett, P. E.; Ball, G. C.; Demand, G. A.; Faestermann, T.; Finlay, P.; Green, K. L.; Hertenberger, R.; Krücken, R.; Leach, K. G.; Phillips, A. A.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Triambak, S.; Wirth, H.-F.

2014-03-01

Cadmium isotopes have been presented for decades as excellent examples of vibrational nuclei, with low-lying levels interpreted as multi-phonon quadrupole, octupole, and mixed-symmetry states. A large amount of spectroscopic data has been obtained through various experimental studies of cadmiumisotopes. In the present work, the 111Cd(overrightarrow {{d}} ,p)112Cd reaction was used to investigate the single-particle structure of the 112Cd nucleus. A 22 MeV beam of polarized deuterons was obtained at the Maier-Leibnitz laboratory in Garching, Germany. The reaction ejectiles were momentum analyzed using a Q3D spectrograph, and 130 levels have been identified up to 4.2 MeV of excitation energy. Using DWBA analysis with optical model calculations, spin-parity assignments have been made for observed levels, and spectroscopic factors have been extracted from the experimental angular distributions of differential cross section and analyzing power. In this high energy resolution investigation, many additional levels have been observed compared with the previous (d,p) study using 8 MeV deuterons [1]. There were a total of 44 new levels observed, and the parity assignments of 34 levels were improved.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wieczorek, Douglas

2017-01-01

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

Geotechnical centrifuge use at University of Cambridge Geotechnical Centre, August-September 1991

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Paul A.

1992-01-01

A geotechnical centrifuge applies elevated acceleration to small-scale soil models to simulate body forces and stress levels characteristic of full-size soil structures. Since the constitutive behavior of soil is stress level development, the centrifuge offers considerable advantage in studying soil structures using models. Several experiments were observed and described in relative detail, including experiments in soil dynamics and liquefaction study, an experiment investigation leaning towers on soft foundations, and an experiment investigating migration of hot pollutants through soils.

Children with Disabilities in the Child Protective Services System: An Analog Study of Investigation and Case Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manders, Jeanette E.; Stoneman, Zolinda

2009-01-01

Objective: The study used a series of vignettes to investigate how the presence of three disabilities (cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities) affects the processes and outcomes of child abuse investigations at two levels of child injury severity (moderate, severe). Method: Seventy-five CPS case workers…

Behavioral responses of gray whales to industrial noise: feeding observations and predictive modeling

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

Malme, C.I.; Wuersig, B.; Bird, J.E.

1986-08-01

An investigation was made of the potential effects of underwater noise from petroleum-industry activities on feeding gray whales. The investigation consisted of two components, a field study and an acoustic model study. The field study was performed near Southeast Cape, St. Lawrence Island in August, 1985, using a 100 cu. in. air gun source and playback of drillship noise. Sound-source levels and acoustic-propagation losses were measured to permit estimation of sound exposure levels at whale-sighting positions. For the air-gun source there was a 0.5 probability that the whales would stop feeding and move away from the area when the averagemore » pulse levels reached 173 dB.« less

Investigating Visually Disabled Students' Attitudes about Physical Education and Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalbudak, Ibrahim; Gürkan, Alper C.; Yigit, Sih Mehmet; Kargun, Mehmet; Hazar, Gürkan; Dorak, Feridun

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate visually disabled students', who study in the level of primary education, high school, university, attitudes about physical education and sport in terms of different variables. Totally 100 visually disabled students who are individual and team athletes and study in Izmir, (8 visually disabled athletes study in…

The Effect of Different Metacognitive Skill Levels on Preservice Chemistry Teachers' Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sen, Senol

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the metacognitive skill levels and motivation of preservice chemistry teachers and to investigate the effect of different metacognitive skill levels on their motivation. The study was conducted during 2014-2015 spring semester. In this research, survey method was used to reveal the effect of different…

Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities in the Kanawha County School District in West Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brucker, Elizabeth L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of levels of implementation and levels of effectiveness in improving student learning of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in Kanawha County Schools. This study also sought to determine differences in levels of implementation and effectiveness for five selected independent…

Building Level Administrators' Attitudes toward Teacher Effectiveness at the High School and Middle School Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Nathan K.

2010-01-01

This study investigated the attitudes of administrators about differences and similarities between middle and high school teachers. The research question that guided the study was, "Do attitudes about what makes an effective educator differ between building administrators at the middle and high school levels?" A formal, sequential, mixed-methods…

Conflict between Work and Family: An Investigation of Four Policy Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruppanner, Leah

2013-01-01

Welfare states enact a range of policies aimed at reducing work-family conflict. While welfare state policies have been assessed at the macro-level and work-family conflict at the individual-level, few studies have simultaneously addressed these relationships in a cross-national multi-level model. This study addresses this void by assessing the…

A Study of Causal Thinking in Elementary School Children. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Edna M.

This study, which is a partial replication and validation of the 1962 Laurendeau and Pinard study of causal thinking, investigates cross-cultural differences among three age levels of Canadian and American school children in the development of causal thinking. Also studied is the relationship between level of development of causal thinking and…

A Study of Income and Test Anxiety among Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Önem, E. E.

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between income level of Turkish university students studying at an English language teaching department and test anxiety levels as well as worry and emotionality components of test anxiety. 249 (60 male, 189 female) undergraduate students studying at an English Language Teaching Department of a…

Complications of Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement Compared to Fusion: Results From the Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter US Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption Study of the Charité Artificial Disc

PubMed Central

Majd, Mohammed E.; Isaza, Jorge E.; Blumenthal, Scott L.; McAfee, Paul C.; Guyer, Richard D.; Hochschuler, Stephen H.; Geisler, Fred H.; Garcia, Rolando; Regan, John J.

2007-01-01

Background Previous reports of lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) have described significant complications. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational device exemption (IDE) study of the Charité artificial disc represents the first level I data comparison of TDR to fusion. Methods In the prospective, randomized, multicenter IDE study, patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio, with 205 patients in the Charité group and 99 patients in the control group (anterior lumbar interbody fusion [ALIF] with BAK cages). Inclusion criteria included confirmed single-level degenerative disc disease at L4-5 or L5-S1 and failure of nonoperative treatment for at least 6 months. Complications were reported throughout the study. Results The rate of approach-related complications was 9.8% in the investigational group and 10.1% in the control group. The rate of major neurological complications was similar between the 2 groups (investigational = 4.4%, control = 4.0%). There was a higher rate of superficial wound infection in the investigational group but no deep wound infections in either group. Pseudarthrosis occurred in 9.1% of control group patients. The rate of subsidence in the investigational group was 3.4%. The reoperation rate was 5.4% in the investigational group and 9.1% in the control group. Conclusions The incidence of perioperative and postoperative complications for lumbar TDR was similar to that of ALIF. Vigilance is necessary with respect to patient indications, training, and correct surgical technique to maintain TDR complications at the levels experienced in the IDE study. PMID:25802575

Concentrations of the urinary pyrethroid metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid in farm worker families in the MICASA study

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

Trunnelle, Kelly J., E-mail: kjtrunnelle@ucdavis.edu; Bennett, Deborah H.; Ahn, Ki Chang

Indoor pesticide exposure is a growing concern, particularly from pyrethroids, a commonly used class of pesticides. Pyrethroid concentrations may be especially high in homes of immigrant farm worker families who often live in close proximity to agricultural fields, and are faced with poor housing conditions, causing higher pest infestation and more pesticide use. We investigate exposure of farm worker families to pyrethroids in a study of mothers and children living in Mendota, CA within the population-based Mexican Immigration to California: Agricultural Safety and Acculturation (MICASA) Study. We present pyrethroid exposure based on an ELISA analysis of urinary metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acidmore » (3PBA) levels among 105 women and 103 children. The median urinary 3PBA levels (children=2.56 ug/g creatinine, mothers=1.46 ug/g creatinine) were higher than those reported in population based studies for the United States general population, but similar to or lower than studies with known high levels of pyrethroid exposure. A positive association was evident between poor housing conditions and the urinary metabolite levels, showing that poor housing conditions are a contributing factor to the higher levels of 3PBA seen in the urine of these farm worker families. Further research is warranted to fully investigate sources of exposure. - Highlights: • We investigate exposure of farm worker families to pyrethroids. • We present pyrethroid exposure based on an ELISA analysis of urinary 3PBA levels. • 3PBA levels were higher than those reported for the U.S. general population. • Poor housing conditions may be associated with pyrethroid exposure.« less

Effect of Directed Study of Mathematics Vocabulary on Standardized Mathematics Assessment Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waite, Adel Marlane

2017-01-01

The problems under investigation included (a) Did a directed study of mathematics vocabulary significantly affect student performance levels on standardized mathematical questions? and (b) Did the strategies used in this study significantly affect student performance levels on standardized mathematical questions? The population consisted of…

Second Language Grammatical Proficiency and Third Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moghtadi, Laleh; Koosha, Mansour; Lotfi, Ahmad Reza

2014-01-01

The main concern of the present study was to investigate the probable correlation between the bilinguals' second language grammatical proficiency level and their third language grammatical proficiency level. The current study was implemented on selecting a total of 100 Iranian female high school students studying at second grade from two…

Relationships between Minority Students Online Learning Experiences and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeboah, Alex Kumi; Smith, Patriann

2016-01-01

The study investigated the relationship between minority students' use of technology, social media, the number of online courses, program of study, satisfaction, and academic performance. Participants in the study were a diverse student body regarding age, gender, and educational level, and functioned at both undergraduate and graduate levels.…

Prenatal androgen exposure and children's aggressive behavior and activity level.

PubMed

Spencer, Debra; Pasterski, Vickie; Neufeld, Sharon; Glover, Vivette; O'Connor, Thomas G; Hindmarsh, Peter C; Hughes, Ieuan A; Acerini, Carlo L; Hines, Melissa

2017-11-01

Some human behaviors, including aggression and activity level, differ on average for males and females. Here we report findings from two studies investigating possible relations between prenatal androgen and children's aggression and activity level. For study 1, aggression and activity level scores for 43 girls and 38 boys, aged 4 to 11years, with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH, a genetic condition causing increased adrenal androgen production beginning prenatally) were compared to those of similarly-aged, unaffected relatives (41 girls, 31 boys). Girls with CAH scored higher on aggression than unaffected girls, d=0.69, and unaffected boys scored higher on activity level than unaffected girls, d=0.50. No other group differences were significant. For study 2, the relationship of amniotic fluid testosterone to aggression and activity level was investigated in typically-developing children (48 girls, 44 boys), aged 3 to 5years. Boys scored higher than girls on aggression, d=0.41, and activity level, d=0.50. However, amniotic fluid testosterone was not a significant predictor of aggression or activity level for either sex. The results of the two studies provide some support for an influence of prenatal androgen exposure on children's aggressive behavior, but not activity level. The within-sex variation in amniotic fluid testosterone may not be sufficient to allow reliable assessment of relations to aggression or activity level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of Media and Television Literacy Levels of Sport Consumers Filtered out of the Students of the School of Physical Education and Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Hakan

2014-01-01

This study is aimed to determine the literacy levels of media and television and the level of addiction of sport consumers filtered out of the students of the School of Physical Education and Sports and to investigate the relationship between these two levels. Sport consumers studying in Mugla University, School of Physical Education and Sports…

(Instrumental) Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgenkamp, Thessa I. M.; van Wijck, Ruud; Evenhuis, Heleen M.

2011-01-01

Daily living skills are important to ageing adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of these skills in older adults with ID and to investigate the influence of gender, age, level of ID and mobility on these skills. Daily living skills were measured with the Barthel Index (for Activities of…

An Investigation of Students' Perceptions about Democratic School Climate and Sense of Community in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakus, Memet

2017-01-01

This study aims to investigate students' perceptions about democratic school climate and sense of community in school. In line with this purpose, it aims to find answers to the following questions: How democratic do students find the school climate? What is students' sense of belonging level at school? What is the academic success level of…

An Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers' Level of Efficacy in the Undergraduate Science Teacher Education Program and Pedagogical Formation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Oguz

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to comparatively investigate the efficacy levels of pre-service science (Science, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry) teachers enrolled at the Undergraduate Program of Science Teacher Education and Pedagogical Formation Program. A total of 275 pre-service teachers who were studying in different programmes in the…

An Investigation of the Relationship between High-School Students' Problematic Mobile Phone Use and Their Self-Esteem Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isiklar, Abdullah; Sar, Ali Haydar; Durmuscelebi, Mustafa

2013-01-01

Excessive mobile phone use, especially among adolescents, brings too many debates about its effects. To this end, in this study, we try to investigate the relationship between adolescents' mobile phone use and their self-esteem levels with regard to their genders. For 919 high school students, we evaluated mobile phone use concerning their…

An Investigation of the Relationship between Digital Citizenship Levels of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers and Their Democratic Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aladag, Soner; Çiftci, Serdar

2017-01-01

This study seeks to investigate the relationship between digital citizenship levels of pre-service primary school teachers and their democratic values. The research was designed in descriptive survey model. The research was conducted with the participation of 346 pre-service primary school teachers (juniors and seniors) from Adnan Menderes…

Investigating the Stress Levels of Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Pre-Service Teachers during Teaching Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geng, Gretchen; Midford, Richard; Buckworth, Jenny

2015-01-01

This study investigated stress levels of pre-service teachers (PSTs) across three categories of teaching context: early childhood, primary and secondary. This paper focused on exploring the stressors in the completion of tasks in teaching practicum in the three categories of teaching context and an awareness of and access to support systems. The…

Investigation of Sports Educated University Student's Empathy Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altungul, Oguzhan; Nacar, Eyup

2017-01-01

Empathy is one of the cases which is necessary for people to live together. Because the first rule of establishing good relations with the close environment, it requires to understand what they're feeling in their good or bad moments and it needs to act accordingly. The aim of this study is to investigate the empathy level of university students…

Investigating Female Pre-Service Preschool Teachers' Attitudes towards Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalaman, Osman

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate female pre-service preschool teachers' attitudes towards sport in relation to the variables of grade level, the state of having done sport in the past, the reason for not doing sport in the past, the state of doing sport regularly, the level of interest in sport and the existence of a family member…

An Investigation of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Attitudes towards Digital Technology and Digital Citizenship Levels in Terms of Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çiftci, Serdar; Aladag, Soner

2018-01-01

This study aims at investigating the relationship between pre-service primary school teachers' attitudes towards digital technology and digital citizenship scale levels. The research was designed in descriptive survey model. The data collection tools were "Attitude Scale for Digital Technology" (ASDT) developed by Cabi (2016) and…

An Investigation into the Relationships Between Cloze Test Scores and Informal Reading Inventory Scores of Fifth Grade Pupils.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Richard Barry

This study investigated the relationship between instructional level scores as determined by a cloze test and instructional level scores as determined by an informal reading inventory (IRI). Fifty male and 50 female subjects were randomly selected from the total fifth grade population of five schools chosen from a total of 22 midwestern elementary…

Social Media for Enhancing Student Engagement: The Use of Facebook and Blogs at a University of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivala, E.; Gachago, D.

2012-01-01

This work investigates the promise of Facebook and blogs for enhancing students' levels of engagement in learning. This issue warrants investigation because there is little published empirical work on the subject. The researchers applied a learning ecology perspective to study the potential of Facebook and blogs in enhancing student levels of…

Adult-Supplied Structure and Children's Activity Levels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, C. J.; And Others

This study investigated the relationship between preschool children's participation in play activities structured by adults and the level of motor activity children exhibited while in those activities, to test the hypothesis that children's motor activity levels vary according to the level of structure imposed on activities by adults. Subjects…

Cognitive Levels of Reasoning Among Traditional and Non-Traditional Age College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timm, Joan Thrower; Gross, James R.

Previous investigations on Piagetian cognitive levels among college students both within and across academic disciplines have not addressed the issue of possible differences in cognitive levels between traditional undergraduates and older returning students. Piagetian cognitive levels were studied among traditional- and nontraditional-age college…

Measuring and Predicting Graded Reader Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holster, Trevor A.; Lake, J. W.; Pellowe, William R.

2017-01-01

This study used many-faceted Rasch measurement to investigate the difficulty of graded readers using a 3-item survey. Book difficulty was compared with Kyoto Level, Yomiyasusa Level, Lexile Level, book length, mean sentence length, and mean word frequency. Word frequency and Kyoto Level were found to be ineffective in predicting students'…

Machiavellianism, Relationship Satisfaction, and Romantic Relationship Quality

PubMed Central

Brewer, Gayle; Abell, Loren

2017-01-01

Machiavellianism is characterised by a manipulative interpersonal style, willingness to exploit others, and a preference for emotionally detached relationships. The present studies investigate the extent to which Machiavellianism influences relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality. In Study 1, 194 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism and Relationship Satisfaction measures. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, 132 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism, Trust, Commitment, Control, and Emotional Abuse scales. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism perceived their partners to be less dependable, reported less faith in their partners, and were less willing to persist with the relationship than those with low levels of Machiavellianism. With regards to negative behavior, Machiavellianism predicted each form of control and emotional abuse investigated, such that those with high levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in controlling behavior and emotional abuse. Findings have important implications for the prediction of romantic relationship quality and in particular for negative behavior such as control and abuse. PMID:28904597

Machiavellianism, Relationship Satisfaction, and Romantic Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Brewer, Gayle; Abell, Loren

2017-08-01

Machiavellianism is characterised by a manipulative interpersonal style, willingness to exploit others, and a preference for emotionally detached relationships. The present studies investigate the extent to which Machiavellianism influences relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality. In Study 1, 194 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism and Relationship Satisfaction measures. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, 132 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism, Trust, Commitment, Control, and Emotional Abuse scales. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism perceived their partners to be less dependable, reported less faith in their partners, and were less willing to persist with the relationship than those with low levels of Machiavellianism. With regards to negative behavior, Machiavellianism predicted each form of control and emotional abuse investigated, such that those with high levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in controlling behavior and emotional abuse. Findings have important implications for the prediction of romantic relationship quality and in particular for negative behavior such as control and abuse.

Fine- and hyperfine structure investigations of the even-parity configuration system of the atomic holmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanska, D.; Ruczkowski, J.; Elantkowska, M.; Furmann, B.

2018-04-01

In this work new experimental results concerning the hyperfine structure (hfs) for the even-parity level system of the holmium atom (Ho I) were obtained; additionally, hfs data obtained recently as a by-product in investigations of the odd-parity level system were summarized. In the present work the values of the magnetic dipole and the electric quadrupole hfs constants A and B were determined for 24 even-parity levels, for 14 of them for the first time. On the basis of these results, as well as on available literature data, a parametric study of the fine structure and the hyperfine structure for the even-parity configurations of atomic holmium was performed. A multi-configuration fit of 7 configurations was carried out, taking into account second-order of the perturbation theory. For unknown electronic levels predicted values of the level energies and hfs constants are given, which can facilitate further experimental investigations.

Driving Safety after Spinal Surgery: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Alkhalili, Kenan; Hannallah, Jack; Ibeche, Bashar; Bajammal, Sohail; Baco, Abdul Moeen

2017-01-01

This study aimed to assess driving reaction times (DRTs) after spinal surgery to establish a timeframe for safe resumption of driving by the patient postoperatively. The MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were analyzed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) Statement for clinical studies that investigated changes in DRTs following cervical and lumbar spinal surgery. Changes in DRTs and patients' clinical presentation, pathology, anatomical level affected, number of spinal levels involved, type of intervention, pain level, and driving skills were assessed. The literature search identified 12 studies that investigated postoperative DRTs. Six studies met the inclusion criteria; five studies assessed changes in DRT after lumbar spine surgery and two studies after cervical spina surgery. The spinal procedures were selective nerve root block, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, and lumbar fusion and/ordecompression. DRTs exhibited variable responses to spinal surgery and depended on the patients' clinical presentation, spinal level involved, and type of procedure performed. The evidence regarding the patients' ability to resume safe driving after spinal surgery is scarce. Normalization of DRT or a return of DRT to pre-spinal intervention level is a widely accepted indicator for safe driving, with variable levels of statistical significance owing to multiple confounding factors. Considerations of the type of spinal intervention, pain level, opioid consumption, and cognitive function should be factored in the assessment of a patient's ability to safely resume driving. PMID:28443178

Driving Safety after Spinal Surgery: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alhammoud, Abduljabbar; Alkhalili, Kenan; Hannallah, Jack; Ibeche, Bashar; Bajammal, Sohail; Baco, Abdul Moeen

2017-04-01

This study aimed to assess driving reaction times (DRTs) after spinal surgery to establish a timeframe for safe resumption of driving by the patient postoperatively. The MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were analyzed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) Statement for clinical studies that investigated changes in DRTs following cervical and lumbar spinal surgery. Changes in DRTs and patients' clinical presentation, pathology, anatomical level affected, number of spinal levels involved, type of intervention, pain level, and driving skills were assessed. The literature search identified 12 studies that investigated postoperative DRTs. Six studies met the inclusion criteria; five studies assessed changes in DRT after lumbar spine surgery and two studies after cervical spina surgery. The spinal procedures were selective nerve root block, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, and lumbar fusion and/ordecompression. DRTs exhibited variable responses to spinal surgery and depended on the patients' clinical presentation, spinal level involved, and type of procedure performed. The evidence regarding the patients' ability to resume safe driving after spinal surgery is scarce. Normalization of DRT or a return of DRT to pre-spinal intervention level is a widely accepted indicator for safe driving, with variable levels of statistical significance owing to multiple confounding factors. Considerations of the type of spinal intervention, pain level, opioid consumption, and cognitive function should be factored in the assessment of a patient's ability to safely resume driving.

Investigation of the Motivation Level of Teachers Working at State Schools in Relation to Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Süleyman

2015-01-01

In order to give the best and accurate orientation to teachers working in school organizations, it seems to be necessary to determine their motivation level. Thus, the purpose of the current study is to determine the motivation level of teachers working in state elementary and secondary schools. Moreover, the study also looks at the relationships…

Modular Mayhem? A Case Study of the Development of the A-Level Science Curriculum in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Geoff; McNicholl, Jane

2007-01-01

This article investigates the costs and benefits of the increased use of modular or unitized qualification designs through a case study of the GCE A-level science curriculum in England. Following a brief review of the development of modular A-levels, the various proposed advantages of modularity--short-term goals and regular feedback, flexibility…

Relationship between Teachers' ICT Competency, Confidence Level, and Satisfaction toward ICT Training Programmes: A Case Study among Postgraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tasir, Zaidatun; Abour, Khawla Mohammed El Amin; Halim, Noor Dayana Abd; Harun, Jamalludin

2012-01-01

There are three main variables that would make the integration of ICT tools as an easy process. Those three variables are teachers' ICT competency, teachers' confidence level in using ICT, and teachers' satisfaction on ICT training programmes. This study investigated the relationships among these three variables and measured the levels of the…

The Level of Creative Abilities Dimensions According to Torrance Formal Test (B) and Their Relationship with Some Variables (Sex, Age, GPA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awamleh, Habis; Al Farah, Yacoub; El-Zraigat, Ibrahim

2012-01-01

This study aimed to identify the level of dimensions for creative abilities (originality, flexibility, originality, elaboration) among students in Al Rai Jordanian schools according to Torrance Formal test, and to investigate the differences in these levels attributable to the study variables (gender, age, grade point average "GPA"). The…

The Demand for Legal Assistants in Indiana. Indiana College-Level Manpower Study. Report Number Six.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Robert M.; Tully, Richard B.

The Indiana College-Level Manpower Study is being conducted by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to provide manpower information of value to planning at the postsecondary level. Factors involving both manpower supply and demand are being investigated. This report deals with a survey assessing the demand for legal assistants in Indiana.…

The Impact of the University Students' Level of Alienation on Their Perception of General Satistaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaçire, Ilhan

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of university students' level of alienation on their general satisfaction. The study was carried out using rational screening model. The total participants of this study were 551 Dicle University students, studying at Medical, Technology, and Ziya Gökalp Education Faculty departments. The…

Factors Affecting the Level of Test Anxiety among EFL Learners at Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Selami

2013-01-01

Many studies on test anxiety among adult language learners have been performed, while only a few studies have dealt with overall test anxiety. In addition, these studies do not specifically address test anxiety in foreign language learning among elementary school language learners. Thus, this study aims to investigate the level of test anxiety…

The Integration of Children with Disabilities into Regular Schools. A Naturalistic Study. Stage 2 Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center, Yola; And Others

The study used a multiple case study method to investigate the quality of the educational and social experiences of elementary-level and secondary-level children with disabilities currently integrated within the Australian regular school system. This second stage of the study used for its sample 23 children with intellectual disabilities, 18 with…

Uric acid in aortic dissection: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Li, Xiaodong; Jiang, Shanshan; He, Jiaan; Li, Nan; Fan, Yichuan; Zhao, Xingzhi; Hu, Xinhua

2018-06-04

Studies on the serum uric acid levels in patients with aortic dissection have yielded conflicting results. To compare the difference in serum uric acid (SUA) levels between aortic dissection patients and controls by meta-analysis. Electronic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, CKNI, CBM, Wanfang, and VIP databases until January 31, 2018. All observational studies that investigated SUA levels in aortic dissection patients and controls were included. Weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to summarize the difference in SUA levels between aortic dissection and control group. A total of seven case-control studies involving 1197 patients and 1193 controls were included. Pooled analysis showed that SUA levels were significantly higher in aortic dissection patients compared with those in the controls (WMD 58.22 μmol/L; 95% CI 26.71-89.73) in a random effect model. No significant difference (WMD 9.94 μmol/L; 95% CI -17.89-37.76) was observed in SUA levels between Stanford type A and Stanford type B aortic dissection. This meta-analysis provides evidence that SUA levels are significantly higher among patients with aortic dissection than those in controls. Elevated SUA levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of aortic dissection. Further large clinical studies to investigate whether SUA levels are an independently risk factor for aortic dissection are warranted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Community-Based Investigation of Radon and Indoor Air Quality in Northeast Denver Neighborhoods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfotenhauer, D.; Iwasaki, P. G.; Ware, G. E.; Collier, A.; Hannigan, M.

2017-12-01

In 2015, Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart (TNH2H), a community-based organization based in Northeast Denver, and researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder jointly piloted a project to investigate indoor air quality within Denver communities. This pilot study was carried out across 2015-2016 and found higher than actionable-levels for radon across a majority of its participants. These results inspired a continued collaboration between the community group and academic researchers from CU Boulder. The partnership went on to conduct a similar project this last year in which the team again employed a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework to investigate indoor air pollutants across a broader geographical footprint in Denver's Northeast Neighborhoods. The collaboration sampled 30 participant houses across 5 neighborhoods for radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although VOC levels were found to be well under thresholds for concern, for the second year of this investigation, radon levels were found on average to be significantly above the EPA's threshold for hazardous levels. Additionally, in collecting survey data on the participants' house characteristics, certain identifiable trends emerged that signal which house types have greater risk of radon intrusion. Having found in two consecutive studies that a majority of homes in these neighborhoods are burdened with dangerous levels of radon, the partnership is now moving towards developing educational and political actions to address the results from these projects and disseminate the information regarding radon levels and threats to these neighborhood communities.

Investigating the Relationship among the Level of Mobbing Experience, Job Satisfaction and Burnout Levels of Primary and Secondary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okçu, Veysel; Çetin, Hakan

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the level of mobbing experienced by primary and secondary school teachers and to determine how and to what extent this affects their job satisfaction and burnout levels. This research used a relational survey model. As a result of the study, it has been determined that there is a negative and medium-level…

A systems-level approach for investigating organophosphorus pesticide toxicity.

PubMed

Zhu, Jingbo; Wang, Jing; Ding, Yan; Liu, Baoyue; Xiao, Wei

2018-03-01

The full understanding of the single and joint toxicity of a variety of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides is still unavailable, because of the extreme complex mechanism of action. This study established a systems-level approach based on systems toxicology to investigate OP pesticide toxicity by incorporating ADME/T properties, protein prediction, and network and pathway analysis. The results showed that most OP pesticides are highly toxic according to the ADME/T parameters, and can interact with significant receptor proteins to cooperatively lead to various diseases by the established OP pesticide -protein and protein-disease networks. Furthermore, the studies that multiple OP pesticides potentially act on the same receptor proteins and/or the functionally diverse proteins explained that multiple OP pesticides could mutually enhance toxicological synergy or additive on a molecular/systematic level. To the end, the integrated pathways revealed the mechanism of toxicity of the interaction of OP pesticides and elucidated the pathogenesis induced by OP pesticides. This study demonstrates a systems-level approach for investigating OP pesticide toxicity that can be further applied to risk assessments of various toxins, which is of significant interest to food security and environmental protection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring Novice Teachers' Cognitive Processes Using Digital Video Technology: A Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun-Ongerth, Yuelu

2012-01-01

This dissertation describes a qualitative case study that investigated novice teachers' video-aided reflection on their own teaching. To date, most studies that have investigated novice teachers' video-aided reflective practice have focused on examining novice teachers' levels of reflective writing rather than the cognitive…

An Investigation of Maternal Emotion Socialization Behaviors, Children's Self-Perceptions, and Social Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozkan, Hurside Kubra; Aksoy, Ayse Belgin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The present study aims to investigate maternal emotion socialization, children's self-perception, and social problem-solving skills. In addition, this study describes the association between the levels of children's self-perception and social problem-solving skills. Research Methods: This is a quantitative study adopting a relational…

A Naturalistic Investigation of Media Multitasking While Studying and the Effects on Exam Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Michael C.

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the use of multiple digital media technologies, including social networking platforms, by students while preparing for an examination (media multitasking) and the subsequent effects on exam performance. The level of media multitasking (number of simultaneous media technologies) and duration of study were used as…

Labour-Market Orientation and Approaches to Studying--A Study of the First "Bologna Students" at a Swedish Regional University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Anders; Sandberg, Mikael

2017-01-01

This study investigated labour-market orientations of students at a Swedish University with a dual/diverse focus on vocational/academic objectives. The aim was to investigate whether and how levels of students' labour-market orientation vary with social background, change during the study period, and are related to approaches to studying and…

Chemical Literacy Levels of Science and Mathematics Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celik, Suat

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate Turkish science and mathematics teacher candidates' levels of attainment in chemical literacy. These candidates had all studied the new Turkish chemistry curriculum in high school. The sample of the study consisted of 112 students, who were first-year students in the Department of Secondary Science and…

Investigation of the Work Motivation Levels of Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ates, Hatice Kadioglu; Yilmaz, Perihan

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the work motivation levels of primary school teachers working in primary school institutions located in Istanbul province, Kucukcekmece district. The descriptive survey model was used in this study. The population of the study consists of primary school teachers and primary school administrators working in state…

CXCL4 in undifferentiated connective tissue disease at risk for systemic sclerosis (SSc) (previously referred to as very early SSc).

PubMed

Valentini, Gabriele; Riccardi, Antonella; Vettori, Serena; Irace, Rosaria; Iudici, Michele; Tolone, Salvatore; Docimo, Ludovico; Bocchino, Marialuisa; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Cozzolino, Domenico

2017-08-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate CXCL4 levels in undifferentiated connective tissue disease at risk for SSc (UCTD-SSc-risk) and confirm its increase and investigate its prognostic value. Serum CXCL4 levels were measured in 45 patients and 24 controls. CXCL4 was significantly higher in UCTD-SSc-risk patients than in controls. It resulted higher in patients with a shorter disease duration and in those lacking capillaroscopic alterations. We confirm that CXCL4 levels are increased in UCTD-risk-SSc patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of CXCL4 assessment in UCTD-risk-SSc.

Investigating the Prospective Teachers' Level of Adjustment in Terms of Perceived Identity, Values, and Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogdu, M. Yuksel

2013-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the prospective teachers' level of adjustment in terms of perceived identity, values, and needs. The searching group includes a total of 273 prospective teachers, 178 of whom are females, and 95 of whom are males. They are either working as paid teachers in the state schools within the boundaries of…

An Application of the Rasch Measurement Theory to an Assessment of Geometric Thinking Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stols, Gerrit; Long, Caroline; Dunne, Tim

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to apply the Rasch model to investigate both the Van Hiele theory for geometric development and an associated test. In terms of the test, the objective is to investigate the functioning of a classic 25-item instrument designed to identify levels of geometric proficiency. The dataset of responses by 244 students (106…

An Investigation of Burn-Out Levels of Teachers Working in Elementary and Secondary Educational Institutions and Their Attitudes to Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Mustafa

2009-01-01

In the present study, the burn-out levels of teachers working in elementary and secondary educational institutions and their attitudes and beliefs regarding classroom management are investigated with respect to gender, job seniority, class size and the types of schools they have been working in. This is a survey method research and quantitative…

21st Century Literacies in Teacher Education: Investigating Multimodal Texts in the Context of an Online Graduate-Level Literacy and Technology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karchmer-Klein, Rachel; Shinas, Valerie Harlow

2012-01-01

This study investigated the modes, semiotic resources, and intersemiotic relationships present in the design of multimodal electronic texts. The participants comprised 10 women and 2 men, who were enrolled in a graduate-level course focused on multimodality and who used a virtual poster tool to respond to a classroom assignment. Content analysis…

Association between 25(OH)D Level, Ultraviolet Exposure, Geographical Location, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Lu, Chao; Yang, Jun; Yu, Weilai; Li, Dejian; Xiang, Zun; Lin, Yiming; Yu, Chaohui

2015-01-01

Background There is no consensus on the vitamin D levels and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aim To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyze the relationship between IBD and 25(OH)D, sun exposure, and latitude, and to determine whether vitamin D deficiency affects the severity of IBD. Methods We searched the PubMed, EBSCO, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases to identify all studies that assessed the association between 25(OH)D, sun exposure, latitude, and IBD through November 1, 2014, without language restrictions. Studies that compared 25(OH)D levels between IBD patients and controls were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. We calculated pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) and odds ratios (ORs). Results Thirteen case-control studies investigating CD and 25(OH)D levels were included, and eight studies part of above studies also investigated the relationship between UC and 25(OH)D. Both CD patients (SMD: 0.26 nmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09–0.42 nmol/L) and UC patients (SMD: 0.5 nmol/L, 95% CI: 0.15–0.85 nmol/L) had lower levels of 25(OH)D than controls. In addition, CD patients and UC patients were 1.95 times (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.48–2.57) and 2.02 times (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.13–3.60) more likely to be 25(OH)D deficient than controls. We also included 10 studies investigating the relationship between CD activity and vitamin D. Results showed that patients with active CD (CD Activity Index≥150) were more likely to have low vitamin D levels. In addition, whether low sun exposure and high latitude were related to a high morbidity of CD need to be provided more evidence. Conclusion Our study shows that IBD patients have lower vitamin D levels. For active CD patients, vitamin D levels were low. These findings suggest that vitamin D may play an important role in the development of IBD, although a direct association could not be determined in our study. PMID:26172950

Community environment, cognitive impairment and dementia in later life: results from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study

PubMed Central

Wu, Yu-Tzu; Prina, A. Matthew; Jones, Andrew P.; Barnes, Linda E.; Matthews, Fiona E.; Brayne, Carol

2015-01-01

Background: few studies have investigated the impact of the community environment, as distinct from area deprivation, on cognition in later life. This study explores cross-sectional associations between cognitive impairment and dementia and environmental features at the community level in older people. Method: the postcodes of the 2,424 participants in the year-10 interview of the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study in England were mapped into small area level geographical units (Lower-layer Super Output Areas) and linked to environmental data in government statistics. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted to investigate associations between cognitive impairment (defined as MMSE ≤ 25), dementia (organicity level ≥3 in GMS-AGECAT) and community level measurements including area deprivation, natural environment, land use mix and crime. Sensitivity analyses tested the impact of people moving residence within the last two years. Results: higher levels of area deprivation and crime were not significantly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia after accounting for individual level factors. Living in areas with high land use mix was significantly associated with a nearly 60% reduced odds of dementia (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8) after adjusting for individual level factors and area deprivation, but there was no linear trend for cognitive impairment. Increased odds of dementia (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.2) and cognitive impairment (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.0) were found in the highest quartile of natural environment availability. Findings were robust to exclusion of the recently relocated. Conclusion: features of land use have complex associations with cognitive impairment and dementia. Further investigations should focus on environmental influences on cognition to inform health and social policies. PMID:26464419

Community environment, cognitive impairment and dementia in later life: results from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Tzu; Prina, A Matthew; Jones, Andrew P; Barnes, Linda E; Matthews, Fiona E; Brayne, Carol

2015-11-01

Few studies have investigated the impact of the community environment, as distinct from area deprivation, on cognition in later life. This study explores cross-sectional associations between cognitive impairment and dementia and environmental features at the community level in older people. The postcodes of the 2,424 participants in the year-10 interview of the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study in England were mapped into small area level geographical units (Lower-layer Super Output Areas) and linked to environmental data in government statistics. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted to investigate associations between cognitive impairment (defined as MMSE ≤ 25), dementia (organicity level ≥3 in GMS-AGECAT) and community level measurements including area deprivation, natural environment, land use mix and crime. Sensitivity analyses tested the impact of people moving residence within the last two years. Higher levels of area deprivation and crime were not significantly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia after accounting for individual level factors. Living in areas with high land use mix was significantly associated with a nearly 60% reduced odds of dementia (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8) after adjusting for individual level factors and area deprivation, but there was no linear trend for cognitive impairment. Increased odds of dementia (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.2) and cognitive impairment (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.0) were found in the highest quartile of natural environment availability. Findings were robust to exclusion of the recently relocated. Features of land use have complex associations with cognitive impairment and dementia. Further investigations should focus on environmental influences on cognition to inform health and social policies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.

Using Attribution Theory to Examine Community Rehabilitation Provider Stigma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauser, David R.; Ciftci, Ayse; O'Sullivan, Deirdre

2009-01-01

This study builds on existing research investigating the stigma-reducing strategies specific to rehabilitation service providers by comparing differences in education levels and degree of contact among rehabilitation service providers. Rehabilitation service providers with master's level and bachelor level education showed significant differences…

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LEVELS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN AIR AND BLOOD FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION

EPA Science Inventory

Background: The relationships between levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in blood and air have not been well characterized in the general population where exposure concentrations are generally at ppb levels. Objectives: This study investigates relationships between ...

Investigations in Marine Chemistry: Tide Pool Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

Students investigated the salinity of tide pools at different levels in the intertidal zone. Data are analyzed collectively. Students graphed and discussed data. Included are suggestions for evaluation and further study. (Author)

Plasma Cytokine Concentrations in Workers Exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)

PubMed Central

Saberi Hosnijeh, Fatemeh; Boers, Daisy; Portengen, Lützen; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Heederik, Dick; Vermeulen, Roel

2012-01-01

Objectives: Few epidemiological studies have studied the effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on blood cytokine levels. In this study we investigated changes in plasma levels of a large panel of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors among workers from a Dutch historical cohort occupationally exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides and contaminants including TCDD. Methods: Eighty-five workers who had been exposed to either high (n = 47) or low (n = 38) TCDD levels more than 30 years before serum collection were included in the current investigation. Plasma level of 16 cytokines, 10 chemokines, and 6 growth factors were measured. Current plasma levels of TCDD (TCDDcurrent) were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography/isotope-dilution high-resolution mass spectrometry. TCDD blood levels at the time of last exposure (TCDDmax) were estimated using a one-compartment first order kinetic model. Results: Blood levels of most analytes had a negative association with current and estimated past maximum TCDD levels. These decreases reached formal statistical significance for fractalkine, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) with increasing TCDD levels. Conclusion: Our study showed a general reduction in most analyte levels with the strongest effects for fractalkine, FGF2, and TGF-α. These findings suggest that TCDD exposure could suppress the immune system and that chemokine and growth factor-dependent cellular pathway changes by TCDD may play role in TCDD toxicity and associated health effects. PMID:22655272

Personal-Level and Group-Level Discrimination and Mental Health: the Role of Skin Color.

PubMed

Fattore, Gisel Lorena; Amorim, Leila D; Dos Santos, Letícia Marques; Dos Santos, Darci Neves; Barreto, Mauricio Lima

2017-12-21

This study investigates the association between personal-level and group-level discrimination and common mental disorders (CMDs) among Afro-Brazilian women, aiming to explore the role of skin color on this association. This is a cross-sectional study involving 1130 women who were participating in the Social Change, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, whose children were recruited from 24 geographical micro-regions representative of the population without sanitation. Measures of discrimination were defined by: experiences (personal-level) and concern about discrimination (group-level) using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Skin color was registered by self-declaration, being classified as white, brown, and black. The association between "self-reported" discrimination and CMDs was evaluated using Poisson regression analysis. Prevalence of CMDs was high (38.3%), especially in the group exposed to discriminatory experiences and black women. Experiences and concern about discrimination were positive and significantly associated with mental health, before and after adjustment for potential confounders. The effect of discrimination on CMDs was lower among black women, suggesting the development of other strategies to confront racism. This study emphasizes the use of both personal- and group-level discrimination measures, as well as skin color, for the evaluation of mental disorders in public health research. Further studies of health consequences of discrimination will require investigation of protective factors for mental disorders in the population suffering discrimination and racism.

Level IIB Neck Dissection in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Science or Myth?

PubMed

Ghantous, Yasmine; Akrish, Sharon; Abd-Elraziq, Morad; El-Naaj, Imad Abu

2016-06-01

Selective neck dissection enables us to reduce the morbidity of neck dissection while maintaining the same oncological results, mainly in clinically negative neck N0. The most common morbidity associated with selective neck dissection is spinal accessory nerve dysfunction and related shoulder disability, which are encountered during dissection of level IIB.The aim of authors' study is to evaluate the incidence of sublevel IIB lymphatic metastasis in clinically N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients.The study group comprised 48 men (68%) and 22 women (32%). The median number of the lymph nodes removed from level IIB was 6.5. All the investigated necks were clinically classified as N0, of which 14 (20%) turned out to have an occult nodal metastasis, including only 1 patient (1.42%) of level IIB occult metastasis, which originated from the primary tumor located in the tongue and also metastasized to level IIA. The most associated morbidity was shoulder pain and dysfunction, which presented in 60% of the patients.Also, an electronic search was conducted to find relevant studies investigating the prevalence of level IIB metastasis in OSCC. Ten studies were included for full text review, including the current study. The overall incidence of level IIB metastasis is 4% (17 patients); of these 17 patients, only 4 patients had isolated level IIB nodal metastases (2%).To conclude, neck dissecting, including dissecting level IIB, remains the keystone of treating OSCC. Its prognostic and therapeutic value exceeds its associated morbidity; therefore, dissecting level IIB is recommended in treating OSCC in clinically N0 patients.

College Students' Study Strategies as a Function of Testing: An Investigation into Metacognitive Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Margaret E.; Green, Samuel B.; Salisbury-Glennon, Jill D.; Tollefson, Nona

2006-01-01

We conducted the present study to investigate whether college students adjust their study strategies to meet the cognitive demands of testing, a metacognitive self-regulatory skill. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two testing conditions. In one condition we told participants to study for a test that required deep-level cognitive…

Cellular water distribution, transport, and its investigation methods for plant-based food material.

PubMed

Khan, Md Imran H; Karim, M A

2017-09-01

Heterogeneous and hygroscopic characteristics of plant-based food material make it complex in structure, and therefore water distribution in its different cellular environments is very complex. There are three different cellular environments, namely the intercellular environment, the intracellular environment, and the cell wall environment inside the food structure. According to the bonding strength, intracellular water is defined as loosely bound water, cell wall water is categorized as strongly bound water, and intercellular water is known as free water (FW). During food drying, optimization of the heat and mass transfer process is crucial for the energy efficiency of the process and the quality of the product. For optimizing heat and mass transfer during food processing, understanding these three types of waters (strongly bound, loosely bound, and free water) in plant-based food material is essential. However, there are few studies that investigate cellular level water distribution and transport. As there is no direct method for determining the cellular level water distributions, various indirect methods have been applied to investigate the cellular level water distribution, and there is, as yet, no consensus on the appropriate method for measuring cellular level water in plant-based food material. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive review on the available methods to investigate the cellular level water, the characteristics of water at different cellular levels and its transport mechanism during drying. The effect of bound water transport on quality of food product is also discussed. This review article presents a comparative study of different methods that can be applied to investigate cellular water such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dilatometry. The article closes with a discussion of current challenges to investigating cellular water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Glosses on Vocabulary Gain and Retention among Tertiary Level EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azari, Foroogh; Abdullah, Faiz Sathi; Heng, Chan Swee; Hoon, Tan Bee

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a study that aimed to investigate the effects of textual glosses on the lexical development of EFL learners. Given the importance of the English language for tertiary level study, it is necessary for EFL learners to read independently and to acquire the vocabulary they need for disciplinary study. Many studies have reported…

A Study of Curriculum Literacy and Information Literacy Levels of Teacher Candidates in Department of Social Sciences Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sural, Serhat; Dedebali, Nurhak Cem

2018-01-01

The present study aims to investigate information literacy and curriculum literacy levels of teacher candidates and to identify the relationship between them through their course of study at Faculty of Education. The research model was designed as quantitative one and general screening model was employed. The study group is 895 students, who were…

Effects of Performance-Based Financial Incentives on Work Performance: A Study of Technical-Level Employees in the Private Sector in Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickramasinghe, Vathsala; Dabere, Sampath

2012-01-01

The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of performance-based financial incentives on work performance. The study hypothesized that the design features of performance-based financial incentive schemes themselves may influence individuals' work performance. For the study, survey methodology was used and 93 technical-level employees…

Highway noise study : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-05-01

Three noise level measurement systems have been investigated and made operational. They are: : 1. Graphic Level Recording Method : 2. Periodic Sampling Method : 3. Environmental Noise Classifier Method : The relative accuracy of the three systems wer...

The Influence of Individual and Team Cognitive Ability on Operators’ Task and Safety Performance: A Multilevel Field Study in Nuclear Power Plants

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Yongjuan; Wu, Changxu

2013-01-01

While much research has investigated the predictors of operators’ performance such as personality, attitudes and motivation in high-risk industries, its cognitive antecedents and boundary conditions have not been fully investigated. Based on a multilevel investigation of 312 nuclear power plant main control room operators from 50 shift teams, the present study investigated how general mental ability (GMA) at both individual and team level can influence task and safety performance. At the individual level, operators’ GMA was predictive of their task and safety performance and this trend became more significant as they accumulated more experience. At the team level, we found team GMA had positive influences on all three performance criteria. However, we also found a “big-fish-little-pond” effect insofar as team GMA had a relatively smaller effect and inhibited the contribution of individual GMA to workers’ extra-role behaviors (safety participation) compared to its clear beneficial influence on in-role behaviors (task performance and safety compliance). The possible mechanisms related to learning and social comparison processes are discussed. PMID:24391964

DRINKING WATER ARSENIC EXPOSURE AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN HEALTHY WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA

EPA Science Inventory

The extremely high exposure levels evaluated in prior investigations relating elevated levels of drinking water arsenic and hypertension prevalence make extrapolation to potential vascular effects at lower exposure levels very difficult. A cross-sectional study was conducted on ...

Constructivist Learning Environment among Palestinian Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeidan, Afif

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the constructivist learning environment among Palestinian science students. The study also aimed to investigate the effects of gender and learning level of these students on their perceptions of the constructivist learning environment. Data were collected from 125 male and 101 female students from the…

The Chinese Government Scholarship Program: An Effective Form of Foreign Assistance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Lili; Chapman, David W.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of Chinese international education assistance through an examination of student experience in the Chinese Government Scholarship Program, an important mechanism of Chinese foreign aid. Grounded in Pascarella's (1985) model of the impact of college on students, the study investigates participants' level of…

Spoken Spanish Language Development at the High School Level: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Aleidine J.; Theiler, Janine

2014-01-01

Communicative approaches to teaching language have emphasized the centrality of oral proficiency in the language acquisition process, but research investigating oral proficiency has been surprisingly limited, yielding an incomplete understanding of spoken language development. This study investigated the development of spoken language at the high…

Lithium levels in tap water and psychotic experiences in a general population of adolescents.

PubMed

Shimodera, Shinji; Koike, Shinsuke; Ando, Shuntaro; Yamasaki, Syudo; Fujito, Ryosuke; Endo, Kaori; Iijima, Yudai; Yamamoto, Yu; Morita, Masaya; Sawada, Ken; Ohara, Nobuki; Okazaki, Yuji; Nishida, Atsushi

2018-06-09

Recently, several epidemiologic studies have reported that lithium in drinking water may be associated with lower rates of suicide mortality, lower incidence of dementia, and lower levels of adolescents' depression and aggression at the population level. However, to our knowledge, no study has investigated lithium level in tap water in relation to psychotic experiences in a general population of adolescents. This is the first study to investigate this using a large dataset. Information on psychotic experiences, distress associated with these experiences, and depressive symptoms were collected in 24 public junior high schools in Kochi Prefecture in Japan. Samples were collected from sources that supplied drinking water to schools, and lithium levels were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The association of lithium levels with psychotic experiences, considering distress as a degree of severity, was examined using an ordinal logistic regression model with schools and depressive symptoms as random effects. In total, 3040 students responded to the self-reporting questionnaire (response rate: 91.8%). Lithium levels in tap water were inversely associated with psychotic experiences (p = 0.021). We concluded that lithium level in tap water was inversely associated with psychotic experiences among a general population of adolescents and may have a preventive effect for such experiences and distress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma catecholamine levels before and after paroxetine treatment in patients with panic disorder.

PubMed

Oh, Jae-Young; Yu, Bum-Hee; Heo, Jung-Yoon; Yoo, Ikki; Song, Hyemin; Jeon, Hong Jin

2015-02-28

Catecholamines such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine are closely related to the autonomic nervous system, suggesting that panic disorder may involve elevated catecholamine levels. This study investigated basal and posttreatment catecholamine levels in patients with panic disorder. A total of 29 patients with panic disorder and 23 healthy controls participated in the study. Panic disorder patients received paroxetine treatment for 12 weeks after clinical tests and examination had been conducted. We investigated the difference in basal levels of catecholamine and measured the changes in catecholamine levels before and after drug treatment in panic disorder patients. The basal plasma epinephrine (48.87±6.18 pg/ml) and dopamine (34.87±3.57 pg/ml) levels of panic disorder patients were significantly higher than those (34.79±4.72 pg/ml and 20.40±3.53 pg/ml) of the control group. However, basal plasma norepinephrine levels did not show statistically significant differences between patients and controls. After drug therapy, plasma catecholamine levels were nonsignificantly decreased and norepinephrine levels showed a tendency toward a decrease that did not reach significance. In conclusion, this study suggests the possibility of a baseline increase of plasma catecholamine levels and activation of sympathetic nervous systems in patients with panic disorder which may normalize after treatment with paroxetine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Intervention and Juvenile Delinquency Prevention: Evidence from the Chicago Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Emily A.; Reynolds, Arthur J.

2006-01-01

This study investigated the role of an early educational intervention and child-, family-, peer-, and school-level predictors on court-reported juvenile delinquency. Data were provided from the Chicago Longitudinal Study, an ongoing investigation of the scholastic and social development of more than 1,500 low-income youths (93% of whom were…

An Investigation of Pattern Problems Posed by Middle School Mathematics Preservice Teachers Using Multiple Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Yasemin; Durmus, Soner; Yaman, Hakan

2018-01-01

This study investigated the pattern problems posed by middle school mathematics preservice teachers using multiple representations to determine both their pattern knowledge levels and their abilities to transfer this knowledge to students. The design of the study is the survey method, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group was…

An Investigation into Physics Teaching in Senior High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buabeng, Isaac; Ossei-Anto, Theophilus Aquinas; Ampiah, Joseph Ghartey

2014-01-01

This study sought to examine the activities that go on in physics classrooms in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Specifically, the study sought to investigate the pattern of interaction and instructional methods used for teaching physics and level of coverage of physics syllabus. The survey design was employed for the study in which questionnaire was…

Effects of a Multicultural Perspectives Course on Teacher Candidates' Intercultural Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yaoying; Hao, Chenfang; Huennekens, Mary Ellen

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the intercultural competence of pre-service special education teacher candidates through the contents of a graduate-level multicultural perspectives course. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a graduate-level multicultural perspectives course to examine the intercultural competence of…

Impact of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise on Stormwater Design and Reoccurring Flooding Problems in the Hampton Roads Region

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

The information contained in this report is organized as three separate but related research studies. Collectively, these studies investigate the impact of climate change and sea level rise on transportation infrastructure within portions of the Hamp...

Who Did What to Whom? The Relationship between Syntactic Aspects of Sentence Comprehension and Text Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulsen, Mads; Gravgaard, Amalie K. D.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between syntactic comprehension at the sentence level and text-level comprehension. The study isolated the specific contribution of syntax by asking whether sentence comprehension efficiency of difficult syntactic constructions explained variance in text comprehension after controlling for sentence…

Effectiveness of Using Games in Tertiary-Level Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afari, Ernest; Aldridge, Jill M.; Fraser, Barry J.

2012-01-01

The primary focus of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of games when used in tertiary-level mathematics classes in the United Arab Emirates. Our study incorporated a mixed-method approach that involved surveys (to assess students' perceptions of the learning environment and attitudes towards mathematics), interviews, observations of…

A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Math Anxiety among Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Tina Rye

2010-01-01

This project investigated the effects of a standards-based mathematics methods course on the mathematics anxiety levels of preservice teachers. The qualitative portion of the study examined aspects of a math methods course that affected mathematics anxiety levels and the antecedents of mathematics anxiety. Findings revealed a significant…

Dietary Precursors of Serotonin and Newborn State Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yogman, Michael W.; Zeisel, Steven

Although previous research with adult humans and nonhumans has suggested a relationship between sleep behavior and brain serotonin levels, no studies have been made of the relationship of normal children's or infants' sleep patterns to serotonin levels, tryptophan metabolism, or diet. This study investigates the relationship between dietary…

Promoting Kindergarten Children's Creativity in the Classroom Environment in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dababneh, Kholoud; Ihmeideh, Fathi M.; Al-Omari, Aieman A.

2010-01-01

This study aimed at investigating teachers' classroom practices, which either stimulate or inhibit the development of the creative environment of classrooms in Jordan, and determining the differences between practices according to educational level, experience level and type of teaching. The sample of the study consisted of 215 kindergarten…

Achievement Attributions of Preparatory Class Learners in Learning English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paker, Turan; Özkardes-Dögüs, Alev

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to find out the achievement attributions of preparatory class learners studying at preintermediate and intermediate levels for their perceived success or failure, and to investigate whether there is a significant relationship between achievement attributions of learners, their gender and level of language proficiency. The…

Fostering Students' Preparation and Achievement in Upper Level Mathematics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celik, Mehmet; Shaqlaih, Ali

2017-01-01

This study describes an intervention to address both motivation, student engagement and preparation in upper-level mathematics courses. The effect of the intervention regarding students' achievements is investigated via students' opinions and data analysis from students' assessments. The results of this study show the featured intervention…

Native and Nonnative Processing of Japanese Pitch Accent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Xianghua; Tu, Jung-Yueh; Wang, Yue

2012-01-01

The theoretical framework of this study is based on the prevalent debate of whether prosodic processing is influenced by higher level linguistic-specific circuits or reflects lower level encoding of physical properties. Using the dichotic listening technique, the study investigates the hemispheric processing of Japanese pitch accent by native…

Effects of Reading Strategy Instruction on Attitude toward Strategies and Performance in Reading Texts of Different Difficulty Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shorkaee, Hossein Zabihi; Talebi, Seyed Hassan

2018-01-01

This study investigated the effects of Reading Strategy Instruction (RSI) on reading performance and attitude toward reading strategies while reading texts of different difficulty levels. Fifty-five university students studying Political and Basic Sciences took part in this study. After homogenizing the participants, 24 students were in the…

Learning Processes in a Work Organization: From Individual to Collective and/or Vice Versa?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehesvirta, Tuija

2004-01-01

The study investigates learning as knowledge-creation processes on individual and collective levels. The processes were examined in an ethnographic study, conducted in a metal industry company over a four-year period. The empirical study suggests that conflicts and crises experienced on individual level were some kind of incidental starting…

A Study of the Transition Pathways of School Level Scholarship Recipients into Work and Tertiary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobden, Sally; Hobden, Paul

2015-01-01

School-level educational interventions targeting learners from low socioeconomic backgrounds often have the long-term goal of enabling access to, and successful completion of tertiary studies. This study tracked the progress of alumni of an educational intervention two or three years post school, in order to investigate their pathways to their…

The Effect of Career Decisions on Entrepreneurial Intention Levels of University Students Studying Sport Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Kadir

2018-01-01

This study investigates the entrepreneurial intention levels and career decisions of a sample of 340 university students studying sport sciences. Entrepreneurship refers to a career-related choice that is driven by a risk-taking and innovation imperative. Entrepreneurs of the future are expected to make their career related choices well before…

A Study of the Rapid Growth of "O" and "A" Levels of Education in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ishfaq, Umbreen

2009-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the views of students, parents and teachers regarding the rapid growth of ordinary "O" and advanced "A" level education systems and its implications for Pakistan. The main objective of study was to identify the importance of and social acceptance of "O" and…

Cognitive Developmental Levels of Preschool Children in Relation to Peer Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogelman, Hülya Gülay; Seçer, Zarife; Önder, Alev

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the cognitive developmental levels of five- to six-year-old preschool children with regard to their peer relationships. The relational survey method was used in the study. One hundred and fifty one children aged five- to six-years-old participated in the study. The Child Behaviour Scale, Peer…

The Adequacy of the B2 Level as University Entrance Requirement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlsen, Cecilie Hamnes

2018-01-01

This article reports on a study of foreign students' success in higher education in Norway and focuses specifically on the relation between academic success and students' proficiency level of Norwegian as measured by a CEFR-based university entrance test. This study is distinguished from prior studies because it sets out to investigate not only…

Why Study A Level Religious Studies? Qualitative Perspectives from Two English Midlands Sixth Forms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Ian

2017-01-01

Religious Studies (RS) is expected to impact students' personal development as well as enabling acquisition of knowledge and understanding of religious and philosophical traditions. But to what extent does this actually occur? As part of a larger quantitative investigation of the effects of A Level RS in students' beliefs, values and worldviews…

Analysis of space systems for the space disposal of nuclear waste follow-on study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The impact on space systems of three alternative waste mixes was evaluated as part of an effort to investigate the disposal of certain high-level nuclear wastes in space as a complement to mined geologic repositories. A brief overview of the study background, objectives, scope, approach and guidelines, and limitations is presented. The effects of variations in waste mixes on space system concepts were studied in order to provide data for determining relative total system risk benefits resulting from space disposal of the alternative waste mixes. Overall objectives of the NASA-DOE sustaining-level study program are to investigate space disposal concepts which can provide information to support future nuclear waste terminal storage programmatic decisions and to maintain a low level of research activity in this area to provide a baseline for future development should a decision be made to increase the emphasis on this option.

Effect of agomelatine treatment on C-reactive protein levels in patients with major depressive disorder: an exploratory study in "real-world," everyday clinical practice.

PubMed

De Berardis, Domenico; Fornaro, Michele; Orsolini, Laura; Iasevoli, Felice; Tomasetti, Carmine; de Bartolomeis, Andrea; Serroni, Nicola; De Lauretis, Ida; Girinelli, Gabriella; Mazza, Monica; Valchera, Alessandro; Carano, Alessandro; Vellante, Federica; Matarazzo, Ilaria; Perna, Giampaolo; Martinotti, Giovanni; Di Giannantonio, Massimo

2017-08-01

Agomelatine is a newer antidepressant but, to date, no studies have been carried out investigating its effects on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after treatment. The present study aimed (i) to investigate the effects of agomelatine treatment on CRP levels in a sample of patients with MDD and (ii) to investigate if CRP variations were correlated with clinical improvement in such patients. 30 adult outpatients (12 males, 18 females) with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of MDD were recruited in "real-world," everyday clinical practice and treated with a flexible dose of agomelatine for 12 weeks. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) were used to evaluate depressive symptoms and anhedonia, respectively. Moreover, serum CRP was measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Agomelatine was effective in the treatment of MDD, with a significant reduction in HAM-D and SHAPS scores from baseline to endpoint. CRP levels were reduced in the whole sample, with remitters showing a significant difference in CRP levels after 12 weeks of agomelatine. A multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that higher CRP level variation was associated with higher baseline HAM-D scores, controlling for age, gender, smoking, BMI, and agomelatine dose. Agomelatine's antidepressant properties were associated with a reduction in circulating CRP levels in MDD patients who achieved remission after 12 weeks of treatment. Moreover, more prominent CRP level variation was associated with more severe depressive symptoms at baseline.

Investigation of Remedial Education Course Scores as a Predictor of Introduction-Level Course Performances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulmer, Ward; Means, Darris R.; Cawthon, Tony W.; Kristensen, Sheryl A.

2016-01-01

This study explores whether performance in remedial English and remedial math is a predictor of success in a college-level introduction English or college-level math class; and whether demographic variables increase the likelihood of remedial English and remedial math as a predictor of success in a college-level introduction English or…

Investigation of the Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Healthy Life-Style Behaviors of Academic Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkmen, Mutlu; Ozkan, Ali; Kul, Murat; Bozkus, Taner

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of physical activity (PA) level and healthy life-style behaviors in academic staff in Bartin University, Turkey. The short form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered for the determination of physical activity level of academic staff. Their PA levels were…

Preliminary Investigation of Workload on Intrastate Bus Traffic Controllers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen Bin, Teo; Azlis-Sani, Jalil; Nur Annuar Mohd Yunos, Muhammad; Ismail, S. M. Sabri S. M.; Tajedi, Noor Aqilah Ahmad

2016-11-01

The daily routine of bus traffic controller which involves high mental processes would have a direct impact on the level of workload. To date, the level of workload on the bus traffic controllers in Malaysia is relatively unknown. Excessive workload on bus traffic controllers would affect the control and efficiency of the system. This paper served to study the workload on bus traffic controllers and justify the needs to conduct further detailed research on this field. The objectives of this research are to identify the level of workload on the intrastate bus traffic controllers. Based on the results, recommendations will be proposed for improvements and future studies. The level of workload for the bus traffic controllers is quantified using questionnaire adapted from NASA TLX. Interview sessions were conducted for validation of workload. Sixteen respondents were involved and it was found that the average level of workload based on NASA TLX was 6.91. It was found that workload is not affected by gender and marital status. This study also showed that the level of workload and working experience of bus traffic controllers has a strong positive linear relationship. This study would serve as a guidance and reference related to this field. Since this study is a preliminary investigation, further detailed studies could be conducted to obtain a better comprehension regarding the bus traffic controllers.

Investigation of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine impregnated adsorbent tubes for the collection of airborne aldehydes

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

Holdren, M.W.; Smith, D.L.; Russell, N.K.

1988-06-01

The objective of the study was to investigate the use of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) impregnated adsorbents for sampling airborne aldehydes. Experimental results using a 17 cu m environmental chamber and various spiked amounts of aldehyde material (low ppb levels) showed that the DNPH coated cartridge and the DNPH/acetonitrile impinger methods gave equivalent results. Blank levels of the DNPH-coated cartridges were studied as a function of storage time using various containers and temperature conditions. Canisters pressurized with zero-grade nitrogen provided the best storage device. Lower blank levels were also obtained when the cartridges were stored at lower temperatures. Blank levels appear tomore » equilibrate after six days of storage. To assure that quality data will be obtained, cartridges should be grouped according to batch number and blank levels should be determined prior to any field monitoring effort. Blank cartridge levels should be an order of magnitude lower than sample cartridge level. High performance liquid chromatography with UV detection proved to be a sensitive and stable analytical method for the DNPH derivatives.« less

Depression and anxiety levels in mothers of children with cerebral palsy: a controlled study.

PubMed

Yilmaz, H; Erkin, G; Nalbant, L

2013-12-01

Studies investigating depression and anxiety levels in mothers of children with CP and related factors are limited, and controversial findings are reported in these studies. The study was aimed to determine depression and anxiety levels in mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to define factors related to depression and anxiety levels. A descriptive study. Outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic of an education and research hospital. The study was composed of two groups: group 1, 116 mothers of children with CP and group 2, 114 mothers of healthy children. Mothers of children with spastic-type CP were included into group 1. Functional levels in children with CP were investigated with The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Depression levels of mothers in both groups were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and anxiety levels with Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). BDI and BAI scores were statistically and significantly higher in group 1, compared to group 2. Among mothers in group 1, a positive correlation was determined between GMFCS score, and depression and anxiety levels. However, no correlation was detected between depression and anxiety levels, and body involvement of CP, education status, age and economic level among patients. In logistic regression analysis, the most significant risk factors of depressive symptoms were detected to be GMFCS score and speech defects. Our findings indicate that depression and anxiety levels of mothers with CP children are higher than those with healthy children and associated with speech defects and functional disability levels in children with CP. Healthcare professionals should take into account that depression and anxiety levels may be higher in mothers of children with CP. For an effective rehabilitation program related to children with CP, depression and anxiety levels in mothers of such children should be taken into account, and mothers should closely be followed and if necessary, psychologically supported.

Framing the Universal Design of Information and Communication Technology: An Interdisciplinary Model for Research and Practice.

PubMed

Giannoumis, G Anthony

2016-01-01

Research has yet to provide an interdisciplinary framework for examining ICT accessibility as it relates to Universal Design. This article assesses the conceptualizations and interdisciplinarity of ICT accessibility and Universal Design research. This article uses a grounded theory approach to pose a multilevel framework for Universal Design. The macro level, consists of scholarship that examines the context of Universal Design, and is typified by legal and sociological studies that investigate social norms and environments. The meso level, which consists of scholarship that examines activity in Universal Design as an approach to removing barriers for use and participation. The meso level is typified by studies of computer science and engineering that investigate the use of technology as a mechanism of participation. The micro level consists of scholarship that examines individuals and groups in Universal Design as an approach to understanding human characteristics. The micro level is typified by studies of human factors and psychology. This article argues that the multilevel framework for Universal Design may help remove the artificial separation between disciplines concerned with ICT accessibility and promote more fruitful research and development.

The Effect of Gender and Level of Vision on the Physical Activity Level of Children and Adolescents with Visual Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Ummuhan Bas; Calik, Bilge Basakci; Kitis, Ali

2012-01-01

This study was planned in order to determine physical activity levels of visually impaired children and adolescents and to investigate the effect of gender and level of vision on physical activity level in visually impaired children and adolescents. A total of 30 visually impaired children and adolescents (16 low vision and 14 blind) aged between…

Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in relation to circulating levels of adiponectin.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Stefan; Lind, Lars; Söderberg, Stefan; Zilmer, Mihkel; Hulthe, Johannes; Ingelsson, Erik

2013-07-01

Previous epidemiological studies together with animal studies have suggested an association between adiponectin and oxidative stress and inflammation, but community-based studies are lacking. Our objective was to investigate the relative importance of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, representing different pathways in relation to adiponectin. In a cross-sectional sample of 929 70-year-old individuals (50% women) of the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors study, relations between serum adiponectin and oxidative stress [conjugated dienes (CD), homocysteine, total antioxidant capacity, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), OxLDL antibodies, baseline CD of LDL, glutathione (GSH), total glutathione (TGSH), glutathione disulfide], circulation interleukins (IL-6, IL-8), other cytokines [tumor necrosis factor α, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor], cell adhesion molecules (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin, P-selectin, L-selectin), and systemic inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocyte count] in separate models were investigated. In age- and sex-adjusted, as well as multivariable-adjusted models, adiponectin was significantly and positively associated with GSH, log TGSH, whereas an inverse association was observed for CD and log EGF. An inverse association between adiponectin and MCP-1, log E-selectin, and log CRP was significant in age- and sex-adjusted models, but not in multivariable-adjusted models. Our results imply that higher levels of adiponectin are associated with a more beneficial oxidative stress profile, with higher levels of principal anti-oxidative GSH and total GSH together with lower levels of lipid peroxidation, possibly through shared pathways. Further studies are needed to investigate whether changes in the oxidative stress profile may be a mechanism linking adiponectin with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

The School-Parent Relationship across Different Income Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Alison; McPherson-Berg, Sherry L.; Quinton, Adalcy; Rotunda, Robert S.; Morote, Elsa-Sofia

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the school-parent relationship (volunteering, outreach, and communicating) in schools differs among the poverty level of students. One hundred eighty-nine middle school parents answered a parental involvement survey. Comparisons were made between the poverty level of students (free and reduced…

Aspirations for a Master's-Level Teaching Profession in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Lorraine

2016-01-01

This research investigates aspirations for a master's-level teaching profession in England, providing key stakeholder perceptions in one densely populated region within a multiple case study. Although this intended move to a master's-level profession represented a major shift in teachers' professional development in England, only limited…

Understanding the Microstructure and Macrostructure of Passages among Chinese Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Lap-yan; Ho, Connie Suk-han; Wong, Yau-kai; Chan, David Wai-ock; Chung, Kevin Kien-hoa

2016-01-01

Understanding the microstructure and macrostructure of passages is important for reading comprehension. What cognitive-linguistic skills may contribute to understanding these two levels of structures has rarely been investigated. The present study examined whether some word-level and text-level cognitive-linguistic skills may contribute…

Exploring alternate specifications to explain agency-level effects in placement decisions regarding Aboriginal children: Further analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect Part C.

PubMed

Fallon, Barbara; Chabot, Martin; Fluke, John; Blackstock, Cindy; Sinha, Vandna; Allan, Kate; MacLaurin, Bruce

2015-11-01

A series of papers using data from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) explored the influence of clinical and organizational characteristics on the decision to place Aboriginal children in out-of-home placements at the conclusion of child maltreatment investigations. The purpose of this paper is to further explore a consistent finding of the previous analyses: the proportion of investigations involving Aboriginal children at a child welfare agency is associated with placement for all children in that agency. CIS-2008 data were used in the analysis, which allowed for inclusion of previously unavailable organizational and contextual variables. Multi-level statistical models were developed to analyze the influence of clinical and organizational variables on the placement decision. Final models revealed that the proportion of investigations conducted by the child welfare agency involving Aboriginal children was again a key agency-level predictor of the placement decision for any child served by the agency. Specifically, the higher the proportion of investigations of Aboriginal children, the more likely placement was to occur for any child. Further, this analysis demonstrated that structure of governance, an organizational-level variable not available in previous cycles of the CIS, is an important agency-level predictor of out-of-home placement. Further analysis is needed to fully understand individual and organizational level variables that may influence decisions regarding placement of Aboriginal children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Race, Serum Potassium, and Associations With ESRD and Mortality.

PubMed

Chen, Yan; Sang, Yingying; Ballew, Shoshana H; Tin, Adrienne; Chang, Alex R; Matsushita, Kunihiro; Coresh, Josef; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Molnar, Miklos Z; Grams, Morgan E

2017-08-01

Recent studies suggest that potassium levels may differ by race. The basis for these differences and whether associations between potassium levels and adverse outcomes differ by race are unknown. Observational study. Associations between race and potassium level and the interaction of race and potassium level with outcomes were investigated in the Racial and Cardiovascular Risk Anomalies in Chronic Kidney Disease (RCAV) Study, a cohort of US veterans (N=2,662,462). Associations between African ancestry and potassium level were investigated in African Americans in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (N=3,450). Race (African American vs non-African American and percent African ancestry) for cross-sectional analysis; serum potassium level for longitudinal analysis. Potassium level for cross-sectional analysis; mortality and end-stage renal disease for longitudinal analysis. The RCAV cohort was 18% African American (N=470,985). Potassium levels on average were 0.162mmol/L lower in African Americans compared with non-African Americans, with differences persisting after adjustment for demographics, comorbid conditions, and potassium-altering medication use. In the ARIC Study, higher African ancestry was related to lower potassium levels (-0.027mmol/L per each 10% African ancestry). In both race groups, higher and lower potassium levels were associated with mortality. Compared to potassium level of 4.2mmol/L, mortality risk associated with lower potassium levels was lower in African Americans versus non-African Americans, whereas mortality risk associated with higher levels was slightly greater. Risk relationships between potassium and end-stage renal disease were weaker, with no difference by race. No data for potassium intake. African Americans had slightly lower serum potassium levels than non-African Americans. Consistent associations between potassium levels and percent African ancestry may suggest a genetic component to these differences. Higher and lower serum potassium levels were associated with mortality in both racial groups. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1064 nm FT-Raman spectroscopy for investigations of plant cell walls and other biomass materials

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Umesh P.

2014-01-01

Raman spectroscopy with its various special techniques and methods has been applied to study plant biomass for about 30 years. Such investigations have been performed at both macro- and micro-levels. However, with the availability of the Near Infrared (NIR) (1064 nm) Fourier Transform (FT)-Raman instruments where, in most materials, successful fluorescence suppression can be achieved, the utility of the Raman investigations has increased significantly. Moreover, the development of several new capabilities such as estimation of cellulose-crystallinity, ability to analyze changes in cellulose conformation at the local and molecular level, and examination of water-cellulose interactions have made this technique essential for research in the field of plant science. The FT-Raman method has also been applied to research studies in the arenas of biofuels and nanocelluloses. Moreover, the ability to investigate plant lignins has been further refined with the availability of near-IR Raman. In this paper, we present 1064-nm FT-Raman spectroscopy methodology to investigate various compositional and structural properties of plant material. It is hoped that the described studies will motivate the research community in the plant biomass field to adapt this technique to investigate their specific research needs. PMID:25295049

Investigating the strategic antecedents of agility in humanitarian logistics.

PubMed

L'Hermitte, Cécile; Brooks, Benjamin; Bowles, Marcus; Tatham, Peter H

2017-10-01

This study investigates the strategic antecedents of operational agility in humanitarian logistics. It began by identifying the particular actions to be taken at the strategic level of a humanitarian organisation to support field-level agility. Next, quantitative data (n=59) were collected on four strategic-level capabilities (being purposeful, action-focused, collaborative, and learning-oriented) and on operational agility (field responsiveness and flexibility). Using a quantitative analysis, the study tested the relationship between organisational capacity building and operational agility and found that the four strategic-level capabilities are fundamental building blocks of agility. Collectively they account for 52 per cent of the ability of humanitarian logisticians to deal with ongoing changes and disruptions in the field. This study emphasises the need for researchers and practitioners to embrace a broader perspective of agility in humanitarian logistics. In addition, it highlights the inherently strategic nature of agility, the development of which involves focusing simultaneously on multiple drivers. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Food insecurity and eating disorder pathology.

PubMed

Becker, Carolyn Black; Middlemass, Keesha; Taylor, Brigitte; Johnson, Clara; Gomez, Francesca

2017-09-01

The primary aim of this study was to investigate eating disorder (ED) pathology in those living with food insecurity. A secondary aim was to investigate whether any-reason dietary restraint, weight self-stigma, and worry increased as level of food insecurity increased. Participants (N = 503) seeking food from food pantries completed questionnaires assessing level of food insecurity, demographics, ED pathology, dietary restraint, weight self-stigma, and worry. Consistent with hypotheses, participants with the highest level of food insecurity (i.e., adults who reported having hungry children in their household) also endorsed significantly higher levels of binge eating, overall ED pathology, any-reason dietary restraint, weight self-stigma, and worry compared to participants with lower levels of food insecurity. Contrary to hypotheses, compensatory behaviors also increased as level of food insecurity worsened. Overall, 17% of those in the child hunger food insecurity group reported clinically significant ED pathology. This is the first study to assess the full spectrum of ED pathology in a low-income, marginalized population with food insecurity. Given that food insecurity is a global concern, results from this study suggest that greater attention to the association between ED pathology and food insecurity is warranted by researchers around the world. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Auditory Processing, Speech Perception and Phonological Ability in Pre-School Children at High-Risk for Dyslexia: A Longitudinal Study of the Auditory Temporal Processing Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boets, Bart; Wouters, Jan; van Wieringen, Astrid; Ghesquiere, Pol

2007-01-01

This study investigates whether the core bottleneck of literacy-impairment should be situated at the phonological level or at a more basic sensory level, as postulated by supporters of the auditory temporal processing theory. Phonological ability, speech perception and low-level auditory processing were assessed in a group of 5-year-old pre-school…

Placental transfer and concentrations of cadmium, mercury, lead, and selenium in mothers, newborns, and young children

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhu; Myers, Robert; Wei, Taiyin; Bind, Eric; Kassim, Prince; Wang, Guoying; Ji, Yuelong; Hong, Xiumei; Caruso, Deanna; Bartell, Tami; Gong, Yiwei; Strickland, Paul; Navas-Acien, Ana; Guallar, Eliseo; Wang, Xiaobin

2015-01-01

There is an emerging hypothesis that exposure to cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) in utero and early childhood could have long-term health consequences. However, there are sparse data on early life exposures to these elements in US populations, particularly in urban minority samples. This study measured levels of Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se in 50 paired maternal, umbilical cord, and postnatal blood samples from the Boston Birth Cohort (BBC). Maternal exposure to Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se was 100% detectable in red blood cells (RBCs), and there was a high degree of maternal–fetal transfer of Hg, Pb, and Se. In particular, we found that Hg levels in cord RBCs were 1.5 times higher than those found in the mothers. This study also investigated changes in concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se during the first few years of life. We found decreased levels of Hg and Se but elevated Pb levels in early childhood. Finally, this study investigated the association between metal burden and preterm birth and low birthweight. We found significantly higher levels of Hg in maternal and cord plasma and RBCs in preterm or low birthweight births, compared with term or normal birthweight births. In conclusion, this study showed that maternal exposure to these elements was widespread in the BBC, and maternal–fetal transfer was a major source of early life exposure to Hg, Pb, and Se. Our results also suggest that RBCs are better than plasma at reflecting the trans-placental transfer of Hg, Pb, and Se from the mother to the fetus. Our study findings remain to be confirmed in larger studies, and the implications for early screening and interventions of preconception and pregnant mothers and newborns warrant further investigation. PMID:24756102

Analyzing State and Private School Students' Achievement Goal Orientation Levels in Terms of Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türkçapar, Ünal

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the state and private school students' achievement goal orientation levels in terms of some variables. Quantitative survey method was used in this study. Study group in this research consists of 201 students who are studying at state and private school in Kahramanmaras during the 2014-2015 academic year.…

Levels of house dust mite allergen in cars.

PubMed

Mason, Howard J; Smith, Ian; Anua, Siti Marwanis; Tagiyeva, Nargiz; Semple, Sean; Devereux, Graham

2015-09-01

This small study investigated house dust mite (HDM) allergen levels in cars and their owners' homes in north-east Scotland. Dust samples from twelve households and cars were collected in a standardised manner. The dust samples were extracted and measured for the Dermatophagoides group 2 allergens (Der p 2 and Der f 2) and total soluble protein. Allergen levels at homes tended to be higher than in the cars, but not significantly. However, they significantly correlated with paired car dust samples expressed either per unit weight of dust or soluble protein (rho=0.657; p=0.02 and 0.769; p=0.003, respectively). This points to house-to-car allergen transfer, with the car allergen levels largely reflecting levels in the owner's home. Car HDM allergen levels were lower than those reported in Brazil and the USA. Twenty-five percent of the houses and none of the cars had allergen levels in dust greater than 2000 ng g(-1). This value is often quoted as a threshold for the risk of sensitisation, although a number of studies report increased risk of sensitisation at lower levels. This small study does not allow for characterisation of the distribution of HDM allergen in vehicles in this geographic area, or of the likely levels in other warmer and more humid areas of the UK. Cars and other vehicles are an under-investigated micro-environment for exposure to allergenic material.

An Investigative Redesign of the ECG and EMG Signal Conditioning Circuits for Two-fault Tolerance and Circuit Improvement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, Edward M.

1991-01-01

An investigation was undertaken to make the elctrocardiography (ECG) and the electromyography (EMG) signal conditioning circuits two-fault tolerant and to update the circuitry. The present signal conditioning circuits provide at least one level of subject protection against electrical shock hazard but at a level of 100 micro-A (for voltages of up to 200 V). However, it is necessary to provide catastrophic fault tolerance protection for the astronauts and to provide protection at a current level of less that 100 micro-A. For this study, protection at the 10 micro-A level was sought. This is the generally accepted value below which no possibility of microshock exists. Only the possibility of macroshock exists in the case of the signal conditioners. However, this extra amount of protection is desirable. The initial part deals with current limiter circuits followed by an investigation into the signal conditioner specifications and circuit design.

Measuring healthcare productivity - from unit to system level.

PubMed

Kämäräinen, Vesa Johannes; Peltokorpi, Antti; Torkki, Paulus; Tallbacka, Kaj

2016-04-18

Purpose - Healthcare productivity is a growing issue in most Western countries where healthcare expenditure is rapidly increasing. Therefore, accurate productivity metrics are essential to avoid sub-optimization within a healthcare system. The purpose of this paper is to focus on healthcare production system productivity measurement. Design/methodology/approach - Traditionally, healthcare productivity has been studied and measured independently at the unit, organization and system level. Suggesting that productivity measurement should be done in different levels, while simultaneously linking productivity measurement to incentives, this study presents the challenges of productivity measurement at the different levels. The study introduces different methods to measure productivity in healthcare. In addition, it provides background information on the methods used to measure productivity and the parameters used in these methods. A pilot investigation of productivity measurement is used to illustrate the challenges of measurement, to test the developed measures and to prove the practical information for managers. Findings - The study introduces different approaches and methods to measure productivity in healthcare. Practical implications - A pilot investigation of productivity measurement is used to illustrate the challenges of measurement, to test the developed measures and to prove the practical benefits for managers. Originality/value - The authors focus on the measurement of the whole healthcare production system and try to avoid sub-optimization. Additionally considering an individual patient approach, productivity measurement is examined at the unit level, the organizational level and the system level.

Contextual Differential Item Functioning: Examining the Validity of Teaching Self-Efficacy Instruments Using Hierarchical Generalized Linear Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Jing

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study is to further investigate the validity of instruments used for collecting preservice teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy adapting the three-level IRT model described in Cheong's study (2006). The focus of the present study is to investigate whether the polytomously-scored items on the preservice teachers' self-efficacy…

Utilization of critical periods during development to study the effects of low levels of environmental agents

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

Russell, L. B.

1980-01-01

Careful definition of critical periods in the development of selected characters can result in experimental systems that may be highly useful in studying risk at low levels of exposure. Three examples are presented. Epidemiological investigations can lose much of their value unless critical periods are known for the end points being studied.

Teachers' Level of Awareness of 21st Century Occupational Roles in Rivers State Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uche, Chineze M.; Kaegon, Leesi E. S. P.; Okata, Fanny Chiemezie

2016-01-01

This study investigated the teachers' level of awareness of 21st century occupational roles in Rivers state secondary schools. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of study comprised of 247 public secondary schools and 57 private secondary schools in Port Harcourt metropolis of Rivers state which gave a…

Post-Primary Students' Images of Mathematics: Findings from a Survey of Irish Ordinary Level Mathematics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Ciara; Stynes, Martin; O'Donoghue, John

2016-01-01

A questionnaire survey was carried out as part of a PhD research study to investigate the image of mathematics held by post-primary students in Ireland. The study focused on students in fifth year of post-primary education studying ordinary level mathematics for the Irish Leaving Certificate examination--the final examination for students in…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Optional excursions are described for students who wish to study a topic in greater depth. An introduction describes…

Investigation of Entrepreneurship Trends and General Competency Levels of University Students Studying at Faculty of Sports Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabulut, Ebru Olcay; Dogan, Pinar Karacan

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the general competency beliefs and entrepreneurial levels of undergraduate students studying at faculty of sports sciences by different demographic variables. The sample group consists of total 1230 students, 541 women and 689 men, who have been educated in the sport sciences of five different universities and…

Middle-Level Academic Management: A Case Study on the Roles of the Heads of Department at a Vietnamese University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thi Lan Huong

2013-01-01

Middle-level academic managers play a central role in university management; however, their roles are not always clear and straightforward. Although this research subject has been comprehensively investigated in the last 40 years, most studies are western-biased. This study examines the roles of Heads of Department in a newly established…

Educational Process Quality in Preschools at the Individual Child Level: Findings from a German Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smidt, Wilfried; Rossbach, Hans-Günther

2016-01-01

A large body of research has examined the quality of educational processes in preschools, but it has usually been studied at the group level. Thus, there is a lack of research on the quality of educational processes as experienced by individual children. Therefore, this study investigated the quality of educational processes in preschools at the…

"Let's Talk about Drugs": Pilot Study of a Community-Level Drug Prevention Intervention Based on Motivational Interviewing Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newbery, Natasha; McCambridge, Jim; Strang, John

2007-01-01

Purpose: The feasibility of a community-level drug prevention intervention based upon the principles of motivational interviewing within a further education college was investigated in a pilot study. Design/methodology/approach: The implementation over the course of a single term of "Let's Talk about Drugs" was studied with both action…

A Study of Global Citizenship Levels of Turkish University Students According to Different Variables (Youth Camp Leaders Sample)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temel, Cenk

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate different variables of university students' (Youth Camp Leaders) global citizenship levels from different universities, who participated in the youth camp leadership meeting organized in March 2016, by the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports. The present research is a descriptive study based on the survey…

Association between subjective memory complaints and depressive symptoms after adjustment for genetic and family environmental factors in a Japanese twin study.

PubMed

Tanaka, Haruka; Ogata, Soshiro; Omura, Kayoko; Honda, Chika; Kamide, Kei; Hayakawa, Kazuo

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and depressive symptoms, with and without adjustment for genetic and family environmental factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study using twins and measured SMCs and depressive symptoms as outcomes and explanatory variables, respectively. First, we performed regression analyses using generalized estimating equations to investigate the associations between SMCs and depressive symptoms without adjustment for genetic and family environmental factors (individual-level analyses). We then performed regression analyses for within-pair differences using monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs and MZ twin pairs to investigate these associations with adjustment for genetic and family environmental factors by subtracting the values of one twin from those of co-twin variables (within-pair level analyses). Therefore, differences between the associations at individual- and within-pair level analyses suggested confounding by genetic factors. We included 556 twins aged ≥ 20 years. In the individual-level analyses, SMCs were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in both males and females [standardized coefficients: males, 0.23 (95% CI 0.08-0.38); females, 0.35 (95% CI 0.23-0.46)]. In the within-pair level analyses using MZ and same-sex DZ twin pairs, SMCs were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In the within-pair level analyses using the MZ twin pairs, SMCs were significantly associated with depressive symptoms [standardized coefficients: males, 0.32 (95% CI 0.08-0.56); females, 0.24 (95% CI 0.13-0.42)]. This study suggested that SMCs were significantly associated with depressive symptoms after adjustment for genetic and family environmental factors.

Group Investigation Teaching Technique in Turkish Primary Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksoy, Gokhan; Gurbuz, Fatih

2013-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of group investigation teaching technique in teaching "Light" unit 7th grade primary science education level. This study was carried out in two different classes in the Primary school during the 2011-2012 academic year in Erzurum, Turkey. One of the classes was the Experimental Group (group…

Problematic Internet Use among Turkish University Students: A Multidimensional Investigation Based on Demographics and Internet Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tekinarslan, Erkan; Gurer, Melih Derya

2011-01-01

This study investigated the Turkish undergraduate university students' problematic Internet use (PIU) levels on different dimensions based on demographics (e.g., gender, Internet use by time of day), and Internet activities (e.g., chat, entertainment, social networking, information searching, etc.). Moreover, the study explored some predictors of…

Missing Children in Educational Research: Investigating School-Based versus Household-Based Assessments in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodnight, Melissa Rae; Bobde, Savitri

2018-01-01

Including all children in large-scale educational studies is a pressing concern. Omitting certain types of children from studies can lead to skewed findings that promote inaccuracies about learning levels or educational quality. Increasingly, assessments are a method for investigating the quality of education systems, but national assessments are…

Using Listener Judgments to Investigate Linguistic Influences on L2 Comprehensibility and Accentedness: A Validation and Generalization Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saito, Kazuya; Trofimovich, Pavel; Isaacs, Talia

2017-01-01

The current study investigated linguistic influences on comprehensibility (ease of understanding) and accentedness (linguistic nativelikeness) in second language (L2) learners' extemporaneous speech. Target materials included picture narratives from 40 native French speakers of English from different proficiency levels. The narratives were…

Investigating the Effect of Argument-Driven Inquiry in Laboratory Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demircioglu, Tuba; Ucar, Sedat

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of argument-driven inquiry (ADI) based laboratory instruction on the academic achievement, argumentativeness, science process skills, and argumentation levels of pre-service science teachers in the General Physics Laboratory III class. The study was conducted with 79 pre-service science teachers.…

Investigating Raters' Development of Rating Ability on a Second Language Speaking Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyun Jung

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which raters coming from diverse backgrounds exhibited different levels of rating ability while scoring speaking performances. The study also aimed to examine how raters with different backgrounds could develop their rating ability over time. For this purpose, raters' background…

Virginia Principals' Knowledge of Classroom Assessment and Support of Assessment "for" Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Rachel Previs

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the assessment literacy of Virginia principals and describe how principals with varying levels of assessment literacy integrate assessment leadership practices that support assessment for learning. This study investigated the differences in assessment literacy between elementary and secondary principals…

Experimental Studies of the Influence of Organizational Effectiveness and Succession on the Administrative Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grusky, Oscar

The present study, part of a larger investigation, attempted to examine the separate and joint effects of succession and effectiveness on administrative processes in laboratory-created 3-level formal organizations. Specifically, the investigation concerned itself with the impact of these two elements on communication relationships between managers…

Reflection as a Facilitator of Teachers' Innovative Work Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messmann, Gerhard; Mulder, Regina H.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of reflection as a preparatory mechanism for employees' engagement in innovative work behaviour (IWB). This issue was explored in a study with 67 teachers at the highest level of German secondary education. Specifically, we investigated whether teachers who reflected on work tasks, the social…

Explanation of Normative Declines in Parents' Knowledge about Their Adolescent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masche, J. Gowert

2010-01-01

This study aimed to explain why parental knowledge of adolescents' whereabouts declines with age. Such an investigation is important because previous studies have established an association between behavior problems and low levels of parental knowledge. A time-sequential sample comprising 2415 adolescents aged 13-18 years was investigated on five…

Communication Skills among Gifted Students in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfarah, Yacoub Fareed

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the communication skills among gifted students in Jordan and to investigate the effect of gender and the level of students in acquiring these communication skills. A questionnaire was distributed among the sample of the study which comprised of (240) tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students from Al…

An Investigation of Student Practices in Asynchronous Computer Conferencing Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Vanessa L.; Hewitt, Jim

2010-01-01

This study investigated the online practices of students enrolled in graduate-level distance education courses. Using interviews and a questionnaire as data sources, the study sought to: (a) identify common practices that students adopt in asynchronous discussions, and (b) gain an understanding of why students adopt them. An analysis of the data…

Science Teachers' Information Processing Behaviours in Nepal: A Reflective Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acharya, Kamal Prasad

2017-01-01

This study examines the investigation of the information processing behaviours of secondary level science teachers. It is based on the data collected from 50 secondary level school science teachers working in Kathmandy valley. The simple random sampling and the Cognitive Style Inventory have been used respectively as the technique and tool to…

Investigating Burnout among Elementary and Secondary School Music Educators: A Replication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhard, H. Christian II

2016-01-01

The primary purpose of the study was to compare perceived levels of burnout among music educators by grade level taught, state teaching certification status, and music specialization. The secondary purpose was to examine relationships among perceived burnout, and academic as well as personal variables. Participants for the study were 258…

A Study of Pre-Service Information and Communication Teachers' Efficacy Levels for Analyzing and Responding to Cyberbullying Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavuk, Melike; Bulu, Sanser; Keser, Hafize

2016-01-01

This case study was conducted to investigate efficacy levels of preservice Information and Communication Teachers' to identify, prevent and intervene to cyberbullying cases. Fifty participants were interviewed and 56 cyberbullying cases, which the participants experienced or witnessed, were collected to evaluate their cyberbullying readiness.…

Basic Factors that Affect General Academic Motivation Levels of Candidate Preschool Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celikoz, Nadir

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate some personal and familial factors that affect overall academic motivation levels of candidate preschool teachers. The study group of this research consists of 285 students attending the child development and preschool education department at Selcuk University Faculty of Vocational Education in the…

Income and Well-Being across European Provinces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okulicz-Kozaryn, Adam

2012-01-01

The majority of studies investigate the effect of income on life satisfaction at either individual or country level. This study contributes with analysis at the (sub-national) province level across West European countries. I use a unique dataset Eurobarometer 44.2 Bis that is representative of province populations in a multilevel model. Provinces…

EFL Proficiency in Language Learning and Learner Autonomy Perceptions of Turkish Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ünal, Süleyman; Çeliköz, Nadir; Sari, Irfan

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the relationships of Turkish-English Language Teaching (ELT) learners' perceptions of learner autonomy with ELT learner's proficiency level in language learning. Particularly, the study aimed at investigating to what extent ELT learners' autonomy perceptions are affected by proficiency level of learners.…

School Climate and Exposure to Bullying: A Multilevel Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Låftman, Sara Brolin; Östberg, Viveca; Modin, Bitte

2017-01-01

This study investigates associations between aspects of school climate, measured by students' assessments aggregated to the class level, and exposure to bullying, measured at the individual level. The data were derived from the Stockholm School Survey of 2006-2010 with information from 16,418 ninth-grade students (aged 15-16 years) distributed…

A Study of Junior College Level Physics in German Speaking Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Roderick D.

The purpose of this study was to analyze physics instruction in West Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland at levels comparable to junior colleges in the United States, and to compare this with the physics instruction offered at Jackson Community College (Jackson, Michigan). The investigator spent four months interviewing faculty and…

Activity In Children With ADHD During Waiting Situations In The Classroom: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antrop, Inge; Buysse, Ann; Roeyers, Herbert; Van Oost, Paulette

2005-01-01

Background: According to the optimal stimulation theory and the delay aversion hypothesis, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience difficulties when they are confronted with low levels of stimulation and delay, respectively. Aim: This study investigated the activity level of children with ADHD during waiting…

Introductory Textbooks and Plagiarism in Higher Education: A Case Study from Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Paul

2002-01-01

Textbooks are powerful technologies that are foundational to introductory level courses. In the research site of an introductory economic classroom, the textbook is positioned as having status similar to that of a canonical religious text. This study investigated how student reading and writing can be problematic when introductory level courses…

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Reflective Thinking Skills toward Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Sendil

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the pre-service science teachers' reflective thinking skills toward problem solving and the effects of gender, grade level, academic achievement, type of graduated high school and father and mother's education level on these skills. The study was conducted through the survey method with the…

Semantic Integration Processes at Different Levels of Syntactic Hierarchy during Sentence Comprehension: An ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Xiaolin; Jiang, Xiaoming; Ye, Zheng; Zhang, Yaxu; Lou, Kaiyang; Zhan, Weidong

2010-01-01

An event-related potential (ERP) study was conducted to investigate the temporal neural dynamics of semantic integration processes at different levels of syntactic hierarchy during Chinese sentence reading. In a hierarchical structure, "subject noun" + "verb" + "numeral" + "classifier" + "object noun," the object noun is constrained by selectional…

Socioeconomic Context, Social Support, and Adolescent Mental Health: A Multilevel Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wight, Richard G.; Botticello, Amanda L.; Aneshensel, Carol S.

2006-01-01

This study examined whether the impact of contextual-level socioeconomic disadvantage on adolescent mental health is contingent upon individual-level perceptions of social support. Data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a panel survey of a nationally representative United States sample (analytic N =…

Relationship of Teachers' Perceptions of Organizational Health and Work-Place Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabrera, Cesar M.

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between teachers' ratings of the organizational health of the school and the level of workplace bullying experienced. The relationship between organizational health, bullying, and the staff level factors of gender and age were analyzed. The study examined the survey ratings of 52 teachers from a…

Quality of Work Life: Perceptions of Jordanian Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Zboon, Eman K.; Al_Dababneh, Khuloud A. H.; Ahmad, Jamal

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the level of quality of work life QOWL of Jordanian special education teachers. Participants of the study were 133 special education teachers. Results showed that special education teachers cited average level of QOWL. Furthermore, teachers rated administrators' and colleagues' respect as the…

Acquiring L2 Sentence Comprehension: A Longitudinal Study of Word Monitoring in Noise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Georgina; Gullberg, Marianne; Hellwig, Frauke; Mitterer, Holger; Indefrey, Peter

2012-01-01

This study investigated the development of second language online auditory processing with ab initio German learners of Dutch. We assessed the influence of different levels of background noise and different levels of semantic and syntactic target word predictability on word-monitoring latencies. There was evidence of syntactic, but not…

The Effective Practices and Beliefs of School Principals in High Achieving Hispanic Majority Mid-Level Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briseno, Johnny

2010-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to investigate the effective practices and beliefs of 10 Texas principals in high achieving majority Hispanic mid-level schools. Participant interviews were analyzed using the Creswell (2007) six step method for analyzing phenomenological studies. Findings from this study…

Discourse-Level Reading Comprehension in Chinese Children: What Is the Role of Syntactic Awareness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Xiuhong; Tong, Xiuli; Shu, Hua; Chan, Shingfong; McBride-Chang, Catherine

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the association between syntactic awareness and discourse-level reading comprehension in 136 Hong Kong Chinese children. These children, aged 11, from a longitudinal study, were administered a set of cognitive and linguistic measures. Partial correlational analyses showed that children's performances in two…

Skill-Biased Technological Change. Evidence from a Firm-Level Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegel, Donald S.

A study addressed the effects of technological change using a new, rich source of firm-level data on technology usage and labor force composition. The empirical investigation is based on a survey of Long Island manufacturers' usage of computer-integrated manufacturing systems (CIMS) or advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs). The study also…

Physical Fitness and Physical Activity in Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borremans, Erwin; Rintala, Pauli; McCubbin, Jeffrey A.

2010-01-01

While physical activity is beneficial for youth with developmental disabilities, little is known about those individuals' fitness profile and levels of activity. Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the physical fitness profile and physical activity level of 30 adolescents with and without Asperger syndrome (AS). Evaluations were…

Self-Regulation during Pretend Play in Children with Intellectual Disability and in Normally Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieillevoye, Sandrine; Nader-Grosbois, Nathalie

2008-01-01

This study investigated the symbolic behavior and the self-regulation in dyads of children with intellectual disability and of normally developing children. Specifically, these processes were studied in link with the children's characteristics (mental age, linguistic level, individual pretend play level). The sample included 80 participants, 40…

Pedagogical Reflections by Secondary Science Teachers at Different NOS Implementation Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Benjamin C.; Clough, Michael P.; Olson, Joanne K.

2017-01-01

This study investigated what 13 secondary science teachers at various nature of science (NOS) instruction implementation levels talked about when they reflected on their teaching. We then determined if differences exist in the quality of those reflections between high, medium, and low NOS implementers. This study sought to answer the following…

Preservice Teachers' Introduction to Computing: Exploring Utilization of Scratch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Ibrahim

2016-01-01

Computational thinking has been gaining new impetus in the academic community and in K-12 level education. Scratch is a visual programming environment that can be utilized to teach and learn introductory computing concepts. There are some studies investigating the effectiveness of Scratch for K-12 level education. However, studies that have been…

An Online Process Model of Second-Order Cultivation Effects: How Television Cultivates Materialism and Its Consequences for Life Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrum, L. J.; Lee, Jaehoon; Burroughs, James E.; Rindfleisch, Aric

2011-01-01

Two studies investigated the interrelations among television viewing, materialism, and life satisfaction, and their underlying processes. Study 1 tested an online process model for television's cultivation of materialism by manipulating level of materialistic content. Viewing level influenced materialism, but only among participants who reported…

Association of serum organochlorine pesticides concentrations with reproductive hormone levels and polycystic ovary syndrome in a Chinese population.

PubMed

Guo, Zhizhun; Qiu, Huiling; Wang, Lingling; Wang, Lijun; Wang, Chonggang; Chen, Meng; Zuo, Zhenghong

2017-03-01

To investigate the serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a total of 178 women were studied. The concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in serum were determined using Gas Chromatography Mass-Mass Spectrometer. No differences with statistical significance in the mean HCH, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE concentrations were observed between the patients with PCOS and the control group. Serum p,p'-DDT (P = 0.016) and o,p'-DDT (P = 0.000) levels were significantly higher in patients with PCOS compared with the control group. The results of the association between OCPs levels and hormone levels indicated that o,p'-DDT may play a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS by affecting hormones levels. Further trials should be investigated with the findings in this study to obtain new pathogenesis of PCOS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ghrelin system in alcohol-dependent subjects: role of plasma ghrelin levels in alcohol drinking and craving.

PubMed

Leggio, Lorenzo; Ferrulli, Anna; Cardone, Silvia; Nesci, Antonio; Miceli, Antonio; Malandrino, Noemi; Capristo, Esmeralda; Canestrelli, Benedetta; Monteleone, Palmiero; Kenna, George A; Swift, Robert M; Addolorato, Giovanni

2012-03-01

Animal studies suggest that the gut-brain peptide ghrelin plays an important role in the neurobiology of alcohol dependence (AD). Human studies show an effect of alcohol on ghrelin levels and a correlation between ghrelin levels and alcohol craving in alcoholics. This investigation consisted of two studies. Study 1 was a 12-week study with alcohol-dependent subjects, where plasma ghrelin determinations were assessed four times (T0-T3) and related to alcohol intake and craving [Penn Alcohol Craving Score (PACS) and Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS)]. Serum growth hormone levels and assessment of the nutritional/metabolic status were also performed. Study 2 was a pilot case-control study to assess ghrelin gene polymorphisms (Arg51Gln and Leu72Met) in alcohol-dependent individuals. Study 1 showed no significant differences in ghrelin levels in the whole sample, while there was a statistical difference for ghrelin between non-abstinent and abstinent subjects. Baseline ghrelin levels were significantly and positively correlated with the PACS score at T1 and with all craving scores both at T2 and T3 (PACS, OCDS, obsessive and compulsive OCDS subscores). In Study 2, although there was a higher frequency of the Leu72Met ghrelin gene polymorphism in alcohol-dependent individuals, the distribution between healthy controls and alcohol dependent individuals was not statistically significant. This investigation suggests that ghrelin is potentially able to affect alcohol-seeking behaviors, such as alcohol drinking and craving, representing a new potential neuropharmacological target for AD. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Eagle-eyed visual acuity: an experimental investigation of enhanced perception in autism.

PubMed

Ashwin, Emma; Ashwin, Chris; Rhydderch, Danielle; Howells, Jessica; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2009-01-01

Anecdotal accounts of sensory hypersensitivity in individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) have been noted since the first reports of the condition. Over time, empirical evidence has supported the notion that those with ASC have superior visual abilities compared with control subjects. However, it remains unclear whether these abilities are specifically the result of differences in sensory thresholds (low-level processing), rather than higher-level cognitive processes. This study investigates visual threshold in n = 15 individuals with ASC and n = 15 individuals without ASC, using a standardized optometric test, the Freiburg Visual Acuity and Contrast Test, to investigate basic low-level visual acuity. Individuals with ASC have significantly better visual acuity (20:7) compared with control subjects (20:13)-acuity so superior that it lies in the region reported for birds of prey. The results of this study suggest that inclusion of sensory hypersensitivity in the diagnostic criteria for ASC may be warranted and that basic standardized tests of sensory thresholds may inform causal theories of ASC.

Priming for new associations in animacy decision: evidence for context dependency.

PubMed

Pecher, Diane; Raaijmakers, Jeroen

2004-10-01

In four experiments we investigated the context-dependent nature of semantic memory by looking at priming effects in animacy decision for newly formed associations. The first experiment investigated whether the priming effect depended on the nature of the prior relation between the word pairs. The results showed no such effect, replicating earlier findings. Experiments 2, 3, and 4 investigated the role of context overlap between study and test. In Experiment 2 priming for new associations was found only for word pairs that had been presented in the animacy decision task during study. Experiment 3 showed that in order to obtain priming effects for new associations these associations have to be studied in a study task that is aimed at unitized processing of the word pair at a semantic level. Experiment 4 showed that processing the pairs as separate words at an orthographic level cancelled the priming effect. The results are explained by assuming that priming results from the overlap of features that are activated during both study and test.

Experimental investigation of control/display augmentation effects in a compensatory tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, Sanjay; Schmidt, David K.

1988-01-01

The effects of control/display augmentation on human performance and workload have been investigated for closed-loop, continuous-tracking tasks by a real-time, man-in-the-loop simulation study. The experimental results obtained indicate that only limited improvement in actual tracking performance is obtainable through display augmentation alone; with a very high level of display augmentation, tracking error will actually deteriorate. Tracking performance improves when status information is furnished for reasonable levels of display quickening; again, very high quickening levels lead to tracking error deterioration due to the incompatibility between the status information and the quickened signal.

Untangling interactions: do temperature and habitat fragmentation gradients simultaneously impact biotic relationships?

PubMed Central

Lakeman-Fraser, Poppy; Ewers, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Gaining insight into the impact of anthropogenic change on ecosystems requires investigation into interdependencies between multiple drivers of ecological change and multiple biotic responses. Global environmental change drivers can act simultaneously to impact the abundance and diversity of biota, but few studies have also measured the impact across trophic levels. We firstly investigated whether climate (using temperature differences across a latitudinal gradient as a surrogate) interacts with habitat fragmentation (measured according to fragment area and distance to habitat edges) to impact a New Zealand tri-trophic food chain (plant, herbivore and natural enemy). Secondly, we examined how these interactions might differentially impact both the density and biotic processes of species at each of the three trophic levels. We found evidence to suggest that these drivers act non-additively across trophic levels. The nature of these interactions however varied: location synergistically interacted with fragmentation measures to exacerbate the detrimental effects on consumer density; and antagonistically interacted to ameliorate the impact on plant density and on the interactions between trophic levels (herbivory and parasitoid attack rate). Our findings indicate that the ecological consequences of multiple global change drivers are strongly interactive and vary according to the trophic level studied and whether density or ecological processes are investigated. PMID:24898374

Violence, bullying and academic achievement: a study of 15-year-old adolescents and their school environment.

PubMed

Strøm, Ida Frugård; Thoresen, Siri; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Dyb, Grete

2013-04-01

This study investigated academic achievement among adolescents exposed to violence, sexual abuse and bullying. Moreover, we sought to determine the individual and contextual influence of the adolescents' school environment in terms of bullying, classmate relationships and teacher support on academic achievement. Finally, we wished to assess whether school-level influence is different for the adolescents exposed to violence and sexual abuse versus the adolescents not exposed to these forms of abuse. This is a cross-sectional study of a sample of 7,343 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 16 from 56 schools in Oslo, Norway. We investigated associations between violence, sexual abuse, bullying, classmate relationships, teacher support and academic achievement. Linear regression was used to investigate associations on the individual level. Multilevel analyses were conducted to test for school level differences while controlling for both individual and contextual factors. On the individual level, all combinations of violence and sexual abuse categories were significantly associated with lower grades. This was also true for bullying, while teacher support resulted in better grades. At the school level, the analysis showed that students in schools with higher levels of bullying performed worse academically. Each unit of increment in bullying in school corresponded to an average 0.98 point decrease in grades (p<.01) when we controlled for sociodemographic characteristics. The association remained significant when the model was tested separately for the nonbullied students, with a small reduction in the coefficient value (-.84, p<.01). No overall significance was found for the interaction between the school environment and adolescent exposure to violence, indicating that the school environment affects all students. Factors on both levels can contribute to reduced grades. This stresses the need to investigate individual and contextual factors simultaneously when examining academic achievement. Our results indicated that students attending schools with higher levels of bullying may show poorer school performance. This was true for all students regardless of previous exposure to violence and sexual abuse. This emphasizes the need for preventive efforts that focus not only on vulnerable groups, but on all students and the school context. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional study to estimate associations between education level and osteoporosis in a Chinese postmenopausal women sample.

PubMed

Piao, Hui-Hong; He, Jiajia; Zhang, Keqin; Tang, Zihui

2015-01-01

Our research aims to investigate the associations between education level and osteoporosis (OP) in Chinese postmenopausal women. A large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the associations between education level and OP. A self-reported questionnaire was used to access the demographical information and medical history of the participants. A total of 1905 postmenopausal women were available for data analysis in this study. Multiple regression models controlling for confounding factors to include education level were performed to investigate the relationship with OP. The prevalence of OP was 28.29% in our study sample. Multivariate linear regression analyses adjusted for relevant potential confounding factors detected significant associations between education level and T-score (β = 0.025, P-value = 0.095, 95% CI: -0.004-0.055 for model 1; and β = 0.092, P-value = 0.032, 95% CI: 0.008-0.175 for model 2). Multivariate logistic regression analyses detected significant associations between education level and OP in model 1 (P-value = 0.070 for model 1, Table 5), while no significant associations was reported in model 2 (P value = 0.131). In participants with high education levels, the OR for OP was 0.914 (95% CI: 0.830-1.007). The findings indicated that education level was independently and significantly associated with OP. The prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese postmenopausal women with low educational status.

Investigation of the correlation of serum IL-31 with severity of dermatitis in an experimental model of canine atopic dermatitis using beagle dogs.

PubMed

Marsella, Rosanna; Ahrens, Kim; Sanford, Rachel

2018-02-01

IL-31 is a cytokine that is believed to play an important role in atopic dermatitis (AD). IL-31 levels positively correlate with disease severity in children with AD. Currently, there is no study that has investigated such a correlation in atopic dogs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between IL-31 serum levels and severity of dermatitis. It was hypothesized that a positive correlation exists between severity of AD and circulating levels of IL-31. Sixteen atopic beagles experimentally sensitized to house dust mites. Atopic beagles were exposed to dust mites epicutaneously twice weekly for four weeks. Severity of dermatitis was scored by the Canine Atopic Dermatitis and Extent Severity Index, 3 rd iteration (CADESI-03) on days 0 and 28. Blood samples were taken on days 0 and 28 to measure serum IL-31 using a commercially available ELISA. Correlation between CADESI-03 scores and serum IL-31 levels was not detected on day 0 (Pearson, r = -0.2609, P = 0.3291). After flare-up of dermatitis was induced with allergen exposure, a significant positive correlation was detected between serum IL-31 and CADESI-03 on Day 28 (r = 0.6738, P = 0.004). Positive correlation was detected in active disease between severity of dermatitis and circulating levels of IL-31. Additional studies are needed to investigate this correlation in other breeds of dogs and to test whether circulating levels of IL-31 may predict clinical response to biological agents aimed at IL-31. © 2017 ESVD and ACVD.

Looking into Burnout Levels among English Language Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirel, Eda Ercan; Cephe, Pasa Tevfik

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate the burnout levels of English language instructors who are currently teaching at School of Foreign Languages, namely Konya Necmettin Erbakan University, Selçuk University and Gazi University, to look for the factors leading to burnout and to see if there is a relationship between their burnout levels and teaching…

A Multi-Level Examination of College and Its Influence on Ecumenical Worldview Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayhew, Matthew J.

2012-01-01

This multi-level, longitudinal study investigated the ecumenical worldview development of 13,932 students enrolled in one of 126 institutions. Results indicated that the final hierarchical linear model, consisting of institution-and-student-level predictors as well as slopes explaining the relationships among some of these predictors, explained…

The Use of Apologies by EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Istifçi, Ilknur

2009-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the act of apologizing with subjects from two different levels of English proficiency to find out whether there are similarities and differences between these groups and whether they approach native speaker apology norms. 20 subjects in intermediate level, 20 subjects in advanced level and 5 native speakers…

Effects of Context on Students' Molecular-Level Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teichert, Melonie A.; Tien, Lydia T.; Anthony, Seth; Rickey, Dawn

2008-01-01

In the studies reported here, we investigate the effects of context on students' molecular-level ideas regarding aqueous solutions. During one-on-one interviews, 19 general chemistry students recruited from a two-year community college and a research university in the United States were asked to describe their molecular-level ideas about various…

NAEP Reporting Practices: Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting. The Compass Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVito, Pasquale J., Ed.; Koenig, Judith A., Ed.

A committee of the National Research Council studied the desirability, feasibility, and potential impact of two reporting practices for National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results: district-level reporting and market-basket reporting. NAEP's sponsors believe that reporting district-level NAEP results would support state and local…

Physical Activity Levels in Portuguese High School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmeleira, Jose Francisco Filipe; Aldeias, Nuno Micael Carrasqueira; da Graca, Pedro Miguel dos Santos Medeira

2012-01-01

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the physical activity (PA) levels of high school Portuguese students during physical education (PE) and investigate the association of PA levels with students' goal orientation and intrinsic motivation. Forty-six students from three high schools participated. Heart rate telemetry and pedometry were used…

Listening Strategy Use and Linguistic Patterns in Listening Comprehension by EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shang, Hui-Fang

2008-01-01

This study mainly focused on investigating listening strategy uses at different proficiency levels for different linguistic patterns. Three main questions were examined in regards to Taiwanese listeners of English as a foreign language (EFL): (1) For listeners with different proficiency levels, which pattern may result in a higher level of…

A Test-Length Correction to the Estimation of Extreme Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magis, David; Beland, Sebastien; Raiche, Gilles

2011-01-01

In this study, the estimation of extremely large or extremely small proficiency levels, given the item parameters of a logistic item response model, is investigated. On one hand, the estimation of proficiency levels by maximum likelihood (ML), despite being asymptotically unbiased, may yield infinite estimates. On the other hand, with an…

The Effect of Online Planning, Strategic Planning and Rehearsal across Two Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baleghizadeh, Sasan; Shahri, Mohammad Naseh Nasrollahi

2017-01-01

The study presents an investigation of the effect of strategic planning, online planning and rehearsal on the fluency, accuracy and complexity of oral productions at two proficiency levels. Forty EFL participants at low and intermediate levels performed picture story tasks in three different conditions: the online planning only condition,…

Uncertainty in the Work-Place: Hierarchical Differences of Uncertainty Levels and Reduction Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petelle, John L.; And Others

A study examined the uncertainty levels and types reported by supervisors and employees at three hierarchical levels of an organization: first-line supervisors, full-time employees, and part-time employees. It investigated differences in uncertainty-reduction strategies employed by these three hierarchical groups. The 61 subjects who completed…

Bi-Stability of Movement Coordination as a Function of Skill Level and Task Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yeou-Teh; Mayer-Kress, Gottfried; Newell, Karl M.

2010-01-01

This study investigated whether the level of practice interacts with the initial conditions (here manipulated as preparatory movements) and task difficulty (ball angular velocity and friction) in determining the stability of movement coordination for a roller ball motor task. Practice level and task difficulty were manipulated as two control…

Effect of Computer Simulations at the Particulate and Macroscopic Levels on Students' Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Hui; Abraham, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Computer-based simulations can help students visualize chemical representations and understand chemistry concepts, but simulations at different levels of representation may vary in effectiveness on student learning. This study investigated the influence of computer activities that simulate chemical reactions at different levels of representation…

Effectiveness of the Sport Education Fitness Model on Fitness Levels, Knowledge, and Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Tony; Hansen, Andrew; Scarboro, Shot; Melnic, Irina

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in fitness levels, content knowledge, physical activity levels, and participants' perceptions following the implementation of the sport education fitness model (SEFM) at a high school. Thirty-two high school students participated in 20 lessons using the SEFM. Aerobic capacity, muscular…

Movement Activity Levels on Traditional and Contemporary Playground Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl P.; LeBlanc, Elizabeth

This study investigated playground activity levels of children in grades K-4 and compared levels of use of traditional and creative playground apparatus. The traditional playground area consisted of climbing bars, slides, ladders, chin bars, swings, see saws, and a merry-go-round. The creative playground contained tire hurdles, tire walk, tire…

Benchmarking Problems Used in Second Year Level Organic Chemistry Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raker, Jeffrey R.; Towns, Marcy H.

2010-01-01

Investigations of the problem types used in college-level general chemistry examinations have been reported in this Journal and were first reported in the "Journal of Chemical Education" in 1924. This study extends the findings from general chemistry to the problems of four college-level organic chemistry courses. Three problem…

Physical activity levels and preferences of ethnically diverse visitors to Georgia State Parks

Treesearch

Lincoln Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green; Michael Bowker

2014-01-01

Parks provide many outdoor recreation opportunities that encourage physical activity and healthy lifestyles, and research has recently begun to explore the demographic, social, and environmental factors associated with park-based activity levels, particularly outside of urban areas. This study used a mixed methods approach to investigate physical activity levels and...

Investigation of Job Satisfaction Levels of School Administrators and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sener, Gönül; Boydak Özan, Mukadder

2017-01-01

The main purpose of the research is to determine the job satisfaction levels of school administrators and teachers. The descriptive method based on screening model for revealing the existing situation was used in the study. An attempt to determine the job satisfaction levels of administrators and teachers in educational organizations was made in…

Non-Overweight and Overweight Children's Physical Activity during School Recess

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2014-01-01

Objective: Little research has investigated children's physical activity levels during school recess and the contribution of recess to school day physical activity levels by weight status. The aims of this study were to examine non-overweight and overweight children's physical activity levels during school recess, and examine the contribution of…

Association of increased S100A8 serum protein with early pregnancy loss.

PubMed

Nair, Rohini R; Khanna, Anuradha; Singh, Kiran

2015-02-01

The contribution of systemic S100A8 protein in menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and early pregnancy loss (EPL) is not known. Altered expression of S100A8 in maternal decidua is associated with recurrent early pregnancy loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the systemic level of S100A8 in different phases of menstrual cycle, different trimester of pregnancy, and in EPL. Level of S100A8 was investigated in serum samples of the subjects through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). S100A8 levels were elevated during proliferative phase of menstrual cycle. We found no statistical difference in S100A8 level in different trimester of pregnancy. S100A8 level was found to be significantly elevated in patients with EPL. This is the first study evaluating the systemic level of S100A8 predicting its role during menstrual cycle and pregnancy. It opens a new perspective in which S100A8 can be used as a prognostic marker for EPL. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ghrelin system in alcohol-dependent subjects: role of plasma ghrelin levels in alcohol drinking and craving

PubMed Central

Leggio, Lorenzo; Ferrulli, Anna; Cardone, Silvia; Nesci, Antonio; Miceli, Antonio; Malandrino, Noemi; Capristo, Esmeralda; Canestrelli, Benedetta; Monteleone, Palmiero; Kenna, George A.; Swift, Robert M.; Addolorato, Giovanni

2016-01-01

Animal studies suggest that the gut-brain peptide ghrelin plays an important role in the neurobiology of alcohol dependence (AD). Human studies show an effect of alcohol on ghrelin levels and a correlation between ghrelin levels and alcohol craving in alcoholics. This investigation consisted of two studies. Study 1 was a 12-week study with alcohol-dependent subjects, where plasma ghrelin determinations were assessed four times (T0-T3) and related to alcohol intake and craving [Penn Alcohol Craving Score (PACS) and Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS)]. Serum growth hormone (GH) levels and assessment of the nutritional/metabolic status were also performed. Study 2 was a pilot case-control study to assess ghrelin gene polymorphisms (Arg51Gln and Leu72Met) in alcohol-dependent individuals. Study 1 showed no significant differences in ghrelin levels in the whole sample, while there was a statistical difference for ghrelin between non-abstinent and abstinent subjects. Baseline ghrelin levels were significantly and positively correlated with the PACS score at T1 and with all craving scores both at T2 and T3 (PACS, OCDS, obsessive and compulsive OCDS subscores). In Study 2, although there was a higher frequency of the Leu72Met ghrelin gene polymorphism in alcohol-dependent individuals, the distribution between healthy controls and alcohol dependent individuals was not statistically significant. This investigation suggests that ghrelin is potentially able to affect alcohol-seeking behaviors, such as alcohol drinking and craving, representing a new potential neuropharmacological target for AD. PMID:21392177

Performing below the Targeted Level: An Investigation into KS3 Pupils' Attitudes towards Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirza, Anusha; Hussain, Nasreen

2018-01-01

This study sets out to investigate the attitude KS3 pupils have towards mathematics and the factors that influence this attitude. A case study approach was used as the pupils were a unit of the school under study and a survey method was chosen to provide scope to the study. Purposeful sampling was employed for the selection of 200 pupils from…

Investigation of the computer experiences and attitudes of pre-service mathematics teachers: new evidence from Turkey.

PubMed

Birgin, Osman; Catlioğlu, Hakan; Gürbüz, Ramazan; Aydin, Serhat

2010-10-01

This study aimed to investigate the experiences of pre-service mathematics (PSM) teachers with computers and their attitudes toward them. The Computer Attitude Scale, Computer Competency Survey, and Computer Use Information Form were administered to 180 Turkish PSM teachers. Results revealed that most PSM teachers used computers at home and at Internet cafes, and that their competency was generally intermediate and upper level. The study concludes that PSM teachers' attitudes about computers differ according to their years of study, computer ownership, level of computer competency, frequency of computer use, computer experience, and whether they had attended a computer-aided instruction course. However, computer attitudes were not affected by gender.

Serum uric acid level and cardiovascular risks in hemodialysis patients: an Algerian cohort study.

PubMed

Gouri, Adel; Dekaken, Aoulia; Bentorki, Ahmed Aimen; Touaref, Amel; Yakhlef, Amina; Kouicem, Nabila

2014-01-01

Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) was usually associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in the general population. However, there are few reports concerning the clinical impact and the pathogenic role of uric acid (UA) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between SUA and various cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in HD patients. This retrospective, observational cohort study includes 45 HD patients with a mean age of 51.26 +/- 15.21 years. The differences of the CV risk factors between the patients according to their SUA levels were investigated. Age, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), increased creatinine, fasting blood glucose (FBG), corrected calcium (cCa), phosphate (P), cCa x P product, and LDL cholesterol levels were associated with lower SUA levels, whereas a higher SUA level was associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and increased triglycerides level (p < 0.01). In multiple regression analysis, history of diabetes (beta = 0.360, p < 0.05), reduced corrected serum calcium (cCa) (beta = -1.456, p < 0.01), and phosphate (P) levels (beta = -1.752, p < 0.01) were predictive of an increased SUA concentration. Despite what has been demonstrated in the general population and DM patients, a lower SUA level in HD patients was associated with higher cardiovascular risk factors and high co-morbidity burden. Moreover, higher SUA concentrations may be cardioprotective in dialysis patients.

Serum uric acid level and cardiovascular risks in hemodialysis patients: an Algerian cohort study.

PubMed

Gouri, Adel; Dekaken, Aoulia; Bentorki, Ahmed Aimen; Touaref, Amel; Yekhlef, Amina; Sekkache, Fouzia; Kouicem, Nabila

2013-09-01

Elevated Serum Uric Acid (SUA) was usually associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in general population. However, there are few reports concerning the clinical impact and the pathogenic role of Uric Acid (UA) in Hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between SUA and various Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in HD patients. This retrospective; observational cohort study includes 45 HD patients with a mean age of 51.26+/-15.21 years. The differences of the CV risk factors between the patients according to their SUA levels were investigated. Age, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD), increased creatinine, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), Corrected Calcium (cCa), Phosphate (P), cCa x P product and LDL cholesterol levels were associated with lower SUA levels, whereas higher SUA level was associated with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), hypertension and increased triglycerides level (p<0.01). In multiple regression analysis, history of diabetes (beta= 0.360, p<0.05), reduced corrected serum calcium (cCa) (beta = -1.456, p<0.01) and Phosphate (P) levels (beta= -1.752, p<0.01) were predictive of an increased SUA concentration. Despite from what has been demonstrated in the general population and DM patients, a lower SUA level in HD patients was associated with higher cardiovascular risk factors and high co-morbidity burden. Moreover, higher SUA concentrations may be cardioprotective in dialysis patients.

Determination of Lande gJ - factors of La I levels using laser spectroscopic methods: Complementary investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolewski, Ł. M.; Windholz, L.; Kwela, J.

2017-11-01

Laser Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (LIF) and Optogalvanic Spectroscopy (OG) were used for the investigation of the Zeeman hyperfine structures of 26 spectral lines of La I in the wavelength range between 569.7 and 665.4 nm. As a source of free La atoms a hollow cathode discharge lamp was used. The spectra were recorded in the presence of a magnetic field of about 800G produced by a permanent magnet for two linear polarizations of the exciting laser light. As a result of the study, we determined for the first time the Landé gJ- factors of 20 levels of La I. For several other levels the Landé gJ- factors were re-investigated and determined with higher precision.

Predictors of stress of parents of a child with cancer: a Jordanian perspective.

PubMed

Masa'Deh, Rami; Collier, Jacqueline; Hall, Carol; Alhalaiqa, Fadwa

2013-09-04

Most paediatric oncology studies agree that being parents of a child with cancer is an emotionally stressful event. Although an increasing number of studies have investigated psychological stress of parents of a child with cancer, few of these studies have included both parents or investigated the predictors of high stress levels for the mothers and the fathers. Moreover, studies published over the last few decades were limited to Western countries and have shown inconsistent findings about parental perceived stress whose children have cancer. This study explored differences in predictors of perceived stress between Jordanian mothers and fathers of children with cancer. This study involved a survey of 300 couples parenting a child with cancer. Participants answered the Arabic version of the Perceived Stress Scale 10-items, demographic and characteristics check list questionnaires. The main aims were to measure perceived stress levels for mothers and fathers, explore the predictors associated with high perceived stress levels and make a comparison between them. Mothers reported significantly higher stress levels than fathers (p<0.001), with a large effect size (0.30). Some of the factors associated with mothers and fathers high stress levels affected both parents whereas employment status affected only fathers' stress levels. These findings indicate the need to work with the mothers and the fathers with a child with cancer in Jordan to recognise their psychological needs at the time of diagnosis and followed by on-going psychological support for both parents.

Predictors of Stress of Parents of a Child with Cancer: A Jordanian Perspective

PubMed Central

Masa’Deh, Rami; Collier, Jacqueline; Hall, Carol; Alhalaiqa, Fadwa

2013-01-01

Background: Most paediatric oncology studies agree that being parents of a child with cancer is an emotionally stressful event. Although an increasing number of studies have investigated psychological stress of parents of a child with cancer, few of these studies have included both parents or investigated the predictors of high stress levels for the mothers and the fathers. Moreover, studies published over the last few decades were limited to Western countries and have shown inconsistent findings about parental perceived stress whose children have cancer. This study explored differences in predictors of perceived stress between Jordanian mothers and fathers of children with cancer. Methods: This study involved a survey of 300 couples parenting a child with cancer. Participants answered the Arabic version of the Perceived Stress Scale 10-items, demographic and characteristics check list questionnaires. The main aims were to measure perceived stress levels for mothers and fathers, explore the predictors associated with high perceived stress levels and make a comparison between them. Findings: Mothers reported significantly higher stress levels than fathers (p<0.001), with a large effect size (0.30). Some of the factors associated with mothers and fathers high stress levels affected both parents whereas employment status affected only fathers’ stress levels. Conclusions: These findings indicate the need to work with the mothers and the fathers with a child with cancer in Jordan to recognise their psychological needs at the time of diagnosis and followed by on-going psychological support for both parents. PMID:24171877

The impact of selected educational factors on the academic achievement of secondary students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epps, Bernethia Mechelle

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of related educational factors on the mathematics and science achievement of secondary students. The researcher compared the variables of instructional design, economic status and retention against the exit level scores on the mathematics and science Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test of 11th grade students. The technique used for this investigation was a Three-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Three hundred thirty five students from an urban school district in a metropolitan area in southeast Texas participated in this study. Ex-post facto data obtained from the district's student information system was utilized. Based on the results, the following conclusions were drawn. (1) Instructional design does impact mathematics and science achievement of students at the secondary level. (2) Retention during a student's ninth grade year does impact mathematics and science achievement. (3) The interaction of instructional design and retention does impact the mathematics and science achievement of students at the secondary level. (4) Economic status as a main effect or as an interaction effect does not impact mathematics and science achievement of students at the secondary level. For those seeking to explore this topic in greater depth, recommendations for further investigations might consider the study of teacher perceptions and attitudes toward students who attend school in the alternative setting. Additionally, future investigations might look into the level of experience and the reasons teachers choose to teach in the alternative setting.

Prediction of folding preference of 10 kDa silk-like proteins using a Lego approach and ab initio calculations.

PubMed

Pohl, Gábor; Beke, Tamás; Borbély, János; Perczel, András

2006-11-15

Because of their great flexibility and strength resistance, both spider silks and silkworm silks are of increasing scientific and commercial interest. Despite numerous spectroscopic and theoretical studies, several structural properties at the atomic level have yet to be identified. The present theoretical investigation focuses on these issues by studying three silk-like model peptides: (AG)(64), [(AG)(4)EG](16), and [(AG)(4)PEG](16), using a Lego-type approach to construct these polypeptides. On the basis of these examples it is shown that thermoneutral isodesmic reactions and ab initio calculations provide a capable method to investigate structural properties of repetitive polypeptides. The most probable overall fold schema of these molecules with respect to the type of embedded hairpin structures were determined at the ab initio level of theory (RHF/6-311++G(d,p)//RHF/3-21G). Further on, analysis is carried out on the possible hairpin and turn regions and on their effect on the global fold. In the case of the (AG)(64) model peptide, the optimal beta-sheet/turn ratio was also determined, which provided good support for experimental observations. In addition, lateral shearing of a hairpin "folding unit" was investigated at the quantum chemical level to explain the mechanical properties of spider silk. The unique mechanical characteristics of silk bio-compounds are now investigated at the atomic level.

The Development of Requests by L2 Learners of Modern Standard Arabic: A Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Gahtani, Saad; Roever, Carsten

2015-01-01

This study examined the development of requests made by second language (L2) learners of Modern Standard Arabic at four levels of L2 ability. The study used longitudinal and cross-sectional data collection to investigate how learners' performance of requests developed over a five-month period and differed as a function of ability level. The…

Foundations for Success in the Teaching of O-Level Mathematics in Rural Day Secondary Schools in Masvingo District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mupa, Paul

2015-01-01

The growing failure rate in Mathematics at O-level is cause for concern and warrants an in-depth investigation. This study focused on factors that make the foundation of success in the teaching and learning of Mathematics. The study was qualitative and employed a case study design. Semi-structured interviews were used as data generation tool. The…

Metabolism and gene polymorphisms of the folate pathway in Brazilian women with history of recurrent abortion.

PubMed

Boas, Wendell Vilas; Gonçalves, Rozana Oliveira; Costa, Olívia Lúcia Nunes; Goncalves, Marilda Souza

2015-02-01

To investigate the association between polymorphisms in genes that encode enzymes involved in folate- and vitamin B12-dependent homocysteine metabolism and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). We investigated the C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofalate reductase gene (MTHFR), the A2756G polymorphism of the methionine synthase gene (MS) and the 844ins68 insertion of the cystathionine beta synthetase gene (CBS). The PCR technique followed by RFLP was used to assess the polymorphisms; the serum levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate were investigated by chemiluminescence. The EPI Info Software version 6.04 was used for statistical analysis. Parametric variables were compared by Student's t-test and nonparametric variables by the Wilcoxon rank sum test. The frequencies of gene polymorphisms in 89 women with a history of idiopathic recurrent miscarriage and 150 controls were 19.1 and 19.6% for the C677T, insertion, 20.8 and 26% for the A1298C insertion, 14.2 and 21.9% for the A2756G insertion, and 16.4 and 18% for the 844ins68 insertion, respectively. There were no significant differences between case and control groups in any of the gene polymorphisms investigated. However, the frequency of the 844ins68 insertion in the CBS gene was higher among women with a history of loss during the third trimester of pregnancy (p=0.003). Serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate levels id not differ between the polymorphisms studied in the case and control groups. However, linear regression analysis showed a dependence of serum folate levels on the maintenance of tHcy levels. The investigated gene polymorphisms and serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate levels were not associated with idiopathic recurrent miscarriage in the present study. Further investigations are needed in order to confirm the role of the CBS 844ins68 insertion in recurrent miscarriage.

A Qualitative Study Investigating Gender Differences in Primary Work Stressors and Levels of Job Satisfaction in Greek Junior Hospital Doctors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antoniou, Alexander-Stamatios; Cooper, Cary L.; Davidson, Marilyn J.

2008-01-01

Primary work stressors and job satisfaction/dissatisfaction in Greek Junior Hospital Doctors (JHDs) are investigated to identify similarities and differences in the reports obtained from male and female hospital doctors. Participants in the study included 32 male and 28 female Greek hospital doctors who provided information through…

Psychological Counseling Processes of Prospective Psychological Counsellors: An Investigation of Client-Counsellor Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanberk, Ismail; Akbas, Turan

2015-01-01

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the client-counsellor interaction in the psychological counseling process at the verbal behavior level. The study also aims to analyze the relationship between the behaviors observed in the process with both clients and counsellors' evaluations of sessions and whether changes were observed in…

Exploring the Experiences of Test-Anxious Ethnic Minority Students: A Narrative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adegbola, David O.

2012-01-01

Test anxiety (TA) has been recognized as a significant and challenging problem in all cultures and at all academic levels. Numerous empirical studies have been conducted to investigate the problem in order to identify the causes, conduct assessments, and develop intervention strategies, but little research has been done to investigate how family…

Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Sustainable Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keles, Özgül

2017-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to investigate pre-service science teachers' sustainable environmental education attitudes and the factors affecting them in terms of some variables (gender and grade level). The study group of the current research is comprised of 154 pre-service teachers attending the Department of Science Education in the…

Perceptions from Athletic Training Students Involved in an Intentional Peer-Assisted Learning Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Dana K.

2016-01-01

Context: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has been shown to benefit students across educational levels. Current research has investigated perceptions of PAL, postgraduate impact, as well as prevalence. This study investigated athletic training students' perceptions of an intentional PAL pedagogy on both the peer-student and peer-tutor. In this study,…

The Influence of Friendships and Friendship-Making Ability in Physical Activity Participation in Chiang Mai, Thailand High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Randy M.; Taylor, Jerry; Suwanteerangkul, Jiraporn; Novilla, Lelinneth M.

2005-01-01

Unfortunately, the influence of friendships is a neglected area of investigation in studies of youth physical activity. This study investigated the degree to which three friendship variables (ability to make friends, level of involvement with friends, perceived friends' involvement in exercise/physical activity) was associated with physical…

A Group Therapy Approach to the Treatment of Coronary Heart Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Grace S.

This study investigates the coronary heart patient's "here and now" feelings and attitudes toward his illness prior to and following group treatment. This study also attempts to investigate the change in a patient's acceptance of his heart condition. To measure the change in general health level, a questionnaire was administered to eight patients…

Middle School Teachers' Descriptions of Their Level of Competency in the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sam, Daisy

2011-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate urban middle school teachers' descriptions of their competency in the current National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). The study also investigated how urban middle school teachers currently use technology to support their teaching and student learning. Research…

An Investigation of Traditional Professional Development versus Reform Professional Development and the Implementation of Strategies, Curriculum and Classroom Environment by Prekindergarten Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver-Brooks, Helen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences between traditional conventional professional development and high quality reflective professional development and curriculum implementation of classroom practices. This study examined the extent to which professional development activities were associated with increased levels of curriculum…

Investigating Students' Perspectives of Foreign Language Distance Education Curriculum According to Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orhan, Ali; Ay, Sule Çeviker

2017-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the students' satisfaction levels of foreign language distance education curriculum in a state university according to some variables. In the study, it was aimed to answer these questions: "What are the students' opinions about the distance education curriculum of Foreign Language I course and do…

Using the Community of Inquiry Model to Investigate Students' Knowledge Construction in Asynchronous Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chien-Jen; Yang, Shu Ching

2014-01-01

This study used the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model proposed by Garrison to investigate students' level of knowledge construction in asynchronous discussions. The participants included 36 senior students (27 males) majoring in information management. The students attended 18 weeks of an online information ethics course. In this study, four types…

Refining a Competency Model for Instructional Designers in the Context of Online Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Jae-Young; Luo, Heng

2017-01-01

This study investigates the instructional designers (IDs) competencies essential for the context of online higher education, and has selected an instruction design unit in a research university as a case of investigation. To identify and compare IDs competencies at organizational and individual levels, this study employed a mixed method to collect…

The Investigation of Peer Assessment in Primary School Cooperative Learning Groups with Respect to Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurdabakan, Irfan

2011-01-01

There are studies especially at higher education level investigating the subsequent responses of students towards reciprocity, tacit agreement and assessment of peers, but research on the effect of gender on peer assessment is limited. The present study focuses on whether peer assessment used in cooperative learning groups varies with respect to…

Assessment of Students' Satisfaction: A Case Study of Dire Dawa University, Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Dawit; Liben, Getachew; Adugna, Ashenafi

2017-01-01

Universities in the modern world are expected to seek and cultivate new knowledge, provide the right kind of leadership and strive to promote equality and social justice. The general objective of the study is to investigate the satisfaction level of undergraduate level students enrolled in regular program of Dire-Dawa University and there by…

The Role of Educational Systems in Improving College Readiness Skills in College Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallo, Charles B.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study investigated second semester undergraduate college students' perceptions of their levels of college readiness instilled and developed in them as graduates of a New York City High School. This study sought to determine the level of alignment of the criteria and definitions of college readiness between the New York City…

Do Prospective Classroom Teachers Perceive Themselves as Effective and Willing to Teach Young Learners English?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sad, Süleyman Nihat

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the perceived efficacy and willingness levels of prospective classroom teachers to teach English at the primary level. The study was designed as a baseline descriptive survey, followed by complementary correlational and ex post facto models. Participants were 251 prospective classroom teachers. Data was collected…

School Effectiveness at Primary Level of Education in Relation to Classroom Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panigrahi, Manas Ranjan

2014-01-01

The study aims to investigate the relationship of School Effectiveness with regard to classroom teaching at primary level of education. The objectives of the study were to identify the more-effective and less-effective schools; to find out the differences between more-effective and less-effective schools in relation to physical facilities, Head…

The Cloze Procedure: A Measure for Determining Readability Level for Vocational Junior College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caffey, Musa B.

One hundred students enrolled in the welding and air-conditioning/refrigeration classes at Delgado Community College (Louisiana) were randomly selected to participate in a study to evaluate their effective reading comprehension level, to investigate the impact of a study skill "preview" method such as the SQ3R on their test-taking…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Student Guide: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's text of one unit of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Numerous activities are given and optional excursions encourage students to pursue a topic in greater depth. Data tables within the…

Gender Differences in Psychopathic Traits, Types, and Correlates of Aggression among Adjudicated Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickle, Timothy R.; Marini, Victoria A.; Thomas, Jamila N.

2012-01-01

The current study investigated gender differences in types and correlates of aggression among 150 adjudicated youth (M age = 15.2, SD = 1.4). In cluster analysis, consistent with past studies, one aggressive group characterized by moderate levels of reactive aggression and one characterized by high levels of proactive and reactive aggression…

Time to Criterion: An Experimental Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Lorin W.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the magnitude of individual differences in time-to-criterion and the stability of these differences. Time-to-criterion was defined in two ways: the amount of elapsed time required to attain the criterion level and the amount of on-task time required to attain the criterion level. Ninety students were…

Effectiveness of a College-Level Self-Management Course on Successful Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jean H.; Chung, Kyong-Mee

2012-01-01

Studies have shown that college-level self-management (SM) courses, which typically require students to complete an individual project as part of the course, can be an effective method for promoting successful self-change (i.e., targeted behavioral change). However, only a handful of studies have focused on and investigated the intensity of the SM…

Effect of Posttraumatic Stress on Study Time in a Task Measuring Four Component Processes Underlying Text-Level Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Michael P.; Griffiths, Gina G.; Sohlberg, Mckay Moore

2014-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the effect of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on 4 components underlying text-level reading comprehension. Method: A group of 17 veterans with PTSD and 17 matched control participants took part. An experimental task required participants to read and study 3-sentence paragraphs describing semantic…

The Influence of Short-Term Adventure-Based Experiences on Levels of Resilience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewert, Alan; Yoshino, Aiko

2011-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the impact of participation in a three-week adventure education (AE) expedition upon levels of resilience of university students. Resilience is considered to be a dynamic process of positive adaptation to significant threat or adversity and may be an important variable to study as college students often live…

Teaching Aptitude of Student Teachers and their Academic Achievements at Graduate Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajan, K. S.

2010-01-01

The present investigation aims at studying teaching aptitude of student teachers with respect to their gender and academic achievement at graduate level examination. The sample for this study is selected by stratified random sampling from the Teacher Education institutions of Malabar area of Kerala. Teaching Aptitude Test Battery (T A T B)…

Middle Level Managers' Quality of Leadership and Good Governance, and Organizational Performance of Wolaita Sodo University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shibru, Sintayehu; Bibiso, Mesfin; Ousman, Kedir

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between middle level managers' quality of leadership and good governance, and organization performance of Wolaita Sodo University. The study employed descriptive survey method and used quantitative approach. College/school Deans, Department heads and Coordinators were source of data.…

Self-Efficacy and Anxiety within an EFL Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Cemile

2016-01-01

The current study is a quantitative research that aims to investigate the university students' self-efficacy levels and their relation to their anxiety within an EFL context. To do this, a quantitative research was conducted to scrutinize the self-efficacy and anxiety levels of students at a state university. The participants of the study were 150…

Science Process Skills and Attitudes toward Science among Palestinian Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeidan, Afif Hafez; Jayosi, Majdi Rashed

2015-01-01

The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between the Palestinian secondary school students knowledge level of science process skills and their attitudes toward science, and the effect of gender and residence of these students on their knowledge level of science process skills and on their attitudes toward science. The study used…

The Effect of Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, and Gender-Role Identity on Academic Performance Outcomes of Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra, Jade Simone

2013-01-01

This quantitative study investigated the predictive worthiness of the predictor variable indices--locus of control, self-efficacy, and gender identity--to ascertain if elevated levels of the predictors influence academic performance outcomes (individually as well as interactionally). The study theorized that students with increased levels of locus…

Estonian Science and Non-Science Students' Attitudes towards Mathematics at University Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaldo, Indrek; Reiska, Priit

2012-01-01

This article investigates the attitudes and beliefs towards studying mathematics by university level students. A total of 970 randomly chosen, first year, Estonian bachelor students participated in the study (of which 498 were science students). Data were collected using a Likert-type scale questionnaire and analysed with a respect to field of…

Level of Job Creativity among Learning Disabilities Teachers from Their Perspective in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamadneh, Burhan M.

2016-01-01

The current study aims to identify the level of job creativity among learning disabilities teachers from their perspective in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and investigate the differences according to gender, scientific qualification and years of experience. The study sample consisted of (80) male and female teachers, who were randomly selected from…

Socioemotional Behavior and School Achievement in Relation to Extracurricular Activity Participation in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metsapelto, Riitta-Leena; Pulkkinen, Lea

2012-01-01

This 3-year longitudinal study investigated the associations of student (aged 9 to 10 years at the beginning of the study; n = 281; 51% girls) participation in extracurricular activities with teacher-rated socioemotional behavior and school achievement. MANOVA results showed that, after controlling for the grade level and the initial level of the…

The Effect of Peer Support on University Level Students' English Language Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sari, Irfan; Çeliköz, Nadir; Ünal, Süleyman

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of peer support on university level students' English language achievements. An experimental model with pretest-posttest experimental and control group was used with 800 students who were studying at a university in Istanbul vicinity. As experiment group, 400 students (200 of whom…

Predictors of patrol officer interest in cybercrime training and investigation in selected United States police departments.

PubMed

Holt, Thomas J; Bossler, Adam M

2012-09-01

Cybercrime has created substantial challenges for law enforcement, particularly at the local level. Most scholars and police administrators believe that patrol officers need to become more effective first responders to cybercrime calls. The evidence illustrates, however, that many patrol officers are neither adequately prepared nor strongly interested in taking an active role in addressing cybercrime at the local level. This study, therefore, examined the factors that predicted patrol officer interest in cybercrime training and investigations in two southeastern U.S. cities. The study specifically examined the relationship between demographics, cybercrime exposure, computer training, computer proficiency, Internet and cybercrime perceptions, and views on policing cybercrime with officer interest in cybercrime investigation training and conducting cybercrime investigations in the future. Officer views on policing cybercrime, particularly whether they valued cybercrime investigations and believed that cybercrime would dramatically change policing, along with their computer skills, were the strongest predictors of interest in cybercrime efforts. Officers who had received previous computer training were less interested in additional training and conducting investigations. These findings support the argument that more command and departmental meetings focusing on the value of investigating these types of crime need to be held in order to increase officer interest.

Assessment of circulating betatrophin concentrations in lean glucose-tolerant women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Erol, Onur; Özel, Mustafa Kemal; Ellidağ, Hamit Yaşar; Toptaş, Tayfun; Derbent, Aysel Uysal; Yılmaz, Necat

2017-07-01

The aims of the current study were to investigate the betatrophin levels in lean glucose-tolerant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to explore the relationships between these levels and antropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters. The study population consisted of 50 lean (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m 2 ) women diagnosed with PCOS using the Rotterdam criteria, and 60 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls without any features of clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism. Before recruitment, glucose tolerance was evaluated in all of the subjects using the 2-h 75 g oral glucose-tolerance test, and only those exhibiting normal glucose tolerance were enrolled. Serum betatrophin levels were significantly higher in women with PCOS (median 322.3; range 44.7-1989.3 ng/L) compared to the controls (median 199.9; range 6.2-1912.9 ng/L; p = .005). In the control group, no significant correlation was evident between betatrophin levels and clinical or biochemical parameters. In the PCOS group, betatrophin levels were positively correlated with prolactin levels (r = .286, p = .046) and negatively correlated with BMI (r = -.283, p = .049), waist/hip ratio (r = -.324, p = .023), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (r = -.385, p = .006). Impact statement What is already known on this subject: Several studies have suggested that primary alteration in beta-cell function is a pathophysiological feature of PCOS, and insulin resistance is the most significant predictor of beta-cell dysfunction independent of obesity. Betatrophin is a circulating protein that is primarily expressed in the liver in humans. Early experimental investigations demonstrated that overexpression of betatrophin significantly promoted pancreatic beta-cell proliferation, insulin production and improved glucose tolerance. Few studies have investigated the association between PCOS and betatrophin. However, in contrast to our study, the authors included overweight/obese patients and glucose tolerance was not evaluated before recruitment. What the results of this study add: Our results showed that serum betatrophin levels were significantly higher in lean glucose-tolerant PCOS women than in age- and BMI-matched healthy controls. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: Elevated betatrophin levels in PCOS women, in the absence of obesity and glucose intolerance, may reflect a compensatory mechanism in order to counteract metabolic syndrome-related risk factors.

Leptin levels are negatively correlated with 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Nicholson, James; Azim, Syed; Rebecchi, Mario J; Galbavy, William; Feng, Tian; Reinsel, Ruth; Rizwan, Sabeen; Fowler, Christopher J; Benveniste, Helene; Kaczocha, Martin

2015-01-01

There is compelling evidence in humans that peripheral endocannabinoid signaling is disrupted in obesity. However, little is known about the corresponding central signaling. Here, we have investigated the relationship between gender, leptin, body mass index (BMI) and levels of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of primarily overweight to obese patients with osteoarthritis. Patients (20 females, 15 males, age range 44-78 years, BMI range 24-42) undergoing total knee arthroplasty for end-stage osteoarthritis were recruited for the study. Endocannabinoids were quantified by liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. AEA and 2-AG levels in the serum and CSF did not correlate with either age or BMI. However, 2-AG levels in the CSF, but not serum, correlated negatively with CSF leptin levels (Spearman's ρ -0.48, P=0.0076, n=30). No such correlations were observed for AEA and leptin. In the patient sample investigated, there is a negative association between 2-AG and leptin levels in the CSF. This is consistent with pre-clinical studies in animals, demonstrating that leptin controls the levels of hypothalamic endocannabinoids that regulate feeding behavior.

Observations of the relationship between noise exposure and preschool teacher voice usage in day-care center environments.

PubMed

Lindstrom, Fredric; Waye, Kerstin Persson; Södersten, Maria; McAllister, Anita; Ternström, Sten

2011-03-01

Although the relationship between noise exposure and vocal behavior (the Lombard effect) is well established, actual vocal behavior in the workplace is still relatively unexamined. The first purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between noise level and both voice level and voice average fundamental frequency (F₀) for a population of preschool teachers in their normal workplace. The second purpose was to study the vocal behavior of each teacher to investigate whether individual vocal behaviors or certain patterns could be identified. Voice and noise data were obtained for female preschool teachers (n=13) in their workplace, using wearable measurement equipment. Correlations between noise level and voice level, and between voice level and F₀, were calculated for each participant and ranged from 0.07 to 0.87 for voice level and from 0.11 to 0.78 for F₀. The large spread of the correlation coefficients indicates that the teachers react individually to the noise exposure. For example, some teachers increase their voice-to-noise level ratio when the noise is reduced, whereas others do not. Copyright © 2011 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Modulation of Atmospheric Cosmic Radiation:. Comparison Between In-Flight and Ground-Level Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iles, R. H. A.; Taylor, G. C.; Jones, J. B. L.

January 2000 saw the start of a collaborative study involving the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Virgin Atlantic Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Physical Laboratory in a program to investigate the cosmic radiation exposure to aircrew. The study has been undertaken in view of EU Directive 96/291 (May 2000) which requires the assessment of the level of radiation exposure to aircrew. The project's aims include validation of radiation dose models and evaluation of space weather effects on atmospheric cosmic radiation levels, in particular those effects not accounted for by the models. Ground level measurements are often used as a proxy for variations in cosmic radiation dose levels at aircraft altitudes, especially during Forbush Decreases (FDs) and Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events. Is this estimation realistic and does the ground level data accurately represent what is happening at altitude? We have investigated the effect of a FD during a flight from Hong Kong to London Heathrow on the 15th July 2000 and compared count rate and dose measurements with simultaneous variations measured at ground level. We have also compared the results with model outputs.

Factors Associated with Intensive Telecomputing Use among Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandgenett, Neal; Harris, Judith

1994-01-01

Describes a study that investigated statistical factors associated with teachers' telecomputing use during a graduate telecommunications course. Variables including age, teaching experience, telecommunications experience, computer anxiety level, and writing apprehension level were examined for relationships with login frequency. Implications for…

Impact of Di-2-Ethylhexyl Phthalate Metabolites on Male Reproductive Function: a Systematic Review of Human Evidence.

PubMed

Høyer, Birgit Bjerre; Lenters, Virissa; Giwercman, Aleksander; Jönsson, Bo A G; Toft, Gunnar; Hougaard, Karin S; Bonde, Jens Peter E; Specht, Ina Olmer

2018-03-01

The purpose of this review is to systematically review the literature linking di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure with effects on reproductive health in adult males. Thirty-three papers were included of which 28 were cross-sectional. Twenty-one papers investigated semen samples, 18 investigated reproductive hormones, and three studies investigated time to pregnancy. Studies revealed some but inconsistent indications that higher urinary DEHP metabolite levels are associated with an increase in the proportion of spermatozoa with damaged DNA and to a decrease in sperm concentration and motility. A negative association between DEHP metabolites and testosterone levels was more consistent. DEHP metabolites do not seem to be associated with a delay in time to pregnancy, but data are sparse. The studies on DEHP exposure and reproductive biomarkers in men converge to support the hypothesis that DEHP exposure is related to impaired male reproductive function. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish if the observed associations are causal.

National Water-Quality Assessment Program; the Allegheny-Monongahela River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

McAuley, Steven D.

1995-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. The three major objectives of the NAWQA program are to provide a consistent description of current water-quality conditions for a large part of the Nation's water resources, define long-term trends in water quality, and identify, describe, and explain the major factors that affect water-quality conditions and trends. The program produces water-quality information that is useful to policy makers and managers at the National, State, and local levels.The program will be implemented through 60 separate investigations of river basins and aquifer systems called study units. These study-unit investigations will be conducted at the State and local level and will form the foundation on which national- and regional-level assessments are based. The 60 study units are hydrologic systems that include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems. The study-unit areas range from 1,000 to more than 60,000 square miles and include about 60 to 70 percent of the Nation's water use and population served by public water supplies. Twenty studyunit investigations were started in 1991, 20 started in 1994, and 20 more are planned to start in 1997. The Allegheny-Monongahela River Basin was selected to begin assessment activities as a NAWQA study unit in 1994. The study team will work from the office of the USGS in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Sense and readability: participant information sheets for research studies.

PubMed

Ennis, Liam; Wykes, Til

2016-02-01

Informed consent in research is partly achieved through the use of information sheets. There is a perception however that these information sheets are long and complex. The recommended reading level for patient information is grade 6, or 11-12 years old. To investigate whether the readability of participant information sheets has changed over time, whether particular study characteristics are related to poorer readability and whether readability and other study characteristics are related to successful study recruitment. Method: We obtained 522 information sheets from the UK National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network: Mental Health portfolio database and study principal investigators. Readability was assessed with the Flesch reading index and the Grade level test. Information sheets increased in length over the study period. The mean grade level across all information sheets was 9.8, or 15-16 years old. A high level of patient involvement was associated with more recruitment success and studies involving pharmaceutical or device interventions were the least successful. The complexity of information sheets had little bearing on successful recruitment. Information sheets are far more complex than the recommended reading level of grade 6 for patient information. The disparity may be exacerbated by an increasing focus on legal content. Researchers would benefit from clear guidance from ethics committees on writing succinctly and accessibly and how to balance the competing legal issues with the ability of participants to understand what a study entails. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Sense and readability: participant information sheets for research studies

PubMed Central

Ennis, Liam; Wykes, Til

2016-01-01

Background Informed consent in research is partly achieved through the use of information sheets. There is a perception however that these information sheets are long and complex. The recommended reading level for patient information is grade 6, or 11–12 years old. Aims To investigate whether the readability of participant information sheets has changed over time, whether particular study characteristics are related to poorer readability and whether readability and other study characteristics are related to successful study recruitment. Method We obtained 522 information sheets from the UK National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network: Mental Health portfolio database and study principal investigators. Readability was assessed with the Flesch reading index and the Grade level test. Results Information sheets increased in length over the study period. The mean grade level across all information sheets was 9.8, or 15–16 years old. A high level of patient involvement was associated with more recruitment success and studies involving pharmaceutical or device interventions were the least successful. The complexity of information sheets had little bearing on successful recruitment. Conclusions Information sheets are far more complex than the recommended reading level of grade 6 for patient information. The disparity may be exacerbated by an increasing focus on legal content. Researchers would benefit from clear guidance from ethics committees on writing succinctly and accessibly and how to balance the competing legal issues with the ability of participants to understand what a study entails. PMID:26382948

Investigation of Propolis’ Effect on Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances and Anti-Oxidant Enzyme Levels of Hippocampus in Diabetic Rats Induced by Streptozotocin

PubMed Central

Köksal, Burcu; Emre, Memet Hanifi; Polat, Alaadin

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Propolis is an organic resinous viscous substance collected from flower bud and plant sprig by bees. Propolis has a potential treatment agent for oxidative damage caused by diabetes in hippocampus due to its flavonoid and phenolic content. AIM: In this study effect of propolis on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and anti-oxidative enzyme levels of hippocampus in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved measuring levels of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and TBARs in hippocampus tissue of STZ-induced diabetic rats (Adult Male Sprague Dawley rats) after applying propolis for one month. The subjects of the study were composed of 51 rats randomly assigned to four groups (Control, STZ, P+STZ and STZ+P). For analysis of data, Kruskal Wallis Test was utilized. RESULTS: The findings of the study showed that there were no significant difference in the levels of TBARS, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px of hippocampus across the groups. CONCLUSION: Propolis application in four-week duration does not have effect on TBARS, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px levels of hippocampus of diabetic rats. These findings mean that more time for observing oxidative harms on hippocampus is needed. PMID:27275196

Investigation of Patience Tendency Levels in Terms of Self-Determination, Self-Compassion and Personality Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bülbül, Ayse Eliüsük; Arslan, Coskun

2017-01-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between self-determination, self-compassion and the five-factor personality traits of university students. Moreover it was aimed to determine whether self-compassion, self-determination and personality traits predict patience levels at a meaningful level. The sample population of…

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…

The Relationship between Levels of Cognitive Development and Ego Development in Adult Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockett, Danuta Wal

This study investigated the relationship between levels in Piaget's hierarchy of cognitive development and Loevinger's model of ego development. The data were examined for indications of cognitive prerequisites for development of ego levels. Sixty women, 30 in each of two age groups (18-21 and 35-47) were administered the chemicals and correlation…

Recurrent Word Combinations in EAP Test-Taker Writing: Differences between High- and Low-Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appel, Randy; Wood, David

2016-01-01

The correct use of frequently occurring word combinations represents an important part of language proficiency in spoken and written discourse. This study investigates the use of English-language recurrent word combinations in low-level and high-level L2 English academic essays sourced from the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment.…

Primary School Teachers' Realization Levels of Self-Regulated Learning Practices and Sense of Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanriseven, Isil

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate primary school teachers' realization levels of self-regulated learning practices and sense of efficacy and the relationship between their realization levels of self-regulated learning practices and sense of efficacy. Survey research was conducted on 400 primary school teachers from 20 elementary schools…

Differences in Work, Levels of Involvement, and Academic Performance between Residential and Commuter Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfano, Halley J.; Eduljee, Nina B.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between work, levels of involvement and academic performance between residential and commuter students. One hundred and eight undergraduate students at a private college in the Northeast were surveyed. Surveys aimed at examining work and levels of involvement were administered to the…

Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaimal, Girija; Ray, Kendra; Muniz, Juan

2016-01-01

This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of visual art making on the cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Participants provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels before and after 45 minutes of art making. Participants also provided written responses about the experience at the end of the session. Results indicate that art…

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…

Mist characterization in drilling 1018 steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Ian

Minimum quantity lubrication replaces the traditional method of flood cooling with small amounts of high-efficient lubrication. Limited studies have been performed to determine the characteristics of mist produced during MQL. This study investigated the mist concentration levels produced while drilling 1018 steel using a vegetable based lubricant. ANOVA was performed to determine whether speed and feed rates or their interactions have a significant effect on mist concentration levels and particle diameter. It was observed that the concentration levels obtained under all four speed and feed rate combinations studied exceeded the current OSHA and NIOSH standards.

Indicators' role: How do they influence Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainable Planning - The Chinese experience.

PubMed

Gao, Jingjing; Christensen, Per; Kørnøv, Lone

2017-08-15

As an information carrier and communication medium, indicators provide useful decision-making assistance in setting process goals and effectively reaching the goals. The main focus of this article is to investigate indicators' role in influencing planning through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) especially related to Chinese experiences. From the perspective of planning and decision-making theory, the influence on planning is studied as influence of planning structure and influence of planning actors. Such a conceptual framework is applied in order to demonstrate how the use of indicators can influence planning through a SEA process. The study holds two empirical levels. On a general level, based on an online survey, this article investigates SEA practitioners' experiences in using indicators. On a case level, two urban plans are selected to provide more detailed experiences. The case level investigation is based on a documentary study and individual interviews with SEA practitioners/planners. By exploring how indicators influence planning through the structure of and the actors within SEA, this study tries to provide an overview of indicators' role in SEA. The results indicate that indicators are perceived as a useful tool in the Chinese SEA system. By improving and simplifying the procedures of SEA, the indicators exert more structural influence on SEA and on plan making. On the other hand, indicators are also shown to have more influence through political actors than found among technical actors. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fatty liver in children

PubMed Central

Rafeey, Mandana; Mortazavi, Fakhrossadat; Mogaddasi, Nafiseh; Robabeh, Ghergherehchi; Ghaffari, Shamsi; Hasani, Alka

2009-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a referral center of pediatrics in the northwest of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study all subjects aged between six months to 15 years that were referred to the sonography unit, were investigated for fatty liver from March 2005 to August 2006. Patients with fatty liver change underwent detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation. Results: From 1500 children who were investigated, 34 subjects with sonographic evidence of fatty liver were enrolled in this study (2.3%). The mean age was 6.53 ± 3.07 years. Elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase was detected in 38.2% and 47.1% of patients, respectively. The mean level of cholesterol was 461 ± 182.23 mg/dl and 94.1% of patients had hypercholesterolemia. Total cholesterol level and serum aminotransferase levels had a significant positive correlation with severity of fatty liver (p < 0.05). Mean body mass index was significantly higher in patients with severe fatty liver (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The epidemiology of pediatric NAFLD should inform future attempts to develop evaluated screening protocols. Moreover, these data should guide efforts to delineate the pathophysiology of fatty liver in children. PMID:19536316

Cheating, breakup, and divorce: is Facebook use to blame?

PubMed

Clayton, Russell B; Nagurney, Alexander; Smith, Jessica R

2013-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between using the social networking site known as Facebook and negative interpersonal relationship outcomes. A survey of 205 Facebook users aged 18-82 was conducted using a 16-question online survey to examine whether high levels of Facebook use predicted negative relationship outcomes (breakup/divorce, emotional cheating, and physical cheating). It was hypothesized that those with higher levels of Facebook use would demonstrate more negative relationship outcomes than those with lower use. The study then examined whether these relationships were mediated by Facebook-related conflict. Furthermore, the researchers examined length of relationship as a moderator variable in the aforementioned model. The results indicate that a high level of Facebook usage is associated with negative relationship outcomes, and that these relationships are indeed mediated by Facebook-related conflict. This series of relationships only holds for those who are, or have been, in relatively newer relationships of 3 years or less. The current study adds to the growing body of literature investigating Internet use and relationship outcomes, and may be a precursor to further research investigating whether Facebook use attributes to the divorce rate, emotional cheating, and physical cheating.

A new pure ω-3 eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester (AMR101) for the management of hypertriglyceridemia: the MARINE trial.

PubMed

Jacobson, Terry A

2012-06-01

ω-3 fatty acids reduce triglyceride (TG) levels, but corresponding increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels may compromise achievement of lipid goals in patients with elevated cardiovascular risk. AMR101 is an investigational agent containing ≥96% of pure icosapent ethyl (the ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid). The Phase III Multi-Center, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind, 12-Week Study with an Open-Label Extension (MARINE) investigated the efficacy and safety of AMR101 in 229 patients with very high TG levels (≥500 mg/dl). AMR101 4 g/day significantly reduced median placebo-adjusted TG levels from baseline by 33.1% (p < 0.0001), and AMR101 2 g/day reduced TG levels by 19.7% (p = 0.0051). Changes in LDL-C were minimal and nonsignificant. AMR101 may offer substantial TG lowering without increases in LDL-C levels.

Bihemispheric tDCS enhances language recovery but does not alter BDNF levels in chronic aphasic patients.

PubMed

Marangolo, Paola; Fiori, Valentina; Gelfo, Francesca; Shofany, Jacob; Razzano, Carmelina; Caltagirone, Carlo; Angelucci, Francesco

2014-01-01

Several studies have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a useful tool to enhance language recovery in aphasia. It has also been suggested that modulation of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) might be part of the mechanisms involved in tDCS effects on synaptic connectivity. However, all language studies have previously investigated the effects using unihemispheric stimulation. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of bihemispheric tDCS on language recovery and BDNF serum levels. Seven aphasic persons underwent an intensive language therapy in two different conditions: real bihemispheric stimulation over the left and right Broca's areas and a sham condition. After the stimulation, patients exibited a significant recovery in three language tasks (picture description, noun and verb naming) compared to the sham condition which persisted in the follow-up session. No significant differences were found in BDNF serum levels after tDCS stimulation and in the follow-up session. However, a significant positive correlation was present for the real stimulation condition between percent changes in BDNF levels and in the verb naming task. The data suggest that this novel approach may potentiate the recovery of language in chronic aphasia. They also emphasize the importance to further investigate the role of possible biomarkers associated with tDCS treatment response in language recovery.

An evaluation of thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with psoriasis

PubMed Central

Yorulmaz, Ahu; Erdogan, Serpil; Cakmak, Seray Kulcu; Guney, Elif; Sen, Orhan; Erel, Ozcan

2017-01-01

Introduction The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of psoriasis has been investigated in previous studies with conflicting results. On the other hand, well-established treatments currently used in psoriasis exert their effects via a boost of oxidative stress. Recently, a strong positive association between psoriasis, metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia has also been described showing the complex nature of the disease. Aim To examine thiol/disulphide homeostasis, a newly developed homeostasis assay in psoriasis and evaluate the possible association between thiol/disulphide homeostasis and dyslipidemia in psoriasis. Material and methods The study population included 92 psoriasis patients and 71 healthy subjects. Serum native thiol, total thiol and disulphide levels were investigated in patients with psoriasis and in healthy subjects. In addition, lipid profile (serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) levels were investigated in both groups. The association between thiol-disulphide parameters and dyslipidemia was also evaluated. Results Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were found to be higher in patients with psoriasis than in the healthy group. Lower plasma disulphide and higher native thiol levels were found in patients with psoriasis indicating an antioxidant status. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the shift of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis towards the thiol form in psoriasis which indicate higher antioxidant status. PMID:29507562

Preliminary design of the cryogenic cooled limb scanning interferometer radiometer (CLIR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherman, A.

1978-01-01

The preliminary design of the cryogenic cooling system for the Cryogenic Cooled Limb Scanning Interferometer Radiometer (CLIR) instrument to be flown on the Atmospheric Magnetospheric Physics Satellite (AMPS) was studied. The top level trade studies were extensive due to the instrument requirement for cooling at three temperature levels as opposed to the two levels initially described for the instrument. Approximately 12 different combinations of cryogens were investigated. The basic lifetime requirement for the instrument was 30 days. However, studies were also conducted for a follow-up mission requiring a 1 year lifetime. The top level trades led to the selection of a single stage supercritical helium baseline.

Servant leadership and employee voice behavior: a cross-level investigation in China.

PubMed

Yan, Aimin; Xiao, Yigui

2016-01-01

This study tested the influence and mechanisms of servant leadership on voice behavior, including the mediating role of psychological safety, and the moderating role of supervisor-subordinate Guanxi. Data were collected from 430 civil servants and their immediate supervisors in Changsha, China. Cross-Level investigation revealed that servant leadership had a significant influence on voice behavior, psychological safety mediated the relationship between servant leadership and voice behavior, while supervisor-subordinate Guanxi negatively moderated the relationship between servant leadership and voice behavior.

Student Success in Developmental Mathematics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zientek, Linda Reichwein; Yetkiner Ozel, Z. Ebrar; Fong, Carlton J.; Griffin, Mel

2013-01-01

Mathematics is a particular stumbling block for community college students in developmental course work. The present study empirically investigated student-level and teacher-level factors that influence the success of community college students enrolled in developmental mathematics courses. Specifically, numerous variables in one statistical model…

An investigation of toll plaza capacity and level of service.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-01-01

This study was undertaken to accomplish two objectives pertinent to traffic characteristics at toll plaza areas: (1) to develop a methodology for evaluating the capacity of a toll plaza, and (2) to establish level-of-service criteria for toll area tr...

Changes in salivary estradiol predict changes in women's preferences for vocal masculinity.

PubMed

Pisanski, Katarzyna; Hahn, Amanda C; Fisher, Claire I; DeBruine, Lisa M; Feinberg, David R; Jones, Benedict C

2014-08-01

Although many studies have reported that women's preferences for masculine physical characteristics in men change systematically during the menstrual cycle, the hormonal mechanisms underpinning these changes are currently poorly understood. Previous studies investigating the relationships between measured hormone levels and women's masculinity preferences tested only judgments of men's facial attractiveness. Results of these studies suggested that preferences for masculine characteristics in men's faces were related to either women's estradiol or testosterone levels. To investigate the hormonal correlates of within-woman variation in masculinity preferences further, here we measured 62 women's salivary estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels and their preferences for masculine characteristics in men's voices in five weekly test sessions. Multilevel modeling of these data showed that changes in salivary estradiol were the best predictor of changes in women's preferences for vocal masculinity. These results complement other recent research implicating estradiol in women's mate preferences, attention to courtship signals, sexual motivation, and sexual strategies, and are the first to link women's voice preferences directly to measured hormone levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rise of Buoyant Emissions from Low-Level Sources in the Presence of Upstream and Downstream Obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pournazeri, Sam; Princevac, Marko; Venkatram, Akula

2012-08-01

Field and laboratory studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of surrounding buildings on the plume rise from low-level buoyant sources, such as distributed power generators. The field experiments were conducted in Palm Springs, California, USA in November 2010 and plume rise from a 9.3 m stack was measured. In addition to the field study, a laboratory study was conducted in a water channel to investigate the effects of surrounding buildings on plume rise under relatively high wind-speed conditions. Different building geometries and source conditions were tested. The experiments revealed that plume rise from low-level buoyant sources is highly affected by the complex flows induced by buildings stationed upstream and downstream of the source. The laboratory results were compared with predictions from a newly developed numerical plume-rise model. Using the flow measurements associated with each building configuration, the numerical model accurately predicted plume rise from low-level buoyant sources that are influenced by buildings. This numerical plume rise model can be used as a part of a computational fluid dynamics model.

The influence of action observation on action execution: Dissociating the contribution of action on perception, perception on action, and resolving conflict.

PubMed

Deschrijver, Eliane; Wiersema, Jan R; Brass, Marcel

2017-04-01

For more than 15 years, motor interference paradigms have been used to investigate the influence of action observation on action execution. Most research on so-called automatic imitation has focused on variables that play a modulating role or investigated potential confounding factors. Interestingly, furthermore, a number of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have tried to shed light on the functional mechanisms and neural correlates involved in imitation inhibition. However, these fMRI studies, presumably due to poor temporal resolution, have primarily focused on high-level processes and have neglected the potential role of low-level motor and perceptual processes. In the current EEG study, we therefore aimed to disentangle the influence of low-level perceptual and motoric mechanisms from high-level cognitive mechanisms. We focused on potential congruency differences in the visual N190 - a component related to the processing of biological motion, the Readiness Potential - a component related to motor preparation, and the high-level P3 component. Interestingly, we detected congruency effects in each of these components, suggesting that the interference effect in an automatic imitation paradigm is not only related to high-level processes such as self-other distinction but also to more low-level influences of perception on action and action on perception. Moreover, we documented relationships of the neural effects with (autistic) behavior.

The impact of blood glucose levels on stimulated adrenocorticotropin hormone and growth hormone release in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Jakobsdóttir, S; Twisk, J W R; Drent, M L

2009-12-01

In studies investigating the influence of glucose levels on the pituitary function the methods used have been variable and mainly focused on the change in function as a reaction to unphysiological low or high blood glucose levels. In the present study the impact of physiological and elevated blood glucose levels on adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and growth hormone release are investigated. The euglycaemic and hyperglycaemic clamp techniques were used to reach stable levels of 4, 8 and 12 mmol/l blood glucose levels. After a stabilization phase of 2 h, a corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) or a growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulation test was performed. Seven and eight healthy male volunteers, belonging to two groups, participated in this study. The area under the curve (AUC), peak values and time to peak of ACTH, cortisol and growth hormone were calculated to evaluate the response to the CRH and GHRH stimulation test. The peak values of ACTH, cortisol and growth hormone seemed to be the highest during the 4 mmol/l clamp sessions, compared with the 8 and 12 mmol/l clamps, although the differences were not statistically significant when analysed for every subject individually. The AUC and time to peak measurements were comparable during the three clamp procedures. The pituitary reaction on CRH and GHRH was not significantly changed by various blood glucose levels. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An Investigation into the Challenges In-Service Student Teachers Encounter in Transformational Geometry, "Reflection and Rotation". The Case of Mufulira College of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kambilombilo, Dennis; Sakala, Whyson

2015-01-01

The study was conducted to investigate the challenges in-service mathematics student teachers face in transformational geometry; reflection and rotation. The Van Hiele Theory of levels of Thought was used as the theoretical framework for this study. A case study was undertaken using a written test. The research was carried on second and third…

Job stress and agentic-communal personality traits related to serum cortisol levels of male workers in a Japanese medium-sized company: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hirokawa, Kumi; Taniguchi, Toshiyo; Fujii, Yasuhito

2015-02-01

Although serum cortisol is a widely accepted index of stress levels, associations between job stress and cortisol levels have been inconsistent. Individual differences in personality traits were discussed as one compelling explanation for this discrepancy. Agentic-communal personality traits have been examined as possible predictive factors for psychological stress. This study investigated correlations among agentic-communal personality traits and serum cortisol levels. It was also investigated whether job stress levels modified correlations between agentic-communal personality and cortisol levels. Participants were 198 male workers (mean age = 52.2 years) employed by a shipbuilding company in Japan. Questionnaire data and blood samples were collected during an annual health checkup. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire that included the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) that assesses job control as job stress levels the Communion-Agency scale (CAS) and questions regarding health behaviors. Communion positively correlated with serum cortisol levels and unmitigated agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels. Stratified by job control, communion positively correlated with serum cortisol levels and agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels in participants with low levels of job control. Unmitigated agency negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels in participants with high levels of job control. Levels of job control may modify correlations of gender-related personality with serum cortisol levels. Especially with exposure to high job stress, male workers with high femininity (i.e., high communion and low agency) were more likely to have a high stress response as measured by serum cortisol levels.

Analysis on the Bullying Tendencies and Value Preferences of High School Students According to Level of Receiving Physical Education and Sports Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savucu, Yüksel; Kanat, Metin; Karadag, Mustafa; Sezer, Süreyya. Y.; Yücel, Ali S.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the bullying tendencies and value preferences of high school students according to the level of taking physical education and sports course. The research population of the study was composed of high school students studying in Yesilyurt and Battalgazi districts of Malatya province during 2013-2014 academic…

Nation, Face, and Identity: An Initial Investigation of National Face in East Asia

PubMed Central

Chen, Rong; Hwang, Kwang-Kuo

2016-01-01

This research investigates a key concept in East Asia, face, and represents the first attempt to empirically examine the concept of face at the national level. Controlling for the level of national identification, Study 1 employed the scenario experiment method among samples of native Chinese and Taiwanese populations and revealed that national face exhibits patterns reverse of personal face. Using the experimental method, Study 2 replicated the findings of Study 1 and provided support for the different mechanisms underneath national face and personal face. Study 3 replicated the findings of Study 2 and additionally showed that national face exerts a significant inhibitory effect on face process. Findings are discussed in terms of possible implications for intergroup and international relations. Expanding on extant scholarship on face and across three studies with different experimental paradigms, this research turns our attention from face at the personal level to face at the national level by introducing the construct of national face and examining its manifestations in East Asia. The results advance our understanding of the psychological mechanism driving face concern in East Asia. They make a strong and unique case for the psychological existence of national face as an empirically distinct construct and an important psychological resource for East Asians. PMID:27774081

Clinical Significance of Serum IL-6 and TNF-α Levels in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Mojgan; Gozashti, Mohammad Hossein; Aghadavood, Majid; Mehdizadeh, Mohammad Reza; Hayatbakhsh, Mohammad Mahdi

2017-10-01

Several components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) facilitate its diagnosis, including abdominal obesity, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. The production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) seem to be associated with MetS components. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between IL-6 and TNF-α serum levels with MetS and its components. This case-control study investigated 250 subjects, comprising 125 healthy controls from the Kerman Blood Transfusion Organization and 125 MetS patients. Serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were greater in MetS patients than in controls. However, no correlation was observed between MetS components and IL-6 or TNF-α serum levels. Patients with MetS had significantly greater serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels than the controls, supporting the evidence that inflammation plays an important role in the immunopathogenesis of the disease. Additionally, IL-6 and TNF-α serum levels may predict MetS. The lack of association between IL-6 and TNF-α serum levels and MetS components remains to be investigated by further research.

STS-based education in non-majors college biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Phyllis Lee

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

Investigation of ischemia modified albumin, oxidant and antioxidant markers in acute myocardial infarction

PubMed Central

Hazini, Ahmet; Işıldak, İbrahim; Alpdağtaş, Saadet; Önül, Abdullah; Şenel, Ünal; Kocaman, Tuba; Dur, Ali; Iraz, Mustafa; Uyarel, Hüseyin

2015-01-01

Introduction Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still one of the most common causes of death worldwide. In recent years, for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia, a new parameter, called ischemia modified albumin (IMA), which is thought to be more advantageous than common methods, has been researched. Aim In this study, systematic analysis of parameters considered to be related to myocardial ischemia has been performed, comparing between control and myocardial ischemia groups. Material and methods We selected 40 patients with AMI and 25 healthy controls for this study. Ischemia modified albumin levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) antioxidant enzyme activities and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as retinol, α-tocopherol, β-carotene and ascorbic acid levels were investigated in both groups. Glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, which are indicators of oxidative stress, were compared between patient and control groups. Results Ischemia modified albumin levels were found significantly higher in the AMI diagnosed group when compared with controls. The MDA level was elevated in the patient group, whereas the GSH level was decreased. SOD, GPx and CAT enzyme levels were decreased in the patient group, where it could be presumed that oxidative stress causes the cardiovascular diseases. Conclusions Due to the increased oxidative stress, non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant capacity was affected. Systematic investigation of parameters related to myocardial infarction has been performed, and it is believed that such parameters can contribute to protection and early diagnosis of AMI and understanding the mechanism of development of the disease. PMID:26677379

Circulating Irisin Levels Are Not Affected by Coffee Intake: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Peter, Patricia R.; Park, Kyung Hee; Huh, Joo Young; Wedick, Nicole M.; Mantzoros, Christos S.

2014-01-01

Irisin, secreted by skeletal muscle and possibly fat, is hypothesized to play an important role in modulating energy expenditure, obesity and metabolism. Coffee consumption also increases energy expenditure and leads to positive metabolic effects, but whether these effects are mediated by irisin remains unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the association between baseline irisin levels and the metabolic profile in humans and to investigate whether consumption of caffeinated coffee alters irisin levels. To this end, a secondary analysis was performed investigating irisin levels at baseline and after eight weeks in 32 healthy, overweight coffee drinkers who were randomized to consumption of 5 cups per day of instant caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, or water. Spearman correlation and analysis of covariance analyses were performed to identify possible associations. Irisin levels were positively correlated with waist circumference (r = 0.41, p = 0.02), fat mass (r = 0.44, p = 0.01) and CRP (r = 0.47, p = 0.007). Though there was a trend towards increased levels of irisin over time in the caffeinated coffee group (+1.8%) when compared to the placebo group (−4%) this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.75 for the trend). This first randomized trial failed to reveal any effects of coffee consumption on irisin levels, but a larger trial, appropriately sized on the basis of data provided by this study, is needed to conclusively investigate such a relationship. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00305097 PMID:24728416

Role of reactive oxygen species in arsenic-induced transformation of human lung bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells

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

Zhang, Zhuo, E-mail: zhuo.zhang@uky.edu; Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Budhraja, Amit

Highlights: • Short term exposure of cells to arsenic causes ROS generation. • Chronical exposure of cells to arsenic causes malignant cell transformation. • Inhibition of ROS generation reduces cell transformation by arsenic. • Arsenic-transformed cells exhibit reduced capacity of generating ROS. • Arsenic-transformed cells exhibit increased levels of antioxidants. - Abstract: Arsenic is an environmental carcinogen, its mechanisms of carcinogenesis remain to be investigated. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered to be important. A previous study (Carpenter et al., 2011) has measured ROS level in human lung bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells and arsenic-transformed BEAS-2B cells and found that ROSmore » levels were higher in transformed cells than that in parent normal cells. Based on these observations, the authors concluded that cell transformation induced by arsenic is mediated by increased cellular levels of ROS. This conclusion is problematic because this study only measured the basal ROS levels in transformed and parent cells and did not investigate the role of ROS in the process of arsenic-induced cell transformation. The levels of ROS in arsenic-transformed cells represent the result and not the cause of cell transformation. Thus question concerning whether ROS are important in arsenic-induced cell transformation remains to be answered. In the present study, we used expressions of catalase (antioxidant against H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2, antioxidant against O{sub 2}{sup ·−}) to decrease ROS level and investigated their role in the process of arsenic-induced cell transformation. Our results show that inhibition of ROS by antioxidant enzymes decreased arsenic-induced cell transformation, demonstrating that ROS are important in this process. We have also shown that in arsenic-transformed cells, ROS generation was lower and levels of antioxidants are higher than those in parent cells, in a disagreement with the previous report. The present study has also shown that the arsenic-transformed cells acquired apoptosis resistance. The inhibition of catalase to increase ROS level restored apoptosis capability of arsenic-transformed BEAS-2B cells, further showing that ROS levels are low in these cells. The apoptosis resistance due to the low ROS levels may increase cells proliferation, providing a favorable environment for tumorigenesis of arsenic-transformed cells.« less

Lexical Variation and Change in British Sign Language

PubMed Central

Stamp, Rose; Schembri, Adam; Fenlon, Jordan; Rentelis, Ramas; Woll, Bencie; Cormier, Kearsy

2014-01-01

This paper presents results from a corpus-based study investigating lexical variation in BSL. An earlier study investigating variation in BSL numeral signs found that younger signers were using a decreasing variety of regionally distinct variants, suggesting that levelling may be taking place. Here, we report findings from a larger investigation looking at regional lexical variants for colours, countries, numbers and UK placenames elicited as part of the BSL Corpus Project. Age, school location and language background were significant predictors of lexical variation, with younger signers using a more levelled variety. This change appears to be happening faster in particular sub-groups of the deaf community (e.g., signers from hearing families). Also, we find that for the names of some UK cities, signers from outside the region use a different sign than those who live in the region. PMID:24759673

Inventory and protection of salt marshes from risks of sea-level rise at Acadia National Park, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dudley, Robert W.; Nielsen, Martha G.

2011-01-01

Recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) climate studies in the northeastern United States have shown substantial evidence of climate-related changes during the last 100 years, including earlier snowmelt runoff, decreasing occurrence of river ice, and decreasing winter snowpack. These studies related to climate change are being expanded to include investigation of coastal wetlands that might be at risk from sealevel rise. Coastal wetlands, particularly salt marshes, are important ecosystems that provide wildlife nursery and breeding habitat, migratory bird habitat, water quality enhancement, and shoreline erosion control. The USGS is investigating salt marshes in Acadia National Park with the goal of determining which salt marshes may be threatened by sea-level rise and which salt marshes may be able to adapt to sea-level rise by migrating into adjacent low-lying lands.

Investigation of Relationship between Sources of Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Secondary School Students and Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Ali

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between students' opinions about the sources of self-efficacy belief and their gender, academic achievement, the grade level, Socio-Economic Status (SES), and learning style. The study was conducted on 984 secondary school students in the fall semester of the 2011-2012 academic year.…

An Investigation into the Number Sense Performance of Secondary School Students in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akkaya, Recai

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the number sense performance of secondary school students according to grade level, gender and the components of number sense. A descriptive survey design was used to collect data. A total of 576 secondary school students (291 girls and 285 boys) participated in the study. The results revealed that the…

Dark and bright-state polaritons in triple- Λ EIT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvan, Karthick

2018-04-01

Properties of polaritons in triple-Λ EIT system are investigated using Sawada-Brout-Chong method. The role of dark and bright-state polaritons in the dynamics of the system is studied in detail by including the decay of excited atomic levels. Time evolution of entanglement of single and three-photon EIT modes within the system is investigated to explain this study.

Effect of Foreign Language Anxiety on Gender and Academic Achievement among Yemeni University EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Norizan Abdul; Yassin, Amr Abdullatif; Maasum, Tengku Nor Rizan Bt Tengku Mohamad

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the gender differences in terms of anxiety among Yemeni university EFL learners. It also aimed to investigate the correlation between the level of anxiety and the academic achievement of the students. The participants of this study were 155 students chosen from the population through stratified random sampling. The…

A Study of Activities of Daily Living and Employment in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Ling-Yi; Yu, Shu-Ning; Yu, Ya-Tsu

2012-01-01

Research on daily living activities and employment levels of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Taiwan is limited. The aims of the study were to investigate outcomes related to functional independence and employment among people with ASD in Taiwan. We investigated the daily living activities and the employment status of 81 adults (age…

Perceptions of Teachers on the Ban of Corporal Punishment in Pre-Primary Institutions in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mwai, Beth Kirigo; Kimengi, Isaac Njuguna; Kipsoi, Emmy Jerono

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate perceptions of teachers on the ban of corporal punishment in pre-primary institutions. The objectives of the study were to investigate teachers' attitudes towards corporal punishment ban in pre-schools and to establish whether the level of education of teachers had an influence on the use of corporal…

Investigation of Effects of Face Rotation on Race Processing: An ERPs Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montalan, Benoit; Veujoz, Mathieu; Boitout, Alexis; Leleu, Arnaud; Camus, Odile; Lalonde, Robert; Rebai, Mohamed

2013-01-01

Recent ERP research has indicated that the processing of faces of other races (OR) and same race (SR) as the perceiver differs at the perceptual level, more precisely for the N170 component. The purpose of the present study was to continue the investigation of the race-of-face processing across multiple orientations. Event-related brain potentials…

Perception Gap in Quality-of-Life Ratings: An Empirical Investigation of Nursing Home Residents and Caregivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mittal, Vikas; Rosen, Jules; Govind, Rahul; Degenholtz, Howard; Shingala, Sunil; Hulland, Shelley; Rhee, YongJoo; Kastango, Kari B.; Mulsant, Benoit H.; Castle, Nick; Rubin, Fred H.; Nace, David

2007-01-01

Purpose: Several studies have previously documented the existence of a perception gap--the extent to which quality-of-life ratings provided by nursing home residents and caregivers diverge. In this study we use Helson's adaptation-level theory to investigate three types of antecedents: (a) focal factors, (b) background factors, and (c) residual…

The Impacts of Student-, Teacher- and School-Level Factors on Mathematics Achievement: An Exploratory Comparative Investigation of Singaporean Students and the USA Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ker, H. W.

2016-01-01

Reports from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) consistently show that there is a substantial gap in average mathematics achievement between Singapore and the USA. This study conducts an exploratory comparative investigation on the multilevel factors influencing the mathematics achievement of students from these two…

Investigating Digital Native Female Learners' Attitudes towards Paperless Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigoryan, Tsoghik

2018-01-01

This study is an investigation of paperless language learning in the context of the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of this study was to examine Emirati level 1 English language learners' attitudes towards the iPad use as a means of language learning. It was done through a cross-sectional survey questionnaire, wholly composed of fixed-choice…

Modified Scoring, Traditional Item Analysis, and Sato's Caution Index Used To Investigate the Reading Recall Protocol.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deville, Craig W.; Chalhoub-Deville, Micheline

A study demonstrated the utility of item analyses to investigate which items function well or poorly in a second language reading recall protocol instrument. Data were drawn from a larger study of 56 learners of German as a second language at various proficiency levels. Pausal units of scored recall protocols were analyzed using both classical…

Association of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 with intelligence quotient among 8- to 9-year-old children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

PubMed

Gunnell, David; Miller, Laura L; Rogers, Imogen; Holly, Jeff M P

2005-11-01

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a hormone that mediates the effects of growth hormone and plays a critical role in somatic growth regulation and organ development. It is hypothesized that it also plays a key role in human brain development. Previous studies have investigated the association of low IGF-I levels attributable to growth hormone receptor deficiency with intelligence but produced mixed results. We are aware of no studies that investigated the association of IGF-I levels with IQ in population samples of normal children. To investigate the association of circulating levels of IGF-I and its principle binding protein, IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), in childhood with subsequent measures of IQ. The cohort study was based on data for 547 white singleton boys and girls, members of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, with IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements (obtained at a mean age of 8.0 years) and IQ measured with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (at a mean age of 8.7 years). We also investigated associations with measures of speech and language based on the Wechsler Objective Reading Dimensions test (measured at an age of 7.5 years) and the Wechsler Objective Language Dimensions test (listening comprehension subtest only, measured at an age of 8.7 years). For some children (n = 407), IGF-I (but not IGFBP-3) levels had been measured at approximately 5 years of age in a previous study. Linear regression models were used to investigate associations of the IGF-I system with the measures of cognitive function. Three hundred one boys and 246 girls were included in the sample. IGF-I levels (mean +/- SD) were 142.6 +/- 53.9 ng/mL for boys and 154.4 +/- 51.6 ng/mL for girls. IQ scores (mean +/- SD) were 106.05 +/- 16.6 and 105.27 +/- 15.6 for boys and girls, respectively. IGF-I levels were associated positively with intelligence. For every 100 ng/mL increase in IGF-I, IQ increased by 3.18 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52 to 5.84 points). These positive associations were seen in relation to the verbal component (coefficient: 4.27; 95% CI: 1.62 to 6.92), rather than the performance component (coefficient: 1.06; 95% CI: -1.67 to 3.78), of IQ. There was no evidence that associations with overall IQ differed between boys and girls. In a data set with complete information on confounders (n = 484), controlling for birth weight (adjusted for gestation), breastfeeding, and BMI slightly strengthened the associations of IGF-I levels with IQ. Additionally controlling for maternal education and IGFBP-3 levels attenuated the associations (change in IQ for every 100 ng/mL increase in IGF-I levels: 2.51 points; 95% CI: -0.42 to 5.44 points). The weakening of associations in models controlling for markers of parental socioeconomic position and education could reflect shared influences of parental IGF levels on parents' own educational attainment and their offspring's IGF-I levels. In unadjusted models examining associations of Wechsler Objective Reading Dimensions and Wechsler Objective Language Dimensions test scores with IGF-I levels, there was no strong evidence that performance on either of these tests was associated with circulating IGF-I levels, although positive associations were seen with both measures. Associations between IGF-I levels measured at age 5 and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children scores (n = 407) were similar to those for IGF-I levels measured at age 7 to 8. For every 100 ng/mL increase in IGF-I levels at 5 years of age, IQ increased by 2.3 points (95% CI: -0.21 to 4.89 points). This study provides some preliminary evidence that IGF-I is associated with brain development in childhood. Additional longitudinal research is required to clarify the role of IGF-I in neurodevelopment. Because IGF-I levels are modifiable through diet and other environmental exposures, this may be one pathway through which the childhood environment may influence neurodevelopment.

Effects of prenatal phthalate exposure on thyroid hormone levels, mental and psychomotor development of infants: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health.

PubMed

Minatoya, Machiko; Naka Jima, Sonomi; Sasaki, Seiko; Araki, Atsuko; Miyashita, Chihiro; Ikeno, Tamiko; Nakajima, Tamie; Goto, Yuko; Kishi, Reiko

2016-09-15

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is commonly used phthalates and concerns of adverse effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on neonatal thyroid hormone (TH) and neurodevelopment are increasing. However, there is no report regarding association between prenatal DEHP exposure and infant neurodevelopment including TH levels in Japanese population. Thus the aim of present study was to evaluate the associations between prenatal DEHP exposure and mental and psychomotor development of infants 6 and 18months along with investigating influence on neonatal free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the prospective birth cohort study. Maternal blood samples collected between 23 and 41weeks of gestation was analyzed for mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), metabolite of DEHP levels. Neonatal FT4 and TSH were obtained from mass screening data. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed by Bayley Scale of Infant Development second edition at 6 and 18month of age. For the final analysis, 328 participants were included. The median levels of maternal MEHP was 10.6ng/ml, neonatal TSH and FT4 was 2.20 μU/ml and 2.03ng/ml, respectively. We did not find any associations between prenatal DEHP exposure and neonatal TH levels or infant mental and psychomotor development at 6 and 18month. In this study, prenatal DEHP exposure did not show adverse effects on infant TH levels or mental and psychomotor development in early life stage. However, our previous study revealed negative effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on sex hormone levels, continuous investigation on neurodevelopment in later life in association with prenatal DEHP exposure is necessary. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Effect of Children's Rights Training on Primary School Students' Utilisation and Knowledge Level about Children's Rights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozmen, Suna Kaymak; Ocal, Tugba; Ozmen, Ahmet

2014-01-01

Recently, children's rights issue has taken attention. In this study, main purpose was to investigate the utilisation and knowledge level of 4th and 5th grade primary school students after children's rights training. The participants of this survey study were selected randomly from 10 schools. Results indicated that students had the chance to…

Burnout Levels of Handball Players with Respect to Age, Gender and Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toros, Turhan

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate burnout levels of handball players in terms of age, gender and experience. In this study, 116 female and 128 male, totally 244 handball players with the mean age 22.39 ± 1.98 year participated voluntarily. Maslach Burnout Inventory that originally developed by Maslach and Jackson (1981) and adapted to…

Investigating the Effects of Group Practice Performed Using Psychodrama Techniques on Adolescents' Conflict Resolution Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatas, Zeynep

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of group practice which is performed using psychodrama techniques on adolescents' conflict resolution skills. The subjects, for this study, were selected among the high school students who have high aggression levels and low problem solving levels attending Haci Zekiye Arslan High School, in Nigde.…

Evaluation of Computer-Aided Instruction in a Gross Anatomy Course: A Six-Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNulty, John A.; Sonntag, Beth; Sinacore, James M.

2009-01-01

Web-based computer-aided instruction (CAI) has become increasingly important to medical curricula. This multi-year study investigated the effectiveness of CAI and the factors affecting level of individual use. Three CAI were tested that differed in specificity of applicability to the curriculum and in the level of student interaction with the CAI.…

The Effect of the Family Training Program on Married Women's Couple-Burnout Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirin, Hatice Deveci; Deniz, M. Engin

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effect of Modules 2 and 3 of the Family Communication Section of the Family Training Program as prepared by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies on married women's couple-burnout levels. The study group consists of 40 married women in total: 20 constituting the experimental group and the remaining 20…

Level of Students' Achievement in Mathematics at the End of Elementary Education in Yemen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khair, Tarig Mohamed Ali Mohamed; Khairani, Ahmad Zamri; Elrofai, Tahra Aisa

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the level of student's achievement in mathematics in Yemen. This study use a sample of 200 male students and 200 female students, chosen from eight government schools on the basis of diversified sampling techniques. A mathematics test which composed of seventy five items that covered geometrical…

An Analysis of Futsal Players' Self-Esteem Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocak, Mehmet

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the self-esteem levels of futsal players according to certain variables. The samples of the study constituted 119 females and 96 males; a total of 215 players with an average age of 21.57 ± 2.20 years. The research was carried out with the end of "Rosenberg self-esteem Scale" developed by…

Multisensory Integration of Low-Level Information in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Measuring Susceptibility to the Flash-Beep Illusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bao, Vanessa A.; Doobay, Victoria; Mottron, Laurent; Collignon, Olivier; Bertone, Armando

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested audiovisual multisensory integration (MSI) may be atypical in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, much of the research having found an alteration in MSI in ASD involved socio-communicative stimuli. The goal of the current study was to investigate MSI abilities in ASD using lower-level stimuli that are not…

The Relationship between Listening Strategies Used by Iranian EFL Freshman University Students and Their Listening Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bidabadi, Farinaz Shirani; Yamat, Hamidah

2011-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to identify Iranian EFL freshman university students' listening proficiency levels and the listening strategies they employed to investigate the relationship between these two variables. A total of 92 freshmen were involved in this study. The Oxford Placement Test was employed to identify the learners'…

The Teachers Level of Emotional Intelligence Some of the Demographic Variables for Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adilogullari, Ilhan

2011-01-01

The study aims to examine the level of emotional intelligence of some of the demographic variables of the teachers working in the province of Gaziantep. Acar (2002) adapted to Turkish by Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Ability Scale 5-item scale used in grading and answered 87. The study evaluated data; descriptive statistical methods (frequency,…

Identify Skills and Proficiency Levels Necessary for Entry-Level Employment for All Vocational Programs Using Computers to Process Data. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowe, Jacquelyn

This study investigated computer and word processing operator skills necessary for employment in today's high technology office. The study was comprised of seven major phases: (1) identification of existing community college computer operator programs in the state of Washington; (2) attendance at an information management seminar; (3) production…

A Corpus-Based Approach to the Register Awareness of Asian Learners of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Yuichiro; Abe, Mariko

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of learners' L1s and proficiency levels on their written production. This study also examined the influence of speech upon their writing. The following research questions were explored: (a) How do L1 and proficiency levels of learners affect their degrees of register awareness? (b)…

Learning to Teach at the Middle Level: Translating Policy into Promise in New York State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstenblatt, Julie

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of colleges and schools of education to the newly created (2004) New York State middle childhood teacher certificate (Grades 5-9). The study explored different approaches to the translation and application of State policy at the college/university level. Defining exactly what the field…

The Relationship between Teacher Efficacy Levels and Virginia Standards of Learning Fifth Grade Math Achievement in One Virginia School Division

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Daniel M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teacher efficacy levels and fifth grade Virginia SOL Mathematic achievement. This study sought to determine the extent to which personal efficacy, general efficacy, and total efficacy account for fifth grade Virginia Standards of Learning Mathematic achievement over and above…

Applying Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM) to Estimate the School and Children's Effects on Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xing

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the use of Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM) to investigate the effects of school and children's attributes on children' reading achievement. In particular, this study was designed to: (1) develop the HLM models to determine the effects of school-level and child-level variables on children's reading…

The study of the Cognitive Development of Science Students in Introductory Level Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, David H.

Investigated was the assumption that college students are fully capable, by the time they enter college, of operating at the level of formal thought. The subjects selected for this study were students in chemistry and physics courses at a state university and an inner-city community college. Each student was tested with a Piegetian task to…

Physical Environmental Adversity and the Protective Role of Maternal Monitoring in Relation to Early Child Conduct Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supplee, Lauren H.; Unikel, Emily B.; Shaw, Daniel S.

2007-01-01

Research on the development of externalizing behaviors during early childhood has focused on child and parenting factors. Fewer studies have investigated effects of aversive features of the micro-level physical environment, such as overcrowding and chaos in the home, and the macro-level environment, such as neighborhood quality. This study extends…

An Investigation of Ninth Grade Students' Attitudes toward Daily Life Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenar, Ismail; Sekerci, Ali Riza; Erdem, Ali Riza; Gecgel, Gürkan; Demir, Halil Ibrahim

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes towards chemistry of everyday life of high school ninth grade students according to sex/gender, learning/educational level of mother and father, father's profession, and income level of as variables. Survey method has been utilized in research. The sample of the study is composed of a total of…

Developing a Leveling Framework of Mathematical Belief and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching of Indonesian Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novikasari, Ifada; Darhim, Didi Suryadi

2015-01-01

This study explored the characteristics of pre-service primary teachers (PSTs) influenced by mathematical belief and mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) PSTs'. A qualitative approach was used to investigate the levels of PSTs on mathematical belief and MKT. The two research instruments used in this study were an interview-based task and a…

Teacher Perspectives on Performance Based Student Assessment in Career and Technical Education in West Virginia Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuckwiller, Brenda L.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate career and technical education teachers' level of knowledge and use of performance based student assessment practices in West Virginia's secondary and post-secondary career education centers. In addition, this study sought to determine what relationships, if any, exist between levels of knowledge and…

Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Learning Disability: Relations between Usage Level, Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girli, Alev; Öztürk, Halil

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies by students diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD), academic self-efficacy and the concept of self, in comparison to their typically developing (TD) peers. The data to be used in the study were collected using the…

Influence of Grade Level on Perceptual Learning Style Preferences and Language Learning Strategies of Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Mei-Ling

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between grade level, perceptual learning style preferences, and language learning strategies among Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in grades 7 through 9. Three hundred and ninety junior high school students participated in this study. The instruments for data…

The Van Hiele geometry thinking levels of mild mental retardation students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shomad, Z. A.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi

2017-12-01

This research is to investigate the level of mild mental retardation geometry students thinking. This research focuses on the geometry thinking level based on Van Hiele theory. This study uses qualitative methods with case study strategy. Data obtained from observation and tests result. The subjects are 12 mental retardation students. The result show that ability of mild mental retardation students with each other is different but have same level of level thinking geometry. The geometry thinking level of mental retardation students was identified in level 1 of the Van Hiele theory. Based on the level thinking geometry of mental retardation students simplify geometry thinking teachers in selecting appropriate learning methods, choose the materials in accordance with ability, and can modify the material following the geometry thinking level of mental retardation students.

College Studying.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nist, Sherrie L.; Simpson, Michele

2002-01-01

Notes that many students enter postsecondary institutions unprepared to meet the studying demands placed on them. Examines models and taxonomies that have guided researchers as they have investigated studying. Reviews research factors related to studying at the college level: course characteristics, learner characteristics, and learning…

The role of family and school-level factors in bullying and cyberbullying: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bevilacqua, Leonardo; Shackleton, Nichola; Hale, Daniel; Allen, Elizabeth; Bond, Lyndal; Christie, Deborah; Elbourne, Diana; Fitzgerald-Yau, Natasha; Fletcher, Adam; Jones, Rebecca; Miners, Alec; Scott, Stephen; Wiggins, Meg; Bonell, Chris; Viner, Russell M

2017-07-11

Bullying and cyberbullying are common phenomena in schools. These negative behaviours can have a significant impact on the health and particularly mental health of those involved in such behaviours, both as victims and as bullies. This UK study aims to investigate student-level and school-level characteristics of those who become involved in bullying and cyberbullying behaviours as victims or perpetrators. We used data from 6667 Year 7 students from the baseline survey of a cluster randomized trial in 40 English schools to investigate the associations between individual-level and school-level variables with bullying victimization, cyberbullying perpetration, and cyberbullying victimization. We ran multilevel models to examine associations of bullying outcomes with individual-level variables and school-level variables. In multilevel models, at the school level, school type and school quality measures were associated with bullying risk: students in voluntary-aided schools were less likely to report bullying victimization (0.6 (0.4, 0.9) p = 0.008), and those in community (3.9 (1.5, 10.5) p = 0.007) and foundation (4.0 (1.6, 9.9) p = 0.003) schools were more likely to report being perpetrators of cyberbullying than students in mainstream academies. A school quality rating of "Good" was associated with greater reported bullying victimization (1.3 (1.02, 1.5) p = 0.03) compared to ratings of "Outstanding." Bullying victimization and cyberbullying prevalence vary across school type and school quality, supporting the hypothesis that organisational/management factors within the school may have an impact on students' behaviour. These findings will inform future longitudinal research investigating which school factors and processes promote or prevent bullying and cyberbullying behaviours. Trial ID: ISRCTN10751359 Registered: 11/03/2014 (retrospectively registered).

Genetic and serum biomarker evidence for a relationship between TNFα and PTSD in Vietnam war combat veterans.

PubMed

Bruenig, Dagmar; Mehta, Divya; Morris, Charles P; Harvey, Wendy; Lawford, Bruce; Young, Ross McD; Voisey, Joanne

2017-04-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased inflammation and comorbid medical conditions. However, study findings for individual inflammatory marker levels have been inconsistent. Some research suggests that resilience may play a role in decreased inflammation. A polymorphism in the promoter region of the tumor necrosis factor α gene (TNFα), TNFA -308 (rs1800629) is associated with psychiatric illness but its role in PTSD is yet to be elucidated. This study investigates a key inflammatory marker, TNFα, for its role in PTSD severity. In a cohort of trauma-exposed Vietnam War veterans (n=299; 159 cases, 140 controls) TNF α serum levels and TNFα polymorphism rs1800629 were correlated with PTSD severity and resilience scores. The polymorphism was associated with PTSD severity (p=0.045). There were significant group differences between cases and controls with regards to serum TNFα levels (p=0.036). Significant correlations were found between PTSD severity and elevated TNFα levels (r=0.153; p=0.009), and between resilience and decreased TNFα levels at a trend level (p=0.08) across the entire cohort. These relationships were non-significant after controlling for covariates. In the PTSD diagnostic group, a correlation of TNFα and PTSD severity was observed on a trend level (p=0.06), the relationship between TNFα and resilience remained non-significant. To our knowledge, this is the first time rs1800629 has been investigated in PTSD contributing to a growing body of literature that identifies the GG as a risk genotype for psychiatric disorders in Caucasian cohorts. However, more research is needed to replicate our results in larger, equally well-characterized cohorts. The relationship between serum TNFα levels and PTSD severity and resilience requires further investigation. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical activity and lung cancer among non-smokers: A pilot molecular epidemiologic study within EPIC

PubMed Central

RUNDLE, ANDREW; RICHIE, JOHN; STEINDORF, KAREN; PELUSO, MARCO; OVERVAD, KIM; RAASCHOU-NIELSEN, OLE; CLAVEL-CHAPELON, FRANCOISE; LINSEISEN, JACOB P.; BOEING, HEINER; TRICHOPOULOU, ANTONIA; PALLI, DOMENICO; KROGH, VITTORIO; TUMINO, ROSARIO; PANICO, SALVATORE; BUENO-DE-MESQUITA, HENDRIK B.; PEETERS, PETRA H.; LUND, EILIV; GONZALEZ, CARLOS A.; MARTINEZ, CARMEN; DORRONSORO, MIREN; BARRICARTE, AURELIO; TORMO, M. JOSE; QUIROS, JOSÈ R.; AGUDO, ANTONIO; BERGLUND, GORAN; JARVHOLM, BENGT; BINGHAM, SHEILA; KEY, TIMOTHY J.; GORMALLY, EMMANUELLE; SARACCI, RODOLFO; KAAKS, RUDOLF; RIBOLI, ELIO; VINEIS, PAOLO

2013-01-01

The association between physical activity, potential intermediate biomarkers and lung cancer risk was investigated in a study of 230 cases and 648 controls nested within the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition. Data on white blood cell aromatic-DNA adducts by 32P-postlabeling and glutathione (GSH) in red blood cells were available from a subset of cases and controls. Compared to the first quartile, the fourth quartile of recreational physical activity was associated with lower lung cancer risk [odds ratio=0.56 (0.35–0.90)], higher GSH levels [+1.87 micro mole GSH/gram haemoglobin, p=0.04] but not with the presence of high levels of adducts [odds ratio=1.05 (0.38–2.86)]. Despite being associated with recreational physical activity, in these small scale pilot analyses GSH levels were not associated with lung cancer risk, [odds ratio=0.95 (0.84 – 1.07) per unit increase in glutathione levels]. Household and occupational activity was not associated with lung cancer risk or biomarker levels. PMID:20050820

Wind noise within and across behind-the-ear and miniature behind-the-ear hearing aids.

PubMed

Zakis, Justin A; Hawkins, Daniel J

2015-10-01

Previous studies investigated wind noise with Behind-The-Ear (BTE) hearing aids, but not the more common mini-BTE style of device, which typically has a smaller shell and microphones located more deeply behind the pinna. The current study investigated wind-noise levels across one BTE and two mini-BTE devices, and between the front and rear omni-directional microphones within devices. Levels were measured at two wind speeds (3 and 6 m/s) and 36 wind azimuths (10° increments). The pattern of wind-noise level versus azimuth was similar across mini-BTE devices, and differed for the BTE device. However, mean levels were markedly different across mini-BTE devices, and could be higher, lower, or similar to those of the BTE device. For within-device level differences, the pattern and mean across azimuth were similar across mini-BTE devices, and differed for the BTE device. Wind noise had the potential to slightly or severely reduce speech intelligibility at 3 or 6 m/s, respectively, across all devices.

Study the effect of Vitamin K on intracellular NAD level in yeast by fluorescence spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahong, Chen; Ruxiu, Cai; Ke, Zhang

2007-05-01

The intracellular NAD level plays a pivotal role in numerous biological processes such as rhythm, senescence, cancer and death. The study of the intracellular NAD level has been one of the "hotspots" in biomedical research. We investigated the effect of Vitamin K on intracellular NAD level in yeast by fluorescence spectrum in this paper. Plasma membrane redox system of yeast was found to be greatly promoted by the addition of Vitamin K 3 or Vitamin K 1. Ferricyanide reduction catalyzed by Vitamin K was accompanied by the decrease in intracellular NADH concentration and the increase in intracellular NAD level of yeast cells.

Aspartame: a safety evaluation based on current use levels, regulations, and toxicological and epidemiological studies.

PubMed

Magnuson, B A; Burdock, G A; Doull, J; Kroes, R M; Marsh, G M; Pariza, M W; Spencer, P S; Waddell, W J; Walker, R; Williams, G M

2007-01-01

Aspartame is a methyl ester of a dipeptide used as a synthetic nonnutritive sweetener in over 90 countries worldwide in over 6000 products. The purpose of this investigation was to review the scientific literature on the absorption and metabolism, the current consumption levels worldwide, the toxicology, and recent epidemiological studies on aspartame. Current use levels of aspartame, even by high users in special subgroups, remains well below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Food Safety Authority established acceptable daily intake levels of 50 and 40 mg/kg bw/day, respectively. Consumption of large doses of aspartame in a single bolus dose will have an effect on some biochemical parameters, including plasma amino acid levels and brain neurotransmitter levels. The rise in plasma levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid following administration of aspartame at doses less than or equal to 50 mg/kg bw do not exceed those observed postprandially. Acute, subacute and chronic toxicity studies with aspartame, and its decomposition products, conducted in mice, rats, hamsters and dogs have consistently found no adverse effect of aspartame with doses up to at least 4000 mg/kg bw/day. Critical review of all carcinogenicity studies conducted on aspartame found no credible evidence that aspartame is carcinogenic. The data from the extensive investigations into the possibility of neurotoxic effects of aspartame, in general, do not support the hypothesis that aspartame in the human diet will affect nervous system function, learning or behavior. Epidemiological studies on aspartame include several case-control studies and one well-conducted prospective epidemiological study with a large cohort, in which the consumption of aspartame was measured. The studies provide no evidence to support an association between aspartame and cancer in any tissue. The weight of existing evidence is that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption as a nonnutritive sweetener.

Clinical outcomes and nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) according to initial PSA levels in primary androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic prostate cancer.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Yasuhide; Ueno, Satoru; Izumi, Kouji; Kadono, Yoshifumi; Mizokami, Atsushi; Hinotsu, Shiro; Akaza, Hideyuki; Namiki, Mikio

2016-03-01

To investigate the clinical outcomes of metastatic prostate cancer patients and the relationship between nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and different types of primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT). This study utilized data from the Japan Study Group of Prostate Cancer registry, which is a large, multicenter, population-based database. A total of 2982 patients treated with PADT were enrolled. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients treated using combined androgen blockade (CAB) and non-CAB therapies. The relationships between nadir PSA levels and PADT type according to initial serum PSA levels were also investigated. Among the 2982 enrolled patients, 2101 (70.5 %) were treated with CAB. Although CAB-treated patients had worse clinical characteristics, their probability of PFS and OS was higher compared with those treated with a non-CAB therapy. These results were due to a survival benefit with CAB in patients with an initial PSA level of 500-1000 ng/mL. Nadir PSA levels were significantly lower in CAB patients than in non-CAB patients with comparable initial serum PSA levels. A small survival benefit for CAB in metastatic prostate cancer was demonstrated in a Japanese large-scale prospective cohort study. The clinical significance of nadir PSA levels following PADT was evident, but the predictive impact of PSA nadir on OS was different between CAB and non-CAB therapy.

Investigating Variation, Teacher's Edition. Probing the Natural World/3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Dept. of Science Education.

The teacher's edition for the unit entitled "Investigating Variation" in Intermediate Science Curriculum Study Level III, provides numerous suggestions for teaching specific activities included in the unit. The unit is aimed at selected aspects of measurement and analysis. The chapters included are "The Road…

A Multiyear Approach to Student-Driven Investigations in Exercise Physiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FitzPatrick, Kathleen A.; Campisi, Jay

2009-01-01

Many undergraduate institutions offer individual research opportunities for upper-level students in independent study courses and summer undergraduate research programs. These are necessarily limited to a small number of students. Greater numbers of students can benefit from incorporating student-directed investigative experiences into…

Lived Experiences of College-Age Transsexual Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrich, Kristopher M.

2012-01-01

This article reviews the lived experiences of 4 college-age transsexual individuals. A qualitative study using grounded theory was conducted to investigate their experiences influencing their later educational persistence. Results suggested that level of discomfort, perceived social supports, level of secrecy, and academic achievement all affected…

The Relationship between Grandparent Satisfaction, Meaning, and Generativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiele, Dianne M.; Whelan, Thomas A.

2008-01-01

This study investigated predictors of grandparent satisfaction. Participants were 149 non-custodial grandparents (100 grandmothers, 49 grandfathers) aged up to 80 years. They completed grandparent satisfaction, meaning, and generativity scales, and indicated levels of weekly childcare contact with grandchildren. As expected, increasing levels of…

The Effect of Residing Altitude on Levels of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: A Pilot Study From the Omani Arab Population.

PubMed

Al Riyami, Nafila B; Banerjee, Yajnavalka; Al-Waili, Khalid; Rizvi, Syed G; Al-Yahyaee, Said; Hassan, Mohammed O; Albarwani, Sulayma; Al-Rasadi, Khalid; Bayoumi, Riad A

2015-07-01

Lower mortality rates from coronary heart disease and higher levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have been observed in populations residing at high altitude. However, this effect has not been investigated in Arab populations, which exhibit considerable genetic homogeneity. We assessed the relationship between residing altitude and HDL-C in 2 genetically similar Omani Arab populations residing at different altitudes. The association between the levels of HDL-C and other metabolic parameters was also investigated. The levels of HDL-C were significantly higher in the high-altitude group compared with the low-altitude group. Stepwise regression analysis showed that altitude was the most significant factor affecting HDL-C, followed by gender, serum triglycerides, and finally the 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose. This finding is consistent with previously published studies from other populations and should be taken into consideration when comparing cardiovascular risk factors in populations residing at different altitudes. © The Author(s) 2014.

Posttraumatic growth in Iranian cancer patients.

PubMed

Rahmani, A; Mohammadian, R; Ferguson, C; Golizadeh, L; Zirak, M; Chavoshi, H

2012-01-01

To investigate the level and determinants of posttraumatic growth in Iranian cancer patients. This descriptive-correlational design study was conducted within a university-affiliated oncology hospital in Iran. A convenience sample of 450 patients with a definitive diagnosis of cancer of any type completed a demographic questionnaire and a posttraumatic growth inventory. Some disease-related information was obtained from patients' medical records. The mean of posttraumatic growth reported by participants was 76.1. There was a statistically significant association between experience of posttraumatic growth and age (r = - 0.21, P=0.001), education at university level (F = 8.9, P=0.001) and history of treatment by radiotherapy (t = 2.1, P=0.03). The findings of this study suggest that Iranian cancer patients experience a moderate to high level of posttraumatic growth and confirm the hypothesis that the level of posttraumatic growth in non-Western cancer patients is more than that of Western cancer patients. Although, assessing the reasons for this difference needs more investigations.

Noise pollution in the hospital environment of a developing country: A case study of Lahore (Pakistan).

PubMed

Baqar, Mujtaba; Arslan, Muhammad; Abbasi, Saddam A; Ashraf, Uzma; Khalid, Anam; Zahid, Hina

2017-08-24

The present study investigates the noise pollution levels in public- and private-sector hospitals of Lahore. The noise pollution parameters were investigated from 20 public and 10 private hospitals. We observed that the equivalent continuous sound level (Leq) values varied significantly in different departments of the hospitals as well as at different times of the day. The public-sector hospitals had significantly higher noise pollution compared to the private-sector hospitals. The Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney two-sample rank-sum test revealed significant difference between noise levels in intensive care unit (ICU) during morning and in emergency, waiting area, intensive care unit (ICU), and reception during daytimes. However, no significant differences were found for any department during the evening. The Leq values were found to be higher than the international norms (WHO standards) for all hospitals, higher than USEPA for 29 hospitals and higher than local standards for 27 hospitals. Overall, significantly lower sound levels were always observed in private hospitals.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH INFLAMMATION.

PubMed

Aktulay, Ayla; Engin-Ustun, Yaprak; Ozkan, Mehmet Sahin; Erkaya, Salim; Kara, Mustafa; Kaymak, Oktay; Danisman, Nuri

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with inflammation by comparing serum levels of human chitinase-3-like pro- tein 1 (YKL-40), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR). This case control study included 29 pregnant women with GDM and 29 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance matched for age (± 2 years) and pre-pregnancy body mass index (± 2 kg/m²). The YKL-40/CHI3L1 levels were measured, and NLR and PLR investigated. There were no statisti- cally significant differences in maternal age, gestational age, gravidity and parity. Higher YKL-40 levels were recorded in pregnant women with GDM compared to control subjects (203 (65-300) ng/ mL vs. 159.2 (14-290) ng/mL, p = 0.007). NLR and PLR were significantly higher in GDM com- pared with control group. In conclusion, GDM is associated with high levels of YKL-40, NLR and PLR, which indicate inflammatory status.

The impact of exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields on chronic well-being in young people--a cross-sectional study based on personal dosimetry.

PubMed

Heinrich, Sabine; Thomas, Silke; Heumann, Christian; von Kries, Rüdiger; Radon, Katja

2011-01-01

A possible influence of radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF EMF) exposure on health outcomes was investigated in various studies. The main problem of previous studies was exposure assessment. The aim of our study was the investigation of a possible association between RF EMF and chronic well-being in young persons using personal dosimetry. 3022 children and adolescents were randomly selected from the population registries of four Bavarian cities in Germany (participation 52%). Personal interview data on chronic symptoms, socio-demographic characteristics and potential confounders were collected. A 24-h radio frequency exposure profile was generated using a personal dosimeter. Exposure levels over waking hours were expressed as mean percentage of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) reference level. Half of the children and nearly every adolescent owned a mobile phone which was used only for short durations per day. Measured exposure was far below the current ICNIRP reference levels. The most reported chronic symptom in children and adolescents was fatigue. No statistically significant association between measured exposure and chronic symptoms was observed. Our results do not indicate an association between measured exposure to RF EMF and chronic well-being in children and adolescents. Prospective studies investigating potential long-term effects of RF EMF are necessary to confirm our results. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiawati, S.; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-11-01

The background of this study is the lack of mathematical literacy skills of students. The proficiency of students’ mathematical literacy skills based on the results of the PISA 2015 study shows that Indonesian students at the proficiency level 1. This fact gave rise to this study which aims to investigate middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2. Qualitative research was used in this study. An individual written test on mathematical literacy problems was administered, followed by interviews. The subjects of the study were 61 students grade VII in Bandung and 26 of them were interviewed afterward. Data analysis revealed that students’ error in performing arithmetic most frequently observed. Other observed difficulties concerned understanding about algebra concept, applying arithmetic operation in algebraic expressions, and interpreting symbols to represent the unknown. In solving mathematical literacy problems, students use their prior knowledge, although sometimes not relevant to the questions. Based on the results, we suggest that mathematics learning in contextual learning and which invites students to participate in the processes of understanding the concepts.

Moving from technical to critical reflection in journalling: an investigation of students' ability to incorporate three levels of reflective writing.

PubMed

Usher, K; Tollefson, J; Francis, D

2001-01-01

This paper outlines a research project aimed at changing the levels of reflection of preregistration nursing students in a tertiary institution. Whilst reflection is widely espoused now in nursing, few studies have been found that identify whether the level of reflective writing can be identified or developed by students. Anecdotal and research evidence (Powell 1989; van Manen 1977) however indicates that most student reflective writing occurs at the technical level. A descriptive exploratory study using both qualitative and quantitative techniques was undertaken to apply van Manen's (1977) levels in a structured way in an attempt to facilitate the student's understanding and use of the levels in their reflective writing. The findings of the study indicate that student self evaluation and identification of the levels in their own writing can lead to change in the levels of critical reflective writing achieved by undergraduate students.

Contingent self-esteem and vulnerability to depression: academic contingent self-esteem predicts depressive symptoms in students

PubMed Central

Schöne, Claudia; Tandler, Sarah S.; Stiensmeier-Pelster, Joachim

2015-01-01

Low self-esteem has been established as a vulnerability factor for depression. In line with recent research, we suggest that a full understanding of the role of self-esteem in depression requires consideration of contingent self-esteem as well. For most people, competence is an important source of self-esteem. Students in particular link their self-esteem to academic competence. To test the hypothesis that academic contingent self-esteem (aCSE) predicts depressive symptoms (DS), two studies were conducted. Preceding the investigation of our hypothesis, the first purpose of Study 1 was to describe the development of aCSE, self-esteem (SE) level, and DS in adolescence in a sample of German students aged 10–16 (N = 1888) in order to provide a foundation for further analyses. Then, to address the main question, age and gender differences in aCSE, SE level, and DS as well as their relations were investigated. The results show that (1) gender differences emerged after the age of 10/11. Girls scored higher on aCSE and DS and lower on SE level than did boys, and aCSE and DS decreased and SE level increased over time in boys, while the rather disadvantageous pattern in girls remained stable. (2) After controlling for SE level and aCSE, the effects of gender and age × gender interaction on DS disappeared, suggesting an influence of aCSE on DS. (3) aCSE predicted DS over and above SE level. Since the results of Study 1 did not allow for causal conclusions, a longitudinal study (N = 160) was conducted to further investigate the causal role of aCSE. According to the diathesis-stress model, aCSE was expected to serve as a diathesis for developing DS in the face of academic stress (daily hassles) during an academic semester at university. The results of Study 2 revealed that aCSE interacted with corresponding hassles to predict increases in DS. High levels of academic stress led to increases in DS only among students who strongly based their SE on academic competence. Implications for prevention and intervention of depression are discussed. PMID:26539135

Investigation of Turkish EFL Learners' Attributions on Success and Failure in Learning English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Aysun; Höl, Devrim

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attributions of Turkish EFL learners on success and failure in learning English as a foreign language with different variables such as gender and level of English proficiency. To investigate the attributions of the participants and gather the relevant data, a questionnaire including 38 items and…

Investigation of Sustainable Energy Policy: Nairobi Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shengyuan, Y.; Habiyaremye, J. F. L.; Yingying, W.

2017-07-01

A plan for actively achieving green energy obligation is a strategic tool for policies that point forward the diminution of the fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) in conformity with the Paris environment-friendly accords (COP21) and updates of other ecosystem agreements. To achieve the concrete implementation of the sustainable energy strategy (SES) and to accomplish its objectives, an investigation is a critical factor. SES investigation has to consider both the advancement of each particular action and its wide-ranging green effect, which necessitates multiple levels of improvement. In this study, a consolidated eco strategy for evaluating, monitoring and handling the SES via investigation and execution process is established. The city of Nairobi was used as one of the geographical positions to test the effectiveness of this approach and to investigate its robust and weak points. Specifically, benefit-cost analysis, reliability, peer review and general level of participation were renowned as vital tools for attaining a functional SES investigation and for then drafting successful energy guidelines. Some suggestions were put forward to highlight the research and execution methods and to draw a road map of how SES can be strategically placed into practice.

Validity of Level of Supervision Scales for Assessing Pediatric Fellows on the Common Pediatric Subspecialty Entrustable Professional Activities.

PubMed

Mink, Richard B; Schwartz, Alan; Herman, Bruce E; Turner, David A; Curran, Megan L; Myers, Angela; Hsu, Deborah C; Kesselheim, Jennifer C; Carraccio, Carol L

2018-02-01

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) represent the routine and essential activities that physicians perform in practice. Although some level of supervision scales have been proposed, they have not been validated. In this study, the investigators created level of supervision scales for EPAs common to the pediatric subspecialties and then examined their validity in a study conducted by the Subspecialty Pediatrics Investigator Network (SPIN). SPIN Steering Committee members used a modified Delphi process to develop unique scales for six of the seven common EPAs. The investigators sought validity evidence in a multisubspecialty study in which pediatric fellowship program directors and Clinical Competency Committees used the scales to evaluate fellows in fall 2014 and spring 2015. Separate scales for the six EPAs, each with five levels of progressive entrustment, were created. In both fall and spring, more than 300 fellows in each year of training from over 200 programs were assessed. In both periods and for each EPA, there was a progressive increase in entrustment levels, with second-year fellows rated higher than first-year fellows (P < .001) and third-year fellows rated higher than second-year fellows (P < .001). For each EPA, spring ratings were higher (P < .001) than those in the fall. Interrater reliability was high (Janson and Olsson's iota = 0.73). The supervision scales developed for these six common pediatric subspecialty EPAs demonstrated strong validity evidence for use in EPA-based assessment of pediatric fellows. They may also inform the development of scales in other specialties.

Psychological Burnout in Early Childhood Teachers: Levels and Reasons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Adwan, Fatima Eid Zaid; Al-Khayat, Majed Mohammad

2017-01-01

The primary education plays an important role in the life of an individual as well as the nation as a whole. This study aims at investigating the level of psychological burnout in early childhood female teachers at public and private kindergarten schools. It also aims to prove whether these burnout levels differ according to the type of school,…

Protective Role of Educational Level on Episodic Memory Aging: An Event-Related Potential Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angel, Lucie; Fay, Severine; Bouazzaoui, Badiaa; Baudouin, Alexia; Isingrini, Michel

2010-01-01

The aim of the present experiment was to investigate whether educational level could modulate the effect of aging on episodic memory and on the electrophysiological correlates of retrieval success. Participants were divided into four groups based on age (young vs. older) and educational level (high vs. low), with 14 participants in each group.…

Graduate Counseling Students' Levels of Ego Development, Wellness, and Psychological Disturbance: An Exploratory Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambie, Glenn W.; Smith, Heather L.; Ieva, Kara P.

2009-01-01

The authors report the findings of a descriptive, correlational study of 111 graduate counseling students' levels of ego development (L. X. Hy & J. Loevinger, 1996), wellness (J. E. Myers & T. J. Sweeney, 2005), and psychological disturbance (M. J. Lambert et al., 2004). Higher levels of ego maturity were associated with higher wellness scores.…

An Analysis of the Text Complexity of Leveled Passages in Four Popular Classroom Reading Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toyama, Yukie; Hiebert, Elfrieda H.; Pearson, P. David

2017-01-01

This study investigated the complexity of leveled passages used in four classroom reading assessments. A total of 167 passages leveled for Grades 1-6 from these assessments were analyzed using four analytical tools of text complexity. More traditional, two-factor measures of text complexity found a general trend of fairly consistent across-grade…

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Written Argumentation Qualities: From the Perspectives of Socio- Scientific Issues, Epistemic Belief Levels and Online Discussion Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isbilir, Erdinc; Cakiroglu, Jale; Ertepinar, Hamide

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between pre-service science teachers' written argumentation levels about socio-scientific issues and epistemic belief levels in an online discussion environment. A mixed-methods approach was used: 30 Turkish pre-service science teachers contributed with their written argumentations to four socio-scientific…

Is Collaborative Learners' Adoption of Metacognitive Regulation Related to Students' Content Processing Strategies and the Level of Transactivity in Their Peer Discussions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Backer, Liesje; Van Keer, Hilde; Valcke, Martin

2017-01-01

The present study investigates collaborative learners' adoption of key regulation activities (i.e., orienting, planning, monitoring, and evaluating) and a deep-level regulation approach in relation to characteristics of their collaboration on the cognitive and communicative level. More specifically, the correlation of collaborative learners'…

Levels and Patterns of Participation and Social Interaction in an Online Learning Community for Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, I-Chun

2011-01-01

This study investigates how pre-service and in-service teachers participate in an online community for learning to teach. Members' levels and patterns of participation and social interaction were examined via social network analysis of activity logs and content analysis of interviews. The results of the analyses show that (a) members' levels and…

The Relationships between Teachers' Instructional Practices and Their Learners' Level of Geometrical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bleeker, Cheryl; Stols, Gerrit; Van Putten, Sonja

2013-01-01

This case study describes and investigates the instructional practices of Grades 1 to 5 teachers and the levels of geometry thinking of the learners, according to the Van Hiele model, with a view to determining whether there is a match between the instructional practice and the learners' level of thinking. The instructional practices of the…

Perceptions of Blended Learning Competencies and Obstacles among Educational Technology Students in Light of Different Anxiety Levels and Locus of Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldalalah, Osamah Ahmad; Gasaymeh, Al-Mothana M.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of locus of control and anxiety level on the Jordanian educational technology students' perceived blended learning competencies and obstacles. The independent variables were the locus of control (Internal, External) and anxiety level (Low, Moderate, High). The dependent variables were the…

The Relationship between Multiplication Fact Speed-Recall and Fluency and Higher Level Mathematics Learning with Eighth Grade Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Steven James

2012-01-01

This quantitative study investigated relationships between higher level mathematics learning and multiplication fact fluency, multiplication fact speed-recall, and reading grade equivalency of eighth grade students in Algebra I and Pre-Algebra. Higher level mathematics learning was indicated by an average score of 80% or higher on first and second…

An Investigation into the Perceptions of Mathematics and Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Levels of Pre-Service Primary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinçer, Bahar; Yilmaz, Süha

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between perceptions of the self-efficacy levels for both mathematics literacy and information literacy in pre-service primary mathematics teachers and the factors on which the relationship depends (variables include gender, class level, hours spent reading books and computer-access…

School Librarian Staffing Levels and Student Achievement as Represented in 2006-2009 Kansas Annual Yearly Progress Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dow, Mirah J.; McMahon-Lakin, Jacqueline

2012-01-01

To address the presence or absence of school librarians in Kansas public schools, a study using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was designed to investigate staffing levels for library media specialists (LMSs), the label used for school librarians in licensed-personnel data in Kansas, and student achievement at the school level. Five subject areas…

Effects of Anxiety Levels on Learning Performance and Gaming Performance in Digital Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, J. C.; Lin, M. Y. D.; Chen, S. Y.

2018-01-01

Anxiety plays an influential role in foreign language learning. However, a lack of attention was paid to examining the effects of anxiety levels on learning performance and gaming performance in digital game-based learning. To this end, this study developed a game-based English learning system and investigated how different levels of anxiety…

The Relationship Between Serum Endocan Levels With the Presence of Slow Coronary Flow: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kundi, Harun; Gok, Murat; Kiziltunc, Emrullah; Topcuoglu, Canan; Cetin, Mustafa; Cicekcioglu, Hulya; Ugurlu, Burcu; Ulusoy, Feridun Vasfi

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between endocan levels with the presence of slow coronary flow (SCF). In this cross-sectional study, a total of 88 patients, who admitted to our hospital, were included in this study. Of these, 53 patients with SCF and 35 patients with normal coronary flow were included in the final analysis. Coronary flow rates of all patients were determined by the Timi Frame Count (TFC) method. In correlation analysis, endocan levels revealed a significantly positive correlation with high sensitive C-reactive protein and corrected TFC. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the endocan levels were found as independently associated with the presence of SCF. Finally, using a cutoff level of 2.3, endocan level predicted the presence of SCF with a sensitivity of 77.2% and specificity of 75.2%. In conclusion, our study showed that higher endocan levels were significantly and independently related to the presence of SCF.

Teaching concepts of energy to nigerian children in the 7-11 year-old age range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urevbu, Andrew O.

This study investigated the level of concept attainment of selected energy concepts for possible inclusion in the Nigerian (Bendel State) Primary Science Project (BPSP). Using an experimental design suggested by Solomon (1949), subjects were taught energy concepts at three levels - descriptive, comparative and quantitative. Results showed that levels of concept comprehension were hierarchical with a signficant decrease in achievement from descriptive to comparative and quantitative concepts. The results of this study suggest the need to describe levels of concept for particular grades in the elementary school curriculum and to match curriculum with thinking strategies of children.

Reasons of different colors in the ignimbrite lithology: micro-XRF and confocal Raman spectrometry method.

PubMed

Koralay, Tamer; Kadioglu, Yusuf Kagan

2008-03-01

Medium to large volume ignimbrites usually show vertical changes in terms of color, mineral components, texture and geochemistry. Determination of vertical changes in single extensive ignimbrite flow unit is difficult and requires careful studies. Color changes in ignimbrite flow units are very important for earth scientists. This may cause to identify the same ignimbrite series with different definition. Incesu ignimbrite has a wide distribution in the Central Anatolian Volcanic Province (CAVP). It is classified into three levels as lower, middle and upper according to color and welding degree. There is a sharp contact between the lower and middle level. The lower level is dark brown to black in color and the middle level has pinkish red to red color. The present paper focuses on the investigation of color changes between the ignimbrite levels by using micro-XRF and confocal Raman spectrometry. Micro-XRF and Raman spectrometry studies were performed on the polished thin sections of the lower and middle levels with different compositions. These differences were because of the compositional changes of K and slightly Fe elements distribution within the matrix. The dark brown to black color of the lower level was related to the high concentration of the K and Fe relatively to the middle level. Confocal Raman spectrometry investigations exhibited the matrix of the lower level mainly composed of anorthoclase, supporting the results of the micro-XRF.

Investigation of multiple factors which may contribute to vitamin D levels of bedridden pregnant women and their preterm neonates.

PubMed

Skouroliakou, Maria; Ntountaniotis, Dimitrios; Massara, Paraskevi; Koutri, Katerina

2016-01-01

25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) is the marker, which indicates vitamin D levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible factors, which contribute to serum 25-OH-D levels in bedridden mothers and their preterm neonates. Twenty-six preterm neonates born during the period of 24-33 weeks of gestational age and 20 mothers (who experienced pregnancy complications) were recruited to the study. Five major results were obtained. (i) The 25-OH-D serum levels for preterm neonates and their mothers were found to possess strong correlation (ii) and both differed significantly in comparison with the optimal levels. (iii) An increase of mothers' 25-OH-D serum levels was associated with an increased possibility that the neonates would be measured to have normal 25-OH-D levels. (iv) Sex was not a key factor to neonates' 25-OH-D levels. (v) No correlation was found between mothers' 25-OH-D levels and their vitamin D3 supplement (400 IU/d during pregnancy). Due to insufficient exposure to sunlight and a diet not enriched with vitamin D, bedridden pregnant women suffer from vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy complications lead often to birth of preterm neonates with the same deficiency. Mothers should increase the total amount of vitamin D intake (food and supplement).

Association of testosterone and BDNF serum levels with craving during alcohol withdrawal.

PubMed

Heberlein, Annemarie; Lenz, Bernd; Opfermann, Birgitt; Gröschl, Michael; Janke, Eva; Stange, Katrin; Groh, Adrian; Kornhuber, Johannes; Frieling, Helge; Bleich, Stefan; Hillemacher, Thomas

2016-08-01

Preclinical and clinical studies show associations between testosterone and brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) serum levels. BDNF and testosterone have been independently reported to influence alcohol consumption. Therefore, we aimed to investigate a possible interplay of testosterone and BDNF contributing to alcohol dependence. Regarding possible interplay of testosterone and BDNF and the activity of the hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA), we included cortisol serum levels in our research. We investigated testosterone and BDNF serum levels in a sample of 99 male alcohol-dependent patients during alcohol withdrawal (day 1, 7, and 14) and compared them to a healthy male control group (n = 17). The testosterone serum levels were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in the patients' group than in the control group and decreased significantly during alcohol withdrawal (p < 0.001). The decrease of testosterone serum levels during alcohol withdrawal (days 1-7) was significantly associated with the BDNF serum levels (day 1: p = 0.008). In a subgroup of patients showing high cortisol serum levels (putatively mirroring high HPA activity), we found a significant association of BDNF and testosterone as well as with alcohol craving measured by the Obsessive and Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS). Our data suggest a possible association of BDNF and testosterone serum levels, which may be relevant for the symptomatology of alcohol dependence. Further studies are needed to clarify our results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Localizing value of pain distribution patterns in cervical spondylosis.

PubMed

Bunyaratavej, Krishnapundha; Montriwiwatnchai, Peerapong; Siwanuwatn, Rungsak; Khaoroptham, Surachai

2015-04-01

Prospective observational study. To investigate the value of pain distribution in localizing appropriate surgical levels in patients with cervical spondylosis. Previous studies have investigated the value of pain drawings in its correlation with various features in degenerative spine diseases including surgical outcome, magnetic resonance imaging findings, discographic study, and psychogenic issues. However, there is no previous study on the value of pain drawings in identifying symptomatic levels for the surgery in cervical spondylosis. The study collected data from patients with cervical spondylosis who underwent surgical treatment between August 2009 and July 2012. Pain diagrams drawn separately by each patient and physician were collected. Pain distribution patterns among various levels of surgery were analyzed by the chi-square test. Agreement between different pairs of data, including pain diagrams drawn by each patient and physician, intra-examiner agreement on interpretation of pain diagrams, inter-examiner agreement on interpretation of pain diagrams, interpretation of pain diagram by examiners and actual surgery, was analyzed by Kappa statistics. The study group consisted of 19 men and 28 women with an average age of 55.2 years. Average duration of symptoms was 16.8 months. There was no difference in the pain distribution pattern at any level of surgery. The agreement between pain diagram drawn by each patient and physician was moderate. Intra-examiner agreement was moderate. There was slight agreement of inter-examiners, examiners versus actual surgery. Pain distribution pattern by itself has limited value in identifying surgical levels in patients with cervical spondylosis.

[Investigation on level and influencing factors of first aid knowledge among dentists in Sichuan province].

PubMed

Qiu, Yu; Li, Yuan-Yuan; Li, Tian-Guo; Chen, Yi-Ge; Kong, Jing-Jun; Pan, Jian

2018-04-01

The study aims to investigate the cognition degree and influencing factors of first aid knowledge among dentists in Sichuan province, and to provide suggestions for the training of oral clinician. A questionnaire was designed for this study. It included the basic situation of population, first aid knowledge level, emergency situation often encountered in stomatology clinic, first aid training situation, learning approach and attitude of first aid knowledge, etc. This questionnaire was used to investigate the dentists of medical institutions in various cities in Sichuan province. The survey results was statistical analyzed. There were 245 valid questionnaires. 1) The level of first aid knowledge of dentists was generally lower in Sichuan province. Work department and other departments work experience were the influencing factors of knowledge level of first aid knowledge among dentists. 2) 87.3% of dentists believed that it was very necessary to master the knowledge of first aid, but in the event of an emergency situation, 73.5% of dentists only can find other doctors to guide themselves to help. 3) The most common way to learn first aid knowledge was through work experience and medical school's first aid course. Dentists should strengthen the learning and training to improve the first aid skill.

A framework for rating environmental value of urban parks.

PubMed

Jabben, Jan; Weber, Miriam; Verheijen, Edwin

2015-03-01

In this study, indicators are proposed to characterize the intrinsic environmental properties and external value of urban parks. The intrinsic properties involve both acoustic factors and non-acoustic factors, such as visual aspects and size. To assess external value, the restoration level is defined, which measures the nearby presence of a quiet, 'green' area at residential areas outside parks. The restoration levels of green areas are based on intrinsic properties and the distances of each dwelling to urban park areas. The overall environmental value of a park, the group restoration level, is defined as a logarithmic summation of the restoration levels over its surrounding residential areas. Restoration levels were determined for sixteen public parks in the city of Rotterdam and compared with survey data from questionnaires. Results show that the investigated parks display a large variation in the group restoration level levels, mainly due to differences in size and average noise levels. To validate the proposed method, survey data from questionnaires are investigated as to correlation with restoration levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigating relationships between biomarkers of exposure and environmental copper and manganese levels in house dusts from a Portuguese industrial city.

PubMed

Reis, A P; Costa, S; Santos, I; Patinha, C; Noack, Y; Wragg, J; Cave, M; Sousa, A J

2015-08-01

This study reports on data obtained from a pilot survey focusing on house dust and toenail metal(loids) concentrations in residents living in the industrial city of Estarreja. The study design hereby described aims at investigating relationships between human toenails and both copper and manganese levels in settled house dusts. A total of 21 households and 30 individuals were recruited for the pilot study: 19 households corresponding to 27 residents living near the industrial complex, forming the exposed group, plus 2 households and 3 residents from residential areas with no anticipated environmental contaminants that were used for comparison. Factorial analysis was used for source identification purposes. Investigation on the potential influence of environmental factors over copper and manganese levels in the toenails was carried out via questionnaire data and multiple correspondence analysis. The results show that copper concentrations are more elevated in the indoor dusts, while manganese concentrations are more elevated in the outdoor dust samples. The geometrical relationships in the datasets suggest that the backyard soil is a probable source of manganese to the indoor dust. Copper and manganese contents in the toenail clippings are more elevated in children than in adults, but the difference between the two age groups is not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Investigation of environmental factors influencing the exposure-biomarker association indicates a probable relationship between manganese contents in indoor dust and manganese levels in toenail clippings, a result that is partially supported by the bioaccessibility estimates. However, for copper, no relationship was found between indoor dusts and the biomarkers of exposure.

Psilocybin impairs high-level but not low-level motion perception.

PubMed

Carter, Olivia L; Pettigrew, John D; Burr, David C; Alais, David; Hasler, Felix; Vollenweider, Franz X

2004-08-26

The hallucinogenic serotonin(1A&2A) agonist psilocybin is known for its ability to induce illusions of motion in otherwise stationary objects or textured surfaces. This study investigated the effect of psilocybin on local and global motion processing in nine human volunteers. Using a forced choice direction of motion discrimination task we show that psilocybin selectively impairs coherence sensitivity for random dot patterns, likely mediated by high-level global motion detectors, but not contrast sensitivity for drifting gratings, believed to be mediated by low-level detectors. These results are in line with those observed within schizophrenic populations and are discussed in respect to the proposition that psilocybin may provide a model to investigate clinical psychosis and the pharmacological underpinnings of visual perception in normal populations.

Serum uric acid level as a risk factor for acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients: a retrospective database analysis using the integrated medical information system at Kochi Medical School hospital.

PubMed

Otomo, Kazunori; Horino, Taro; Miki, Takeo; Kataoka, Hiromi; Hatakeyama, Yutaka; Matsumoto, Tatsuki; Hamada-Ode, Kazu; Shimamura, Yoshiko; Ogata, Koji; Inoue, Kosuke; Taniguchi, Yoshinori; Terada, Yoshio; Okuhara, Yoshiyasu

2016-04-01

Recent studies have shown that both low and high levels of serum uric acid (SUA) before cardiovascular surgery are independent risk factors for postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). However, these studies were limited by their small sample sizes. Here, we investigated the association between SUA levels and AKI by performing a retrospective database analysis of almost 30 years of data from 81,770 hospitalized patients. Hospitalized patients aged ≥18 years were retrospectively enrolled. AKI was diagnosed according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline (KDIGO) criteria. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the independent association between SUA levels and the incidence of AKI. SUA levels were treated as categorical variables because the relationship between SUA and the incidence of AKI has been suggested to be J-shaped or U-shaped. In addition to stratified SUA levels, we considered kidney function and related comorbidities, medications, and procedures performed prior to AKI onset as possible confounding risk factors. The final study cohort included 59,219 adult patients. Adjusted odds ratios of AKI incidence were higher in both the high- and low-SUA strata. Odds ratios tended to become larger in the higher range of SUA levels in women than in men. Additionally, this study showed that AKI risk was elevated in patients with SUA levels ≤7 mg/dL. An SUA level >7 mg/dL is considered the point of initiation of uric acid crystallization. SUA level could be an independent risk factor for AKI development in hospitalized patients. Additionally, our results might suggest that intervention to lower SUA levels is necessary, even in cases of moderate elevation that does not warrant hyperuricemia treatment. Results also showed that SUA levels that require attention are lower for women than for men.

The Lexical Breadth of Undergraduate Novice Level Writing Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Scott Roy

2013-01-01

This study builds on previous work exploring reading and listening lexical thresholds (Nation, 2006; Laufer & Ravenhorst-Kalovski, 2010; Schmitt, Jiang, & Grabe, 2011) in order to investigate productive vocabulary targets that mark successful entry-level undergraduate writing. Papers that passed the Effective Writing Test (EWT) were chosen…

36 CFR 800.4 - Identification of historic properties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the steps necessary to identify historic properties within the area of potential effects. (1) Level of..., research and studies, the magnitude and nature of the undertaking and the degree of Federal involvement... research, consultation and an appropriate level of field investigation, taking into account the number of...

Adjusting Inequality: Education and Structural Adjustment Policies in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vavrus, Frances

2005-01-01

International economic forces increasingly affect policy at multiple levels and in multiple domains. The interplay of three levels--international, national, and local--are underresearched in the social and educational policy fields, which includes educational policy studies. In this article, Frances Vavrus employs ethnography to investigate how…

Exploring Collaborative Learning Effect in Blended Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Z.; Liu, R.; Luo, L.; Wu, M.; Shi, C.

2017-01-01

The use of new technology encouraged exploration of the effectiveness and difference of collaborative learning in blended learning environments. This study investigated the social interactive network of students, level of knowledge building and perception level on usefulness in online and mobile collaborative learning environments in higher…

Multicultural Supervision: Influencing Supervisors' Motivation to Initiate Discussions on Culture and Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Lorre Janeen

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between counseling supervisors' level of comfort in working with diverse individuals, level of multicultural skills, propensity to portray socially desirable characteristics and supervisors' propensity to initiate multicultural and diversity discussions in supervision. The population for…

FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF CAF2:MN THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETERS FOR LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

An investigation was made of factors affecting the use of commercially-produced CaF2:Mn thermoluminescent dosimeters for low level environmental radiation monitoring. Calibration factors and self-dosing rates were quantified for 150 thermoluminescent dosimeters. Laboratory studie...

Intimate Partner Violence in Interracial and Monoracial Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Brittny A.; Cui, Ming; Ueno, Koji; Fincham, Frank D.

2013-01-01

This study, using a nationally representative sample, investigated intimate partner violence (IPV) in interracial and monoracial relationships. Regression analyses indicated that interracial couples demonstrated a higher level of mutual IPV than monoracial White couples but a level similar to monoracial Black couples. There were significant gender…

Bullying Victims' Perceptions of Classroom Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havik, Trude

2017-01-01

This study investigated bullying victims' perceptions of their teachers' support and monitoring when controlling for level of mental health problems, peer relationships, gender, and grade level. Given the nested structure of the data, multilevel analyses were employed to examine these associations. The quality of classroom interaction is highly…

The effects of student-level and classroom-level factors on elementary students' science achievement in five countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaya, Sibel

The interest in raising levels of achievement in math and science has led to a focus on investigating the factors that shape achievement in these subjects (Lamb & Fullarton, 2002) as well as understanding how these factors operate across countries (Baker, Fabrega, Galindo, & Mishook, 2004). The current study examined the individual student factors and classroom factors on fourth grade science achievement within and across five countries. Guided by the previous school learning models, the elements of students' science learning were categorized as student-level and classroom-level factors. The student-level factors included gender, self-confidence in science, and home resources. The classroom-level factors included teacher characteristics, instructional variables and classroom composition. Results for the United States and four other countries, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Scotland were reported. Multilevel effects of student and classroom variables were examined through Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 fourth grade dataset. The outcome variable was the TIMSS 2003 science score. Overall, the results of this study showed that selected student background characteristics were consistently related to elementary science achievement in countries investigated. At the student-level, higher levels of home resources and self-confidence and at the classroom-level, higher levels of class mean home resources yielded higher science scores on the TIMSS 2003. In general, teacher and instructional variables were minimally related to science achievement. There was evidence of positive effects of teacher support in the U.S. and Singapore. The emphasis on science inquiry was positively related to science achievement in Singapore and negatively related in the U.S. and Australia. Experimental studies that investigate the impacts of teacher and instructional factors on elementary science achievement are needed. For all the countries investigated, with the exception of Singapore, the between-class variance was much smaller than the within-class variance. Japan had the smallest variation in science achievement among classrooms which indicates the homogeneity across classrooms in Japan. Increasing awareness and knowledge of gender neutral instructional techniques, providing a non-threatening, rich and supportive environment for both genders in classrooms by elementary teachers are to be encouraged. To improve students' self beliefs about science, it is recommended that teachers model science activities and accommodate students' needs and abilities (Bandura, 1997; Britner & Pajares, 2006). Schools and teachers are recommended to develop a successful home-school partnership for improved student learning and positive attitudes toward science (Eccles & Harold, 1996; Epstein & Salinas, 2004). Furthermore, developing a knowledge base for teachers regarding the influences of classroom and school composition is highlighted (Honig, Kahne, & McLaughlin, 2001; Murrel, 2001). At the classroom- and school-level, policy efforts could focus on the distribution of educational resources (Condron & Roscigno, 2003; Goesling, 2003) to compensate for poor family background.

Immune involvement in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia: a meta-analysis on postmortem brain studies

PubMed Central

van Kesteren, C F M G; Gremmels, H; de Witte, L D; Hol, E M; Van Gool, A R; Falkai, P G; Kahn, R S; Sommer, I E C

2017-01-01

Although the precise pathogenesis of schizophrenia is unknown, genetic, biomarker and imaging studies suggest involvement of the immune system. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating factors related to the immune system in postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Forty-one studies were included, reporting on 783 patients and 762 controls. We divided these studies into those investigating histological alterations of cellular composition and those assessing molecular parameters; meta-analyses were performed on both categories. Our pooled estimate on cellular level showed a significant increase in the density of microglia (P=0.0028) in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared with controls, albeit with substantial heterogeneity between studies. Meta-regression on brain regions demonstrated this increase was most consistently observed in the temporal cortex. Densities of macroglia (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) did not differ significantly between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. The results of postmortem histology are paralleled on the molecular level, where we observed an overall increase in expression of proinflammatory genes on transcript and protein level (P=0.0052) in patients, while anti-inflammatory gene expression levels were not different between schizophrenia and controls. The results of this meta-analysis strengthen the hypothesis that components of the immune system are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. PMID:28350400

Prefrontal NAA and Glx Levels in Different Stages of Psychotic Disorders: a 3T 1H-MRS Study.

PubMed

Liemburg, Edith; Sibeijn-Kuiper, Anita; Bais, Leonie; Pijnenborg, Gerdina; Knegtering, Henderikus; van der Velde, Jorien; Opmeer, Esther; de Vos, Annerieke; Dlabac-De Lange, Jozarni; Wunderink, Lex; Aleman, André

2016-02-23

H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) can offer insights in various neuropathologies by measuring metabolite levels in the brain. In the current study we investigated the levels of glutamate + glutamine (Glx, neurotransmitter and precursor) and N-Acetyl Aspartate + glutamic acid (NAA + NAAG; neuronal viability) in the prefrontal cortex of patients with a psychotic disorder and people at Ultra High Risk (UHR) for psychosis. A (1)H-MRS spectrum was acquired in 31 patients with a recent onset psychotic disorder and 60 with a chronic state, 16 UHR patients and 36 healthy controls. Absolute metabolite levels were calculated using LCModel with a reference water peak. Groups were compared while taking into account age and partial volume effects. Moreover, we investigated associations with positive and negative symptoms, duration of illness, and antipsychotic treatment in patients. The most notable finding is that chronicity of schizophrenia was related to decreased levels of Glx and NAA. On the other hand, although on an exploratory note, UHR showed increased levels of prefrontal Glx and NAA levels with increasing age. Our results may indicate an initial Glx and NAA increase and subsequent decrease during illness progression that may be related to the neurotoxic effects of glutamate.

Serum betatrophin levels are increased and associated with insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Qu, Qinglan; Zhao, Dongmei; Zhang, Fengrong; Bao, Hongchu; Yang, Qiuhua

2017-02-01

Objective Betatrophin is a newly identified circulating protein that is significantly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), adiposity, and metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate whether betatrophin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were associated. Methods Circulating betatrophin levels were measured in 162 patients with PCOS and 156 matched control females using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Correlations between betatrophin levels and PCOS incidence as well as multiple key endocrine PCOS parameters were analyzed using multiple statistical methods. Results Betatrophin levels were significantly increased in patients with PCOS (685.3 ± 27.7 vs. 772.6 ± 42.5 pg/ml). When sub-grouping all investigated subjects according to the presence of insulin resistance, women with PCOS and insulin resistance exhibited markedly higher betatrophin concentrations. Furthermore, betatrophin levels were significantly correlated with fasting insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance only in females with PCOS ( r = 0.531 and r = 0.628, respectively). Conclusion We provide the first report that betatrophin is strongly associated with PCOS. This study suggests that betatrophin may potentially serve as an independent predictor for the development of PCOS in at-risk women, especially those with insulin resistance.

Increased insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in cerebrospinal fluid of advanced subacute sclerosing panencephalitis patients.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Deniz; Yüksel, Deniz; Gökkurt, Didem; Oguz, Hava; Anlar, Banu

2016-07-01

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a progressive, lethal disease. Brain histopathology in certain SSPE patients shows, neurofibrillary tangles composed of abnormally phosphorylated, microtubule-associated protein tau (PHF-tau). Because the, phosphorylation of tau is inhibited by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), we investigated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) insulin and IGF-1 levels in SSPE patients. In this study CSF IGF-1 and insulin levels of 45 SSPE and 25 age-matched control patients were investigated. CSF IGF-1 levels were significantly higher in SSPE patients at stage 4, compared to other stages (p 0.05). CSF insulin and IGF-1 levels were both positively correlated with serum measles IgG. The correlation between CSF insulin and IGF-1 levels and serum measles virus IgG titer may be the result of, insulin activating IGF-1 receptors, and consequently, IGF-1 stimulating, plasma cells and enhancing IgG production. Increased IGF-1 may also, inhibit the phosphorylation of tau. Further studies examining the, correlation between IGF-1, insulin, tau, and PHF-tau levels in the same, patients may clarify any possible pathogenetic relation between these, pathways. Copyright © 2016 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Differences in Second Language Motivation: An Investigation of Micro- and Macro-Level Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissau, Scott

2006-01-01

The present article is part of a large-scale study conducted in Ontario that investigated gender differences in motivation to learn French. However, for this particular article second language (L2) motivation theory is the primary focus. Over the past 30 years of research, the study of L2 motivation has evolved. There appears to be a definite…

Different Levels of Leadership for Learning: Investigating Differences between Teachers Individually and Collectively Using Multilevel Factor Analysis of the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyce, Jared; Bowers, Alex J.

2018-01-01

This study investigated the differences between how individual teachers perceive leadership for learning and how teachers collectively perceive leadership for learning, using a large nationally generalizable data-set of 7070 schools from the National Center for Education Statistics 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey. This study used…

Entry-Level Cognitive Mathematics Skill and First-Semester Mathematics Performance as Correlates of Fall-to-Fall Retention of Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbin, Stephen Tyler

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between first-semester mathematics performance and fall-to-fall retention for first-time-in-college, degree-seeking community college students. The study further refined the investigation by seeking to determine if the significance of this relationship was affected by student readiness…