Emotional anticipation after delivery - a longitudinal neuroimaging study of the postpartum period.

PubMed

Gingnell, Malin; Toffoletto, Simone; Wikström, Johan; Engman, Jonas; Bannbers, Elin; Comasco, Erika; Sundström-Poromaa, Inger

2017-03-08

Neuroimaging research has begun to unveil the mechanisms behind emotion processing during the postpartum period, which, in turn, may be of relevance for the development of postpartum depression. The present study sought to longitudinally investigate the neural correlates of emotion anticipation during the postpartum period in healthy women. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was employed to measure the blood oxygen level-dependent signal in the brain in response to anticipation of negative emotional stimuli and during processing of images with positive or negative valence. The participating women were scanned twice: the first scan occurred during the first 48 hours after delivery, and the second was performed 4-6 weeks after delivery. The early postpartum period was characterized by higher anterior cingulate cortex reactivity during anticipation of negative emotional stimuli than the late postpartum period. This was accompanied by a negative relationship with insular reactivity during the early postpartum period and a trend towards an increase in insular reactivity in the late postpartum period. Thus, during the first four weeks of the postpartum period, a diminished top-down regulatory feedback on emotion-related areas of the brain was noted. This finding suggests a physiologically important adaptation during the healthy postpartum period.

Commitment to Higher Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imrie, Brad; And Others

This publication is a history of the College of Higher Vocational Studies (CHVS) since it was established in 1991 and provides commentary on developments in higher vocational education in Hong Kong during a period of unprecedented change and development in the provision of the Higher Diploma. "Principal's Diary" (Bradford Imrie)…

Comparison of Periodized and Non-Periodized Resistance Training on Maximal Strength: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Williams, Tyler D; Tolusso, Danilo V; Fedewa, Michael V; Esco, Michael R

2017-10-01

Periodization is a logical method of organizing training into sequential phases and cyclical time periods in order to increase the potential for achieving specific performance goals while minimizing the potential for overtraining. Periodized resistance training plans are proposed to be superior to non-periodized training plans for enhancing maximal strength. The primary aim of this study was to examine the previous literature comparing periodized resistance training plans to non-periodized resistance training plans and determine a quantitative estimate of effect on maximal strength. All studies included in the meta-analysis met the following inclusion criteria: (1) peer-reviewed publication; (2) published in English; (3) comparison of a periodized resistance training group to a non-periodized resistance training group; (4) maximal strength measured by 1-repetition maximum (1RM) squat, bench press, or leg press. Data were extracted and independently coded by two authors. Random-effects models were used to aggregate a mean effect size (ES), 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and potential moderators. The cumulative results of 81 effects gathered from 18 studies published between 1988 and 2015 indicated that the magnitude of improvement in 1RM following periodized resistance training was greater than non-periodized resistance training (ES = 0.43, 95% CI 0.27-0.58; P < 0.001). Periodization model (β = 0.51; P = 0.0010), training status (β = -0.59; P = 0.0305), study length (β = 0.03; P = 0.0067), and training frequency (β = 0.46; P = 0.0123) were associated with a change in 1RM. These results indicate that undulating programs were more favorable for strength gains. Improvements in 1RM were greater among untrained participants. Additionally, higher training frequency and longer study length were associated with larger improvements in 1RM. These results suggest that periodized resistance training plans have a moderate effect on 1RM compared to non-periodized

[Study on flomoxef in the perinatal period].

PubMed

Tamate, K; Sengoku, K; Ishikawa, M; Shimizu, T; Haga, H; Hasegawa, T; Takada, H; Mure, K; Kawamura, M; Torii, Y

1991-06-01

The placental passage and the the therapeutic efficacy of flomoxef (FMOX, 6315-S) were studied in patients in the perinatal period. A summary of the obtained results is as follows: 1. Concentrations of FMOX in maternal serum, umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid obtained upon one-shot intravenous injections to 12 patients were compared with those obtained upon 1 hour drip infusions to 9 patients. It was found that the former means of administration gave higher concentrations that the latter. 2. Concentrations of FMOX in maternal serum, umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid at 1 to 6 hours after administration through either method were all higher than MIC80's of recognized bacteria. 3. Clinical efficacies were evaluated in 10 patients with puerperal intrauterine infection, 7 patients with endometritis, 2 patients with pyelonephritis and 1 patient each with endo-cervicitis, amniotic fluid infection, mastitis and perineal wound infection. Clinical efficacies were excellent in 5 patients (21.7%), good in 17 patients (73.9%) and poor in 1 patient (4.4%), thus the overall efficacy rate was 95.7%. 4. Eradication of causative bacteria were obtained in all 8 cases tested, hence the eradication rate was 100%. 5. Mild diarrhea in 1 patient was the only side effect observed. No abnormal clinical laboratory test results were found in any patients.

Part Time Study in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neville, Colin

This document, which is intended for adults considering enrolling in part-time study in higher education, examines the objectives and experiences of adults who have pursued part-time study in higher education in the United Kingdom. The following reasons why adults return to higher education are discussed: personal development; self-fulfillment;…

Unstable Angina Treatment in Various Periods of Geomagnetic Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parshina, S. S.; Tokayeva, L. K.; Afanasiyeva, T. N.; Samsonov, S. N.; Petrova, V. D.; Dolgova, E. M.; Manykina, V. I.; Vodolagina, E. S.

In 145 patients with unstable angina (UA) there was analized an efficiency of a drug therapy at different types of heliogeophysical activity (HA) during the 23th solar cycle. 83 patients were examined at the period of a lower HA (Kp-index 16,19±0,18), and 62 patients - at the period of a higher HA (Kp-index 17,25±0,21, p<0,05). Baseline severity of patients' condition with UA at the moment of hospitalization at the studied periods did not differ, but the effectiveness of the therapy depended on the period of HA. At the period of a higher HA antianginal effect was stronger than at the lower period of HA (2,27±0,16 points and 1,75±0,12 points, p<0,05), and the need in nitroglycerin on the background of a drug therapy disappeared for 5-7 days quicker than at the period of a lower HA. Maximal hypotensive effect at a higher HA was achieved quicker - on the 3rd day of the treatment, and at a lower HA - only up to hospital discharge (p<0,05). Blood viscosity did not normalize in both of the studied periods, but in small vessels there was noted a decrease of a BV (p<0,05). So, at a higher HA the effectiveness of a drug therapy in patients with UA is higher than at the period of a lower HA.

[Study on allocation rules of common nutrients in Scutellaria baicalensis in different phenological periods by ICP-OES].

PubMed

Li, Hua; Li, Wei; Zeng, Jie; Yang, Bin

2012-11-01

To study the allocation rules of the nutrients in Scutellaria baicalensis in different phenological periods, ICP-OES analytical technique was used to measure the contents of 4 elements (Ca, Mg, P and K) in roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruids in different phenological periods (such as dormancy period, leaf expansion period, blooming period, fruit maturation period and yellow period) simultaneously. The results indicated that the allocation of Ca, Mg and K in leaves was higher than in the other organs in the vegetative stage, in order to stimulate photosynthesis and generate abundant carbohydrate; there was a larger proportion of P and K in reproductive organ compared with vegetative ones in reproductive stage, and it was beneficial to multiplication, and in yellow period the percentages of Ca, Mg, and K in roots rose slightly to strengthen cold-resistant ability. This study results can help develop scientific and rational fertilization programmes for the cultivation of Scutellaria baicalensis.

Influence of olive oil on alveolar bone response during orthodontic retention period: rabbit model study.

PubMed

Al-Hamdany, Afrah K; Al-Khatib, Ali R; Al-Sadi, Hafidh I

2017-08-01

This study attempted to evaluate clinically and histologically the effects of olive oil (Ol) consumption on orthodontic relapse after the retention period. Thirty apparently healthy female albino rabbits, weight more than 1000 g each was used in this study. The animals were grouped randomly into six groups of five animals each: two control and four experimental groups. In control groups, the relapse was estimated either at zero day, or at the end of the fourth week after orthodontic retention period. In the experimental groups, the animals' groups received Ol, 7.7, or 15.4 ml/kg b.w. per day during the orthodontic retention period. The relapse was estimated either at zero day, or at the end of the fourth week after orthodontic retention period for each concentration. Modified fixed orthodontic appliances were attached to the rabbits' lower central incisors. Each rabbit received orthodontic intervention for one week, followed by six weeks retention period. At the end of the experiments, the clinical and histological investigations were conducted. Data analyses were performed at the level of p < .05 for the statistically significant difference. Clinically, Ol high concentration four weeks group showed a significantly lower relapse tendency than control four weeks group. Histologically, Ol low concentration zero time group showed significantly higher osteoblasts numbers than control zero time group. Olive oil low and high concentrations four weeks group showed significantly lower fibroblasts count. Moreover, Ol high concentration four weeks group revealed significantly higher bone mineralization, osteoblasts and osteocytes counts than control four weeks study group. Supplementation with Ol during an orthodontic retention period, especially at 15.4 ml/kg b.w. per day concentration, clinically reduced orthodontic relapse on rabbit model. Histologically, Ol increased osteoblasts and osteocytes counts and the relative amount of bone mineralization of connective

Entropy method of measuring and evaluating periodicity of quasi-periodic trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Yanshuo; Turitsyn, Konstantin; Baoyin, Hexi; Junfeng, Li

2018-06-01

This paper presents a method for measuring the periodicity of quasi-periodic trajectories by applying discrete Fourier transform (DFT) to the trajectories and analyzing the frequency domain within the concept of entropy. Having introduced the concept of entropy, analytical derivation and numerical results indicate that entropies increase as a logarithmic function of time. Periodic trajectories typically have higher entropies, and trajectories with higher entropies mean the periodicities of the motions are stronger. Theoretical differences between two trajectories expressed as summations of trigonometric functions are also derived analytically. Trajectories in the Henon-Heiles system and the circular restricted three-body problem (CRTBP) are analyzed with the indicator entropy and compared with orthogonal fast Lyapunov indicator (OFLI). The results show that entropy is a better tool for discriminating periodicity in quasiperiodic trajectories than OFLI and can detect periodicity while excluding the spirals that are judged as periodic cases by OFLI. Finally, trajectories in the vicinity of 243 Ida and 6489 Golevka are considered as examples, and the numerical results verify these conclusions. Some trajectories near asteroids look irregular, but their higher entropy values as analyzed by this method serve as evidence of frequency regularity in three directions. Moreover, these results indicate that applying DFT to the trajectories in the vicinity of irregular small bodies and calculating their entropy in the frequency domain provides a useful quantitative analysis method for evaluating orderliness in the periodicity of quasi-periodic trajectories within a given time interval.

[The influence of living conditions and lifestyle on the anxiety level in women in the postpartum period-questionnaire study].

PubMed

Piech, Barbara; Kiałka, Marta; Baran, Anna; Mrozińska, Sandra; Janeczko, Marek; Humeniuk, Ewa; Milewicz, Tomasz

2017-01-01

Due to the high incidence of postpartum anxiety disorders and their serious health and social consequences, it is essential to analyze the possible risk factors to identify groups of women particularly vulnerable to cover their proper care and control. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between the anxiety in women in the postpartum period, and their living conditions and lifestyle. The study was conducted from April to July 2016. We included 102 women in the postpartum period, living in the city of Cracow and the Cracow district. The study was based on a survey of our own authorship, State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Jurczyński’s Inventory of Health Behavior (IZZ). The anxiety level in women in the postpartum period depends on the conditions of life and health behaviors. The level of health behavior of women in the postpartum period is an average and independent of age, number of children, and the material situation. Residents of cities, women with higher education, who planned pregnancy, have a higher level of health behavior. Good housing conditions have a positive influence on health behavior. Low levels of health behavior significantly affect the severity of maternal anxiety. Residents of the village, women with lower education and who not planning pregnancy have higher levels of anxiety during the postpartum period. Anxiety level of women in the postpartum period is inversely proportional to their housing conditions. Women with a job have lower levels of anxiety than non-working. The anxiety level in women in childbirth does not depend on age or financial situation. The anxiety level in women in the postpartum period, significantly depends on the living conditions and health behaviors. Verification of distinguished factors should be applied appropriately in health promotional activities and prevention programs.

Sleep, daily activity rhythms and postpartum mood: A longitudinal study across the perinatal period.

PubMed

Krawczak, Elizabeth M; Minuzzi, Luciano; Simpson, William; Hidalgo, Maria Paz; Frey, Benicio N

2016-01-01

Women with a diagnosis of bipolar and major depressive disorders are at higher risk to develop postpartum depression. The primary objective of this longitudinal study was to determine whether daily activity rhythms and sleep parameters differ between women with and without a history of a mood disorder across the perinatal period. A secondary objective was to determine whether changes in these parameters were associated with postpartum mood. In total, 33 women were included in this study, 15 of which had a history of a mood disorder (high-risk group) and 18 who did not (low-risk group). Sleep and daily rhythms were assessed subjectively and objectively during the third trimester (≥26 weeks gestation) and again at 6-12 weeks postpartum. Mood was also assessed at both time points. Women in the high-risk group showed greater subjective daily rhythms and sleep disturbances across the perinatal period. Objective sleep efficiency was worse in the high-risk group in the postpartum period. Changes in both subjective daily rhythms and objective sleep efficiency were predictive of changes in depressive symptoms across the perinatal period. These findings encourage the development of preventative therapeutics to ensure circadian rhythm and sleep stability throughout the perinatal period.

Association of higher parental and grandparental education and higher school grades with risk of hospitalization for eating disorders in females: the Uppsala birth cohort multigenerational study.

PubMed

Ahrén-Moonga, Jennie; Silverwood, Richard; Klinteberg, Britt Af; Koupil, Ilona

2009-09-01

Eating disorders are a leading cause of disease burden among young women. This study investigated associations of social characteristics of parents and grandparents, sibling position, and school performance with incidence of eating disorders. The authors studied Swedish females born in 1952-1989 (n = 13,376), third-generation descendants of a cohort born in Uppsala in 1915-1929. Data on grandparental and parental social characteristics, sibling position, school grades, hospitalizations, emigrations, and deaths were obtained by register linkages. Associations with incidence of hospitalization for eating disorders were studied with multivariable Cox regression, adjusted for age and study period. Overall incidence of hospitalization for eating disorders was 32.0/100,000 person-years. Women with more highly educated parents and maternal grandparents were at higher risk (hazard ratio for maternal grandmother with higher education relative to elementary education = 6.5, 95% confidence interval: 2.2, 19.3, adjusted for parental education). Independent of family social characteristics, women with the highest school grades had a higher risk of eating disorders (hazard ratio = 7.7, 95% confidence interval: 2.5, 24.1 for high compared with low grades in Swedish, adjusted for parental education). Thus, higher parental and grandparental education and higher school grades may increase risk of hospitalization for eating disorders in female offspring, possibly because of high internal and external demands.

Comparative Studies of Enzymes Related to Serine Metabolism in Higher Plants 1

PubMed Central

Cheung, Geoffrey P.; Rosenblum, I. Y.; Sallach, H. J.

1968-01-01

The following enzymes related to serine metabolism in higher plants have been investigated: 1) d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, 2) phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase, 3) d-glycerate dehydrogenase, and 4) hydroxypyruvate:l-alanine transaminase. Comparative studies on the distribution of the 2 dehydrogenases in seeds and leaves from various plants revealed that d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase is widely distributed in seeds in contrast to d-glycerate dehydrogenase, which is either absent or present at low levels, and that the reverse pattern is observed in green leaves. The levels of activity of the 4 enzymes listed above were followed in different tissues of the developing pea (Pisum sativum, var. Alaska). In the leaf, from the tenth to seventeenth day of germination, the specific activity of d-glycerate dehydrogenase increased markedly and was much higher than d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase which remained relatively constant during this time period. Etiolation resulted in a decrease in d-glycerate dehydrogenase and an increase in d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase activities. In apical meristem, on the other hand, the level of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase exceeded that of d-glycerate dehydrogenase at all time periods studied. Low and decreasing levels of both dehydrogenases were found in epicotyl and cotyledon. The specific activities of the 2 transaminases remained relatively constant during development in both leaf and apical meristem. In general, however, the levels of phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase were comparable to those of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in a given tissue as were those for hydroxypyruvate: l-alanine transaminase and d-glycerate dehydrogenase. PMID:5699148

The Role of Religion in Korean Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jeong-Kyu

2002-01-01

This study examines the role of religion in Korean elite and higher education during the premodern and modern periods with descriptive analysis. The study focuses on the contribution of Buddhism and Confucianism to premodern elite education in Korea, particularly the interaction between Confucianism and Christianity with modern higher education in…

Colorado Higher Education Financing Study. Executive Briefing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado Commission on Higher Education, 2006

2006-01-01

The Commission initiated a funding to review national funding models for higher education led by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). Each institution contributed to the cost of the study and participated in the effort. NCHEMS' key recommendation is to move the funding discussions for higher education away from a…

Sleep-induced periodic breathing and apnea: a theoretical study.

PubMed

Khoo, M C; Gottschalk, A; Pack, A I

1991-05-01

To elucidate the mechanisms that lead to sleep-disordered breathing, we have developed a mathematical model that allows for dynamic interactions among the chemical control of respiration, changes in sleep-waking state, and changes in upper airway patency. The increase in steady-state arterial PCO2 accompanying sleep is shown to be inversely related to the ventilatory response to CO2. Chemical control of respiration becomes less stable during the light stage of sleep, despite a reduction in chemoresponsiveness, due to a concomitant increase in "plant gain" (i.e., responsiveness of blood gases to ventilatory changes). The withdrawal of the "wakefulness drive" during sleep onset represents a strong perturbation to respiratory control: higher magnitudes and rates of withdrawal of this drive favor instability. These results may account for the higher incidence of periodic breathing observed during light sleep and sleep onset. Periodic ventilation can also result from repetitive alternations between sleep onset and arousal. The potential for instability is further compounded if the possibility of upper airway occlusion is also included. In systems with high controller gains, instability is mediated primarily through chemoreflex overcompensation. However, in systems with depressed chemoresponsiveness, rapid sleep onset and large blood gas fluctuations trigger repetitive episodes of arousal and hyperpnea alternating with apneas that may or may not be obstructive. Between these extremes, more complex patterns can arise from the interaction between chemoreflex-mediated oscillations of shorter-cycle-duration (approximately 36 s) and longer-wavelength (approximately 60-80 s) state-driven oscillations.

Electroencephalography Spectral Power Density in First-Episode Mania: A Comparative Study with Subsequent Remission Period.

PubMed

Güven, Sertaç; Kesebir, Sermin; Demirer, R Murat; Bilici, Mustafa

2015-06-01

Our aim in this study was to investigate spectral power density (PSD) in first-episode mania and subsequent remission period and to evaluate their difference. Sixty-nine consecutive cases referring to our hospital within the previous 1 year, who were evaluated as bipolar disorder manic episode according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) at the first episode and had the informed consent form signed by first degree relatives, were included in this study. Exclusion criteria included having previous depressive episode, using drugs which could influence electroencephalographic activity before electroencephalography (EEG), and having previous neurological disease, particularly epilepsy, head trauma, and/or loss of consciousness. EEG records were obtained using a digital device in 16 channels; 23 surface electrodes were placed according to the International 10-20 system. Spectral power density (dbμV/Hz) of EEG signal provided information on the power carried out by EEG waves in defined frequancy range per unit frequency in the present study. A peak power value detected on the right with FP2P4 and on the left with F7T3 electrodes were found to be higher in the manic episode than in the remission period (p=0.018 and 0.025). In the remission period, in cases with psychotic symptoms during the manic period, F4C4 peak power value was found to be lower than that in cases with no psychotic findings during the manic period (p=0.027). There was no relation was found between YMRS scores and peak power scores. Electrophysiological corollary of mood episode is present from the onset of the disease, and it differs between the manic and remission periods of bipolar disorder. In the remission period, peak power values of PSD distinguish cases with psychotic findings from cases without psychotic findings when they were manic.

Management of Higher Education in a Period of Economic Recession: Alternate Revenue Resourcing for Higher Education in Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aderinto, J. A.

Higher education in Nigeria, until recently, has been one of the economic sectors that was accorded top priority funding. In the last few years, however, government support has been reduced. Data show that higher education in Nigeria has progressively suffered cuts in the allocation of funds. The roles of public finance (government) and that of…

Period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing and psychological distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Tanji, Fumiya; Tomata, Yasutake; Sekiguchi, Takuya; Tsuji, Ichiro

2018-01-01

Objectives Previous studies have reported that displacement from one’s own home after a natural disaster is associated with a higher degree of psychological distress. The present study investigated the longitudinal association between the period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing and psychological distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Design, setting and participants We conducted a longitudinal observation of 284 adults (aged ≥18 years) who had lived in prefabricated temporary housing in Miyagi, Northeastern Japan. The period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing was classified into three categories: <3, 3–4 and >4 years (ie, still living in prefabricated temporary housing). Outcomes The Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6) was assessed in both a baseline survey (2011) and a follow-up survey (2016). Higher psychological distress was defined by a K6 score of ≥5. We used Firth’s penalised likelihood method in the multivariate logistic regression model to estimate the adjusted ORs and 95% CIs. Results Among the total participants, the proportion of individuals with higher psychological distress at the follow-up survey was significantly higher in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=4.00, 95% CI 1.67 to 10.16) than in the <3 years category. Among participants who had a lower degree of psychological distress at the baseline, the proportion of those whose psychological distress deteriorated was significantly higher in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=4.87, 95% CI 1.26 to 20.28) than in the <3 years category. On the other hand, among the participants who had a higher degree of psychological distress at the baseline, the proportion of those whose psychological distress ameliorated was significantly lower in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=0.26, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.85) than in the <3 years category. Conclusions The proportion of individuals with more severe psychological distress was higher among

Numerical study of two disks settling in an Oldroyd-B fluid: From periodic interaction to chaining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Tsorng-Whay; Glowinski, Roland

2017-12-01

In this article, we present a numerical study of the dynamics of two disks sedimenting in a narrow vertical channel filled with an Oldroyd-B fluid. Two kinds of particle dynamics are observed: (i) a periodic interaction between the two disks, and (ii) the formation of a two-disk chain. For the periodic interaction of the two disks, two different motions are observed: (a) the two disks stay far apart and interact periodically, and (b) the two disks interact closely and then far apart in a periodic way, like the drafting, kissing, and tumbling of two disks sedimenting in a Newtonian fluid, due to a weak elastic force. Concerning the formation of a two-disk chain occurring at higher values of the elasticity number, either a tilted chain or a vertical chain is observed. Our simulations show that, as expected, the values of the elasticity and Mach numbers are the determining factors concerning the particle chain formation and its orientation.

Numerical study of two disks settling in an Oldroyd-B fluid: From periodic interaction to chaining.

PubMed

Pan, Tsorng-Whay; Glowinski, Roland

2017-12-01

In this article, we present a numerical study of the dynamics of two disks sedimenting in a narrow vertical channel filled with an Oldroyd-B fluid. Two kinds of particle dynamics are observed: (i) a periodic interaction between the two disks, and (ii) the formation of a two-disk chain. For the periodic interaction of the two disks, two different motions are observed: (a) the two disks stay far apart and interact periodically, and (b) the two disks interact closely and then far apart in a periodic way, like the drafting, kissing, and tumbling of two disks sedimenting in a Newtonian fluid, due to a weak elastic force. Concerning the formation of a two-disk chain occurring at higher values of the elasticity number, either a tilted chain or a vertical chain is observed. Our simulations show that, as expected, the values of the elasticity and Mach numbers are the determining factors concerning the particle chain formation and its orientation.

Specific pretreatments reduce curing period of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) beans.

PubMed

Sreedhar, R V; Roohie, K; Venkatachalam, L; Narayan, M S; Bhagyalakshmi, N

2007-04-18

With the aiming of reducing the curing period, effects of pretreatments on flavor formation in vanilla beans during accelerated curing at 38 degrees C for 40 days were studied. Moisture loss, change in texture, levels of flavoring compounds, and activities of relevant enzymes were compared among various pretreatments as well as the commercial sample. Use of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA; 5 mg/L) or Ethrel (1%) with blanching pretreatment resulted in 3-fold higher vanillin on the 10th day. Other flavoring compounds-vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde-fluctuated greatly, showing no correlation with the pretreatments. Scarification of beans resulted in nearly 4- and 3.6-fold higher vanillin formations on the 10th day in NAA- and Ethrel-treated beans, respectively, as compared to control with a significant change in texture. When activities of major relevant enzymes were followed, addition of NAA or Ethrel helped to retain higher levels of cellulase throughout the curing period and higher levels of beta-glucosidase on the 20th day that correlated with higher vanillin content during curing and subsequent periods. Peroxidase, being highest throughout, did not correlate with the change in levels of major flavoring compounds. The pretreatment methods of the present study may find importance for realizing higher flavor formation in a shorter period because the major quality parameters were found to be comparable to those of a commercial sample.

Cuban Geography in Higher Education: Survival in the "Special Period."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Mark M.; And Others

1996-01-01

Provides a concise and interesting overview of the state of higher education in Cuba, specifically focusing on geography. The interests, methodologies, and programs of Cuban geographers are similar to other countries, albeit at a truncated level due to the United States embargo. Discusses international educational exchange efforts. (MJP)

Detection specificity studies of bacteriophage adhesin-coated long-period grating-based biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koba, Marcin; Śmietana, Mateusz; Brzozowska, Ewa; Górska, Sabina; Mikulic, Predrag; Cusano, Andrea; Bock, Wojtek J.

2015-09-01

In this work, we present a label-free detection specificity study of an optical fiber long-period grating (LPG) biosensor working near the dispersion turning point of higher order cladding modes. The LPG sensor functionalized with bacteriophage adhesin is tested with specific and non-specific bacteria dry weight. We show that such biosensor is able to selectively bind, thus recognize different bacteria. We use bacteria dry weights of E. coli B as positive test and E. coli K12 and Salmonella enterica as negative tests. The resonance wavelength shift induced by E. coli B reaches over 90 nm, while for E. coli K12 and Salmonella enterica approximately 40 and 20 nm, respectively.

Rigorous Numerical Study of Low-Period Windows for the Quadratic Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galias, Zbigniew

An efficient method to find all low-period windows for the quadratic map is proposed. The method is used to obtain very accurate rigorous bounds of positions of all periodic windows with periods p ≤ 32. The contribution of period-doubling windows on the total width of periodic windows is discussed. Properties of periodic windows are studied numerically.

Disability Studies in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Steven J.

2011-01-01

As a topic of study, disability is not new at institutions of higher education. Psychological and intellectual disabilities have been of interest in psychiatry and psychology at least since the late 1800s and early 1900s. The post-World War II era, in particular, witnessed the rapid expansion of academic programs in special education, vocational…

Periodic solution of neutral Lotka-Volterra system with periodic delays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhijun; Chen, Lansun

2006-12-01

A nonautonomous n-species Lotka-Volterra system with neutral delays is investigated. A set of verifiable sufficient conditions is derived for the existence of at least one strictly positive periodic solution of this Lotka-Volterra system by applying an existence theorem and some analysis techniques, where the assumptions of the existence theorem are different from that of Gaines and Mawhin's continuation theorem [R.E. Gaines, J.L. Mawhin, Coincidence Degree and Nonlinear Differential Equations, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1977] and that of abstract continuation theory for k-set contraction [W. Petryshyn, Z. Yu, Existence theorem for periodic solutions of higher order nonlinear periodic boundary value problems, Nonlinear Anal. 6 (1982) 943-969]. Moreover, a problem proposed by Freedman and Wu [H.I. Freedman, J. Wu, Periodic solution of single species models with periodic delay, SIAM J. Math. Anal. 23 (1992) 689-701] is answered.

Long Periodic Terms in the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bretagnon, P.

1982-01-01

The long period variations of the first eight planets in the solar system are studied. First, the Lagrangian solution is calculated and then the long period terms with fourth order eccentricities and inclinations are introduced into the perturbation function. A second approximation was made taking into account the short period terms' contribution, namely the perturbations of first order with respect to the masses. Special attention was paid to the determination of the integration constants. The relative importance of the different contributions is shown. It is useless, for example, to introduce the long period terms of fifth order if no account has been taken of the short period terms. Meanwhile, the terms that have been neglected would not introduce large changes in the integration constants. Even so, the calculation should be repeated with higher order short period terms and fifth order long periods.

The Globalisation of Public Higher Education in Macau

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Cheng Man Diana; Yuen, Pong Kau

2014-01-01

After the political transition in 1999, the economic performance of Macau skyrocketed within a short period of time. Globalisation and the changing political, economic and social landscapes have all exerted influence on higher education. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of globalisation on public higher education in Macau after the…

Changes in Leisure-Time Physical Activity From the Prepregnancy to the Postpartum Period: 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Coll, Carolina; Domingues, Marlos; Santos, Iná; Matijasevich, Alicia; Horta, Bernardo Lessa; Hallal, Pedro C

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and its correlates from prepregnancy to the postpartum period in mothers enrolled in a Brazilian birth cohort study. Our hypothesis was that LTPA would decline considerably during pregnancy. Maternal LTPA in the 3 months before pregnancy and during each trimester of pregnancy was assessed soon after delivery. A follow-up visit was conducted 3 months later. Weekly frequency and duration of each session of LTPA in a typical week were assessed for each period and a cut-off point of 150 minutes per week was used to classify women as active or not. The proportion of women active in leisure time declined from 11.3% in the prepregnancy to 2.3% in pregnancy and 0.1% in the postpartum period (P for trend <0.001). When considering any LTPA practice, the decline ranged from 15.4% to 4.4% and 7.5% (p for trend <0.001), respectively. Higher income, higher education and lower parity were the main predictors of LTPA practice. LTPA declined considerably during pregnancy and did not return to prepregnancy levels at 3 months postpartum. Mothers must be advised on the benefits of LTPA prepregnancy, during, and postpregnancy.

Choice of fluid therapy in patients of craniopharyngioma in the perioperative period: A hospital-based preliminary study

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, K. K.; Dutta, Pinaki; Singh, Apinderpreet; Gupta, Prakamya; Srinivasan, Anand; Bhagat, Hemant; Mathuriya, S. N.; Shah, Viral N.; Bhansali, Anil

2014-01-01

Background: Electrolyte imbalance and acute diabetes insipidus (DI) are the most common complications in patients undergoing craniopharyngioma surgery. Improper management of water and electrolyte imbalance is common cause of morbidity and mortality. Data is sparse and controversial regarding the choice of fluid therapy in this population during perioperative period. Methods: In this retrospective-prospective study involving 73 patients (58 retrospective), the type of fluid therapy was correlated with occurrence of hypernatremia, hyponatremia, DI, morbidity, and mortality. In the retrospective study, 48 patients received normal saline and 10 received mixed fluids as per the prevailing practice. In the prospective group, five patients each received normal saline, half normal saline, and 5% dextrose randomly. Results: The sodium values were significantly higher in first 48 h in the group that received normal saline compared with other groups (P < 0.001). The use of normal saline was associated with higher incidence of hypernatremia, DI, and mortality (P = 0.05), while the group that received 5% dextrose was associated with hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, and seizures. There was no perioperative hypotension with use of any of the fluids. Conclusion: Our results indicate half normal saline was fluid of choice with diminished incidence of water and electrolyte abnormalities without increase in mortality during postoperative period. PMID:25101200

A periodic pattern of SNPs in the human genome

PubMed Central

Madsen, Bo Eskerod; Villesen, Palle; Wiuf, Carsten

2007-01-01

By surveying a filtered, high-quality set of SNPs in the human genome, we have found that SNPs positioned 1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 bp apart are more frequent than SNPs positioned 3, 5, 7, or 9 bp apart. The observed pattern is not restricted to genomic regions that are known to cause sequencing or alignment errors, for example, transposable elements (SINE, LINE, and LTR), tandem repeats, and large duplicated regions. However, we found that the pattern is almost entirely confined to what we define as “periodic DNA.” Periodic DNA is a genomic region with a high degree of periodicity in nucleotide usage. It turned out that periodic DNA is mainly small regions (average length 16.9 bp), widely distributed in the genome. Furthermore, periodic DNA has a 1.8 times higher SNP density than the rest of the genome and SNPs inside periodic DNA have a significantly higher genotyping error rate than SNPs outside periodic DNA. Our results suggest that not all SNPs in the human genome are created by independent single nucleotide mutations, and that care should be taken in analysis of SNPs from periodic DNA. The latter may have important consequences for SNP and association studies. PMID:17673700

Significance of acceleration period in a dynamic strength testing study.

PubMed

Chen, W L; Su, F C; Chou, Y L

1994-06-01

The acceleration period that occurs during isokinetic tests may provide valuable information regarding neuromuscular readiness to produce maximal contraction. The purpose of this study was to collect the normative data of acceleration time during isokinetic knee testing, to calculate the acceleration work (Wacc), and to determine the errors (ERexp, ERwork, ERpower) due to ignoring Wacc during explosiveness, total work, and average power measurements. Seven male and 13 female subjects attended the test by using the Cybex 325 system and electronic stroboscope machine for 10 testing speeds (30-300 degrees/sec). A three-way ANOVA was used to assess gender, direction, and speed factors on acceleration time, Wacc, and errors. The results indicated that acceleration time was significantly affected by speed and direction; Wacc and ERexp by speed, direction, and gender; and ERwork and ERpower by speed and gender. The errors appeared to increase when testing the female subjects, during the knee flexion test, or when speed increased. To increase validity in clinical testing, it is important to consider the acceleration phase effect, especially in higher velocity isokinetic testing or for weaker muscle groups.

Higher Serum Uric Acid on Admission Is Associated with Higher Short-term Mortality and Poorer Long-term Survival After Myocardial Infarction: Retrospective Prognostic Study

PubMed Central

Car, Siniša; Trkulja, Vladimir

2009-01-01

Aim To assess serum uric acid (SUA) levels determined on admission as a potential predictor of short-term mortality and long-term survival in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Method Data for this retrospective prognostic study were drawn from the patient database of the Varaždin County General Hospital in Varaždin, Croatia. We included consecutive patients with verified AMI admitted within 48 hours since the symptom onset during the period between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2001. Long-term survival/mortality data were collected through direct contacts with patients and search of the community death registries. Relative risks (RR) and hazard ratios (HR) by 10 µmol/L increase in SUA were determined using modified Poisson regression with robust error variance and proportional hazard regression, respectively. Results A total of 621 patients (age 27-90 years, 64.7% men, 77.5% AMI with ST elevation, SUA 63-993 µmol/L) were included. Higher SUA on admission was independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality (RR, 1.016; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001-1.031, P = 0.043) and higher thirty-day mortality (RR, 1.016; 95% CI, 1.003-1.029, P = 0.018). Considered covariates were demographics, pre-index event cardiovascular morbidity and treatment, on-admission serum creatinine, total cholesterol and triglycerides, AMI characteristics, and peak creatine phosphokinase. Higher SUA on admission was also independently associated with poorer long-term survival (ie, higher all-cause mortality) (HR, 1.105; 95% CI, 1.020-1.195, P = 0.010). Considered covariates were demographics, laboratory variables on admission, AMI characteristics, peak creatine phosphokinase, acute complications, and treatment at discharge. Conclusion Higher serum uric acid determined on admission is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and thirty-day mortality and poorer long-term survival after AMI. PMID:20017224

Accuracy of self-reported intake of signature foods in a school meal intervention study: comparison between control and intervention period.

PubMed

Biltoft-Jensen, Anja; Damsgaard, Camilla Trab; Andersen, Rikke; Ygil, Karin Hess; Andersen, Elisabeth Wreford; Ege, Majken; Christensen, Tue; Sørensen, Louise Bergmann; Stark, Ken D; Tetens, Inge; Thorsen, Anne-Vibeke

2015-08-28

Bias in self-reported dietary intake is important when evaluating the effect of dietary interventions, particularly for intervention foods. However, few have investigated this in children, and none have investigated the reporting accuracy of fish intake in children using biomarkers. In a Danish school meal study, 8- to 11-year-old children (n 834) were served the New Nordic Diet (NND) for lunch. The present study examined the accuracy of self-reported intake of signature foods (berries, cabbage, root vegetables, legumes, herbs, potatoes, wild plants, mushrooms, nuts and fish) characterising the NND. Children, assisted by parents, self-reported their diet in a Web-based Dietary Assessment Software for Children during the intervention and control (packed lunch) periods. The reported fish intake by children was compared with their ranking according to fasting whole-blood EPA and DHA concentration and weight percentage using the Spearman correlations and cross-classification. Direct observation of school lunch intake (n 193) was used to score the accuracy of food-reporting as matches, intrusions, omissions and faults. The reporting of all lunch foods had higher percentage of matches compared with the reporting of signature foods in both periods, and the accuracy was higher during the control period compared with the intervention period. Both Spearman's rank correlations and linear mixed models demonstrated positive associations between EPA+DHA and reported fish intake. The direct observations showed that both reported and real intake of signature foods did increase during the intervention period. In conclusion, the self-reported data represented a true increase in the intake of signature foods and can be used to examine dietary intervention effects.

Chinese Students' Choice of Transnational Higher Education in a Globalized Higher Education Market: A Case Study of W University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Wenhong; Wang, Shen

2014-01-01

This research studies Chinese students' choice of transnational higher education in the context of the higher education market. Through a case study of the students in the transnational higher education programs of W University, the research finds that Chinese students' choice of transnational higher education is a complicated decision-making that…

Period variation studies of six contact binaries in M4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rukmini, Jagirdar; Shanti Priya, Devarapalli

2018-04-01

We present the first period study of six contact binaries in the closest globular cluster M4 the data collected from June 1995‑June 2009 and Oct 2012‑Sept 2013. New times of minima are determined for all the six variables and eclipse timing (O-C) diagrams along with the quadratic fit are presented. For all the variables, the study of (O-C) variations reveals changes in the periods. In addition, the fundamental parameters for four of the contact binaries obtained using the Wilson-Devinney code (v2003) are presented. Planned observations of these binaries using the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) and the 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) operated by the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES; Nainital) can throw light on their evolutionary status from long term period variation studies.

Age, time period, and birth cohort differences in self-esteem: Reexamining a cohort-sequential longitudinal study.

PubMed

Twenge, Jean M; Carter, Nathan T; Campbell, W Keith

2017-05-01

Orth, Trzesniewski, and Robins (2010) concluded that the nationally representative Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) cohort-sequential study demonstrated moderate to large age differences in self-esteem, and no birth cohort (generational) differences in the age trajectory. In a reanalysis of these data using 2 different statistical techniques, we find significant increases in self-esteem that could be attributed to birth cohort or time period. First, hierarchical linear modeling analyses with birth cohort as a continuous variable (vs. the multiple group formulation used by Orth et al.) find that birth cohort has a measurable influence on self-esteem through its interaction with age. Participants born in later years (e.g., 1960) were higher in self-esteem and were more likely to increase in self-esteem as they aged than participants born in earlier years (e.g., 1920). However, the estimated age trajectory up to age 60 is similar in Orth et al.'s results and in the results from our analyses including cohort. Second, comparing ACL respondents of the same age in 1986 versus 2002 (a time-lag design) yields significant birth cohort differences in self-esteem, with 2002 participants of the same age higher in self-esteem than those in 1986. Combined with some previous studies finding significant increases in self-esteem and positive self-views over time, these results suggest that cultural change in the form of cohort and time period cannot be ignored as influences in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimal recall period for caregiver-reported illness in risk factor and intervention studies: a multicountry study.

PubMed

Arnold, Benjamin F; Galiani, Sebastian; Ram, Pavani K; Hubbard, Alan E; Briceño, Bertha; Gertler, Paul J; Colford, John M

2013-02-15

Many community-based studies of acute child illness rely on cases reported by caregivers. In prior investigations, researchers noted a reporting bias when longer illness recall periods were used. The use of recall periods longer than 2-3 days has been discouraged to minimize this reporting bias. In the present study, we sought to determine the optimal recall period for illness measurement when accounting for both bias and variance. Using data from 12,191 children less than 24 months of age collected in 2008-2009 from Himachal Pradesh in India, Madhya Pradesh in India, Indonesia, Peru, and Senegal, we calculated bias, variance, and mean squared error for estimates of the prevalence ratio between groups defined by anemia, stunting, and underweight status to identify optimal recall periods for caregiver-reported diarrhea, cough, and fever. There was little bias in the prevalence ratio when a 7-day recall period was used (<10% in 35 of 45 scenarios), and the mean squared error was usually minimized with recall periods of 6 or more days. Shortening the recall period from 7 days to 2 days required sample-size increases of 52%-92% for diarrhea, 47%-61% for cough, and 102%-206% for fever. In contrast to the current practice of using 2-day recall periods, this work suggests that studies should measure caregiver-reported illness with a 7-day recall period.

Periodicity of high-order neural functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellaway, P.; Borda, R. P.; Frost, J. D.; Carrie, J. R. G.; Coats, A. C.

1973-01-01

The results of recent studies on higher order, integrative processes in the central nervous system are reported. Attempts were made to determine whether these processes exhibit any ongoing rhythmicity which might manifest itself in alterations of attention and alertness. Experiments were also designed to determine if a periodicity approximating that of the REM could be detected in various parameters of brain electrical activity.

Studying the Nazi Period: Some Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molnar, Alex; And Others

1984-01-01

Students should be taught how to make well-reasoned and analytic judgments about the Nazis. The process of arriving at judgments about the Nazi period should be characterized by a factual knowledge of the Nazi era within a general historical knowledge of the period, sympathy, and an open mind. (RM)

Higher Education in the Eighties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McComas, James D.

Events and conditions over the last 20 years that have altered the course of higher education are briefly noted, and trends in higher education for the early eighties are examined. Among the past influences on higher education that illustrate the wisdom of planning for a realistic period of time, such as five years, are the following: the massive…

Restriction to period of interest improves informative value of death certificate only proportions in period analysis of cancer survival.

PubMed

Brenner, Hermann; Jansen, Lina

2015-12-01

The proportion of cases registered by death certificates only (DCO) is a widely used indicator for potential bias in cancer survival studies. Period analysis is increasingly used to derive up-to-date cancer survival estimates. We aimed to assess whether reported DCO proportions should be restricted to the specific recent calendar period ("restricted period") or refer to all diagnosis years of included patients ("full period"). We assessed correlations of bias in period survival estimates resulting from DCO cases with DCO proportions in the restricted and full period, respectively. We used cancer registry data to simulate bias and DCO proportions resulting from various patterns of underreporting of deceased cases. We show results for six common cancers with very different prognosis and five different age groups. In all scenarios, the expected bias was highly correlated with expected DCO proportions in both periods, but correlations were consistently higher with DCO proportions in the restricted period. In period analyses of cancer survival, DCO proportions for the restricted period of specific interest are a better indicator of potential bias due to underreporting of deceased cases than DCO proportions for all years of diagnosis of included patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher

Science.gov Websites

Levels of Renewables Are Possible | Energy Analysis | NREL Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher Levels of Renewables Are Possible Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher Levels of Renewables Are Possible Analysis Insights: April 2015

Periodic Recurrence Patterns In X-Ray Solar Flare Appearances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyenge, N.; Erdélyi, R.

2018-06-01

The temporal recurrence of micro-flare events is studied for a time interval before and after of major solar flares. Our sample is based on the X-ray flare observations by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). The analyzed data contain 1330/301 M-class and X-class GOES/RHESSI energetic solar flares and 4062/4119 GOES/RHESSI micro-flares covering the period elapse since 2002. The temporal analysis of recurrence, by Fast Fourier Transform, of the micro-flares, shows multiple significant periods. Based on the GOES and RHESSI data, the temporal analysis also demonstrates that multiple periods manifest simultaneously in both statistical samples without any significant shift over time. In the GOES sample, the detected significant periods are: 11.33, 5.61, 3.75, 2.80, and 2.24 minutes. The RHESSI data show similar significant periods at 8.54, 5.28, 3.66, 2.88, and 2.19 minutes. The periods are interpreted as signatures of standing oscillations, with the longest period (P 1) being the fundamental and others being higher harmonic modes. The period ratio of the fundamental and higher harmonics (P 1/P N ) is also analyzed. The standing modes may be signatures of global oscillations of the entire solar atmosphere encompassing magnetized plasma from the photosphere to the corona in active regions.

Study on design method and vibration reduction characteristic of floating raft with periodic structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Yuanyuan; Zuo, Yanyan; Xia, Zhaowang

2018-03-01

The noise level is getting higher with the development of high-power marine power plant. Mechanical noise is one of the most obvious noise sources which not only affect equipment reliability, riding comfort and working environment, but also enlarge underwater noise. The periodic truss type device which is commonly applied in fields of aerospace and architectural is introduced to floating raft construction in ship. Four different raft frame structure are designed in the paper. The vibration transmissibility is taken as an evaluation index to measure vibration isolation effect. A design scheme with the best vibration isolation effect is found by numerical method. Plate type and the optimized periodic truss type raft frame structure are processed to experimental verify vibration isolation effect of the structure of the periodic raft. The experimental results demonstrate that the same quality of the periodic truss floating raft has better isolation effect than that of the plate type floating raft.

Critical periods and amblyopia.

PubMed

Daw, N W

1998-04-01

During the past 20 years, basic science has shown that there are different critical periods for different visual functions during the development of the visual system. Visual functions processed at higher anatomical levels within the system have a later critical period than functions processed at lower levels. This general principle suggests that treatments for amblyopia should be followed in a logical sequence, with treatment for each visual function to be started before its critical period is over. However, critical periods for some visual functions, such as stereopsis, are not yet fully determined, and the optimal treatment is, therefore, unknown. This article summarizes the current extent of our knowledge and points to the gaps that need to be filled.

Communications with Mars During Periods of Solar Conjunction: Initial Study Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morabito, D.; Hastrup, R.

2001-07-01

During the initial phase of the human exploration of Mars, a reliable communications link to and from Earth will be required. The direct link can easily be maintained during most of the 780-day Earth-Mars synodic period. However, during periods in which the direct Earth-Mars link encounters increased intervening charged particles during superior solar conjunctions of Mars, the resultant effects are expected to corrupt the data signals to varying degrees. The purpose of this article is to explore possible strategies, provide recommendations, and identify options for communicating over this link during periods of solar conjunctions. A significant improvement in telemetry data return can be realized by using the higher frequency 32 GHz (Ka-band), which is less susceptible to solar effects. During the era of the onset of probable human exploration of Mars, six superior conjunctions were identified from 2015 to 2026. For five of these six conjunctions, where the signal source is not occulted by the disk of the Sun, continuous communications with Mars should be achievable. Only during the superior conjunction of 2023 is the signal source at Mars expected to lie behind the disk of the Sun for about one day and within two solar radii (0. 5 deg) for about three days.

How Do Earth-Sized, Short-Period Planets Form?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-08-01

Matching theory to observation often requires creative detective work. In a new study, scientists have used a clever test to reveal clues about the birth of speedy, Earth-sized planets.Former Hot Jupiters?Artists impression of a hot Jupiter with an evaporating atmosphere. [NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech]Among the many different types of exoplanets weve observed, one unusual category is that of ultra-short-period planets. These roughly Earth-sized planets speed around their host stars at incredible rates, with periods of less than a day.How do planets in this odd category form? One popular theory is that they were previously hot Jupiters, especially massive gas giants orbiting very close to their host stars. The close orbit caused the planets atmospheres to be stripped away, leaving behind only their dense cores.In a new study, a team of astronomers led by Joshua Winn (Princeton University) has found a clever way to test this theory.Planetary radius vs. orbital period for the authors three statistical samples (colored markers) and the broader sample of stars in the California Kepler Survey. [Winn et al. 2017]Testing MetallicitiesStars hosting hot Jupiters have an interesting quirk: they typically have metallicities that are significantly higher than an average planet-hosting star. It is speculated that this is because planets are born from the same materials as their host stars, and hot Jupiters require the presence of more metals to be able to form.Regardless of the cause of this trend, if ultra-short-period planets are in fact the solid cores of former hot Jupiters, then the two categories of planets should have hosts with the same metallicity distributions. The ultra-short-period-planet hosts should therefore also be weighted to higher metallicities than average planet-hosting stars.To test this, the authors make spectroscopic measurements and gather data for a sample of stellar hosts split into three categories:64 ultra-short-period planets (orbital period shorter than a

Formation of periodic surface structures on dielectrics after irradiation with laser beams of spatially variant polarisation: a comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, Antonis; Skoulas, Evangelos; Tsibidis, George D.; Stratakis, Emmanuel

2018-02-01

A comparative study is performed to explore the periodic structure formation upon intense femtosecond-pulsed irradiation of dielectrics with radially and azimuthally polarised beams. Laser conditions have been selected appropriately to produce excited carriers with densities below the optical breakdown threshold in order to highlight the role of phase transitions in surface modification mechanisms. The frequency of the laser-induced structures is calculated based on a theoretical model that comprises estimation of electron density excitation, heat transfer, relaxation processes, and hydrodynamics-related mass transport. The influence of the laser wavelength in the periodicity of the structures is also unveiled. The decreased energy absorption for azimuthally polarised beams yields periodic structures with smaller frequencies which are more pronounced as the number of laser pulses applied to the irradiation spot increases. Similar results are obtained for laser pulses of larger photon energy and higher fluences. All induced periodic structures are oriented parallel to the laser beam polarisation.

Period doubling in period-one steady states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Reuben R. W.; Xing, Bo; Carlo, Gabriel G.; Poletti, Dario

2018-02-01

Nonlinear classical dissipative systems present a rich phenomenology in their "route to chaos," including period doubling, i.e., the system evolves with a period which is twice that of the driving. However, typically the attractor of a periodically driven quantum open system evolves with a period which exactly matches that of the driving. Here, we analyze a periodically driven many-body open quantum system whose classical correspondent presents period doubling. We show that by studying the dynamical correlations, it is possible to show the occurrence of period doubling in the quantum (period-one) steady state. We also discuss that such systems are natural candidates for clean and intrinsically robust Floquet time crystals.

Higher Education Enrollments and Student Success in Times of Budget Scarcity: Examining System-Level Impacts in Recessionary Periods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetstein, Matthew; Hays, Brianna; Nguyen, Alyssa

2011-01-01

This study seeks to extend the literature on higher education enrollment patterns during times of recession by examining patterns of enrollment and successful course completion in one of the world's largest higher education systems--the California Community College system. The data are drawn from publicly available data sources on the web. CCC…

A study on the effect of exclusion period on the suicidal risk among the insured.

PubMed

Yip, Paul S F; Chen, Feng

2014-06-01

An exclusion period (usually from 12 months to 2 years) is usually found in life insurance policies as a precautionary measure to prohibit people from insuring their lives with the intent to kill themselves shortly thereafter. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of exclusion periods on the risk of suicide among the insured in the US and Australia. However, while Hong Kong has experienced an increase in the number of suicides among the insured, little is known about the dynamic between the exclusion period and suicide in Asia. Here we make use of death claims data from one of the major life insurance companies in Hong Kong to ascertain the impact of a 12-month exclusion period on suicide risk. We also use utility functions derived from economic theory to better understand individual choices regarding suicide among the insured. More specifically, we sought to determine whether there is a greater risk of suicide immediately following the 12-month exclusion period. We also examined whether the risk of suicide claims was higher than that of other non-suicidal claims. The study period for this investigation was from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2011, during which time there were 1935 claims based on 1243 deaths. Of these, 197 were suicide-related claims for 106 suicide deaths. The mean number of life policies held by suicidal claimants and non-suicidal claimants was 1.6 and 1.4, respectively. The average/median size of the claims (total payment made on all policies held by the insured life) was HK$665,800/426,600 and HK$497,700/276,200 for suicidal and non-suicidal deaths, respectively. The policy lifetime of the claims, or the number of days from policy issuance to suicide occurrence, ranged from 38 to 7561 days, with a mean of 2209 days, a median of 1941 days, and a standard deviation of 1544 days. The peak density of suicide claims occurred on day 1039 of the policy. Our results revealed that suicide claims tend to occur earlier than other

Brazilian Higher Education from a Post-Colonial Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Denise

2010-01-01

This article examines Brazilian higher education (HE) politics from a post-colonial perspective. The term "post-colonial" originally referred to a historical period of colonial empires established by European nations. Nowadays, the term commonly distinguishes a field of contemporary studies of "defamiliarisation of the imperial…

Study of Heliospheric Particle Populations far from Thermal Equilibrium during Three Solar Cycles, Periodicities and q-index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liolios, Konstantinos; Bergman, Jan; Moussas, Xenophon

2017-04-01

Heliospheric energetic particle populations of energies higher than 1 MeV are studied using a 33 year long data record composed of hourly measurements, as extracted from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's OMNI data set. Their periodicities are examined by means least-squares spectral analysis and wavelet analysis and found to be in good agreement with periodicities seen in sunspot numbers, which are well-known indicators of variations in solar activity. Hence, the source of this energetic and positively charged gas is mainly the Sun but part of it should be cosmic rays. As derived from the analyses of suprathermal "heavy" tails of the probability distribution, we assume that the gas kinetics is described by a deformed Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, namely, the kappa distribution. The q-index analogue to the κ-index is computed for every hour in the data record and used to investigate how far away the gas is from being in classical thermal equilibrium (q = 1). We compare the q-index time series with that of sunspot numbers and conclude that the gas is in continously variable states away (q > 1) from the almost always assumed thermal equilibrium. During the first ˜15 years, the q-indices somewhat exceed the theoretically predicted limit but follow a pattern which is very homogeneous. However, just before 1990, the q-indices begin to fluctuate in a periodic manner, creating maxima and minima, as they continuously increase until they peak about 1996-1997, while after these years, they decrease following a similar pattern. As a result, we assume that after 1990, for a period that lasted at least 10 years, something changed in the Sun's behaviour. A higher number of solar bursts could easily affect the gas but further research, for instance an analysis of solar flare timeseries from the same period, is required to draw a more robust conclusion of what may have caused the observed anomaly.

Study Service: A Tool of Innovation in Higher Education. Papers on Higher Education, No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monal, Isabel; And Others

Case studies of study service activities (activities that adapt higher education more closely to the community) are examined. The document describes 21 such studies, one from each of 21 countries, undertaken by college students in the community. Background information is included on the origin, conditions, and need for study service in higher…

Age-period-cohort analysis of the suicide rate in Korea.

PubMed

Park, Chiho; Jee, Yon Ho; Jung, Keum Ji

2016-04-01

The suicide rate has been increasing in Korea, and the country now has the highest rank in the world. This study aimed to present the long-term trends in Korea's suicide rate using Joinpoint analysis and age-period-cohort (APC) modeling. The population and the number of suicides for each five-year age group were obtained from the National Statistical Office for the period 1984-2013 for Koreans aged 10 years and older. We determined the changes in the trends in age-standardized mortality rates using Joinpoint. APC modeling was performed to describe the trends in the suicide rate using the intrinsic estimator method. The age-standardized suicide rate in men rapidly increased from 1989 to 2004, and slightly increased thereafter, whereas the suicide rate in women increased from 1989 to 2009 and then decreased thereafter. Within the same period, the suicide rate was higher among the older age groups than in the younger groups. Within the same birth cohort, the suicide rate of the older groups was also higher than that in the younger groups. Within the same age group, the suicide rate of the younger cohorts was higher than it was in the older cohorts. In the APC modeling, old age, recent period, and having been born before 1924 were associated with higher suicide rates. The accuracy and completeness of the suicide rate data may lead to bias. This study showed an increasing trend in the suicide rates for men and women after 1989. These trends may be mainly attributed to cohort effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topological study of the periodic system.

PubMed

Restrepo, Guillermo; Mesa, Héber; Llanos, Eugenio J; Villaveces, José L

2004-01-01

We carried out a topological study of the Space of Chemical Elements, SCE, based on a clustering analysis of 72 elements, each one defined by a vector of 31 properties. We looked for neighborhoods, boundaries, and other topological properties of the SCE. Among the results one sees the well-known patterns of the Periodic Table and relationships such as the Singularity Principle and the Diagonal Relationship, but there appears also a robustness property of some of the better-known families of elements. Alkaline metals and Noble Gases are sets whose neighborhoods have no other elements besides themselves, whereas the topological boundary of the set of metals is formed by semimetallic elements.

The Social Role of Higher Education. Comparative Perspectives. Garland Studies in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kempner, Ken, Ed.; Tierney, William G., Ed.

The nine papers in this anthology present cases studies showing how culture influences the social role of higher education in various nations. It examines how environments get defined and how they shape universities , and how knowledge and academic work interact in national contexts. This book focuses on how both developed and developing…

EEG spectral analysis in primary insomnia: NREM period effects and sex differences.

PubMed

Buysse, Daniel J; Germain, Anne; Hall, Martica L; Moul, Douglas E; Nofzinger, Eric A; Begley, Amy; Ehlers, Cindy L; Thompson, Wesley; Kupfer, David J

2008-12-01

To compare NREM EEG power in primary insomnia (PI) and good sleeper controls (GSC), examining both sex and NREM period effects; to examine relationships between EEG power, clinical characteristics, and self-reports of sleep. Overnight polysomnographic study. Sleep laboratory. PI (n=48; 29 women) and GSC (n=25; 15 women). None. EEG power from 1-50 Hz was computed for artifact-free sleep epochs across four NREM periods. Repeated measures mixed effect models contrasted differences between groups, EEG frequency bands, and NREM periods. EEG power-frequency curves were modeled using regressions with fixed knot splines. Mixed models showed no significant group (PI vs. GSC) differences; marginal sex differences (delta and theta bands); significant differences across NREM periods; and group*sex and group*NREM period interactions, particularly in beta and gamma bands. Modeled power-frequency curves showed no group difference in whole-night NREM, but PI had higher power than GSC from 18-40 Hz in the first NREM period. Among women, PI had higher 16 to 44-Hz power than GSC in the first 3 NREM periods, and higher 3 to 5-Hz power across all NREM periods. PI and GSC men showed no consistent differences in EEG power. High-frequency EEG power was not related to clinical or subjective sleep ratings in PI. Women with PI, but not men, showed increased high-frequency and low-frequency EEG activity during NREM sleep compared to GSC, particularly in early NREM periods. Sex and NREM period may moderate quantitative EEG differences between PI and GSC.

Comparative Case Studies on Indonesian Higher Education Rankings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniasih, Nuning; Hasyim, C.; Wulandari, A.; Setiawan, M. I.; Ahmar, A. S.

2018-01-01

The quality of the higher education is the result of a continuous process. There are many indicators that can be used to assess the quality of a higher education. The existence of different indicators makes the different result of university rankings. This research aims to find variables that can connect ranking indicators that are used by Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education with indicators that are used by international rankings by taking two kind of ranking systems i.e. Webometrics and 4icu. This research uses qualitative research method with comparative case studies approach. The result of the research shows that to bridge the indicators that are used by Indonesian Ministry or Research, Technology, and Higher Education with web-based ranking system like Webometrics and 4icu so that the Indonesian higher education institutions need to open access towards either scientific or non-scientific that are publicly used into web-based environment. One of the strategies that can be used to improve the openness and access towards scientific work of a university is by involving in open science and collaboration.

Determination of the appropriate quarantine period following smallpox exposure: an objective approach using the incubation period distribution.

PubMed

Nishiura, Hiroshi

2009-01-01

Determination of the most appropriate quarantine period for those exposed to smallpox is crucial to the construction of an effective preparedness program against a potential bioterrorist attack. This study reanalyzed data on the incubation period distribution of smallpox to allow the optimal quarantine period to be objectively calculated. In total, 131 cases of smallpox were examined; incubation periods were extracted from four different sets of historical data and only cases arising from exposure for a single day were considered. The mean (median and standard deviation (SD)) incubation period was 12.5 (12.0, 2.2) days. Assuming lognormal and gamma distributions for the incubation period, maximum likelihood estimates (and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI)) of the 95th percentile were 16.4 (95% CI: 15.6, 17.9) and 16.2 (95% CI: 15.5, 17.4) days, respectively. Using a non-parametric method, the 95th percentile point was estimated as 16 (95% CI: 15, 17) days. The upper 95% CIs of the incubation periods at the 90th, 95th and 99th percentiles were shorter than 17, 18 and 23 days, respectively, using both parametric and non-parametric methods. These results suggest that quarantine measures can ensure non-infection among those exposed to smallpox with probabilities higher than 95-99%, if the exposed individuals are quarantined for 18-23 days after the date of contact tracing.

Sensitive Periods and Language in Cochlear Implant Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno-Torres, Ignacio; Madrid-Canovas, Sonia; Blanco-Montanez, Gema

2016-01-01

This study explores the hypothesis that the existence of a short sensitive period for lower-level speech perception/articulation skills, and a long one for higher-level language skills, may partly explain the language outcomes of children with cochlear implants (CIs). The participants were fourteen children fitted with a CI before their second…

[Study of incidence of osteoporotic fractures in a cohort of individuals older than 50 years from Asturias, Spain, after a 6 year follow-up period].

PubMed

Naves Díaz, M; Díaz López, J B; Gómez Alonso, C; Altadill Arregui, A; Rodríguez Rebollar, A; Cannata Andía, J B

2000-11-18

The present work, performed as follow-up of the prevalence study of vertebral fractures (EVOS Study), evaluates in a 6 year period the incidence of vertebral fractures and other osteoporotic fractures in Oviedo (Asturias, Spain) in people older than 50 years. The study was performed in a cohort from the Oviedo's local registry in 1986. 624 men and women were followed by 3 postal questionnaires. The first questionnaire referred to the history of falls and fractures that happened during the follow-up period performed. Between the 2nd and 3rd follow-up subjects were invited to repeat the X-rays previously performed in the initial study. The incidence of osteoporotic fractures was higher in women than in men. In both sexes, vertebral fracture was the one which reached the highest incidence. Compared with men, Colles' fracture in women occurred earlier, with 5 times higher incidence. The incidence of hip fracture was twice higher in women than in men. A prevalent vertebral fractures increased until 5 times the incidence of vertebral and hip fracture. Among the osteoporotic fractures, vertebral fracture had a highest incidence values in both sexes. Although vertebral and hip fractures were twice incident in women compared with men, the incidence of Colles fracture was five times higher in women. A pre-existing vertebral fracture is an important risk factor to develop a new vertebral or hip fracture.

State Support of Higher Education: From Expansion to Steady State to Decline, 1969 to 1989, Including an Illinois Case Study. MacArthur/Spencer Series Number 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hines, Edward R.; And Others

Trends in state higher education funding over a 20-year period from 1969 to 1989 were studied. The four analysis objectives were to: examine aggregate state tax appropriations for higher education annually from 1969 to 1989 in the 50 states; analyze state tax appropriations in each state on a per capita basis; compare state tax appropriations per…

Intimate partner violence among women with eating disorders during the perinatal period

PubMed Central

Easter, Abigail; Lewis, Rebecca; Howard, Louise M.; Micali, Nadia

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective  Prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is estimated to be 4%–8%. Women with mental health difficulties are at increased risk for IPV during the perinatal period. Prevalence of IPV is high among women with eating disorders (ED); however, prevalence of IPV during the perinatal period among women with ED is unknown. Method  We studied women from a population‐based cohort, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Prevalence and odds of physical and emotional IPV during and after the perinatal period was investigated among women with lifetime ED, with (n = 174) or without pregnancy shape and weight concern and/or purging behaviors (n = 189), and women with no ED (n = 8723). Results  Women with lifetime ED showed higher prevalence of IPV during and after the perinatal period (physical = 9.6%–14.3% and emotional = 24.1%–28.1%). Lifetime ED was associated with higher odds of physical IPV during the perinatal period (odds ratio: 2.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.11–4.93, p = .03). Lifetime ED with and without pregnancy shape and weight concerns and/or purging was associated with higher odds of IPV after the perinatal period, and higher odds of reporting emotional IPV at all time points. Associations were moderated by partner's response to pregnancy and maternal experience of childhood sexual abuse. Discussion  Mothers with ED and their children may be vulnerable to negative effects due to maternal ED and IPV combined, both of which have been associated with severe and long‐lasting harmful consequences. Partner's response to pregnancy and maternal experience of childhood sexual abuse might contribute to the association between ED and IPV perinatally. © 2015 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:727–735) PMID:26032597

Higher Education Reform in Ukraine during the Transition Period: On the Path to Renewal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shandruk, Svitlana; Shatrova, Zhanna

2015-01-01

The article discusses the challenges and factors impeding the education reforms in Ukraine despite the continuous efforts to modernize the higher education system. It considers the major provisions of the new Higher Education Law of Ukraine (HELU) and their alignment with the requirements of the Bologna Process for the country to integrate in the…

Changes in weight, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and dietary intake during the transition to higher education: a prospective study.

PubMed

Deforche, Benedicte; Van Dyck, Delfien; Deliens, Tom; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-02-15

The transition to higher education involves a significant life change and might be accompanied with less healthy behaviours. However, the only longitudinal study that spanned the period from high school to college/university was limited to self-reported weight. Other studies assessed objective weight, but only at the start of the first semester at college/university and used retrospective questionnaires to asses health behaviours in high school. This study investigated changes in objectively assessed weight and prospective health behaviours during the transition from high school to college/university in Belgian students and examined which health behaviour changes were related to weight change. A sample of 291 students was followed from the final year of high school until the second year of college/university. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured objectively. Physical activity, sedentary behaviours and dietary intake were estimated using validated questionnaires. In order to study changes in BMI and health behaviours, 2 × 2 (time × gender) Repeated Measures ANOVA analyses were conducted. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was executed to investigate the association between changes in health behaviours and BMI changes, and the moderating effect of gender. On average students gained 2.7 kg with a greater increase in boys (boys: 4.2 kg, girls: 1.9 kg). Active transportation and sport participation decreased. Some sedentary behaviours (watching TV/DVD, playing computer games) decreased, while others (internet use, studying) increased. Consumption of different foods decreased, while alcohol consumption increased. A higher decrease in sport participation, a higher increase in internet use and a lower increase in studying were related to a greater increase in BMI. An increase in alcohol consumption only contributed to weight gain in boys, whereas a decrease in fruit/vegetable intake only contributed to weight gain in girls. We can conclude

A use study of speech pathology and audiology periodicals at Illinois State University.

PubMed Central

Duran, N; Buckley, C E; Ng, M L

1997-01-01

No core list of periodicals exists for speech pathology and audiology. Faced with the prospect of having to cancer periodicals for all subjects, the science librarians at Illinois State University decided to determine which science periodicals were used most heavily. A one-year study of science periodical reshelving and interlibrary loan requests yielded ranked lists of periodicals important to speech pathology and audiology faculty and students at Illinois State University. The three most heavily used journals were the Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, ASHA, and Topics in Language Disorders. Most of the periodicals on the lists were indexed by either MEDLINE or UnCover, or by both. While the lists of journals developed in the study are not sufficient to serve as true core lists, they should be useful to libraries supporting comparable programs in speech pathology and audiology. PMID:9431426

Energy Management in Higher Education: Value for Money Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, Edinburgh.

This Value for Money project provides an update of the 1996 "Energy Management Study in the Higher Education Sector: National Report." It reviews the management arrangement for utilities in the higher education (HE) sector, and it identifies key actions and future issues that must be addressed by HE institutions in developing a strategic…

Student Satisfaction in Higher Education: A Meta-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santini, Fernando de Oliveira; Ladeira, Wagner Junior; Sampaio, Claudio Hoffmann; da Silva Costa, Gustavo

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a meta-analysis performed to identify key antecedent and consequent constructs of satisfaction in higher education. We offer an integrated model to achieve a better understanding of satisfaction in the context of higher education. To accomplish this objective, we identified 83 studies that were valid and…

Relationship between Study Habits and Test Anxiety of Higher Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Arul A. S.

2014-01-01

The present study aims to probe the relationship between study habits and test anxiety of higher secondary students. In this normative study survey method was employed. The population for the present study consisted of higher secondary students studying in Tirunelveli district. The investigator used the simple random sampling technique. The sample…

Online intervention, 'MePlusMe', supporting mood, wellbeing, study skills, and everyday functioning in students in higher education: a protocol for a feasibility study.

PubMed

Papadatou-Pastou, Marietta; Goozée, Rhianna; Barley, Elizabeth A; Haddad, Mark; Tzotzoli, Patapia

2015-01-01

Psychological and study skill difficulties faced by students in higher education can lead to poor academic performance, sub-optimal mental health, reduced study satisfaction, and drop out from study. At the same time, higher education institutions' support services are costly, oversubscribed, and struggle to meet demand whilst facing budget reductions. The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate the acceptability of a new online intervention, MePlusMe, aimed at students in higher education facing mild to moderate psychological and/or study skill difficulties. The study will also assess the feasibility of proposed recruitment and outcome assessment protocols for a future trial of effectiveness. The system supports self-management strategies alongside ongoing monitoring facilitated by a messaging service, as well as featuring a built-in community of student users. It is based on current clinical guidelines for the management of common mental health problems, together with best practice from the educational field. Two hundred and forty two students will be recruited to a within-subjects, repeated measures study conducted over 8 weeks. Self-report measures of depression and anxiety symptoms, mental wellbeing, academic self-efficacy, and everyday functioning will be collected at baseline, and then at 2, 4, and 8 weeks. During this period, students will have access to the intervention system. UK higher education institutions Bournemouth University and University of Warwick will participate in the study. Data on student satisfaction and engagement will also be collected. Study findings will help to determine the most appropriate primary outcome and the required sample size for a future trial. This study will evaluate the acceptability of an online intervention system for students facing psychological and/or study skill difficulties and will test recruitment procedures and outcome measures for a future trial of effectiveness. The system is designed to be implemented

Consecutive repeat miscarriages are likely to occur in the same gestational period.

PubMed

Yan, Junhao; Saravelos, Sotirios H; Ma, Ning; Ma, Caihong; Chen, Zi-Jiang; Li, Tin-Chiu

2012-06-01

This is a retrospective, observational study to determine how often repeated consecutive miscarriages occur consistently in the same gestational period, including 1589 miscarriages among 543 women with recurrent miscarriage. In women who had two miscarriages only, 49.17% of both miscarriages occurred in the same gestational period, which was significantly higher than the expected probability of 34.54% (P<0.01). The proportions of all miscarriages occurring in the same gestational period in women with three, four and five or more miscarriages were 28.72%, 19.44% and 18.60%, compared with the expected probabilities of 14.36% (P<0.01), 6.57% (P<0.05) and <3.15% (P<0.05). The proportions of miscarriages occurring consistently in the same gestational period are higher than the theoretical probabilities calculated for the whole population. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Changing Role of the Academic Journal: The Coverage of Higher Education in "History of Education" as a Case Study, 1972-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Roy

2012-01-01

This article briefly reviews the coverage of higher education in the pages of this journal since its inception. It reflects on the changing role of the academic journal during this period, on some of the related changes which have taken place in academia itself as well as changing fashions in the study of history of education. Its central…

Juggling Higher Education Study and Family Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Louise

2017-01-01

Women with families face particular challenges when they undertake Higher Education. Questions arise about coping with the demands of study, new family routines, and the changed identity when mother becomes student: Can I manage it all? How will my family react? Will they give me the time and support I need? The author, herself a mother and…

Periodic Anderson model with correlated conduction electrons: Variational and exact diagonalization study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagymási, I.; Itai, K.; Sólyom, J.

2012-06-01

We investigate an extended version of the periodic Anderson model (the so-called periodic Anderson-Hubbard model) with the aim to understand the role of interaction between conduction electrons in the formation of the heavy-fermion and mixed-valence states. Two methods are used: (i) variational calculation with the Gutzwiller wave function optimizing numerically the ground-state energy and (ii) exact diagonalization of the Hamiltonian for short chains. The f-level occupancy and the renormalization factor of the quasiparticles are calculated as a function of the energy of the f orbital for a wide range of the interaction parameters. The results obtained by the two methods are in reasonably good agreement for the periodic Anderson model. The agreement is maintained even when the interaction between band electrons, Ud, is taken into account, except for the half-filled case. This discrepancy can be explained by the difference between the physics of the one- and higher-dimensional models. We find that this interaction shifts and widens the energy range of the bare f level, where heavy-fermion behavior can be observed. For large-enough Ud this range may lie even above the bare conduction band. The Gutzwiller method indicates a robust transition from Kondo insulator to Mott insulator in the half-filled model, while Ud enhances the quasiparticle mass when the filling is close to half filling.

Study of periodic motions of a satellite with a magnetic damper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadov, Y. A.; Teterin, A. D.

1979-01-01

The motion of a satellite with a magnetic damper in the plane of a circular polar orbit is studied. The asymptotics of periodic solutions are constructed for a satellite close to axisymmetric and the radius of convergence is evaluated for the power series obtained. In a broad range of values of parameters, a periodic solution is obtained by numerical integration of equations of motion of the satellite. The asymptotics of a bifurcated curve obtained (the curve on which origin of a pair of periodic solutions occurs) in the space of the parameters agrees well with the results of numerical computation with all physical values of these parameters. A breakdown is made of the space of the initial data of phase variables in the field of effect of different types of periodic motion.

Study on the Geomagnetic Short Period Variations of the Northwestern Yunnan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Y.; Li, Q.; Cai, J.

2015-12-01

The Northwestern Yunnan is located in the interaction area between the Eurasian plate and the India plate. This area has been the ideal place for the research of continental dynamics and the prediction for risk region of strong earthquake for its complex tectonic environment and frequent seismic activity. Therefore the study on the geomagnetic short period variations is of great significance in the exploration of deep electrical structure, analysis of the seismic origin and deep geodynamics in the Northwestern Yunnan of China . This paper is based on the geomagnetic data from the magnetometer array with 8 sites built in the northwestern Yunnan to explore the deep electrical structure by the method of geomagnetic depth sounding. Firstly, we selected a total of 183 geomagnetic short period events at the range of 6min to 120min period. And we found a north northwest dividing line, of which two sides has the opposite value in the vertical component variation amplitude, which indicates the obvious conductivity anomaly underground. Secondly, the contour maps of the ratio of vertical component and horizontal component variation amplitude ΔZ/ΔH in different periods reflects the changes of a high conductivity belt's direction and position. In addition, the induction arrows maps within the period of 2 - 256min also shows that on the two sides of the dividing line the induction vectors deviate from each other, and the amplitude and direction of vectors varies with periods regularly. In the light of this, we infer that a high conductivity belt probably exists, which stretches from the deep crust to uppermost mantle and changes with depth constantly with the reference of magnetotelluric sounding. In the end of this paper, the staggered grid finite difference method is used to model the simplified three-dimensional high conductivity anomaly, and the result shows magnetic field distributions are consistent with the observed geomagnetic short period variations characteristics in

Musculoskeletal symptoms and job strain among nursing personnel: a study over a three year period.

PubMed Central

Josephson, M; Lagerström, M; Hagberg, M; Wigaeus Hjelm, E

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To examine the variation of symptoms from the neck, shoulders, and back over a three year period among female nursing personnel and the relation between job strain and musculoskeletal symptoms. METHODS: At a county hospital the female nursing personnel answered a questionnaire at baseline and then once a year over a period of three years. There were 565, 553, 562, and 419 subjects who answered the questionnaire at the first, second, third, and fourth survey, respectively. Of the study group, 285 nursing personnel answered the questionnaire on four occasions. Ongoing symptoms of the neck, shoulders, and back were assessed by means of a 10 point (0-9) scale with the verbal end points "no symptoms" and "very intense symptoms." Cases were defined as nursing personnel reporting ongoing symptoms, score > 6, from at least one of the body regions. For assessments of job strain, a Swedish version of Karasek and Theorell's model was used. RESULTS: Of the 285 subjects, 13% were defined as cases at all four assessments, and 46% varied between cases and not cases during the study period. In the repeated cross sectional surveys the estimated rate ratio (RR) for being a case was between 1.1 and 1.5 when comparing the group with job strain and the group without job strain. For the combination of job strain and perceived high physical exertion the estimated RR was between 1.5 and 2.1. When the potential risk factors were assessed one, two, or three years before the assessment of symptoms the estimated RR for becoming a case was between 1.4 and 2.2 when comparing the group with job strain and the group without job strain. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the healthcare workers varied between being a case and not, over a three year period. The analysis indicated that job strain is a risk factor for musculoskeletal symptoms and that the risk is higher when it is combined with perceived high physical exertion. PMID:9423583

A study of the shortest-period planets found with Kepler

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

Sanchis-Ojeda, Roberto; Rappaport, Saul; Winn, Joshua N.

2014-05-20

We present the results of a survey aimed at discovering and studying transiting planets with orbital periods shorter than one day (ultra-short-period, or USP, planets), using data from the Kepler spacecraft. We computed Fourier transforms of the photometric time series for all 200,000 target stars, and detected transit signals based on the presence of regularly spaced sharp peaks in the Fourier spectrum. We present a list of 106 USP candidates, of which 18 have not previously been described in the literature. This list of candidates increases the number of planet candidates with orbital periods shorter than about six hours frommore » two to seven. In addition, among the objects we studied, there are 26 USP candidates that had been previously reported in the literature which do not pass our various tests. All 106 of our candidates have passed several standard tests to rule out false positives due to eclipsing stellar systems. A low false positive rate is also implied by the relatively high fraction of candidates for which more than one transiting planet signal was detected. By assuming these multi-transit candidates represent coplanar multi-planet systems, we are able to infer that the USP planets are typically accompanied by other planets with periods in the range 1-50 days, in contrast with hot Jupiters which very rarely have companions in that same period range. Another clear pattern is that almost all USP planets are smaller than 2 R {sub ⊕}, possibly because gas giants in very tight orbits would lose their atmospheres by photoevaporation when subject to extremely strong stellar irradiation. Based on our survey statistics, USP planets exist around approximately (0.51 ± 0.07)% of G-dwarf stars, and (0.83 ± 0.18)% of K-dwarf stars.« less

[Studies on flomoxef in the perinatal period].

PubMed

Cho, N; Fukunaga, K; Kunii, K; Kobayashi, I

1991-06-01

Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on flomoxef (FMOX) in the perinatal period were carried out with the following summary of the results. Antibacterial effects of FMOX on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, MIC 400 micrograms/ml), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA, MIC 0.78 microgram/ml), Escherichia coli (MIC 3.13 micrograms/ml and MIC 0.20 microgram/ml) in amniotic fluid were determined and it was found that the activity of FMOX was enhanced in the amniotic fluid. FMOX rapidly penetrated into tissues and sera of pregnant women upon intravenous injection and its maternal serum concentrations reached their peak levels shortly after administration. Placental penetration of FMOX to the fetus was good and, after single intravenous injection of 1 g, the concentrations of FMOX in the umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid exceeded MICs against major causative organisms of perinatal infections. These results indicate that single intravenous injection of FMOX 1 g twice a day is effective for the treatment and prophylaxis of perinatal infections. Injection of FMOX for the treatment of 14 cases of puerperal infections showed excellent clinical effectiveness with 100% clinical effect and 81.8% bacteriological response. No side-effect was observed in any case. All of these results suggested clinical usefulness of FMOX in the perinatal period.

Wave propagation in axially moving periodic strings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorokin, Vladislav S.; Thomsen, Jon Juel

2017-04-01

The paper deals with analytically studying transverse waves propagation in an axially moving string with periodically modulated cross section. The structure effectively models various relevant technological systems, e.g. belts, thread lines, band saws, etc., and, in particular, roller chain drives for diesel engines by capturing both their spatial periodicity and axial motion. The Method of Varying Amplitudes is employed in the analysis. It is shown that the compound wave traveling in the axially moving periodic string comprises many components with different frequencies and wavenumbers. This is in contrast to non-moving periodic structures, for which all components of the corresponding compound wave feature the same frequency. Due to this "multi-frequency" character of the wave motion, the conventional notion of frequency band-gaps appears to be not applicable for the moving periodic strings. Thus, for such structures, by frequency band-gaps it is proposed to understand frequency ranges in which the primary component of the compound wave attenuates. Such frequency band-gaps can be present for a moving periodic string, but only if its axial velocity is lower than the transverse wave speed, and, the higher the axial velocity, the narrower the frequency band-gaps. The revealed effects could be of potential importance for applications, e.g. they indicate that due to spatial inhomogeneity, oscillations of axially moving periodic chains always involve a multitude of frequencies.

Comorbidity of autoimmune thyroid disorders and psychiatric disorders during the postpartum period: a Danish nationwide register-based cohort study.

PubMed

Bergink, V; Pop, V J M; Nielsen, P R; Agerbo, E; Munk-Olsen, T; Liu, X

2018-06-01

The postpartum period is well-known risk period for the first onset of autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITDs) as well as first onset of psychiatric disorders. These two disorders are some of the most prevalent medical conditions postpartum, often misdiagnosed and disabling if left untreated. Our study was designed to explore the possible bidirectional association between AITDs and psychiatric disorders during the postpartum period. A population-based cohort study through linkage of Danish national registers, which comprised 312 779 women who gave birth to their first child during 1997-2010. We conducted Poisson regression analysis to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of psychiatric disorders among women with first-onset AITDs, the IRR of AITDs among women with first-onset psychiatric disorders as well as the overlap between these disorders using a comorbidity index. Women with first-onset AITDs postpartum were more likely to have first-onset psychiatric disorders than women who did not have postpartum AITDs (IRR = 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25-2.81). Women with first-onset postpartum psychiatric disorders had a higher risk of AITDs than women with no psychiatric disorders (IRR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.45-3.20). The comorbidity index 2 years after delivery was 2.26 (95% CI: 1.61-2.90), indicating a comorbidity between first-onset AITDs and psychiatric disorders. First-onset AITDs and psychiatric disorders co-occur in the postpartum period, which has relevance to further studies on the etiologies of these disorders and why childbirth in particular triggers the onset.

Do changes in subjective sleep and biological rhythms predict worsening in postpartum depressive symptoms? A prospective study across the perinatal period.

PubMed

Krawczak, Elizabeth M; Minuzzi, Luciano; Hidalgo, Maria Paz; Frey, Benicio N

2016-08-01

Abnormalities of sleep and biological rhythms have been widely implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). However, less is known about the influence of biological rhythm disruptions across the perinatal period on postpartum depression (PPD). The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the relationship between subjective changes in both sleep and biological rhythms and worsening of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to the postpartum period in women with and without mood disorders. Eighty-three participants (38 euthymic women with a history of a mood disorder and 45 healthy controls) were studied. Participants completed subjective assessments of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), biological rhythm disturbances (Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry), and depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) prospectively at two time points: third trimester of pregnancy and at 6-12 weeks postpartum. Multivariate regression analyses showed that changes in biological rhythms across the perinatal period predicted worsening of depressive symptoms in both groups. Moreover, women with a history of a mood disorder showed higher levels of sleep and biological rhythm disruption during both pregnancy and the postpartum period. These findings suggest that disruptions in biological rhythms during the perinatal period increase the risk for postpartum mood worsening in healthy pregnant as well as in pregnant women with a history of mood disorders.

Good Practice in Promoting Gender Equality in Higher Education in Central and Eastern Europe. Studies on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunberg, Laura

This volume publishes the results of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) European Centre for Higher Education (CEPES) project, Good Practice in Promoting Gender Inequality in Higher Education in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Countries. These case studies offer hope for a future in which…

Study for elevator cage position during the braking period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ungureanu, M.; Crăciun, I.; Bănică, M.; Dăscălescu, A.

2016-08-01

An important problem in order to study an elevator cage position for its braking period is to establish a correlation between the studies in the fields of mechanics and electric. The classical approaches to establish the elevator kinematic parameters are position, velocity and acceleration, but the last studies performed in order to determine the positioning performed by introducing supplementary another parameter - the jerk- which is derived with respect to time of acceleration. Thus we get a precise method for cage motion control for third-order trajectory planning.

Ultrasound therapy transducers with space-filling non-periodic arrays.

PubMed

Raju, Balasundar I; Hall, Christopher S; Seip, Ralf

2011-05-01

Ultrasound transducers designed for therapeutic purposes such as tissue ablation, histotripsy, or drug delivery require large apertures for adequate spatial localization while providing sufficient power and steerability without the presence of secondary grating lobes. In addition, it is highly preferred to minimize the total number of channels and to maintain simplicity in electrical matching network design. To this end, we propose array designs that are both space-filling and non-periodic in the placement of the elements. Such array designs can be generated using the mathematical concept of non-periodic or aperiodic tiling (tessellation) and can lead to reduced grating lobes while maintaining full surface area coverage to deliver maximum power. For illustration, we designed two 2-D space-filling therapeutic arrays with 128 elements arranged on a spherical shell. One was based on the two-shape Penrose rhombus tiling, and the other was based on a single rectangular shape arranged non-periodically. The steerability performance of these arrays was studied using acoustic field simulations. For comparison, we also studied two other arrays, one with circular elements distributed randomly, and the other a periodic array with square elements. Results showed that the two space-filling non-periodic arrays were able to steer to treat a volume of 16 x 16 x 20 mm while ensuring that the grating lobes were under -10 dB compared with the main lobe. The rectangular non-periodic array was able to generate two and half times higher power than the random circles array. The rectangular array was then fabricated by patterning the array using laser scribing methods and its steerability performance was validated using hydrophone measurements. This work demonstrates that the concept of space-filling aperiodic/non-periodic tiling can be used to generate therapy arrays that are able to provide higher power for the same total transducer area compared with random arrays while maintaining

Period Variations for the Cepheid VZ Cyg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirorattanakul, Krittanon; Engle, Scott; Pepper, Joshua; Wells, Mark; Laney, Clifton D.; Rodriguez, Joseph E.; Stassun, Keivan G.

2017-12-01

The Cepheid Period-Luminosity law is a key rung on the extragalactic distance ladder. However, numerous Cepheids are known to undergo period variations. Monitoring, refining, and understanding these period variations allows us to better determine the parameters of the Cepheids themselves and of the instability strip in which they reside, and to test models of stellar evolution. VZ Cyg, a classical Cepheid pulsating at ˜4.864 days, has been observed for over 100 years. Combining data from literature observations, the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT) transit survey, and new targeted observations with the Robotically Controlled Telescope (RCT) at Kitt Peak, we find a period change rate of dP/dt = -0.0642 ± 0.0018 s yr-1. However, when only the recent observations are examined, we find a much higher period change rate of dP/dt = -0.0923 ± 0.0110 s yr-1. This higher rate could be due to an apparent long-term (P ≈ 26.5 years) cyclic period variation. The possible interpretations of this single Cepheid’s complex period variations underscore both the need to regularly monitor pulsating variables and the important benefits that photometric surveys such as KELT can have on the field. Further monitoring of this interesting example of Cepheid variability is recommended to confirm and better understand the possible cyclic period variations. Further, Cepheid timing analyses are necessary to fully understand their current behaviors and parameters, as well as their evolutionary histories.

Adult, Flexible Students' Approaches to Studying in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronning, Wenche M.

2009-01-01

A Norwegian translation of the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI-32) was administered to 1477 adult students attending flexible study programs in higher education in Norway (2004-05). The intention was to investigate their approaches to studying, taking into account their educational backgrounds and their present, challenging study conditions.…

Plasma adiponectin and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Rebelo, Fernanda; Farias, Dayana R; Struchiner, Claudio J; Kac, Gilberto

2016-04-01

Some authors have described an inverse association between adiponectin and depression, but this association has not yet been investigated during the perinatal period. To evaluate the association between the plasma adiponectin levels and symptoms of depression in women from early pregnancy to 30-45 days postpartum. A prospective cohort of 235 women was analyzed, with four waves of follow-up: 5-13th, 22-26th, and 30-36th gestational weeks and 30-45 days postpartum. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; cutoff ≥ 11). The plasma adiponectin concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The statistical analyses included linear mixed effects regressions to model the association between these time-dependent variables. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.5%, 22.8%, 21.8%, and 16.9% and the median (µg/mL) adiponectin levels were 4.8, 4.7, 4.4, and 7.5 in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters and the postpartum period, respectively. Women who remained non-depressed throughout the study tended to have higher values of adiponectin throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period compared to those who had depressive symptoms at least once, but this difference was not statistically significant (β=-0.14; p=0.071). There was no statistically significant association between the plasma adiponectin levels and the EPDS scores in the multiple model (β=-0.07; p=0.320). Losses to follow-up, different procedures for the blood draws at the prenatal and postpartum visits, and the presence of a nested clinical trial with omega-3 supplementation. The plasma adiponectin levels were not associated with depressive symptoms during the perinatal period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Research in higher surgical training--the West Midlands view.

PubMed

Kmiot, W A; Neoptolemos, J P; Temple, J G

1993-09-01

A questionnaire on the role of research in higher surgical training was posted to all in-post NHS Consultants (n = 96) and Higher Surgical Trainees (n = 42) in the West Midlands Region. Replies were received from 80 consultants (83 per cent) and 37 trainees (88 per cent). Over 95 per cent of responders had undertaken some research activity previously. The vast majority of consultants (90 per cent) and trainees (95 per cent) thought that their research period had been beneficial; most would undertake research again even if not essential for higher surgical training (consultants 80 per cent, trainees 70 per cent). Research was felt to be essential for all trainees by 50 per cent of respondents in both groups; 78 per cent of consultants and 86 per cent of trainees also thought that all potential academics should obtain a degree by thesis. Most of the study participants thought that the appropriate time for research activity was as a post-FRCS registrar (consultants 72 per cent, trainees 80 per cent); 80 per cent of consultants and 67 per cent of trainees felt that this research period should be funded by the NHS. A planned, supervised and funded one-year period of research was favoured by the majority of consultants (54 per cent) and trainees (73 per cent) for non-academic general surgical trainees in the future.

Studies of the Long Secondary Periods in Pulsating Red Giants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Percy, J. R.; Deibert, E.

2016-12-01

We have used systematic, sustained visual observations from the AAVSO International Database and the AAVSO time-series analysis package VSTAR to study the unexplained "long secondary periods" (LSPs) in 27 pulsating red giants. In our sample, the LSPs range from 479 to 2967 days, and are on average 8.1 +/- 1.3 times the excited pulsation period. There is no evidence for more than one LSP in each star. In stars with both the fundamental and first overtone radial period present, the LSP is more often about 10 times the latter. The visual amplitudes of the LSPs are typically 0.1 magnitude and do not correlate with the LSP. The phase curves tend to be sinusoidal, but at least two are sawtooth. The LSPs are stable, within their errors, over the timespan of our data, which is typically 25,000 days. The amplitudes, however, vary by up to a factor of two or more on a time scale of roughly 20-30 LSPs. There is no obvious difference between the carbon (C) stars and the normal oxygen (M) stars. Previous multicolor observations showed that the LSP color variations are similar to those of the pulsation period, and of the LSPs in the Magellanic Clouds, and not like those of eclipsing stars. We note that the LSPs are similar to the estimated rotation periods of the stars, though the latter have large uncertainties. This suggests that the LSP phenomenon may be a form of modulated rotational variability.

34 CFR 74.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 74.28 Period of availability of funds. Where a funding period is...

An Observational Study of Accretion Dynamics in Short-Period Pre-Main Sequence Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tofflemire, Benjamin; Mathieu, Robert; Herczeg, Greg; Johns-Krull, Christopher; Akeson, Rachel; Ciardi, David

2018-01-01

Over the past thirty years, a detailed picture of star formation has emerged that highlights the importance of the interaction between a pre-main sequence (pre-MS) star and its protoplanetary disk. The properties of an emergent star, the lifetime of a protoplanetary disk, and the formation of planets are all, in part, determined by this star-disk interaction. Many stars, however, form in binary or higher-order systems where orbital dynamics are capable of fundamentally altering this star-disk interaction. Orbital resonances, especially in short-period systems, are capable of clearing the central region of a protoplanetary disk, leaving the possibility for three stable accretion disks: a circumstellar disk around each star and a circumbinary disk. In this model, accretion onto the stars is predicted to proceed in periodic streams that form at the inner edge of the circumbinary disk, cross the dynamically cleared gap, and feed circumstellar disks or accrete directly onto the stars themselves. This pulsed-accretion paradigm predicts bursts of accretion that are periodic with the orbital period, where the duration, amplitude, location in orbital phase, and which star if preferentially fed, all depend on the orbital parameters. To test these predictions, we have carried out intensive observational campaigns combining time-series, optical and near-infrared photometry with time-series, optical spectroscopy. These data are capable of monitoring the stellar accretion rate, the properties of warm circumstellar dust, and the kinematics of accretion flows, all as a function of orbital phase. In our sample of 9 pre-MS binaries with diverse orbital parameters, we search for evidence of periodic accretion events and seek to determine the role orbital parameters have on the characteristics of accretion events. Two results from our campaign will be highlighted: 1) the detection of periodic pulsed accretion events in DQ Tau and TWA 3A, and 2) evidence that the TWA 3A primary is the

Higher Education Regulations Study: Preliminary Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 2011

2011-01-01

In the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" of 2008, Congress charged the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance with conducting a review and analysis of regulations affecting higher education, to determine the extent to which regulations are overly burdensome and need to be streamlined, improved, or eliminated. Specifically,…

Higher Education Regulations Study: Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 2011

2011-01-01

In the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" of 2008, Congress charged the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance with conducting a review and analysis of regulations affecting higher education to determine the extent to which regulations are overly burdensome and need to be streamlined, improved, or eliminated. Specifically, Congress…

Impact of dietary plane of energy during the dry period on lipoprotein parameters in the transition period in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Newman, A; Mann, S; Nydam, D V; Overton, T R; Behling-Kelly, E

2016-02-01

The high energy demands of dairy cows during the transition period from late gestation into early lactation can place them at an increased risk for the development of metabolic and infectious diseases. Modification of the dry period diet has been investigated as a preventive means to minimize the detrimental aspects of metabolic shifts during the transition period. Studies investigating the impact of dry period diet on lipid parameters during the transition period have largely focused on markers of lipolysis and ketogenesis. Total cholesterol declines during the periparturient period and increases in early lactation. The impact total energy in the dry period diet has on the ability of the cow to maintain total serum cholesterol, as well as its natural high-density lipoprotein-rich status, during this metabolically challenging window is not clear. The impact of lipoproteins on inflammation and immune function may have a clinical impact on the cow's ability to ward off production-related diseases. In this study, we hypothesized that the provision of adequate, but not excessive, total metabolizable energy, would better allow the cow to maintain total cholesterol and a higher relative proportion of HDL throughout the transition period. Cows were allocated to one of three dry period dietary treatment groups following a randomized block design. Total serum triglycerides, cholesterol and lipoprotein fractions were measured on a weekly basis from approximately 7 weeks pre-calving to 6 weeks post-calving. The cows on the high energy diet maintained total serum cholesterol as compared to the cows provided a lower energy diet, but there was no significant increase in the LDL fraction of lipoproteins between diet treatment groups. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Higher psychological and psychovegetative strain in adolescents with atypical pigment naevi.

PubMed

Trapp, Michael; Egger, Josef Wilhelm; Kapfhammer, Hans-Peter; Trapp, Eva-Maria; Rohrer, Peter Michael; Hörlesberger, Nina; Schwantzer, Gerold; Komericki, Peter; Linder, Michael Dennis; Lvov, Andrey; Baulmann, Johannes; Richtig, Erika

2015-01-01

An observational, exploratory, cross-sectional study was performed to assess whether the presence of atypical naevi (AN) in adolescents is associated with psychological and psychovegetative stress parameters. Fifty-one students of a secondary school in Graz, Austria, completed a defined test procedure consisting of an initial period of rest, a standardised mental stress task, another period rest and a questionnaire, the change-sensitive symptom list (ASS-SYM). Electrocardiogram and blood pressure were recorded continuously. The study population was divided in two groups: probands without AN (NAN, n = 33), and probands with at least one AN (n = 18). We found higher values for the AN group in all scales of ASS-SYM, reaching statistical significance in the dimensions "nervousness and mental tension" (p = 0.025), "psychophysiological dysregulation" (p = 0.020), burden of pain" (p = 0.023) and "general symptoms and problems" (p = 0.031). Regarding physiological parameters, the AN group showed higher vegetative strain reflected in heart rate and heart rate varibility during the periods of rest as well as a reduced baroreceptor sensitivity. On the basis of our results, the presence of AN in adolescents seems to be associated with a higher vegetative arousal. Additionally, participants with AN complained significantly more often about stress-associated general psychological symptoms and problems.

The Impact of Involving Students in Managing the Quality of Higher Education Provision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garwe, Evelyn Chiyevo

2015-01-01

This study was aimed at exploring the power of student involvement in improving quality of higher educational provision in private higher education institutions in Zimbabwe. A longitudinal approach involving two separate surveys and covering a period of three years was used. A preliminary survey aimed at assessing the issues that impact negatively…

[Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies of flomoxef in the perinatal period].

PubMed

Matsuda, S; Hirayama, H; Oh, K; Tamate, K; Sengoku, K; Ishikawa, M; Shimizu, T; Haga, H; Hasegawa, T; Takada, H

1993-07-01

Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies on flomoxef (FMOX) in the perinatal period were carried out and following results were obtained 1. The pharmacokinetic parameter T1/2's of FMOX in maternal serum, umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid in mothers after single intravenous injection of 1 g (n = 46) and 2 g (n = 34) were 1.11, 9.24, 9.24 hours and 2.54, 12.49, 12.49 hours, respectively. Cmax's and Tmax's of umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid were 12.71, 11.77 micrograms/ml and 0.57, 3.35 hours upon single dose of 1 g i.v., and 35.17, 12.37 micrograms/ml and 0.32, 3.42 hours upon single dose of 2 g i.v., respectively. 2. Clinical usefulness were evaluated in 93 cases including were various infections in pregnancy and puerperal period. In pregnancy cases, clinical efficacy rate was 95.5% (21/22), and 100% in puerperal period. Bacteriological response rate was 84.6% (eradicated: 29, decreased: 4, unchanged: 2, replaced: 4 and unknown: 8 cases). No severe side effects nor clinical laboratory test results were observed in any cases. From above basic and clinical results, we conclude that FMOX is a useful and safe agent for various infections in pregnancy and puerperal period.

A Study on Learning Organizations in Indian Higher Educational Institutes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chawla, Saniya; Lenka, Usha

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to study the antecedents and consequences of learning organizations (LOs) in Indian higher educational institutes. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used is survey-based. Primary data were collected from 300 faculty members of Indian higher educational institutes. Findings: It was found that all the variables,…

Compensatory mechanisms in higher-educated subjects with Alzheimer's disease: a study of 20 years of cognitive decline.

PubMed

Amieva, Hélène; Mokri, Hind; Le Goff, Mélanie; Meillon, Céline; Jacqmin-Gadda, Hélène; Foubert-Samier, Alexandra; Orgogozo, Jean-Marc; Stern, Yaakov; Dartigues, Jean-François

2014-04-01

A better knowledge of long-term trajectories of cognitive decline is a central feature of the study of the process leading to Alzheimer's dementia. Several factors may mitigate such decline, among which is education, a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The aim of our work was to compare the pattern and duration of clinical trajectories before Alzheimer's dementia in individuals with low and high education within the PAQUID cohort involving 20 years of follow-up. The sample comprises 442 participants with incident Alzheimer's disease (27.2% were male)--171 with low education (mean age=86.2 years; standard deviation=5.3 years) and 271 with higher education (mean age=86.5; standard deviation=5.4)--and 442 control subjects matched according to age, sex and education. At each visit and up to the 20-year follow-up visit, several cognitive and clinical measures were collected and incident cases of Alzheimer's disease clinically diagnosed. The evolution of clinical measures in pre-demented subjects and matched controls was analysed with a semi-parametric extension of the mixed effects linear model. The results show that the first signs of cognitive decline occurred 15 to 16 years before achieving dementia threshold in higher-educated subjects whereas signs occurred at 7 years before dementia in low-educated subjects. There seemed to be two successive periods of decline in higher-educated subjects. Decline started ∼15 to 16 years before dementia with subtle impairment restricted to some cognitive tests and with no impact during the first 7 to 8 years on global cognition, cognitive complaints, or activities of daily living scales. Then, ∼7 years before dementia, global cognitive abilities begin to deteriorate, along with difficulties dealing with complex activities of daily living, the increase in self-perceived difficulties and depressive symptoms. By contrast, lower-educated subjects presented a single period of decline lasting ∼7 years, characterized by

Institutional Churn: Institutional Change in United Kingdom Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tight, Malcolm

2013-01-01

This article considers how higher education institutions change over time, using the United Kingdom system as an exemplar, and focusing on the 15-year period between 1994/95 and 2009/10. While there are many aspects of institutional change worthy of study, the focus here is on how institutions appear to others. Thus, the article examines the…

Oxidative DNA damage during sleep periods among nightshift workers.

PubMed

Bhatti, Parveen; Mirick, Dana K; Randolph, Timothy W; Gong, Jicheng; Buchanan, Diana Taibi; Zhang, Junfeng Jim; Davis, Scott

2016-08-01

Oxidative DNA damage may be increased among nightshift workers because of suppression of melatonin, a cellular antioxidant, and/or inflammation related to sleep disruption. However, oxidative DNA damage has received limited attention in previous studies of nightshift work. From two previous cross-sectional studies, urine samples collected during a night sleep period for 217 dayshift workers and during day and night sleep (on their first day off) periods for 223 nightshift workers were assayed for 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Urinary measures of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), a marker of circulating melatonin levels, and actigraphy-based sleep quality data were also available. Nightshift workers during their day sleep periods excreted 83% (p=0.2) and 77% (p=0.03) of the 8-OH-dG that dayshift workers and they themselves, respectively, excreted during their night sleep periods. Among nightshift workers, higher aMT6s levels were associated with higher urinary 8-OH-dG levels, and an inverse U-shaped trend was observed between 8-OH-dG levels and sleep efficiency and sleep duration. Reduced excretion of 8-OH-dG among nightshift workers during day sleep may reflect reduced functioning of DNA repair machinery, which could potentially lead to increased cellular levels of oxidative DNA damage. Melatonin disruption among nightshift workers may be responsible for the observed effect, as melatonin is known to enhance repair of oxidative DNA damage. Quality of sleep may similarly impact DNA repair. Cellular levels of DNA damage will need to be evaluated in future studies to help interpret these findings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Higher-order Peregrine combs and Peregrine walls for the variable-coefficient Lenells-Fokas equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zi-Qi; Wang, Xin; Wang, Lei; Sun, Wen-Rong; Qi, Feng-Hua

2017-02-01

In this paper, we study the variable-coefficient Lenells-Fokas (LF) model. Under large periodic modulations in the variable coefficients of the LF model, the generalized Akhmediev breathers develop into the breather multiple births (BMBs) from which we obtain the Peregrine combs (PCs). The PCs can be considered as the limiting case of the BMBs and be transformed into the Peregrine walls (PWs) with a specific amplitude of periodic modulation. We further investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the PCs and PWs analytically. Based on the second-order breather and rogue-wave solutions, we derive the corresponding higher-order structures (higher-order PCs and PWs) under proper periodic modulations. What is particularly noteworthy is that the second-order PC can be converted into the Peregrine pyramid which exhibits the higher amplitude and thickness. Our results could be helpful for the design of experiments in the optical fiber communications.

Phenomenological Study of Empowering Women Senior Leaders in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cselenszky, Mila P.

2012-01-01

The number of women in senior administrative and leadership roles in higher education is minimal compared to the number of women in higher education jobs in general. This phenomenological study explored pathways women took to advance in their careers and barriers that prevent more women from gaining senior administrative and leadership roles.…

[Hematopoiesis during remote period after acute radiation syndrome].

PubMed

Kotenko, K V; Bushmanov, A Iu; Suvorova, L A; Galstian, I A; Nadezhina, N M; Nugis, V Iu

2011-01-01

Based on the long (19.7 +/- 1.8 year) hemopoiesis follow-up study in 152 patients after acute radiation syndrome (ARS) as a result of exposure to gamma-, gamma-beta and gamma-eta radiation in a wide dose range (1.2-9.8 Gy) it was detected that cytopenia appears in the late consequences period: thrombocytopenia was found in 26.9% cases, leukocytopenia, neutropenia and lymphocytopenia--in 13.1% patients. A higher ARS degree causes the increase of various disorders (cytopenia and cytosis) in the late period. It reflects a tight interrelation between blood cell contents and radiation dose. Frequency of cytopenias increases if such somatic disorders: persistent hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis and late radiation ulcers as appear.

Three Decades of Implementation Research in Higher Education: Limitations and Prospects of Theory Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohoutek, Jan

2013-01-01

The article adopts a comparative approach to review three periods of theory development in research into higher education policy implementation. Given the conceptual affinity between Cerych and Sabatier's 1986 seminal study into higher education policy implementation and public policy implementation theory, the field of public policy is chosen for…

Ten Years of Higher Education in Virginia. A Report to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Gordon K.

The 10-year report of Virginia's Director of the State Council for Higher Education gives an overview of trends and changes in the state's institutions during that period, examines strategies for the future of the state's higher education planning, and discusses the role of technology in knowledge development. It outlines the broad principles of…

Periodic solutions with prescribed minimal period of vortex type problems in domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartsch, Thomas; Sacchet, Matteo

2018-05-01

We consider Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom of point vortex type for in a domain . In the classical point vortex context the Hamiltonian is of the form where is the regular part of a hydrodynamic Green function in Ω, is the Robin function: , and , are the vortex strengths. We prove the existence of infinitely many periodic solutions with prescribed minimal period that are superpositions of a slow motion of the center of vorticity close to a star-shaped level line of h and of a fast rotation of the two vortices around their center of vorticity. The proofs are based on a recent higher dimensional version of the Poincaré–Birkhoff theorem due to Fonda and Ureña.

Beliefs and social behavior in a multi-period ultimatum game

PubMed Central

Azar, Ofer H.; Lahav, Yaron; Voslinsky, Alisa

2015-01-01

We conduct a multi-period ultimatum game in which we elicit players' beliefs. Responders do not predict accurately the amount that will be offered to them, and do not get better in their predictions over time. At the individual level we see some effect of the mistake in expectations in the previous period on the responder's expectation about the offer in the current period, but this effect is relatively small. The proposers' beliefs about the minimum amount that responders will accept is significantly higher than the minimum amount responders believe will be accepted by other responders. The proposer's belief about the minimal acceptable offer does not change following a rejection. Nevertheless, the proposer's offer in the next period does increase following a rejection. The probability of rejection increases when the responder has higher expectations about the amount that will be offered to him or higher beliefs about the minimal amount that other responders will accept. PMID:25762909

Sensitive periods in human development: evidence from musical training.

PubMed

Penhune, Virginia B

2011-10-01

One of the primary goals of cognitive neuroscience is to understand the interaction between genes, development and specific experience. A particularly fascinating example of this interaction is a sensitive period - a time during development when experience has a differential effect on behavior and the brain. Behavioral and brain imaging studies in musicians have provided suggestive evidence for a possible sensitive period for musical training; showing that musicians who began training early show better task performance and greater changes in auditory and motor regions of the brain. However, these studies have not controlled for likely differences between early- (ET) and late-trained (LT) musicians in the number of years of musical experience. This review presents behavioral work from our laboratory comparing the performance of ET (before age seven) and LT musicians who were matched for years of experience on the ability to tap in synchrony with auditory and visual rhythms. The results demonstrate the existence of a possible sensitive period for musical training that has its greatest impact on measures of sensorimotor integration. Work on motor learning in children and how this might relate to the observed sensitive period effect is also reviewed. These studies are described in the context of what is currently known about sensitive periods in animals and humans; drawing on evidence from anatomy and physiology, studies of deafness, as well as structural and functional neuroimaging studies in trained musicians. The possible mechanisms underlying sensitive periods for musical training are discussed based on current theories describing the influence of both low-level features of sensory experience and higher-level cognitive processing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis

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

Ferreiro, J.E.; Arguelles, D.J.; Rams, H. Jr.

1986-01-01

A case of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is reported in a Hispanic man with an unusual recurrence six weeks after radioactive iodine treatment. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis has now been well characterized in the literature: it occurs primarily in Orientals with an overwhelming male preponderance and a higher association of specific HLA antigens. Clinical manifestations include onset after high carbohydrate ingestion or heavy exertion, with progressive symmetric weakness leading to flaccid paralysis of the extremities and other muscle groups, lasting several hours. If hypokalemia is present, potassium administration may help abort the attack. Although propranolol can be efficacious in preventing further episodes,more » the only definitive treatment is establishing a euthyroid state. The pathophysiology is still controversial, but reflects altered potassium and calcium dynamics as well as certain morphologic characteristics within the muscle unit itself.« less

Reforms in Yugoslavia. Case Studies on Innovation in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

This volume is one of a series of case studies on innovation in higher education published by the OECD. Part I, The General Context of Reform, briefly reviews the Yugoslav education system, and focuses on higher education to discuss the need for reform arising out of Yugoslavia's social and economic development plans, the excessive time required…

Building Collaborative Pedagogy: Lesson Study in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chenault, Krystel H.

2017-01-01

In this discussion-based article, the author considers the benefits of an in-depth collaborative model for curricular and faculty development, the Japanese lesson study, a method that is largely untested in higher education, though the few instances of its usage have produced promising results. The author examines the barriers to faculty…

Higher education delays and shortens cognitive impairment: a multistate life table analysis of the US Health and Retirement Study.

PubMed

Reuser, Mieke; Willekens, Frans J; Bonneux, Luc

2011-05-01

Improved health may extend or shorten the duration of cognitive impairment by postponing incidence or death. We assess the duration of cognitive impairment in the US Health and Retirement Study (1992-2004) by self reported BMI, smoking and levels of education in men and women and three ethnic groups. We define multistate life tables by the transition rates to cognitive impairment, recovery and death and estimate Cox proportional hazard ratios for the studied determinants. 95% confidence intervals are obtained by bootstrapping. 55 year old white men and women expect to live 25.4 and 30.0 years, of which 1.7 [95% confidence intervals 1.5; 1.9] years and 2.7 [2.4; 2.9] years with cognitive impairment. Both black men and women live 3.7 [2.9; 4.5] years longer with cognitive impairment than whites, Hispanic men and women 3.2 [1.9; 4.6] and 5.8 [4.2; 7.5] years. BMI makes no difference. Smoking decreases the duration of cognitive impairment with 0.8 [0.4; 1.3] years by high mortality. Highly educated men and women live longer, but 1.6 years [1.1; 2.2] and 1.9 years [1.6; 2.6] shorter with cognitive impairment than lowly educated men and women. The effect of education is more pronounced among ethnic minorities. Higher life expectancy goes together with a longer period of cognitive impairment, but not for higher levels of education: that extends life in good cognitive health but shortens the period of cognitive impairment. The increased duration of cognitive impairment in minority ethnic groups needs further study, also in Europe.

A prospective study of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the postpartum period in women with mood disorders.

PubMed

Pope, Carley J; Xie, Bin; Sharma, Verinder; Campbell, M Karen

2013-12-01

Individuals with mood disorders are at higher risk for self-harm and suicidal ideation than other psychiatric group. However, the risk of self-harm and suicidal ideation after pregnancy for women with mood disorders is unknown. This investigation assessed the prevalence of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the 1-year postpartum period in women with major depressive disorder or bipolar II disorder. Data were collected between June 2005 and March 2010 from a convenience sample of women participating in a study on the course of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum. Participant diagnosis was confirmed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Thoughts of self-harm were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale item 10 and suicidal ideation was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item 3. During the 1-year postpartum period, 16.97 % reported thoughts of self-harm while 6.16 % reported suicidal ideation. Further, those reporting thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation postpartum also reported higher levels of depression and hypomanic symptoms. We found that a number of women in our sample of women with a diagnosed mood disorder report experiencing thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the postpartum.

Autonomic adaptation after traditional and reverse swimming training periodizations.

PubMed

Clemente-Suárez, Vicente Javier; Fernandes, R J; Arroyo-Toledo, J J; Figueiredo, P; González-Ravé, J M; Vilas-Boas, J P

2015-03-01

The objective of the present study was to analyze the autonomic response of trained swimmers to traditional and reverse training periodization models. Seventeen swimmers were divided in two groups, performing a traditional periodization (TPG) or a reverse periodization (RPG) during a period of 10 weeks. Heart rate variability and 50 m swimming performance were analyzed before and after the training programs. After training, the TPG decreased the values of the high frequency band (HF), the number of differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals longer than 50 ms (NN50) and the percentage of differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals more than 50 ms (pNN50), and the RPG increased the values of HF and square root of the mean of the sum of the squared differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals (RMSSD). None of the groups improved significantly their performance in the 50-m test. The autonomic response of swimmers was different depending on the periodization performed, with the reverse periodization model leading to higher autonomic adaption. Complementary, the data suggests that autonomic adaptations were not critical for the 50-m swimming performance.

Periodic variation in the geomagnetic activity - A study based on the Ap index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Gonzalez, Alicia L. C.; Gonzalez, Walter D.; Dutra, Severino L. G.; Tsurutani, Bruce T.

1993-01-01

The monthly and daily samples of the Ap index for the interval from 1932 through 1982 were studied using the power spectrum technique. Results obtained for Bartel's period (about 27 days), the semiannual period, the dual-peak solar cycle distribution of geomagnetic storms, and certain other medium-scale periodicities are examined in detail. In addition, results on the cumulative occurrence number of storms per decade as a function of the Ap and Dst indices for the storm are presented.

Orbital period variation study of the low-mass Algol eclipsing binary AI Draconis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanna, Magdy A.

2013-06-01

Orbital period changes for the Algol-type eclipsing binary AI Dra were studied based on the analysis of its observed times of light minimum. The period variation showed cyclic changes in the interval from JD. ≈ 24 36000 to JD. ≈ 24 47500 and a secular period increase rate (dP/dt = 2.44 × 10-7 d/year) starting from JD. ≈ 24 48500 up to 24 55262, in a time scale equals to 5 × 106 year.

Analyzing and Identifying Teens' Stressful Periods and Stressor Events From a Microblog.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Xue, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Liang; Jia, Jia; Feng, Ling

2017-09-01

Increased health problems among adolescents caused by psychological stress have aroused worldwide attention. Long-standing stress without targeted assistance and guidance negatively impacts the healthy growth of adolescents, threatening the future development of our society. So far, research focused on detecting adolescent psychological stress revealed from each individual post on microblogs. However, beyond stressful moments, identifying teens' stressful periods and stressor events that trigger each stressful period is more desirable to understand the stress from appearance to essence. In this paper, we define the problem of identifying teens' stressful periods and stressor events from the open social media microblog. Starting from a case study of adolescents' posting behaviors during stressful school events, we build a Poisson-based probability model for the correlation between stressor events and stressful posting behaviors through a series of posts on Tencent Weibo (referred to as the microblog throughout the paper). With the model, we discover teens' maximal stressful periods and further extract details of possible stressor events that cause the stressful periods. We generalize and present the extracted stressor events in a hierarchy based on common stress dimensions and event types. Taking 122 scheduled stressful study-related events in a high school as the ground truth, we test the approach on 124 students' posts from January 1, 2012 to February 1, 2015 and obtain some promising experimental results: (stressful periods: recall 0.761, precision 0.737, and F 1 -measure 0.734) and (top-3 stressor events: recall 0.763, precision 0.756, and F 1 -measure 0.759). The most prominent stressor events extracted are in the self-cognition domain, followed by the school life domain. This conforms to the adolescent psychological investigation result that problems in school life usually accompanied with teens' inner cognition problems. Compared with the state-of-the-art top

New Horizons the Future of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egol, Morton

2006-01-01

Given the extraordinary success that higher education has enjoyed over a very long period, it is vulnerable to becoming the "victim of its own success." The challenge for higher education is multifaceted and includes: (1) Overcoming the tendency toward hallowed tradition and the status quo; (2) Formulating a vision for achieving the purpose of…

Detecting critical periods in larval flatfish populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, R. Christopher; Witting, David A.; Lewis, Stephen J.

2001-06-01

We evaluate the time-course of deaths and evidence of periods of increased mortality (i.e., critical periods) in laboratory populations of larval flatfish. First, we make the distinction between age-at-death and abundance-at-time data for fish larvae, the latter being typical in studies of natural populations. Next, we describe an experimental investigation of age- and temperature-dependent mortality in larval winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus. The survivorship curves of these populations differed significantly in both the magnitude and time-course of mortality among the four water temperatures evaluated (7, 10, 13, and 16°C). Mortality was highest in the cooler temperatures and concentrated in the third quarter of larval life, largely concurrent with settlement of surviving members of the cohort. Among the statistical methods for analysing survival data, the proportional-hazards model with time-varying covariates proved best at capturing the patterns of age-specific mortalities. We conclude that fair appraisals of recruitment hypotheses which are predicated on periods of high, age-specific mortality that vary with environmental conditions (e.g., Hjort's critical period hypothesis) will require: (1) data that are based on age, not time; (2) data that are of higher temporal resolution than commonly available at present and (3) analytical methods that are sensitive to irregularities in survivorship curves. We suggest four research approaches for evaluating critical periods in nature.

State Structures for the Governance of Higher Education: Michigan Case Study Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracco, Kathy Reeves

This case study, part of the State Structures for the Governance of Higher Education study, focuses on governance and related issues in Michigan's higher education system. The study's overall purpose was to examine differences among states in their governance structures, and to determine if differences in performance were related to governing…

Analyzing FCS Professionals in Higher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Scott S.; Harden, Amy; Pucciarelli, Deanna L.

2016-01-01

A national study of family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals in higher education was analyzed as a case study to illustrate procedures useful for investigating issues related to FCS. The authors analyzed response rates of more than 1,900 FCS faculty and administrators by comparing those invited to participate and the 345 individuals who…

A Study of Periodical Literature Searching at an Urban Research Library: Problems and Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Kevin

Patron use of periodical indexes at an urban academic research library was studied over a 7-week period in the summer of 1982. A total of 98 patrons were interviewed on a random basis as they used various periodical and newspaper indexes. The questionnaire was designed to gather information on citation elements, the methods patrons use to locate…

Women Reap More Benefits from Higher Education, Study Finds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troumpoucis, Patricia

2004-01-01

Higher education offers a variety of benefits, both economic and non-economic, and women seem to reap much bigger economic benefits from earning an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree than their male counterparts, according to a new study. The study's author said this revelation could shed some light on why the numbers of women in college…

Interspecific studies of circadian genes period and timeless in Drosophila.

PubMed

Noreen, Shumaila; Pegoraro, Mirko; Nouroz, Faisal; Tauber, Eran; Kyriacou, Charalambos P

2018-03-30

The level of rescue of clock function in genetically arrhythmic Drosophila melanogaster hosts using interspecific clock gene transformation was used to study the putative intermolecular coevolution between interacting clock proteins. Among them PER and TIM are the two important negative regulators of the circadian clock feedback loop. We transformed either the D. pseudoobscura per or tim transgenes into the corresponding arrhythmic D. melanogaster mutant (per01 or tim01) and observed >50% rhythmicity but the period of activity rhythm was either longer (D. pseudoobscura-per) or shorter than 24 h (D. pseudoobscura-tim) compared to controls. By introducing both transgenes simultaneously into double mutants, we observed that the period of the activity rhythm was rescued by the pair of hemizygous transgenes (~24 h). These flies also showed a more optimal level of temperature compensation for the period. Under LD 12:12 these flies have a D. pseudoobscura like activity profile with the absence of morning anticipation as well as a very prominent earlier evening peak of activity rhythm. These observation are consistent with the view that TIM and PER form a heterospecific coevolved module at least for the circadian period of activity rhythms. However the strength of rhythmicity was reduced by having both transgenes present, so while evidence for a coevolution between PER and TIM is observed for some characters it is not for others. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Periodic fluctuations in correlation-based connectivity density time series: Application to wind speed-monitoring network in Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laib, Mohamed; Telesca, Luciano; Kanevski, Mikhail

2018-02-01

In this paper, we study the periodic fluctuations of connectivity density time series of a wind speed-monitoring network in Switzerland. By using the correlogram-based robust periodogram annual periodic oscillations were found in the correlation-based network. The intensity of such annual periodic oscillations is larger for lower correlation thresholds and smaller for higher. The annual periodicity in the connectivity density seems reasonably consistent with the seasonal meteo-climatic cycle.

Neither hereditary periodic fever nor periodic fever, aphthae, pharingitis, adenitis: Undifferentiated periodic fever in a tertiary pediatric center

PubMed Central

De Pauli, Silvia; Lega, Sara; Pastore, Serena; Grasso, Domenico Leonardo; Bianco, Anna Monica Rosaria; Severini, Giovanni Maria; Tommasini, Alberto; Taddio, Andrea

2018-01-01

AIM To describe the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients with undifferentiated periodic fever (UPF) and to investigate whether a clinical classification of UPF based on the PRINTO-Eurofever score can help predicting the response to treatment and the outcome at follow-up. METHODS Clinical and therapeutic information of patients with recurrent fever who presented at a single pediatric rheumatology center from January 2006 through April 2016 were retrospectively collected. Patients with a clinical suspicion of hereditary periodic fever (HPF) syndrome and patients with clinical picture of periodic fever, aphthae, pharingitis, adenitis (PFAPA) who were refractory to tonsillectomy underwent molecular analysis of five HPF-related genes: MEFV (NM_000243.2), MVK (NM_000431.3), TNFRSF1A (NM_001065.3), NLRP3 (NM_001079821.2), NLRP12 (NM_001277126.1). All patients who had a negative genetic result were defined as UPF and further investigated. PRINTO-Eurofever score for clinical diagnosis of HPF was calculated in all cases. RESULTS Of the 221 patients evaluated for periodic fever, twelve subjects with a clinical picture of PFAPA who were refractory to tonsillectomy and 22 subjects with a clinical suspicion of HPF underwent genetic analysis. Twenty-three patients (10.4%) resulted negative and were classified as UPF. The median age at presentation of patients with UPF was 9.5 mo (IQR 4-24). Patients with UPF had a higher frequency of aphthae (52.2% vs 0%, P = 0.0026) and musculoskeletal pain (65.2% vs 18.2%, P = 0.0255) than patients with genetic confirmed HPF. Also, patients with UPF had a higher frequency of aphthous stomatitis (52.2% vs 10.7%, P < 0.0001), musculoskeletal pain (65.2% vs 8,0%, P < 0.0001), and abdominal pain (52.2% vs 4.8%, P < 0.0001) and a lower frequency of pharyngitis (56.6% vs 81.3%, P = 0.0127) compared with typical PFAPA in the same cohort. Twenty-one of 23 patients with UPF (91.3%) received steroids, being effective in 16; 13 (56.2%) were

Applying to Higher Education: Information Sources and Choice Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simoes, Claudia; Soares, Ana Maria

2010-01-01

Higher education institutions are facing increasingly complex challenges, which demand a deeper understanding of the sources prospective students use when applying to a higher education institution. This research centres on students' decision-making process for higher education institutions, focusing on the pre-purchase period, and, in particular,…

38 CFR 49.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 49.28 Period of availability of funds. Where a funding period is specified, a recipient may...

40 CFR 30.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 30.28 Period of availability of funds. Where a funding period is specified, a recipient may...

45 CFR 74.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARDS AND SUBAWARDS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 74.28 Period of availability of funds. Where a funding period is specified, a recipient may...

Further studies of the pulsation period and orbital elements of Centaurus X-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fabbiano, G.; Schreier, E. J.

1977-01-01

The long- and short-term variability of the 4.8-s pulsation and the 2.1-day orbital periods of Centaurus X-3 are studied. The pulsation period decreases over 4 yr with a fractional change of -0.00028 per yr, but with rms fluctuations of 0.0002 s. In August-September 1972, a continuous transition from speedup to slowdown was observed. The orbital period also decreases over 4 yr with decrease of approximately 8 millionths per yr, and with significant fluctuations of the order of 0.00001 day over months. The orbital eccentricity is found to be about 0.0008. The pulsation-period variability is found to be consistent with a near balance between the Alfven and corotation radii in an accretion-disk model. The orbital-period variability is interpreted in terms of tidal circularization and possible mass transfer and loss.

Spectral functions of a time-periodically driven Falicov-Kimball model: Real-space Floquet dynamical mean-field theory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Tao; Hofstetter, Walter

2017-08-01

We present a systematic study of the spectral functions of a time-periodically driven Falicov-Kimball Hamiltonian. In the high-frequency limit, this system can be effectively described as a Harper-Hofstadter-Falicov-Kimball model. Using real-space Floquet dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT), we take into account the interaction effects and contributions from higher Floquet bands in a nonperturbative way. Our calculations show a high degree of similarity between the interacting driven system and its effective static counterpart with respect to spectral properties. However, as also illustrated by our results, one should bear in mind that Floquet DMFT describes a nonequilibrium steady state, while an effective static Hamiltonian describes an equilibrium state. We further demonstrate the possibility of using real-space Floquet DMFT to study edge states on a cylinder geometry.

Craniofacial structures' development in prenatal period: An MRI study.

PubMed

Begnoni, G; Serrao, G; Musto, F; Pellegrini, G; Triulzi, F M; Dellavia, C

2018-05-01

The development of skeletal structures (cranial base, upper and lower) and upper airways spaces (oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal) of the skull has always been an issue of great interest in orthodontics. Foetal MRI images obtained as screening exam during pregnancy can help to understand the development of these structures using a sample cephalometric analysis. A total of 28 MRI images in sagittal section of foetuses from 20th to 32th weeks of gestation were obtained to dispel doubts about the presence of skeletal malformations. Cephalometric measurements were performed on MRI T2-dependent images acquired with a 1.5 T scanner. The Software Osirix 5 permits to study sagittal and vertical dimensions of the skull analysing linear measurements, angles and areas of the skeletal structures. Vertical and sagittal dimension of cranial base, maxilla and mandible grow significantly (P < .01) between the second and third trimester of gestational period as well as nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal spaces (P < .05). High correlation between the development of anterior cranial base and functional areas devoted to speech and swallow is demonstrated (r: .97). The development of craniofacial structures during foetal period seems to show a close correlation between skeletal features and functional spaces with a peak between the second and third trimester of gestation. MRI images result helpful for the clinician to detect with a sample cephalometric analysis anomalies of skeletal and functional structures during prenatal period. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optimal recall period in assessing the adherence to antihypertensive therapy: a pilot study.

PubMed

Doró, Péter; Benko, Ria; Czakó, Anikó; Matuz, Mária; Thurzó, Ferenc; Soós, Gyöngyvér

2011-08-01

To evaluate the validity of patient self-reported adherence, and to find the optimal length of recall period which best reflects the long-term adherence pattern of the patient. Patients were recruited from a general practitioner's practice in a Hungarian town. In this prospective study 30 patients, who had already been on antihypertensive treatment, were involved. The study was designed to monitor one antihypertensive medication per patient for 3 months. Patients received a 3-month supply of one antihypertensive medication in an electronic Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). At the end of the study period patients completed a structured questionnaire regarding their medication taking behavior during the last 7, 14 and 30 days. The results measured with MEMS were considered as the reference value, and other measures were compared using the Bland-Altman method. Self-reported adherence, length of recall period, taking adherence and timing adherence measured by MEMS. Of the 30 patients included, 29 patients (13 males and 16 females) completed the study. The mean age of the patients was 60.6 years, ranging between 36 and 86 years. Patients were monitored for an average of 89 days (ranging between 49 and 106 days). Fifteen patients were on once daily, 9 patients were on twice daily, and 5 patients were on 3 times daily dosing schedule. The total expected number of medication taking events was 4,281. The MEMS caps recorded a total of 4,071 openings, which showed only a 3.56% deviation from the pill counts of the remaining tablets. The overall taking adherence was 95.1%, timing adherence was 75.2%. Patients' adherence report using a visual analog scale and reporting the number of missed doses became more accurate as the length of the recall period increased. Increased number of chronically taken medications was associated with better adherence. Increased dosing frequency of the observed antihypertensive medication resulted in decreased adherence. The results showed

Russian Higher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khisamutdinov, A. A.

2016-01-01

In the first half of the twentieth century, Russian emigrants in China established a network of higher education institutions based on the prerevolutionary Russian educational system. By referring to memoirs and publications in the periodical press, the author traces the history of the most significant educational establishments: Harbin School of…

On Extending the Probationary Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, James G.

2009-01-01

A number of U.S. institutions of higher education are considering multiyear extensions of the widely accepted seven-year maximum probationary period for all tenure-track faculty. Such a substantial extension is to be distinguished from, and exists in addition to, the ad hoc short-term extensions that many institutions may now grant to individual…

22 CFR 145.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 145.28 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL RIGHTS GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 145.28 Period of availability of funds. Where a funding period is specified, a...

Has life satisfaction in Norway increased over a 20-year period? Exploring age and gender differences in a prospective longitudinal study, HUNT.

PubMed

Lysberg, Frode; Gjerstad, PåL; Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova; Innstrand, Siw Tone; Høie, Magnhild Mjåvatn; Arild Espnes, Geir

2018-02-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the change in overall life satisfaction for different age groups and between genders over a 20-year period. Data from 1984 to 2008 were extracted from a large prospective longitudinal health study of Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT), Norway. The study included more than 176,000 participants ranging from 20 to 70+ years of age. Data were analysed using logistic regression and adjusted for gender. The analyses revealed an increase in life satisfaction for all age groups from 1984-1986 (HUNT 1) to 1995-1997 (HUNT 2), with the highest levels being reached at 2006-2008 (HUNT 3). For all age groups, the data showed an increase of about 20% for the period from 1984-1986 (HUNT 1) to 1995-1997 (HUNT 2). From 1995-1997 (HUNT 2) to 2006-2008 (HUNT 3), the increase in overall life satisfaction was 16% for the younger age groups, and about 32% for the older age groups (40-69 and 70+ years). Women's scores for overall life satisfaction were higher for nearly all age groups when compared to men using HUNT 3 as a reference. These findings suggest an increase in life satisfaction for all age groups from 1984 to 2008, especially for the older age group (40-69 and 70+ years). The data indicate that women score higher on life satisfaction for most age groups as compared to men.

Reforming Iraqi Journalism and Mass Communication Higher Education: Adapting the UNESCO Model Curricula for Journalism Education to Iraqi Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavlik, John V.; Laufer, Peter D.; Burns, David P.; Ataya, Ramzi T.

2012-01-01

Journalism and mass communication higher education in Iraq is well established but largely isolated from global developments since the 1970s. In the post-Iraq war period, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) implemented a multiyear project to work with the leadership of Iraqi higher education to help update…

The Demand for Higher Education in Michigan: Projections to the Year 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moor, James R., Jr.; And Others

Using data from the 1960-1977 period, this study provides a range of headcount enrollment projections for the Michigan higher education system to the year 2000 by type of institution and by age and sex of student under alternative sets of projection assumptions. The theoretical framework, methodology, and working model developed in this study are…

Women's higher likelihood of disability pension: the role of health, family and work. A 5-7 years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study.

PubMed

Haukenes, Inger; Gjesdal, Sturla; Rortveit, Guri; Riise, Trond; Maeland, John Gunnar

2012-08-31

Women's higher risk of disability pension compared with men is found in countries with high female work participation and universal welfare schemes. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which self-perceived health, family situation and work factors explain women's higher risk of disability pension. We also explored how these factors influenced the gender difference across educational strata. The population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted in 1997-99 and included inhabitants born in 1953-57 in Hordaland County, Norway. The current study included 5,959 men and 6,306 women in paid work with valid information on education and self-perceived health. Follow-up data on disability pension, for a period of 5-7 years, was obtained by linking the health survey to a national registry of disability pension. Cox regression analyses were employed. During the follow-up period 99 (1.7%) men and 230 (3.6%) women were awarded disability pension, giving a twofold risk of disability pension for women compared with men. Except for a moderate impact of self-perceived health, adjustment for family situation and work factors did not influence the gender difference in risk. Repeating the analyses in strata of education, the gender difference in risk of disability pension among the highly educated was fully explained by self-perceived health and work factors. In the lower strata of education there remained a substantial unexplained gender difference in risk. In a Norwegian cohort of middle-aged men and women, self-perceived health, family situation and work factors could not explain women's higher likelihood of disability pension. However, analyses stratified by educational level indicate that mechanisms behind the gender gap in disability pension differ by educational levels. Recognizing the heterogeneity within gender may contribute to a deeper understanding of women's higher risk of disability pension.

Race without Racism: How Higher Education Researchers Minimize Racist Institutional Norms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Shaun R.

2012-01-01

This article analyzes 255 articles published in seven peer-reviewed journals over a 10-year period and presents examples of how higher education researchers undertake the study of campus racial climates; racial differences in access, outcomes, and attainment; and the experiences of students, faculty, and administrators of color on predominantly…

A study of 3-dimensionally periodic carbon nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ming; Bleiweiss, Michael; Amirzadeh, Jafar; Datta, Timir; Arammash, Fouzi

2012-02-01

Electronic structures with intricate periodic 3-dimensional arrangements at the submicron scale were investigated. These may be fabricated using artificial porous opal substrates as the templates in which the targeted conducting medium is introduced. In the past these materials were reported to show interesting electronic behaviors. [Michael Bleiweiss, et al ``Localization and Related Phenomena in Multiply Connected Nanostructured,'' BAPS, Z30.011, Nanostructured Materials Session, March 2001, Seattle]. Several materials were studied in particular disordered carbon which has been reported to show quantum transport including fractional hall steps. The results of these measurements, including the observation of localization phenomena, will be discussed. Comparisons will be made with literature data.

Does vitamin C and vitamin E supplementation prolong the latency period before delivery following the preterm premature rupture of membranes? A randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Gungorduk, Kemal; Asicioglu, Osman; Gungorduk, Ozgu Celikkol; Yildirim, Gokhan; Besimoğlu, Berhan; Ark, Cemal

2014-03-01

To determine whether maternal vitamin C and vitamin E supplementation after the premature rupture of membranes is associated with an increase in the latency period before delivery. In the present prospective open randomized trial, 229 pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) at ≥ 24.0 and < 34.0 weeks' gestation were randomly assigned to receive either 1,000 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E (n = 126) or a placebo (n = 123). The primary outcome was the latency period until delivery. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. No significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics were observed between the groups. Latency period until delivery was significantly higher in the group that received vitamins compared with the control group (11.2 ± 6.3 days versus 6.2 ± 4.0 days; p < 0.001). Gestational age at delivery was also significantly higher in the vitamin group compared with the control group (31.9 ± 2.6 weeks versus 31.0 ± 2.6 weeks; p = 0.01). No significant differences in adverse maternal outcome (i.e., chorioamnionitis or endometritis) or neonatal outcome (i.e., neonatal sepsis, neonatal death, necrotizing enterocolitis, or grade 3 to 4 intraventricular hemorrhage) were noted between groups. The findings of the present study suggest that the use of vitamins C and E in women with PPROM is associated with a longer latency period before delivery. Moreover, adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes, which are often associated with prolonged latency periods, were similar between the groups. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Periodicals Related to College Teaching. IDEA Paper No. 28.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cashin, William E.; Clegg, Victoria L.

This paper presents a list of periodicals that cover issues in college teaching for experienced and novice teachers. Periodicals are listed for 75 specific academic fields and for higher education in general. The specific academic fields include accounting, agricultural engineering, agriculture, agronomy, anthropology, architecture, art,…

Sequence periodicity in nucleosomal DNA and intrinsic curvature.

PubMed

Nair, T Murlidharan

2010-05-17

Most eukaryotic DNA contained in the nucleus is packaged by wrapping DNA around histone octamers. Histones are ubiquitous and bind most regions of chromosomal DNA. In order to achieve smooth wrapping of the DNA around the histone octamer, the DNA duplex should be able to deform and should possess intrinsic curvature. The deformability of DNA is a result of the non-parallelness of base pair stacks. The stacking interaction between base pairs is sequence dependent. The higher the stacking energy the more rigid the DNA helix, thus it is natural to expect that sequences that are involved in wrapping around the histone octamer should be unstacked and possess intrinsic curvature. Intrinsic curvature has been shown to be dictated by the periodic recurrence of certain dinucleotides. Several genome-wide studies directed towards mapping of nucleosome positions have revealed periodicity associated with certain stretches of sequences. In the current study, these sequences have been analyzed with a view to understand their sequence-dependent structures. Higher order DNA structures and the distribution of molecular bend loci associated with 146 base nucleosome core DNA sequence from C. elegans and chicken have been analyzed using the theoretical model for DNA curvature. The curvature dispersion calculated by cyclically permuting the sequences revealed that the molecular bend loci were delocalized throughout the nucleosome core region and had varying degrees of intrinsic curvature. The higher order structures associated with nucleosomes of C.elegans and chicken calculated from the sequences revealed heterogeneity with respect to the deviation of the DNA axis. The results points to the possibility of context dependent curvature of varying degrees to be associated with nucleosomal DNA.

Sequence periodicity in nucleosomal DNA and intrinsic curvature

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Most eukaryotic DNA contained in the nucleus is packaged by wrapping DNA around histone octamers. Histones are ubiquitous and bind most regions of chromosomal DNA. In order to achieve smooth wrapping of the DNA around the histone octamer, the DNA duplex should be able to deform and should possess intrinsic curvature. The deformability of DNA is a result of the non-parallelness of base pair stacks. The stacking interaction between base pairs is sequence dependent. The higher the stacking energy the more rigid the DNA helix, thus it is natural to expect that sequences that are involved in wrapping around the histone octamer should be unstacked and possess intrinsic curvature. Intrinsic curvature has been shown to be dictated by the periodic recurrence of certain dinucleotides. Several genome-wide studies directed towards mapping of nucleosome positions have revealed periodicity associated with certain stretches of sequences. In the current study, these sequences have been analyzed with a view to understand their sequence-dependent structures. Results Higher order DNA structures and the distribution of molecular bend loci associated with 146 base nucleosome core DNA sequence from C. elegans and chicken have been analyzed using the theoretical model for DNA curvature. The curvature dispersion calculated by cyclically permuting the sequences revealed that the molecular bend loci were delocalized throughout the nucleosome core region and had varying degrees of intrinsic curvature. Conclusions The higher order structures associated with nucleosomes of C.elegans and chicken calculated from the sequences revealed heterogeneity with respect to the deviation of the DNA axis. The results points to the possibility of context dependent curvature of varying degrees to be associated with nucleosomal DNA. PMID:20487515

Are Seminar Periods Supportive of the Professional Development of Social Studies Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Selçuk Besir; Dogan, Soner; Atasoy, Turgay

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of the seminar periods intended for contributing to the professional development of social studies teachers based on their own perspectives. This study adopts a qualitative approach and is carried out in the form of a case study. Among the purposeful sampling methods, the criteria sample…

Women's Access to Higher Education in Afghanistan: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashriqi, Khalida

2013-01-01

This qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of 12 Afghan women enrolled in higher education institutions in Afghanistan. The objective was to develop an understanding of the participants' perceptions of the factors that led to their enrollment in higher education and the factors that inhibit Afghan women…

Soy Mujer!: A Case Study for Understanding Latina Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Latinas are one of fastest growing segments of the population in the United States, which clearly shows a need to better understand and support education for Latinas within higher education. This study sought to understand the process for and experience of Latinas' academic achievement within higher education. The study focused particularly on the…

Sertraline and periodic limb movements during sleep: an 8-week open-label study in depressed patients with insomnia.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; Hao, Yanli; Jia, Fujun; Li, Xueli; Ren, Yanzhen; Zhou, Ping; Liu, Wuhan; Wing, Yun Kwok

2013-12-01

Previous studies have reported that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might induce or exacerbate periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS). However, most of these studies were retrospective and cross-sectional studies with small sample sizes on a selective SSRI, fluoxetine. Because different SSRIs have different pharmacologic profiles, it was not certain if other SSRIs also might lead to PLMS. Data were taken from an open-label 8-week trial of sertraline in depressive patients with insomnia (n=31). Depressed patients were administered sertraline 50mg at 8:00am on the first day, and the dosage was subsequently titrated up to a maximum of 200mg daily during the 8-week trial. All participants were tested by repeated polysomnography (PSG) (baseline, first day, 14th day, 28th day, and 56th day). Periodic leg movements (PLM) were visually counted and the PLM index (PLMI) was calculated. PLMS was defined as PLMI ⩾5, and significant PLMS was defined as PLMI ⩾15. Compared with baseline (PLMI, 3.6±1.5), all PLMI indices increased on the immediate administration of sertraline on the first day (PLMI, 5.1±3.9). From the 14th day onward, PLMI became stable and significantly higher than baseline and the first day (8.7±3.1 on the 14th day, 8.3±3.7 on the 28th day, and 8.5±3.6 on the 56th day; F[11.81]; P=.003). The clinical responses and PSG characteristics continuously improved during the 8-week trial. The PLMS group (PLMI ⩾5) had a higher arousal index (AI) than the non-PLMS group on the 14th day (9.4±5.5 vs 5.2±3.7; t test, 4.22; P=.03) and the 56th day (8.1±5.5 vs 4.3±3.7; z score, 3.11; P=.04); albeit, there was no significant clinical disturbances in the PLMS group. PLMS were increased during sertraline treatment, but only a few of the PLMS reached the significant level. This effect of sertraline on PLMS might be dosage dependent. Although the sertraline-induced PLMS did not seem to cause significant clinical disturbance, the PLMS group (PLMI �

Evolution of periodicity in periodical cicadas.

PubMed

Ito, Hiromu; Kakishima, Satoshi; Uehara, Takashi; Morita, Satoru; Koyama, Takuya; Sota, Teiji; Cooley, John R; Yoshimura, Jin

2015-09-14

Periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) in the USA are famous for their unique prime-numbered life cycles of 13 and 17 years and their nearly perfectly synchronized mass emergences. Because almost all known species of cicada are non-periodical, periodicity is assumed to be a derived state. A leading hypothesis for the evolution of periodicity in Magicicada implicates the decline in average temperature during glacial periods. During the evolution of periodicity, the determinant of maturation in ancestral cicadas is hypothesized to have switched from size dependence to time (period) dependence. The selection for the prime-numbered cycles should have taken place only after the fixation of periodicity. Here, we build an individual-based model of cicadas under conditions of climatic cooling to explore the fixation of periodicity. In our model, under cold environments, extremely long juvenile stages lead to extremely low adult densities, limiting mating opportunities and favouring the evolution of synchronized emergence. Our results indicate that these changes, which were triggered by glacial cooling, could have led to the fixation of periodicity in the non-periodical ancestors.

Evolution of periodicity in periodical cicadas

PubMed Central

Ito, Hiromu; Kakishima, Satoshi; Uehara, Takashi; Morita, Satoru; Koyama, Takuya; Sota, Teiji; Cooley, John R.; Yoshimura, Jin

2015-01-01

Periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) in the USA are famous for their unique prime-numbered life cycles of 13 and 17 years and their nearly perfectly synchronized mass emergences. Because almost all known species of cicada are non-periodical, periodicity is assumed to be a derived state. A leading hypothesis for the evolution of periodicity in Magicicada implicates the decline in average temperature during glacial periods. During the evolution of periodicity, the determinant of maturation in ancestral cicadas is hypothesized to have switched from size dependence to time (period) dependence. The selection for the prime-numbered cycles should have taken place only after the fixation of periodicity. Here, we build an individual-based model of cicadas under conditions of climatic cooling to explore the fixation of periodicity. In our model, under cold environments, extremely long juvenile stages lead to extremely low adult densities, limiting mating opportunities and favouring the evolution of synchronized emergence. Our results indicate that these changes, which were triggered by glacial cooling, could have led to the fixation of periodicity in the non-periodical ancestors. PMID:26365061

Higher Education Quality Assessment in China: An Impact Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Shuiyun

2015-01-01

This research analyses an external higher education quality assessment scheme in China, namely, the Quality Assessment of Undergraduate Education (QAUE) scheme. Case studies were conducted in three Chinese universities with different statuses. Analysis shows that the evaluated institutions responded to the external requirements of the QAUE…

Non-reciprocal wave propagation in one-dimensional nonlinear periodic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Benbiao; Gao, Sha; Liu, Jiehui; Mao, Yiwei; Li, Yifeng; Liu, Xiaozhou

2018-01-01

We study a one-dimensional nonlinear periodic structure which contains two different spring stiffness and an identical mass in each period. The linear dispersion relationship we obtain indicates that our periodic structure has obvious advantages compared to other kinds of periodic structures (i.e. those with the same spring stiffness but two different mass), including its increased flexibility for manipulating the band gap. Theoretically, the optical cutoff frequency remains unchanged while the acoustic cutoff frequency shifts to a lower or higher frequency. A numerical simulation verifies the dispersion relationship and the effect of the amplitude-dependent signal filter. Based upon this, we design a device which contains both a linear periodic structure and a nonlinear periodic structure. When incident waves with the same, large amplitude pass through it from opposite directions, the output amplitude of the forward input is one order magnitude larger than that of the reverse input. Our devised, non-reciprocal device can potentially act as an acoustic diode (AD) without an electrical circuit and frequency shifting. Our result represents a significant step forwards in the research of non-reciprocal wave manipulation.

Issue Priorities and Trends in State Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, Tricia

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) periodically surveys its members about the most important higher education issues of the day. In January 2002, the most recent version of the survey was sent to the chief executive officers of statewide coordinating and governing boards in 49 states, the District of Columbia and…

Regression periods in infancy: a case study from Catalonia.

PubMed

Sadurní, Marta; Rostan, Carlos

2002-05-01

Based on Rijt-Plooij and Plooij's (1992) research on emergence of regression periods in the first two years of life, the presence of such periods in a group of 18 babies (10 boys and 8 girls, aged between 3 weeks and 14 months) from a Catalonian population was analyzed. The measurements were a questionnaire filled in by the infants' mothers, a semi-structured weekly tape-recorded interview, and observations in their homes. The procedure and the instruments used in the project follow those proposed by Rijt-Plooij and Plooij. Our results confirm the existence of the regression periods in the first year of children's life. Inter-coder agreement for trained coders was 78.2% and within-coder agreement was 90.1%. In the discussion, the possible meaning and relevance of regression periods in order to understand development from a psychobiological and social framework is commented upon.

Profiling Approaches to Teaching in Higher Education: A Cluster-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stes, Ann; Van Petegem, Peter

2014-01-01

Teaching approaches in higher education have already been the subject of a considerable body of research. An important contribution was Prosser and Trigwell's development of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI). The present study aims to map out the approaches to teaching profiles of teachers in higher education on the basis of their scores…

The Dimensions of "Social Dynamics" in Comparative Studies on Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Välimaa, Jussi; Nokkala, Terhi

2014-01-01

This article discusses social dynamics of higher education which is one of the most crucial but neglected perspectives in comparative studies of higher education. We pay attention to the importance of time, space and contexts--both geographical and socio-cultural ones--to reveal how they influence on different social dynamics in various systems of…

Development Status of Higher Education in Northern India: A Review Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verma, Chaman

2017-01-01

In development of any country depends upon higher educational status. India is fast growing country in the field of education and technology. Most of IT engineers are deputed in world's most IT companies. It has been possible because of strong development higher education system in India. This paper focuses on the comparative study of higher…

Depression and Anxiety in the Postpartum Period and Risk of Bipolar Disorder: A Danish Nationwide Register-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoqin; Agerbo, Esben; Li, Jiong; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Bergink, Veerle; Munk-Olsen, Trine

2017-05-01

The first-onset affective episode requiring inpatient treatment in the postpartum period can be a marker of bipolar disorder, but it is unknown whether milder postpartum affective episodes are also indicators of underlying bipolarity. Therefore, we aimed to study whether women with a nonpsychotic postpartum affective episode treated with antidepressants have an increased risk of bipolar disorder. A register-based cohort study was conducted in Denmark of 122,622 parous women without psychiatric history who received a first-time antidepressant prescription during 1997-2012. We compared women with a first-time antidepressant prescription, which was our indicator of a first-onset affective disorder, within 1 year postpartum to women with a first-time antidepressant prescription outside the postpartum period. Our outcome was psychiatric contact for bipolar disorder (ICD-10 criteria) during follow-up, and we estimated hazard ratios using Cox regressions. The risk of bipolar disorder among women with a postpartum affective episode was higher than that in women with an affective episode outside the postpartum period. The risk of bipolar disorder was 1.66 (95% CI, 1.12-2.48) for postpartum antidepressant monotherapy and 10.15 (95% CI, 7.13-14.46) for postpartum antidepressant therapy plus a subsequent prescription for anxiolytics when these therapies were compared to antidepressant monotherapy outside the postpartum period. First-onset nonpsychotic postpartum affective disorder can be a marker of underlying bipolarity. Women who fill an antidepressant prescription following childbirth should be asked about hypomanic or manic symptoms and monitored long term. Clinically, when antidepressant monotherapy is ineffective or the individual woman experiences persistent and concerning symptoms, health professionals should consider a possible bipolar spectrum disorder. © Copyright 2017 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Comparing Post-Soviet Changes in Higher Education Governance in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azimbayeva, Gulzhan

2017-01-01

This paper argues that during the "perestroika" period the institutionalised context of the Soviet higher education governance was transformed dramatically, and has attempted to explain the outcomes for higher education from the "perestroika" period and proposed the theory of "institutional dis/continuities". The…

Breeding period in the mangrove crab Goniopsis cruentata (Decapoda: Grapsidae) in Northeast Brazil.

PubMed

de Lira, José Jonathas Pereira Rodrigues; Calado, Tereza Cristina dos Santos; de Araújo, Marina de Sá Leitão Câmara

2013-03-01

The brachyuran crabs are iteroparous species which present a high diversification of reproduction patterns, which may have evolved as a species-specific response to environmental conditions. Tropical species commonly present a year-round reproduction due to stable environment conditions. Goniopsis cruentata is a crab species widely distributed along the Western Atlantic, inhabiting practically every microhabitat in the mangrove ecosystem. The aim of the present study is to determine the breeding period of the crab Goniopsis cruentata in Northeastern Brazil and also to evaluate the influence of water salinity, rainfall and air and water temperature on it. A total of 71 ovigerous females, captured from August-2007 to July-2008, were used to assess the breeding period of this species. It was analyzed by the monthly proportion of ovigerous females. A correlation was applied to verify the influence of the abiotic factors on the breeding period. The present population bred seasonal-continuously with peaks in the dry period, which was not associated with monthly variations of salinity, rainfall and air and water temperatures. Therefore, according to statistical analyses, our hypothesis was refuted. However, breeding was intensified in the dry period, when salinity and temperatures were higher and rainfall was lower. We conclude that, even though breeding is not related to monthly variation of environmental factors, it occurs in periods of higher salinity and temperatures and lower rainfall.

A Statistical Study on Higher Educational Institutions in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neelaveni, C.; Manimaran, S.

2014-01-01

This study aims to observe the increased effectiveness of Higher Educational Institutions in India and its competitiveness. It proposes to develop the interest in enhancing the quality in Educational Institutions. It is monitored and evaluated through rapid growth of information technology, which makes sophisticated data collection possible. This…

Branding in Higher Education: A Case Study from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garipagaoglu, Burçak Çagla

2016-01-01

Drawing upon the brand-building experience of a young and successful Turkish foundation university, this case study attempts to broaden our understanding of branding in Higher Education (HE). Focusing on the diverse brand conceptualizations, brand management principles and brand strategies that are deployed to circumvent barriers to successful…

Characterization of electronic structure of periodically strained graphene

DOE PAGES

Aslani, Marjan; Garner, C. Michael; Kumar, Suhas; ...

2015-11-03

We induced periodic biaxial tensile strain in polycrystalline graphene by wrapping it over a substrate with repeating pillar-like structures with a periodicity of 600 nm. Using Raman spectroscopy, we determined to have introduced biaxial strains in graphene in the range of 0.4% to 0.7%. Its band structure was characterized using photoemission from valance bands, shifts in the secondary electron emission, and x-ray absorption from the carbon 1s levels to the unoccupied graphene conduction bands. It was observed that relative to unstrained graphene, strained graphene had a higher work function and higher density of states in the valence and conduction bands.more » Furthermore, we measured the conductivity of the strained and unstrained graphene in response to a gate voltage and correlated the changes in their behavior to the changes in the electronic structure. From these sets of data, we propose a simple band diagram representing graphene with periodic biaxial strain.« less

Optical Studies of 20 Longer-Period Cataclysmic Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorstensen, John R.; Peters, Christopher S.; Skinner, Julie N.

2010-11-01

We obtained time-series radial-velocity spectroscopy of 20 cataclysmic variable stars, with the aim of determining orbital periods Porb. All of the stars reported here prove to have Porb > 3.5 h. For 16 of the stars, these are the first available period determinations, and for the remaining four (V709 Cas, AF Cam, V1062 Tau, and RX J2133 + 51), we use new observations to improve the accuracy of previously published periods. Most of the targets are dwarf novae, without notable idiosyncrasies. Of the remainder, three (V709 Cas, V1062 Tau, and RX J2133 + 51) are intermediate polars (DQ Her stars); one (IPHAS 0345) is a secondary-dominated system without known outbursts, similar to LY UMa; one (V1059 Sgr) is an old nova; and two others (V478 Her and V1082 Sgr) are long-period novalike variables. The stars with new periods are IPHAS 0345 (0.314 days) V344 Ori (0.234 days) VZ Sex (0.149 days) NSVS 1057 + 09 (0.376 days) V478 Her (0.629 days) V1059 Sgr (0.286 days) V1082 Sgr (0.868 days) FO Aql (0.217 days) V587 Lyr (0.275 days) V792 Cyg (0.297 days) V795 Cyg (0.181 days) V811 Cyg (0.157 days) V542 Cyg (0.182 days) PQ Aql (0.247 days) V516 Cyg (0.171 days) and VZ Aqr (0.161 days). Noteworthy results on individual stars are as follows. We see no indication of the underlying white dwarf star in V709 Cas, as has been previously claimed; based on the nondetection of the secondary star, we argue that the system is farther away that had been thought and the white dwarf contribution is probably negligible. V478 Her had been classified as an SU UMa-type dwarf nova, but this is incompatible with the long orbital period we find. We report the first secondary-star velocity curve for V1062 Tau. In V542 Cyg, we find a late-type contribution that remains stationary in radial velocity, yet the system is unresolved in a direct image, suggesting that it is a hierarchical triple system. Based on observations obtained at the MDM Observatory, operated by Dartmouth College, Columbia

Higher Education: A Developing Field of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harcleroad, Fred F., Ed.

This volume includes materials that clearly indicate the state of the development of the field of higher education. The members of the Association of Professors of Higher Education gathered in their third formal national conference to read and discuss the materials included here. The ideas and information presented in this edited, and relatively…

Exploring Frameworks to Integrate Globalization, Mission, and Higher Education: Case Study Inquiry at Two Higher Education Institutions in the Pacific Northwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustafson, Jacqueline N.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the merits of three conceptual frameworks that emerged from a synthesis of literature related to globalization, mission, and higher education. The first framework, higher education and mission, included three frames: important, not important, and emergent. The second framework, globalization and higher…

Energy Efficiency of Higher Education Buildings: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soares, Nelson; Pereira, Luísa Dias; Ferreira, João; Conceição, Pedro; da Silva, Patrícia Pereira

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to propose an energy efficiency plan (with technical and behavioural improvement measures) for a Portuguese higher education building--the Teaching Building of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra (FEUC). Design/methodology/approach: The study was developed in the context of both the "Green…

Modeling and Mapping Personal Learning Environment of Thai International Higher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharafuddin, Mohamed Ali; Sawad, Buncha Panacharoen; Wongwai, Sarun

2018-01-01

This research article is part of a periodic study conducted to understand, model, map and to develop an integrated approach for effective and interactive self-learning phases of Thai International Hospitality and Tourism higher education students. Questionnaire containing both qualitative and quantitative questions was distributed at the beginning…

Effect of rivastigmine on mobility of patients with higher-level gait disorder: a pilot exploratory study.

PubMed

Gurevich, Tanya; Balash, Yacov; Merims, Doron; Peretz, Chava; Herman, Talia; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M; Giladi, Nir

2014-06-01

Higher-level gait disorder (HLGD) in older adults is characterized by postural instability, stepping dysrhythmicity, recurrent falls and progressive immobility. Cognitive impairments are frequently associated with HLGD. The aim of this study was to compare gait and cognitive performance before and after the use of rivastigmine in patients with HLGD, free from cognitive impairment or Parkinsonism. Fifteen non-demented patients with HLGD (age 79.2 ± 5.9 years; 11 women; Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] 28.3 ± 1.4) received escalating doses of rivastigmine for 12 weeks in an open-label, pilot study. They were assessed before and after treatment (week 0 and week 12), and after a 4-week washout period (week 16). Assessments included the Mindstreams computerized neuropsychological battery, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, gait speed and stride time variability. One-way multiple analysis of variance tests for repeated measures were used, and Pillai's trace test was considered as robust to investigate significant differences. The mean dose of rivastigmine during the 8-12 week period was 5.1 ± 2.3 mg/day. A positive effect was observed on the Mindstreams memory subscale and anxiety scores [Pillai's trace: F(6,724) = 0.508, p = 0.010; and F(7,792) = 0.545, p = 0.006, respectively, over the course of the study] as well as on mobility (TUG test) [Pillai's trace: F(4,863) = 0.448; p = 0.028], whereas gait speed and stride time variability did not change. The use of relatively low-dose rivastigmine did not affect gait speed and stride time variability; however, the general mobility and anxiety were improved. These preliminary results warrant a larger, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Reflections on Teaching Periodic Table Concepts: A Case Study of Selected Schools in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokiwa, Hamza Omari

2017-01-01

The Periodic Table of Elements is central to the study of modern Physics and Chemistry. It is however, considered by teachers as difficult to teach. This paper reports on a case study exploring reflections on teaching periodic table concepts in five secondary schools from South Africa. Qualitative methodology of interviews and document analysis…

Human comfort studies in Debrecen regarding the 2006-2008 period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyarmati, R.; Toth, T.; Szegedi, S.; Kapocska, L.

2010-09-01

Human comfort studies in Debrecen regarding the 2006-2008 period Renata Gyarmati, Tamas Toth, Sandor Szegedi and Laszlo Kapocska University of Debrecen Department of Meteorology, 4032 Debrecen Egyetem tér 1. The significance of human meteorological studies, primarily the importance of observing the sensitivity to fronts has been verified by several foreign and native authors. However, this field of research has shown few exact scientific achievements so far, but the understanding of the connection between weather and human comfort could be promotive factor of human health preservation. This project is quite current since a great part of so called ‘healthy people', who are not suffered from constant diseases are sorely tried by the changing weather. Frequent occurrence of extreme meteorological events will increase the number of meteoropathies in the near future. The whole living world is sensitive to changes in temperature, pressure, humidity and wind speed caused by meteorological events. Frequent fluctuations cause a great trial to pregnant women. The presence of the contact between weather and obstetrical events, formerly proved by Raics (1972), Nowinszky-Nowinszky (1996-1997), Puskás (2008) is supported by our examined data from the University of Debrecen Medical School and Health Science Centre Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. During our observation we scrutinized the relation between frontal passage macrosynoptic types and birth number. It's evident that higher data of birth number can be observed during on-coming weather fronts. In case of resident warm fronts, contrast with free-from-front days increasing values can't be experienced although an increase can be observed at the other front types. In the mentioned term over the change of pressure a significant change in temperature probably produced an effect on start of labours. This is in harmony with macrosynoptic types applied to the Carpathian basin. According to this, higher birth number was

Higher Education Provision Using Systems Thinking Approach--Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhukaram, Anandhi Vivekanandan; Sgouropoulou, Cleo; Feldman, Gerald; Amini, Ardavan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the complexities involved in higher education provision and how systems thinking and socio-technical systems (STS) thinking approach can be used to understand the education ecosystem. Systems thinking perspective is provided using two case studies: the development of European Learner Mobility (EuroLM)…

Short-Period Surface Wave Based Seismic Event Relocation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White-Gaynor, A.; Cleveland, M.; Nyblade, A.; Kintner, J. A.; Homman, K.; Ammon, C. J.

2017-12-01

Accurate and precise seismic event locations are essential for a broad range of geophysical investigations. Superior location accuracy generally requires calibration with ground truth information, but superb relative location precision is often achievable independently. In explosion seismology, low-yield explosion monitoring relies on near-source observations, which results in a limited number of observations that challenges our ability to estimate any locations. Incorporating more distant observations means relying on data with lower signal-to-noise ratios. For small, shallow events, the short-period (roughly 1/2 to 8 s period) fundamental-mode and higher-mode Rayleigh waves (including Rg) are often the most stable and visible portion of the waveform at local distances. Cleveland and Ammon [2013] have shown that teleseismic surface waves are valuable observations for constructing precise, relative event relocations. We extend the teleseismic surface wave relocation method, and apply them to near-source distances using Rg observations from the Bighorn Arche Seismic Experiment (BASE) and the Earth Scope USArray Transportable Array (TA) seismic stations. Specifically, we present relocation results using short-period fundamental- and higher-mode Rayleigh waves (Rg) in a double-difference relative event relocation for 45 delay-fired mine blasts and 21 borehole chemical explosions. Our preliminary efforts are to explore the sensitivity of the short-period surface waves to local geologic structure, source depth, explosion magnitude (yield), and explosion characteristics (single-shot vs. distributed source, etc.). Our results show that Rg and the first few higher-mode Rayleigh wave observations can be used to constrain the relative locations of shallow low-yield events.

Ethics in the publication of studies on human visceral leishmaniasis in Brazilian periodicals.

PubMed

Malafaia, Guilherme; Rodrigues, Aline Sueli de Lima; Talvani, André

2011-02-01

To analyze ethical aspects of Brazilian articles on human visceral leishmaniasis, published after Resolution CNS 196/1996, and to analyze the policy on Brazilian periodicals on research ethics. An explanatory study with a bibliographical and documental nature was conducted. Selection of publications on research involving human beings since 1996 was performed in the SciELO Brazil database. Gaps associated with editorial policies on medical periodicals, based on information obtained from the "Instructions to authors" section of each periodical, were analyzed. While there were no articles on the compliance with ethical aspects in the first four-year period (from 1997 to 2000), 75% fulfilled at least one of the ethical requirements evaluated in the first year (2009) of a subsequent four-year period (from 2009 to 2012). A total of six out of 11 periodicals indicated that the information about ethical aspects should be mentioned in the body of the article. There were three periodicals that required a letter or document, informing about compliance with these aspects and signed by the author(s), to be sent; two that requested a copy of the document used to obtain the free and informed consent; one that clarified the need of a copy to authorize the approval by the Committee on Ethics in Research; and four in which no requirements of ethical aspects were found. There was an improvement in the description of compliance with ethical aspects found in articles. Standardization of ethical requirements for human research in Brazilian periodicals is suggested. This could promote compliance with the presuppositions of documents regulating human research.

College Higher Education in England 1944-66 and 1997-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parry, Gareth

2016-01-01

As a contribution to the history of higher education in English further education colleges, two policy episodes are sketched and compared. Both periods saw attempts to expand courses of higher education outside the universities. In the first, ahead of policies to concentrate non-university higher education in the strongest institutions, efforts…

Fast-crawling cell types migrate to avoid the direction of periodic substratum stretching

PubMed Central

Okimura, Chika; Ueda, Kazuki; Sakumura, Yuichi; Iwadate, Yoshiaki

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT To investigate the relationship between mechanical stimuli from substrata and related cell functions, one of the most useful techniques is the application of mechanical stimuli via periodic stretching of elastic substrata. In response to this stimulus, Dictyostelium discoideum cells migrate in a direction perpendicular to the stretching direction. The origins of directional migration, higher migration velocity in the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction or the higher probability of a switch of migration direction to perpendicular to the stretching direction, however, remain unknown. In this study, we applied periodic stretching stimuli to neutrophil-like differentiated HL-60 cells, which migrate perpendicular to the direction of stretch. Detailed analysis of the trajectories of HL-60 cells and Dictyostelium cells obtained in a previous study revealed that the higher probability of a switch of migration direction to that perpendicular to the direction of stretching was the main cause of such directional migration. This directional migration appears to be a strategy adopted by fast-crawling cells in which they do not migrate faster in the direction they want to go, but migrate to avoid a direction they do not want to go. PMID:26980079

Women physicists in Russia in a period of new reforms in fundamental science and higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Didenko, N.; Domashevskaya, E.; Ermolaeva, E.; Kunitsyna, E.; Vitman, R.

2015-12-01

New holistic reforms in the system of higher education and the State Academy of Sciences have been carried out in Russia recently. New types of universities were founded, and funding of science is shifting to a grants model. The Russian Ministry of Higher Education and Science is also working to attract well-known foreign scientists, especially expatriate Russians, through megagrants of 3-5 million to establish modern laboratories. Women are participating to an adequate degree in all parts of the ongoing reforms.

The next step in biology: a periodic table?

PubMed

Dhar, Pawan K

2007-08-01

Systems biology is an approach to explain the behaviour of a system in relation to its individual components. Synthetic biology uses key hierarchical and modular concepts of systems biology to engineer novel biological systems. In my opinion the next step in biology is to use molecule-to-phenotype data using these approaches and integrate them in the form a periodic table. A periodic table in biology would provide chassis to classify, systematize and compare diversity of component properties vis-a-vis system behaviour. Using periodic table it could be possible to compute higher- level interactions from component properties. This paper examines the concept of building a bio-periodic table using protein fold as the fundamental unit.

Leadership and Gender in Higher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Paula

2004-01-01

Literature concerning leadership styles in HE provides no distinct view on whether style relates to gender. Transformational styles are regarded by some as particularly suited to times of change, and likely to be adopted by women; but others argue such styles are unsuited to HE. In a study of leadership within an institute of higher education…

U.S. Virtual School Trial Period and Course Completion Policy Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Abigail; Barbour, Michael K.

2010-01-01

Variation in policies virtual schools use to calculate course completion and retention rates impacts the comparability of these quality metrics. This study surveyed 159 U.S. virtual schools examining the variability in trial period and course completion policies--two policies that affect course completion rates. Of the 86 respondents, almost 70%…

Split-field FDTD method for oblique incidence study of periodic dispersive metallic structures.

PubMed

Baida, F I; Belkhir, A

2009-08-15

The study of periodic structures illuminated by a normally incident plane wave is a simple task that can be numerically simulated by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. On the contrary, for off-normal incidence, a widely modified algorithm must be developed in order to bypass the frequency dependence appearing in the periodic boundary conditions. After recently implementing this FDTD algorithm for pure dielectric materials, we here extend it to the study of metallic structures where dispersion can be described by analytical models. The accuracy of our code is demonstrated through comparisons with already-published results in the case of 1D and 3D structures.

Maintenance of smoking cessation in the postpartum period: which interventions work best in the long-term?

PubMed

Su, Anny; Buttenheim, Alison M

2014-04-01

Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of adverse outcomes for both maternal and child health. Decades of studies have sought to increase cessation antepartum and reduce relapse postpartum. A number of effective interventions exist to significantly reduce smoking rates during pregnancy; however, less is known about how to prevent relapse in the postpartum period. This review investigates interventions to prevent relapse in the long-term postpartum period. We focus specifically on nonspontaneous quitters (individuals who quit smoking as a result of an external intervention) to reveal differences in long-term response to interventions for this population compared to spontaneous quitters. A systematic literature search yielded 32 relevant studies of pharmacological, behavioral, and incentives-based interventions. Results were compiled, analyzed, and compared in order to evaluate success factors in maintaining cessation postpartum. Though intervention groups showed consistently higher quit rates during pregnancy than control groups, none of the intervention types were effective at preventing relapse in the longer-term postpartum period. One study maintained significantly higher abstinence in the longer-term period postpartum using a mix of behavioral and incentives strategies. Additional research in this area is needed to identify optimal intervention strategies to reduce long-term postpartum relapse, particularly for nonspontaneous quitters.

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Jessica R.

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative…

Higher Education Pay and Prices Index. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2007

2007-01-01

The higher education pay and prices index (HEPPI) measures the general price level facing higher education institutions in the UK. It was produced at six-monthly intervals since it was started in 1956 but from the July 2006 edition it has been published annually, reflecting the fact that we are in a period of (relatively) low inflation in the UK…

Benchmarking Potential Factors Leading to Education Quality: A Study of Cambodian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ching-Yaw; Sok, Phyra; Sok, Keomony

2007-01-01

Purpose: To study the quality in higher education in Cambodia and explore the potential factors leading to quality in Cambodian higher education. Design/methodology/approach: Five main factors that were deemed relevant in providing quality in Cambodian higher education were proposed: academic curriculum and extra-curricular activities, teachers'…

Short-period atmospheric gravity waves - A study of their statistical properties and source mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedzelman, S. D.

1983-01-01

Gravity waves for the one year period beginning 19 October 1976 around Palisades, New York, are investigated to determine their statistical properties and sources. The waves have typical periods of 10 min, pressure amplitudes of 3 Pa and velocities of 30 m/s. In general, the largest, amplitude waves occur during late fall and early winter when the upper tropospheric winds directly overhead are fastest and the static stability of the lower troposphere is greatest. Mean wave amplitudes correlate highly with the product of the mean maximum wind speed and the mean low level stratification directly aloft. A distinct diurnal variation of wave amplitudes with the largest waves occurring in the pre-dawn hours is also observed as a result of the increased static stability then. The majority of waves are generated by shear instability; however, a number of waves are generated by distant sources such as nuclear detonations or large thunderstorms. The waves with distant sources can be distinguished on the basis of their generally much higher coherency across the grid and velocities that depart markedly from the wind velocity at any point in the sounding.

Study Quality in Higher Education Institution: Philosophy and Praxeology of Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juodaityte, Audrone

2004-01-01

This article defines total quality philosophy, its transformations and significance for study quality in higher education institution. It reveals the concepts, principles and problems of study quality management and provides overview of implementation of study quality management at today's European universities. The experience of two European…

Enantiomer-specific ketorolac pharmacokinetics in young women, including pregnancy and postpartum period.

PubMed

Kulo, Aida; Smits, Anne; Maleškić, Sanita; Van de Velde, Marc; Van Calsteren, Kristel; De Hoon, Jan; Verbesselt, Rene; Deprest, Jan; Allegaert, Karel

2017-02-21

Racemic ketorolac clearance (CL) is significantly higher at delivery, but S-ketorolac disposition determines the analgesic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pregnancy and postpartum period on enantiomer-specific (S and R) intravenous (IV) ketorolac pharmacokinetics (PKs). Data in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=39) were pooled with data in a subgroup of these women that was reevaluated in the later postpartum period (postpartum group, n=8/39) and with eight healthy female volunteers. All women received single IV bolus of 30 mg ketorolac tromethamine. Five plasma samples were collected at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours and plasma concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Enantiomer-specific PKs were calculated using PKSolver. Unpaired analysis showed that distribution volume at steady state (Vss, L/kg) for S- and R-ketorolac was significantly higher in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=31) compared to postpartum group (n=8) or to healthy female volunteers (n=8). CL, CL to body weight, and CL to body surface area (CL/BSA) for S- and R-ketorolac were also significantly higher in women following delivery. In addition, S/R-ketorolac CL/BSA ratio was significantly higher at delivery. Paired PK analysis in eight women shortly following delivery and in postpartum group showed the same pattern. Finally, the simultaneous increase in CL and Vss resulted in similar estimates for elimination half-life in both unpaired and paired analysis. In conclusion, pregnancy affects S-, R-, and S/R-ketorolac disposition. This is of clinical relevance since S-ketorolac (analgesia) CL is even more increased compared to R-ketorolac CL, and S/R-ketorolac CL ratio is higher following delivery compared to postpartum period or to healthy female volunteers.

Enantiomer-specific ketorolac pharmacokinetics in young women, including pregnancy and postpartum period

PubMed Central

Kulo, Aida; Smits, Anne; Maleškić, Sanita; van de Velde, Marc; van Calsteren, Kristel; de Hoon, Jan; Verbesselt, Rene; Deprest, Jan; Allegaert, Karel

2017-01-01

Racemic ketorolac clearance (CL) is significantly higher at delivery, but S-ketorolac disposition determines the analgesic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pregnancy and postpartum period on enantiomer-specific (S and R) intravenous (IV) ketorolac pharmacokinetics (PKs). Data in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=39) were pooled with data in a subgroup of these women that was reevaluated in the later postpartum period (postpartum group, n=8/39) and with eight healthy female volunteers. All women received single IV bolus of 30 mg ketorolac tromethamine. Five plasma samples were collected at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours and plasma concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Enantiomer-specific PKs were calculated using PKSolver. Unpaired analysis showed that distribution volume at steady state (Vss, L/kg) for S- and R-ketorolac was significantly higher in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=31) compared to postpartum group (n=8) or to healthy female volunteers (n=8). CL, CL to body weight, and CL to body surface area (CL/BSA) for S- and R-ketorolac were also significantly higher in women following delivery. In addition, S/R-ketorolac CL/BSA ratio was significantly higher at delivery. Paired PK analysis in eight women shortly following delivery and in postpartum group showed the same pattern. Finally, the simultaneous increase in CL and Vss resulted in similar estimates for elimination half-life in both unpaired and paired analysis. In conclusion, pregnancy affects S-, R-, and S/R-ketorolac disposition. This is of clinical relevance since S-ketorolac (analgesia) CL is even more increased compared to R-ketorolac CL, and S/R-ketorolac CL ratio is higher following delivery compared to postpartum period or to healthy female volunteers. PMID:27968707

Mental Health Status: A Study among Higher Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, V. Jurist Lionial

2013-01-01

Education is the totality of the process within which the students experiences are structured in order to promote desired learning. Education is a plan and procedure for the development of an individual. Education helps to attain the goal of life of an individual. Student period is one of the important periods in life to plan their future. To…

Accountability in Higher Education: Are There "Fatal Errors" Embedded in Current U.S. Policy Affecting Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grantham, Marilyn H.

Some observers of political phenomena are referring to the 1990s as the "age of accountability." Early in the decade of the '90s, articles in periodicals, professional journals and other sources were voicing warnings about increasing public policymaker frustration with higher education and the spreading development and implementation of…

Multiwavelength variability study and search for periodicity of PKS 1510-089

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castignani, G.; Pian, E.; Belloni, T. M.; D'Ammando, F.; Foschini, L.; Ghisellini, G.; Pursimo, T.; Bazzano, A.; Beckmann, V.; Bianchin, V.; Fiocchi, M. T.; Impiombato, D.; Raiteri, C. M.; Soldi, S.; Tagliaferri, G.; Treves, A.; Türler, M.

2017-05-01

Context. Blazars are the most luminous and variable active galactic nuclei (AGNs). They are thus excellent probes of accretion and emission processes close to the central engine. Aims: We concentrate here on PKS 1510-089 (z = 0.36), a blazar belonging to the flat-spectrum radio quasar subclass, an extremely powerful gamma-ray source and one of the brightest in the Fermi-LAT catalog. We aim to study the complex variability of this blazar's bright multiwavelength spectrum, to identify the physical parameters responsible for the variations and the timescales of possible recurrence and quasi-periodicity at high energies. Methods: The blazar PKS 1510-089 was observed twice in hard X-rays with the IBIS instrument onboard INTEGRAL during the flares of Jan. 2009 and Jan. 2010, and simultaneously with Swift and the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), in addition to the constant Fermi monitoring. We also measured the optical polarization in several bands on 18 Jan. 2010 at the NOT.Using these and archival data we constructed historical light curves at gamma-to-radio wavelengths covering nearly 20 yr and applied tests of fractional and correlated variability. We assembled spectral energy distributions (SEDs) based on these data and compared them with those at two previous epochs, by applying a model based on synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation from blazars. Results: The modeling of the SEDs suggests that the physical quantities that undergo the largest variations are the total power injected into the emitting region and the random Lorentz factor of the electron distribution cooling break, that are higher in the higher gamma-ray states. This suggests a correlation of the injected power with enhanced activity of the acceleration mechanism. The cooling likely takes place at a distance of 1000 Schwarzschild radii( 0.03 pc) from the central engine - a distance muchsmaller than the broad line region (BLR) radius.The emission at a few hundred GeV can be reproduced with inverse

Higher Education in Crisis: New York in National Perspective. Garland Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barba, William C., Ed.

In a set of 10 papers this volume explores nationally pressing issues in higher education, particularly financial and access issues, by examining those issues in the New York State's higher education system. The papers are: "Factors that Have Shaped Higher Education in New York State: A Historical and Current Perspective" (William C.…

Nerve growth factor preserves a critical motor period in rat striatum.

PubMed

Wolansky, M J; Paratcha, G C; Ibarra, G R; Azcurra, J M

1999-01-01

We previously found the occurrence of a critical motor period during rat postnatal development where circling training starting the 7-day schedule at 30 days-but not before or after-induces a lifetime drop in the binding to cholinergic muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) in striatum. Here, we studied whether nerve growth factor (NGF) participates in this restricted period of muscarinic sensitivity. For this purpose, we administered mouse salival gland 2.5S NGF (1.4 or 0.4 microg/day, infused by means of ALZA minipumps) by intrastriatal unilateral route between days 25 and 39, and then trained rats starting at 40 days. Under these conditions, NGF induced a long-term reduction in the striatal [3H] quinuclidilbenzylate (QNB) binding sites despite the fact that motor training was carried out beyond the natural critical period. Thus, at day 70, measurement of specific QNB binding in infused striata of trained rats showed decreases of 42% (p < .0004) and 33% (p < .02) after administration of the higher and lower NGF doses, respectively, with respect to trained rats treated with cytochrome C, for control. Noncannulated striata of the NGF-treated rats also showed a decrease in QNB binding sites (44%; p < .0001) only at the higher infusion rate. This effect was not found in the respective control groups. Our observations show that NGF modulates the critical period in which activity-dependent mAChR setting takes place during rat striatal maturation.

Gestation period and twinning in chimpanzees.

PubMed

PEACOCK, L J; ROGERS, C M

1959-04-10

The length of the gestation period in 118 births in a colony of chimpanzees was found to be 226.8 days, with a standard deviation of 13.3 and a range of 196 to 260 days. Six pairs of twins were born in 120 parturitions; thus the apparent twinning rate is higher than that in man.

Comparative efficiency of a scheme of cyclic alternating-period subtraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golikov, V. S.; Artemenko, I. G.; Malinin, A. P.

1986-06-01

The estimation of the detection quality of a signal on a background of correlated noise according to the Neumann-Pearson criterion is examined. It is shown that, in a number of cases, the cyclic alternating-period subtraction scheme has a higher noise immunity than the conventional alternating-period subtraction scheme.

A Study of Occupational Stress and Organizational Climate of Higher Secondary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedicta, A. Sneha

2014-01-01

This study mainly aims to describe the occupational stress and organizational climate of higher secondary teachers with regard to gender, locality, family type, experience and type of management. Simple random sampling technique was adopted for the selection of sample. The data is collected from 200 higher secondary teachers from government and…

Strategies for Hard Times in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desfosses, Louis R.

1996-01-01

Planning and management strategies used in the private sector have practical applications for higher education in a period of systemic and organizational stress. Promising strategies include organizational delayering; employee empowerment; boundless thinking, problem-solving teams; accelerated processes; quality management and improvement; and…

Chief Nursing Officer Survey: BSN and Higher Degree Initiatives in North Carolina.

PubMed

Schuler, Mary E; Polly Johnson, Mary P; Stallings, Karen D; Li, Yin

The purpose of this study was to determine gap areas where North Carolina should implement strategies to promote the Institute of Medicine's recommendation of an 80 percent bachelor of science workforce. The North Carolina Action Coalition sought information about the nursing BSN and higher degree workforce and about human resource policies/strategies that promote BSN and higher degree education. An electronic survey was used to query 120 acute care hospital chief nursing officers over a four-year period and 100 public health chief nursing officers over a two-year period. A majority of acute care and a minority of public health institutions had policies promoting BSN education. Barriers included lack of tuition reimbursement, scheduling/staffing issues, lack of local universities, and a perceived lack of value for nurses. A minority of respondents reported an 80 percent BSN workforce. Strategies are needed statewide to support nursing academic progression.

Ethnic Studies in U.S. Higher Education: History, Development, and Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu-DeHart, Evelyn

Institutions of higher learning in the United States have hastened to create ethnic studies programs, perhaps as a sort of "fire insurance" against student activism and protests. Certainly the move toward ethnic studies has roots in the student activism of the 1960s. Such studies are particularly prominent in large public institutions,…

Internationalisation of Higher Education and Global Mobility. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streitwieser, Bernhard, Ed.

2014-01-01

Continuous and rapid developments in global higher education today more than ever before present new questions, greater challenges, and vast new opportunities for institutions, policy makers, scholars and students alike. This book is a collection of studies and essays by many of the leading experts in international higher education who share their…

34 CFR 686.41 - Periods of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Periods of suspension. 686.41 Section 686.41 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION (TEACH) GRANT PROGRAM...

34 CFR 686.41 - Periods of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Periods of suspension. 686.41 Section 686.41 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (CONTINUED) TEACHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE AND HIGHER EDUCATION (TEACH...

Study of modeling aspects of long period fiber grating using three-layer fiber geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Amit

2015-03-01

The author studied and demonstrated the various modeling aspects of long period fiber grating (LPFG) such as the core effective index, cladding effective index, coupling coefficient, coupled mode theory, and transmission spectrum of the LPFG using three-layer fiber geometry. Actually, there are two different techniques used for theoretical modeling of the long period fiber grating. The first technique was used by Vengsarkar et al who described the phenomenon of long-period fiber gratings, and the second technique was reported by Erdogan who revealed the inaccuracies and shortcomings of the original method, thereby providing an accurate and updated alternative. The main difference between these two different approaches lies in their fiber geometry. Venserkar et al used two-layer fiber geometry which is simple but employs weakly guided approximation, whereas Erdogan used three-layer fiber geometry which is complex but also the most accurate technique for theoretical study of the LPFG. The author further discussed about the behavior of the transmission spectrum by altering different grating parameters such as the grating length, ultraviolet (UV) induced-index change, and grating period to achieve the desired flexibility. The author simulated the various results with the help of MATLAB.

What Has the Coalition Government Done for Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple, Paul

2015-01-01

Higher education in England has changed between 2010 and 2015 to a greater extent than in any other comparable time period--and as a direct result of the policies of the Coalition Government formed in May 2010. This commentary presents the view of the author in what the Coalition Government has done for higher education.

The Transition from Higher Education into Work: Tales of Cohesion and Fragmentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holden, Rick; Hamblett, John

2007-01-01

Purpose: This series of papers aims to explore the transition from higher education into work. It reports on research undertaken over a period of two years and which sought to track a number of young graduates as they completed their studies and embarked upon career of choice. Design/methodology/approach: The approach adopted is defined and…

[The study on the changes of serum IL- 6, TNF-α and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in the pregnant women during perinatal period].

PubMed

Li, Juan

2011-03-01

To study the change law of serum IL-6, TNF-α and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in the pregnant women during perinatal period. 100 pregnant women in our hospital from November 2009 to October 2010 were selected as research object, and the serum IL-6, TNF-α and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets be-fore and at labor onset occurring, after delivery at the first and third day were analyzed and compared. According the study, the serum IL-6 and TNF-aat labor onset occurring were higher than those before labor onset and af-ter delivery at the first and third day , the CD3(+), CD4 (+), CD8(+) and CD4/CD8 decreased first and then increased, all P < 0. 05, there were significant differences. The changes of serum IL-6, TNF-α and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in the pregnant women during perinatal period has a regular pattern, and it is worthy of.

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.

45 CFR 2543.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 2543.28 Period of...

Periodic structure formation and surface morphology evolution of glassy carbon surfaces applying 35-fs-200-ps laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csontos, J.; Toth, Z.; Pápa, Z.; Budai, J.; Kiss, B.; Börzsönyi, A.; Füle, M.

2016-06-01

In this work laser-induced periodic structures with lateral dimensions smaller than the central wavelength of the laser were studied on glassy carbon as a function of laser pulse duration. To generate diverse pulse durations titanium-sapphire (Ti:S) laser (center wavelength 800 nm, pulse durations: 35 fs-200 ps) and a dye-KrF excimer laser system (248 nm, pulse durations: 280 fs, 2.1 ps) were used. In the case of Ti:S laser treatment comparing the central part of the laser-treated areas a striking difference is observed between the femtoseconds and picoseconds treatments. Ripple structure generated with short pulse durations can be characterized with periodic length significantly smaller than the laser wavelength (between 120 and 165 nm). At higher pulse durations the structure has a higher periodic length (between 780 and 800 nm), which is comparable to the wavelength. In case of the excimer laser treatment the different pulse durations produced similar surface structures with different periodic length and different orientation. One of the structures was parallel with the polarization of the laser light and has a higher periodic length (~335 nm), and the other was perpendicular with smaller periodic length (~78-80 nm). The possible mechanisms of structure formation will be outlined and discussed in the frame of our experimental results.

Prologue to the American System of Higher Education: Higher Learning in Western Culture. Occasional Paper Number Four.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duryea, E. D.

In a discussion of the development of higher education in America, its European roots are traced to provide a historical perspective to some current issues. The paper examines the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment in relation to the influence that each of these historical periods had on the first colleges and universities in this…

An Investigation of Higher-Order Thinking Skills in Smaller Learning Community Social Studies Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Christopher; Bol, Linda; Pribesh, Shana

2011-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which higher-order thinking skills are promoted in social studies classes in high schools that are implementing smaller learning communities (SLCs). Data collection in this mixed-methods study included classroom observations and in-depth interviews. Findings indicated that higher-order thinking was rarely…

[Study of etiologic factors of infectious diseases of respiratory tract in school-age children during period of remission of a respiratory disease].

PubMed

Maĭorov, R V; Chereshneva, M V; Chereshnev, V A

2013-01-01

Detect features of microflora of upper respiratory tract on the example of flora of palatine tonsils and level of antibodies against intracellular parasites as markers of etiologic factors of respiratory infections in school-age children in remission period. 466 children from frequently and episodically ill groups were examined. Bacteriologic study of smears from the surface of palatine tonsils was carried out in all the children. By using EIA with the corresponding commercial test systems IgG level against Herpes simplex virus, Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Human respiratory syncytial virus was determined in blood sera according to instruction manual. During remission period of infectious process in the structure of microflora of upper respiratory tract in frequently ill children characteristic differences from their episodically ill peers were detected. In children with frequent respiratory infections a higher occurrence of antibodies against intracellular causative agents of these diseases was also detected. In the group of frequently ill, a direct correlation between frequency of infectious diseases of respiratory tract and occurrence of carriage of pathogenic and opportunistic microorgan isms as well as increase of antibodies against Herpesviridae, Cytomegalovirus, C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae was detected. Higher occurrence ofintra- and extra-cellular infectious agents as well as their associations may be considered as one of the reasons of insufficient effectiveness of prophylaxis measures in frequently ill children.

Reciprocity Between Robustness of Period and Plasticity of Phase in Biological Clocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatakeyama, Tetsuhiro S.; Kaneko, Kunihiko

2015-11-01

Circadian clocks exhibit the robustness of period and plasticity of phase against environmental changes such as temperature and nutrient conditions. Thus far, however, it is unclear how both are simultaneously achieved. By investigating distinct models of circadian clocks, we demonstrate reciprocity between robustness and plasticity: higher robustness in the period implies higher plasticity in the phase, where changes in period and in phase follow a linear relationship with a negative coefficient. The robustness of period is achieved by the adaptation on the limit cycle via a concentration change of a buffer molecule, whose temporal change leads to a phase shift following a shift of the limit-cycle orbit in phase space. Generality of reciprocity in clocks with the adaptation mechanism is confirmed with theoretical analysis of simple models, while biological significance is discussed.

Period Estimation for Sparsely-sampled Quasi-periodic Light Curves Applied to Miras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shiyuan; Yuan, Wenlong; Huang, Jianhua Z.; Long, James; Macri, Lucas M.

2016-12-01

We develop a nonlinear semi-parametric Gaussian process model to estimate periods of Miras with sparsely sampled light curves. The model uses a sinusoidal basis for the periodic variation and a Gaussian process for the stochastic changes. We use maximum likelihood to estimate the period and the parameters of the Gaussian process, while integrating out the effects of other nuisance parameters in the model with respect to a suitable prior distribution obtained from earlier studies. Since the likelihood is highly multimodal for period, we implement a hybrid method that applies the quasi-Newton algorithm for Gaussian process parameters and search the period/frequency parameter space over a dense grid. A large-scale, high-fidelity simulation is conducted to mimic the sampling quality of Mira light curves obtained by the M33 Synoptic Stellar Survey. The simulated data set is publicly available and can serve as a testbed for future evaluation of different period estimation methods. The semi-parametric model outperforms an existing algorithm on this simulated test data set as measured by period recovery rate and quality of the resulting period-luminosity relations.

Virtual Team Leadership: A Case Study in Christian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschy, Mary Jo

2011-01-01

This study focused on virtual team leadership in Christian higher education by exploring the viability and acceptability of leadership practices defined by Malhotra, Majchrzak, and Rosen (2007). They identified six leadership practices effective leaders use to overcome the unique challenges associated with virtual teams, including: (a)…

Internet of Things in Higher Education: A Study on Future Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldowah, Hanan; Rehman, Shafiq Ul; Ghazal, Samar; Naufal Umar, Irfan

2017-09-01

In the coming years, technology will impact the learning experience in many ways. Internet of Things (IoT) continues to confirm its important position in the context of Information and Communication Technologies and the development of society. With the support of IoT, institutions can enhance learning outcomes by providing more affluent learning experiences, improved operational efficiency, and by gaining real-time, actionable insight into student performance. The purpose of this study is to find out the potential of IoT in higher education and how to maximize its benefits and reducing the risks involved with it. Further efforts are necessary for releasing the full potential of IoT systems and technologies. Therefore, this paper presents a study about the impact of IoT on higher education especially universities. IoT stands to change dramatically the way universities work, and enhance student learning in many disciplines and at any level. It has huge potential for universities or any other educational institutions; if well prepared to ensure widespread and successful implementation by leadership, staff, and students. IoT needs development where universities can lead. Academics, researchers, and students are in a unique place to lead the discovery and development of IoT systems, devices, applications, and services. Moreover, this paper provides an evidences about the future of IoT in the higher education during the next few years, which have offered by a number of research organizations and enterprises. On the other hand, IoT also brings tremendous challenges to higher education. Hence, this paper also presents the perspective on the challenges of IoT in higher education.

22 CFR 518.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 518.28 Period of availability of funds...

15 CFR 14.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, OTHER NON-PROFIT, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 14.28 Period of...

Elevated Serum Hepcidin Levels during an Intensified Training Period in Well-Trained Female Long-Distance Runners

PubMed Central

Ishibashi, Aya; Maeda, Naho; Sumi, Daichi; Goto, Kazushige

2017-01-01

Iron is essential for providing oxygen to working muscles during exercise, and iron deficiency leads to decreased exercise capacity during endurance events. However, the mechanism of iron deficiency among endurance athletes remains unclear. In this study, we compared iron status between two periods involving different training regimens. Sixteen female long-distance runners participated. Over a seven-month period, fasting blood samples were collected during their regular training period (LOW; middle of February) and during an intensified training period (INT; late of August) to determine blood hematological, iron, and inflammatory parameters. Three-day food diaries were also assessed. Body weight and lean body mass did not differ significantly between LOW and INT, while body fat and body fat percentage were significantly lower in INT (p < 0.05). Blood hemoglobin, serum ferritin, total protein, and iron levels, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation did not differ significantly between the two periods. Serum hepcidin levels were significantly higher during INT than LOW (p < 0.05). Carbohydrate and iron intakes from the daily diet were significantly higher during INT than LOW (p < 0.05). In conclusion, an elevated hepcidin level was observed during an intensified training period in long-distance runners, despite an apparently adequate daily intake of iron. PMID:28335426

Elevated Serum Hepcidin Levels during an Intensified Training Period in Well-Trained Female Long-Distance Runners.

PubMed

Ishibashi, Aya; Maeda, Naho; Sumi, Daichi; Goto, Kazushige

2017-03-14

Iron is essential for providing oxygen to working muscles during exercise, and iron deficiency leads to decreased exercise capacity during endurance events. However, the mechanism of iron deficiency among endurance athletes remains unclear. In this study, we compared iron status between two periods involving different training regimens. Sixteen female long-distance runners participated. Over a seven-month period, fasting blood samples were collected during their regular training period (LOW; middle of February) and during an intensified training period (INT; late of August) to determine blood hematological, iron, and inflammatory parameters. Three-day food diaries were also assessed. Body weight and lean body mass did not differ significantly between LOW and INT, while body fat and body fat percentage were significantly lower in INT ( p < 0.05). Blood hemoglobin, serum ferritin, total protein, and iron levels, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation did not differ significantly between the two periods. Serum hepcidin levels were significantly higher during INT than LOW ( p < 0.05). Carbohydrate and iron intakes from the daily diet were significantly higher during INT than LOW ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, an elevated hepcidin level was observed during an intensified training period in long-distance runners, despite an apparently adequate daily intake of iron.

Manufacturing a Long-Period Grating with Periodic Thermal Diffusion Technology on High-NA Fiber and Its Application as a High-Temperature Sensor.

PubMed

Shen, Xiang; Dai, Bin; Xing, Yingbin; Yang, Luyun; Li, Haiqing; Li, Jinyan; Peng, Jingang

2018-05-08

We demonstrated a kind of long-period fiber grating (LPFG), which is manufactured with a thermal diffusion treatment. The LPFG was inscribed on an ultrahigh-numerical-aperture (UHNA) fiber, highly doped with Ge and P, which was able to easily diffuse at high temperatures within a few seconds. We analyzed how the elements diffused at a high temperature over 1300 °C in the UHNA fiber. Then we developed a periodically heated technology with a CO₂ laser, which was able to cause the diffusion of the elements to constitute the modulations of an LPFG. With this technology, there is little damage to the outer structure of the fiber, which is different from the traditional LPFG, as it is periodically tapered. Since the LPFG itself was manufactured under high temperature, it can withstand higher temperatures than traditional LPFGs. Furthermore, the LPFG presents a higher sensitivity to high temperature due to the large amount of Ge doping, which is approximately 100 pm/°C. In addition, the LPFG shows insensitivity to the changing of the environment’s refractive index and strain.

Study Methods for Improving Quality Learning and Performance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutsotso, S. N.; Abenga, E. S. B.

2010-01-01

Education is an investment to development and poor study methods should not compromise the mandate of higher education institutions to generate, preserve and disseminate knowledge and produce high quality graduates. Universities admit students with varying backgrounds in terms of learning/study styles, levels of preparedness and concepts of…

Theodore Brameld's Thought Infused in Higher Education Global Studies Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Stephen R.

2016-01-01

The assertion here is that Theodore Brameld's Social Reconstructionist thought can provide us in American higher education the philosophical foundation for a relevant 21st century curriculum global studies agenda. It is a curriculum that merges self-awareness with global societal evolution. Through the interjection of Brameldian social…

Must Hard Times in Higher Education Affect Study Abroad Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Rita

Three major concerns affect higher education in the United States: the decline in student population with some curtailment of programs, high inflation rates with constantly rising tuition, and political pressures on public colleges and universities. These factors affect study abroad programs in several ways. Public institutions may experience less…

A New Lean Paradigm in Higher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doman, Mark S.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This case study aims to demonstrate that lean principles and practices utilized in industry can be successfully applied to improve higher education administrative processes through an innovative and engaging learning experience involving undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach: This is a first-hand account by the instructor of…

A Longitudinal Study on Internship Effectiveness in Vocational Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wan, Chin-Sheng; Yang, Jen-te; Cheng, Shu-yun; Su, Chiakai

2013-01-01

A cooperative education experience (or internship placement) is an essential component of the curricula of vocational higher education. The efficacy of internship placements has become one of the major concerns facing those who develop education curricula. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to explore the relationships among the…

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Higher Education: A Collaborative Self-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Heejeong Sophia; Vomvoridi-Ivanovic, Eugenia; Jacobs, Jennifer; Karanxha, Zorka; Lypka, Andrea; Topdemir, Cindy; Feldman, Allan

2014-01-01

In this article we discuss findings from a collaborative self-study of how seven teacher educators define, enact, and navigate their roles as culturally responsive educators across various programs within a higher education institution. All participants conducted an individual interview with another team member and engaged in prolonged team…

Practical considerations for estimating clinical trial accrual periods: application to a multi-center effectiveness study

PubMed Central

Carter, Rickey E; Sonne, Susan C; Brady, Kathleen T

2005-01-01

Background Adequate participant recruitment is vital to the conduct of a clinical trial. Projected recruitment rates are often over-estimated, and the time to recruit the target population (accrual period) is often under-estimated. Methods This report illustrates three approaches to estimating the accrual period and applies the methods to a multi-center, randomized, placebo controlled trial undergoing development. Results Incorporating known sources of accrual variation can yield a more justified estimate of the accrual period. Simulation studies can be incorporated into a clinical trial's planning phase to provide estimates for key accrual summaries including the mean and standard deviation of the accrual period. Conclusion The accrual period of a clinical trial should be carefully considered, and the allocation of sufficient time for participant recruitment is a fundamental aspect of planning a clinical trial. PMID:15796782

Growth or Steady State? A Bibliometric Focus on International Comparative Higher Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosmützky, Anna; Krücken, Georg

2014-01-01

The study combines a bibliometric approach with a content analysis of abstracts of articles to explore the patterns of international comparative higher education research in leading international journals. The overall data set covers 4,095 publications from the Web of Science for the period 1992-2012 and the amount of international comparative…

Tensions in Higher Education Leadership: Towards a Multi-Level Model of Leadership Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolden, Richard; Petrov, Georgy; Gosling, Jonathan

2008-01-01

UK higher education is undergoing a period of significant change that generates a series of tensions and difficulties for universities and university leaders. This paper explores these tensions through analysis of findings from a study comprising 152 semi-structured face-to-face interviews in 12 UK universities. Building on from theories of…

Creating and Nurturing a Community of Practice for Language Teachers in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKinnon, Teresa

2013-01-01

This case study investigates the implementation of a virtual learning environment designed for language teachers for an institution-wide language programme in a UK higher education institution. This development has taken place over a 3 year period and included a pilot virtual learning environment for 300, followed by a full implementation to more…

Spectroscopic studies of wood fossils from the Crato Formation, Cretaceous Period.

PubMed

da Silva, J H; Freire, P T C; Abagaro, B T O; Silva, J A F; Saraiva, G D; de Lima, F J; Barros, O A; Bantim, R A; Saraiva, A A F; Viana, B C

2013-11-01

In this work we study two types of wood fossils (Gymnosperms, Araucariaceae) from the Crato Formation of Araripe Basin in Brazil, from the Cretaceous Period. The samples were characterized by Raman and infrared spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results obtained by different techniques showed that although the rocks surrounding the fossils have predominantly the same constitution - calcite - however, the formation processes of these types of wood fossils are quite different. One of the fossils, denominated as light wood, is predominantly composed of gypsum, while the other fossil, the dark wood, is rich in amorphous carbon, possibly the kerogen type. Implications relative to the environment where the plants lived millions years ago are also given. Finally, the results highlight the constitution of one of the most important paleontological sites of the Cretaceous Period in the South America. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen Nutrition Improves the Potential of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Alleviate the Effects of Drought Stress during Vegetative Growth Periods.

PubMed

Abid, Muhammad; Tian, Zhongwei; Ata-Ul-Karim, Syed Tahir; Cui, Yakun; Liu, Yang; Zahoor, Rizwan; Jiang, Dong; Dai, Tingbo

2016-01-01

Efficient nitrogen (N) nutrition has the potential to alleviate drought stress in crops by maintaining metabolic activities even at low tissue water potential. This study was aimed to understand the potential of N to minimize the effects of drought stress applied/occur during tillering (Feekes stage 2) and jointing (Feekes stage 6) growth stages of wheat by observing the regulations and limitations of physiological activities, crop growth rate during drought periods as well as final grain yields at maturity. In present study, pot cultured plants of a wheat cultivar Yangmai-16 were exposed to three water levels [severe stress at 35-40% field capacity (FC), moderate stress at 55-60% FC and well-watered at 75-80% FC] under two N rates (0.24 g and 0.16 g/kg soil). The results showed that the plants under severe drought stress accompanied by low N exhibited highly downregulated photosynthesis, and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence during the drought stress periods, and showed an accelerated grain filling rate with shortened grain filling duration (GFD) at post-anthesis, and reduced grain yields. Severe drought-stressed plants especially at jointing, exhibited lower Chl and Rubisco contents, lower efficiency of photosystem II and greater grain yield reductions. In contrast, drought-stressed plants under higher N showed tolerance to drought stress by maintaining higher leaf water potential, Chl and Rubisco content; lower lipid peroxidation associated with higher superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities during drought periods. The plants under higher N showed delayed senescence, increased GFD and lower grain yield reductions. The results of the study suggested that higher N nutrition contributed to drought tolerance in wheat by maintaining higher photosynthetic activities and antioxidative defense system during vegetative growth periods.

Stress is associated with exercise differently among individuals with higher and lower eating disorder symptoms: An ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Sala, Margarita; Brosof, Leigh C; Rosenfield, David; Fernandez, Katya C; Levinson, Cheri A

2017-12-01

Stress is associated with the maintenance of eating disorders and exercise behaviors. However, it is unclear how stress is associated with exercise and vice-versa among individuals with higher levels of eating disorder symptoms in daily life. The current study tested the moderating effect of eating disorder symptoms on the relationships between (1) daily stress and later exercise behavior and (2) daily exercise behavior and later stress. Female college students [N = 129, mean age = 19.19 (SD = 1.40)] completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. Participants then completed measures of stress and exercise four times daily across seven days using an automated telephone ecological momentary assessment system. Data were analyzed using multilevel models. Drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction significantly moderated the relationship between daily stress and later exercise (ps = .01-.05), such that higher daily stress predicted higher later exercise only in individuals who were low (but not average or high) in drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction symptoms. Stress is associated with exercise differentially depending on individuals' eating disorder symptoms. Our findings suggest that only individuals with lower levels of eating disorder symptoms exercise when stressed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Widening Participation in Sport-Related Studies in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study of Symbolic Struggles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundvall, Suzanne; Meckbach, Susanne

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on widening participation in higher education and the low recruitment of students from diverse backgrounds within sport-related programs. The purpose of the study has been to describe and increase the understanding of how the preconditions and premises for choosing to study "sport" appear to students from diverse…

Exploratory Study of Asian Pacific American Female Leaders in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mella, Hazel Roca

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if and to what extent the model minority myth prevents "Asian Pacific American" ("APA") women from achieving the president or chancellor position in higher education institutions. This study explored the experiences of APA female leaders who are presidents and chancellors to discover…

Public Regulatory Arrangements for Private Higher Education in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Antigoni; Levy, Daniel C.; Stensaker, Bjørn; Kanazir, Sanja

2017-01-01

The article presents an analysis of the developments of higher education laws and regulations in the Western Balkans for the period 1990-2015, with the aim of mapping the regulatory arrangements for the private higher education sector and to explore the relationship between public and private higher education in the region. Based on a conceptual…

Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) Economic Impact Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paff, L. A.; D'Allegro, M. A.

2007-01-01

In spring 2006, the Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) conducted a study to measure the economic impact of the five colleges located in Berks County: Alvernia College, Albright College, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus (Penn State Berks) and Reading Area Community College (RACC). Although many higher…

Steady-state phase error for a phase-locked loop subjected to periodic Doppler inputs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C.-C.; Win, M. Z.

1991-01-01

The performance of a carrier phase locked loop (PLL) driven by a periodic Doppler input is studied. By expanding the Doppler input into a Fourier series and applying the linearized PLL approximations, it is easy to show that, for periodic frequency disturbances, the resulting steady state phase error is also periodic. Compared to the method of expanding frequency excursion into a power series, the Fourier expansion method can be used to predict the maximum phase error excursion for a periodic Doppler input. For systems with a large Doppler rate fluctuation, such as an optical transponder aboard an Earth orbiting spacecraft, the method can be applied to test whether a lower order tracking loop can provide satisfactory tracking and thereby save the effect of a higher order loop design.

Mutations in the Circadian Gene period Alter Behavioral and Biochemical Responses to Ethanol in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Liao, Jennifer; Seggio, Joseph A.; Ahmad, S. Tariq

2016-01-01

Clock genes, such as period, which maintain an organism’s circadian rhythm, can have profound effects on metabolic activity, including ethanol metabolism. In turn, ethanol exposure has been shown in Drosophila and mammals to cause disruptions of the circadian rhythm. Previous studies from our labs have shown that larval ethanol exposure disrupted the free-running period and period expression of Drosophila. In addition, a recent study has shown that arrhythmic flies show no tolerance to ethanol exposure. As such, Drosophila period mutants, which have either a shorter than wild-type free-running period (perS) or a longer one (perL), may also exhibit altered responses to ethanol due to their intrinsic circadian differences. In this study, we tested the initial sensitivity and tolerance of ethanol exposure on Canton-S, perS, and perL, and then measured their Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) and body ethanol levels. We showed that perL flies had slower sedation rate, longer recovery from ethanol sedation, and generated higher tolerance for sedation upon repeated ethanol exposure compared to Canton-S wild-type flies. Furthermore, perL flies had lower ADH activity and had a slower ethanol clearance compared to wild-type flies. The findings of this study suggest that period mutations influence ethanol induced behavior and ethanol metabolism in Drosophila and that flies with longer circadian periods are more sensitive to ethanol exposure. PMID:26802726

Renoprotective RAAS inhibition does not affect the association between worse renal function and higher plasma aldosterone levels.

PubMed

Gant, Christina M; Laverman, Gozewijn D; Vogt, Liffert; Slagman, Maartje C J; Heerspink, Hiddo J L; Waanders, Femke; Hemmelder, Marc H; Navis, Gerjan

2017-12-20

Aldosterone is elevated in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may be involved in hypertension. Surprisingly, the determinants of the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and its role in hypertension are not well studied in CKD. Therefore, we studied the determinants of aldosterone and its association with blood pressure in CKD patients. We also studied this during renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition (RAASi) to establish clinical relevance, as RAASi is the treatment of choice in CKD with albuminuria. We performed a post-hoc analysis on data from a randomized controlled double blind cross-over trial in non-diabetic CKD patients (n = 33, creatinine clearance (CrCl) 85 (75-95) ml/min, proteinuria 3.2 (2.5-4.0) g/day). Patients were treated with losartan 100 mg (ARB), and ARB + hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg (HCT), during both a regular (200 ± 10 mmol Na + /day) and low (89 ± 8 mmol Na + /day) dietary sodium intake, in 6-week study periods. PAC data at the end of each study period were analyzed. The association between PAC and blood pressure was analyzed continuously, and according to PAC above or below the median. Lower CrCl was correlated with higher PAC during placebo as well as during ARB (β = -1.213, P = 0.008 and β = -1.090, P = 0.010). Higher PAC was not explained by high renin, illustrated by a comparable association between CrCl and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio. The association between lower CrCl and higher PAC was also found in a second study with single RAASi with ACE inhibition (ACEi; lisinopril 40 mg/day), and dual RAASi (lisinopril 40 mg/day + valsartan 320 mg/day). Higher PAC was associated with a higher systolic blood pressure (P = 0.010) during different study periods. Only during maximal treatment with ARB + HCT + dietary sodium restriction, blood pressure was no longer different in subjects with a PAC above and below the median. In CKD patients with a standardized regular sodium intake

An Open Future for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAndrew, Patrick; Scanlon, Eileen; Clow, Doug

2010-01-01

Education, and in particular higher education, has seen rapid change as learning institutions have had to adapt to the opportunities provided by the Internet to move more of their teaching online and to become more flexible in how they operate. It might be tempting to think that such a period of change would lead to a time of consolidation and…

Reform in American Public Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robles, Harriett J.

This paper provides an overview of higher education reform movements in the United States. While some of the 18th and 19th century reforms in the country are described, the emphasis is on the 20th century. Early in this period, the debate over general education and the need for a required core curriculum was central. McCarthyism influenced higher…

Study on a Multi-Frequency Homotopy Analysis Method for Period-Doubling Solutions of Nonlinear Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, H. X.; Qian, Y. H.

In this paper, a modification of homotopy analysis method (HAM) is applied to study the two-degree-of-freedom coupled Duffing system. Firstly, the process of calculating the two-degree-of-freedom coupled Duffing system is presented. Secondly, the single periodic solutions and double periodic solutions are obtained by solving the constructed nonlinear algebraic equations. Finally, comparing the periodic solutions obtained by the multi-frequency homotopy analysis method (MFHAM) and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, it is found that the approximate solution agrees well with the numerical solution.

Case study: Nutrition and training periodization in three elite marathon runners.

PubMed

Stellingwerf, Trent

2012-10-01

Laboratory-based studies demonstrate that fueling (carbohydrate; CHO) and fluid strategies can enhance training adaptations and race-day performance in endurance athletes. Thus, the aim of this case study was to characterize several periodized training and nutrition approaches leading to individualized race-day fluid and fueling plans for 3 elite male marathoners. The athletes kept detailed training logs on training volume, pace, and subjective ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) for each training session over 16 wk before race day. Training impulse/load calculations (TRIMP; min × RPE = load [arbitrary units; AU]) and 2 central nutritional techniques were implemented: periodic low-CHO-availability training and individualized CHO- and fluid-intake assessments. Athletes averaged ~13 training sessions per week for a total average training volume of 182 km/wk and peak volume of 231 km/wk. Weekly TRIMP peaked at 4,437 AU (Wk 9), with a low of 1,887 AU (Wk 16) and an average of 3,082 ± 646 AU. Of the 606 total training sessions, ~74%, 11%, and 15% were completed at an intensity in Zone 1 (very easy to somewhat hard), Zone 2 (at lactate threshold) and Zone 3 (very hard to maximal), respectively. There were 2.5 ± 2.3 low-CHO-availability training bouts per week. On race day athletes consumed 61 ± 15 g CHO in 604 ± 156 ml/hr (10.1% ± 0.3% CHO solution) in the following format: ~15 g CHO in ~150 ml every ~15 min of racing. Their resultant marathon times were 2:11:23, 2:12:39 (both personal bests), and 2:16:17 (a marathon debut). Taken together, these periodized training and nutrition approaches were successfully applied to elite marathoners in training and competition.

Interference pattern period measurement at picometer level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Xiansong; Wei, Chunlong; Jia, Wei; Zhou, Changhe; Li, Minkang; Lu, Yancong

2016-10-01

To produce large scale gratings by Scanning Beam Interference Lithography (SBIL), a light spot containing grating pattern is generated by two beams interfering, and a scanning stage is used to drive the substrate moving under the light spot. In order to locate the stage at the proper exposure positions, the period of the Interference pattern must be measured accurately. We developed a set of process to obtain the period value of two interfering beams at picometer level. The process includes data acquisition and data analysis. The data is received from a photodiode and a laser interferometer with sub-nanometer resolution. Data analysis differs from conventional analyzing methods like counting wave peaks or using Fourier transform to get the signal period, after a preprocess of filtering and envelope removing, the mean square error is calculated between the received signal and ideal sinusoid waves to find the best-fit frequency, thus an accuracy period value is acquired, this method has a low sensitivity to amplitude noise and a high resolution of frequency. With 405nm laser beams interfering, a pattern period value around 562nm is acquired by employing this process, fitting diagram of the result shows the accuracy of the period value reaches picometer level, which is much higher than the results of conventional methods.

Intracranial Pressure Increases During Rewarming Period After Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia in Postcardiac Arrest Patients.

PubMed

Naito, Hiromichi; Isotani, Eiji; Callaway, Clifton W; Hagioka, Shingo; Morimoto, Naoki

2016-12-01

Elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) may worsen brain injury and neurological outcome. Studies on the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for traumatic brain injury suggests that rapid rewarming from TH is associated with elevated ICP and poorer outcomes. However, few studies describe the time course of ICP changes during TH/rewarming after cardiac arrest (CA). In this study, we observed the changes in ICP during mild TH and rewarming after CA. Secondarily, we examined whether ICP is related to outcome. We studied comatose patients resuscitated from CA, who were treated with TH and who had ICP monitored. Target core temperature was 34°C for 24 h and target rewarming rate was 0.25°C/h. ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were monitored during the period. Outcome was rated as cerebral performance category. In nine patients, ICP increased during TH and rewarming (6.0 [4.0-9.0] mmHg to 16.0 [12.0-26.0] mmHg, p = 0.008). CPP did not change during the period (83.3 [80.1-91.0] mmHg to 74.3 [52.0-87.3] mmHg). Higher ICP was associated with worse outcomes (p = 0.009). All the cases with ICP >25 mmHg or CPP <40 mmHg died. Major ICP increment was observed during the rewarming period, although, some increase of ICP occurred even during the mild TH. ICP increment was higher in patients with worse outcomes.

New strategies for higher professional education.

PubMed Central

Pietroni, R

1992-01-01

Since the original recommendation in 1968 for a period of higher professional education, the development of this form of education has been slow. However, in 1990 a working party was established by the education division of the Royal College of General Practitioners to report on higher professional education. This paper describes some of the early work of the working party and its recommendations with particular emphasis on educational strategies, assessment and accreditation. A flexible, learner centred approach needs to be developed to encourage autonomy. Educational strategies are described which value previous experience and allow for a shift of responsibility for learning from the teacher to the learner. PMID:1419264

Association Between Medication Use and Performance on Higher Education Entrance Tests in Individuals With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Lu, Yi; Sjölander, Arvid; Cederlöf, Martin; D'Onofrio, Brian M; Almqvist, Catarina; Larsson, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul

2017-08-01

Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at greater risk for academic problems. Pharmacologic treatment is effective in reducing the core symptoms of ADHD, but it is unclear whether it helps to improve academic outcomes. To investigate the association between the use of ADHD medication and performance on higher education entrance tests in individuals with ADHD. This cohort study observed 61 640 individuals with a diagnosis of ADHD from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2013. Records of their pharmacologic treatment were extracted from Swedish national registers along with data from the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test. Using a within-patient design, test scores when patients were taking medication for ADHD were compared with scores when they were not taking such medication. Data analysis was performed from November 24, 2015, to November 4, 2016. Periods with and without ADHD medication use. Scores from the higher education entrance examination (score range, 1-200 points). Among 930 individuals (493 males and 437 females; mean [SD] age, 22.2 [3.2] years) who had taken multiple entrance tests (n = 2524) and used ADHD medications intermittently, the test scores were a mean of 4.80 points higher (95% CI, 2.26-7.34; P < .001) during periods they were taking medication vs nonmedicated periods, after adjusting for age and practice effects. Similar associations between ADHD medication use and test scores were detected in sensitivity analyses. Individuals with ADHD had higher scores on the higher education entrance tests during periods they were taking ADHD medication vs nonmedicated periods. These findings suggest that ADHD medications may help ameliorate educationally relevant outcomes in individuals with ADHD.

An overview of American higher education.

PubMed

Baum, Sandy; Kurose, Charles; McPherson, Michael

2013-01-01

This overview of postsecondary education in the United States reviews the dramatic changes over the past fifty years in the students who go to college, the institutions that produce higher education, and the ways it is financed. The article, by Sandy Baum, Charles Kurose, and Michael McPherson, creates the context for the articles that follow on timely issues facing the higher education community and policy makers. The authors begin by observing that even the meaning of college has changed. The term that once referred primarily to a four-year period of academic study now applies to virtually any postsecondary study--academic or occupational, public or private, two-year or four-year-- that can result in a certificate or degree. They survey the factors underlying the expansion of postsecondary school enrollments; the substantial increases in female, minority, disadvantaged, and older students; the development of public community colleges; and the rise of for-profit colleges. They discuss the changing ways in which federal and state governments help students and schools defray the costs of higher education as well as more recent budget tensions that are now reducing state support to public colleges. And they review the forces that have contributed to the costs of producing higher education and thus rising tuitions. The authors also cite evidence on broad measures of college persistence and outcomes, including low completion rates at community and for-profit colleges, the increasing need for remedial education for poorly prepared high school students, and a growing gap between the earnings of those with a bachelor's degree and those with less education. They disagree with critics who say that investments in higher education, particularly for students at the margin, no longer pay off. A sustained investment in effective education at all levels is vital to the nation's future, they argue. But they caution that the American public no longer seems willing to pay more for

Reforming Higher Education. Higher Education Policy Series 50.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, Maurice; Hanney, Stephen

This book examines the relationship between higher education policy and the state in the United Kingdom, discussing how changing concepts of the nature of the state and its role have affected the development of higher education policy. The book studies shifts from state-subsidized independence to ambiguous but increased dependence on state…

Decline in admissions for childhood asthma, a 26-year period population-based study.

PubMed

Mikalsen, Ingvild Bruun; Skeiseid, Liliane; Tveit, Line Merete; Engelsvold, David Hugo; Øymar, Knut

2015-12-01

The prevalence of childhood asthma has increased, although the rate of hospitalization for asthma seems to decrease. In Norway, the rate of hospital admission for childhood asthma from 1984 to 2000 increased. The aim of this study was to assess further trends in hospital admissions for childhood asthma up to 2010. A population-based study including children 1-13 yrs of age hospitalized for asthma during six periods from 1984/1985 to 2009/2010 in Rogaland, Norway, was performed. Medical records from 1536 admissions (1050 children) were studied; and gender, age, number of admissions, length of hospital stay, medications and symptoms were recorded. For all age groups, the rate of admissions per 10.000 increased from 20.1 in 1984/85 to 33.7 in 1989/90, but declined to 14.4 in 2009/2010. Rates were highest in boys (OR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.69, 2.09), younger age groups (OR 2.51; 2.38, 2.64) and decreased from 1984 to 2010 (OR 0.92; 0.88, 0.94). The rates of readmissions were higher than for primary admissions (OR 1.33; 1.19, 1.47). From 1984 to 2010, there was an increased use of inhaled corticosteroids prior to admission (6 to 51%) and started at discharge (7 to 37%), and systemic steroids given during admission (19 to 83%). There has been a substantial decline in the rate of hospital admissions for childhood asthma after 1989/1990, with major differences between age groups and genders. The decline could be due to improved care of children with asthma or a real reduction in asthma exacerbations. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Business Studies University: Turning Higher Education into Further Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainley, Patrick

2016-01-01

This paper argues that changes to both further and higher education that are already well underway are clarified by what can be called the model of the Business Studies University (BSU). The BSU elevates undergraduate student choice of equivalent level modular courses to the "heart of the system" (DBIS, 2011). This is rejected by those…

Quasi-Periodic Pulsations in Hydrogen Emission During Solar Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milligan, Ryan; Ireland, Jack; Inglis, Andrew

2016-10-01

There have been increasing reports of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) during solar flares in the literature recently. These recurrent variations in intensity have been detected over a wide range of wavelengths, most prevalently in X-rays and radio waves. The nature of these pulsations is still in dispute but they are widely agreed to be evidence for either a form of periodic driver of nonthermal electrons (such as magnetic reconnection) or magnetohydrodynamic oscillations. Flare observations of QPPs at EUV wavelengths have been scarce in recent years, and those in the literature are often derived from broadband measurements leaving some ambiguity as to whether the periodic behavior was occurring in the line(s) or the continuum. Here we present evidence for synchronous QPPs in the Lyman continuum (from SDO/EVE) and the Lyman-alpha line (from GOES/EUVS) during the well-studied 15 February 2011 X-class flare. The data were detrended using a Savitzky-Golay filter to reveal a periodicity of 2-3 minutes during the impulsive phase. Similar values were found in the SDO/AIA 1600A and 1700A channels despite being saturated, although no such evidence was found in the higher order Lyman lines (Lyman-beta, Lyman-gamma, Lyman-delta, etc). The formation temperature of the Lyman series of hydrogen suggests this emission is coming from the chromospheric footpoints, implying a quasi-periodic heating response due to a bursty energy release mechanism in the corona.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry study on E2 peak splitting of Si-Ge short period superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Y. D.; Klein, M. V.; Baribeau, J.-M.; Hwang, S. H.; Whang, K. W.; Yoon, E.

1997-06-01

We report spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) studies on (Si)2(Ge)12, (Si)6(Ge)2, and (Si)12(Ge)2 short period superlattices (SLs) whose optical response has not been reported yet. Multilayer calculations enabled us to determine the dielectric response of the superlattice layers. We report the clear observation of splitting of the E2 peak in (Si)m(Ge)n superlattices contrary to the previous SE report that the separation was observed only in larger period SLs.

Capability of simultaneous Rayleigh LiDAR and O2 airglow measurements in exploring the short period wave characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taori, Alok; Raghunath, Karnam; Jayaraman, Achuthan

We use combination of simultaneous measurements made with Rayleigh lidar and O2 airglow monitoring to improve lidar investigation capability to cover a higher altitude range. We feed instantaneous O2 airglow temperatures instead the model values at the top altitude for subsequent integration method of temperature retrieval using Rayleigh lidar back scattered signals. Using this method, errors in the lidar temperature estimates converges at higher altitudes indicating better altitude coverage compared to regular methods where model temperatures are used instead of real-time measurements. This improvement enables the measurements of short period waves at upper mesospheric altitudes (~90 km). With two case studies, we show that above 60 km the few short period wave amplitude drastically increases while, some of the short period wave show either damping or saturation. We claim that by using such combined measurements, a significant and cost effective progress can be made in the understanding of short period wave processes which are important for the coupling across the different atmospheric regions.

Existence of almost periodic solutions for forced perturbed systems with piecewise constant argument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Yonghui; Huang, Zhenkun; Han, Maoan

2007-09-01

Certain almost periodic forced perturbed systems with piecewise argument are considered in this paper. By using the contraction mapping principle and some new analysis technique, some sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence and uniqueness of almost periodic solution of these systems. Furthermore, we study the harmonic and subharmonic solutions of these systems. The obtained results generalize the previous known results such as [A.M. Fink, Almost Periodic Differential Equation, Lecture Notes in Math., volE 377, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1974; C.Y. He, Almost Periodic Differential Equations, Higher Education Press, Beijing, 1992 (in Chinese); Z.S. Lin, The existence of almost periodic solution of linear system, Acta Math. Sinica 22 (5) (1979) 515-528 (in Chinese); C.Y. He, Existence of almost periodic solutions of perturbation systems, Ann. Differential Equations 9 (2) (1992) 173-181; Y.H. Xia, M. Lin, J. Cao, The existence of almost periodic solutions of certain perturbation system, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 310 (1) (2005) 81-96]. Finally, a tangible example and its numeric simulations show the feasibility of our results, the comparison between non-perturbed system and perturbed system, the relation between systems with and without piecewise argument.

Variance Function Regression in Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort Models: Applications to the Study of Self-Reported Health

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hui; Yang, Yang; Land, Kenneth C.

2012-01-01

Two long-standing research problems of interest to sociologists are sources of variations in social inequalities and differential contributions of the temporal dimensions of age, time period, and cohort to variations in social phenomena. Recently, scholars have introduced a model called Variance Function Regression for the study of the former problem, and a model called Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort regression has been developed for the study of the latter. This article presents an integration of these two models as a means to study the evolution of social inequalities along distinct temporal dimensions. We apply the integrated model to survey data on subjective health status. We find substantial age, period, and cohort effects, as well as gender differences, not only for the conditional mean of self-rated health (i.e., between-group disparities), but also for the variance in this mean (i.e., within-group disparities)—and it is detection of age, period, and cohort variations in the latter disparities that application of the integrated model permits. Net of effects of age and individual-level covariates, in recent decades, cohort differences in conditional means of self-rated health have been less important than period differences that cut across all cohorts. By contrast, cohort differences of variances in these conditional means have dominated period differences. In particular, post-baby boom birth cohorts show significant and increasing levels of within-group disparities. These findings illustrate how the integrated model provides a powerful framework through which to identify and study the evolution of variations in social inequalities across age, period, and cohort temporal dimensions. Accordingly, this model should be broadly applicable to the study of social inequality in many different substantive contexts. PMID:22904570

Corporate Support of Higher Education. Pressure for a Realistic Appraisal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Hayden W.; And Others

The texts of three speeches on corporate giving to higher education are presented. In "The Potentials for Corporate Support of Higher Education--Realism Revisited," Hayden W. Smith outlines current corporate giving to education and trends in giving since 1950, a period during which changes in the law have encouraged the practice. These…

Tracing the cigarette epidemic: an age-period-cohort study of education, gender and smoking using a pseudo-panel approach.

PubMed

Vedøy, Tord F

2014-11-01

This study examined if temporal variations in daily cigarette smoking and never smoking among groups with different levels of education fit the pattern proposed by the theory of diffusion of innovations (TDI), while taking into account the separate effects of age, period and birth cohort (APC). Aggregated data from nationally representative interview surveys from Norway from 1976 to 2010 was used to calculate probabilities of smoking using an APC approach in which the period variable was normalized to pick up short term cyclical effects. Results showed that educational differences in smoking over time were more strongly determined by birth cohort membership than variations in smoking behavior across the life course. The probability of daily smoking decreased faster across cohorts among higher compared to lower educated. In contrast, the change in probability of never having smoked across cohorts was similar in the two education groups, but stronger among men compared to women. Moreover, educational differences in both daily and never smoking increased among early cohorts and leveled off among late cohorts. The results emphasizes the importance of birth cohort for social change and are consistent with TDI, which posits that smoking behavior diffuse through the social structure over time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Women’s higher likelihood of disability pension: the role of health, family and work. A 5–7 years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Women’s higher risk of disability pension compared with men is found in countries with high female work participation and universal welfare schemes. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which self-perceived health, family situation and work factors explain women’s higher risk of disability pension. We also explored how these factors influenced the gender difference across educational strata. Methods The population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted in 1997–99 and included inhabitants born in 1953–57 in Hordaland County, Norway. The current study included 5,959 men and 6,306 women in paid work with valid information on education and self-perceived health. Follow-up data on disability pension, for a period of 5–7 years, was obtained by linking the health survey to a national registry of disability pension. Cox regression analyses were employed. Results During the follow-up period 99 (1.7%) men and 230 (3.6%) women were awarded disability pension, giving a twofold risk of disability pension for women compared with men. Except for a moderate impact of self-perceived health, adjustment for family situation and work factors did not influence the gender difference in risk. Repeating the analyses in strata of education, the gender difference in risk of disability pension among the highly educated was fully explained by self-perceived health and work factors. In the lower strata of education there remained a substantial unexplained gender difference in risk. Conclusions In a Norwegian cohort of middle-aged men and women, self-perceived health, family situation and work factors could not explain women’s higher likelihood of disability pension. However, analyses stratified by educational level indicate that mechanisms behind the gender gap in disability pension differ by educational levels. Recognizing the heterogeneity within gender may contribute to a deeper understanding of women’s higher risk of disability pension. PMID

Talbot effect of quasi-periodic grating.

PubMed

Zhang, Chong; Zhang, Wei; Li, Furui; Wang, Junhong; Teng, Shuyun

2013-07-20

Theoretic and experimental studies of the Talbot effect of quasi-periodic gratings are performed in this paper. The diffractions of periodic and quasi-periodic square aperture arrays in Fresnel fields are analyzed according to the scalar diffraction theory. The expressions of the diffraction intensities of two types of quasi-periodic gratings are deduced. Talbot images of the quasi-periodic gratings are predicted to appear at multiple certain distances. The quasi-periodic square aperture arrays are produced with the aid of a liquid crystal light modulator, and the self-images of the quasi-periodic gratings are measured successfully in the experiment. This study indicates that even a structure in short-range disorder may take on the self-imaging effect in a Fresnel field.

Peruvian Higher Education: Expansions Amid Economic Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Post, David

1991-01-01

Development of the Peruvian university system is described, focusing on periods of rapid expansion. Enrollment declines in 1974-78 are analyzed in the context of the educational reform program of the military government. The 1983 new university law, following return to civilian government, and future prospects for higher education are discussed.…

PERIOD ESTIMATION FOR SPARSELY SAMPLED QUASI-PERIODIC LIGHT CURVES APPLIED TO MIRAS

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

He, Shiyuan; Huang, Jianhua Z.; Long, James

2016-12-01

We develop a nonlinear semi-parametric Gaussian process model to estimate periods of Miras with sparsely sampled light curves. The model uses a sinusoidal basis for the periodic variation and a Gaussian process for the stochastic changes. We use maximum likelihood to estimate the period and the parameters of the Gaussian process, while integrating out the effects of other nuisance parameters in the model with respect to a suitable prior distribution obtained from earlier studies. Since the likelihood is highly multimodal for period, we implement a hybrid method that applies the quasi-Newton algorithm for Gaussian process parameters and search the period/frequencymore » parameter space over a dense grid. A large-scale, high-fidelity simulation is conducted to mimic the sampling quality of Mira light curves obtained by the M33 Synoptic Stellar Survey. The simulated data set is publicly available and can serve as a testbed for future evaluation of different period estimation methods. The semi-parametric model outperforms an existing algorithm on this simulated test data set as measured by period recovery rate and quality of the resulting period–luminosity relations.« less

Periodic Fluctuation of Perceived Duration

PubMed Central

Shima, Shuhei; Murai, Yuki; Yuasa, Kenichi; Hashimoto, Yuki

2018-01-01

In recent years, several studies have reported that the allocation of spatial attention fluctuates periodically. This periodic attention was revealed by measuring behavioral performance as a function of cue-to-target interval in the Posner cueing paradigm. Previous studies reported behavioral oscillations using target detection tasks. Whether the influence of periodic attention extends to cognitively demanding tasks remains unclear. To assess this, we examined the effects of periodic attention on the perception of duration. In the experiment, participants performed a temporal bisection task while a cue was presented with various cue-to-target intervals. Perceived duration fluctuated rhythmically as a function of cue-to-target interval at a group level but not at an individual level when the target was presented on the same side as the attentional cue. The results indicate that the perception of duration is influenced by periodic attention. In other words, periodic attention can influence the performance of cognitively demanding tasks such as the perception of duration. PMID:29755719

Early Period of Modern Architecture in Turkey - A Case Study of Eskisehir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasozen, Rana

2017-10-01

modern buildings of Eskisehir as a medium-size city of Turkey will be examined in this study within the scope of the early modern architectural period of Turkey.

Cold periods and coronary events: an analysis of populations worldwide

PubMed Central

Barnett, A.; Dobson, A.; McElduff, P.; Salomaa, V.; Kuulasmaa, K.; Sans, S.; t for

2005-01-01

Study objective: To investigate the association between cold periods and coronary events, and the extent to which climate, sex, age, and previous cardiac history increase risk during cold weather. Design: A hierarchical analyses of populations from the World Health Organisation's MONICA project. Setting: Twenty four populations from the WHO's MONICA project, a 21 country register made between 1980 and 1995. Patients: People aged 35–64 years who had a coronary event. Main results: Daily rates of coronary events were correlated with the average temperature over the current and previous three days. In cold periods, coronary event rates increased more in populations living in warm climates than in populations living in cold climates, where the increases were slight. The increase was greater in women than in men, especially in warm climates. On average, the odds for women having an event in the cold periods were 1.07 higher than the odds for men (95% posterior interval: 1.03 to 1.11). The effects of cold periods were similar in those with and without a history of a previous myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Rates of coronary events increased during comparatively cold periods, especially in warm climates. The smaller increases in colder climates suggest that some events in warmer climates are preventable. It is suggested that people living in warm climates, particularly women, should keep warm on cold days. PMID:15965137

Vegetation and paleoclimate of the last interglacial period, central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, D.R.; Ager, T.A.; Beget, J.E.

2001-01-01

The last interglacial period is thought to be the last time global climate was significantly warmer than present. New stratigraphic studies at Eva Creek, near Fairbanks, Alaska indicate a complex last interglacial record wherein periods of loess deposition alternated with periods of soil formation. The Eva Forest Bed appears to have formed about the time of or after deposition of the Old Crow tephra (dated to ??? 160 to ??? 120 ka), and is therefore correlated with the last interglacial period. Pollen, macrofossils, and soils from the Eva Forest Bed indicate that boreal forest was the dominant vegetation and precipitation may have been greater than present around Fairbanks during the peak of the last interglacial period. A new compilation of last interglacial localities indicates that boreal forest was extensive over interior Alaska and Yukon Territory. Boreal forest also extended beyond its present range onto the Seward and Baldwin Peninsulas, and probably migrated to higher elevations, now occupied by tundra, in the interior. Comparison of last interglacial pollen and macrofossil data with atmospheric general circulation model results shows both agreement and disagreement. Model results of warmer-than-present summers are in agreement with fossil data. However, numerous localities with boreal forest records are in conflict with model reconstructions of an extensive cool steppe in interior Alaska and much of Yukon Territory during the last interglacial. ?? 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

The relation between prepregnancy sexuality and sexual function during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a prospective study.

PubMed

Yıldız, Hatice

2015-01-01

This study examined the relation between sexual functions of women in prepregnancy (before conception) and during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This study was conducted on 59 healthy pregnant women. Participants were followed from the eighth week of gestation to 6 months after delivery. Sexual function during pregnancy and the postpartum period was shown to have a significant linear correlation with prepregnancy sexuality. There was no relation between pregnancy and postpartum sexuality. All of the participants who had prepregnancy sexual dysfunction continued to experience it during pregnancy, and the majority of them had a significant level of sexual dysfunction in the postpartum period. Our results showed that prepregnancy sexuality plays an important role in maintaining sexuality during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Influence of hepatic load from far-off dry period to early postpartum period on the first postpartum ovulation and accompanying subsequent fertility in dairy cows.

PubMed

Kawashima, Chiho; Ito, Nozomi; Nagashima, Shuntarou; Matsui, Motozumi; Sawada, Kumiko; Schweigert, Florian J; Miyamoto, Akio; Kida, Katsuya

2016-06-17

The aim of the present study was to investigate nutritional and metabolic parameters during the dry and early postpartum periods of ovulatory and anovulatory cows, as well as their postpartum reproductive performance. Blood samples from 20 multiparous Holstein cows were collected once a week from the far-off dry period to 3 weeks postpartum. Early postpartum (0-3 weeks) ovulation was confirmed using plasma progesterone concentration profiles, and cows were considered ovulatory if they had resumed luteal activity by this point (n = 9), whereas cows that had not were considered anovulatory (n = 11). Data from the ovulatory and anovulatory cows were analyzed separately for the far-off dry period (7-4 weeks prepartum), the close-up dry period (3-1 weeks prepartum), and the early postpartum period (0-3 weeks). Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity (far-off, P = 0.065; close-up, P = 0.051; and early postpartum, P = 0.030) and aspartate aminotransferase (close-up, P = 0.050 and early postpartum, P = 0.087) activities were higher in anovulatory than in ovulatory cows. The days open period was longer (P = 0.019) in anovulatory than in ovulatory cows, and the number of artificial inseminations per conception (P = 0.025) was greater. In conclusion, we found that continuously high gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities in serum, which may be induced by liver disorders, prevent subsequent ovulation and affect subsequent fertility, even if cows obtain sufficient ovulation-related energy and β-carotene.

A Study of the Coordination of the Higher Adult Education Function Within State Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Robert

The paper reports the findings of a two-tier data survey involving the chief executive officers of State systems of higher education in determining the extent of their coordination-control of higher adult education. The first general phase of the study indicated that 42 of the 50 systems surveyed had responsibility for higher adult education. In…

The Imports of Overseas Publications and School Ranking in Higher Education: A Feasibility Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Jang C.

2016-01-01

This study examines the feasibility of publication imports that may significantly change school rankings in higher education. A small offshore branch campus is used as a case study. The results show that a higher ranking of the offshore campus is largely due to visiting faculties from its parent university in the United States. This implies that…

Effect of elicitors on the evolution of grape phenolic compounds during the ripening period.

PubMed

Gómez-Plaza, Encarna; Bautista-Ortín, Ana B; Ruiz-García, Yolanda; Fernández-Fernández, José I; Gil-Muñoz, Rocío

2017-02-01

The effect of the application of benzothiadiazole (BTH) and methyl jasmonate (MeJ) at veraison on the phenolic composition of grapes from three varieties (Monastrell, Syrah and Merlot) was studied during the ripening period, using HPLC techniques to measure flavonols, anthocyanins and tannins. The effects of the treatments differed in the three varieties, and the maximum concentration of phenolic compounds was not always reached at the end of the ripening period but some days before harvest. At the end of ripening both treated Syrah grapes only differed from control grapes in the flavonol concentration, whereas MeJ-treated Merlot grapes presented higher anthocyanin and skin tannin contents than the control and BTH-treated grapes. Only the anthocyanin content was significantly higher in treated Monastrell grapes at the moment of harvest. The results indicate that the moment of elicitor treatment should be more studied since differences between treated and control grapes were, in general greater several days before harvest in all three varieties. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Higher surgical training opportunities in the general hospital setting; getting the balance right.

PubMed

Robertson, I; Traynor, O; Khan, W; Waldron, R; Barry, K

2013-12-01

The general hospital can play an important role in training of higher surgical trainees (HSTs) in Ireland and abroad. Training opportunities in such a setting have not been closely analysed to date. The aim of this study was to quantify operative exposure for HSTs over a 5-year period in a single institution. Analysis of electronic training logbooks (over a 5-year period, 2007-2012) was performed for general surgery trainees on the higher surgical training programme in Ireland. The most commonly performed adult and paediatric procedures per trainee, per year were analysed. Standard general surgery operations such as herniae (average 58, range 32-86) and cholecystectomy (average 60, range 49-72) ranked highly in each logbook. The most frequently performed emergency operations were appendicectomy (average 45, range 33-53) and laparotomy for acute abdomen (average 48, range 10-79). Paediatric surgical experience included appendicectomy, circumcision, orchidopexy and hernia/hydrocoele repair. Overall, the procedure most commonly performed in the adult setting was endoscopy, with each trainee recording an average of 116 (range 98-132) oesophagogastroduodenoscopies and 284 (range 227-354) colonoscopies. General hospitals continue to play a major role in the training of higher surgical trainees. Analysis of the electronic logbooks over a 5-year period reveals the high volume of procedures available to trainees in a non-specialist centre. Such training opportunities are invaluable in the context of changing work practices and limited resources.

Interference with activities due to pain and fatigue: Accuracy of ratings across different reporting periods

PubMed Central

Broderick, Joan E.; Schneider, Stefan; Schwartz, Joseph E.; Stone, Arthur A.

2010-01-01

Purpose This study examined the impact of different reporting period lengths on the accuracy of items measuring interference due to pain and fatigue with work, walking, and relations with others. Methods Six items from well-established instruments (Brief Pain Inventory, Brief Fatigue Inventory, SF-36) were investigated in a prospective study of 117 patients with chronic rheumatological illness. Daily ratings were compared with recall ratings of 1, 3, 7, and 28-day reporting periods. Results The level of recall ratings (RRs) for reporting periods of 3 days or more were significantly higher than the level of aggregated end-of-day (EOD) ratings. Correspondence between aggregated EOD and RRs was good (r ≥ .80) regardless of the length of the reporting period. Ratings of interference for a single day were highly correlated with aggregated EOD for up to 14 days prior to the single rating (r ≥ .76). Conclusions Recall ratings with reporting periods of up to a month yield good correspondence with aggregated daily ratings, although the absolute level of the rating will be inflated for recall periods of 3 days or longer. PMID:20535565

Nullifying Quality: The Marketisation of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bendixen, Carsten; Jacobsen, Jens Christian

2017-01-01

The increasing dominance of educational markets means that quality of higher education has the character of open signifiers of periodic occurrence, embedded institutionally as ways of consensual communication on how to go on as smoothly as possible. This promotes the growth of context dependent and local interpretations of how to meet in agreement…

Short-period cataclysmic variables at Observatorio Astronomico Nacional IA UNAM.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zharikov, S.

2014-03-01

We present results of time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of faint (∼17-19 mag) Cataclysmic Variable stars with periods around the minimum orbital period (∼80 min). In this work we concentrated to our results of study of CVs systems which have evolved beyond the period minimum (so-called bounce-back systems). Using various instruments attached to 2.1m, 1.5m and 0.84m telescopes of OAN SPM of IA UNAM we explored conditions and structure of accretion disks in those short-period Cataclysmic Variables. We showed that the accretion disk in a system with an extremely low mass ratio (≤0.05) grows in the size reaching 2:1 resonance radius and is relatively cool. The disk in such systems also becomes largely optically thin in the continuum, contributing to the total flux less than the stellar components of the system. In contrast, the viscosity and the temperature in spiral arms formed at the outer edge of the disk are higher and their contribution in continuum plays an increasingly important role. We model such disks and generate light curves which successfully simulate the observed double-humped light curves in the quiescence. Thanks to support of our programs by the Time Allocation Commission of OAN SPM, the perfect astroclimate in the observatory, and the phase-locked method of spectroscopic observations, the significant progress in the study of bounce-back systems using a small size telescope was reached.

Critical period of weed control in aerobic rice.

PubMed

Anwar, M P; Juraimi, A S; Samedani, B; Puteh, A; Man, A

2012-01-01

Critical period of weed control is the foundation of integrated weed management and, hence, can be considered the first step to design weed control strategy. To determine critical period of weed control of aerobic rice, field trials were conducted during 2010/2011 at Universiti Putra Malaysia. A quantitative series of treatments comprising two components, (a) increasing duration of weed interference and (b) increasing length of weed-free period, were imposed. Critical period was determined through Logistic and Gompertz equations. Critical period varied between seasons; in main season, it started earlier and lasted longer, as compared to off-season. The onset of the critical period was found relatively stable between seasons, while the end was more variable. Critical period was determined as 7-49 days after seeding in off-season and 7-53 days in main season to achieve 95% of weed-free yield, and 23-40 days in off-season and 21-43 days in main season to achieve 90% of weed-free yield. Since 5% yield loss level is not practical from economic view point, a 10% yield loss may be considered excellent from economic view point. Therefore, aerobic rice should be kept weed-free during 21-43 days for better yield and higher economic return.

Critical Period of Weed Control in Aerobic Rice

PubMed Central

Anwar, M. P.; Juraimi, A. S.; Samedani, B.; Puteh, A.; Man, A.

2012-01-01

Critical period of weed control is the foundation of integrated weed management and, hence, can be considered the first step to design weed control strategy. To determine critical period of weed control of aerobic rice, field trials were conducted during 2010/2011 at Universiti Putra Malaysia. A quantitative series of treatments comprising two components, (a) increasing duration of weed interference and (b) increasing length of weed-free period, were imposed. Critical period was determined through Logistic and Gompertz equations. Critical period varied between seasons; in main season, it started earlier and lasted longer, as compared to off-season. The onset of the critical period was found relatively stable between seasons, while the end was more variable. Critical period was determined as 7–49 days after seeding in off-season and 7–53 days in main season to achieve 95% of weed-free yield, and 23–40 days in off-season and 21–43 days in main season to achieve 90% of weed-free yield. Since 5% yield loss level is not practical from economic view point, a 10% yield loss may be considered excellent from economic view point. Therefore, aerobic rice should be kept weed-free during 21–43 days for better yield and higher economic return. PMID:22778701

The Importance of Civic Responsibility in Higher Performing Middle Schools: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Kristen C.

2011-01-01

In this case study, a district-wide focus on the development of civic responsibility is seen as an important component in the success of higher performing middle schools. Salient features of best practice were gathered from teacher and administrator interviews and documentary evidence in 10 higher performing, yet "beating the odds" schools, and…

Quantifying the Triangle of Coordination: A Case Study of Higher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xioahui, Zuo; Pratt, John

2006-01-01

In 1983, Burton Clark published a study that was to become a classic work on the organisation and government of higher education systems (Clark 1983). He constructed three "ideal types" of system--state system, market system and professional system, and summarised the way that national systems of higher education are dependent on the…

Changing Patterns of Finance in Higher Education. Country Study: Japan. OECD Educational Monographs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaneko, Motohisa

This report is one in a series of country studies prepared in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Education Committee activity on changing patterns of finance in higher education. In order to contribute to the OECD activity from the Japanese perspective, the Research Institute for Higher Education at…

[Higher education in the globalization era].

PubMed

Duarte, Joaquim Manuel Dias

2008-01-01

Through the years, Higher Education has gone into an evolution process up to our days, characterized by the influence of globalization winds. In the search for the "culture of quality", competitiveness is a weighing factor to be considered by institutions of higher education. In this sense, the Bologna Process has provoked changes in the European universities and polytechnic politics. This process is supported by periodical meetings between adherent countries every two years; followed by the ministerial communiqués. From the 2007 stocktaking analysis we concluded that there is a good progress regarding all the Bergen priorities. Portugal's scorecard shows a significant evolution since 2005. Nevertheless, there are aspects the institutions are not dismissed to attend.

Study of 23 day periodicity of Blazar Mkn501 in 1997

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osone, S.

2006-10-01

We confirm a 23 day periodicity during a large flare in 1997 for X-ray data of X-ray satellite RXTE all sky monitor (ASM), 2 TeV gamma ray data from Utah Seven Telescope and HEGRA, with a Fourier analysis. We found the three results to be the same with a newly estimated error. We confirm the presence of a frequency dependent power (1/ f noise) in a frequency-power diagram. Further, we calculated a chance probability of the occurrence of the 23 day periodicity by considering the 1/ f noise and obtained a chance probability 4.88 × 10 -3 for the HEGRA data: this is more significant than the previous result by an order. We also obtained an indentical periodicity with another kind of timing analysis-epoch folding method for the ASM data and HEGRA data. We strongly suggest an existence of the periodicity. We divided the HEGRA data into two data sets, analyzed them with a Fourier method, and found an unstableness of the periodicity with a 3.4 sigma significance. We also analyzed an energy spectra of the X-ray data of a RXTE proportional counter array and we found that a combination of three physical parameters—a magnetic field, a Lorentz factor, and a beaming factor—is related to the periodicity.

Risk of suicide and mixed episode in men in the postpartum period.

PubMed

Quevedo, Luciana; da Silva, Ricardo Azevedo; Coelho, Fábio; Pinheiro, Karen Amaral Tavares; Horta, Bernardo Lessa; Kapczinski, Flávio; Pinheiro, Ricardo Tavares

2011-07-01

To assess suicide risk in men with mood disorders at the postpartum period. We conduct a longitudinal study with 650 men whose child has born from April 2007 to May 2008 at maternity hospital. The first assessment was in the antenatal period and the second within 30 to 60days postpartum. Suicide risk, anxiety disorders, hypomanic, manic and mixed episodes were assessed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The prevalence of suicide risk in fathers in postpartum was of 4.8%. Fathers with postpartum depression were 20.97 (CI: 5.74; 76.53) more likely to present suicide risk and those with mixed episodes showed a chance of 46.50 (CI: 10.52; 205.53) times higher than those who did not suffer from any mood disorder. Mixed episodes are common in fathers at postpartum, posing a higher suicide risk than depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes. Therefore, in order to reduce the suicide risk, clinicians should address and treat adequately mixed affective states in this specific population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial comparability of drought characteristics and related return periods in mainland China over 1961-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayantobo, Olusola O.; Li, Yi; Song, Songbai; Yao, Ning

2017-07-01

The proper understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics of multi-year droughts and return periods is important for drought risk assessment. This study evaluated and compared the spatiotemporal variations of drought characteristics and return periods within mainland China between 1961 and 2013. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Composite Index (CI) were calculated at multiple timescales, the run theory was used for objective identification and characterization of drought events while Kendall's τ method was used to analyze their dependencies. Within the univariate framework, marginal distributions of duration, severity, and peak were derived by fitting Exponential, Weibull and GDP distributions respectively and the drought return periods was investigated and mapped. Comparison of drought indices showed that SPEI and CI performed better than SPI in delineating spatial patterns of drought characteristics. This might be attributed to the temperature effect on evapotranspiration and therefore on drought index. Considering the increasing trend in reference evapotranspiration in the 21st century, the importance of utilizing temperature-based drought index is imperative. Severe and extreme droughts occurred in the late 1990s in many places in China while persistent multi-year severe droughts occurred more frequently over North China, Northeast China, Northwest China and Southwest China. The spatial patterns showed that regions characterized by higher drought severity were associated with higher drought duration. The North China, Northwest China, and Southwest China had much longer drought durations during the 1990s and 2000s. As droughts normally cover large areas, regional drought return periods has been showed to be more effective in providing support for drought management than station based drought return periods. Studies on the spatial comparability of drought return periods across mainland

Spatial gender-age-period-cohort analysis of pancreatic cancer mortality in Spain (1990–2013)

PubMed Central

Etxeberria, Jaione; Goicoa, Tomás; López-Abente, Gonzalo; Riebler, Andrea

2017-01-01

Recently, the interest in studying pancreatic cancer mortality has increased due to its high lethality. In this work a detailed analysis of pancreatic cancer mortality in Spanish provinces was performed using recent data. A set of multivariate spatial gender-age-period-cohort models was considered to look for potential candidates to analyze pancreatic cancer mortality rates. The selected model combines features of APC (age-period-cohort) models with disease mapping approaches. To ensure model identifiability sum-to-zero constraints were applied. A fully Bayesian approach based on integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA) was considered for model fitting and inference. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. In general, estimated average rates by age, cohort, and period are higher in males than in females. The higher differences according to age between males and females correspond to the age groups [65, 70), [70, 75), and [75, 80). Regarding the cohort, the greatest difference between men and women is observed for those born between the forties and the sixties. From there on, the younger the birth cohort is, the smaller the difference becomes. Some cohort differences are also identified by regions and age-groups. The spatial pattern indicates a North-South gradient of pancreatic cancer mortality in Spain, the provinces in the North being the ones with the highest effects on mortality during the studied period. Finally, the space-time evolution shows that the space pattern has changed little over time. PMID:28199327

Periodicities observed on solar flux index (F10.7) during geomagnetic disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, B.; Narayan, C.; Chhatkuli, D. N.

2017-12-01

Solar activities change within the period of 11 years. Sometimes the greatest event occurs in the period of solar maxima and the lowest activity occurs in the period of solar minimum. During the time period of solar activity sunspots number will vary. A 10.7 cm solar flux measurement is a determination of the strength of solar radio emission. The solar flux index is more often used for the prediction and monitoring of the solar activity. This study mainly focused on the variation on solar flux index and amount of electromagnetic wave in the atmosphere. Both seasonal and yearly variation on solar F10.7 index. We also analyzed the dataset obatained from riometer.Both instruments show seasonal and yearly variations. We also observed the solar cycle dependence on solar flux index and found a strong dependence on solar activity. Results also show that solar intensities higher during the rising phase of solar cycle. We also observed periodicities on solar flux index using wavelet analysis. Through this analysis, it was found that the power intensities of solar flux index show a high spectral variability.

Quality Development in Higher Education to Meet the Future Needs of Arkansas. Report of the Quality Higher Education Study Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arkansas State Dept. of Higher Education, Little Rock.

A report of the Quality Higher Education Study Committee on state-supported institutions in Arkansas is presented, including 43 recommendations. Attention is directed to: economic characteristics in the state (business indicators, population and growth, personal and family income); social characteristics in the state (education levels, illiteracy,…

Quality Assurance Strategies of Higher Education in Iraq and Kurdistan: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaghed, Nabeel; Dezaye, Ahmed

2009-01-01

This paper reports on two different strategies that have been implemented in Iraq to improve quality assurance in the higher education sector in Iraq. One strategy has been developed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Baghdad. It involved conducting a pilot study at the University of Babylon. This pilot included…

Secondary school biology teaching, 1983--2004: Objectives as stated in periodical literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, James W., Sr.

Purpose of the study. The major purpose of this study was to identify and to classify objectives for teaching biology in secondary school in the United States during the period 1983-2004. These objectives were identified by objective statements in articles from selected professional periodicals. Procedure. The 1983-2004 period was divided into four subperiods on the basis of major historical events. Selected professional periodicals were searched for statements of objectives of secondary school biology teaching. These statements were catalogued into Knowledge, Process, Product, Attitude and Interest, or Cultural Awareness categories. The resulting data were classified within and across the four subperiods according to frequency of occurrence, category, authorship, and year. Findings. The major findings of this investigation included the following: (1) Authorships in Higher Education produced the most articles and the most statements in each subperiod. Miscellaneous authors produced the least articles and statements. (2) Statements in the Attitude and Interest category were the most frequent in the four subperiods. (3) The "most important" objectives for secondary school biology teaching were Presents major facts, principles, or fundamentals (from the Knowledge category), Expresses scientific attitudes and appreciation, Identifies the nature of science and scientists, and Identifies scientific interest and career development (from the Attitude and Interest category), and Develops scientific method of thinking (from the Process category). Conclusions. Based on the findings of this investigation, the following conclusions were made: (1) The objectives for teaching secondary school biology were influenced by historical events, especially the publication of A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform in 1983, America 2000 in 1988, Goals 2000 in 1994, No Child Left Behind in 2000. The rapid growth and expansion of technology and the World Wide Web during the

Ergodic theory and visualization. II. Fourier mesochronic plots visualize (quasi)periodic sets.

PubMed

Levnajić, Zoran; Mezić, Igor

2015-05-01

We present an application and analysis of a visualization method for measure-preserving dynamical systems introduced by I. Mezić and A. Banaszuk [Physica D 197, 101 (2004)], based on frequency analysis and Koopman operator theory. This extends our earlier work on visualization of ergodic partition [Z. Levnajić and I. Mezić, Chaos 20, 033114 (2010)]. Our method employs the concept of Fourier time average [I. Mezić and A. Banaszuk, Physica D 197, 101 (2004)], and is realized as a computational algorithms for visualization of periodic and quasi-periodic sets in the phase space. The complement of periodic phase space partition contains chaotic zone, and we show how to identify it. The range of method's applicability is illustrated using well-known Chirikov standard map, while its potential in illuminating higher-dimensional dynamics is presented by studying the Froeschlé map and the Extended Standard Map.

Refinement of the charcoal meal study by reduction of the fasting period.

PubMed

Prior, Helen; Ewart, Lorna; Bright, Jonathan; Valentin, Jean-Pierre

2012-05-01

The aim of this investigation was to determine whether a shorter fasting period than the one historically employed for the charcoal meal test, could be used when measuring gastric emptying and intestinal transit within the same animal, and to ascertain whether the scientific outcome would be affected by this benefit to animal welfare. Rats and mice were fasted for 0, 3, 6 or 18 hours before the oral administration of vehicle or atropine. One hour later, the animals were orally administered a charcoal meal, then 20 minutes later, they were killed and the stomach and small intestine were removed. Intestinal transit time (the position of the charcoal front as a percentage of the total length of the small intestine) and relative gastric emptying (weight of stomach contents) were measured. Rats and mice fasted for six hours showed results for gastric emptying and intestinal transit which were similar to those obtained in animals fasted for 18 hours. Reducing the fasting period reduced the body weight loss in both species, and mice on shorter fasts could be group-housed, as hunger-induced fighting was lessened. Therefore, a fasting period of six hours was subsequently adopted for charcoal meal studies at our institution. 2011 FRAME.

Relationship Factors and Trajectories of Intimate Partner Violence among South African Women during Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

PubMed Central

Groves, Allison K.; McNaughton-Reyes, H. Luz; Foshee, Vangie A.; Moodley, Dhayendre; Maman, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem in South Africa. However, there is limited research on whether and how IPV changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period and on the factors that might affect women's risk during this time. In this study, we describe the mean trajectories of physical and psychological IPV during pregnancy and the postpartum period and examine whether relationship power, partner social support, and relationship stress are associated with women's trajectories of IPV. Data come from a longitudinal study with 1,480 women recruited during pregnancy between May 2008 and June 2010 at a public clinic in Durban. Women completed behavioral assessments at their first antenatal visit, at fourteen weeks and at nine months postpartum. Women's experiences of IPV were measured at all three time points and relationship power, partner social support and relationship stress were each measured at the baseline assessment. We used multilevel random coefficients growth modeling to build our models. The mean trajectory for both types of IPV was flat which means that, on average, there was not significant change in levels of IPV over pregnancy and the postpartum period. However, there was significant individual variability in trajectories of IPV over the study period. Women who had higher relationship power had lower levels of physical and psychological IPV over time than women with lower relationship power. Additionally, women with higher relationship stress and lower partner support had higher levels of psychological IPV at pregnancy. Interventions that maximize women's relationship power and partner social support and minimize relationship stress during this transformative time are needed. PMID:25268363

Periodic differential equations with self-adjoint monodromy operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudovich, V. I.

2001-04-01

A linear differential equation \\dot u=A(t)u with p-periodic (generally speaking, unbounded) operator coefficient in a Euclidean or a Hilbert space \\mathbb H is considered. It is proved under natural constraints that the monodromy operator U_p is self-adjoint and strictly positive if A^*(-t)=A(t) for all t\\in\\mathbb R.It is shown that Hamiltonian systems in the class under consideration are usually unstable and, if they are stable, then the operator U_p reduces to the identity and all solutions are p-periodic.For higher frequencies averaged equations are derived. Remarkably, high-frequency modulation may double the number of critical values.General results are applied to rotational flows with cylindrical components of the velocity a_r=a_z=0, a_\\theta=\\lambda c(t)r^\\beta, \\beta<-1, c(t) is an even p-periodic function, and also to several problems of free gravitational convection of fluids in periodic fields.

First-graders' allocation of attentional resources in an emotional Stroop task: The role of heart period variability and classroom climate.

PubMed

Scrimin, Sara; Moscardino, Ughetta; Mason, Lucia

2018-06-11

Children's ability to remain focused on a task despite the presence of emotionally salient distractors in the environment is crucial for successful learning and academic performance. This study investigated first-graders' allocation of attentional resources in the presence of distracting emotional, school-related social interaction stimuli. Moreover, we examined whether such attentional processes were influenced by students' self-regulation, as indexed by heart period variability, observed classroom climate, or their interaction. Seventy-two-first graders took part in the study. To assess allocation of attentional resources, students' reaction times on an emotional Stroop task were registered by recording response times to colour frames placed around pictures of distracting emotional, school-related social interaction stimuli (i.e., emotional interference index). Moreover, heart period variability was measured by recording children's electrocardiogram at rest during an individual session, whereas classroom climate was observed during class activities by a trained researcher. Images representing negative social interactions required greater attentional resources than images depicting positive ones. Heart period variability and classroom climate were each significantly and independently associated with the emotional interference index. A significant interaction also emerged, indicating that among children experiencing a negative classroom climate, those who had a higher basal heart period variability (higher self-regulation) were less distracted by negative emotional material and remained more focused on a task compared to those with lower heart period variability (lower self-regulation). Negative interactions require greater attentional resources than positive scenes. Moreover, with a negative classroom climate, higher basal heart period variability is a protective factor. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

A Study on the Horizontal Stratification of Higher Education in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Hwanbo

2015-01-01

This study analyzed university and college graduates' income gap in South Korea to investigate factors influencing such disparities. Specifically, this study focused on types of higher education institutions and academic disciplines among the many factors affecting post-graduation income differences, using a hierarchical linear model. According to…

The effect of multiple encounters on short period comet orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowrey, B. E.

1972-01-01

The observed orbital elements of short period comets are found to be consistent with the hypothesis of derivation from long period comets as long as two assumptions are made. First, the distribution of short period comets has been randomized by multiple encounters with Jupiter and second, the short period comets have lower velocities of encounter with Jupiter than is generally expected. Some 16% of the observed short period comets have lower encounter velocities than is allowed mathematically using Laplace's method. This may be due to double encounter processes with Jupiter and Saturn, or as a result of prolonged encounters. The distribution of unobservable short period comets can be inferred in part from the observed comets. Many have orbits between Jupiter and Saturn with somewhat higher inclinations than those with perihelions near the earth. Debris from those comets may form the major component of the zodiacal dust.

Using Faculty Evaluation to Improve Teaching Quality: A Longitudinal Case Study of Higher Education in Southeast Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallinger, Philip

2010-01-01

This paper presents a case study of implementation of a new system of faculty teaching evaluation at a graduate school of business in Thailand. The research employed a non-experimental, longitudinal case study design in the analysis of student course evaluation data gathered over a period of 21 terms during a seven-year period. The report…

System-Level and Strategic Indicators for Monitoring Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century. Studies on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yonezawa, Akiyoshi, Ed.; Kaiser, Frans, Ed.

Papers in this collection result from the work carried out in the context of an Invitational Roundtable on System-Level Indicators for Higher/Tertiary Education organized by the European Centre for Higher Education (UNESCO-CEPES) and the Research Institute for Higher Education of Hiroshima University, Japan. Section 1, "The Roundtable--An…

Development of an on-line source-tagged model for sulfate, nitrate and ammonium: A modeling study for highly polluted periods in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Wu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Zifa; Wang, Qian; Li, Jie; Xu, Jianming; Chen, HuanSheng; Ge, Baozhu; Zhou, Guangqiang; Chang, Luyu

2017-02-01

An on-line source-tagged model coupled with an air quality model (Nested Air Quality Prediction Model System, NAQPMS) was applied to estimate source contributions of primary and secondary sulfate, nitrate and ammonium (SNA) during a representative winter period in Shanghai. This source-tagged model system could simultaneously track spatial and temporal sources of SNA, which were apportioned to their respective primary precursors in a simulation run. The results indicate that in the study period, local emissions in Shanghai accounted for over 20% of SNA contributions and that Jiangsu and Shandong were the two major non-local sources. In particular, non-local emissions had higher contributions during recorded pollution periods. This suggests that the transportation of pollutants plays a key role in air pollution in Shanghai. The temporal contributions show that the emissions from the "current day" (emission contribution from the current day during which the model was simulating) contributed 60%-70% of the sulfate and ammonium concentrations but only 10%-20% of the nitrate concentration, while the previous days' contributions increased during the recorded pollution periods. Emissions that were released within three days contributed over 85% averagely for SNA in January 2013. To evaluate the source-tagged model system, the results were compared by sensitivity analysis (emission perturbation of -30%) and backward trajectory analysis. The consistency of the comparison results indicated that the source-tagged model system can track sources of SNA with reasonable accuracy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Government and Higher Education: A Summary of 21 Institutional Self-Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spero, Irene K.

A summary of 21 institutional self-studies concerning government and higher education considers the following areas: equal employment, affirmative action, and nondiscrimination; student affairs (student assistance and the Buckley Amendment); research; and safety and health. Brief excerpts from the institutional reports are presented on these issue…

Elemental GCR Observations during the 2009-2010 Solar Minimum Period

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lave, K. A.; Israel, M. H.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Davis, A. J.; deNolfo, G. A.; Leske, R. A.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Stone, E. C.;

US Higher Education in a Budgetary Vortex--1992-2007: Tracing the Positioning of Academe in the Context of Growing Inequality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliver, Miguel; Briscoe, Felecia M.

2011-01-01

Through comparative statistical data of public investment trends in higher education, the institution of higher education in the US is contemporarily contextualized within the growing milieu of disparity. Specifically, this study focuses on the period from 1992 to 2007 to see if a mitigation of the growing economic disparity projected per the…

Emancipation in Educational System: Formation of Women's Higher Education in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornilova, Irina V.; Magsumov, Timur A.

2017-01-01

The focus of the article is on one of the turning points in the education development in Russia of the late imperial period, i.e., the establishment of women's higher education in the second half of the 19th century. The researchers involved various sources, including periodicals, ego-documents, documents of management and record keeping obtained…

Background Papers Prepared for the "Study of the Escalating Costs of Higher Education."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelavin Associates, Inc., Washington, DC.

This report presents seven studies commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education to examine the issue of the rapid rise of college costs during the 1980s and the ability of American students and families to afford higher education. The seven papers are as follows: (1) "The Ability to Afford Higher Education: Past, Present, and Future" (Ralph M.…

Solving periodic block tridiagonal systems using the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury formula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yarrow, Maurice

1989-01-01

Many algorithms for solving the Navier-Stokes equations require the solution of periodic block tridiagonal systems of equations. By applying a splitting to the matrix representing this system of equations, it may first be reduced to a block tridiagonal matrix plus an outer product of two block vectors. The Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury formula is then applied. The algorithm thus reduces a periodic banded system to a non-periodic banded system with additional right-hand sides and is of higher efficiency than standard Thomas algorithm/LU decompositions.

20 CFR 435.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Period of availability of funds. 435.28 Section 435.28 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS...

Post-trial period surveillance for randomised controlled cardiovascular studies: submitted protocols, consent forms and the role of the ethics board.

PubMed

Zia, Mohammad I; Heslegrave, Ronald; Newton, Gary E

2011-12-01

The post-trial period is the time period after the end of study drug administration. It is unclear whether post-trial arrangements for patient surveillance are routinely included in study protocols and consents, and whether research ethics boards (REB) consider the post-trial period. The objective was to determine whether trial protocols and consent forms reviewed by the REB describe procedures for post-trial period surveillance. An observational study of protocols of randomised trials of chronic therapies for cardiac conditions, approved by the REB of two academic institutions affiliated with the University of Toronto in Canada (University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital) from 1995 to 2007. Plans for patient surveillance in the post-trial period described in the protocol or in the consent form before and after REB approval were recorded. 42 studies were identified including 18 heart failure and 15 coronary artery disease trials. Only four studies planned a clinical visit after trial termination, and an additional three planned a telephone contact after trial completion. Five trials submitted consent forms to the REB with a discussion of the post-trial period. The majority of protocols and consent forms did not discuss plans for post-trial period surveillance. The post-trial period and the REB approval process could be improved by systematic follow-up being described in the protocol and consent form. The small number of trial protocols evaluated in the study may impair the degree to which the results can be generalised.

Effects of Teachers' Instructional Development on Students' Study Approaches in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stes, Ann; De Maeyer, Sven; Gijbels, David; Van Petegem, Peter

2013-01-01

Evidence regarding the impact of teachers' instructional development on student learning in higher education is scarce. In this study the authors investigate the impact of an instructional development programme for beginning university teachers on students' approach to studying. They also explore whether this impact is dependent on class size and…

Waiting for a Crisis: Case Studies of Crisis Leaders in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muffet-Willett, Stacy L.

2010-01-01

This study examines the system of crisis leadership in higher education. Using case study methods, five crisis leadership participants were interviewed to develop a deep understanding of how they perceive their university crisis leadership system. Two participants were from a private institution, and three were from a public institution. Higher…

Genealogy and stability of periodic orbit families around uniformly rotating asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Xiyun; Xin, Xiaosheng; Feng, Jinglang

2018-03-01

Resonance orbits around a uniformly rotating asteroid are studied from the approach of periodic orbits in this work. Three periodic families (denoted as I, II, and III in the paper) are fundamental in organizing the resonance families. For the planar case: (1) Genealogy and stability of Families I, II and the prograde resonance families are studied. For extremely irregular asteroids, family genealogy close to the asteroid is greatly distorted from that of the two body-problem (2BP), indicating that it is inappropriate to treat the orbital motions as perturbed Keplerian orbits. (2) Genealogy and stability of Family III are also studied. Stability of this family may be destroyed by the secular resonance between the orbital ascending node's precession and the asteroid's rotation. For the spatial case: (1) Genealogy of the near circular three-dimensional periodic families are studied. The genealogy may be broken apart by families of eccentric frozen orbits whose argument of perigee is ;frozen; in space. (2) The joint effects between the secular resonance and the orbital resonances may cause instability to three-dimensional orbital motion with orbit inclinations close to the critical values. Applying the general methodology to a case study - the asteroid Eros and also considering higher order non-spherical terms, some extraordinary orbits are found, such as the ones with orbital plane co-rotating with the asteroid, and the stable frozen orbits with argument of perigee librating around values different from 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°.

Periodic Limb Movements During Sleep: Population Prevalence, Clinical Correlates, and Racial Differences

PubMed Central

Scofield, Holly; Roth, Thomas; Drake, Christopher

2008-01-01

Study Objective: There is growing interest in the study of periodic limb movements during sleep and their potential clinical correlates. The aim of the present analysis is to address the lack of population-based studies using polysomnographic (PSG) measures to determine the prevalence of period limb movements during sleep in specific racial groups as well as the general population. Settings and participants: A community-based sample of 592 participants drawn from the general population of tricounty Detroit (mean age = 41.9 ± 12.6 years; 52.9% F; 31.5% African American). All individuals were assessed using objective and subjective measures in the sleep laboratory. Measurements: Participants were evaluated during a 24-h laboratory assessment, including a polysomnogram and multiple sleep latency test. Periodic leg movements were scored using standard criteria. Reports of sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness were also assessed using standardized measures including the Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (GSAQ) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results: The overall prevalence of periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMSI >15) was 7.6%. African Americans had a lower prevalence of PLMSI >15 than Caucasians (4.3% vs. 9.3%; Χ2 = 4.5, P < 0.05). Regardless of race, symptoms of insomnia were significantly higher in individuals with PLMSI >15 than in those with PLMSI ≤15 (45% vs. 25%; Χ2 = 6.84, P < 0.01). Conclusion: This is the first study to determine the prevalence of PLMS in a population-based sample using standardized objective criteria. A key finding of the present study is that racial differences in this PSG parameter do exist, with African Americans being less likely to have elevated PLMS. Citation: Scofield H; Roth T; Drake C. Periodic limb movements during sleep: population prevalence, clinical correlates, and racial differences. SLEEP 2008;31(9):1221-1227. PMID:18788647

The dimension of attractors underlying periodic turbulent Poiseuille flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keefe, Laurence; Moin, Parviz; Kim, John

1992-01-01

A lower bound on the Liapunov dimenison, D-lambda, of the attractor underlying turbulent, periodic Poiseuille flow at a pressure-gradient Reynolds number of 3200 is calculated, on the basis of a coarse-grained (16x33x8) numerical solution, to be approximately 352. Comparison of Liapunov exponent spectra from this and a higher-resolution (16x33x16) simulation on the same spatial domain shows these spectra to have a universal shape when properly scaled. On the basis of these scaling properties, and a partial exponent spectrum from a still higher-resolution (32x33x32) simulation, it is argued that the actual dimension of the attractor underlying motion of the given computational domain is approximately 780. It is suggested that this periodic turbulent shear flow is deterministic chaos, and that a strange attractor does underly solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations in such flows.

Obesity-Related Eating Behaviors Are Associated with Higher Food Energy Density and Higher Consumption of Sugary and Alcoholic Beverages: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Muñoz-Pareja, Maritza; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Mesas, Arthur E.; López-García, Esther; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2013-01-01

Objectives Obesity-related eating behaviors (OREB) are associated with higher energy intake. Total energy intake can be decomposed into the following constituents: food portion size, food energy density, the number of eating occasions, and the energy intake from energy-rich beverages. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the association between the OREB and these energy components. Methods Data were taken from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008–2010 among 11,546 individuals representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. Information was obtained on the following 8 self-reported OREB: not planning how much to eat before sitting down, eating precooked/canned food or snacks bought at vending machines or at fast-food restaurants, not choosing low-energy foods, not removing visible fat from meat or skin from chicken, and eating while watching TV. Usual diet was assessed with a validated diet history. Analyses were performed with linear regression with adjustment for main confounders. Results Compared to individuals with ≤1 OREB, those with ≥5 OREB had a higher food energy density (β 0.10; 95% CI 0.08, 0.12 kcal/g/day; p-trend<0.001) and a higher consumption of sugary drinks (β 7; 95% CI −7, 20 ml/day; p-trend<0.05) and of alcoholic beverages (β 24; 95% CI 10, 38 ml/day; p-trend<0.001). Specifically, a higher number of OREB was associated with higher intake of dairy products and red meat, and with lower consumption of fresh fruit, oily fish and white meat. No association was found between the number of OREB and food portion size or the number of eating occasions. Conclusions OREB were associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages. Avoiding OREB may prove difficult because they are firmly socially rooted, but these results may nevertheless serve to palliate the undesirable effects of OREB by reducing the associated energy intake. PMID:24204756

Obesity-related eating behaviors are associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Muñoz-Pareja, Maritza; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Mesas, Arthur E; López-García, Esther; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2013-01-01

Obesity-related eating behaviors (OREB) are associated with higher energy intake. Total energy intake can be decomposed into the following constituents: food portion size, food energy density, the number of eating occasions, and the energy intake from energy-rich beverages. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the association between the OREB and these energy components. Data were taken from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008-2010 among 11,546 individuals representative of the Spanish population aged ≥ 18 years. Information was obtained on the following 8 self-reported OREB: not planning how much to eat before sitting down, eating precooked/canned food or snacks bought at vending machines or at fast-food restaurants, not choosing low-energy foods, not removing visible fat from meat or skin from chicken, and eating while watching TV. Usual diet was assessed with a validated diet history. Analyses were performed with linear regression with adjustment for main confounders. Compared to individuals with ≤ 1 OREB, those with ≥ 5 OREB had a higher food energy density (β 0.10; 95% CI 0.08, 0.12 kcal/g/day; p-trend<0.001) and a higher consumption of sugary drinks (β 7; 95% CI -7, 20 ml/day; p-trend<0.05) and of alcoholic beverages (β 24; 95% CI 10, 38 ml/day; p-trend<0.001). Specifically, a higher number of OREB was associated with higher intake of dairy products and red meat, and with lower consumption of fresh fruit, oily fish and white meat. No association was found between the number of OREB and food portion size or the number of eating occasions. OREB were associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages. Avoiding OREB may prove difficult because they are firmly socially rooted, but these results may nevertheless serve to palliate the undesirable effects of OREB by reducing the associated energy intake.

[Study on dynamic accumulation of index components from Bupleurum chinense in various collecting periods].

PubMed

Wang, Qi-shuai; Li, Xiao-kun; Yang, Yun; Xiao, Gong-sheng; Feng, Wei-sheng

2010-08-01

To study the dynamic change law of volatile oil, saikosaponin a, d and alcohol-extract from Bupleurum chinense at Songxian region in Henan province, and to explore the optimal harvest period of Bupleurum chinense. With the contents of saikosaponin a and d, absorbance of volatile oil and percentage of alcohol-extract as indexes, HPLC-ELSD and ultraviolet spectrophotometry were successively used to analyze them. There are obvious differences among the contents of volatile oil, saikosaponin a, d and alcohol-extract in various collecting periods sample, the absorption of volatile oil in distillation was the highest in October, the content of saikosaponin a was the highest in September, the saikosaponin d in December and the percentage of alcohol-extract in October. The optimal harvest period of Bupleurum chinense at Songxian region in Henan is identified, which can provide scientific basis for crude drug production and processing.

The depression in women in pregnancy and postpartum period: A follow-up study.

PubMed

Kirkan, Tulay Sati; Aydin, Nazan; Yazici, Esra; Aslan, Puren Akcali; Acemoglu, Hamit; Daloglu, Ali Gokhan

2015-06-01

This was a follow-up study to determine postpartum depression (PPD) and its causes in a population previously evaluated in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study sample consisted of pregnant women who were evaluated in the first trimester and 360 women who were re-evaluated in the postpartum period. Detailed sociodemographic data were obtained from the women, and depression was assessed with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression scale (EPDS) and Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). In this follow-up study, the prevalence of PPD was 35% (n = 126). A depressive disorder in the first trimester of pregnancy, previous mental disorder, somatic disorder, exposure to domestic violence during pregnancy, baby's staying in the incubator and not breastfeeding were predictors of PPD. Exposure to violence and a history of previous depression predicted depression both in pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Depression rates are high in Eastern Turkey. Exposure to violence during pregnancy and the existence of a previous mental disorder were risk factors for perinatal depression in this study. Performing screening tests can identify women at risk of pregnancy-related depression. Prevention programs should be established in areas where the prevalence of depression is high. © The Author(s) 2014.

Why Do They Study There? Diary Research into Students' Learning Space Choices in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckers, Ronald; van der Voordt, Theo; Dewulf, Geert

2016-01-01

Higher education learning and teaching methods have changed while most educational buildings are still rather traditional. Yet, there is an increasing interest in whether we can educate today's higher education students in yesterday's buildings. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by studying the learning space choices of higher education…

Non-monotonic temperature dependence of chaos-assisted diffusion in driven periodic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiechowicz, J.; Talkner, P.; Hänggi, P.; Łuczka, J.

2016-12-01

The spreading of a cloud of independent Brownian particles typically proceeds more effectively at higher temperatures, as it derives from the commonly known Sutherland-Einstein relation for systems in thermal equilibrium. Here, we report on a non-equilibrium situation in which the diffusion of a periodically driven Brownian particle moving in a periodic potential decreases with increasing temperature within a finite temperature window. We identify as the cause for this non-intuitive behaviour a dominant deterministic mechanism consisting of a few unstable periodic orbits embedded into a chaotic attractor together with thermal noise-induced dynamical changes upon varying temperature. The presented analysis is based on extensive numerical simulations of the corresponding Langevin equation describing the studied setup as well as on a simplified stochastic model formulated in terms of a three-state Markovian process. Because chaos exists in many natural as well as in artificial systems representing abundant areas of contemporary knowledge, the described mechanism may potentially be discovered in plentiful different contexts.

Ergodic theory and visualization. II. Fourier mesochronic plots visualize (quasi)periodic sets

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

Levnajić, Zoran; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106; Mezić, Igor

We present an application and analysis of a visualization method for measure-preserving dynamical systems introduced by I. Mezić and A. Banaszuk [Physica D 197, 101 (2004)], based on frequency analysis and Koopman operator theory. This extends our earlier work on visualization of ergodic partition [Z. Levnajić and I. Mezić, Chaos 20, 033114 (2010)]. Our method employs the concept of Fourier time average [I. Mezić and A. Banaszuk, Physica D 197, 101 (2004)], and is realized as a computational algorithms for visualization of periodic and quasi-periodic sets in the phase space. The complement of periodic phase space partition contains chaotic zone,more » and we show how to identify it. The range of method's applicability is illustrated using well-known Chirikov standard map, while its potential in illuminating higher-dimensional dynamics is presented by studying the Froeschlé map and the Extended Standard Map.« less

Comparing Academic Library Spending with Public Libraries, Public K-12 Schools, Higher Education Public Institutions, and Public Hospitals between 1998-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regazzi, John J.

2012-01-01

This study compares the overall spending trends and patterns of growth of Academic Libraries with Public Libraries, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and hospitals in the period of 1998 to 2008. Academic Libraries, while showing a growth of 13% over inflation for the period, far underperformed the growth of the other public institutions…

Christian Higher Education in Europe: A Historical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bebbington, D. W.

2011-01-01

The history of Christian higher education in Europe may be analyzed in terms of seven eras. From their medieval origins in scholasticism and the practical needs of students and rulers, universities passed through Renaissance humanism to a period of decay, yet remained substantially Christian in intent. The Enlightenment exercised a partially…

Native American Higher Education in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Cary Michael

This book presents a comprehensive history of higher education for American Indians. Following an introduction, chapter 2 covers the Colonial Period, from European contact to the establishment of the U.S. Government. Some of the earliest universities, most notably Harvard, Dartmouth, and William and Mary, specifically claimed to have had American…

A Quantitative Study of the Underrepresentation of Female Leaders in Assemblies of God Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vicari, Nicole

2017-01-01

Consistently women have been unable to attain senior leadership roles as fast as their male counterparts particularly within higher education. Scholars have studied the under-representation of women in senior leadership positions within higher education but have not studied the phenomenon at faith-based institutions or within the Assemblies of God…

Study of Funding of Higher Education in Nevada (S.B. 256). Bulletin No. 87-30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevada State Legislative Counsel Bureau, Carson City. Legislative Commission.

A study of higher education funding in Nevada, mandated by state law, is reported. The study focuses on the methods used by other states to fund higher education and investigates these methods' appropriateness or usefulness in Nevada. Representatives of the state university system, education experts, and the general public provided background…

Discontent in the Field of Dreams: American Higher Education, 1945-1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazerson, Marvin

This paper reviews the history of higher education since 1945, emphasizing its rapid growth in a changing American culture which has demanded greater access to higher education. Following an introduction, part 1 focuses on the period from 1945 to 1970, characterized by explosive. It discusses veterans and equality of opportunity after the war,…

Globalisation and the Internationalisation of Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzvimbo, Kuzvinetsa Peter; Moloi, Kholeka Constance

2013-01-01

In a shrinking world, in which a neo-liberal discourse has permeated sub-Saharan African higher education, critical reflection is required to assess the merits and demerits of globalisation. Research, intensive discussion and hearings conducted over a two-year period by the Task Force on Higher Education and Society, convened by the World Bank and…

Cross-Border Partnerships in Higher Education: Strategies and Issues. International Studies in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakamoto, Robin, Ed.; Chapman, David, Ed.

2012-01-01

"Cross-border Partnerships in Higher Education" looks beyond student and faculty exchanges to examine the myriad ways international colleges and universities work together as institutions. These partnerships have involved the creation of branch campuses, joint research and technology initiatives, collaboration in strengthening…

Critical periods of brain growth and cognitive function in children.

PubMed

Gale, Catharine R; O'Callaghan, Finbar J; Godfrey, Keith M; Law, Catherine M; Martyn, Christopher N

2004-02-01

There is evidence that IQ tends to be higher in those who were heavier at birth or who grew taller in childhood and adolescence. Although these findings imply that growth in both foetal and postnatal life influences cognitive performance, little is known about the relative importance of brain growth during different periods of development. We investigated the relationship between brain growth in different periods of pre- and postnatal life and cognitive function in 221 9-year-old children whose mothers had taken part in a study of nutrition in pregnancy and whose head circumference had been measured at 18 weeks gestation, birth and 9 months of age. Cognitive function of the children and their mothers was assessed with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Full-scale IQ at age 9 years rose by 1.98 points [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34 to 3.62] for each SD increase in head circumference at 9 months and by 2.87 points (95% CI 1.05 to 4.69) for each SD increase in head circumference at 9 years of age, after adjustment for sex, number of older siblings, maternal IQ, age, education, social class, duration of breastfeeding and history of low mood in the post-partum period. Postnatal head growth was significantly greater in children whose mothers were educated to degree level or of higher socio-economic status. There was no relation between IQ and measurements of head size at 18 weeks gestation or at birth. These results suggest that brain growth during infancy and early childhood is more important than growth during foetal life in determining cognitive function.

The Equity Implications of Public Subsidisation of Higher Education: A Study of the Fijian Case.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heaton, Christopher

1999-01-01

In an analysis of higher education in Fiji, this study incorporates the tax system in a model of the returns to education. Rather than subsidizing higher education, the public generates a significant financial benefit from its funding of higher education, in addition to profits made by the individual student. Contains 27 references. (MLH)

Crypto-periodicity in Mansonella ozzardi.

PubMed

Pichon, G

1983-01-01

Studying nycthemeral microfilarial density in eight carriers of Mansonella ozzardi, Nathan et al. concluded that there is an absence of periodicity in M. ozzardi in Trinidad. Re-examination of the results obtained shows evidence of crypto-periodicity. Two of the eight patients showed highly significant periodicity but the biorhythms appear to be almost out of phase, the respective peaks being at 18.00 hours and 02.00 hours. The six other patients showed no obvious periodicity; the calculated acrophases (peak hours), instead of being randomly spaced, regrouped with the preceding ones: late afternoon in two subjects and in the second half of the night for the other four. It is concluded that the apparent non-periodicity is due to the co-existence of two periodic forms, but these are markedly out of phase.

IUE observations of long period eclipsing binaries - A study of accretion onto non-degenerate stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plavec, M. J.

1980-01-01

IUE observations made in 1978-1979 recorded a whole class of interacting long-period binaries similar to beta Lyrae, which includes RX Cas, SX Cas, V 367 Cyg, W Cru, beta Lyr, and W Ser, called the W Serpentis stars. These mass-transferring binaries with relatively high mass transfer rate show two prominent features in the far ultraviolet: a continuum with a color temperature higher than the one observed in the optical region (about 12,000 K), and a strong emission line spectrum with the N V doublet at 1240 A, C IV doublet at 1550 A and lines of Si II, Si III, Si IV, C II, Fe III, AI III, etc. These phenomena are discussed on the assumption that they are due to accretion onto non-degenerate stars.

Groundwater-quality data in 12 GAMA study units: Results from the 2006–10 initial sampling period and the 2008–13 trend sampling period, California GAMA Priority Basin Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.

2017-03-09

The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board. From 2004 through 2012, the GAMA-PBP collected samples and assessed the quality of groundwater resources that supply public drinking water in 35 study units across the State. Selected sites in each study unit were sampled again approximately 3 years after initial sampling as part of an assessment of temporal trends in water quality by the GAMA-PBP. Twelve of the study units, initially sampled during 2006–11 (initial sampling period) and sampled a second time during 2008–13 (trend sampling period) to assess temporal trends, are the subject of this report.The initial sampling was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater used for public water supplies in the 12 study units. In these study units, 550 sampling sites were selected by using a spatially distributed, randomized, grid-based method to provide spatially unbiased representation of the areas assessed (grid sites, also called “status sites”). After the initial sampling period, 76 of the previously sampled status sites (approximately 10 percent in each study unit) were randomly selected for trend sampling (“trend sites”). The 12 study units sampled both during the initial sampling and during the trend sampling period were distributed among 6 hydrogeologic provinces: Coastal (Northern and Southern), Transverse Ranges and Selected Peninsular Ranges, Klamath, Modoc Plateau and Cascades, and Sierra Nevada Hydrogeologic Provinces. For the purposes of this trend report, the six hydrogeologic provinces were grouped into two hydrogeologic regions based on location: Coastal and Mountain.The groundwater samples were analyzed for a number of synthetic organic

Yield of acid curd cheese produced from cow's milk from different lactation periods.

PubMed

Salamończyk, Ewa; Młynek, Krzysztof; Guliński, Piotr; Zawadzka, Wiesława

2017-01-01

Milk production intensification has led in many countries, including Poland, to increased milk yields per cow. A higher milk yield resulted in changes in cow productivity, including extended lactations. There is a paucity of information on the quality of milk harvested during the last months of lactations exceed- ing 10 months. Production capacity cheese (“cheese expenditure”) is an important parameter of providing   a recovery as much as the possible components of the milk processed are dry substances, which in turn af- fects the economics of production. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of the lactation period (from standard lactation; extended lactation phase) on the performance of the acid curd cheese. the relation- ship between total protein content and acidity of fresh milk collected in two separate periods of lactation on the yield of acid cheese was also evaluated. The study included 1384 samples of milk collected from Polish Holstein-Friesian cows, the Black-White variety. The basic chemical composition of fresh milk and acid-curd cheese produced in the laboratory were analyzed. The cheese milk yield was evaluated on the basis of the quantity of the re- sulting curd mass. According to our estimates, under laboratory conditions an average of 100 kg of milk per cow in population produced an estimated 20.1 kg of curd cheese. The basic chemical composition of raw milk, which was diverse in terms of the period of lactation, showed a higher dry matter, fat and protein content in milk acquired during the extension phase of lactation compared to the milk of standard lactation. It has been found that the lower titratable acidity of fresh milk appeared with a higher yield of cheese curd. This difference was between 1.76 kg (with milk from cows milked during the extended lactation phase) to 2.72 kg from 100 kg of cheese milk (milk with the standard lactation). Thus, the optimum level of titratable acidity of milk for cheese

Statistical Significance of Periodicity and Log-Periodicity with Heavy-Tailed Correlated Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wei-Xing; Sornette, Didier

We estimate the probability that random noise, of several plausible standard distributions, creates a false alarm that a periodicity (or log-periodicity) is found in a time series. The solution of this problem is already known for independent Gaussian distributed noise. We investigate more general situations with non-Gaussian correlated noises and present synthetic tests on the detectability and statistical significance of periodic components. A periodic component of a time series is usually detected by some sort of Fourier analysis. Here, we use the Lomb periodogram analysis, which is suitable and outperforms Fourier transforms for unevenly sampled time series. We examine the false-alarm probability of the largest spectral peak of the Lomb periodogram in the presence of power-law distributed noises, of short-range and of long-range fractional-Gaussian noises. Increasing heavy-tailness (respectively correlations describing persistence) tends to decrease (respectively increase) the false-alarm probability of finding a large spurious Lomb peak. Increasing anti-persistence tends to decrease the false-alarm probability. We also study the interplay between heavy-tailness and long-range correlations. In order to fully determine if a Lomb peak signals a genuine rather than a spurious periodicity, one should in principle characterize the Lomb peak height, its width and its relations to other peaks in the complete spectrum. As a step towards this full characterization, we construct the joint-distribution of the frequency position (relative to other peaks) and of the height of the highest peak of the power spectrum. We also provide the distributions of the ratio of the highest Lomb peak to the second highest one. Using the insight obtained by the present statistical study, we re-examine previously reported claims of ``log-periodicity'' and find that the credibility for log-periodicity in 2D-freely decaying turbulence is weakened while it is strengthened for fracture, for the

Women Faculty in Higher Education: A Case Study on Gender Bias

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bingham, Teri; Nix, Susan J.

2010-01-01

This study examines the perceptions of female faculty members in higher education to ascertain their views regarding gender bias in the workplace. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants regarding their beliefs of the value and productivity of their work, possible disparity in treatment based on gender, constraints put on…

Balancing Paid Work and Studies: Working (-Class) Students in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreau, Marie-Pierre; Leathwood, Carole

2006-01-01

Engagement in paid work during term-time amongst undergraduates in England has increased in recent years, reflecting changes in both higher education funding and labour market policy. This article draws on research with students in a post-1992 university to explore undergraduate students' accounts of combining work and study during term-time and…

Tracing the Discursive Emergence of Latin American Higher Education Writing Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avila Reyes, Natalia Alejandra

2017-01-01

Writing Studies has flourished as a field in Latin America during the last two decades. Its development has been fostered by an exponential growth of college enrollments and processes of expansion and democratization of the educational offer in the region. The renewed attention received by higher education writing has fueled new research efforts…

A Study of Online Discourse at "The Chronicle of Higher Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Katrina A.

2010-01-01

Given the explosive growth of online communications, new forms of discourse are an intriguing topic of study. This research focused on ten online discussions hosted by "The Chronicle of Higher Education," using content and discourse analysis of the postings to answer several questions. What is the "conversational scaffolding" used by posters in…

The Study of Government-University Relationship in Malaysian Higher Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Abd Rahman; Farley, Alan; Naidoo, Moonsamy

2012-01-01

Recently the Agency Theory is extensively used in the study of government-university relationship in higher education system. The theory expounds the main concept of information asymmetry and goal conflict in the relationship. In this paper these two concepts are used to explain efforts undertaken by the Malaysian Federal Government to improve the…

Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers for International Students of Higher Education: An Exploratory Study in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchi, Constanza

2013-01-01

This paper explores the main satisfiers and dissatisfiers for international students in Australia's higher educational sector. Using a critical incident technique, this study is conducted with international students of higher education in Australia. Four categories of satisfiers and dissatisfiers emerge from the data which are related to…

Endothelial function in patients with migraine during the interictal period.

PubMed

Silva, Federico A; Rueda-Clausen, Christian F; Silva, Sandra Y; Zarruk, Juan G; Guzmán, Juan C; Morillo, Carlos A; Vesga, Boris; Pradilla, Gustavo; Flórez, Mildred; López-Jaramillo, Patricio

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate endothelial function in migraineurs subjects during the asymptomatic period. Migraine has been proposed as a risk factor for cerebrovascular events. The underlying mechanisms that relate these 2 pathologies are unknown. Nitric oxide (NO) has been proposed as the final causative molecule of migraine. Increased NO metabolites concentrations have been reported in migraineurs subjects during acute migraine attacks, but there is no evidence indicating alterations in endothelial NO release during the symptom free period in theses subjects. Fifty migraineurs subjects and 25 healthy subjects matched by gender and age were included. Every subject underwent a complete examination that included medical history, physical examination, resting electrocardiogram, forearm flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), blood determinations of fasting nitrates and nitrites (NO(2) (-)+ NO(3) (-)), glucose, lipid profile, creatinine, C-reactive protein, and blood cell count. No differences in FMD or NO(2) (-)+ NO(3) (-) were detected among groups. The only difference between migraineurs and control subjects was a higher mean blood pressure 92.1 (8.8) mmHg versus 86.7 (8.2) mmHg P= .01. The endothelial function is not altered during the interictal period in migraineurs subjects.

A Case Study of Organizational Collaboration in an Institution of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmaltz, Sarah Katherine Abrams

2010-01-01

The study, A Case Study of Organizational Collaboration in an Institution of Higher Education, is a look into what is working and what is not working inside a collaborative initiative at the University of Virginia called the Partners for Leadership in Education. The Partners for Leadership in Education is one of the longest lasting collaborations…

Three Studies on the Leadership Behaviors of Academic Deans in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brower, Rebecca

2013-01-01

This three article mixed methods dissertation is titled "Three Studies on the Leadership Behaviors of Academic Deans in Higher Education." Each article is based on a sample of 51 academic deans from a three state region in the Southeastern United States. In the first study, the results of the statistical analyses reinforce the gender…

Higher Education Exchange, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

2008-01-01

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape…

Higher Education Exchange, 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

2012-01-01

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape…

Higher Education Exchange, 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

2011-01-01

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape…

On the Period-Amplitude and Amplitude-Period Relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Robert M.; Hathaway, David H.

2008-01-01

Examined are Period-Amplitude and Amplitude-Period relationships based on the cyclic behavior of the 12-month moving averages of monthly mean sunspot numbers for cycles 0.23, both in terms of Fisher's exact tests for 2x2 contingency tables and linear regression analyses. Concerning the Period-Amplitude relationship (same cycle), because cycle 23's maximum amplitude is known to be 120.8, the inferred regressions (90-percent prediction intervals) suggest that its period will be 131 +/- 24 months (using all cycles) or 131 +/- 18 months (ignoring cycles 2 and 4, which have the extremes of period, 108 and 164 months, respectively). Because cycle 23 has already persisted for 142 months (May 1996 through February 2008), based on the latter prediction, it should end before September 2008. Concerning the Amplitude-Period relationship (following cycle maximum amplitude versus preceding cycle period), because cycle 23's period is known to be at least 142 months, the inferred regressions (90-percent prediction intervals) suggest that cycle 24's maximum amplitude will be about less than or equal to 96.1 +/- 55.0 (using all cycle pairs) or less than or equal to 91.0 +/- 36.7 (ignoring statistical outlier cycle pairs). Hence, cycle 24's maximum amplitude is expected to be less than 151, perhaps even less than 128, unless cycle pair 23/24 proves to be a statistical outlier.

Higher education provision using systems thinking approach - case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhukaram, Anandhi Vivekanandan; Sgouropoulou, Cleo; Feldman, Gerald; Amini, Ardavan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the complexities involved in higher education provision and how systems thinking and socio-technical systems (STS) thinking approach can be used to understand the education ecosystem. Systems thinking perspective is provided using two case studies: the development of European Learner Mobility (EuroLM) service and the delivery of Enterprise System Management (ESM) course at the Birmingham City University, UK. The case studies present how systems thinking using STS approaches like applied organisational change and Cognitive Work Analysis can be used to capture a conceptual model of the education system for understanding the interactions and relationships between the people, technology, processes and the organisations. Using systems thinking perspective, EuroLM has developed a set of technical standards addressed to the European systems developers and ESM delivery ensures that students communicate and collaborate.

The identification of the relationship between the perceived social support, fatigue levels and maternal attachment during the postpartum period.

PubMed

Yesilcinar, Ilknur; Yavan, Tulay; Karasahin, Kazim Emre; Yenen, Mufit Cemal

2017-05-01

This study aims to determinate the relationship between social support perceived by women, fatigue levels and maternal attachment in postpartum period. The sample of this descriptive study consists of 181 women who gave birth in the study period. The data was collected by the socio-demographic characteristics forms; "Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support" (MSPSS); "Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue Scale" (MAFS) and "Maternal Attachment Scale" (MAS) on the postpartum first days and 30-40th days. MSPSS scores of women who had university or higher education, employed, had their first pregnancy, have 12 months or less between two pregnancies, were found to be significantly higher than others. MAS scores of women at the end of the postpartum first month were significantly increased. MAFS scores of women at the end of the postpartum first month were significantly decreased. The correlation between the fatigue levels and maternal attachment levels at the end of the postpartum first month was found to be negative and significant. In the postpartum period, the care of the mother should include social support, maternal attachment and fatigue assessment. Mothers should be encouraged to use social support resources. The continuity of social support systems should be provided.

Agency Beliefs Over Time and Across Cultures: Free Will Beliefs Predict Higher Job Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Feldman, Gilad; Farh, Jiing-Lih; Wong, Kin Fai Ellick

2017-01-01

In three studies, we examined the relationship between free will beliefs and job satisfaction over time and across cultures. Study 1 examined 252 Taiwanese real-estate agents over a 3-months period. Study 2 examined job satisfaction for 137 American workers on an online labor market over a 6-months period. Study 3 extended to a large sample of 14,062 employees from 16 countries and examined country-level moderators. We found a consistent positive relationship between the belief in free will and job satisfaction. The relationship was above and beyond other agency constructs (Study 2), mediated by perceived autonomy (Studies 2-3), and stronger in countries with a higher national endorsement of the belief in free will (Study 3). We conclude that free-will beliefs predict outcomes over time and across cultures beyond other agency constructs. We call for more cross-cultural and longitudinal studies examining free-will beliefs as predictors of real-life outcomes. PMID:29191084

Agency Beliefs Over Time and Across Cultures: Free Will Beliefs Predict Higher Job Satisfaction.

PubMed

Feldman, Gilad; Farh, Jiing-Lih; Wong, Kin Fai Ellick

2018-03-01

In three studies, we examined the relationship between free will beliefs and job satisfaction over time and across cultures. Study 1 examined 252 Taiwanese real-estate agents over a 3-months period. Study 2 examined job satisfaction for 137 American workers on an online labor market over a 6-months period. Study 3 extended to a large sample of 14,062 employees from 16 countries and examined country-level moderators. We found a consistent positive relationship between the belief in free will and job satisfaction. The relationship was above and beyond other agency constructs (Study 2), mediated by perceived autonomy (Studies 2-3), and stronger in countries with a higher national endorsement of the belief in free will (Study 3). We conclude that free-will beliefs predict outcomes over time and across cultures beyond other agency constructs. We call for more cross-cultural and longitudinal studies examining free-will beliefs as predictors of real-life outcomes.

Is higher risk sex common among male or female youths?

PubMed

Berhan, Yifru; Berhan, Asres

2015-01-01

There are several studies that showed the high prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among youths, but little is known how significant the proportion of higher risk sex is when the male and female youths are compared. A meta-analysis was done using 26 countries' Demographic and Health Survey data from and outside Africa to make comparisons of higher risk sex among the most vulnerable group of male and female youths. Random effects analytic model was applied and the pooled odds ratios were determined using Mantel-Haenszel statistical method. In this meta-analysis, 19,148 male and 65,094 female youths who reported to have sexual intercourse in a 12-month period were included. The overall OR demonstrated that higher risk sex was ten times more prevalent in male youths than in female youths. The practice of higher risk sex by male youths aged 15-19 years was more than 27-fold higher than that of their female counterparts. Similarly, male youths in urban areas, belonged to a family with middle to highest wealth index, and educated to secondary and above were more than ninefold, eightfold and sixfold at risk of practicing higher risk sex than their female counterparts, respectively. In conclusion, this meta-analysis demonstrated that the practice of risky sexual intercourse by male youths was incomparably higher than female youths. Future risky sex protective interventions should be tailored to secondary and above educated male youths in urban areas.

Compendium of National Data Sources on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Esther M., Ed.; Lenth, Charles S., Ed.

This compendium provides a guide to data collections in higher education focusing on sources that are national in scope, and updated and made available on a regular or periodic basis including surveys, data bases, reports, and statistical digests. These sources are divided into nine broad categories, each category contains separate entries for…

Periodic modulation of ion velocities within the magnetodisk of Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemeth, Zoltan; Szego, Karoly; Foldy, Lajos; Kivelson, Margaret; Jia, Xianzhe; Ramer, Katherine; Cowley, Stanley W. H.; Provan, Gabrielle

2013-04-01

The results of recent numerical simulations [Jia and Kivelson, 2012] show that in the magnetodisk of Saturn fluctuating magnetic field perturbations are accompanied by other oscillatory phenomena. They investigated the magnetotail response for a dual periodicity driver in the case when the solar wind flow was perpendicular to the rotation axis. As demonstrated in Fig. 7 of their paper the components of the flow velocity extracted at different radial distances plotted versus time exhibit periodic modulation. Andrews et al. [2012] and Provan et al. [2012] investigated magnetic field modulations in Saturn's magnetosphere. They have shown that in the high latitude regions single period modulations can be observed, but near the current sheet dual periodicities are characteristic. In this study we investigate periodicities in the azimuthal flow velocities using the numerical ion moments derived from the measurements of Cassini Plasma Spectrometer. Ramer et al. [2012] investigated these periodicities in the inner magnetosphere near the equatorial plane. We extend our study to include higher latitude passes in the outer magnetosphere to the orbit of Titan and beyond. To have a close match with the model assumptions of Jia and Kivelson, we investigated the behaviour of the ion velocities in the time range DOY 092-285, 2009, around Saturnian equinox, along different passes all containing a Titan flyby, and crossing the magnetodisk at different angles. We have found that the azimuthal velocities show oscillatory behavior. The amplitude of the oscillation is comparable with the corrotation speed. We have also compared the structure of the velocity variations to the variations of ion densities along the different passes, and compared those to the model as well. The results of the current study is reported in this presentation. References Andrews, D. J., S. W. H. Cowley, M. K. Dougherty, L. Lamy, G. Provan, and D. J. Southwood (2012), Planetary period oscillations in Saturn

Mortality of colorectal cancer in Taiwan, 1971-2010: temporal changes and age-period-cohort analysis.

PubMed

Su, Shih-Yung; Huang, Jing-Yang; Jian, Zhi-Hong; Ho, Chien-Chang; Lung, Chia-Chi; Liaw, Yung-Po

2012-12-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in developed countries among men (after lung cancer) and the third most common among women. This study thus examines the long-term trends of CRC mortality in Taiwan. CRC cases were collective between patients aged 30 years or older and younger than 85 years from the Taiwan death registries during 1971-2010. Standard descriptive techniques such as age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), aural percent change, and age-period-cohort analyses were used. The increase of percentage change by each age group in men was higher than in women. The ASMR of CRC increased 2-fold for men and almost 1.5-fold for women during the periods 1971-1975 and 2006-2010. For age-period-cohort analysis, the estimated mortality rate increased steadily with age in both sexes, and plateaued at 175.29 per 100,000 people for men and 128.14 per 100,000 for women in the 80- to 84-year-old group. Period effects were weak in both sexes. Cohort effects were strong. Between 30 and 59 years of age, the sex ratio showed that the female CRC mortality rate was higher than that of their male counterparts. Conversely, the mortality risk of CRC in men was higher than that in women when they were between 60 and 84 years old. The current findings showed a consistent increase in mortality from CRC over the years. Changes in the patient sex ratio indicated an important etiological role of sex hormones, especially in women aged 60 years or younger.

REANALYSIS OF F-STATISTIC GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SEARCHES WITH THE HIGHER CRITICISM STATISTIC

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

Bennett, M. F.; Melatos, A.; Delaigle, A.

2013-04-01

We propose a new method of gravitational-wave detection using a modified form of higher criticism, a statistical technique introduced by Donoho and Jin. Higher criticism is designed to detect a group of sparse, weak sources, none of which are strong enough to be reliably estimated or detected individually. We apply higher criticism as a second-pass method to synthetic F-statistic and C-statistic data for a monochromatic periodic source in a binary system and quantify the improvement relative to the first-pass methods. We find that higher criticism on C-statistic data is more sensitive by {approx}6% than the C-statistic alone under optimal conditionsmore » (i.e., binary orbit known exactly) and the relative advantage increases as the error in the orbital parameters increases. Higher criticism is robust even when the source is not monochromatic (e.g., phase-wandering in an accreting system). Applying higher criticism to a phase-wandering source over multiple time intervals gives a {approx}> 30% increase in detectability with few assumptions about the frequency evolution. By contrast, in all-sky searches for unknown periodic sources, which are dominated by the brightest source, second-pass higher criticism does not provide any benefits over a first-pass search.« less

Higher Education Exchange, 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

2010-01-01

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape their future.…

Internationalizing Higher Education (HE) in Vietnam: Insights from Higher Education Leaders--An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Dong Phong; Vickers, Margaret; Ly, Thi Minh Chau; Tran, Mai Dong

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to increase knowledge of the key drivers, and challenges, of the internationalization of Higher Education (HE), especially in the transitioning economy of Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory qualitative research design used semi-structured interviews. Nine senior institutional leaders from…

Higher prevalence of colon polyps in patients with Barrett’s esophagus: a case-control study

PubMed Central

Kumaravel, Arthi; Thota, Prashanthi N.; Lee, Hyun-Ju; Gohel, Tushar; Kanadiya, Mehulkumar K.; Lopez, Rocio; Sanaka, Madhusudhan R.

2014-01-01

Background and aims: Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and colorectal neoplasms share similar risk factors. Previous studies have shown variable prevalence of colon polyps in patients with BE. Our aims were to determine the prevalence and incidence of colon polyps in patients with BE, compared to those without BE. Methods: In this case-control study, the study group included patients, aged 50–75 years, with biopsy-proven BE, who underwent colonoscopy at Cleveland Clinic from January 2002 to December 2011. The control group consisted of age- and sex-matched patients who underwent colonoscopy and also an endoscopy with no evidence of BE during the same time period. Exclusion criteria for both groups were family- or personal previous history of colon cancer or polyps, prior colonic resection, inflammatory bowel disease and familial polyposis syndromes. Patient demographics, comorbidities, medication use and endoscopic and colonoscopic details were collected, including biopsy results. Results: A total of 519 patients were included in the study; 173 patients with BE in the study group and 346 without BE in the control group. Mean age at index colonoscopy was 61 ± 8 years and 75% of patients were male. On index colonoscopy, patients with BE were more likely to have polyps than controls (45% vs 32%, respectively; P = 0.003). Patients underwent between one and five colonoscopies during the follow-up. On multivariate analysis—after adjusting for age, gender and diabetes—patients with BE were 80% more likely to have any type of polyp, and 50% more likely to have adenomas found during colonoscopy. Conclusions: Patients with BE had higher prevalence and incidence of colon polyps. This has important clinical implications for screening and surveillance in BE patients. PMID:25085954

Higher Education R&D and Productivity Growth: An Empirical Study on High-Income OECD Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eid, Ashraf

2012-01-01

This paper is a macro study on higher education R&D and its impact on productivity growth. I measure the social rate of return on higher education R&D in 17 high-income OECD countries using country level data on the percentage of gross expenditure on R&D performed by higher education, business, and government sectors over the period…

Long-period oxygen-rich optical Miras in the solar neighborhood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jura, M.; Yamamoto, A.; Kleinmann, S. G.

1993-01-01

The spatial distribution of the oxygen-rich Miras with periods longer than 400 days in the neighborhood of the sun were determined using available survey and the K-band period luminosity relationship. It is found that the exponential scale height of these stars is near 240 pc. There is a marked contrast between the Mira population at about 1 kpc from the Galactic center where there are nearly as many long-period oxygen-rich Miras as intermediate-period oxygen-rich Miras. It is hypothesized that, at about 1 kpc from the Galactic center, the main sequence stars with masses larger than 1 solar mass have higher metallicities than main-sequence stars with the same masses in the solar neighborhood. In the solar neighborhood such main sequence stars become carbon-rich on the AGB and in the region near the Galactic center they become long-period oxygen-rich Miras.

34 CFR 74.28 - Period of availability of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Period of availability of funds. 74.28 Section 74.28 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements...

PERIOD].

PubMed

Budi, S; Žic, R; Martić, K; Rudman, F; Vlajčić, Z; Milanović, R; Roje, Z; Munjiza, A; Rajković, I; Gorjanc, B; Held, R; Maletić, A; Tucaković, H; Stanec, Z

2016-01-01

Results of this clinical study on surgical treatment of pressure ulcers at Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Dubrava University Hospital showed that there was no difference between the 2011-2016 and 2003-2008 periods, indicating continuation of good surgical treatment planning and appropriate postoperative care. Despite the smaller number of hospitalized patients in the 2011-2016 period (31 patients and 42 reconstructive procedures), the number of reconstructive procedure was similar to the recent 2003-2008 period (47 patients and 57 reconstructive procedures). The best results of reconstruction of sacral region pressure ulcer were achieved with fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flaps. Whenever possible, depending on the extent of the defect, musculocutaneous flaps should be preferred for reconstruction. It is especially suitable for pressure ulcer recurrence. For ischial region reconstruction, good results can be obtained by mobilizing the semimembranosus and/or semitendinosus in defect gap. For trochanteric region, the tensor fascia lata flap is a good choice. For maximal functional and reconstructive results, a multidisciplinary approach in pressure ulcer treatment has the leading role in the modern concept of wound healing. Surgical treatment should always include radical debridement, ostectomy and well planned defect reconstruction. Conservative treatment should be support to surgical treatment with a focus on patient health care and high hygiene measures. In recent years (2011-2016), the usage of better conservative treatment led to reduction of patient hospital stay and surgical treatment of pressure ulcer. Further ‘wound care’ nurses training in Croatia can lead the trend towards advanced practice nursing in pressure ulcer prevention and conservative treatment.

Consumption of Alcopops During Brain Maturation Period: Higher Impact of Fructose Than Ethanol on Brain Metabolism.

PubMed

El Hamrani, Dounia; Gin, Henri; Gallis, Jean-Louis; Bouzier-Sore, Anne-Karine; Beauvieux, Marie-Christine

2018-01-01

Alcopops are flavored alcoholic beverages sweetened by sodas, known to contain fructose. These drinks have the goal of democratizing alcohol among young consumers (12-17 years old) and in the past few years have been considered as fashionable amongst teenagers. Adolescence, however, is a key period for brain maturation, occurring in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system until 21 years old. Therefore, this drinking behavior has become a public health concern. Despite the extensive literature concerning the respective impacts of either fructose or ethanol on brain, the effects following joint consumption of these substrates remains unknown. Our objective was to study the early brain modifications induced by a combined diet of high fructose (20%) and moderate amount of alcohol in young rats by 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Wistar rats had isocaloric pair-fed diets containing fructose (HF, 20%), ethanol (Et, 0.5 g/day/kg) or both substrates at the same time (HFEt). After 6 weeks of diet, the rats were infused with 13 C-glucose and brain perchloric acid extracts were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy ( 1 H and 13 C). Surprisingly, the most important modifications of brain metabolism were observed under fructose diet. Alterations, observed after only 6 weeks of diet, show that the brain is vulnerable at the metabolic level to fructose consumption during late-adolescence throughout adulthood in rats. The main result was an increase in oxidative metabolism compared to glycolysis, which may impact lactate levels in the brain and may, at least partially, explain memory impairment in teenagers consuming alcopops.

Numerical and experimental studies of ethanol flames and autoignition theory for higher alkanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Priyank

oxides of nitrogen and other potential pollutants in similar partially premixed flames of ethanol and other fuels for comparison purposes. The computational results with the present mechanism are in reasonable agreement with experiment and perform as well as or better than predictions of other, generally much larger, mechanisms available in the literature. Further research is, however, warranted for providing additional and more stringent tests of the mechanism and its predictions, especially for condition at higher pressures. The second part of the dissertation consists of analytical study of autoignition of higher alkane fuels. It is shown that, above about 1000 K, ignition delay times for propane and all higher alkanes, as well as for a number of other fuels, can be calculated well by employing rate parameters of only three types of elementary steps, namely CmHn+HO2→C mHn-1+H2O2, H2O2+M→2OH+M and 2HO2→H2O2+O2, only the first of which is fuel-specific, the other two clearly being common to all fuels. The prediction of this remarkably simple result relies on a steady-state approximation for HO2, as well as steady states for more active radicals during induction. The resulting approximation to the chemistry exhibits a slow, finite-rate buildup of H2O2 and removal of fuel during the induction period. The criterion employed for termination of the induction period is the complete depletion of the original fuel subject to the approximations introduced. Numerical comparisons of the ignition-time formula with the experiments show that the predictions work well not only for higher alkanes but also for propene and JP-10. The analytical approximation thus produces reasonable results for a wide range of fuels. These results provide a new perspective on high-temperature autoignition chemistry and a general means of easily estimating ignition times of the large number of fuels of practical importance.

A Study of the Utilization Patterns of an Elementary School-Based Health Clinic over a 5-Year Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Veda; Hutcherson, Valerie

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the utilization pattern of an elementary school-based clinic over a 5-year period. It involved a retrospective analysis of computer-based data for all patient visits during this study period. Results revealed high clinic utilization with an average of over 5 encounters for all users each year. The most…

Students' Evaluations of Profit and Utility of Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidovitch, Nitza; Lobovam Elena; Pryamikova, Elena; Semenova, Tatiana; Pechenkina, Tatiana; Yachmeneva, Maria

2013-01-01

This paper reviews the recent turn toward a capitalist approach to higher education with specific reference to the social, demographic, and legislative changes, including growing academic capitalism, which led to a transformation in Israel's higher education system. In an empirical comparative case study of students from Israel and Russia, this…

The Interaction between Higher Education and Labour Market in Changing Economic Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravite, Aija

2015-01-01

This paper explores challenges higher education institutions face while ensuring one of the quality assurance criteria--meeting the demands of labour market. The relationship between labour market and higher education institutions becomes even more complicated during the periods of rapid changes in labour market caused by economic collisions. In…

26-day Periodicities in Low-Energy Electrons at Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbary, J. F.

2016-12-01

A Lomb periodogram analysis has been carried out on the electron fluxes measured by the Electron Spectrometer (ELS) of the Cassini Plasma Science (CAPS) instrument. All available ELS data from 2004 to mid-2011 were used in the analysis. The observations were filtered so they were between 15 RS (1 RS = 60268 km) and the magnetopause, and farther than 0.5 RS from Titan. Within a 0.1 d to 50 d periodicity window, the strongest periodicities in the periodograms were at 26 d for electrons from 20 eV to 1000 eV, while for electrons at higher energies strong periodicities between 18 d and 20 d are associated with the trajectory of the spacecraft itself. Surprisingly, the amplitude of the 26 d period was a factor of 100 greater than the better known 10.7 h period associated with planetary rotation. The strongest periodicities were not field-aligned, but were between pitch angles of 30° and 150°. Results will be compared to those from energetic electrons (E > 27 keV). A signal near Titan's orbital period (15.9 d) is probably caused by the spacecraft trajectory, and a 2D flux model is used to demonstrate this.

Secondary school science teaching, 1970--1992: Objectives as stated in periodical literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemby, Brian Franklin

Purpose of the study. The major purpose of this study was to identify and classify objectives for teaching science in secondary schools in the United States during the period 1970--1992. These objectives were identified by objective statements in articles from selected professional periodicals. Procedure. The 1970--1992 period was divided into two subperiods on the basis of major historical events. Selected professional periodicals were searched for statements of objectives of secondary school science teaching. These statements were catalogued into Knowledge, Process, Attitude and Interest, or Cultural Awareness categories. The resulting data were classified within and across the two subperiods according to frequency of occurrence, category, authorship, and year. Findings. The major findings of this investigation included the following: (1) Authors in Higher Education produced the most articles, both research-oriented and nonresearch-oriented, and the most statements in each subperiod. Miscellaneous authors produced the least articles and statements. (2) Statements in the Process category were most frequent in the two subperiods. (3) The "most important" objectives for secondary school science teaching were Philosophical, sociological, and political aspects (from the Cultural Awareness category), Processes, skills, and techniques (from the Process category), and Major facts, principles, or fundamentals (from the Knowledge category). (4) Attitude and Interest objectives were consistently ranked as least important throughout the study. (5) The ranking of "most important" objectives in research-oriented articles generally agreed with the ranking in articles as a whole. Conclusions. Based on the findings of this investigation, the following conclusions were made: (1) The objectives for teaching secondary school science were influenced by historical events, especially the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the AIDS pandemic, and the publication of A Nation at Risk: The

German Higher Education: Issues and Challenges. International Studies in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lingens, Hans G.

This book outlines some of the current problems faced by higher education in Germany. The first chapter describes the development of higher education and the changes in this system over time, with an emphasis on the development of higher education in the two Germanys before reunification and some comments on developments since reunification.…

The Development of Transnational Higher Education in China: A Comparative Study of Research Universities and Teaching Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Wenhong

2012-01-01

This article presents an empirical study of transnational higher education in China at the institutional level. The units of analysis are the Chinese partner universities of transnational higher education programs. Through comparison of research universities and teaching universities, the study finds that transnational higher education programs…

Simulation and mitigation of higher-order ionospheric errors in PPP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zus, Florian; Deng, Zhiguo; Wickert, Jens

2017-04-01

We developed a rapid and precise algorithm to compute ionospheric phase advances in a realistic electron density field. The electron density field is derived from a plasmaspheric extension of the International Reference Ionosphere (Gulyaeva and Bilitza, 2012) and the magnetic field stems from the International Geomagnetic Reference Field. For specific station locations, elevation and azimuth angles the ionospheric phase advances are stored in a look-up table. The higher-order ionospheric residuals are computed by forming the standard linear combination of the ionospheric phase advances. In a simulation study we examine how the higher-order ionospheric residuals leak into estimated station coordinates, clocks, zenith delays and tropospheric gradients in precise point positioning. The simulation study includes a few hundred globally distributed stations and covers the time period 1990-2015. We take a close look on the estimated zenith delays and tropospheric gradients as they are considered a data source for meteorological and climate related research. We also show how the by product of this simulation study, the look-up tables, can be used to mitigate higher-order ionospheric errors in practise. Gulyaeva, T.L., and Bilitza, D. Towards ISO Standard Earth Ionosphere and Plasmasphere Model. In: New Developments in the Standard Model, edited by R.J. Larsen, pp. 1-39, NOVA, Hauppauge, New York, 2012, available at https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=35812

Periodic neutropenia and monocytopenia

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

Adams, W.H.; Liu, Y.K.

A patient with periodic neutropenia exhibited simultaneous monocytopenia, and epinephrine infusion revealed no monocytes in the marginating pool during neutropenia. Lymphocytes, eosinophils, and platelets also fluctuated periodically, but serial bone marrow studies and epinephrine infusion data indicate these fluctuations could have represented epiphenomena rather than a more global form of periodic hematopoiesis. Bone marrow descriptions of most cases of periodic neutropenia have indicated a ''maturation arrest'' at the promyelocyte or myelocyte stage prior to development of neutropenia; peripheral blood monocytes are usually normal or fluctuate out of phase with neutrophils. In the present case, ''maturation arrest'' occurred at the myeloblastmore » stage, and neutrophils and monocytes cycled together. Morphologically normal eosinophilopoiesis with a mean eosinophil to erythroid ratio in the marrow of 0.27 +/- 0.10 (SD) persisted despite a sustained disappearance of promyelocytes.« less

Diel feeding periodicity of Ephemera simulans nymphs in summer and winter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, James H.; Ruggirello, Jack E.; Nack, Christopher C.

2012-01-01

We examined diel feeding periodicity of Ephemera simulans nymphs during summer and winter in a third-order stream in central New York. A total of 245 nymphs were collected at 4-h intervals over two 24 h periods and were immediately preserved in 80% ethanol. In the laboratory, we weighed each nymph and its digestive tract. The ratio of wet weight of the digestive tract to the total body weight at each 4-h interval was used to determine feeding periodicity. Diel feeding periodicity followed a similar pattern in summer and winter and was significantly higher at 08:00 hours. Feeding periodicity of E. simulans in Labrador Creek is asynchronous with the two most abundant fish species in the stream and may reflect predator avoidance behavior that has been shown for other mayfly species.

Association of Periodic and Rhythmic Electroencephalographic Patterns With Seizures in Critically Ill Patients.

PubMed

Rodriguez Ruiz, Andres; Vlachy, Jan; Lee, Jong Woo; Gilmore, Emily J; Ayer, Turgay; Haider, Hiba Arif; Gaspard, Nicolas; Ehrenberg, J Andrew; Tolchin, Benjamin; Fantaneanu, Tadeu A; Fernandez, Andres; Hirsch, Lawrence J; LaRoche, Suzette

2017-02-01

Periodic and rhythmic electroencephalographic patterns have been associated with risk of seizures in critically ill patients. However, specific features that confer higher seizure risk remain unclear. To analyze the association of distinct characteristics of periodic and rhythmic patterns with seizures. We reviewed electroencephalographic recordings from 4772 critically ill adults in 3 academic medical centers from February 2013 to September 2015 and performed a multivariate analysis to determine features associated with seizures. Continuous electroencephalography. Association of periodic and rhythmic patterns and specific characteristics, such as pattern frequency (hertz), Plus modifier, prevalence, and stimulation-induced patterns, and the risk for seizures. Of the 4772 patients included in our study, 2868 were men and 1904 were women. Lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) had the highest association with seizures regardless of frequency and the association was greater when the Plus modifier was present (58%; odds ratio [OR], 2.00, P < .001). Generalized periodic discharges (GPDs) and lateralized rhythmic delta activity (LRDA) were associated with seizures in a frequency-dependent manner (1.5-2 Hz: GPDs, 24%,OR, 2.31, P = .02; LRDA, 24%, OR, 1.79, P = .05; ≥ 2 Hz: GPDs, 32%, OR, 3.30, P < .001; LRDA, 40%, OR, 3.98, P < .001) as was the association with Plus (GPDs, 28%, OR, 3.57, P < .001; LRDA, 40%, P < .001). There was no difference in seizure incidence in patients with generalized rhythmic delta activity compared with no periodic or rhythmic pattern (13%, OR, 1.18, P = .26). Higher prevalence of LPDs and GPDs also conferred increased seizure risk (37% frequent vs 45% abundant/continuous, OR, 1.64, P = .03 for difference; 8% rare/occasional vs 15% frequent, OR, 2.71, P = .03, vs 23% abundant/continuous, OR, 1.95, P = .04). Patterns associated with stimulation did not show an additional risk for seizures from the underlying pattern risk (P > .10). In this

Occupational Stress in UK Higher Education Institutions: A Comparative Study of All Staff Categories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tytherleigh, M. Y.; Webb, C.; Cooper, C. L.; Ricketts, C.

2005-01-01

The higher education sector in the UK continues to experience significant change. This includes restructuring, use of short-term contracts, external scrutiny and accountability, and major reductions in funding. In line with this, reports of stress at work in higher education institutions have also increased. The study reported here was carried out…

The Effectiveness of M-Learning in the Form of Podcast Revision Lectures in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Chris

2008-01-01

In this paper we describe a study of the effectiveness of mobile learning (m-learning) in the form of podcasting, for teaching undergraduate students in Higher Education. Podcasting involves downloading a series of audio or video broadcasts (files) onto a digital media player, via a computer, over a period of weeks. These can then be watched or…

Higher Education in India: A Geographical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bala, Reena

2016-01-01

In the light on the ancient times, there were prominent universities of Nalanda, Takhashila, Vallabhi and Vikramshila which attract the scholars from all over the world in the field of higher education. The first three modern universities were established at Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Madras (now Chennai) in 1857 on the…

Reinterpreting Higher Education Quality in Response to Policies of Mass Education: The Australian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitman, Tim

2014-01-01

This article explores the relationship between mass education, higher education quality and policy development in Australia in the period 2008-2014, during which access to higher education was significantly increased. Over this time, which included a change of national government, the discursive relationship between mass higher education and…

Growth of Sobolev Norms in Linear Schrödinger Equations with Quasi-Periodic Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgain, J.

In this paper, we consider the following problem. Let iut+Δu+V(x,t)u= 0 be a linear Schrödinger equation ( periodic boundary conditions) where V is a real, bounded, real analytic potential which is periodic in x and quasi periodic in t with diophantine frequency vector λ. Denote S(t) the corresponding flow map. Thus S(t) preserves the L2-norm and our aim is to study its behaviour on Hs(TD), s> 0. Our main result is the growth in time is at most logarithmic; thus if φ∈Hs, then More precisely, (*) is proven in 1D and 2D when V is small. We also exhibit examples showing that a growth of higher Sobolev norms may occur in this context and (*) is thus essentially best possible.

Study finds stronger nicotine dependency associated with higher risk of lung cancer

Cancer.gov

NCI headed study finds people who are highly addicted to nicotine -- those who smoke their first cigarette within five minutes after awakening -- are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who wait for an hour or more to smoke.

Transport and phosphorylation of choline in higher plant cells. Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance studies

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

Bligny, R.; Foray, M.F.; Roby, C.

1989-03-25

When sycamore cells were suspended in basal medium containing choline, the latter was taken up by the cells very rapidly. A facilitated diffusion system appertained at low concentrations of choline and exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. At higher choline concentrations simple diffusion appeared to be the principal mode of uptake. Addition of choline to the perfusate of compressed sycamore cells monitored by /sup 31/P NMR spectroscopy resulted in a dramatic accumulation of P-choline in the cytoplasmic compartment containing choline kinase and not in the vacuole. The total accumulation of P-choline over a 10-h period exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. During this period, in themore » absence of Pi in the perfusion medium there was a marked depletion of glucose-6-P, and the cytoplasmic Pi resonance disappeared almost completely. When a threshold of cytoplasmic Pi was attained, the phosphorylation of choline was sustained by the continuous release of Pi from the vacuole although at a much lower rate. However, when 100 microM inorganic phosphate was present in the perfusion medium, externally added Pi was preferentially used to sustain P-choline synthesis. It is clear, therefore, that cytosolic choline kinase associated with a carrier-mediated transport system for choline uptake appeared as effective systems for continuously trapping cytoplasmic Pi including vacuolar Pi entering the cytoplasm.« less

Higher Dietary Cost Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study among Selected Malaysian Adults

PubMed Central

Pondor, Ibnteesam

2017-01-01

Food price is a determining factor of food choices; however its relationship with diet quality is unclear in Malaysia. This study aimed to examine socio-economic characteristics and daily dietary cost (DDC) in relation to diet quality in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and diet quality was estimated using a Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (M-HEI). DDC in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) was calculated from dietary intake and national food prices. Linear regression models were fitted to determine associations between DDC and M-HEI scores and predictors of diet quality. The mean M-HEI score of respondents was 61.31 ± 10.88 and energy adjusted DDC was RM10.71/2000 kcal (USD 2.49). The highest quintile of adjusted DDC had higher M-HEI scores for all respondents (Q1: 57.14 ± 10.07 versus Q5: 63.26 ± 11.54, p = 0.001). There were also positive associations between DDC and M-HEI scores for fruits (p < 0.001) and vegetables (p = 0.017) for all respondents. Predictors of diet quality included carbohydrate (β = 0290; p < 0.001) and fat intakes (β = −0.242; p < 0.001) and energy adjusted DDC (β = 0.196; p < 0.001). Higher dietary cost is associated with healthy eating among Malaysian adults. PMID:28926947

Higher Dietary Cost Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study among Selected Malaysian Adults.

PubMed

Pondor, Ibnteesam; Gan, Wan Ying; Appannah, Geeta

2017-09-16

Food price is a determining factor of food choices; however its relationship with diet quality is unclear in Malaysia. This study aimed to examine socio-economic characteristics and daily dietary cost (DDC) in relation to diet quality in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and diet quality was estimated using a Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (M-HEI). DDC in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) was calculated from dietary intake and national food prices. Linear regression models were fitted to determine associations between DDC and M-HEI scores and predictors of diet quality. The mean M-HEI score of respondents was 61.31 ± 10.88 and energy adjusted DDC was RM10.71/2000 kcal (USD 2.49). The highest quintile of adjusted DDC had higher M-HEI scores for all respondents (Q1: 57.14 ± 10.07 versus Q5: 63.26 ± 11.54, p = 0.001). There were also positive associations between DDC and M-HEI scores for fruits ( p < 0.001) and vegetables ( p = 0.017) for all respondents. Predictors of diet quality included carbohydrate (β = 0290; p < 0.001) and fat intakes (β = -0.242; p < 0.001) and energy adjusted DDC (β = 0.196; p < 0.001). Higher dietary cost is associated with healthy eating among Malaysian adults.

Real-time in situ study of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic structures on metals by linear and nonlinear optics.

PubMed

Zhang, Jihua; He, Yizhuo; Lam, Billy; Guo, Chunlei

2017-08-21

Femtosecond-laser surface structuring on metals is investigated in real time by both fundamental and second harmonic generation (SHG) signals. The onset of surface modification and its progress can be monitored by both the fundamental and SHG probes. However, the dynamics of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface structures (FLIPSSs) formation can only be revealed by SHG but not fundamental because of the higher sensitivity of SHG to structural geometry on metal. Our technique provides a simple and effective way to monitor the surface modification and FLIPSS formation thresholds and allows us to obtain the optimal FLIPSS for SHG enhancement.

Insect ectoparasites on wild birds in the Czech Republic during the pre-breeding period

PubMed Central

Sychra, O.; Literák, I.; Podzemný, P.; Harmat, P.; Hrabák, R.

2011-01-01

Wild passerine birds (Passeriformes) from the northeastern part of the Czech Republic were examined for ectoparasites during the pre-breeding period in 2007. Two species of fleas of the genera Ceratophyllus and Dasypsyllus (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae), and 23 species of chewing lice belonging to the genera Ricinus, Myrsidea, Menacanthus (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), Brueelia, Penenirmus, and Philopterus (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) were found on 108 birds of 16 species. Distribution of insect ectoparasites found on wild birds during pre-breeding was compared with previous data from the post-breeding period. There was no difference in total prevalence of chewing lice in prebreeding and post-breeding periods. Higher prevalence of fleas and slightly higher mean intensity of chewing lice were found on birds during the pre-breeding period. There was a significant difference in total prevalence but equal mean intensity of chewing lice on resident and migrating birds. PMID:21395201

Follow-up period of 13 years after endoscopic total extraperitoneal repair of inguinal hernias: a cohort study.

PubMed

Brandt-Kerkhof, Alexandra; van Mierlo, Marjolein; Schep, Niels; Renken, Nondo; Stassen, Laurents

2011-05-01

Endoscopic inguinal hernia repair was introduced in the Netherlands in the early 1990s. The authors' institution was among the first to adopt this technique. In this study, long-term hernia recurrence among patients treated by the total extraperitoneal (TEP) approach for an inguinal hernia is described. A cohort study was conducted. Between January 1993 and December 1997, 346 TEP hernia repairs were performed for 318 patients. After a mean follow-up period of 13-years, a senior resident examined each patient. An experienced surgeon subsequently examined the patients with a diagnosis of recurrent hernia. Data were collected on an intention-to-treat basis, meaning that conversions were included in the analysis. Univariant tests were used to analyze age older than 50 years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, body mass index, smoking habit, hernia type, history of open hernia repair, conversion, and surgeon as potential risk factors. The analysis included 191 patients (62%) with 213 hernias. Of the original 318 patients, 59 patients died, and 68 were lost to follow-up evaluation. Perioperatively, 105 lateral, 55 medial, and 53 pantalon hernias were observed. Of the 213 hernias, 176 were primary and 37 were recurrent. The overall recurrence rate was 8.9% (8.5% for primary and 10.8% for recurrent hernias). Of the total study group, 48% of the patients experienced a bilateral inguinal hernia during their lifetime. No predicting factor for recurrent hernia could be identified. The current long-term results for TEP repair of primary and secondary inguinal hernia show an overall recurrence rate of 8.9%, which is slightly higher than in previous studies. The thorough examination at follow-up assessment, the learning curve effect, and the intention-to-treat-analysis may have influenced the observed recurrence rate. Also, the percentage of bilateral hernias was higher than known to date. Therefore, examination of the contralateral side should be standard procedure.

Morphological study of the prostate gland in viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus) during periods of maximal and minimal reproductive activity.

PubMed

Chaves, Maximiliano; Aguilera-Merlo, Claudia; Cruceño, Albana; Fogal, Teresa; Mohamed, Fabian

2015-11-01

The viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus) is a rodent with photoperiod-dependent seasonal reproduction. The aim of this work was to study the morphological variations of the prostate during periods of maximal (summer, long photoperiod) and minimal (winter, short photoperiod) reproductive activity. Prostates of adult male viscachas were studied by light and electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry for androgen receptor, and morphometric analysis. The prostate consisted of two regions: peripheral and central. The peripheral zone exhibited large adenomeres with a small number of folds and lined with a pseudostratified epithelium. The central zone had small adenomeres with pseudostratified epithelium and the mucosa showed numerous folds. The morphology of both zones showed variations during periods of maximal and minimal reproductive activity. The prostate weight, prostate-somatic index, luminal diameter of adenomeres, epithelial height and major nuclear diameter decreased during the period of minimal reproductive activity. Principal cells showed variations in their shape, size and ultrastructural characteristics during the period of minimal reproductive activity in comparison with the active period. The androgen receptor expression in epithelial and fibromuscular stromal cells was different between the studied periods. Our results suggest a reduced secretory activity of viscacha prostate during the period of minimal reproductive activity. Thus, the morphological variations observed in both the central and peripheral zones of the viscacha prostate agree with the results previously obtained in the gonads of this rodent of photoperiod-dependent reproduction. Additionally, the variations observed in the androgen receptors suggest a direct effect of the circulating testosterone on the gland. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Removal of alkylphenols and polybromodiphenylethers by a biofiltration treatment plant during dry and wet-weather periods.

PubMed

Gilbert, S; Gasperi, J; Rocher, V; Lorgeoux, C; Chebbo, G

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the occurrence of alkylphenols (APs) and polybromodiphenylethers (PBDEs) in raw wastewater during dry and wet-weather periods, and their removal by physico-chemical lamellar settling and biofiltration techniques. Due to in-sewer deposit erosion and, to a lesser extent, to external inputs, raw effluents exhibit from 1.5 to 5 times higher AP and PBDE concentrations during wet periods compared with dry ones. The lamellar settler obtains high removal of APs and PBDEs under both dry and wet-weather flows (>53% for Σ(6)AP and >89% for Σ(4)PBDE), confirming the insensitivity of this technique to varying influent conditions. Indeed, despite the higher pollutant concentrations observed in raw effluents under wet-weather flows, adjusting the addition of coagulant-flocculent allows for efficient removal. By combining physical and biological processes, the biofiltration unit treats nutrient pollution, as well as Σ(6)AP and Σ(4)PBDE contamination (58 ± 5% and 75 ± 6% respectively). Although the operating conditions of the biofiltration unit are modified during wet periods, the performance in nutrient pollution, APs and light PBDE congeners remains high. Nevertheless, lower efficiency has been noted in nitrogen pollution, i.e. no denitrification occurs, and BDE-209 (not removed during wet-weather periods). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the combination of both techniques treats AP and PBDE pollution efficiently during dry periods, but that they are also suitable for stormwater treatment.

Imaging lithosphere structures using long period surface waves from ambient noise: a case study in western USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y.

2013-12-01

Since the emerging of ambient noise tomography in 2005, it has become a well-established method and been applied all over the world to imaging crustal and uppermost mantle structures because of its exclusive capability to extract short period surface waves. Most studies of ambient noise tomography performed so far use surface waves at periods shorter than 40/50 sec. There are a few studies of long period surface wave tomography from ambient noise (longer than 50 sec) in continental and global scales. To our knowledge, almost no tomography studies have been performed using long period surface waves (~50-200 sec) from ambient noise in regional scales with an aperture of several hundred kilometres. In this study, we demonstrate the capability of using long period surface waves from ambient noise in regional surface wave tomography by showing a case study of western USA using the USArray Transportable component (TA). We select about 150 TA stations located in a region including northern California, northern Nevada and Oregon as the 'base' stations and about 200 stations from Global Seismographic Network (GSN) and The International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN) as the 'remote' stations. We perform monthly cross-correlations of continuous ambient noise data recorded in 2006-2008 between the 'base' stations and the 'remote' stations and then use a stacking method based on instantaneous phase coherence to stack the monthly cross-correlations to obtain the final cross-correlations. The results show that high signal-to-noise ratio long period Raleigh waves are obtained between the 'base' stations and 'remote' stations located several thousand or even more than ten thousand kilometres away from the 'base' stations. By treating each of the 'remote' station as a 'virtual' teleseismic earthquake and measuring surface wave phases at the 'base' stations, we generate phase velocity maps at 50-200 sec periods in the regions covered by the 'base' stations using an

Critical periods after stroke study: translating animal stroke recovery experiments into a clinical trial

PubMed Central

Dromerick, Alexander W.; Edwardson, Matthew A.; Edwards, Dorothy F.; Giannetti, Margot L.; Barth, Jessica; Brady, Kathaleen P.; Chan, Evan; Tan, Ming T.; Tamboli, Irfan; Chia, Ruth; Orquiza, Michael; Padilla, Robert M.; Cheema, Amrita K.; Mapstone, Mark E.; Fiandaca, Massimo S.; Federoff, Howard J.; Newport, Elissa L.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Seven hundred ninety-five thousand Americans will have a stroke this year, and half will have a chronic hemiparesis. Substantial animal literature suggests that the mammalian brain has much potential to recover from acute injury using mechanisms of neuroplasticity, and that these mechanisms can be accessed using training paradigms and neurotransmitter manipulation. However, most of these findings have not been tested or confirmed in the rehabilitation setting, in large part because of the challenges in translating a conceptually straightforward laboratory experiment into a meaningful and rigorous clinical trial in humans. Through presentation of methods for a Phase II trial, we discuss these issues and describe our approach. Methods: In rodents there is compelling evidence for timing effects in rehabilitation; motor training delivered at certain times after stroke may be more effective than the same training delivered earlier or later, suggesting that there is a critical or sensitive period for strongest rehabilitation training effects. If analogous critical/sensitive periods can be identified after human stroke, then existing clinical resources can be better utilized to promote recovery. The Critical Periods after Stroke Study (CPASS) is a phase II randomized, controlled trial designed to explore whether such a sensitive period exists. We will randomize 64 persons to receive an additional 20 h of upper extremity therapy either immediately upon rehab admission, 2–3 months after stroke onset, 6 months after onset, or to an observation-only control group. The primary outcome measure will be the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) at 1 year. Blood will be drawn at up to 3 time points for later biomarker studies. Conclusion: CPASS is an example of the translation of rodent motor recovery experiments into the clinical setting; data obtained from this single site randomized controlled trial will be used to finalize the design of a Phase III trial. PMID

On Flowfield Periodicity in the NASA Transonic Flutter Cascade. Part 2; Numerical Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chima, Rodrick V.; McFarland, Eric R.; Wood, Jerry R.; Lepicovsky, Jan

2000-01-01

The transonic flutter cascade facility at NASA Glenn Research Center was redesigned based on a combined program of experimental measurements and numerical analyses. The objectives of the redesign were to improve the periodicity of the cascade in steady operation, and to better quantify the inlet and exit flow conditions needed for CFD predictions. Part I of this paper describes the experimental measurements, which included static pressure measurements on the blade and endwalls made using both static taps and pressure sensitive paints, cobra probe measurements of the endwall boundary layers and blade wakes, and shadowgraphs of the wave structure. Part II of this paper describes three CFD codes used to analyze the facility, including a multibody panel code, a quasi-three-dimensional viscous code, and a fully three-dimensional viscous code. The measurements and analyses both showed that the operation of the cascade was heavily dependent on the configuration of the sidewalls. Four configurations of the sidewalls were studied and the results are described. For the final configuration, the quasi-three-dimensional viscous code was used to predict the location of mid-passage streamlines for a perfectly periodic cascade. By arranging the tunnel sidewalls to approximate these streamlines, sidewall interference was minimized and excellent periodicity was obtained.

Cost Studies in Higher Education. The AIR Professional File, No. 7, Fall 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hample, Stephen R.

A guide to cost studies in higher education is presented, with emphasis directed to the response of a four-year public institution to an externally mandated cost study. Cost studies are usually requested to guide budget allocations, either from an internal campus need or from outside pressures. Although much effort has been expended by various…

Decreased quality of life and societal impact of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome treated with canakinumab: a questionnaire based cohort study.

PubMed

Mulders-Manders, Catharina M; Kanters, Tim A; van Daele, Paul L A; Hoppenreijs, Esther; Legger, G Elizabeth; van Laar, Jan A M; Simon, Anna; Hakkaart-van Roijen, Leona

2018-04-20

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a rare disease. Knowledge on the quality of life (QoL) and the disease's societal impact is limited. Canakinumab is used in increasing frequency for the treatment of CAPS. Observational study in Dutch CAPS patients. Patients completed questionnaires regarding treatment with canakinumab at baseline and retrospectively. Quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L in adults and CHQ-PF50 in children. Impact on work and school was assessed. Caregivers' quality of life was assessed using the CarerQol. Mean quality of life scores during treatment with canakinumab were 0.769 (EQ-5D-5L), 51.1 (CHQ-P) and 57-1 (CHQ-M). Most patients experienced problems on the pain/discomfort dimension. Higher disease activity and the presence of complications negatively influenced QoL. Half of the patients with a paid job reported absenteeism from work due to CAPS, for an average of 8.7 days in a 4-week period. All schoolgoing patients (N = 5) reported absence from school due to CAPS, for an average of 2.9 days. Caregivers reported gaining a lot fulfillment from providing care for their family members. QoL during treatment is lower than in the general Dutch population. CAPS leads to productivity loss and absenteeism from school, and impacts the quality of life in informal caregivers.

Higher Education Exchange, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

2007-01-01

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" discuss the concept of growing public scholars; each contribution incorporates a student component. Articles…

Summer weather characteristics and periodicity observed over the period 1888-2013 in the region of Belgrade, Serbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vujović, Dragana; Todorović, Nedeljko; Paskota, Mira

2018-04-01

With the goal of finding summer climate patterns in the region of Belgrade (Serbia) over the period 1888-2013, different techniques of multivariate statistical analysis were used in order to analyze the simultaneous changes of a number of climatologic parameters. An increasing trend of the mean daily minimum temperature was detected. In the recent decades (1960-2013), this increase was much more pronounced. The number of days with the daily minimum temperature greater or equal to 20 °C also increased significantly. Precipitation had no statistically significant trend. Spectral analysis showed a repetitive nature of the climatologic parameters which had periods that roughly can be classified into three groups, with the durations of the following: (1) 6 to 7 years, (2) 10 to 18 years, and (3) 21, 31, and 41 years. The temperature variables mainly had one period of repetitiveness of 5 to 7 years. Among other variables, the correlations of regional fluctuations of the temperature and precipitation and atmospheric circulation indices were analyzed. The North Atlantic oscillation index had the same periodicity as that of the precipitation, and it was not correlated to the temperature variables. Atlantic multidecadal oscillation index correlated well to the summer mean daily minimum and summer mean temperatures. The underlying structure of the data was analyzed by principal component analysis, which detected the following four easily interpreted dimensions: More sunshine-Higher temperature, Precipitation, Extreme heats, and Changeable summer.

The Impacts of Heatwaves on Mortality Differ with Different Study Periods: A Multi-City Time Series Investigation.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao Yu; Guo, Yuming; FitzGerald, Gerry; Aitken, Peter; Tippett, Vivienne; Chen, Dong; Wang, Xiaoming; Tong, Shilu

2015-01-01

Different locations and study periods were used in the assessment of the relationships between heatwaves and mortality. However, little is known about the comparability and consistency of the previous effect estimates in the literature. This study assessed the heatwave-mortality relationship using different study periods in the three largest Australian cities (Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney). Daily data on climatic variables and mortality for the three cities were obtained from relevant government agencies between 1988 and 2011. A consistent definition of heatwaves was used for these cities. Poisson generalised additive model was fitted to assess the impact of heatwaves on mortality. Non-accidental and circulatory mortality significantly increased during heatwaves across the three cities even with different heatwave definitions and study periods. Using the summer data resulted in the largest increase in effect estimates compared to those using the warm season or the whole year data. The findings may have implications for developing standard approaches to evaluating the heatwave-mortality relationship and advancing heat health warning systems. It also provides an impetus to methodological advance for assessing climate change-related health consequences.

Quantification of differences between occupancy and total monitoring periods for better assessment of exposure to particles in indoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wierzbicka, A.; Bohgard, M.; Pagels, J. H.; Dahl, A.; Löndahl, J.; Hussein, T.; Swietlicki, E.; Gudmundsson, A.

2015-04-01

For the assessment of personal exposure, information about the concentration of pollutants when people are in given indoor environments (occupancy time) are of prime importance. However this kind of data frequently is not reported. The aim of this study was to assess differences in particle characteristics between occupancy time and the total monitoring period, with the latter being the most frequently used averaging time in the published data. Seven indoor environments were selected in Sweden and Finland: an apartment, two houses, two schools, a supermarket, and a restaurant. They were assessed for particle number and mass concentrations and number size distributions. The measurements using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer and two photometers were conducted for seven consecutive days during winter in each location. Particle concentrations in residences and schools were, as expected, the highest during occupancy time. In the apartment average and median PM2.5 mass concentrations during the occupancy time were 29% and 17% higher, respectively compared to total monitoring period. In both schools, the average and medium values of the PM2.5 mass concentrations were on average higher during teaching hours compared to the total monitoring period by 16% and 32%, respectively. When it comes to particle number concentrations (PNC), in the apartment during occupancy, the average and median values were 33% and 58% higher, respectively than during the total monitoring period. In both houses and schools the average and median PNC were similar for the occupancy and total monitoring periods. General conclusions on the basis of measurements in the limited number of indoor environments cannot be drawn. However the results confirm a strong dependence on type and frequency of indoor activities that generate particles and site specificity. The results also indicate that the exclusion of data series during non-occupancy periods can improve the estimates of particle concentrations and

Predictors of breast feeding self-efficacy in the immediate postpartum period: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yang, Xiao; Gao, Ling-Ling; Ip, Wan-Yim; Sally Chan, Wai Chi

2016-10-01

to examine breast feeding self-efficacy and identify its predictors among mainland Chinese mothers in the early postpartum period. a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire survey was conducted in a regional teaching hospital with childbirth rate over 3000 per year at Guangzhou, China from April 1 to July 14, 2014. a total of 571 Chinese mothers who were within 72-96hours post partum were recruited consecutively to the study. data were collected by the Chinese version of the Breastfeeding Self-efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), the Network Support for Breastfeeding Scale (NSBS) and a socio-demographic data sheet. a total of 640 eligible women was approached and 571 mothers completed the study with the response rate of 89%. Mothers reported moderate level of breast feeding self-efficacy in the immediate postpartum period. The best-fit regression analysis revealed six variables that explained 43.9% of the variance in breast feeding self-efficacy in the immediate postpartum period. They were intention of breast feeding, support from husband, support from nurses/midwives, attending antenatal breast feeding classes, time from childbirth to initiate breast feeding and previous breast feeding experience. this study found six predictors of breast feeding self-efficacy in the immediate postpartum period. In order to increase maternal breast feeding self-efficacy level, a more women-centred approach is recommended. Mothers and fathers should be facilitated to attend antenatal classes on breast feeding. New mother' husband could be encouraged in supporting breast feeding. Nurses and midwives could encourage new mothers to initiate breast feeding as soon as possible. Further work to promote early mother-infant contact post birth, such as via skin to skin contact should also be facilitated where possible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parental population exposure to historical socioeconomic and political periods and grand-child's birth weight in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort Study in the Republic of Ireland.

PubMed

Mejia-Lancheros, Cilia; Mehegan, John; Segurado, Ricardo; Murrin, Celine; Kelleher, Cecily

2018-04-01

Exposure to deprived socioeconomic conditions during the peri-conception and early childhood periods can have a negative long-term impact on individuals' health and that of their progeny. We aimed to examine whether relatives' birth period affected index-child (grand-child) birthweight status in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort in the Republic of Ireland. Participants were 943 mothers and offspring, 890 fathers, 938 maternal grandmothers (MGM), 700 maternal grandfathers (MGF) 537 paternal grandmothers (PGM) and 553 paternal grandfathers (PGF). Index-child's birthweight was sex-for-gestational age standardised (UK1990 population), and then classified into low birthweight (≤10th percentile) and high-birthweight (≥90th percentile) and compared against normal-birthweight (>10th to <90th percentiles). Four adult birth periods were considered: The Free State (FS, 1916-1938); Emergency Act (EA, 1939-1946); Post-World War-II Baby-Boom (PWWII-BB, 1947-1964); and Modern Ireland (MI, 1964 onwards). Logistic regression was used to assess the crude and adjusted relationship between index-child's birthweight status and relatives' birth periods. Overall, there were 8.7% (n=82) index-children in the low-birthweight category, 77.9% (n=735) and 13.4% (n=126) within the normal and high birthweight groups respectively. Index-children whose mothers were born during the PWWII-BB had higher birthweight infants (Crude OR(COR)=1.81 (1.08-3.03) which remained the case only for male index-children when adjusted for co-variables (Adjusted OR(AOR)=4.61(1.71-12.42)). Parents' combined PWWII-BB birth period was positively associated with male index-child higher birthweight, even adjusted for maternal characteristics (AOR=4.60(1.69-12.50)). MGFs born during the EA were more likely to have grandchildren with low birthweight after adjustment for maternal characteristics (AOR=2.45(1.03-5.85)), particularly for female index-children (AOR=4.74(1.16-19.25)). Both PGMs and PGFs born during the

Teaching Quality Matters in Higher Education: A Case Study from Turkey and Slovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Üstünlüoglu, Evrim

2017-01-01

Despite a growing number of studies on the effectiveness of teaching and quality in higher education, reports indicate that more work is needed regarding meeting expectations in teaching quality, in particular, in investigating lecturers' application of pedagogical knowledge when transferring discipline-specific knowledge. This study aimed to…

Measuring the Beginning: A Quantitative Study of the Transition to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooman, Simon; Darwent, Sue

2014-01-01

This quantitative study measures change in certain factors known to influence success of first-year students during the transition to higher education: self-efficacy, autonomous learning and social integration. A social integration scale was developed with three subscales: "sense of belonging", "relationship with staff" and…

A Correlational Study on Transformational Leadership and Resilience in Higher Education Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasden, Shane T.

2014-01-01

This quantitative correlational study investigated the relationship between self-perceived transformational leadership and self-perceived resilience within the confines of higher education leadership. This dissertation is written from a professional practice doctorate (PPD) perspective. A discussion of the PPD and its components is provided along…

Chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Kristiaan B; Vermeulen, Marije C M; Donjacour, Claire E H M; Gordijn, Marijke C M; Hamburger, Hans L; Meijer, Anne M; van Rijn, Karin J; Vlak, Monique; Weysen, Tim

2018-04-01

Inadequate sleep impairs cognitive function and has been associated with worse academic achievement in higher education students; however, studies that control for relevant background factors and include knowledge on sleep hygiene are scarce. This study examined the association of chronic sleep reduction (i.e. symptoms of chronic sleep reduction such as shortness of sleep, sleepiness and irritation), subjective sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge with academic achievement (grades and study credits) and study concentration among 1378 higher education students (71% female, mean age 21.73 years, SD = 3.22) in the Netherlands. Demographic, health, lifestyle and study behaviour characteristics were included as covariates in hierarchical regression analyses. After controlling for significant covariates, only chronic sleep reduction remained a significant predictor of lower grades (last exam, average in current academic year). Better sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge were associated with better academic achievement, but significance was lost after controlling for covariates, except for a remaining positive association between sleep hygiene beliefs and grades in the current academic year. Moreover, better sleep quality and lower scores on chronic sleep reduction were associated with better study concentration after controlling for significant covariates. To conclude, chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students. Inadequate sleep hygiene knowledge is moderately associated with worse academic achievement. Future research should investigate whether sleep hygiene interventions improve academic achievement in students of higher education. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Controllable excitation of higher-order rogue waves in nonautonomous systems with both varying linear and harmonic external potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Heping; Yang, Rongcao; Tian, Jinping; Zhang, Wenmei

2018-05-01

The nonautonomous nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with both varying linear and harmonic external potentials is investigated and the semirational rogue wave (RW) solution is presented by similarity transformation. Based on the solution, the interactions between Peregrine soliton and breathers, and the controllability of the semirational RWs in periodic distribution and exponential decreasing nonautonomous systems with both linear and harmonic potentials are studied. It is found that the harmonic potential only influences the constraint condition of the semirational solution, the linear potential is related to the trajectory of the semirational RWs, while dispersion and nonlinearity determine the excitation position of the higher-order RWs. The higher-order RWs can be partly, completely and biperiodically excited in periodic distribution system and the diverse excited patterns can be generated for different parameter relations in exponential decreasing system. The results reveal that the excitation of the higher-order RWs can be controlled in the nonautonomous system by choosing dispersion, nonlinearity and external potentials.

Epidemiology of Achilles tendon ruptures: increasing incidence over a 33-year period.

PubMed

Lantto, I; Heikkinen, J; Flinkkilä, T; Ohtonen, P; Leppilahti, J

2015-02-01

We investigated the epidemiology of total Achilles tendon ruptures and complication rates after operative and nonoperative treatments over a 33-year period in Oulu, Finland. Patients with Achilles tendon ruptures from 1979 to 2011 in Oulu were identified from hospital patient records. Demographic data, treatment method, and complications were collected retrospectively from medical records. Overall and sex- and age-specific incidence rates were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The overall incidence per 100,000 person-years increased from 2.1 (95% CI 0.3-7.7) in 1979 to 21.5 (95% CI 14.6-30.6) in 2011. The incidence increased in all age groups. The mean annual increase in incidence was 2.4% (95% CI 1.3-4.7) higher for non-sports-related ruptures than for sports-related ruptures (P = 0.036). The incidence of sports-related ruptures increased during the second 11-year period whereas the incidence of non-sports-related ruptures increased steadily over the entire study period. Infection was four times more common after operative treatment compared with nonoperative treatment, re-rupture rates were similar. The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures increased in all age groups over a 33-year period. Increases were mainly due to sports-related injuries in the second 11-year period and non-sports-related injuries in the last 11-year period. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identifying Factors That Influence Persistence of Hawai'i Students Studying at Mainland Colleges: A Phenomenological Multi-Case Study of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lima, Kevin M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of mainland college students, graduates of a unique Hawai'i high school, to identify factors that influenced higher education persistence. Students not persisting at college, a problem for students and higher education institutions is defined for this study as a student that did not return…

Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Throughout the Peri- and Postpartum Period: Results from the First Baby Study.

PubMed

McCall-Hosenfeld, Jennifer S; Phiri, Kristen; Schaefer, Eric; Zhu, Junjia; Kjerulff, Kristen

2016-11-01

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common complication of childbearing, but the course of PPD is not well understood. We analyze trajectories of depression and key risk factors associated with these trajectories in the peripartum and postpartum period. Women in The First Baby Study, a cohort of 3006 women pregnant with their first baby, completed telephone surveys measuring depression during the mother's third trimester, and at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A semiparametric mixture model was used to estimate distinct group-based developmental trajectories of depression and determine whether trajectory group membership varied according to maternal characteristics. A total of 2802 (93%) of mothers completed interviews through 12 months. The mixture model indicated six distinct depression trajectories. A history of anxiety or depression, unattached marital status, and inadequate social support were significantly associated with higher odds of belonging to trajectory groups with greater depression. Most of the depression trajectories were stable or slightly decreased over time, but one depression trajectory, encompassing 1.7% of the mothers, showed women who were nondepressed at the third trimester, but became depressed at 6 months postpartum and were increasingly depressed at 12 months after birth. This trajectory study indicates that women who are depressed during pregnancy tend to remain depressed during the first year postpartum or improve slightly, but an important minority of women become newly and increasingly depressed over the course of the first year after first childbirth.

Is Expenditure on Higher Education Per Student Converging across EU-15 Countries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agasisti, Tommaso; Perez-Esparrells, Carmen; Catalano, Giuseppe; Morales, Susana

2012-01-01

This article examines the trend in expenditure per student at higher education institutions in the EU-15 countries, during the period 1998-2006. The results show that there was a tendency towards convergence (as measured by sigma and beta convergence analysis). The ratio of convergence is higher after 2001, suggesting that the implementation of…

Period04 FCAPT uvby Photometric Studies of Eight Magnetic CP Stars