A view of studies on listening comprehension within the theory of working memory

OpenAIRE

福田, 倫子

2004-01-01

The present paper discusses four aspects : (1) the relation between the process of language comprehension and working memory, (2) overview of studies on working memory model, (3) application of the working memory to studies of listening comprehension in previous studies, (4) potentiality of application of the working memory model to studies of listening comprehension of second language acquisition.

Comprehensive study on nuclear weapons. Summary of a United Nations study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

In December 1988, by resolution 43/75N, the United Nations General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to carry out a comprehensive update of a 1980 study on nuclear weapons. The study was to take into account recent relevant studies, and consider the political, legal and security aspects of: (a) nuclear arsenals and pertinent technological developments; (b) doctrines concerning nuclear weapons; (c) efforts to reduce nuclear weapons; (d) physical, environmental, medical and other effects of the use of nuclear weapons and of nuclear testing; (e) efforts to achieve a comprehensive nuclear-test ban; (f) efforts to prevent the use of nuclear weapons and their horizontal and vertical proliferation; and (g) the question of verification of compliance with nuclear-arms limitation agreements. The Group's report is presented in nine chapters, eight of which are summarized here; chapter 9, entitled ''Conclusions'', is included in its entirety. In his foreword to the report, the Secretary-General observes that the study represents the most comprehensive review of the relevant developments in the field over the last decade and was carried out during a period of ''far-reaching changes in international relations'' and an ''unprecedented evolution in the relationship between East and West''. This period experienced for the first time the initiation of an effective process of reduction of nuclear weapon stockpiles

Comprehensive embryo testing. Experts' opinions regarding future directions: an expert panel study on comprehensive embryo testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hens, Kristien; Dondorp, Wybo J; Geraedts, Joep P M; de Wert, Guido M

2013-05-01

four Western Europe countries. As willingness to participate in this study may be connected with expectations regarding the pace and direction of future developments, selection bias cannot be excluded. The introduction of comprehensive screening techniques in embryo testing calls for further ethical reflection that is grounded in empirical work. Specifically, there is a need for studies querying the opinions of infertile couples undergoing IVF/PGS regarding the desirability of embryo screening beyond aneuploidy. This research was supported by the CSG, Centre for Society and Life Sciences (project number: 70.1.074). The authors declare no conflict of interest. N/A.

ATLAS parameter study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adler, R.J.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study is to make an independent assessment on the parameters chosen for the ATLAS capacitor bank at LANL. The contractor will perform a study of the basic pulsed power parameters of the ATLAS device with baseline functional parameters of >25 MA implosion current and <2.5 microsecond current risetime. Nominal circuit parameters held fixed will be the 14 nH from the vacuum interface to the load, and the nominal load impedances of 1 milliohm for slow loads and 10 milliohms for fast loads. Single Ended designs, as opposed to bipolar designs, will be studied in detail. The ATLAS pulsed power design problem is about inductance. The reason that a 36 MJ bank is required is that such a bank has enough individual capacitors so that the parallel inductance is acceptably low. Since about half the inductance is in the bank, and the inductance and time constant of the submodules is fixed, the variation of output with a given parameter will generally be a weak one. In general, the dl/dt calculation demonstrates that for the real system inductances, 700 kV is the optimum voltage for the bank to drive X-ray loads. The optimum is broad, and there is little reduction in performance at voltages as low as 450 kV. The direct drive velocity analysis also shows that the optimum velocity is between 480 and 800 kV for a variety of assumptions, and that there is less than a 10% variation in velocity over this range. Voltages in the 120 kV--600 kV range are desirable for driving heavy liners. A compromise optimum operating point might be 480 kV, at which all X-ray operation scenarios are within 10% of their velocity optimum, and heavy liners can be configured to be near optimum if small enough. Based on very preliminary studies the author believes that the choice of a single operating voltage point (say, 480 kV) is unnecessary, and that a bank engineered for dual operation at 480 and 240 kV will be the best solution to the ATLAS problem

78 FR 36753 - North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-19

... Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, Public Law 113-2, are to (1) reduce flood risk to vulnerable coastal... measure. The Comprehensive Study will also include storm suite modeling, coastal GIS analyses, economic...

The Reading Comprehension Strategies of Second Language Learners: A Spanish-English Study

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta Caballero, Karen Anelice

2012-01-01

Reading comprehension of school-aged students is an important topic of research; however, research on the reading comprehension of adult foreign/second language learners whose first language is English is limited, especially studies investigating the reading comprehension strategies that readers of different proficiency levels use when they…

Aspects of open-flavour mesons in a comprehensive DSBSE study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hilger, T. [University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Institute of Physics, Graz (Austria); Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of High Energy Physics, Vienna (Austria); Gomez-Rocha, M. [ECT*, Villazzano (Trento) (Italy); Krassnigg, A. [University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Institute of Physics, Graz (Austria); Lucha, W. [Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of High Energy Physics, Vienna (Austria)

2017-10-15

Open-flavour meson studies are the necessary completion to any comprehensive investigation of quarkonia. We extend recent studies of quarkonia in the Dyson-Schwinger-Bethe-Salpeter equation approach to explore their results for all possible flavour combinations. Within the inherent limitations of the setup, we present the most comprehensive results for meson masses and leptonic decay constants currently available and put them in perspective with respect to experiment and other approaches. (orig.)

Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment for Adolescents: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Craig E

2018-01-09

This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter. Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment and treatment strategies and approaches are discussed. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model can help guide clinicians through the assessment and treatment process to ensure that all areas of stuttering are considered. Comprehensive assessment and treatment helps clinicians address all relevant elements of a stuttering disorder, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing speech disruptions.

Proverb comprehension in context: a developmental study with children and adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Nippold, M A; Martin, S A; Erskine, B J

1988-03-01

Although previous studies have reported that proverb comprehension remains quite literal before adolescence, the results of the present study indicated that fourth graders performed well on a proverb comprehension task involving contextual information and a written multiple choice format. It was also found that performance on the proverb task steadily improved at least through the eighth grade and was significantly correlated to performance on a perceptual analogical reasoning task. The study contributes to the small but growing body of information concerning language development during the preadolescent and adolescent years and may have some important implications for the assessment of youngsters of this age range who have comprehension deficits that are troublesome, yet difficult to document.

Modeling Local Item Dependence in Cloze and Reading Comprehension Test Items Using Testlet Response Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Baghaei, Purya; Ravand, Hamdollah

2016-01-01

In this study the magnitudes of local dependence generated by cloze test items and reading comprehension items were compared and their impact on parameter estimates and test precision was investigated. An advanced English as a foreign language reading comprehension test containing three reading passages and a cloze test was analyzed with a…

Comprehensive Parameter Sweep for Learning-based Detector on Traffic Lights

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Morten Bornø; Philipsen, Mark Philip; Trivedi, Mohan M.

2016-01-01

Determining the optimal parameters for a given detection algorithm is not straightforward and what ends up as the final values is mostly based on experience and heuristics. In this paper we investigate the influence of three basic parameters in the widely used Aggregate Channel Features (ACF...

Parameter space of experimental chaotic circuits with high-precision control parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sousa, Francisco F. G. de; Rubinger, Rero M. [Instituto de Física e Química, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Itajubá, MG (Brazil); Sartorelli, José C., E-mail: sartorelli@if.usp.br [Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Albuquerque, Holokx A. [Departamento de Física, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Joinville, SC (Brazil); Baptista, Murilo S. [Institute of Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, SUPA, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen (United Kingdom)

2016-08-15

We report high-resolution measurements that experimentally confirm a spiral cascade structure and a scaling relationship of shrimps in the Chua's circuit. Circuits constructed using this component allow for a comprehensive characterization of the circuit behaviors through high resolution parameter spaces. To illustrate the power of our technological development for the creation and the study of chaotic circuits, we constructed a Chua circuit and study its high resolution parameter space. The reliability and stability of the designed component allowed us to obtain data for long periods of time (∼21 weeks), a data set from which an accurate estimation of Lyapunov exponents for the circuit characterization was possible. Moreover, this data, rigorously characterized by the Lyapunov exponents, allows us to reassure experimentally that the shrimps, stable islands embedded in a domain of chaos in the parameter spaces, can be observed in the laboratory. Finally, we confirm that their sizes decay exponentially with the period of the attractor, a result expected to be found in maps of the quadratic family.

Correlations between skin hydration parameters and corneocyte-derived parameters to characterize skin conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Masaki, Hitoshi; Yamashita, Yuki; Kyotani, Daiki; Honda, Tatsuya; Takano, Kenichi; Tamura, Toshiyasu; Mizutani, Taeko; Okano, Yuri

2018-03-30

Skin hydration is generally assessed using the parameters of skin surface water content (SWC) and trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). To date, few studies have characterized skin conditions using correlations between skin hydration parameters and corneocyte parameters. The parameters SWC and TEWL allow the classification of skin conditions into four distinct Groups. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics of skin conditions classified by SWC and TEWL for correlations with parameters from corneocytes. A human volunteer test was conducted that measured SWC and TEWL. As corneocyte-derived parameters, the size and thick abrasion ratios, the ratio of sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds (SH/SS) and CP levels were analyzed. Volunteers were classified by their median SWC and TEWL values into 4 Groups: Group I (high SWC/low TEWL), Group II (high SWC/high TEWL), Group III (low SWC/low TEWL), and Group IV (low SWC/high TEWL). Group IV showed a significantly smaller size of corneocytes. Groups III and IV had significantly higher thick abrasion ratios and CP levels. Group I had a significantly lower SH/SS value. The SWC/TEWL value showed a decline in order from Group I to Group IV. Groups classified by their SWC and TEWL values showed characteristic skin conditions. We propose that the SWC and TEWL ratio is a comprehensive parameter to assess skin conditions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adenoma detection in patients undergoing a comprehensive colonoscopy screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raju, Gottumukkala S; Vadyala, Vikram; Slack, Rebecca; Krishna, Somashekar G; Ross, William A; Lynch, Patrick M; Bresalier, Robert S; Hawk, Ernest; Stroehlein, John R

2013-01-01

Measures shown to improve the adenoma detection during colonoscopy (excellent bowel preparation, cecal intubation, cap fitted colonoscope to examine behind folds, patient position change to optimize colon distention, trained endoscopy team focusing on detection of subtle flat lesions, and incorporation of optimum endoscopic examination with adequate withdrawal time) are applicable to clinical practice and, if incorporated are projected to facilitate comprehensive colonoscopy screening program for colon cancer prevention. To determine adenoma and serrated polyp detection rate under conditions designed to optimize quality parameters for comprehensive screening colonoscopy. Retrospective analysis of data obtained from a comprehensive colon cancer screening program designed to optimize quality parameters. Academic medical center. Three hundred and forty-three patients between the ages of 50 years and 75 years who underwent first screening colonoscopy between 2009 and 2011 among 535 consecutive patients undergoing colonoscopy. Comprehensive colonoscopy screening program was utilized to screen all patients. Cecal intubation was successful in 98.8% of patients. The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale for quality of colonoscopy was 8.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]; 8.94, 9.00). The rate of adenoma detection was 60% and serrated lesion (defined as serrated adenomas or hyperplastic polyps proximal to the splenic flexure) detection was 23%. The rate of precancerous lesion detection (adenomas and serrated lesions) was 66%. The mean number of adenomas per screening procedure was 1.4 (1.2, 1.6) and the mean number of precancerous lesions (adenomas or serrated lesions) per screening procedure was 1.6 (1.4, 1.8). Retrospective study and single endoscopist experience. A comprehensive colonoscopy screening program results in high-quality screening with high detection of adenomas, advanced adenomas, serrated adenomas, and multiple adenomas

Three-Dimensional Muscle Architecture and Comprehensive Dynamic Properties of Rabbit Gastrocnemius, Plantaris and Soleus: Input for Simulation Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Siebert, Tobias; Leichsenring, Kay; Rode, Christian; Wick, Carolin; Stutzig, Norman; Schubert, Harald; Blickhan, Reinhard; Böl, Markus

2015-01-01

The vastly increasing number of neuro-muscular simulation studies (with increasing numbers of muscles used per simulation) is in sharp contrast to a narrow database of necessary muscle parameters. Simulation results depend heavily on rough parameter estimates often obtained by scaling of one muscle parameter set. However, in vivo muscles differ in their individual properties and architecture. Here we provide a comprehensive dataset of dynamic (n = 6 per muscle) and geometric (three-dimensional architecture, n = 3 per muscle) muscle properties of the rabbit calf muscles gastrocnemius, plantaris, and soleus. For completeness we provide the dynamic muscle properties for further important shank muscles (flexor digitorum longus, extensor digitorum longus, and tibialis anterior; n = 1 per muscle). Maximum shortening velocity (normalized to optimal fiber length) of the gastrocnemius is about twice that of soleus, while plantaris showed an intermediate value. The force-velocity relation is similar for gastrocnemius and plantaris but is much more bent for the soleus. Although the muscles vary greatly in their three-dimensional architecture their mean pennation angle and normalized force-length relationships are almost similar. Forces of the muscles were enhanced in the isometric phase following stretching and were depressed following shortening compared to the corresponding isometric forces. While the enhancement was independent of the ramp velocity, the depression was inversely related to the ramp velocity. The lowest effect strength for soleus supports the idea that these effects adapt to muscle function. The careful acquisition of typical dynamical parameters (e.g. force-length and force-velocity relations, force elongation relations of passive components), enhancement and depression effects, and 3D muscle architecture of calf muscles provides valuable comprehensive datasets for e.g. simulations with neuro-muscular models, development of more realistic muscle models, or

Three-Dimensional Muscle Architecture and Comprehensive Dynamic Properties of Rabbit Gastrocnemius, Plantaris and Soleus: Input for Simulation Studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tobias Siebert

Full Text Available The vastly increasing number of neuro-muscular simulation studies (with increasing numbers of muscles used per simulation is in sharp contrast to a narrow database of necessary muscle parameters. Simulation results depend heavily on rough parameter estimates often obtained by scaling of one muscle parameter set. However, in vivo muscles differ in their individual properties and architecture. Here we provide a comprehensive dataset of dynamic (n = 6 per muscle and geometric (three-dimensional architecture, n = 3 per muscle muscle properties of the rabbit calf muscles gastrocnemius, plantaris, and soleus. For completeness we provide the dynamic muscle properties for further important shank muscles (flexor digitorum longus, extensor digitorum longus, and tibialis anterior; n = 1 per muscle. Maximum shortening velocity (normalized to optimal fiber length of the gastrocnemius is about twice that of soleus, while plantaris showed an intermediate value. The force-velocity relation is similar for gastrocnemius and plantaris but is much more bent for the soleus. Although the muscles vary greatly in their three-dimensional architecture their mean pennation angle and normalized force-length relationships are almost similar. Forces of the muscles were enhanced in the isometric phase following stretching and were depressed following shortening compared to the corresponding isometric forces. While the enhancement was independent of the ramp velocity, the depression was inversely related to the ramp velocity. The lowest effect strength for soleus supports the idea that these effects adapt to muscle function. The careful acquisition of typical dynamical parameters (e.g. force-length and force-velocity relations, force elongation relations of passive components, enhancement and depression effects, and 3D muscle architecture of calf muscles provides valuable comprehensive datasets for e.g. simulations with neuro-muscular models, development of more realistic

Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment or Adolescents: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Craig E.

2018-01-01

Purpose: This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter. Method: Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment…

A Study on Strategies for Teaching Speaking and Reading Comprehension Skills

OpenAIRE

AHMAD; Prof. Dr.I Ketut Seken,MA; Dra. Luh Putu Artini, MA., Ph.D

2013-01-01

The central intention of this study was to analyze the English teachers’ strategies in teaching speaking and reading comprehension skills in SMPN 1 Selong. It was conducted to get detailed information about the students’ responses toward their teachers’ strategies in teaching speaking and reading comprehension skills. This study employed a qualitative research design. Necessary data were gathered using open-ended question, classroom observation, interview, and questionnaire. The result ...

78 FR 61844 - North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-04

...: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is requesting peer reviewed information that would be useful in the preparation of the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study (Hurricane Sandy). The USACE is... information by electronic mail to: [email protected] . Please include your name and contact information in...

QRAC-the-Code: a comprehension monitoring strategy for middle school social studies textbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkeley, Sheri; Riccomini, Paul J

2013-01-01

Requirements for reading and ascertaining information from text increase as students advance through the educational system, especially in content-rich classes; hence, monitoring comprehension is especially important. However, this is a particularly challenging skill for many students who struggle with reading comprehension, including students with learning disabilities. A randomized pre-post experimental design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of a comprehension monitoring strategy (QRAC-the-Code) for improving the reading comprehension of 323 students in grades 6 and 7 in inclusive social studies classes. Findings indicated that both general education students and students with learning disabilities who were taught a simple comprehension monitoring strategy improved their comprehension of textbook content compared to students who read independently and noted important points. In addition, students in the comprehension monitoring condition reported using more reading strategies after the intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Storybook Read-Alouds to Enhance Students’ Comprehension Skills in ESL Classrooms: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ainon Omar

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of using storybooks during read-alouds to develop children’s comprehension skills as well as in understanding the story has been widely studied. The reading aloud strategy has also been proven through numerous researches to be the most highly recommended activity for encouraging language and literacy. The study identified the comprehension strategies used by the teachers during their read-aloud sessions, matched teachers’ current practices using the comprehension strategies to the identified practices for the approach, and obtained the teachers’ perceptions of their current practices of the comprehension strategies during reading aloud in their English language classrooms. The teachers’ comprehension strategies were matched with a research-based strategy for comprehending texts during read-alouds proposed by Whitehurst et al (1994. Three primary school English language teachers teaching in the rural schools participated in this study. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. Primary data was obtained through observations using an observation protocol; while secondary data was obtained through interviews from teachers. Findings from the study revealed that the three teachers employed a few of the comprehension strategies that were proposed by researchers in the field. The findings also indicate that the teachers utilized only the strategies that they thought were relevant to their teaching context and as such, proposed the need to provide teachers with knowledge on the best practices for conducting reading aloud to develop ESL students’ comprehension skills

A comprehensive simulation study on classification of RNA-Seq data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gökmen Zararsız

Full Text Available RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq is a powerful technique for the gene-expression profiling of organisms that uses the capabilities of next-generation sequencing technologies. Developing gene-expression-based classification algorithms is an emerging powerful method for diagnosis, disease classification and monitoring at molecular level, as well as providing potential markers of diseases. Most of the statistical methods proposed for the classification of gene-expression data are either based on a continuous scale (eg. microarray data or require a normal distribution assumption. Hence, these methods cannot be directly applied to RNA-Seq data since they violate both data structure and distributional assumptions. However, it is possible to apply these algorithms with appropriate modifications to RNA-Seq data. One way is to develop count-based classifiers, such as Poisson linear discriminant analysis and negative binomial linear discriminant analysis. Another way is to bring the data closer to microarrays and apply microarray-based classifiers. In this study, we compared several classifiers including PLDA with and without power transformation, NBLDA, single SVM, bagging SVM (bagSVM, classification and regression trees (CART, and random forests (RF. We also examined the effect of several parameters such as overdispersion, sample size, number of genes, number of classes, differential-expression rate, and the transformation method on model performances. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted and the results are compared with the results of two miRNA and two mRNA experimental datasets. The results revealed that increasing the sample size, differential-expression rate and decreasing the dispersion parameter and number of groups lead to an increase in classification accuracy. Similar with differential-expression studies, the classification of RNA-Seq data requires careful attention when handling data overdispersion. We conclude that, as a count

Ciclo Basico Polivalente (Basic Comprehensive Courses of Study).

Science.gov (United States)

Boletin del Centro Nacional de Documentacion e Informacion Educativa, 1970

1970-01-01

This article discusses the creation of comprehensive secondary schools in Argentina to meet the diversified goals of the population in any given geographical region. The plan described here provides for the creation of several basic-study cycles within one school so that students may pursue courses in commercial, technical, and academic fields.…

SU-D-12A-06: A Comprehensive Parameter Analysis for Low Dose Cone-Beam CT Reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, W; Yan, H; Gu, X; Jiang, S; Jia, X; Bai, T; Zhou, L

2014-01-01

Purpose: There is always a parameter in compressive sensing based iterative reconstruction (IR) methods low dose cone-beam CT (CBCT), which controls the weight of regularization relative to data fidelity. A clear understanding of the relationship between image quality and parameter values is important. The purpose of this study is to investigate this subject based on experimental data and a representative advanced IR algorithm using Tight-frame (TF) regularization. Methods: Three data sets of a Catphan phantom acquired at low, regular and high dose levels are used. For each tests, 90 projections covering a 200-degree scan range are used for reconstruction. Three different regions-of-interest (ROIs) of different contrasts are used to calculate contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) for contrast evaluation. A single point structure is used to measure modulation transfer function (MTF) for spatial-resolution evaluation. Finally, we analyze CNRs and MTFs to study the relationship between image quality and parameter selections. Results: It was found that: 1) there is no universal optimal parameter. The optimal parameter value depends on specific task and dose level. 2) There is a clear trade-off between CNR and resolution. The parameter for the best CNR is always smaller than that for the best resolution. 3) Optimal parameters are also dose-specific. Data acquired under a high dose protocol require less regularization, yielding smaller optimal parameter values. 4) Comparing with conventional FDK images, TF-based CBCT images are better under a certain optimally selected parameters. The advantages are more obvious for low dose data. Conclusion: We have investigated the relationship between image quality and parameter values in the TF-based IR algorithm. Preliminary results indicate optimal parameters are specific to both the task types and dose levels, providing guidance for selecting parameters in advanced IR algorithms. This work is supported in part by NIH (1R01CA154747-01)

Comprehensive Wavelengths, Energy Levels, and Hyperfine Structure Parameters of Singly-Ionized Iron-Group Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Nave, Gillian

We propose to measure wavelengths, energy levels, and hyperfine structure parameters of Ni II, Mn II, Sc II and other singly-ionized iron-group elements, covering the wavelength range 80 nm to 5500 nm. We shall use archival data from spectrometers at NIST and Kitt Peak National Observatory for spectra above 140 nm. Additional experimental observations will be taken if needed using Fourier transform spectrometers at NIST. Spectra will be taken using our normal incidence grating spectrograph to provide better sensitivity than the FT spectra and to extend the wavelength range down to 80 nm. We aim to produce a comprehensive description of the spectra of all singly-ionized iron- group elements. The wavelength uncertainty of the strong lines will be better than 1 part in 10^7. For most singly-ionized iron-group elements available laboratory data have uncertainties an order of magnitude larger than astronomical observations over wide spectra ranges. Some of these laboratory measurements date back to the 1960's. Since then, Fourier transform spectroscopy has made significant progress in improving the accuracy and quantity of data in the UV-vis-IR region, but high quality Fourier transform spectra are still needed for Mn II, Ni II and Sc II. Fourier transform spectroscopy has low sensitivity in the VUV region and is limited to wavelengths above 140 nm. Spectra measured with high-resolution grating spectrographs are needed in this region in order to obtain laboratory data of comparable quality to the STIS and COS spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope. Currently, such data exist only for Fe II and Cr II. Lines of Sc II, V II, and Mn II show hyperfine structure, but hyperfine structure parameters have been measured for relatively few lines of these elements. Significant errors can occur if hyperfine structure is neglected when abundances are determined from stellar spectra. Measurements of hyperfine structure parameters will be made using Fourier transform spectroscopy

Reciprocal Teaching and Emotional Intelligence: A Study of Iranian EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Izadi, Mehri; Nowrouzi, Hossein

2016-01-01

The present study aimed at exploring the effect of reciprocal reading strategies instruction on reading comprehension of EFL learners. Emotional intelligence, another variable of interest, was assessed to indicate whether it plays a role in learners' comprehension. In a pre- and post-test study, forty-two learners went through a reciprocal reading…

Comprehensive non-dimensional normalization of gait data.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinzone, Ornella; Schwartz, Michael H; Baker, Richard

2016-02-01

Normalizing clinical gait analysis data is required to remove variability due to physical characteristics such as leg length and weight. This is particularly important for children where both are associated with age. In most clinical centres conventional normalization (by mass only) is used whereas there is a stronger biomechanical argument for non-dimensional normalization. This study used data from 82 typically developing children to compare how the two schemes performed over a wide range of temporal-spatial and kinetic parameters by calculating the coefficients of determination with leg length, weight and height. 81% of the conventionally normalized parameters had a coefficient of determination above the threshold for a statistical association (pnormalized non-dimensionally. All the conventionally normalized parameters exceeding this threshold showed a reduced association with non-dimensional normalization. In conclusion, non-dimensional normalization is more effective that conventional normalization in reducing the effects of height, weight and age in a comprehensive range of temporal-spatial and kinetic parameters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Question Position on Listening Comprehension: A Case Study

OpenAIRE

Naci Yildiz; Nikoloz Parjanadze; Mustafa Albay

2015-01-01

Though speaking has been considered as the most important skill in foreign language learning process, listening has a fundamental value because learning does not occur without comprehensible input. Listening is a complex process in which learners must do analysis to accurately interpret. In listening learners need to interpret with a speaker to construct meaning. This study tries to find out whether listening strategies are effective to influence listening comprehension and the major goal of ...

Getting the Joke: Insight during Humor Comprehension - Evidence from an fMRI Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Fang; Hou, Yuling; Zhu, Wenfeng; Dietrich, Arne; Zhang, Qinglin; Yang, Wenjing; Chen, Qunlin; Sun, Jiangzhou; Jiang, Qiu; Cao, Guikang

2017-01-01

As a high-level cognitive activity, humor comprehension requires incongruity detection and incongruity resolution, which then elicits an insight moment. The purpose of the study was to explore the neural basis of humor comprehension, particularly the moment of insight, by using both characters and language-free cartoons in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. The results showed that insight involving jokes elicited greater activation in language and semantic-related brain regions as well as a variety of additional regions, such as the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the superior temporal gyrus (STG), the temporoparietal junctions (TPJ), the hippocampus and visual areas. These findings indicate that the MTG might play a role in incongruity detection, while the SFG, IFG and the TPJ might be involved in incongruity detection. The passive insight event elicited by jokes appears to be mediated by a limited number of brain areas. Our study showed that the brain regions associated with humor comprehension were not affected by the type of stimuli and that humor and insight shared common brain areas. These results indicate that one experiences a feeling of insight during humor comprehension, which contributes to the understanding of humor comprehension.

Comprehensibility and Prosody Ratings for Pronunciation Software Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Warren

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In the context of a project developing software for pronunciation practice and feedback for Mandarin-speaking learners of English, a key issue is how to decide which features of pronunciation to focus on in giving feedback. We used naïve and experienced native speaker ratings of comprehensibility and nativeness to establish the key features affecting comprehensibility of the utterances of a group of Chinese learners of English. Native speaker raters assessed the comprehensibility of recorded utterances, pinpointed areas of difficulty and then rated for nativeness the same utterances, but after segmental information had been filtered out. The results show that prosodic information is important for comprehensibility, and that there are no significant differences between naïve and experienced raters on either comprehensibility or nativeness judgements. This suggests that naïve judgements are a useful and accessible source of data for identifying the parameters to be used in setting up automated feedback.

Correlates of lower comprehension of informed consent among participants enrolled in a cohort study in Pune, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Joglekar, Neelam S; Deshpande, Swapna S; Sahay, Seema; Ghate, Manisha V; Bollinger, Robert C; Mehendale, Sanjay M

2013-03-01

Optimum comprehension of informed consent by research participants is essential yet challenging. This study explored correlates of lower comprehension of informed consent among 1334 participants of a cohort study aimed at estimating HIV incidence in Pune, India. As part of the informed consent process, a structured comprehension tool was administered to study participants. Participants scoring ≥90% were categorised into the 'optimal comprehension group', whilst those scoring 80-89% were categorised into the 'lower comprehension group'. Data were analysed to identify sociodemographic and behavioural correlates of lower consent comprehension. The mean ± SD comprehension score was 94.4 ± 5.00%. Information pertaining to study-related risks was not comprehended by 61.7% of participants. HIV-negative men (adjusted OR [AOR] = 4.36, 95% CI 1.71-11.05) or HIV-negative women (AOR = 13.54, 95% CI 6.42-28.55), illiteracy (AOR= 1.65, 95% CI 1.19-2.30), those with a history of multiple partners (AOR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.12-2.66) and those never using condoms (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.01-1.82) were more likely to have lower consent comprehension. We recommend exploration of domains of lower consent comprehension using a validated consent comprehension tool. Improved education in these specific domains would optimise consent comprehension among research participants.

Comprehensive haematological indices reference intervals for a healthy Omani population: First comprehensive study in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle Eastern countries based on age, gender and ABO blood group comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Avinash Daniel; Al-Busaidi, Raiya; Al-Lawati, Rabab H.; Morsi, Magdi

2018-01-01

Background Reference intervals for venous blood parameters differs with age, gender, geographic region, and ethnic groups. Hence local laboratory reference intervals are important to improve the diagnostic accuracy of health assessments and diseases. However, there have been no comprehensive published reference intervals established in Oman, the Gulf Cooperation Council or Middle Eastern countries. Hence, the aim of this study was to establish reference intervals for full blood count in healthy Omani adults. Methods Venous blood specimens were collected from 2202 healthy individuals aged 18 to 69 years from January 2012 to April 2017, and analysed by Sysmex XS-1000i and Cell-Dyn Sapphire automated haematology analysers. Results were statistically analysed and compared by gender, age, and ABO blood group. The lower and upper reference limits of the haematology reference intervals were established at the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles respectively. Results Reference intervals were calculated for 17 haematology parameters which included red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet parameters. Red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT), platelet and platelet haematocrit counts of the healthy donors were significantly different between males and females at all ages (p values of RBC, HGB and HCT than females. Other complete blood count parameters showed no significant differences between genders, age groups, instruments, or blood groups. Our study showed a lower haemoglobin limit for the normal reference interval in males and females than the currently used in Oman. Conclusions Data from this study established specific reference intervals which could be considered for general use in Oman. The differences in haematology reference intervals highlights the necessity to establish reference intervals for venous blood parameters among the healthy population in each country or at least in each region. PMID:29621271

Comprehensive haematological indices reference intervals for a healthy Omani population: First comprehensive study in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle Eastern countries based on age, gender and ABO blood group comparison.

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Al-Mawali, Adhra; Pinto, Avinash Daniel; Al-Busaidi, Raiya; Al-Lawati, Rabab H; Morsi, Magdi

2018-01-01

Reference intervals for venous blood parameters differs with age, gender, geographic region, and ethnic groups. Hence local laboratory reference intervals are important to improve the diagnostic accuracy of health assessments and diseases. However, there have been no comprehensive published reference intervals established in Oman, the Gulf Cooperation Council or Middle Eastern countries. Hence, the aim of this study was to establish reference intervals for full blood count in healthy Omani adults. Venous blood specimens were collected from 2202 healthy individuals aged 18 to 69 years from January 2012 to April 2017, and analysed by Sysmex XS-1000i and Cell-Dyn Sapphire automated haematology analysers. Results were statistically analysed and compared by gender, age, and ABO blood group. The lower and upper reference limits of the haematology reference intervals were established at the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles respectively. Reference intervals were calculated for 17 haematology parameters which included red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet parameters. Red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT), platelet and platelet haematocrit counts of the healthy donors were significantly different between males and females at all ages (p < 0.05), with males having higher mean values of RBC, HGB and HCT than females. Other complete blood count parameters showed no significant differences between genders, age groups, instruments, or blood groups. Our study showed a lower haemoglobin limit for the normal reference interval in males and females than the currently used in Oman. Data from this study established specific reference intervals which could be considered for general use in Oman. The differences in haematology reference intervals highlights the necessity to establish reference intervals for venous blood parameters among the healthy population in each country or at least in each region.

Comprehensive Comparison between Empty Nest and Non-Empty Nest Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study among Rural Populations in Northeast China

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Ye Chang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to comprehensively compare the general characteristics, lifestyles, serum parameters, ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG parameters, depression, quality of life, and various comorbidities between empty nest and non-empty nest elderly among rural populations in northeast China. This analysis was based on our previous study which was conducted from January 2012 to August 2013, using a multistage, stratified, random cluster sampling scheme. The final analyzed sample consisted of 3208 participants aged no less than 60 years, which was further classified into three groups: non-empty nest group, empty nest group (living as a couple, and empty nest group (living alone. More than half of the participants were empty nest elderly (60.5%. There were no significant statistical differences for serum parameters, UCG parameters, lifestyles, dietary pattern, and scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9 and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF among the three groups. Empty nest elderly showed no more risk for comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, left atrial enlargement (LAE, and stroke. Our study indicated that empty nest elderly showed no more risk for depression, low quality of life and comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, LAE, and stroke among rural populations in northeast China.

Neural circuit of verbal humor comprehension in schizophrenia - an fMRI study

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Przemysław Adamczyk

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit problems with understanding the figurative meaning of language. This study evaluates neural correlates of diminished humor comprehension observed in schizophrenia. The study included chronic schizophrenia (SCH outpatients (n = 20, and sex, age and education level matched healthy controls (n = 20. The fMRI punchline based humor comprehension task consisted of 60 stories of which 20 had funny, 20 nonsensical and 20 neutral (not funny punchlines. After the punchlines were presented, the participants were asked to indicate whether the story was comprehensible and how funny it was. Three contrasts were analyzed in both groups reflecting stages of humor processing: abstract vs neutral stories - incongruity detection; funny vs abstract - incongruity resolution and elaboration; and funny vs neutral – complete humor processing. Additionally, parametric modulation analysis was performed using both subjective ratings separately. Between-group comparisons revealed that the SCH subjects had attenuated activation in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (BA 41 in case of irresolvable incongruity processing of nonsensical puns; in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9 in case of incongruity resolution and elaboration processing of funny puns; and in the interhemispheric dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24 in case of complete processing of funny puns. Additionally, during comprehensibility ratings the SCH group showed a suppressed activity in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9 and revealed weaker activation during funniness ratings in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24. Interestingly, these differences in the SCH group were accompanied behaviorally by a protraction of time in both types of rating responses and by indicating funny punchlines less comprehensible. Summarizing, our results indicate neural substrates of humor comprehension

Neural circuit of verbal humor comprehension in schizophrenia - an fMRI study.

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Adamczyk, Przemysław; Wyczesany, Miroslaw; Domagalik, Aleksandra; Daren, Artur; Cepuch, Kamil; Błądziński, Piotr; Cechnicki, Andrzej; Marek, Tadeusz

2017-01-01

Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit problems with understanding the figurative meaning of language. This study evaluates neural correlates of diminished humor comprehension observed in schizophrenia. The study included chronic schizophrenia (SCH) outpatients (n = 20), and sex, age and education level matched healthy controls (n = 20). The fMRI punchline based humor comprehension task consisted of 60 stories of which 20 had funny, 20 nonsensical and 20 neutral (not funny) punchlines. After the punchlines were presented, the participants were asked to indicate whether the story was comprehensible and how funny it was. Three contrasts were analyzed in both groups reflecting stages of humor processing: abstract vs neutral stories - incongruity detection; funny vs abstract - incongruity resolution and elaboration; and funny vs neutral - complete humor processing. Additionally, parametric modulation analysis was performed using both subjective ratings separately. Between-group comparisons revealed that the SCH subjects had attenuated activation in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (BA 41) in case of irresolvable incongruity processing of nonsensical puns; in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) in case of incongruity resolution and elaboration processing of funny puns; and in the interhemispheric dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24) in case of complete processing of funny puns. Additionally, during comprehensibility ratings the SCH group showed a suppressed activity in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) and revealed weaker activation during funniness ratings in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24). Interestingly, these differences in the SCH group were accompanied behaviorally by a protraction of time in both types of rating responses and by indicating funny punchlines less comprehensible. Summarizing, our results indicate neural substrates of humor comprehension processing

Reading Comprehension and Tolerance against Comprehension Ambiguities: An Empirical Study of Iranian GFL-Learners in Communicative Education

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Haghani, Nader; Bahmannejad, Fereshteh

2018-01-01

The present study examines the influence of ambiguity tolerance on the performance of Iranian GFL-learners (Note 1) at level B1 in the processing of gap-filling-text tests. It is assumed that learners with more tolerance of ambiguity achieve better results in the reading comprehension or in the contextual guessing of the omitted words. 34 GFL…

A Comprehensive Enzyme Kinetic Exercise for Biochemistry

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Barton, Janice S.

2011-01-01

This article describes a comprehensive treatment of experimental enzyme kinetics strongly coupled to electronic data acquisition and use of spreadsheets to organize data and perform linear and nonlinear least-squares analyses, all in a manner that promotes development of important reasoning skills. Kinetic parameters are obtained for the stable…

CIMI simulations with recently developed multi-parameter chorus and plasmaspheric hiss models

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Aryan, Homayon; Sibeck, David; Kang, Suk-bin; Balikhin, Michael; Fok, Mei-ching

2017-04-01

Simulation studies of the Earth's radiation belts are very useful in understanding the acceleration and loss of energetic particles. The Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model considers the effects of the ring current and plasmasphere on the radiation belts. CIMI was formed by merging the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model to solves for many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere, including radiation belt enhancements and dropouts. It incorporates chorus and plasmaspheric hiss wave diffusion of energetic electrons in energy, pitch angle, and cross terms. Usually the chorus and plasmaspheric hiss models used in CIMI are based on single-parameter geomagnetic index (AE). Here we integrate recently developed multi-parameter chorus and plasmaspheric hiss wave models based on geomagnetic index and solar wind parameters. We then perform CIMI simulations for different storms and compare the results with data from the Van Allen Probes and the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers and Akebono satellites. We find that the CIMI simulations with multi-parameter chorus and plasmaspheric hiss wave models are more comparable to data than the single-parameter wave models.

Comprehensive Environmental Assessment and U.S. EPA Nanomaterial Case Studies

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These case studies are not completed risk assessments but are structured around an approach known as comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA), which combines a product life cycle framework with the risk assessment paradigm (Davis, J.M., J. Nanosci. Nanotech. 7:402-9, 2007). ...

Humor comprehension and appreciation: an FMRI study.

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Bartolo, Angela; Benuzzi, Francesca; Nocetti, Luca; Baraldi, Patrizia; Nichelli, Paolo

2006-11-01

Humor is a unique ability in human beings. Suls [A two-stage model for the appreciation of jokes and cartoons. In P. E. Goldstein & J. H. McGhee (Eds.), The psychology of humour. Theoretical perspectives and empirical issues. New York: Academic Press, 1972, pp. 81-100] proposed a two-stage model of humor: detection and resolution of incongruity. Incongruity is generated when a prediction is not confirmed in the final part of a story. To comprehend humor, it is necessary to revisit the story, transforming an incongruous situation into a funny, congruous one. Patient and neuroimaging studies carried out until now lead to different outcomes. In particular, patient studies found that right brain-lesion patients have difficulties in humor comprehension, whereas neuroimaging studies suggested a major involvement of the left hemisphere in both humor detection and comprehension. To prevent activation of the left hemisphere due to language processing, we devised a nonverbal task comprising cartoon pairs. Our findings demonstrate activation of both the left and the right hemispheres when comparing funny versus nonfunny cartoons. In particular, we found activation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47), the left superior temporal gyrus (BA 38), the left middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), and the left cerebellum. These areas were also activated in a nonverbal task exploring attribution of intention [Brunet, E., Sarfati, Y., Hardy-Bayle, M. C., & Decety, J. A PET investigation of the attribution of intentions with a nonverbal task. Neuroimage, 11, 157-166, 2000]. We hypothesize that the resolution of incongruity might occur through a process of intention attribution. We also asked subjects to rate the funniness of each cartoon pair. A parametric analysis showed that the left amygdala was activated in relation to subjective amusement. We hypothesize that the amygdala plays a key role in giving humor an emotional dimension.

A Toolkit to Study Sensitivity of the Geant4 Predictions to the Variations of the Physics Model Parameters

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Fields, Laura [Fermilab; Genser, Krzysztof [Fermilab; Hatcher, Robert [Fermilab; Kelsey, Michael [SLAC; Perdue, Gabriel [Fermilab; Wenzel, Hans [Fermilab; Wright, Dennis H. [SLAC; Yarba, Julia [Fermilab

2017-08-21

Geant4 is the leading detector simulation toolkit used in high energy physics to design detectors and to optimize calibration and reconstruction software. It employs a set of carefully validated physics models to simulate interactions of particles with matter across a wide range of interaction energies. These models, especially the hadronic ones, rely largely on directly measured cross-sections and phenomenological predictions with physically motivated parameters estimated by theoretical calculation or measurement. Because these models are tuned to cover a very wide range of possible simulation tasks, they may not always be optimized for a given process or a given material. This raises several critical questions, e.g. how sensitive Geant4 predictions are to the variations of the model parameters, or what uncertainties are associated with a particular tune of a Geant4 physics model, or a group of models, or how to consistently derive guidance for Geant4 model development and improvement from a wide range of available experimental data. We have designed and implemented a comprehensive, modular, user-friendly software toolkit to study and address such questions. It allows one to easily modify parameters of one or several Geant4 physics models involved in the simulation, and to perform collective analysis of multiple variants of the resulting physics observables of interest and comparison against a variety of corresponding experimental data. Based on modern event-processing infrastructure software, the toolkit offers a variety of attractive features, e.g. flexible run-time configurable workflow, comprehensive bookkeeping, easy to expand collection of analytical components. Design, implementation technology, and key functionalities of the toolkit are presented and illustrated with results obtained with Geant4 key hadronic models.

Narrative comprehension and production in children with SLI: An eye movement study

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ANDREU, LLORENÇ; SANZ-TORRENT, MONICA; OLMOS, JOAN GUÀRDIA; MACWHINNEY, BRIAN

2014-01-01

This study investigates narrative comprehension and production in children with specific language impairment (SLI). Twelve children with SLI (mean age 5; 8 years) and 12 typically developing children (mean age 5; 6 years) participated in an eye-tracking experiment designed to investigate online narrative comprehension and production in Catalan- and Spanish-speaking children with SLI. The comprehension task involved the recording of eye movements during the visual exploration of successive scenes in a story, while listening to the associated narrative. With regard to production, the children were asked to retell the story, while once again looking at the scenes, as their eye movements were monitored. During narrative production, children with SLI look at the most semantically relevant areas of the scenes fewer times than their age-matched controls, but no differences were found in narrative comprehension. Moreover, the analyses of speech productions revealed that children with SLI retained less information and made more semantic and syntactic errors during retelling. Implications for theories that characterize SLI are discussed. PMID:21453036

Exploring the Causes of Listening Comprehension Anxiety from EFL Saudi Learners’ Perspectives: A Pilot Study

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Ibrahim Otair

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Anxiety is an important factor in foreign language learning. Very few studies have been done on English as a Foreign Language (EFL Saudi students in listening classes. Therefore, this pilot study was aimed at exploring the causes of listening comprehension anxiety from EFL Saudi learners’ perspectives at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. The pilot study involved two students who were selected based on the following criteria: 1 Only Saudi male undergraduate students who enrolled in Preparatory Year Program (PYP at Majmaah University would be involved in this study, 2 The students who had studied or lived in native English speaking countries would be excluded. The researcher used pseudonyms to refer to the participants as Mohammad and Ismail. This study employed a qualitative case study research design. The data were collected through Semi-structured interviews with the participants. The interview sessions were audiotaped and transcribed. The results show that the participants experienced a high level of anxiety when doing the listening comprehension tasks. Three main causes of listening comprehension anxiety emerged from this study: 1 the problematic nature of listening comprehension, 2 the classroom atmosphere, and 3 the low English proficiency of the students.

Parameter optimization, sensitivity, and uncertainty analysis of an ecosystem model at a forest flux tower site in the United States

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Wu, Yiping; Liu, Shuguang; Huang, Zhihong; Yan, Wende

2014-01-01

Ecosystem models are useful tools for understanding ecological processes and for sustainable management of resources. In biogeochemical field, numerical models have been widely used for investigating carbon dynamics under global changes from site to regional and global scales. However, it is still challenging to optimize parameters and estimate parameterization uncertainty for complex process-based models such as the Erosion Deposition Carbon Model (EDCM), a modified version of CENTURY, that consider carbon, water, and nutrient cycles of ecosystems. This study was designed to conduct the parameter identifiability, optimization, sensitivity, and uncertainty analysis of EDCM using our developed EDCM-Auto, which incorporated a comprehensive R package—Flexible Modeling Framework (FME) and the Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE) algorithm. Using a forest flux tower site as a case study, we implemented a comprehensive modeling analysis involving nine parameters and four target variables (carbon and water fluxes) with their corresponding measurements based on the eddy covariance technique. The local sensitivity analysis shows that the plant production-related parameters (e.g., PPDF1 and PRDX) are most sensitive to the model cost function. Both SCE and FME are comparable and performed well in deriving the optimal parameter set with satisfactory simulations of target variables. Global sensitivity and uncertainty analysis indicate that the parameter uncertainty and the resulting output uncertainty can be quantified, and that the magnitude of parameter-uncertainty effects depends on variables and seasons. This study also demonstrates that using the cutting-edge R functions such as FME can be feasible and attractive for conducting comprehensive parameter analysis for ecosystem modeling.

Intelligent methods for the process parameter determination of plastic injection molding

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Gao, Huang; Zhang, Yun; Zhou, Xundao; Li, Dequn

2018-03-01

Injection molding is one of the most widely used material processing methods in producing plastic products with complex geometries and high precision. The determination of process parameters is important in obtaining qualified products and maintaining product quality. This article reviews the recent studies and developments of the intelligent methods applied in the process parameter determination of injection molding. These intelligent methods are classified into three categories: Case-based reasoning methods, expert system- based methods, and data fitting and optimization methods. A framework of process parameter determination is proposed after comprehensive discussions. Finally, the conclusions and future research topics are discussed.

Comprehensive Evaluation of dehydration impact on ocular tissue during Ramadan fasting

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Javad Heravian

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The present study aimed to review the effect of dehydration during Ramadan fasting on the health and ocular parameters leading to changes in eye function. Methods: Articles included in the study were taken from Pub Med, Ovid, Web of Science and Google Scholar up to 2014.Related articles were also obtained from scientific journals in fasting and eye. Results: Dehydration and nutrition changes in Ramadan cause an increase in tear osmolarity, ocular aberration, anterior chamber depth, IOL measurement, central corneal thickness, retinal and choroidal thickness. And also a decrease in IOP, tear secretion, and vitreous thickness. Conclusion: Besides many research in relation to effect of dehydration impact on ocular parameters during Ramadan fasting, although the findings reveal it is associated with significant changes on ocular parameters. It seems requisite to have comprehensive study in "fasting and ocular parameters” which will be helpful in making decision and giving plan to the patients.

The Role of Reading Fluency in Children's Text Comprehension.

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Álvarez-Cañizo, Marta; Suárez-Coalla, Paz; Cuetos, Fernando

2015-01-01

Understanding a written text requires some higher cognitive abilities that not all children have. Some children have these abilities, since they understand oral texts; however, they have difficulties with written texts, probably due to problems in reading fluency. The aim of this study was to determine which aspects of reading fluency are related to reading comprehension. Four expositive texts, two written and two read by the evaluator, were presented to a sample of 103 primary school children (third and sixth grade). Each text was followed by four comprehension questions. From this sample we selected two groups of participants in each grade, 10 with good results in comprehension of oral and written texts, and 10 with good results in oral and poor in written comprehension. These 40 subjects were asked to read aloud a new text while they were recorded. Using Praat software some prosodic parameters were measured, such as pausing and reading rate (number and duration of the pauses and utterances), pitch and intensity changes and duration in declarative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences and also errors and duration in words by frequency and stress. We compared the results of both groups with ANOVAs. The results showed that children with less reading comprehension made more inappropriate pauses and also intersentential pauses before comma than the other group and made more mistakes in content words; significant differences were also found in the final declination of pitch in declarative sentences and in the F0 range in interrogative ones. These results confirm that reading comprehension problems in children are related to a lack in the development of a good reading fluency.

A cross-language study of decontextualized vocabulary comprehension in toddlerhood and kindergarten readiness.

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Friend, Margaret; Smolak, Erin; Liu, Yushuang; Poulin-Dubois, Diane; Zesiger, Pascal

2018-04-05

Recent studies demonstrate that emerging literacy depends on earlier language achievement. Importantly, most extant work focuses on parent-reported production prior to 30 months of age. Of interest is whether and how directly assessed vocabulary comprehension in the 2nd year of life supports vocabulary and kindergarten readiness in the 4th year. We first contrasted orthogonal indices of parent-reported production and directly assessed vocabulary comprehension and found that comprehension was a stronger predictor of child outcomes. We then assessed prediction from vocabulary comprehension controlling for maternal education, preschool attendance, and child sex. In 3 studies early, decontextualized vocabulary comprehension emerged as a significant predictor of 4th year language and kindergarten readiness accounting for unique variance above demographic control variables. Further we found that the effect of early vocabulary on 4th year kindergarten readiness was not mediated by 4th year vocabulary. This pattern of results emerged in English monolingual children (N = 48) and replicated in French monolingual (N = 58) and French-English bilingual children (N = 34). Our findings suggest that early, decontextualized vocabulary may provide a platform for the establishment of a conceptual system that supports both later vocabulary and kindergarten readiness, including the acquisition of a wide range of concepts including print and number. Differences between parent-reported and directly assessed vocabulary and the mechanisms by which decontextualized vocabulary may contribute to conceptual development are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Comprehension of Familiar and Novel Metaphoric Meanings in Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

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Rapp, Alexander M.; Felsenheimer, Anne K.; Langohr, Karin; Klupp, Magdalena

2018-01-01

Miscomprehension of nonliteral (“figurative”) language like metaphors, proverbs, idioms, and ironic expressions by patients with schizophrenia is a phenomenon mentioned already in historical psychiatric descriptions. However, it was only recently that studies did differentiate between novel and conventional metaphors, a factor that is known to influence the difficulty of comprehension in healthy subjects. Further, familiarity with stimuli is an important factor for comprehension, which was not recommended in utmost previous studies. In this study, 23 patients with DSM IV schizophrenia and 19 healthy control subjects performed a newly-developed German metaphor comprehension test with three types of stimuli: novel metaphors, conventional German metaphors, and meaningless statements. During the test procedure, participants indicated familiarity with the stimulus and then matched the meaning with one out of four given alternatives. Familiarity rankings did not significantly differ between patients and control subjects. However, on descriptive level, there was a tendency for healthy controls to be more familiar with conventional metaphors than schizophrenic patients. Further, comprehension of conventional and novel metaphors differed significantly between the groups, with higher performance in healthy controls. Considering only those metaphors that had been ranked as familiar, patients only revealed significant lower performance opposed to controls regarding novel metaphors, while they did not differ in conventional metaphors. Taken together, the results indicate that patients with schizophrenia might show an altered way of comprehension in novel metaphors, leading to more misunderstandings. However, their previously reported impairments in conventional metaphors might rather be due to a lack of familiarity with the stimuli—making conventional metaphors to novel metaphors in the individual case. PMID:29354082

The Comprehension of Familiar and Novel Metaphoric Meanings in Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

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Alexander M. Rapp

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Miscomprehension of nonliteral (“figurative” language like metaphors, proverbs, idioms, and ironic expressions by patients with schizophrenia is a phenomenon mentioned already in historical psychiatric descriptions. However, it was only recently that studies did differentiate between novel and conventional metaphors, a factor that is known to influence the difficulty of comprehension in healthy subjects. Further, familiarity with stimuli is an important factor for comprehension, which was not recommended in utmost previous studies. In this study, 23 patients with DSM IV schizophrenia and 19 healthy control subjects performed a newly-developed German metaphor comprehension test with three types of stimuli: novel metaphors, conventional German metaphors, and meaningless statements. During the test procedure, participants indicated familiarity with the stimulus and then matched the meaning with one out of four given alternatives. Familiarity rankings did not significantly differ between patients and control subjects. However, on descriptive level, there was a tendency for healthy controls to be more familiar with conventional metaphors than schizophrenic patients. Further, comprehension of conventional and novel metaphors differed significantly between the groups, with higher performance in healthy controls. Considering only those metaphors that had been ranked as familiar, patients only revealed significant lower performance opposed to controls regarding novel metaphors, while they did not differ in conventional metaphors. Taken together, the results indicate that patients with schizophrenia might show an altered way of comprehension in novel metaphors, leading to more misunderstandings. However, their previously reported impairments in conventional metaphors might rather be due to a lack of familiarity with the stimuli—making conventional metaphors to novel metaphors in the individual case.

Effects of Audiovisual Media on L2 Listening Comprehension: A Preliminary Study in French

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Becker, Shannon R.; Sturm, Jessica L.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether integrating online audiovisual materials into the listening instruction of L2 French learners would have a measurable impact on their listening comprehension development. Students from two intact sections of second-semester French were tested on their listening comprehension before and…

SPOTting Model Parameters Using a Ready-Made Python Package.

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Tobias Houska

Full Text Available The choice for specific parameter estimation methods is often more dependent on its availability than its performance. We developed SPOTPY (Statistical Parameter Optimization Tool, an open source python package containing a comprehensive set of methods typically used to calibrate, analyze and optimize parameters for a wide range of ecological models. SPOTPY currently contains eight widely used algorithms, 11 objective functions, and can sample from eight parameter distributions. SPOTPY has a model-independent structure and can be run in parallel from the workstation to large computation clusters using the Message Passing Interface (MPI. We tested SPOTPY in five different case studies to parameterize the Rosenbrock, Griewank and Ackley functions, a one-dimensional physically based soil moisture routine, where we searched for parameters of the van Genuchten-Mualem function and a calibration of a biogeochemistry model with different objective functions. The case studies reveal that the implemented SPOTPY methods can be used for any model with just a minimal amount of code for maximal power of parameter optimization. They further show the benefit of having one package at hand that includes number of well performing parameter search methods, since not every case study can be solved sufficiently with every algorithm or every objective function.

Statistical study of chorus wave distributions in the inner magnetosphere using Ae and solar wind parameters

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Aryan, Homayon; Yearby, Keith; Balikhin, Michael; Agapitov, Oleksiy; Krasnoselskikh, Vladimir; Boynton, Richard

2014-08-01

Energetic electrons within the Earth's radiation belts represent a serious hazard to geostationary satellites. The interactions of electrons with chorus waves play an important role in both the acceleration and loss of radiation belt electrons. The common approach is to present model wave distributions in the inner magnetosphere under different values of geomagnetic activity as expressed by the geomagnetic indices. However, it has been shown that only around 50% of geomagnetic storms increase flux of relativistic electrons at geostationary orbit while 20% causes a decrease and the remaining 30% has relatively no effect. This emphasizes the importance of including solar wind parameters such as bulk velocity (V), density (n), flow pressure (P), and the vertical interplanetary magnetic field component (Bz) that are known to be predominately effective in the control of high energy fluxes at the geostationary orbit. Therefore, in the present study the set of parameters of the wave distributions is expanded to include the solar wind parameters in addition to the geomagnetic activity. The present study examines almost 4 years (1 January 2004 to 29 September 2007) of Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Field Fluctuation data from Double Star TC1 combined with geomagnetic indices and solar wind parameters from OMNI database in order to present a comprehensive model of wave magnetic field intensities for the chorus waves as a function of magnetic local time, L shell (L), magnetic latitude (λm), geomagnetic activity, and solar wind parameters. Generally, the results indicate that the intensity of chorus emission is not only dependent upon geomagnetic activity but also dependent on solar wind parameters with velocity and southward interplanetary magnetic field Bs (Bz < 0), evidently the most influential solar wind parameters. The largest peak chorus intensities in the order of 50 pT are observed during active conditions, high solar wind velocities, low solar wind densities, high

Impact of Nursery Rhymes on Iranian EFL Learners’ Listening Comprehension Skill Improvement-A Study

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Omid Pourkalhor

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of nursery rhymes on the young language learners listening comprehension ability. To do so, 30 elementary learners were selected as the potential participants of the study. The learners’ perceptions about using nursery rhymes in teaching listening as well as teachers’ perceptions about teaching listening comprehension through nursery rhymes were taken into account. The listening pre- and post-tests and teachers and learners’ interviews were employed for data collection procedures. Quantitative as well as qualitative methodologies were adapted for data analysis. Findings showed that the young learners could improve their listening comprehension ability as a result of using nursery rhymes. Interview data also indicated that the learners’ perceptions about nursery rhymes were found to be positive since the rhymes provided an interesting atmosphere for the learners to improve their listening comprehension while benefiting from peer interaction and teacher’s support in the listening classroom. Teachers’ perceptions were also realistic regarding using nursery rhymes in teaching listening, especially for young learners. As to the implication side, finding can contribute to the positive application of nursery rhymes in paving the way for young learners to improve their listening comprehension ability.

Cultural Knowledge in News Comprehension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathieu, David

2009-01-01

This paper presents the main lines of the design and the findings of a reception study on news comprehension. This empirical study is a comparison of the comprehension processes of Danes and French Canadians over a set of news texts from both countries. Comprehension is explored from a cultural...... perspective, through the lens of cognition and pragmatics, revealing the role played by cultural knowledge in comprehension and the underlying relationship between a text and its intended audience. It is argued that recipients ‘problematise’ the news texts, a process by which the texts answer questions...

Informed consent comprehension in African research settings.

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Afolabi, Muhammed O; Okebe, Joseph U; McGrath, Nuala; Larson, Heidi J; Bojang, Kalifa; Chandramohan, Daniel

2014-06-01

Previous reviews on participants' comprehension of informed consent information have focused on developed countries. Experience has shown that ethical standards developed on Western values may not be appropriate for African settings where research concepts are unfamiliar. We undertook this review to describe how informed consent comprehension is defined and measured in African research settings. We conducted a comprehensive search involving five electronic databases: Medline, Embase, Global Health, EthxWeb and Bioethics Literature Database (BELIT). We also examined African Index Medicus and Google Scholar for relevant publications on informed consent comprehension in clinical studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. 29 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria; meta-analysis was possible in 21 studies. We further conducted a direct comparison of participants' comprehension on domains of informed consent in all eligible studies. Comprehension of key concepts of informed consent varies considerably from country to country and depends on the nature and complexity of the study. Meta-analysis showed that 47% of a total of 1633 participants across four studies demonstrated comprehension about randomisation (95% CI 13.9-80.9%). Similarly, 48% of 3946 participants in six studies had understanding about placebo (95% CI 19.0-77.5%), while only 30% of 753 participants in five studies understood the concept of therapeutic misconception (95% CI 4.6-66.7%). Measurement tools for informed consent comprehension were developed with little or no validation. Assessment of comprehension was carried out at variable times after disclosure of study information. No uniform definition of informed consent comprehension exists to form the basis for development of an appropriate tool to measure comprehension in African participants. Comprehension of key concepts of informed consent is poor among study participants across Africa. There is a vital need to develop a uniform definition for

A developmental study of proverb comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Resnick, D A

1982-09-01

Growth in proverb comprehension was hypothesized to result from the gradual emergence of cognitive abilities reflected in a sequence of increasingly complex abilities: story matching, transfer of relations, desymbolization, proverb matching, and paraphrase. Items for these abilities for each of 10 proverbs of two structural types were administered in three test sessions to 438 students in grades three to seven. An analogy subtest was used to measure general intelligence. ANOVA yielded significant main effects for grade, tasks, and proverbs (all p's less than .01). A significant task x proverb interaction (p less than .01) revealed the difficulty of precise control over the language of the items. Proverb structure had no measurable impact on difficulty. Analogy score was a significant factor in performance (p less than .01) but not as potent as age (p less than .01). The sequential order of abilities received only weak confirmation, though tasks did correlate among themselves with medium strength (r's = .50-.70). Individual interviews added a qualitative dimension to the findings. The suitability of cognitive hierarchical models for proverb comprehension was questioned.

Comparison of parameters affecting GNP-loaded choroidal melanoma dosimetry; Monte Carlo study

Science.gov (United States)

Sharabiani, Marjan; Asadi, Somayeh; Barghi, Amir Rahnamai; Vaezzadeh, Mehdi

2018-04-01

The current study reports the results of tumor dosimetry in the presence of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with different sizes and concentrations. Due to limited number of works carried out on the brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma in combination with GNPs, this study was performed to determine the optimum size and concentration for GNPs which contributes the highest dose deposition in tumor region, using two phantom test cases namely water phantom and a full Monte Carlo model of human eye. Both water and human eye phantoms were simulated with MCNP5 code. Tumor dosimetry was performed for a typical point photon source with an energy of 0.38 MeV as a high energy source and 103Pd brachytherapy source with an average energy of 0.021 MeV as a low energy source in water phantom and eye phantom respectively. Such a dosimetry was done for different sizes and concentrations of GNPs. For all of the diameters, increase in concentration of GNPs resulted in an increase in dose deposited in the region of interest. In a certain concentration, GNPs with larger diameters contributed more dose to the tumor region, which was more pronounced using eye phantom. 100 nm was reported as the optimum size in order to achieve the highest energy deposition within the target. This work investigated the optimum parameters affecting macroscopic dose enhancement in GNP-aided brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma. The current work also had implications on using low energy photon sources in the presence of GNPs to acquire the highest dose enhancement. This study is conducted through four different sizes and concentrations of GNPs. Considering the sensitivity of human eye tissue, in order to report the precise optimum parameters affecting radiosensitivity, a comprehensive study on a wide range of sizes and concentrations are required.

A comprehensive study on gain stabilization of Er-doped fiber amplifier in C-band with uniform fiber Bragg grating-pair

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jiuru; Ma, Yu; OuYang, Yunlun; Liu, Chunyu; Zhang, Jiaxiao

2014-07-01

Fiber grating-pair is one of the efficient methods for gain stabilization of erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) but with a gain-reduction of signals, especially in C-band. In order to overcome it, in this article, we establish a configuration of EDFA based uniform fiber grating-pair and conduct a comprehensive study on gain stabilization by varying the reflectivity, center wavelength and 3dB bandwidth of grating, and by varying the channel number and pump power. The numerical results show that under the optimal parameters of grating the gain stabilization at 1550nm is +/-0.044dB with high gain and large dynamic range.

A Study of Holistic and Subskill Instructional Approaches to Reading Comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Vacca, Richard T.

1980-01-01

In a six-week study involving seventh- to ninth-grade students in a summer corrective reading program, neither the holistic nor the subskill treatment had a significant advantage in improving student reading comprehension or attitude toward reading. (JT)

Theory of mind in emerging reading comprehension: A longitudinal study of early indirect and direct effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, Lynette; Slade, Lance; Powell, Daisy; Levy, Joseph P

2017-12-01

The relation between children's theory of mind (ToM) and emerging reading comprehension was investigated in a longitudinal study over 2.5years. A total of 80 children were tested for ToM, decoding, language skills, and executive function (EF) at Time 1 (mean age=3;10 [years;months]). At Time 2 (mean age=6;03), children's word reading efficiency, language skills, and reading comprehension were measured. Mediation analysis showed that ToM at Time 1, when children were around 4years old, indirectly predicted Time 2 reading comprehension, when children were 6years old, via language ability after controlling for age, nonverbal ability, decoding, EF, and earlier language ability. Importantly, ToM at 4years also directly predicted reading comprehension 2.5years later at 6years. This is the first longitudinal study to show a direct contribution of ToM to reading comprehension in typical development. Findings are discussed in terms of the simple view of reading (SVR); ToM not only supports reading comprehension indirectly by facilitating language but also contributes to it directly over and above the SVR. The potential role of metacognition is considered when accounting for the direct contribution of early ToM to later reading comprehension. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic comparison of ORC configurations by means of comprehensive performance indexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branchini, Lisa; De Pascale, Andrea; Peretto, Antonio

2013-01-01

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is considered as an emerging technology for power generation through heat recovering from different thermal sources, based on the use of organic fluids as working medium. This paper presents a numerical study to assess the relevance: i) of the thermodynamic cycle, ii) of the main design parameters and iii) of the working fluid, on the achievable performance. The ORC performance is here calculated in terms of six different thermodynamic indexes, offering comprehensive information, namely: cycle efficiency, specific work, recovery efficiency, turbine volumetric expansion ratio, ORC fluid-to-hot source mass flow ratio and heat exchangers size parameter. In the framework of a systematic investigation approach, various possible modifications to the simple ORC plant layout are here analyzed and compared, in order to improve the ORC recovery performance; arrangements such as recuperation, superheated cycle, supercritical conditions, regenerative cycle and their combinations are taken into account. The investigation is carried out by means of an in-house developed calculation tool, based on a thermodynamic property database of the considered fluids, including aromatics, siloxanes, refrigerants and hydrocarbons. A comprehensive parametric analysis of these cycles at different hot source temperature and different evaporation pressure values is carried out. The objectives of this investigation are to provide useful guidelines to select the ORC configuration, the most appropriate fluid and to define the operating parameters, depending on the specific application. Thermodynamic results are also related with sizing of ORC components and thus can be used for economic assessment of the different ORC design alternatives. -- Highlights: • Systematic comparison of ORC thermodynamic arrangements is performed. • Performance is calculated introducing six comprehensive energy and size/economic indexes. • An in-house-developed calculation tool is used

Engineering parameters for expansion of MPT berths, Goa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jayakumar, S.; Chandramohan, P.; Jena, B.K.; Pednekar, P.S.

Comprehensive program for a harbour development and management requires general and detailed information on the coastal environment including engineering characteristics in addition to physical, chemical and biological parameters. Mormugao Port...

Summary of the DREAM8 Parameter Estimation Challenge: Toward Parameter Identification for Whole-Cell Models.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan R Karr

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Whole-cell models that explicitly represent all cellular components at the molecular level have the potential to predict phenotype from genotype. However, even for simple bacteria, whole-cell models will contain thousands of parameters, many of which are poorly characterized or unknown. New algorithms are needed to estimate these parameters and enable researchers to build increasingly comprehensive models. We organized the Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods (DREAM 8 Whole-Cell Parameter Estimation Challenge to develop new parameter estimation algorithms for whole-cell models. We asked participants to identify a subset of parameters of a whole-cell model given the model's structure and in silico "experimental" data. Here we describe the challenge, the best performing methods, and new insights into the identifiability of whole-cell models. We also describe several valuable lessons we learned toward improving future challenges. Going forward, we believe that collaborative efforts supported by inexpensive cloud computing have the potential to solve whole-cell model parameter estimation.

A comprehensive study of sparse codes on abnormality detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ren, Huamin; Pan, Hong; Olsen, Søren Ingvor

2017-01-01

Sparse representation has been applied successfully in abnor-mal event detection, in which the baseline is to learn a dic-tionary accompanied by sparse codes. While much empha-sis is put on discriminative dictionary construction, there areno comparative studies of sparse codes regarding abnormal-ity...... detection. We comprehensively study two types of sparsecodes solutions - greedy algorithms and convex L1-norm so-lutions - and their impact on abnormality detection perfor-mance. We also propose our framework of combining sparsecodes with different detection methods. Our comparative ex-periments are carried...

Comprehensive Care

Science.gov (United States)

... Comprehensive Care Share this page Facebook Twitter Email Comprehensive Care Understand the importance of comprehensive MS care ... In this article A complex disease requires a comprehensive approach Today multiple sclerosis (MS) is not a ...

Effects of Strategy Instruction in an EFL Reading Comprehension Course: A Case Study

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Sergio Lopera Medina

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Strategy instruction is useful in teaching contexts. This paper examines the effects of strategy instruction in an EFL reading comprehension course carried out with 26 undergraduate students at a Colombian university. As a research method, a case study was implemented. There were three instruments with which to collect data: reading comprehension tests, teacher's field notes and self-reflection in class at the strategy instruction phase, and a learning perception questionnaire. Given that students improved in reading comprehension, it would seem that reading strategy instruction is indeed very useful. Also, it was noted that when students applied reading strategies, they became more self-confident and this in turn enhanced their motivation. Finally, when students applied the reading strategy approach, the use of dictionaries decreased considerably.

Prediction of the development of reading comprehension: a longitudinal study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, L.T.W.; Leeuwe, J.F.J. van

2008-01-01

Specific effects of word decoding, vocabulary and listening comprehension abilities on the development of reading comprehension were longitudinally examined for a representative sample of 2143 Dutch children throughout the elementary school period. An attempt was made to test two theoretical

Qualitative Parameters of Practice during University Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Stasiunaitiene, Egle; Norkute, Odeta

2011-01-01

In this article, relevance of practice during university studies is highlighted, as well as the main stages of its organisation, qualitative parameters, as well as criteria and indicators that validate them are defined. Discussion on the idea that taking into consideration qualitative parameters of organising practice as a component of studies…

Reading comprehension and its underlying components in second-language learners: A meta-analysis of studies comparing first- and second-language learners.

Science.gov (United States)

Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lervåg, Arne

2014-03-01

We report a systematic meta-analytic review of studies comparing reading comprehension and its underlying components (language comprehension, decoding, and phonological awareness) in first- and second-language learners. The review included 82 studies, and 576 effect sizes were calculated for reading comprehension and underlying components. Key findings were that, compared to first-language learners, second-language learners display a medium-sized deficit in reading comprehension (pooled effect size d = -0.62), a large deficit in language comprehension (pooled effect size d = -1.12), but only small differences in phonological awareness (pooled effect size d = -0.08) and decoding (pooled effect size d = -0.12). A moderator analysis showed that characteristics related to the type of reading comprehension test reliably explained the variation in the differences in reading comprehension between first- and second-language learners. For language comprehension, studies of samples from low socioeconomic backgrounds and samples where only the first language was used at home generated the largest group differences in favor of first-language learners. Test characteristics and study origin reliably contributed to the variations between the studies of language comprehension. For decoding, Canadian studies showed group differences in favor of second-language learners, whereas the opposite was the case for U.S. studies. Regarding implications, unless specific decoding problems are detected, interventions that aim to ameliorate reading comprehension problems among second-language learners should focus on language comprehension skills.

Accounting for parameter uncertainty in the definition of parametric distributions used to describe individual patient variation in health economic models

OpenAIRE

Degeling, Koen; IJzerman, Maarten J.; Koopman, Miriam; Koffijberg, Hendrik

2017-01-01

Background Parametric distributions based on individual patient data can be used to represent both stochastic and parameter uncertainty. Although general guidance is available on how parameter uncertainty should be accounted for in probabilistic sensitivity analysis, there is no comprehensive guidance on reflecting parameter uncertainty in the (correlated) parameters of distributions used to represent stochastic uncertainty in patient-level models. This study aims to provide this guidance by ...

The role of reading fluency in children’s text comprehension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta eÁlvarez-Cañizo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Understanding a written text requires some higher cognitive abilities that not all children have. Some children have these abilities, since they understand oral texts; however they have difficulties with written texts, probably due to problems in reading fluency. The aim of this study was to determine which aspects of reading fluency are related to reading comprehension. Four expositive texts, two written and two read by the evaluator, were presented to a sample of 103 primary school children (third and sixth grade. Each text was followed by four comprehension questions. From this sample we selected two groups of participants in each grade, 10 with good results in comprehension of oral and written texts, and 10 with good results in oral and poor in written comprehension. These 40 subjects were asked to read aloud a new text while they were recorded. Using Praat software some prosodic parameters were measured, such as pausing and reading rate (number and duration of the pauses and utterances, pitch and intensity changes and duration in declarative, exclamatory and interrogative sentences and also errors and duration in words by frequency and stress. We compared the results of both groups with ANOVAs. The results showed that children with less reading comprehension made more inappropriate pauses and also intersentential pauses before comma than the other group and made more mistakes in content words; significant differences were also found in the final declination of pitch in declarative sentences and in the F0 range in interrogative ones. These results confirm that reading comprehension problems in children are related to a lack in the development of a good reading fluency.

A Comprehensive Review on Water Quality Parameters Estimation Using Remote Sensing Techniques

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Mohammad Haji Gholizadeh

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Remotely sensed data can reinforce the abilities of water resources researchers and decision makers to monitor waterbodies more effectively. Remote sensing techniques have been widely used to measure the qualitative parameters of waterbodies (i.e., suspended sediments, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM, chlorophyll-a, and pollutants. A large number of different sensors on board various satellites and other platforms, such as airplanes, are currently used to measure the amount of radiation at different wavelengths reflected from the water’s surface. In this review paper, various properties (spectral, spatial and temporal, etc. of the more commonly employed spaceborne and airborne sensors are tabulated to be used as a sensor selection guide. Furthermore, this paper investigates the commonly used approaches and sensors employed in evaluating and quantifying the eleven water quality parameters. The parameters include: chlorophyll-a (chl-a, colored dissolved organic matters (CDOM, Secchi disk depth (SDD, turbidity, total suspended sediments (TSS, water temperature (WT, total phosphorus (TP, sea surface salinity (SSS, dissolved oxygen (DO, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD and chemical oxygen demand (COD.

Study on comprehensive evaluation model for nuclear power plant control room layout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yiming; Liu Yuan; Fan Huixian

2010-01-01

A comprehensive evaluation model for layout of the main control room of nuclear power plants was proposed. Firstly the design scope and principle for the layout of the main control room were defined based on the standards, and then the index system for the comprehensive evaluation was established. Finally, comprehensive evaluation was carried out for the layout design by applying the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method in the index system. (authors)

A Study on the Comprehensive and Integrated Workplace Safety and Health Services in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Chia, Sin Eng; Wah, Lim John; Khim, Judy Sng Gek; Yoong, Joanne; Lim, Raymond Boon Tar; Seng, Chia Kee

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of comprehensiveness and integration of workplace safety and health (WSH) services (safety, occupational health, and well-being) in Singapore. Thirty workplaces from five different sectors comprising more than 28,000 workers were assessed using three custom-developed tools. One quarter of the workplaces have applied the principles of comprehensive and integrated WSH. Among those that managed WSH comprehensively, workers were 4.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.33 to 8.25) more likely to be proud to work for their company, 7.4 times (95% CI, 3.96 to 13.90) more likely to be satisfied with their current job, and 1.7 times (95% CI, 1.21 to 2.32) more likely to balance the demands of work and home. There is a need to enhance awareness and education on comprehensive and integrated WSH in Singapore companies.

Reading Comprehension and Translation Performance of English Linguistics Students of Hung Vuong University: A Correlational Study

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Cuc Thi Kim Pham

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to correlate the reading comprehension and translation performance of English linguistic students, then inform some pedagogical implications for the teaching of reading comprehension in translation classes in order to enhance the translation quality performed by the students. To this end, 45 junior students of English linguistics specialization of Hung Vuong University, including 5 males and 40 females, aged from 20 to 22, were subject to a TOEFL reading comprehension test and a translation performance test (ATA guidelines, 2011. Data were analyzed using the Pearson Correlation, SPSS version 20.0. The coefficient correlation of students’ reading comprehension and their translation performance was noted 0.721 at the significant level of 0.01. It was found that the Reading comprehension was closely related to translation performance. Along the reading comprehension question types, translation performance was affected by the ability to determine gist and main ideas of the text, identify the vocabulary, infer the implied meanings and identify the writer’s style and attitudes. The results were discussed, and implications for teaching reading comprehension to enhance translation performance were presented.

Evidence for bilateral involvement in idiom comprehension : An fMRI study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zempleni, Monika-Zita; Haverkort, Marco; Renken, Remco; Stowe, Laurie A.

2007-01-01

The goal of the current study was to identify the neural substrate of idiom comprehension using fMRI. Idioms are familiar, fixed expressions whose meaning is not dependent on the literal interpretation of the component words. We presented literally plausible idioms in a sentence forcing a figurative

Case Study of an Institutionalized Urban Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

Science.gov (United States)

Doolittle, Sarah A.; Rukavina, Paul B.

2014-01-01

This single case study (Yin, 2009) compares an established urban physical education/ sport/physical activity program with two models: Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program/CSPAP (AAHPERD, 2013; CDC, 2013); and Lawson's propositions (2005) for sport, exercise and physical education for empowerment and community development to determine…

The Effect of Stories for Thinking on Reading and Listening Comprehension: A Case Study in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Tok, Sükran; Mazl, Aysegül

2015-01-01

This study has been conducted in order to examine the effects of the stories for thinking on 5th graders' reading comprehension and listening comprehension. A pretest-post test control group quasi-experimental design was used in the study. The sample of the etstudy was composed of 74 5th graders attending public elementary schools. The data have…

The Role of First-Language Listening Comprehension in Second-Language Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Edele, Aileen; Stanat, Petra

2016-01-01

Although the simple view of reading and other theories suggest that listening comprehension is an important determinant of reading comprehension, previous research on linguistic transfer has mainly focused on the role of first language (L1) decoding skills in second language (L2) reading. The present study tested the assumption that listening…

Design optimization of structural parameters in double gate MOSFETs for RF applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Jiale; Xiao Han; Huang Ru; Wang Pengfei; Wang Yangyuan

2008-01-01

Double gate (DG) MOSFETs have recently attracted much attention for both logic and analog/RF applications. In this paper we focus on the design consideration of DG devices for RF applications. The different influences of key structural parameters on RF characteristics are comprehensively studied and optimized, including body thickness, spacer length and source/drain raised height. The impact of the fluctuation of geometrical parameters of DG devices on RF figures-of-merit are estimated. In addition, different dominance of structural parameters for RF applications is studied in DG devices with different channel lengths. The dependence of RF performance on the gate length downscaling of DG devices is also discussed. The obtained results give the design guidelines for DG devices for RF applications

A Study of the Application of Big Data in a Rural Comprehensive Information Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leifeng Guo

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Big data has attracted extensive interest due to its potential tremendous social and scientific value. Researchers are also trying to extract potential value from agriculture big data. This paper presents a study of information services based on big data from the perspective of a rural comprehensive information service. First, we introduce the background of the rural comprehensive information service, and then we present in detail the National Rural Comprehensive Information Service Platform (NRCISP, which is supported by the national science and technology support program. Next, we discuss big data in the NRCISP according to data characteristics, data sources, and data processing. Finally, we discuss a service model and services based on big data in the NRCISP.

Classroom Talk for Rigorous Reading Comprehension Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Mikyung Kim; Crosson, Amy C.; Resnick, Lauren B.

2004-01-01

This study examined the quality of classroom talk and its relation to academic rigor in reading-comprehension lessons. Additionally, the study aimed to characterize effective questions to support rigorous reading comprehension lessons. The data for this study included 21 reading-comprehension lessons in several elementary and middle schools from…

Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems Braille Reading Assessment: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Posey, Virginia K.; Henderson, Barbara W.

2012-01-01

Introduction: This exploratory study determined whether transcribing selected test items on an adult life and work skills reading test into braille could maintain the same approximate scale-score range and maintain fitness within the item response theory model as used by the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) for developing…

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN HERZEGOVINIAN DONKEY

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Dunja Rukavina

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Herzegovinian donkey is a very important animal resource of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There have been no works attempted at determining the normal values of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey. For this reason, the objective of the present study was to investigate some hematological parameters in Herzegovinian donkey. The research was performed on 30 apparently healthy donkeys (18 female and 12 male of ages from 1 to 20 years. Blood samples (3 ml were obtained by jugular vein puncture (vena jugularis externa in vacuum tubes with EDTA. The mean value of hematocrit was 29.19 %, hemoglobin concentration 10.6 g/dl, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 36.33 g/dl, white blood cells 9.33 x109/L, granulocytes (109/L 5.45 x109/L, granulocytes (% 59.47%, lymphocyte/monocyte (109/L 3.89 x109/L, lymphocyte/monocyte (% 40.53% and platelet cells 148.97 x109/L. Parameters were determined using an automated analyzer IDEXX QBC VET AutoRead. Data were analyzed by SPSS V 15. All hematological parameters (except platelet cells were consistent with the recommended reference ranges for donkeys, and the values found in literature so far. Platelet cells values were much lower than in the literature for the other donkey breeds and the recommended reference ranges for donkeys. The slight differences found between our results and those reported in the previous works confirm the need for further studies to investigate the reference values of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey. This work is a contribution to the study of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey, and we expect these data to be applied to the further studies.

COMPREHENSIVE CHECK MEASUREMENT OF KEY PARAMETERS ON MODEL BELT CONVEYOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlastimil MONI

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Complex measurements of characteristic parameters realised on a long distance model belt conveyor are described. The main objective was to complete and combine the regular measurements of electric power on drives of belt conveyors operated in Czech opencast mines with measurements of other physical quantities and to gain by this way an image of their mutual relations and relations of quantities derived from them. The paper includes a short description and results of the measurements on an experimental model conveyor with a closed material transport way.

Overlapping genetic and child-specific nonshared environmental influences on listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenker, Victoria J; Petrill, Stephen A

2015-01-01

This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overlapping Genetic and Child-Specific Nonshared Environmental Influences on Listening Comprehension, Reading Motivation, and Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Schenker, Victoria J.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. PMID:26321677

The Comprehension Problems of Children with Poor Reading Comprehension despite Adequate Decoding: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Mercedes; Wagner, Richard K

2018-06-01

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the comprehension problems of children who have a specific reading comprehension deficit (SCD), which is characterized by poor reading comprehension despite adequate decoding. The meta-analysis included 86 studies of children with SCD who were assessed in reading comprehension and oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, storytelling ability, and semantic and syntactic knowledge). Results indicated that children with SCD had deficits in oral language ( d = -0.78, 95% CI [-0.89, -0.68], but these deficits were not as severe as their deficit in reading comprehension ( d = -2.78, 95% CI [-3.01, -2.54]). When compared to reading comprehension age-matched normal readers, the oral language skills of the two groups were comparable ( d = 0.32, 95% CI [-0.49, 1.14]), which suggests that the oral language weaknesses of children with SCD represent a developmental delay rather than developmental deviance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Integrated Comprehensive Care - A Case Study in Nursing Leadership and System Transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wheatley, Laura; Doyle, Winnie; Evans, Cheryl; Gosse, Carolyn; Smith, Kevin

2017-01-01

Calls for transformational change of our healthcare system are increasingly clear, persuasive and insistent. They resonate at all levels, with those who fund, deliver, provide and receive care, and they are rooted in a deep understanding that the system, as currently rigidly structured, most often lacks the necessary flexibility to comprehensively meet the needs of patients across the continuum of care. The St. Joseph's Health System (SJHS) Integrated Comprehensive Care (ICC) Program, which bundles care and funding across the hospital to home continuum, has reduced fragmentation of care, and it has delivered improved outcomes for patients, providers and the system. This case study explores the essential contribution of nursing leadership to this successful transformation of healthcare service delivery.

An automatic and effective parameter optimization method for model tuning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Zhang

2015-11-01

simulation results show that the optimum combination of these parameters determined using this method is able to improve the model's overall performance by 9 %. The proposed methodology and software framework can be easily applied to other GCMs to speed up the model development process, especially regarding unavoidable comprehensive parameter tuning during the model development stage.

Test models for improving filtering with model errors through stochastic parameter estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gershgorin, B.; Harlim, J.; Majda, A.J.

2010-01-01

The filtering skill for turbulent signals from nature is often limited by model errors created by utilizing an imperfect model for filtering. Updating the parameters in the imperfect model through stochastic parameter estimation is one way to increase filtering skill and model performance. Here a suite of stringent test models for filtering with stochastic parameter estimation is developed based on the Stochastic Parameterization Extended Kalman Filter (SPEKF). These new SPEKF-algorithms systematically correct both multiplicative and additive biases and involve exact formulas for propagating the mean and covariance including the parameters in the test model. A comprehensive study is presented of robust parameter regimes for increasing filtering skill through stochastic parameter estimation for turbulent signals as the observation time and observation noise are varied and even when the forcing is incorrectly specified. The results here provide useful guidelines for filtering turbulent signals in more complex systems with significant model errors.

An Exploratory Study of Reading Comprehension in College Students After Acquired Brain Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Griffiths, Gina G; Fickas, Stephen

2015-08-01

This exploratory study builds on the small body of existing research investigating reading comprehension deficits in college students with acquired brain injury (ABI). Twenty-four community college students with ABI completed a battery of questionnaires and standardized tests to characterize self-perceptions of academic reading ability, performance on a standardized reading comprehension measure, and a variety of cognitive functions of this population. Half of the participants in the sample reported traumatic brain injury (n = 12) and half reported nontraumatic ABI (n = 12). College students with both traumatic and nontraumatic ABI cite problems with reading comprehension and academic performance postinjury. Mean performance on a standardized reading measure, the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Brown, Fischo, & Hanna, 1993), was low to below average and was significantly correlated with performance on the Speed and Capacity of Language Processing Test (Baddeley, Emslie, & Nimmo-Smith, 1992). Injury status of traumatic versus nontraumatic ABI did not differentiate results. Regression analysis showed that measures of verbal attention and suppression obtained from the California Verbal Language Test-II (Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 2000) predicted total scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. College students with ABI are vulnerable to reading comprehension problems. Results align with other research suggesting that verbal attention and suppression problems may be contributing factors.

Important considerations in lesion-symptom mapping: Illustrations from studies of word comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahid, Hinna; Sebastian, Rajani; Schnur, Tatiana T; Hanayik, Taylor; Wright, Amy; Tippett, Donna C; Fridriksson, Julius; Rorden, Chris; Hillis, Argye E

2017-06-01

Lesion-symptom mapping is an important method of identifying networks of brain regions critical for functions. However, results might be influenced substantially by the imaging modality and timing of assessment. We tested the hypothesis that brain regions found to be associated with acute language deficits depend on (1) timing of behavioral measurement, (2) imaging sequences utilized to define the "lesion" (structural abnormality only or structural plus perfusion abnormality), and (3) power of the study. We studied 191 individuals with acute left hemisphere stroke with MRI and language testing to identify areas critical for spoken word comprehension. We use the data from this study to examine the potential impact of these three variables on lesion-symptom mapping. We found that only the combination of structural and perfusion imaging within 48 h of onset identified areas where more abnormal voxels was associated with more severe acute deficits, after controlling for lesion volume and multiple comparisons. The critical area identified with this methodology was the left posterior superior temporal gyrus, consistent with other methods that have identified an important role of this area in spoken word comprehension. Results have implications for interpretation of other lesion-symptom mapping studies, as well as for understanding areas critical for auditory word comprehension in the healthy brain. We propose that lesion-symptom mapping at the acute stage of stroke addresses a different sort of question about brain-behavior relationships than lesion-symptom mapping at the chronic stage, but that timing of behavioral measurement and imaging modalities should be considered in either case. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2990-3000, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comprehension of metaphors and idioms in patients with Alzheimer's disease: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Papagno, C

2001-07-01

Language in patients with Alzheimer's disease has been extensively studied, with the exception of non-literal language comprehension. However, in our speech, we often make use of expressions, which are not necessarily interpreted on a literal ground. Comprehension of metaphors and idioms was examined in 39 patients with probable early Alzheimer's disease. The results showed that the decline of figurative language is not an early symptom of dementia and can occur independently from the impairment of propositional language. It was also found that metaphors and idioms differ as far as the predominant kind of error is concerned.

Syntactic comprehension in reading and listening: a study with French children with dyslexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Casalis, Séverine; Leuwers, Christel; Hilton, Heather

2013-01-01

This study examined syntactic comprehension in French children with dyslexia in both listening and reading. In the first syntactic comprehension task, a partial version of the Epreuve de Compréhension syntaxico-sémantique (ECOSSE test; French adaptation of Bishop's test for receptive grammar test) children with dyslexia performed at a lower level in the written but not in the spoken modality, compared to reading age-matched children, suggesting a difficulty in handling syntax while reading. In the second task, syntactic processing was further explored through a test of relative clause processing, in which inflectional markers could aid in attributing roles to the elements in a complex syntactic structure. Children with dyslexia were insensitive to inflectional markers in both reading and listening, as was the reading age control group, while only the older normal reader group appeared to make use of the inflectional markers. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that difficulties in comprehension in dyslexia are strongly related to poor reading skills.

Comprehensive studies on irradiated single-crystal diamond sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stegler, Martin [DESY, Zeuthen (Germany)

2015-07-01

Single-crystal diamond sensors are used as part of the Beam and Radiation Instrumentation and Luminosity (BRIL) projects of the CMS experiment. Due to an upgrade of the Fast Beam Conditions Monitor (BCM1F) these diamond sensors are exchanged and the irradiated ones are now used for comprehensive studies. Current over voltage (IV), current over time (CT) and charge collection efficiency (CCE) measurements were performed for a better understanding of the radiation damage incurred during operation and to compensate in the future. The effect of illumination with various light sources on the charge collection efficiency was investigated and led to interesting results. Intensity and wavelength of the light were varied for deeper insight of polarization effects.

Kazhdan-Lusztig cells with unequal parameters

CERN Document Server

Bonnafé, Cédric

2017-01-01

This monograph provides a comprehensive introduction to the Kazhdan-Lusztig theory of cells in the broader context of the unequal parameter case. Serving as a useful reference, the present volume offers a synthesis of significant advances made since Lusztig’s seminal work on the subject was published in 2002. The focus lies on the combinatorics of the partition into cells for general Coxeter groups, with special attention given to induction methods, cellular maps and the role of Lusztig's conjectures. Using only algebraic and combinatorial methods, the author carefully develops proofs, discusses open conjectures, and presents recent research, including a chapter on the action of the cactus group. Kazhdan-Lusztig Cells with Unequal Parameters will appeal to graduate students and researchers interested in related subject areas, such as Lie theory, representation theory, and combinatorics of Coxeter groups. Useful examples and various exercises make this book suitable for self-study and use alongside lecture c...

Idiom Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Shelley Ching-Yu; Hsu, Chun-Chieh Natalie

2010-01-01

This study examines the effect of familiarity, context, and linguistic convention on idiom comprehension in Mandarin speaking children. Two experiments (a comprehension task followed by a comprehension task coupled with a metapragmatic task) were administered to test participants in three age groups (6 and 9-year-olds, and an adult control group).…

The 3R study strategy to improve text retention and text comprehension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijners, Pauline; Kester, Liesbeth; Wetzels, Sandra; Kirschner, Paul A.

2013-01-01

Reijners, P. B. G., Kester, L., Wetzels, S. A. J., & Kirschner, P. A. (2013, 27 August). The 3R study strategy to improve text retention and text comprehension. In B. Klein (Chair), Effective Learning Strategies and their Usage in Self-regulated Training Programs and Computer-Based Learning.

Comprehensive maternal characteristics associated with birth weight: Bayesian modeling in a prospective cohort study from Iran

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Marjan Mansourian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In this study, we aimed to determine comprehensive maternal characteristics associated with birth weight using Bayesian modeling. Materials and Methods: A total of 526 participants were included in this prospective study. Nutritional status, supplement consumption during the pregnancy, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, anthropometric measures, physical activity, and pregnancy outcomes were considered as effective variables on the birth weight. Bayesian approach of complex statistical models using Markov chain Monte Carlo approach was used for modeling the data considering the real distribution of the response variable. Results: There was strong positive correlation between infant birth weight and the maternal intake of Vitamin C, folic acid, Vitamin B3, Vitamin A, selenium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium as micronutrients, and fiber and protein as macronutrients based on the 95% high posterior density regions for parameters in the Bayesian model. None of the maternal characteristics had statistical association with birth weight. Conclusion: Higher maternal macro- and micro-nutrient intake during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of delivering low birth weight infants. These findings support recommendations to expand intake of nutrients during pregnancy to high level.

The Effect of the Cherry Hill Study Skills Program on Eighth Grade Students' Reading Comprehension and Study Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

La Marca, Marilyn Tierney

A study was conducted to determine the effects of the "Cherry Hill Study Skills Program" on eighth grade students' reading comprehension and study skills. The "Cherry Hill Study Skills Program" is a process oriented course dealing with the sequential development of nine specific skills deemed essential to the retrieval and retention of information…

Enhancing Social Studies Vocabulary and Comprehension for Seventh-Grade English Language Learners: Findings from Two Experimental Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, Sharon; Martinez, Leticia R.; Linan-Thompson, Sylvia; Reutebuch, Colleen K.; Carlson, Coleen D.; Francis, David J.

2009-01-01

Two experimental studies to improve vocabulary knowledge and comprehension were conducted in 7th-grade social studies classes with English language learners (ELLs). Two different nonoverlapping samples of classes of 7th-grade students (N = 381 and N = 507) were randomly assigned at the classroom (i.e., section) level to a social studies…

Study on comprehensive evaluation methods for nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arie, Kazuo

1999-03-01

This investigation on comprehensive-evaluation-methods for nuclear fuel cycle has been performed through open-literature search. As the results, no proper comprehensive-evaluation-method has been found which integrate several factors to be considered into only one factor. In the evaluation of future advanced nuclear energy systems, it is required to evaluate from both view points of natural resources and natural environment, in addition to the other factors such as safety, economy, and proliferation resistance. It is recommended that clarification of specific items or targets to be evaluated is most important as the first thing to be done. Second, methodology for the evaluation should be discussed. (author)

Minimal canonical comprehensive Gröbner systems

OpenAIRE

Manubens, Montserrat; Montes, Antonio

2009-01-01

This is the continuation of Montes' paper "On the canonical discussion of polynomial systems with parameters''. In this paper, we define the Minimal Canonical Comprehensive Gröbner System of a parametric ideal and fix under which hypothesis it exists and is computable. An algorithm to obtain a canonical description of the segments of the Minimal Canonical CGS is given, thus completing the whole MCCGS algorithm (implemented in Maple and Singular). We show its high utility for applications, suc...

An Exploratory Study of NNES Graduate Students' Reading Comprehension of English Journal Articles

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kate Tzu-Ching

2017-01-01

The academic success of non-native English speaker (NNES) graduate students greatly relies on their ability to read and comprehend English journal articles (EJA). The purpose of this study was to identify NNES graduate students' comprehension difficulties and reading strategies when reading EJA. In addition, the study explored how the relationship…

Sequential Coherence in Sentence Pairs Enhances Imagery during Comprehension: An Individual Differences Study.

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Carol Madden-Lombardi

Full Text Available The present study investigates how sequential coherence in sentence pairs (events in sequence vs. unrelated events affects the perceived ability to form a mental image of the sentences for both auditory and visual presentations. In addition, we investigated how the ease of event imagery affected online comprehension (word reading times in the case of sequentially coherent and incoherent sentence pairs. Two groups of comprehenders were identified based on their self-reported ability to form vivid mental images of described events. Imageability ratings were higher and faster for pairs of sentences that described events in coherent sequences rather than non-sequential events, especially for high imagers. Furthermore, reading times on individual words suggested different comprehension patterns with respect to sequence coherence for the two groups of imagers, with high imagers activating richer mental images earlier than low imagers. The present results offer a novel link between research on imagery and discourse coherence, with specific contributions to our understanding of comprehension patterns for high and low imagers.

The role of action knowledge in the comprehension of artefacts - a PET study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerlach, Christian; Law, Ian; Gade, Anders

2002-01-01

and two naming tasks divided by category (natural objects vs artefacts). The left PMv (BA 6/44) was more activated by the categorization task for artefacts than by the categorization task for natural objects and the naming task for artefacts. However, the left PMv was not associated with the contrast......Activation of the left ventral premotor cortex (PMv) has in previous imaging studies been associated with the processing of visually presented artefacts. It has been suggested that this activation reflects processing of action knowledge and that action knowledge contributes to the comprehension...... of artefacts. The purpose of the present study was to test whether activation of the left PMv is common for all tasks involving the comprehension of artefacts or whether it is task specific. This was done by comparing performance and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) associated with two categorization tasks...

Text comprehension strategy instruction with poor readers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van den Bos, K.P.; Aarnoudse, C.C.; Brand-Gruwel, S.

1998-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching text comprehension strategies to children with decoding and reading comprehension problems and with a poor or normal listening ability. Two experiments are reported. Four text comprehension strategies, viz., question generation,

Data acquisition of mass transport parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwasaki, Riyo; Hama, Katsuhiro; Morikawa, Keita; Hosoya, Shinichi

2017-02-01

Tono Geoscience Center of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been carrying out the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project, which is a scientific study understanding the deep geological environment as a basis of research and development for geological disposal of high level radioactive wastes. The aim of the MIU project is to establish comprehensive techniques for the investigation, analysis and assessment of the deep geological environment in fractured crystalline rock, and to develop a range of engineering techniques for deep underground application. This project has three overlapping phases: Surface-based investigation phase (Phase I), Construction phase (Phase II), and Operation phase (Phase III). Currently, the project is being carried out under the Phase III. Mass transport study is mainly performed as part of Phase III project. In Phase III, the goal of mass transport study is to obtain a better understanding of mass transport phenomena in the geological environment as well as to develop technologies for measurement of the mass transport parameters, model construction, numerical analysis and validation of those technologies. This study was planned to understand the influence of the geological characteristics of fracture on the mass transport parameters. This report presents the results of diffusion experiment, observation of polished thin section, sorption experiment and porophysicality measurement. (author)

On the Computation of Comprehensive Boolean Gröbner Bases

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Shutaro

We show that a comprehensive Boolean Gröbner basis of an ideal I in a Boolean polynomial ring B (bar A,bar X) with main variables bar X and parameters bar A can be obtained by simply computing a usual Boolean Gröbner basis of I regarding both bar X and bar A as variables with a certain block term order such that bar X ≫ bar A. The result together with a fact that a finite Boolean ring is isomorphic to a direct product of the Galois field mathbb{GF}_2 enables us to compute a comprehensive Boolean Gröbner basis by only computing corresponding Gröbner bases in a polynomial ring over mathbb{GF}_2. Our implementation in a computer algebra system Risa/Asir shows that our method is extremely efficient comparing with existing computation algorithms of comprehensive Boolean Gröbner bases.

Parameters Affecting the Transient Response of an Impacting Beam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiping Xu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Impact causes shock waves that may be unexpected and damaging. A computationally efficient impact model with a generic beam which is discrete in time and continuous in space was undertaken; an Euler-Bernoulli beam with adjustable boundary conditions and variable contact location is numerically studied under a pulse loading. Experiments on a cantilever beam were carried out to verify the effects of influential parameters. A half-sine pulse excitation was applied through a mechanical shaker, and the deflection was captured by a high speed camera. Numerous test cases were conducted that varied pulse duration, pulse amplitude, and clearance. Decreasing the pulse duration lowers all deflection amplitudes, but the time in contact is insensitive. No gap causes minimal beam response, and increasing gap generates greater deflection. Representative test cases were selected for validating the theoretical model. When comparing numerical simulation with experimental results, satisfactory agreement for amplitude and duration can be reached even with raw input parameters. The contribution of this study is the incorporation of unique pulse loading, changeable boundary conditions, adjustable contact/impact situations, comprehensive parameter studies, and high speed photography.

A Comparative Study of Distribution System Parameter Estimation Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Yannan; Williams, Tess L.; Gourisetti, Sri Nikhil Gup

2016-07-17

In this paper, we compare two parameter estimation methods for distribution systems: residual sensitivity analysis and state-vector augmentation with a Kalman filter. These two methods were originally proposed for transmission systems, and are still the most commonly used methods for parameter estimation. Distribution systems have much lower measurement redundancy than transmission systems. Therefore, estimating parameters is much more difficult. To increase the robustness of parameter estimation, the two methods are applied with combined measurement snapshots (measurement sets taken at different points in time), so that the redundancy for computing the parameter values is increased. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed. The results of this paper show that state-vector augmentation is a better approach for parameter estimation in distribution systems. Simulation studies are done on a modified version of IEEE 13-Node Test Feeder with varying levels of measurement noise and non-zero error in the other system model parameters.

Transitioning from Targeted to Comprehensive Mass Spectrometry Using Genetic Algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaffe, Jacob D; Feeney, Caitlin M; Patel, Jinal; Lu, Xiaodong; Mani, D R

2016-11-01

Targeted proteomic assays are becoming increasingly popular because of their robust quantitative applications enabled by internal standardization, and they can be routinely executed on high performance mass spectrometry instrumentation. However, these assays are typically limited to 100s of analytes per experiment. Considerable time and effort are often expended in obtaining and preparing samples prior to targeted analyses. It would be highly desirable to detect and quantify 1000s of analytes in such samples using comprehensive mass spectrometry techniques (e.g., SWATH and DIA) while retaining a high degree of quantitative rigor for analytes with matched internal standards. Experimentally, it is facile to port a targeted assay to a comprehensive data acquisition technique. However, data analysis challenges arise from this strategy concerning agreement of results from the targeted and comprehensive approaches. Here, we present the use of genetic algorithms to overcome these challenges in order to configure hybrid targeted/comprehensive MS assays. The genetic algorithms are used to select precursor-to-fragment transitions that maximize the agreement in quantification between the targeted and the comprehensive methods. We find that the algorithm we used provided across-the-board improvement in the quantitative agreement between the targeted assay data and the hybrid comprehensive/targeted assay that we developed, as measured by parameters of linear models fitted to the results. We also found that the algorithm could perform at least as well as an independently-trained mass spectrometrist in accomplishing this task. We hope that this approach will be a useful tool in the development of quantitative approaches for comprehensive proteomics techniques. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Pedagogical Practices in Teaching Reading Comprehension: A Case Study of Three EFL Teachers in a Secondary School in Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Nurie, Yenus

2017-01-01

Various studies investigating psychological variables associated with reading comprehension are currently available. However, there has been little linguistic research conducted to examine the pedagogical practices of teachers in teaching reading comprehension of EFL Secondary Schools, Ethiopia. The present study was conducted to fill the research…

Optimizing Visually-Assisted Listening Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Kashani, Ahmad Sabouri; Sajjadi, Samad; Sohrabi, Mohammad Reza; Younespour, Shima

2011-01-01

The fact that visual aids such as pictures or graphs can lead to greater comprehension by language learners has been well established. Nonetheless, the order of presenting visuals to listeners is left unattended. This study examined listening comprehension from a strategy of introducing visual information, either prior to or during an audio…

An linear matrix inequality approach to global synchronisation of non-parameter perturbations of multi-delay Hopfield neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao Hai-Jian; Cai Guo-Liang; Wang Hao-Xiang

2010-01-01

In this study, a successful linear matrix inequality approach is used to analyse a non-parameter perturbation of multi-delay Hopfield neural network by constructing an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional. This paper presents the comprehensive discussion of the approach and also extensive applications

A comprehensive modeling and vibration analysis of AFM microcantilevers subjected to nonlinear tip-sample interaction forces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eslami, Sohrab; Jalili, Nader

2012-01-01

Precise and accurate representation of an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) system is essential in studying the effects of boundary interaction forces present between the probe's tip and the sample. In this paper, a comprehensive analytical model for the AFM system utilizing a distributed-parameters based approach is proposed. More specifically, we consider two important attributes of these systems; namely the rotary inertia and shear deformation when compared with the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Moreover, a comprehensive nonlinear interaction force is assumed between probe's and sample in order to reveal the response of the system more realistically. This nanoscale interaction force is based on a general form consisting of both attractive and repulsive components as well as a function of the tip-sample distance and the microcantilever's base and sample oscillations. Mechanical properties of the sample could interact with the nanomechanical coupling field between the probe' tip and sample and be implemented in studying the composition information of the sample and the ultra-small features inside it. Therefore, by modulating the dynamics of the AFM system such as the driving amplitude of the microcantilever the procedure for the subsurface imaging is described. The presented approach here could be implemented for designing the AFM probes by examining the tip-sample interaction forces dominant by the van der Waals forces. Several numerical case studies are presented and the force–distance diagram reveals that the proposed nonlinear nanomechanical force along with the distributed-parameters model for the microcantilever is able to fulfill the mechanics of the Lennard–Jones potential. -- Highlights: ► We present a comprehensive distributed-parameters model for AFM microcantilever. ► Assuming a nonlinear and implicit interaction force between tip and sample. ► Timoshenko beam is compared with the Euler–Bernoulli having the same force model. ► Frequency

Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

... Facts for Families Guide Facts for Families - Vietnamese Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation No. 52; Updated October 2017 Evaluation ... with serious emotional and behavioral problems need a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations usually require a ...

Preparing for reading comprehension: Fostering text comprehension skills in preschool and early elementary school children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul van den Brook

2011-07-01

Full Text Available To understand what they read or hear, children and adults must create a coherent mental representation of presented information. Recent research suggests that the ability to do so starts to develop early –well before reading age- and that early individual differences are predictive of later reading-comprehension performance. In this paper, we review this research and discuss potential applications to early intervention. We then present two exploratory studies in which we examine whether it is feasible to design interventions with early readers (3rd grade and even toddlers (2-3 years old. The interventions employed causal questioning techniques as children listen to orally presented, age-appropriate narratives. Afterwards, comprehension was tested through question answering and recall tasks. Results indicate that such interventions are indeed feasible. Moreover, they suggest that for both toddlers and early readers questions during comprehension are more effective than questions after comprehension. Finally, for both groups higher working memory capacity was related to better comprehension.

A Comprehensive Framework for Information Technology Governance and Localizing it for Automotive Industry of Iran (Case Study: ATLAS Automotive Holding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mosakhani

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Due to the absence of a comprehensive framework for IT governance, the main objective of the study is to identify all components of IT governance and present them in the form of a comprehensive IT governance framework .The localization of provided framework for the automotive industry is the secondary objective of the study. In this regard, the research questions are: what is the comprehensive framework of IT governance? What are the components and dimensions of a comprehensive framework of IT governance? What is the localized comprehensive framework of IT governance for the Iranian automotive industry? All researches on IT governance were investigated using meta-synthesis qualitative method and were limited to 96 selected articles by performing a meta-synthesis process. Then, the five categories, 19 concepts and 79 codes of IT governance were identified through detailed study of these articles. Then, a comprehensive framework of IT governance was presented. For localizing, a questionnaire designed based on the identified IT governance components, and distributed among the automotive industry experts. Statistical hypothesis testing of collected data led to the rejection of cross/functional job rotation component in the automotive industry. To demonstrate the applicability of the framework, the IT governance status of ATLAS holding company was evaluated based on the comprehensive framework that localized for automotive industry.

The Effect of Comprehensible Input and Comprehensible Output on the Accuracy and Complexity of Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral Speech

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omid tabatabaie

2009-10-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at investigating the relative impact of comprehensible input and comprehensible output on the development of grammatical accuracy and syntactic complexity of Iranian EFL learners’ oral production. Participants were 60 female EFL learners selected from a whole population pool of 80 based on the standard test of IELTS. To investigate the research questions, the participants were randomly divided into three groups: Input group, output group, and control group. The study involved two phases: the pre-task phase, and the main-task phase. During the pre-task phase, the input group received comprehensible input. In the same phase, the output group was pushed to be engaged in comprehensible output production. The control group neither received input, nor was engaged in output production. In the main-task phase, all subjects performed monologues that were separately recorded, and later transcribed and coded in terms of accuracy and complexity through Bygate's (2001 standard coding system and finally scored. The statistical analysis of the results revealed that while the output group outperformed the input group in grammatical accuracy, the input group proved to be more rigorous and influential in developing speech complexity. The study supports Swain’s (1985 claim that there are roles for comprehensible output that are different from and independent of comprehensible input, and Skehan & Foster's (2001 theory regarding human beings’ limited attentional capacities that can be devoted to one aspect of oral speech at the expense of the other. Generally, it is implied that the most effective way for improving oral speech, based on the literature and the results obtained from this study, is an eclectic approach which conflates both comprehensible input and comprehensible output.

The effects of Ramadan fasting on growth parameters: A narrative review

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Mohsen Mazidi

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ramadan fasting is prescribed by Quran for every able‐bodied, adult Muslim and is considered an obligatory act of worship. During Ramadan, the majority of Muslims eat two major meals- one before dawn (Sahar and another immediately after the sunset (Iftar. Islamic fasting, due to its particular nature, may cause metabolic and hormonal changes in the body, which are different from those in regular fasting. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive study has been conducted on changes in growth parameters during fasting periods. Therefore, the aim of this review, which is based on scientific literature review, was to describe the effects of fasting on growth parameters in humans.

The Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Growth Parameters: A Narrative Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohsen Mazidi

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Ramadan fasting is prescribed by Quran for every able‐bodied, adult Muslim and is considered an obligatory act of worship. During Ramadan, the majority of Muslims eat two major meals- one before dawn (Sahar and another immediately after the sunset (Iftar. Islamic fasting, due to its particular nature, may cause metabolic and hormonal changes in the body, which are different from those in regular fasting. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive study has been conducted on changes in growth parameters during fasting periods. Therefore, the aim of this review, which is based on scientific literature review, was to describe the effects of fasting on growth parameters in humans.

PC based 8-parameter data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, J.D.; Naik, K.V.; Jain, S.K.; Pathak, R.V.; Suman, B.

1989-01-01

Multiparameter data acquisition (MPA) systems which analyse nuclear events with respect to more than one property of the event are essential tools for the study of some complex nuclear phenomena requiring analysis of time coincident spectra. For better throughput and accuracy each parameter is digitized by its own ADC. A stand alone low cost IBM PC based 8-parameter data acquisition system developed by the authors makes use of Address Recording technique for acquiring data from eight 12 bit ADC's in the PC Memory. Two memory buffers in the PC memory are used in ping-pong fashion so that data acquisition in one bank and dumping of data onto PC disk from the other bank can proceed simultaneously. Data is acquired in the PC memory through DMA mode for realising high throughput and hardware interrupt is used for switching banks for data acquisition. A comprehensive software package developed in Turbo-Pascal offers a set of menu-driven interactive commands to the user for setting-up system parameters and control of the system. The system is to be used with pelletron accelerator. (author). 5 figs

Application of multi-parameter chorus and plasmaspheric hiss wave models in radiation belt modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Aryan, H.; Kang, S. B.; Balikhin, M. A.; Fok, M. C. H.; Agapitov, O. V.; Komar, C. M.; Kanekal, S. G.; Nagai, T.; Sibeck, D. G.

2017-12-01

Numerical simulation studies of the Earth's radiation belts are important to understand the acceleration and loss of energetic electrons. The Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model along with many other radiation belt models require inputs for pitch angle, energy, and cross diffusion of electrons, due to chorus and plasmaspheric hiss waves. These parameters are calculated using statistical wave distribution models of chorus and plasmaspheric hiss amplitudes. In this study we incorporate recently developed multi-parameter chorus and plasmaspheric hiss wave models based on geomagnetic index and solar wind parameters. We perform CIMI simulations for two geomagnetic storms and compare the flux enhancement of MeV electrons with data from the Van Allen Probes and Akebono satellites. We show that the relativistic electron fluxes calculated with multi-parameter wave models resembles the observations more accurately than the relativistic electron fluxes calculated with single-parameter wave models. This indicates that wave models based on a combination of geomagnetic index and solar wind parameters are more effective as inputs to radiation belt models.

Comprehensive decision tree models in bioinformatics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregor Stiglic

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Classification is an important and widely used machine learning technique in bioinformatics. Researchers and other end-users of machine learning software often prefer to work with comprehensible models where knowledge extraction and explanation of reasoning behind the classification model are possible. METHODS: This paper presents an extension to an existing machine learning environment and a study on visual tuning of decision tree classifiers. The motivation for this research comes from the need to build effective and easily interpretable decision tree models by so called one-button data mining approach where no parameter tuning is needed. To avoid bias in classification, no classification performance measure is used during the tuning of the model that is constrained exclusively by the dimensions of the produced decision tree. RESULTS: The proposed visual tuning of decision trees was evaluated on 40 datasets containing classical machine learning problems and 31 datasets from the field of bioinformatics. Although we did not expected significant differences in classification performance, the results demonstrate a significant increase of accuracy in less complex visually tuned decision trees. In contrast to classical machine learning benchmarking datasets, we observe higher accuracy gains in bioinformatics datasets. Additionally, a user study was carried out to confirm the assumption that the tree tuning times are significantly lower for the proposed method in comparison to manual tuning of the decision tree. CONCLUSIONS: The empirical results demonstrate that by building simple models constrained by predefined visual boundaries, one not only achieves good comprehensibility, but also very good classification performance that does not differ from usually more complex models built using default settings of the classical decision tree algorithm. In addition, our study demonstrates the suitability of visually tuned decision trees for datasets

Comprehensive decision tree models in bioinformatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Stiglic, Gregor; Kocbek, Simon; Pernek, Igor; Kokol, Peter

2012-01-01

Classification is an important and widely used machine learning technique in bioinformatics. Researchers and other end-users of machine learning software often prefer to work with comprehensible models where knowledge extraction and explanation of reasoning behind the classification model are possible. This paper presents an extension to an existing machine learning environment and a study on visual tuning of decision tree classifiers. The motivation for this research comes from the need to build effective and easily interpretable decision tree models by so called one-button data mining approach where no parameter tuning is needed. To avoid bias in classification, no classification performance measure is used during the tuning of the model that is constrained exclusively by the dimensions of the produced decision tree. The proposed visual tuning of decision trees was evaluated on 40 datasets containing classical machine learning problems and 31 datasets from the field of bioinformatics. Although we did not expected significant differences in classification performance, the results demonstrate a significant increase of accuracy in less complex visually tuned decision trees. In contrast to classical machine learning benchmarking datasets, we observe higher accuracy gains in bioinformatics datasets. Additionally, a user study was carried out to confirm the assumption that the tree tuning times are significantly lower for the proposed method in comparison to manual tuning of the decision tree. The empirical results demonstrate that by building simple models constrained by predefined visual boundaries, one not only achieves good comprehensibility, but also very good classification performance that does not differ from usually more complex models built using default settings of the classical decision tree algorithm. In addition, our study demonstrates the suitability of visually tuned decision trees for datasets with binary class attributes and a high number of possibly

Children's hypertext comprehension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Segers, P.C.J.; Segers, E.; Broek, P. van den

2017-01-01

The present chapter gives an overview of the literature on hypertext comprehension, children's hypertext comprehension and individual variation therein, ending with a perspective for future research. Hypertext comprehension requires the reader to make bridging inferences between the different parts

Aquatic environmental assessment of Lake Balaton in the light of physical-chemical water parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebestyén, Vitkor; Németh, József; Juzsakova, Tatjana; Domokos, Endre; Kovács, Zsófia; Rédey, Ákos

2017-11-01

One of the issues of the Hungarian Water Management Strategy is the improvement and upgrading of the water of Lake Balaton. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) specifies and sets forth the achievement of the good ecological status. However, the assessment of the water quality of the lake as a complex system requires a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation procedure. Measurements were carried out around the Lake Balaton at ten different locations/sites and 13 physical-chemical parameters were monitored at each measurement site.For the interpretation of the water chemistry parameters the Aquatic Environmental Assessment (AEA) method devised by authors was used for the water body of the Lake Balaton. The AEA method can be used for all types of the water bodies since it is flexible and using individual weighting procedure for the water chemistry parameters comprehensive information can be obtain. The AEA method was compared with existing EIA methods according to a predefined criterion system and proved to be the most suitable tool for evaluating the environmental impacts in our study.On the basis of the results it can be concluded that the status of the quality of studied area on the Lake Balaton can be categorized as proper quality (from the outcome of the ten measurement sites this conclusion was reached at seven sites).

Teachers’ Thoughts and Students’ Strategies : An empirical study on Swedish upper-secondary students’ andteachers’ perception on reading comprehension

OpenAIRE

Sibahi, Samir

2017-01-01

Previous studies have shown that explicit reading strategy teaching has positive effects on English second language (ESL) students’ reading comprehension. However, Swedish upper- secondary students’ attitudes towards English reading comprehension classes are relatively unknown. This study therefore has the objectives of finding out to what extent reading strategies are taught explicitly in upper-secondary schools in Sweden, and to investigate how students and teachers perceive reading compreh...

A Comprehensive HIV Stigma-reduction and Wellness-enhancement Community Intervention: A Case Study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

French, H.; Greeff, M.; Watson, M.J.; Doak, C.M.

2014-01-01

We describe the implementation of a comprehensive HIV stigma-reduction and wellness-enhancement community intervention that focused on people living with HIV (PLWH), as well as people living close to them (PLC) from six designated groups. A holistic multiple case study design was used in urban and

Is Word-Problem Solving a Form of Text Comprehension?

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.; Hamlett, Carol L.; Wang, Amber Y.

2015-01-01

This study's hypotheses were that (a) word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension that involves language comprehension processes, working memory, and reasoning, but (b) WP solving differs from other forms of text comprehension by requiring WP-specific language comprehension as well as general language comprehension. At the start of…

A Comparative Study of Listening Comprehension Measures in English as an Additional Language and Native English-Speaking Primary School Children

Science.gov (United States)

McKendry, Mairead Grainne; Murphy, Victoria A.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of different measures of listening comprehension for Years 2, 3 and 4 children with English as an additional language (EAL). Non-standardised uses of reading comprehension measures are often employed as proxy measures of listening comprehension, i.e. for purposes for which they were not…

Improving participant comprehension in the informed consent process.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Elizabeth; Larson, Elaine

2007-01-01

To critically analyze studies published within the past decade about participants' comprehension of informed consent in clinical research and to identify promising intervention strategies. Integrative review of literature. The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. Inclusion criteria included studies (a) published between January 1, 1996 and January 1, 2007, (b) designed as descriptive or interventional studies of comprehension of informed consent for clinical research, (c) conducted in nonpsychiatric adult populations who were either patients or volunteer participants, (d) written in English, and (e) published in peer-reviewed journals. Of the 980 studies identified, 319 abstracts were screened, 154 studies were reviewed, and 23 met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies (57%) were descriptive, and 10 (43%) were interventional. Interventions tested included simplified written consent documents, multimedia approaches, and the use of a trained professional (consent educator) to assist in the consent process. Collectively, no single intervention strategy was consistently associated with improved comprehension. Studies also varied in regard to the definition of comprehension and the tools used to measure it. Despite increasing regulatory scrutiny, deficiencies still exist in participant comprehension of the research in which they participate, as well as differences in how comprehension is measured and assessed. No single intervention was identified as consistently successful for improving participant comprehension, and results indicated that any successful consent process should at a minimum include various communication modes and is likely to require one-to-one interaction with someone knowledgeable about the study.

A global data set of land-surface parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claussen, M.; Lohmann, U.; Roeckner, E.; Schulzweida, U.

1994-01-01

A global data set of land surface parameters is provided for the climate model ECHAM developed at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Meteorologie in Hamburg. These parameters are: background (surface) albedo α, surface roughness length z 0y , leaf area index LAI, fractional vegetation cover or vegetation ratio c y , and forest ratio c F . The global set of surface parameters is constructed by allocating parameters to major exosystem complexes of Olson et al. (1983). The global distribution of ecosystem complexes is given at a resolution of 0.5 0 x 0.5 0 . The latter data are compatible with the vegetation types used in the BIOME model of Prentice et al. (1992) which is a potential candidate of an interactive submodel within a comprehensive model of the climate system. (orig.)

Direct and mediated effects of language and cognitive skills on comprehension of oral narrative texts (listening comprehension) for children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young-Suk Grace

2016-01-01

We investigated component language and cognitive skills of oral language comprehension of narrative texts (i.e., listening comprehension). Using the construction-integration model of text comprehension as an overarching theoretical framework, we examined direct and mediated relations of foundational cognitive skills (working memory and attention), foundational language skills (vocabulary and grammatical knowledge), and higher-order cognitive skills (inference, theory of mind, and comprehension monitoring) to listening comprehension. A total of 201 first grade children in South Korea participated in the study. Structural equation modeling results showed that listening comprehension is directly predicted by working memory, grammatical knowledge, inference, and theory of mind and is indirectly predicted by attention, vocabulary, and comprehension monitoring. The total effects were .46 for working memory, .07 for attention, .30 for vocabulary, .49 for grammatical knowledge, .31 for inference, .52 for theory of mind, and .18 for comprehension monitoring. These results suggest that multiple language and cognitive skills make contributions to listening comprehension, and their contributions are both direct and indirect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aircraft parameter estimation ± A tool for development of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In addition, actuator performance and controller gains may be flight condition dependent. Moreover, this approach may result in open-loop parameter estimates with low accuracy. 6. Aerodynamic databases for high fidelity flight simulators. Estimation of a comprehensive aerodynamic model suitable for a flight simulator is an.

Toward an Efficient Prediction of Solar Flares: Which Parameters, and How?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manolis K. Georgoulis

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Solar flare prediction has become a forefront topic in contemporary solar physics, with numerous published methods relying on numerous predictive parameters, that can even be divided into parameter classes. Attempting further insight, we focus on two popular classes of flare-predictive parameters, namely multiscale (i.e., fractal and multifractal and proxy (i.e., morphological parameters, and we complement our analysis with a study of the predictive capability of fundamental physical parameters (i.e., magnetic free energy and relative magnetic helicity. Rather than applying the studied parameters to a comprehensive statistical sample of flaring and non-flaring active regions, that was the subject of our previous studies, the novelty of this work is their application to an exceptionally long and high-cadence time series of the intensely eruptive National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA active region (AR 11158, observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Aiming for a detailed study of the temporal evolution of each parameter, we seek distinctive patterns that could be associated with the four largest flares in the AR in the course of its five-day observing interval. We find that proxy parameters only tend to show preflare impulses that are practical enough to warrant subsequent investigation with sufficient statistics. Combining these findings with previous results, we conclude that: (i carefully constructed, physically intuitive proxy parameters may be our best asset toward an efficient future flare-forecasting; and (ii the time series of promising parameters may be as important as their instantaneous values. Value-based prediction is the only approach followed so far. Our results call for novel signal and/or image processing techniques to efficiently utilize combined amplitude and temporal-profile information to optimize the inferred solar-flare probabilities.

Effects of supervised Self Organising Maps parameters on classification performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballabio, Davide; Vasighi, Mahdi; Filzmoser, Peter

2013-02-26

Self Organising Maps (SOMs) are one of the most powerful learning strategies among neural networks algorithms. SOMs have several adaptable parameters and the selection of appropriate network architectures is required in order to make accurate predictions. The major disadvantage of SOMs is probably due to the network optimisation, since this procedure can be often time-expensive. Effects of network size, training epochs and learning rate on the classification performance of SOMs are known, whereas the effect of other parameters (type of SOMs, weights initialisation, training algorithm, topology and boundary conditions) are not so obvious. This study was addressed to analyse the effect of SOMs parameters on the network classification performance, as well as on their computational times, taking into consideration a significant number of real datasets, in order to achieve a comprehensive statistical comparison. Parameters were contemporaneously evaluated by means of an approach based on the design of experiments, which enabled the investigation of their interaction effects. Results highlighted the most important parameters which influence the classification performance and enabled the identification of the optimal settings, as well as the optimal architectures to reduce the computational time of SOMs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of excitation energy dependence of nuclear level density parameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanto, G.; Nayak, B.K.; Saxena, A.

2016-01-01

In the present study, we have populated CN by fusion reaction and excitation energy of the intermediate nuclei is determined after first chance α-emission to investigate excitation energy dependence of the NLD parameter. Evaporated neutron spectra were measured following alpha evaporation for obtaining NLD parameter for the reaction 11 B + 197 Au, populating CN 208 Po. This CN after evaporating an α-particle populates intermediate nucleus 204 Pb. The 204 Pb has magic number of Z=82. Our aim is to study the excitation energy dependence of NLD parameter for closed shell nuclei

Sensitivity Analysis and Identification of Parameters to the Van Genuchten Equation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guangzhou Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Van Genuchten equation is the soil water characteristic curve equation used commonly, and identifying (estimating accurately its parameters plays an important role in the study on the movement of soil water. Selecting the desorption and absorption experimental data of silt loam from a northwest region in China as an instance, Monte-Carlo method was firstly applied to analyze sensitivity of the parameters and uncertainty of model so as to get the key parameters and posteriori parameter distribution to guide subsequent parameter identification. Then, the optimization model of the parameters was set up, and a new type of intelligent algorithm-difference search algorithm was employed to identify them. In order to overcome the fault that the base difference search algorithm needed more iterations and to further enhance the optimization performance, a hybrid algorithm, which coupled the difference search algorithm with simplex method, was employed to identification of the parameters. By comparison with other optimization algorithms, the results show that the difference search algorithm has the following characteristics: good optimization performance, the simple principle, easy implement, short program code, and less control parameters required to run the algorithm. In addition, the proposed hybrid algorithm outperforms the basic difference search algorithm on the comprehensive performance of algorithm.

Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content through Text in High School Social Studies Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Wanzek, Jeanne; Swanson, Elizabeth A.; Roberts, Greg; Vaughn, Sharon; Kent, Shawn C.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content Through Text intervention implemented with 11th-grade students enrolled in U.S. History classes. Using a within-teacher randomized design, the study was conducted in 41 classes (23 treatment classes) with 14 teachers providing the…

Testing audiovisual comprehension tasks with questions embedded in videos as subtitles: a pilot multimethod study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Carlos Casañ Núñez

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Listening, watching, reading and writing simultaneously in a foreign language is very complex. This paper is part of wider research which explores the use of audiovisual comprehension questions imprinted in the video image in the form of subtitles and synchronized with the relevant fragments for the purpose of language learning and testing. Compared to viewings where the comprehension activity is available only on paper, this innovative methodology may provide some benefits. Among them, it could reduce the conflict in visual attention between watching the video and completing the task, by spatially and temporally approximating the questions and the relevant fragments. The technique is seen as especially beneficial for students with a low proficiency language level. The main objectives of this study were to investigate if embedded questions had an impact on SFL students’ audiovisual comprehension test performance and to find out what examinees thought about them. A multimethod design (Morse, 2003 involving the sequential collection of three quantitative datasets was employed. A total of 41 learners of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL participated in the study (22 in the control group and 19 in the experimental one. Informants were selected by non-probabilistic sampling. The results showed that imprinted questions did not have any effect on test performance. Test-takers’ attitudes towards this methodology were positive. Globally, students in the experimental group agreed that the embedded questions helped them to complete the tasks. Furthermore, most of them were in favour of having the questions imprinted in the video in the audiovisual comprehension test of the final exam. These opinions are in line with those obtained in previous studies that looked into experts’, SFL students’ and SFL teachers’ views about this methodology (Casañ Núñez, 2015a, 2016a, in press-b. On the whole, these studies suggest that this technique has

Applying Language Learning Strategies in the Foreign Language Listening Comprehension: A Study of Islamic Senior High School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DIAN PERTIWI

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the present study was to empirically investigate the possible correlation and the influence between students’ language learning strategies and listening comprehension. The population of this study was 138 eleventh grade students of Islamic Senior High School number 2 Palembang. The sample was all of eleventh grade students in social class. The total number of the student was 138. Since 16 students were absent, so the sample consisted of 122 students. To collect the data in order to measure the students’ language learning strategies and listening comprehension, SILL (strategy inventory in learning language and listening comprehension test from TOEFL Junior test were used in this study. The Pearson correlation was used in analyzing the data using SPSS 16. The result from questionnaire showed that most of the students used metacognitive strategies were in medium level and sometimes used language learning strategies. The result from listening comprehension test showed that most of the students were in very poor level. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between the two variables that can be seen from the correlation coefficient or r-obtained (-.011 was lower than r-table (0.1779 then the level of probability or sig. value (.902 was higher than .05. From the result, it can be concluded that there was no significant correlation between language learning strategies and listening comprehension of eleventh grade students of Islamic Senior High School number 2 Palembang.

Parameters affecting mechanical and thermal responses in bone drilling: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, JuEun; Chavez, Craig L; Park, Joorok

2018-04-11

Surgical bone drilling is performed variously to correct bone fractures, install prosthetics, or for therapeutic treatment. The primary concern in bone drilling is to extract donor bone sections and create receiving holes without damaging the bone tissue either mechanically or thermally. We review current results from experimental and theoretical studies to investigate the parameters related to such effects. This leads to a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical and thermal aspects of bone drilling to reduce their unwanted complications. This review examines the important bone-drilling parameters of bone structure, drill-bit geometry, operating conditions, and material evacuation, and considers the current techniques used in bone drilling. We then analyze the associated mechanical and thermal effects and their contributions to bone-drilling performance. In this review, we identify a favorable range for each parameter to reduce unwanted complications due to mechanical or thermal effects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Borehole Tool for the Comprehensive Characterization of Hydrate-bearing Sediments

KAUST Repository

Dai, Sheng; Santamarina, Carlos

2018-01-01

Reservoir characterization and simulation require reliable parameters to anticipate hydrate deposits responses and production rates. The acquisition of the required fundamental properties currently relies on wireline logging, pressure core testing, and/or laboratory ob-servations of synthesized specimens, which are challenged by testing capabilities and in-nate sampling disturbances. The project reviews hydrate-bearing sediments, properties, and inherent sampling effects, albeit lessen with the developments in pressure core technology, in order to develop robust correlations with index parameters. The resulting information is incorporated into a tool for optimal field characterization and parameter selection with un-certainty analyses. Ultimately, the project develops a borehole tool for the comprehensive characterization of hydrate-bearing sediments at in situ, with the design recognizing past developments and characterization experience and benefited from the inspiration of nature and sensor miniaturization.

Borehole Tool for the Comprehensive Characterization of Hydrate-bearing Sediments

KAUST Repository

Dai, Sheng

2018-02-01

Reservoir characterization and simulation require reliable parameters to anticipate hydrate deposits responses and production rates. The acquisition of the required fundamental properties currently relies on wireline logging, pressure core testing, and/or laboratory ob-servations of synthesized specimens, which are challenged by testing capabilities and in-nate sampling disturbances. The project reviews hydrate-bearing sediments, properties, and inherent sampling effects, albeit lessen with the developments in pressure core technology, in order to develop robust correlations with index parameters. The resulting information is incorporated into a tool for optimal field characterization and parameter selection with un-certainty analyses. Ultimately, the project develops a borehole tool for the comprehensive characterization of hydrate-bearing sediments at in situ, with the design recognizing past developments and characterization experience and benefited from the inspiration of nature and sensor miniaturization.

Borehole Tool for the Comprehensive Characterization of Hydrate-bearing Sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Sheng [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Santamarina, J. Carlos [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)

2017-12-30

Reservoir characterization and simulation require reliable parameters to anticipate hydrate deposits responses and production rates. The acquisition of the required fundamental properties currently relies on wireline logging, pressure core testing, and/or laboratory observations of synthesized specimens, which are challenged by testing capabilities and innate sampling disturbances. The project reviews hydrate-bearing sediments, properties, and inherent sampling effects, albeit lessen with the developments in pressure core technology, in order to develop robust correlations with index parameters. The resulting information is incorporated into a tool for optimal field characterization and parameter selection with uncertainty analyses. Ultimately, the project develops a borehole tool for the comprehensive characterization of hydrate-bearing sediments at in situ, with the design recognizing past developments and characterization experience and benefited from the inspiration of nature and sensor miniaturization.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND PROCESS PARAMETERS OF METHANE FERMENTATION IN CONTINUOSLY STIRRED TANK REACTOR (CSTR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamil Kozłowski

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A key indicator of methane fermentation process which influences the cost-effectiveness of the biogas plant is efficient production of methane per 1 m3 of reactor. It depends on the proper selection of environmental and process parameters. This article present collected and analyzed the effect of the most important parameters of continuous methane fermentation (CSTR, which include temperature, pH, nutrient content and the C/N ratio in the feed medium, the presence of inhibitors, and the volume load of reactor, retention time and mixing of digestion reactor. Still, the impact of many factors remain unknown, hence there is a need for more comprehensive studies.

Comprehensive Study of Z-Cut Highly Integrated LiNbO3 Optical Modulator with Adjustable Chirp Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Palodiya, Vikram; Raghuwanshi, Sanjeev Kumar

2017-12-01

In this paper, the domain inversion is used in a simple fashion to improve the performance of a Z-cut highly integrated LiNbO3 optical modulator (LNOM). The Z-cut modulator having ≤ 3 V switching voltage and bandwidth of 15 GHz for an external modulator in which traveling-wave electrode length L_{m} imposed the modulating voltage, the product of V_π and L_{m} is fixed for a given electro-optic material (EOM). An investigation to achieve a low V_π by both magnitude of the electro-optic coefficient (EOC) for a wide variety of EOMs has been reported. The Sellmeier equation (SE) for the extraordinary index of congruent LiNbO3 is derived. The predictions related to phase matching are accurate between room temperature and 250 °C and wavelength ranging from 0.4 to 5 μm. The SE predicts more accurate refractive indices (RI) at long wavelengths. The different overlaps between the waveguides for the Z-cut structure are shown to yield a chirp parameter that can able to adjust 0-0.7. Theoretical results are perfectly verified by simulated results.

A Study of Reading Comprehension in Older Children Using Selected Korean Bible Translations

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jae Woo

2014-01-01

Problem: The problem of this study was to determine the difference in Bible comprehension scores among gender-based groups of older children using selected passages from three Bible translations: the Children's Bible, the Easy Bible, and the New Revised Korean Bible. Procedures: A total of 288 older children in three churches (Beautiful Baptist…

Cathode fall parameters of a self-sustained normal glow discharge in atmospheric-pressure helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arkhipenko, V.I.; Zgirovskii, S.M.; Kirillov, A.A.; Simonchik, L.V.

2002-01-01

Results from comprehensive studies of a high-current self-sustained glow discharge in atmospheric-pressure helium are presented. The main parameters of the cathode fall, namely, the electric field profile, cathode fall thickness, current density, gas temperature, and heat flux to the cathode are determined. The results obtained are discussed using one-dimensional models of the cathode fall with allowance for volumetric heat release

Study of electroweak parameters at LEP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, W.

1991-10-01

The measurement of the line shape and asymmetry parameters of the Z 0 in its leptonic and hadronic decays are reviewed. Progress is reported about a considerable increase in measurement accuracy. Several tests of the Standard Model confirm it to better than one per cent. New values for the effective mixing parameter are derived from the line shape parameters averaged over the four LEP experiments. The corresponding limits on the top mass are presented. (orig.)

Drilling of bone: A comprehensive review

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Rupesh Kumar; Panda, S.S.

2013-01-01

Background Bone fracture treatment usually involves restoring of the fractured parts to their initial position and immobilizing them until the healing takes place. Drilling of bone is common to produce hole for screw insertion to fix the fractured parts for immobilization. Orthopaedic drilling during surgical process causes increase in the bone temperature and forces which can cause osteonecrosis reducing the stability and strength of the fixation. Methods A comprehensive review of all the relevant investigations carried on bone drilling is conducted. The experimental method used, results obtained and the conclusions made by the various researchers are described and compared. Result Review suggests that the further improvement in the area of bone drilling is possible. The systematic review identified several consequential factors (drilling parameters and drill specifications) affecting bone drilling on which there no general agreement among investigators or are not adequately evaluated. These factors are highlighted and use of more advanced methods of drilling is accentuated. The use of more precise experimental set up which resembles the actual situation and the development of automated bone drilling system to minimize human error is addressed. Conclusion In this review, an attempt has been made to systematically organize the research investigations conducted on bone drilling. Methods of treatment of bone fracture, studies on the determination of the threshold for thermal osteonecrosis, studies on the parameters influencing bone drilling and methods of the temperature measurement used are reviewed and the future work for the further improvement of bone drilling process is highlighted. PMID:26403771

Astrophysical parameters of ten poorly studied open star clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadross, Ashraf Latif; El-Bendary, Reda; Osman, Anas; Ismail, Nader; Bakry, Abdel Aziz

2012-01-01

We present the fundamental parameters of ten open star clusters, nominated from Kronberger et al. who presented some newly discovered stellar groups on the basis of the Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry and Digitized Sky Survey visual images. Star counts and photometric parameters (radius, membership, distance, color excess, age, luminosity function, mass function, total mass, and dynamical relaxation time) have been determined for these ten clusters for the first time. In order to calibrate our procedures, the main parameters (distance, age, and color excess) have been re-estimated for another five clusters, which are also studied by Kronberger et al. (research papers)

A Correlation Study between EFL Strategic Listening and Listening Comprehension Skills among Secondary School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Iman Abdul-Reheem; Amin, Magdy Mohammad; Aly, Mahsoub Abdul-Sadeq

2011-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the correlation between EFL students strategic listening and their listening comprehension skills. Eighty secondary school students participated in this study. Participants' strategic listening was measured by a Strategic Listening Interview (SLI), a Strategic Listening Questionnaire (SLQ) and a…

Evaluation of design parameters in soil-structure systems through artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cremonini, M.G.; Vardanega, C.; Parvis, E.

1989-01-01

This study refers to development of an artificial intelligence tool to evaluate design parameters for a soil-structure system as the foundations of Class 1 buildings of a nuclear power plant (NPP). This is based on an expert analysis of a large amount of information, collected during a comprehensive program of site investigations and laboratory tests and stored on a computer data-bank. The methodology comprises the following steps: organization of the available information on the site characteristics in a data-base; implementation and extensive use of a specific knowledge based expert system (KBES) devoted to both the analysis, interpretation and check of the information in the data-base, and to the evaluation of the design parameters; determination of effective access criteria to the data-base, for purposes of reordering the information and extracting design properties from a large number of experimental data; development of design profiles for both index properties and strength/strain parameters; and final evaluation of the design parameters. Results are obtained in the form of: local and general site stratigraphy; summarized soil index properties, detailing the site setting; static and dynamic stress-strain parameters, G/G max behavior and damping factors; condolidation parameters and OCR ratio; spatial distribution of parameters on site area; identification of specific local conditions; and cross correlation of parameters, thus covering the whole range of design parameters for NPP soil-structure systems

Comprehensive model of a hermetic reciprocating compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, B.; Ziviani, D.; Groll, E. A.

2017-08-01

A comprehensive simulation model is presented to predict the performance of a hermetic reciprocating compressor and to reveal the underlying mechanisms when the compressor is running. The presented model is composed of sub-models simulating the in-cylinder compression process, piston ring/journal bearing frictional power loss, single phase induction motor and the overall compressor energy balance among different compressor components. The valve model, leakage through piston ring model and in-cylinder heat transfer model are also incorporated into the in-cylinder compression process model. A numerical algorithm solving the model is introduced. The predicted results of the compressor mass flow rate and input power consumption are compared to the published compressor map values. Future work will focus on detailed experimental validation of the model and parametric studies investigating the effects of structural parameters, including the stroke-to-bore ratio, on the compressor performance.

Spillover effects in epidemiology: parameters, study designs and methodological considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Benjamin-Chung, Jade; Arnold, Benjamin F; Berger, David; Luby, Stephen P; Miguel, Edward; Colford Jr, John M; Hubbard, Alan E

2018-01-01

Abstract Many public health interventions provide benefits that extend beyond their direct recipients and impact people in close physical or social proximity who did not directly receive the intervention themselves. A classic example of this phenomenon is the herd protection provided by many vaccines. If these ‘spillover effects’ (i.e. ‘herd effects’) are present in the same direction as the effects on the intended recipients, studies that only estimate direct effects on recipients will likely underestimate the full public health benefits of the intervention. Causal inference assumptions for spillover parameters have been articulated in the vaccine literature, but many studies measuring spillovers of other types of public health interventions have not drawn upon that literature. In conjunction with a systematic review we conducted of spillovers of public health interventions delivered in low- and middle-income countries, we classified the most widely used spillover parameters reported in the empirical literature into a standard notation. General classes of spillover parameters include: cluster-level spillovers; spillovers conditional on treatment or outcome density, distance or the number of treated social network links; and vaccine efficacy parameters related to spillovers. We draw on high quality empirical examples to illustrate each of these parameters. We describe study designs to estimate spillovers and assumptions required to make causal inferences about spillovers. We aim to advance and encourage methods for spillover estimation and reporting by standardizing spillover parameter nomenclature and articulating the causal inference assumptions required to estimate spillovers. PMID:29106568

[The diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastography and ultrasonography comprehensive score in cervical lesions].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, R; Xiao, Y

2017-07-18

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of ultrasonic elastography and ultrasonography comprehensive scoring method in the diagnosis of cervical lesions. Methods: A total of 116 patients were selected from the Department of Gynecology of the first hospital affiliated with Central South University from March 2014 to September 2015.All of the lesions were preoperatively examined by Doppler Ultrasound and elastography.The elasticity score was determined by a 5-point scoring method. Calculation of the strain ratio was based on a comparison of the average strain measured in the lesion with the adjacent tissue of the same depth, size, and shape.All these ultrasonic parameters were quantified, added, and arrived at ultrasonography comprehensive scores.To use surgical pathology as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of Doppler Ultrasound, elasticity score and strain ratio methods and ultrasonography comprehensive scoring method were comparatively analyzed. Results: (1) The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Doppler Ultrasound in diagnosing cervical lesions were 82.89% (63/76), 85.0% (34/40), and 83.62% (97/116), respectively.(2) The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the elasticity score method were 77.63% (59/76), 82.5% (33/40), and 79.31% (92/116), respectively; the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the strain ratio measure method were 84.21% (64/76), 87.5% (35/40), and 85.34% (99/116), respectively.(3) The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasonography comprehensive scoring method were 90.79% (69/76), 92.5% (37/40), and 91.38% (106/116), respectively. Conclusion: (1) It was obvious that ultrasonic elastography had certain diagnostic value in cervical lesions. Strain ratio measurement can be more objective than elasticity score method.(2) The combined application of ultrasonography comprehensive scoring method, ultrasonic elastography and conventional sonography was more accurate than single parameter.

Improving reading comprehension skills through the SCRATCH program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erdal Papatga

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to reveal how reading comprehension skills of elementary fourth graders who have problems in reading comprehension can be improved by means of the SCRATCH program. The study was designed as a participant action research. It was carried out within a 15-week process at an elementary school with middle socio-economic level in the Eskisehir province in the fall term of the 2015-2016 school year. The participants of the study were eight fourth graders who had problems in reading comprehension and were selected based on the criterion sampling method. Different data gathering tools were employed in different stages of the study. These were the Informal Reading Inventory, readability assessment rubric, participant selection form and identification forms for developmental level in reading comprehension for the quantitative data, and observation notes, a researcher diary, video recordings, teacher and student observation notes, and the projects the students prepared using the SCRATCH program for the qualitative data. In the study, the analysis of the quantitative data was done with correlation analysis, and Kendall W Test that shows inter-rater reliability. In addition, the identification forms for developmental level in reading comprehension were used to reveal the improvement in reading comprehension skills, and the Informal Reading Inventory was employed to score these forms. On the other hand, the qualitative data were analysed through the thematic analysis method, and MAXQDA was used for the analysis. As a result of the analyses, it was found that the reading level of the eight students who had problems in reading comprehension went up from the anxiety level to the instructional level in some forms, and even to the independent reading level in other forms; in other words, there was an improvement in the reading comprehension skills of all eight students.

University Students with Poor Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiou, George K.; Das, J. P.

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the nature of the working memory and general cognitive ability deficits experienced by university students with a specific reading comprehension deficit. A total of 32 university students with poor reading comprehension but average word-reading skills and 60 age-word-matched controls with no comprehension…

Geotechnical parameters for three deep ocean study areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, D.P.

1989-01-01

This chapter summarizes the results of geotechnical measurements made on cores taken at the three deep ocean sites that have been studied in detail as part of the international programme assessing the feasibility of deep ocean disposal of heat-generating radioactive waste. The capabilities of existing sampling methods and the adequacy of the available data for providing the geotechnical parameters needed to evaluate the technical feasibility of deep ocean disposal are discussed. It is concluded that, while it has not been possible to obtain core samples of sufficient quality and depth to provide all the parameters needed for the assessment, no fundamental differences between the sediments at the study areas and those found on land or in shallow water have been identified. (author)

Reactor parameters for European economic, safety and environmental studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hancox, R.; Cooke, P.I.H.; Spears, W.R.

1990-01-01

Parameter sets for five 1200 MW e tokamak reactors were developed for the European Study Group on the Environmental, Safety-related and Economic Potential of Fusion Power, showing today's perception of the range of reactors likely to be available as a result of the Commission's fusion programme. On the basis of the cost of generating electricity, relative to a fission reactor, a reference set was chosen and endorsed by the Group for further studies including that on the environmental impact of fusion power. Key physics and technology parameters for the reference reactor are compared with values used in the ITER design, and with those from American studies. (author)

Enhancing Social Studies Vocabulary and Comprehension for 7th Grade English Language Learners: Findings from Two Experimental Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, Sharon; Martinez, Leticia R.; Reutebuch, Colleen K.; Carlson, Coleen D.; Thompson, Sylvia L.; Franci, David J.

2010-01-01

The authors identified instructional practices associated with improved outcomes for English language learners (ELLs): (1) research-based vocabulary and concept instruction, (2) the use of media to build comprehension and concept knowledge, (3) the use of graphic organizers, and (4) structured peer-pairings. The purpose of our two studies was to…

Listening comprehension in preschoolers: the role of memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Florit, Elena; Roch, Maja; Altoè, Gianmarco; Levorato, Maria Chiara

2009-11-01

The current study analyzed the relationship between text comprehension and memory skills in preschoolers. We were interested in verifying the hypothesis that memory is a specific contributor to listening comprehension in preschool children after controlling for verbal abilities. We were also interested in analyzing the developmental path of the relationship between memory skills and listening comprehension in the age range considered. Forty-four, 4-year-olds (mean age = 4 years and 6 months, SD = 4 months) and 40, 5-year-olds (mean age = 5 years and 4 months, SD = 5 months) participated in the study. The children were administered measures to evaluate listening comprehension ability (story comprehension), short-term and working memory skills (forward and backward word span), verbal intelligence and receptive vocabulary. Results showed that both short-term and working memory predicted unique and independent variance in listening comprehension after controlling for verbal abilities, with working memory explaining additional variance over and above short-term memory. The predictive power of memory skills was stable in the age range considered. Results also confirm a strong relation between verbal abilities and listening comprehension in 4- and 5-year-old children.

Metaphor Comprehension in Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Case Studies of Two High-Functioning Children

Science.gov (United States)

Melogno, Sergio; D'Ardia, Caterina; Pinto, Maria Antonietta; Levi, Gabriel

2012-01-01

This article presents case studies on metaphor comprehension in two boys with high-functioning autistic spectrum disorder, aged 9;1 (9 years, 1 month) and 8;11. The participants were assessed twice, before and after an intervention program aimed at improving their social skills. The focus of the article is on the specific patterns exhibited by…

The Effects of CLIL on Oral Comprehension and Production: A Longitudinal Case Study

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Pérez Cañado, María Luisa; Lancaster, Nina Karen

2017-01-01

This article reports on the outcomes of a longitudinal case study to gauge the impact of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) on two of the least researched language skills: oral comprehension and production. It worked with 24 students in the fourth grade of Compulsory Secondary Education in a public school in Andalusia (southern Spain)…

Preparing for reading comprehension: Fostering text comprehension skills in preschool and early elementary school children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul van den BROEK

2011-11-01

Full Text Available To understand what they read or hear, children and adults must create a coherent mental representation of presented information. Recent research suggests that the ability to do so starts to develop early –well before reading age- and that early individual differences are predictive of later reading-comprehension performance. In this paper, we review this research and discuss potential applications to early intervention. We then present two exploratory studies in which we examine whether it is feasible to design interventions with early readers (3rd grade and even toddlers (2-3 years old. The interventions employed causal questioning techniques as children listen to orally presented,age-appropriate narratives. Afterwards, comprehension was tested through question answering and recall tasks. Results indicate that such interventions are indeed feasible. Moreover, they suggest thatfor both toddlers and early readers questions during comprehension are more effective than questions after comprehension. Finally, for both groups higher working memory capacity was related to bettercomprehension.

A comprehensive method for GNSS data quality determination to improve ionospheric data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Minchan; Seo, Jiwon; Lee, Jiyun

2014-08-14

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are now recognized as cost-effective tools for ionospheric studies by providing the global coverage through worldwide networks of GNSS stations. While GNSS networks continue to expand to improve the observability of the ionosphere, the amount of poor quality GNSS observation data is also increasing and the use of poor-quality GNSS data degrades the accuracy of ionospheric measurements. This paper develops a comprehensive method to determine the quality of GNSS observations for the purpose of ionospheric studies. The algorithms are designed especially to compute key GNSS data quality parameters which affect the quality of ionospheric product. The quality of data collected from the Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network in the conterminous United States (CONUS) is analyzed. The resulting quality varies widely, depending on each station and the data quality of individual stations persists for an extended time period. When compared to conventional methods, the quality parameters obtained from the proposed method have a stronger correlation with the quality of ionospheric data. The results suggest that a set of data quality parameters when used in combination can effectively select stations with high-quality GNSS data and improve the performance of ionospheric data analysis.

Foundations of reading comprehension in children with intellectual disabilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wingerden-Fontein, E.G. van; Segers, P.C.J.; Balkom, L.J.M. van; Verhoeven, L.T.W.

2017-01-01

Background Knowledge about predictors for reading comprehension in children with intellectual disabilities (ID) is still fragmented. Aims This study compared reading comprehension, word decoding, listening comprehension, and reading related linguistic and cognitive precursor measures in children

Program for parameter studies of steam generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathisen, R.P.

1982-11-01

R2-GEN is a computer code for stationary thermal parameter studies of steam generators. The geometry and data are valid for Ringhals-2 generators. Subroutines and relevant calculations are included. The program is based on a heterogeneous flow model and some applications on tubes with varying contamination are presented. (G.B.)

Study of pipe-whip parameters in pipelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerreiro, J.N.C.; Loula, A.F.D.; Galeao, A.C.N.R.

1980-01-01

The problem of the high energy pipe-whip, assuming an elastic-plastic behavior for the tube material and taking in account the internal pressure, is studied. The constraints are simulated as bilinear springs and viscous dampers. A general research, based on the finite element method was developed to analyse the phenomenon. The influence of the following parameters: gap, damping coefficient, stiffness, constraints positioning and internal pressure of the tube is studied. (Author) [pt

OPTIMAL SHRINKAGE ESTIMATION OF MEAN PARAMETERS IN FAMILY OF DISTRIBUTIONS WITH QUADRATIC VARIANCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xianchao; Kou, S C; Brown, Lawrence

2016-03-01

This paper discusses the simultaneous inference of mean parameters in a family of distributions with quadratic variance function. We first introduce a class of semi-parametric/parametric shrinkage estimators and establish their asymptotic optimality properties. Two specific cases, the location-scale family and the natural exponential family with quadratic variance function, are then studied in detail. We conduct a comprehensive simulation study to compare the performance of the proposed methods with existing shrinkage estimators. We also apply the method to real data and obtain encouraging results.

Comprehensive study of flow and heat transfer at the surface of circular cooling fin

Science.gov (United States)

Mityakov, V. Yu; Grekov, M. A.; Gusakov, A. A.; Sapozhnikov, S. Z.; Seroshtanov, V. V.; Bashkatov, A. V.; Dymkin, A. N.; Pavlov, A. V.; Milto, O. A.; Kalmykov, K. S.

2017-11-01

For the first time is proposed to combine heat flux measurements with thermal imaging and PIV (particle image velocimetry) for a comprehensive study of flow and heat transfer at the surface of the circular cooling fin. The investigated hollow fin is heated from within with saturated water steam; meanwhile the isothermal external surface simulates one of the perfect fin. Flow and heat transfer at the surface of the solid fin of the same size and shape, made of titanium alloy is investigated in the same regimes. Gradient Heat Flux Sensors (GHFS) were installed at different places of the fin surface. Velocity field around a cylinder, temperature field at the surface of the fin and heat flux for each rated time were obtained. Comprehensive method including heat flux measurement, PIV and thermal imaging allow to study flow and heat transfer at the surface of the fin in real time regime. The possibility to study flow and heat transfer for non-isothermal fins is shown; it is allow to improve traditional calculation of the cooling fins.

Confronting the Uncertainty in Aerosol Forcing Using Comprehensive Observational Data

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, J. S.; Regayre, L. A.; Yoshioka, M.; Pringle, K.; Sexton, D.; Lee, L.; Carslaw, K. S.

2017-12-01

The effect of aerosols on cloud droplet concentrations and radiative properties is the largest uncertainty in the overall radiative forcing of climate over the industrial period. In this study, we take advantage of a large perturbed parameter ensemble of simulations from the UK Met Office HadGEM-UKCA model (the aerosol component of the UK Earth System Model) to comprehensively sample uncertainty in aerosol forcing. Uncertain aerosol and atmospheric parameters cause substantial aerosol forcing uncertainty in climatically important regions. As the aerosol radiative forcing itself is unobservable, we investigate the potential for observations of aerosol and radiative properties to act as constraints on the large forcing uncertainty. We test how eight different theoretically perfect aerosol and radiation observations can constrain the forcing uncertainty over Europe. We find that the achievable constraint is weak unless many diverse observations are used simultaneously. This is due to the complex relationships between model output responses and the multiple interacting parameter uncertainties: compensating model errors mean there are many ways to produce the same model output (known as model equifinality) which impacts on the achievable constraint. However, using all eight observable quantities together we show that the aerosol forcing uncertainty can potentially be reduced by around 50%. This reduction occurs as we reduce a large sample of model variants (over 1 million) that cover the full parametric uncertainty to around 1% that are observationally plausible.Constraining the forcing uncertainty using real observations is a more complex undertaking, in which we must account for multiple further uncertainties including measurement uncertainties, structural model uncertainties and the model discrepancy from reality. Here, we make a first attempt to determine the true potential constraint on the forcing uncertainty from our model that is achievable using a comprehensive

Statistical Analysis of a Comprehensive List of Visual Binaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovaleva D.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Visual binary stars are the most abundant class of observed binaries. The most comprehensive list of data on visual binaries compiled recently by cross-matching the largest catalogues of visual binaries allowed a statistical investigation of observational parameters of these systems. The dataset was cleaned by correcting uncertainties and misclassifications, and supplemented with available parallax data. The refined dataset is free from technical biases and contains 3676 presumably physical visual pairs of luminosity class V with known angular separations, magnitudes of the components, spectral types, and parallaxes. We also compiled a restricted sample of 998 pairs free from observational biases due to the probability of binary discovery. Certain distributions of observational and physical parameters of stars of our dataset are discussed.

A numerical study of non-linear crack tip parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.V. Antunes

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Crack closure concept has been widely used to explain different issues of fatigue crack propagation. However, different authors have questioned the relevance of crack closure and have proposed alternative concepts. The main objective here is to check the effectiveness of crack closure concept by linking the contact of crack flanks with non-linear crack tip parameters. Accordingly, 3D-FE numerical models with and without contact were developed for a wide range of loading scenarios and the crack tip parameters usually linked to fatigue crack growth, namely range of cyclic plastic strain, crack tip opening displacement, size of reversed plastic zone and total plastic dissipation per cycle, were investigated. It was demonstrated that: i LEFM concepts are applicable to the problem under study; ii the crack closure phenomenon has a great influence on crack tip parameters decreasing their values; iii the Keff concept is able to explain the variations of crack tip parameters produced by the contact of crack flanks; iv the analysis of remote compliance is the best numerical parameter to quantify the crack opening level; v without contact there is no effect of stress ratio on crack tip parameters. Therefore it is proved that the crack closure concept is valid.

Neuroimaging Evidence of Comprehension Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda Baker

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to synthesize the emerging neuroimaging literature that reveals how the brain responds when readers and listeners encounter texts that demand monitoring of their ongoing comprehension processes. Much of this research has been undertaken by cognitive scientists who do not frame their work in metacognitive terms, and therefore it is less likely to be familiar to psychologists who study metacognition in educational contexts. The important role of metacognition in the development and use of academic skills is widely recognized. Metacognition is typically defined as the awareness and control of one's own cognitive processes. In the domain of reading, the most important metacognitive skill is comprehension monitoring, the evaluation and regulation of comprehension. Readers who monitor their understanding realize when they have encountered difficulty making sense of the text, and they apply error correction procedures to attempt to resolve the difficulty. Metacognition depends on executive control skills that continue to develop into early adulthood, in parallel with the maturation of the executive control regions of the prefrontal cortex. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and event-related potentials (ERP have been used for some time to study neural correlates of basic reading processes such as word identification, but it is only within recent years that researchers have turned to the higher-level processes of text comprehension. The article describes illustrative studies that reveal changes in neural activity when adults apply lexical, syntactic, or semantic standards to evaluate their understanding.

Study on orthorhombic parameters for 3D elastic full waveform inversion

KAUST Repository

Oh, Juwon

2015-08-21

For a better understanding of the influence of the parameterizations on the multi-parameter full waveform inversion (FWI) for 3D elastic orthorhombic media, we analyze the virtual sources for each cij parameter. Because the virtual sources for cij parameters can be regarded as bases of the virtual sources for other parameterizations, the insights developed here explains many of the scattering phenomena of the different parameters. The resulting radiation patterns provide insights on which parameter set is the best in the multi-parameter FWI for 3D elastic orthorhombic media. In this study, we analyze the virtual source for each cij parameter as a linear combination of several moment tensors. After that, we analyze the strain fields deformed by incident waves as momenta of the virtual source and their influences on sensitivity kernels of each cij parameter.

Study on orthorhombic parameters for 3D elastic full waveform inversion

KAUST Repository

Oh, Juwon; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

2015-01-01

For a better understanding of the influence of the parameterizations on the multi-parameter full waveform inversion (FWI) for 3D elastic orthorhombic media, we analyze the virtual sources for each cij parameter. Because the virtual sources for cij parameters can be regarded as bases of the virtual sources for other parameterizations, the insights developed here explains many of the scattering phenomena of the different parameters. The resulting radiation patterns provide insights on which parameter set is the best in the multi-parameter FWI for 3D elastic orthorhombic media. In this study, we analyze the virtual source for each cij parameter as a linear combination of several moment tensors. After that, we analyze the strain fields deformed by incident waves as momenta of the virtual source and their influences on sensitivity kernels of each cij parameter.

The Comprehension Problems for Second-Language Learners with Poor Reading Comprehension Despite Adequate Decoding: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Mercedes; Wagner, Richard K.

2017-01-01

We conducted a meta-analysis of 16 existing studies to examine the nature of the comprehension problems for children who were second-language learners with poor reading comprehension despite adequate decoding. Results indicated that these children had deficits in oral language (d = -0.80), but these deficits were not as severe as their reading…

Reading and listening comprehension and their relation to inattention and hyperactivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, Kate; Bignell, Simon

2014-03-01

Children with diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently have reading problems. To date, it is not clear whether poor reading is associated with both inattention and hyperactivity and also whether poor reading comprehension is the result of poor word reading skills or more general language comprehension weaknesses. We report two studies to examine how reading and listening comprehension skills are related to inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Separate groups of 7- to 11-year-olds participated in each study. In both studies, we used teacher ratings of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity to identify three groups at risk of ADHD: poor attention, high hyperactivity, poor attention and high hyperactivity, and also same-age controls. In Study 1, we explored how inattention and hyperactivity predicted reading after controlling for non-verbal IQ and vocabulary. In Study 2, we compared listening and reading comprehension in these groups. Poor attention was related to poor reading comprehension, although the relation was partially mediated by word reading skill (Study 1). Groups with high hyperactivity had weak listening comprehension relative to reading comprehension (Study 2). These results indicate that the reading comprehension problems of children with attention difficulties are related to poor word reading and that listening comprehension is particularly vulnerable in children at risk of ADHD. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Delivery parameters, neonatal parameters and incidence of urinary incontinence six months postpartum: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wesnes, Stian Langeland; Hannestad, Yngvild; Rortveit, Guri

2017-10-01

Contradictory results have been reported regarding most delivery parameters as risk factors for urinary incontinence. We investigated the association between the incidence of urinary incontinence six months postpartum and single obstetric risk factors as well as combinations of risk factors. This study was based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health during 1998-2008. This substudy was based on 7561 primiparous women who were continent before and during pregnancy. Data were obtained from questionnaires answered at weeks 15 and 30 of pregnancy and six months postpartum. Data were linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Single and combined delivery- and neonatal parameters were analyzed by logistic regression analyses. Birthweight was associated with significantly higher risk of urinary incontinence six months postpartum [3541-4180 g: odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-1.6; >4180 g: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.0]. Fetal presentation, obstetric anal sphincter injuries, episiotomy and epidural analgesia were not significantly associated with increased risk of urinary incontinence. The following combinations of risk factors among women delivering by spontaneous vaginal delivery increased the risk of urinary incontinence six months postpartum; birthweight ≥3540 g and ≥36 cm head circumference; birthweight ≥3540 g and forceps, birthweight ≥3540 g and episiotomy; and ≥36 cm head circumference and episiotomy. Some combinations of delivery parameters and neonatal parameters seem to act together and may increase the risk of incidence of urinary incontinence six months postpartum in a synergetic way. © 2017 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

[Comparison of vocal tract discomfort scale results with objective and instrumental phoniatric parameters among teacher rehabilitees from voice disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Woźnicka, Ewelina; Niebudek-Bogusz, Ewa; Wiktorowicz, Justyna; Sliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2013-01-01

Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of occupational dysphonia play a major role in voice self-assessment, which is one of the elements of a comprehensive evaluation of voice disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the applicability of the Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) scale to monitor the effectiveness of voice rehabilitation and compare the VTD results with objective and instrumental methods of phoniatric diagnosis. The study included 55 teachers (mean age, 47.2) with occupational dysphonia. A comprehensive diagnosis took into account self-assessment by VTD scale, phoniatric examination, including laryngovideostroboscopy (LVSS) and objective measurements of the aerodynamic parameter - the maximum phonation time (MPT). After 4 months of intense rehabilitation, post-therapy examination was performed using the methods specified above. After the treatment, a significant improvement was obtained in the subjective symptoms measured on a VTD scale - assessed both for the frequency (p = 0.000) and the severity (p = 0.000) subscales. Positive effects of the therapy were also observed for the parameters evaluated in the phoniatric study (p dysphonia.

Reading comprehension difficulties in children with rolandic epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Currie, Nicola K; Lew, Adina R; Palmer, Tom M; Basu, Helen; De Goede, Christian; Iyer, Anand; Cain, Kate

2018-03-01

Difficulties in reading comprehension can arise from either word reading or listening comprehension difficulties, or a combination of the two. We sought to determine whether children with rolandic epilepsy had poor reading comprehension relative to typically developing comparison children, and whether such difficulties were associated with word reading and/or general language comprehension difficulties. In this cross-sectional study, children with rolandic epilepsy (n=25; 16 males, 9 females; mean age 9y 1mo, SD 1y 7mo) and a comparison group (n=39; 25 males, 14 females; mean age 9y 1mo, SD 1y 3mo) completed assessments of reading comprehension, listening comprehension, word/non-word reading, speech articulation, and Non-verbal IQ. Reading comprehension and word reading were worse in children with rolandic epilepsy (F 1,61 =6.89, p=0.011, ηp2=0.10 and F 1,61 =6.84, p=0.011, ηp2=0.10 respectively), with listening comprehension being marginal (F 1,61 =3.81, p=0.055, ηp2=0.06). Word reading and listening comprehension made large and independent contributions to reading comprehension, explaining 70% of the variance. Children with rolandic epilepsy may be at risk of reading comprehension difficulties. Thorough assessment of individual children is required to ascertain whether the difficulties lie with decoding text, or with general comprehension skills, or both. Children with rolandic epilepsy may be at risk of poor reading comprehension. This was related to poor word reading, poor listening comprehension, or both. Reading comprehension interventions should be tailored to the profile of difficulties. © 2017 Mac Keith Press.

An experimental study on effect of process parameters in deep ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of various deep drawing process parameters were determined by experimental study with the use of Taguchi fractional factorial design and analysis of variance for AA6111 Aluminum alloy. The optimum process parameters were determined based on their influence on the thickness variation at different regions ...

Listening Comprehension Strategies: A Review of the Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Berne, Jane E.

2004-01-01

Numerous studies related to listening comprehension strategies have been published in the past two decades. The present study seeks to build upon two previous reviews of listening comprehension strategies research. Of particular interest in this review are studies dealing with the types of cues used by listeners, the sequence of listening,…

On the issue of selecting technical and operational parameters for buses in urban passenger routes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudzinskyi V.V.

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Problems of a public transport bus service in urban areas were analyzed. The aim of the article is to determine actual operational parameters of buses during passenger transportation in Zhytomyr. Ways of determining technical and operational parameters of buses were developed using visual and tabular methods of city buses real-time speed and acceleration performance registration by GPS-monitoring system with the help of a communicational and informational intelligent transport system of the city. Experimental studies of city buses motion parameters were presented. A comprehensive survey of passenger traffic and conditions of public transport functioning in Zhytomyr was carried out. The values of technical and operational parameters of buses on city routes were obtained. Preliminarily conclusions and recommendations considering the criteria for selecting the optimal rolling stock for a bus network of the city were suggested.

Relationships Between Solidification Parameters in A319 Aluminum Alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Vandersluis, E.; Ravindran, C.

2018-03-01

The design of high-performance materials depends on a comprehensive understanding of the alloy-specific relationships between solidification and properties. However, the inconsistent use of a particular solidification parameter for presenting materials characterization in the literature impedes inter-study comparability and the interpretation of findings. Therefore, there is a need for accurate expressions relating the solidification parameters for each alloy. In this study, A319 aluminum alloy castings were produced in a permanent mold with various preheating temperatures in order to control metal cooling. Analysis of the cooling curve for each casting enabled the identification of its liquidus, Al-Si eutectic, and solidus temperatures and times. These values led to the calculation of the primary solidification rate, total solidification rate, primary solidification time, and local solidification time for each casting, which were related to each other as well as to the average casting SDAS and material hardness. Expressions for each of their correlations have been presented with high coefficients of determination, which will aid in microstructural prediction and casting design.

Intra-observer reproducibility and interobserver reliability of the radiographic parameters in the Spinal Deformity Study Group's AIS Radiographic Measurement Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Natasha Radhika; Moreau, Marc J; Hill, Douglas L; Mahood, James K; Raso, James

2005-05-01

Retrospective cross-sectional assessment of the reproducibility and reliability of radiographic parameters. To measure the intra-examiner and interexaminer reproducibility and reliability of salient radiographic features. The management and treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) depends on accurate and reproducible radiographic measurements of the deformity. Ten sets of radiographs were randomly selected from a sample of patients with AIS, with initial curves between 20 degrees and 45 degrees. Fourteen measures of the deformity were measured from posteroanterior and lateral radiographs by 2 examiners, and were repeated 5 times at intervals of 3-5 days. Intra-examiner and interexaminer differences were examined. The parameters include measures of curve size, spinal imbalance, sagittal kyphosis and alignment, maximum apical vertebral rotation, T1 tilt, spondylolysis/spondylolisthesis, and skeletal age. Intra-examiner reproducibility was generally excellent for parameters measured from the posteroanterior radiographs but only fair to good for parameters from the lateral radiographs, in which some landmarks were not clearly visible. Of the 13 parameters observed, 7 had excellent interobserver reliability. The measurements from the lateral radiograph were less reproducible and reliable and, thus, may not add value to the assessment of AIS. Taking additional measures encourages a systematic and comprehensive assessment of spinal radiographs.

Application of a user-friendly comprehensive circulatory model for estimation of hemodynamic and ventricular variables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ferrari, G.; Kozarski, M.; Gu, Y. J.; De Lazzari, C.; Di Molfetta, A.; Palko, K. J.; Zielinski, K.; Gorczynska, K.; Darowski, M.; Rakhorst, G.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Application of a comprehensive, user-friendly, digital computer circulatory model to estimate hemodynamic and ventricular variables. Methods: The closed-loop lumped parameter circulatory model represents the circulation at the level of large vessels. A variable elastance model reproduces

Students’ Reading Comprehension Performance with Emotional Literacy-Based Strategy Intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusfarina Mohd Yussof

2013-07-01

Full Text Available An effective reading comprehension process demands a strategy to enhance the cognitive ability to digest text information in the effort to elicit meaning contextually. In addition, the role of emotions also influences the efficacy of this process, especially in narrative text comprehension. This quasi-experimental study aims to observe students’ performance in the Reading Comprehension Test resulting from Emotional Literacy-Based Reading Comprehension Strategy (ELBRCS, which is a combination of cognitive and affective strategies. This study involved 90 students, whereby 45 students were clustered in the Experimental Group and received the ELBRCS intervension. The remaining 45 students were placed in the Control Group and underwent the conventional strategy (prevalent classroom method.The students’ reading comprehension performance was measured using the Reading Comprehension Test (RCT. The findings show that the experimental group received a higher score than the control group for RCT. The intervention has successfully increased student’s Reading Comprehension from literal comprehension to higher levels of comprehension i.e. inferential, evaluative and appreciative levels, as indicated by Barret’s Taxonomy.

Parameter studies for a two-component fusion experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Towner, H.H.

1975-01-01

The sensitivity of the energy multiplication of a two-component fusion experiment is examined relative to the following parameters: energy confinement time (tau/sub E/), particle confinement time (tau/sub p/), effective Z of the plasma (Z/sub eff/), injection rate (j/sub I/) and injection energy (E/sub I/). The Energy Research and Development Administration recently approved funding for such a fusion device (the Toroidal Fusion Test Reactor or TFTR) which will be built at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Hence, such a parameter study seems both timely and necessary. This work also serves as an independent check on the design values proposed for the TFTR to enable it to achieve energy breakeven (F = 1). Using the nominal TFTR design parameters and a self-consistent ion-electron power balance, the maximum F-value is found to be approximately 1.2 which occurs at an injection energy of approximately 210 KeV. The injector operation, i.e. its current and energy capability are shown to be a very critical factor in the TFTR performance. However, if the injectors meet the design objectives, there appears to be sufficient latitude in the other parameters to offer reasonable assurance that energy breakeven can be achieved. (U.S.)

A Cross-Sectional Study of Fluency and Reading Comprehension in Spanish Primary School Children

Science.gov (United States)

Calet, Nuria; Gutiérrez-Palma, Nicolás; Defior, Sylvia

2015-01-01

The importance of prosodic elements is recognised in most definitions of fluency. Although speed and accuracy have been typically considered the constituents of reading fluency, prosody is emerging as an additional component. The relevance of prosody in comprehension is increasingly recognised in the latest studies. The purpose of this research is…

Cavity parameters identification for TESLA control system development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czarski, T.; Pozniak, K.T.; Romaniuk, R.S. [Warsaw Univ. of Technology (Poland). ELHEP Lab., ISE; Simrock, S. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2005-07-01

The control system modeling for the TESLA - TeV-Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator project has been developed for the efficient stabilization of the pulsed, accelerating EM field of the resonator. The cavity parameters identification is an essential task for the comprehensive control algorithm. The TESLA cavity simulator has been successfully implemented by applying very high speed FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array technology. The electromechanical model of the cavity resonator includes the basic features - Lorentz force detuning and beam loading. The parameters identification bases on the electrical model of the cavity. The model is represented by the state space equation for the envelope of the cavity voltage driven by the current generator and the beam loading. For a given model structure, the over-determined matrix equation is created covering the long enough measurement range with the solution according to the least squares method. A low degree polynomial approximation is applied to estimate the time-varying cavity detuning during the pulse. The measurement channel distortion is considered, leading to the external cavity model seen by the controller. The comprehensive algorithm of the cavity parameters identification has been implemented in the Matlab system with different modes of the operation. Some experimental results have been presented for different cavity operational conditions. The following considerations have lead to the synthesis of the efficient algorithm for the cavity control system predicted for the potential FPGA technology implementation. (orig.)

Cavity parameters identification for TESLA control system development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czarski, T.; Pozniak, K.T.; Romaniuk, R.S.

2005-01-01

The control system modeling for the TESLA - TeV-Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator project has been developed for the efficient stabilization of the pulsed, accelerating EM field of the resonator. The cavity parameters identification is an essential task for the comprehensive control algorithm. The TESLA cavity simulator has been successfully implemented by applying very high speed FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array technology. The electromechanical model of the cavity resonator includes the basic features - Lorentz force detuning and beam loading. The parameters identification bases on the electrical model of the cavity. The model is represented by the state space equation for the envelope of the cavity voltage driven by the current generator and the beam loading. For a given model structure, the over-determined matrix equation is created covering the long enough measurement range with the solution according to the least squares method. A low degree polynomial approximation is applied to estimate the time-varying cavity detuning during the pulse. The measurement channel distortion is considered, leading to the external cavity model seen by the controller. The comprehensive algorithm of the cavity parameters identification has been implemented in the Matlab system with different modes of the operation. Some experimental results have been presented for different cavity operational conditions. The following considerations have lead to the synthesis of the efficient algorithm for the cavity control system predicted for the potential FPGA technology implementation. (orig.)

Predicting Second Grade Listening Comprehension Using Prekindergarten Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Alonzo, Crystle N.; Yeomans-Maldonado, Gloria; Murphy, Kimberly A.; Bevens, Beau

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine prekindergarten predictors of listening comprehension in second grade. Methods: Within a large, 5-year longitudinal study, children progressing from prekindergarten to second grade were administered a comprehensive set of prekindergarten measures of foundational language skills (vocabulary and…

A Correlational Study of a Reading Comprehension Program and Attrition Rates of ESL Nursing Students in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Donnell, Wendy M

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between English as a second language (ESL), a reading comprehension program, and attrition rates of nursing students. Higher attrition rates of ESL nursing students are an assumption, seemingly based on anecdotal evidence. Data reflecting ESL student attrition should be measured and analyzed so that students can be identified prior to attrition. A secondary analysis of a large database of 27 initial licensure programs in Texas was completed. Data analysis identified that ESL students who used a reading comprehension program were almost twice as likely to be off track or out of the program as ESL students who did not use the program. Nurse educators need to evaluate student profile characteristics in a comprehensive way when determining risk of attrition.

IQ and Reading Comprehension in Translation Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohsen Askari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Having a deeper understanding of determining factors in the quality of translation is in the interest of almost all scholars of translation studies. Students’ intelligence is being measured constantly in order to determine their aptitude for entering into different programs. However, in translation studies, the variable of intelligence quotient (IQ has been curiously ignored among researchers. This study aimed to explore the strength of both IQ and reading comprehension in predicting translation quality among Iranian translation students.  A sample of forty-six translation students from Alborz University of Qazvin participated in this study. Data were collected using three tests including Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices, Colina’s (2008 componential translation quality rating scheme and the reading comprehension test of IELTS. The results show IQ test scores and reading comprehension significantly predict translation quality assessment. Surprisingly, the most significant finding is that IQ score is by far a better predictor of translation quality than reading comprehension. Overall, it is concluded that translation quality assessment is more of a deeper cognitive function than solely language process, which could lead to more research on cognitive aspects of translation.

The Impact of Gloss Types on Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Gain and Vocabulary Retention: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atefeh Elekaei

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The significance and impact of vocabulary learning in reading comprehension and L2 language learning are apparent to teachers, researchers and language learners. Moreover, glosses are found as one of the most effective strategies regarding vocabulary retention. Therefore, the present study attempted to investigate the effect of different types of glosses on reading comprehension, vocabulary gain and vocabulary retention. To this end, 140 Iranian EFL learners learning English were selected and were divided into four groups (footnote gloss group, interlinear gloss group, marginal gloss group, and glossary group. They were required to read a text and answer four reading comprehension questions. In addition, one immediate vocabulary post-test and one delayed vocabulary post-test were taken in order to investigate learners' vocabulary gain and vocabulary retention. In order to analyze the data, one one-way ANOVA and one MANOVA were run. The results of one-way ANOVA revealed that participants who received interlinear glosses significantly outperformed the other groups regarding comprehending the text. Moreover, the immediate vocabulary post-test was conducted immediately after reading test and the delayed post-test was administered after four weeks. The results of MANOVA indicated that the group which received interlinear glosses outperformed the other groups in both vocabulary gain and vocabulary retention. The present study has implications for teachers and learners. Teachers can find better methods to teach new reading passages as well as vocabulary items. Also, glosses help learners to have a better comprehension of difficult passages and they facilitate learning. Moreover, learners can enhance their vocabulary knowledge with the help of glosses.

Supporting nanomaterial risk assessment by case studies of nano-titanium dioxide using comprehensive environmental assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Here we describe a comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) approach for two case studies of nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) in real world applications: water treatment and sunscreen. CEA combines a product life cycle framework with the risk assessment paradigm.

Parameter study on infilled steel frames with discretely connected precast concrete panels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teeuwen, P.A.; Kleinman, C.S.; Snijder, H.H.; Hofmeyer, H.; Chan, S.L.

2009-01-01

This paper presents a parameter study on infilled steel frames with discretely connected precast concrete infill panels having window openings. In this study, finite element simulations were carried out to study the infilled frame performance by varying several parameters. A recently developed

Phonological and semantic processing during comprehension in Wernicke's aphasia: An N400 and Phonological Mapping Negativity Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Holly; Pilkington, Emma; Evans, Louise; DeLuca, Vincent; Keidel, James L

2017-06-01

Comprehension impairments in Wernicke's aphasia are thought to result from a combination of impaired phonological and semantic processes. However, the relationship between these cognitive processes and language comprehension has only been inferred through offline neuropsychological tasks. This study used ERPs to investigate phonological and semantic processing during online single word comprehension. EEG was recorded in a group of Wernicke's aphasia n=8 and control participants n=10 while performing a word-picture verification task. The N400 and Phonological Mapping Negativity/Phonological Mismatch Negativity (PMN) event-related potential components were investigated as an index of semantic and phonological processing, respectively. Individuals with Wernicke's aphasia displayed reduced and inconsistent N400 and PMN effects in comparison to control participants. Reduced N400 effects in the WA group were simulated in the control group by artificially degrading speech perception. Correlation analyses in the Wernicke's aphasia group found that PMN but not N400 amplitude was associated with behavioural word-picture verification performance. The results confirm impairments at both phonological and semantic stages of comprehension in Wernicke's aphasia. However, reduced N400 responses in Wernicke's aphasia are at least partially attributable to earlier phonological processing impairments. The results provide further support for the traditional model of Wernicke's aphasia which claims a causative link between phonological processing and language comprehension impairments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive experimental analysis of nonlinear dynamics in an optically-injected semiconductor laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Schires

2011-09-01

Full Text Available We present the first comprehensive experimental study, to our knowledge, of the routes between nonlinear dynamics induced in a semiconductor laser under external optical injection based on an analysis of time-averaged measurements of the optical and RF spectra and phasors of real-time series of the laser output. The different means of analysis are compared for several types of routes and the benefits of each are discussed in terms of the identification and mapping of the nonlinear dynamics. Finally, the results are presented in a novel audio/video format that describes the evolution of the dynamics with the injection parameters.

Study of secondhand smoke exposure in St. Louis City and County suggests need for comprehensive smoke-free Missouri law adoption.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Cyr, Julianne; Benson, Peter; Colditz, Graham; Pulley, Deren; Barnoya, Joaquin

2012-01-01

This cross-sectional study provides information about secondhand smoke exposure across the St. Louis metro area and perceptions and attitudes about tobacco and health within the local hospitality industry. Results from this study support the need for passage and implementation of comprehensive smoke-free laws throughout Missouri, particularly in St. Louis City and County where efforts to pass comprehensive smoke-free laws have been unsuccessful.

Exploratory Study for Continuous-time Parameter Estimation of Ankle Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Kukreja, Sunil L.; Boyle, Richard D.

2014-01-01

Recently, a parallel pathway model to describe ankle dynamics was proposed. This model provides a relationship between ankle angle and net ankle torque as the sum of a linear and nonlinear contribution. A technique to identify parameters of this model in discrete-time has been developed. However, these parameters are a nonlinear combination of the continuous-time physiology, making insight into the underlying physiology impossible. The stable and accurate estimation of continuous-time parameters is critical for accurate disease modeling, clinical diagnosis, robotic control strategies, development of optimal exercise protocols for longterm space exploration, sports medicine, etc. This paper explores the development of a system identification technique to estimate the continuous-time parameters of ankle dynamics. The effectiveness of this approach is assessed via simulation of a continuous-time model of ankle dynamics with typical parameters found in clinical studies. The results show that although this technique improves estimates, it does not provide robust estimates of continuous-time parameters of ankle dynamics. Due to this we conclude that alternative modeling strategies and more advanced estimation techniques be considered for future work.

A Case Study of the Impact of Guided Reading Groups in Second Grade on Comprehension Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Lorent Deegan, Chanin E.

2010-01-01

This study combined both qualitative and quantitative research to determine the impact of instructional practices on comprehension improvement in second grade Guided Reading groups. Four second grade teachers and their 73 students ages seven through eight years old participated in this study. Additionally, the study examined the effects of Guided…

Dynamic Parameter Identification of Subject-Specific Body Segment Parameters Using Robotics Formalism: Case Study Head Complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Rodríguez, Miguel; Valera, Angel; Page, Alvaro; Besa, Antonio; Mata, Vicente

2016-05-01

Accurate knowledge of body segment inertia parameters (BSIP) improves the assessment of dynamic analysis based on biomechanical models, which is of paramount importance in fields such as sport activities or impact crash test. Early approaches for BSIP identification rely on the experiments conducted on cadavers or through imaging techniques conducted on living subjects. Recent approaches for BSIP identification rely on inverse dynamic modeling. However, most of the approaches are focused on the entire body, and verification of BSIP for dynamic analysis for distal segment or chain of segments, which has proven to be of significant importance in impact test studies, is rarely established. Previous studies have suggested that BSIP should be obtained by using subject-specific identification techniques. To this end, our paper develops a novel approach for estimating subject-specific BSIP based on static and dynamics identification models (SIM, DIM). We test the validity of SIM and DIM by comparing the results using parameters obtained from a regression model proposed by De Leva (1996, "Adjustments to Zatsiorsky-Seluyanov's Segment Inertia Parameters," J. Biomech., 29(9), pp. 1223-1230). Both SIM and DIM are developed considering robotics formalism. First, the static model allows the mass and center of gravity (COG) to be estimated. Second, the results from the static model are included in the dynamics equation allowing us to estimate the moment of inertia (MOI). As a case study, we applied the approach to evaluate the dynamics modeling of the head complex. Findings provide some insight into the validity not only of the proposed method but also of the application proposed by De Leva (1996, "Adjustments to Zatsiorsky-Seluyanov's Segment Inertia Parameters," J. Biomech., 29(9), pp. 1223-1230) for dynamic modeling of body segments.

Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse, Marie; Hochstrasser, Stefan; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe O

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The costs of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation are established and compared to the corresponding costs of usual care. The effect on health-related quality of life is analyzed. METHODS: An unprecedented and very detailed cost assessment was carried out, as no guidelines existed...... and may be as high as euro 1.877. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is more costly than usual care, and the higher costs are not outweighed by a quality of life gain. Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is, therefore, not cost-effective....

Reading Comprehension Instruction Practices in Sierra Leone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hersbach, S.; Denessen, E.J.P.G.; Droop, W.

2014-01-01

Aim: In this study an attempt was made to give insight in the way reading comprehension is taught in Sierra Leone. Attention was paid to the didactical strategies and the materials used during reading comprehension instruction. Methodology: Primary school teachers in Sierra Leone (N=43) were

A Study on improvement of comprehensive environmental management system - activation of liberalized environmental management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Hweu Sung; Kang, Chul Goo [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

1998-12-01

As a part of improvement on a comprehensive environmental management system, this study was attempted to find an activating policy for a liberalized environmental management. This study provided an activation plan of reasonable environmental regulation reform and liberalized environmental management through the analysis of foreign examples and domestic situation. Furthermore, it analyzed an institutional mechanism for a smooth operation of liberalized environmental management. 68 refs., 5 figs., 51 tabs.

The RAVE-on Catalog of Stellar Atmospheric Parameters and Chemical Abundances for Chemo-dynamic Studies in the Gaia Era

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casey, Andrew R.; Hawkins, Keith; Koposov, Sergey; Sanders, Jason; Gilmore, Gerry [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Hogg, David W. [Simons Center for Data Analysis, 160 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10010 (United States); Ness, Melissa; Rix, Hans-Walter [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Kordopatis, Georges; Kunder, Andrea; Steinmetz, Matthias; Enke, Harry [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Zwitter, Tomaž; Matijevič, Gal [University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Freeman, Kenneth C.; Casagrande, Luca [Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mount Stromlo Observatory, The Australian National University, ACT 2611 (Australia); Seabroke, George [Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, RH5 6NT (United Kingdom); Bienaymé, Olivier [Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7550, 11 rue de l’Université, F-67000 Strasbourg (France); Bland-Hawthorn, Joss [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Gibson, Brad K. [E.A. Milne Centre for Astrophysics, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX (United Kingdom); and others

2017-05-01

The orbits, atmospheric parameters, chemical abundances, and ages of individual stars in the Milky Way provide the most comprehensive illustration of galaxy formation available. The Tycho- Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) will deliver astrometric parameters for the largest ever sample of Milky Way stars, though its full potential cannot be realized without the addition of complementary spectroscopy. Among existing spectroscopic surveys, the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) has the largest overlap with TGAS (≳200,000 stars). We present a data-driven re-analysis of 520,781 RAVE spectra using The Cannon . For red giants, we build our model using high-fidelity APOGEE stellar parameters and abundances for stars that overlap with RAVE. For main sequence and sub-giant stars, our model uses stellar parameters from the K2/EPIC . We derive and validate effective temperature T {sub eff}, surface gravity log g , and chemical abundances of up to seven elements (O, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Fe, and Ni). We report a total of 1,685,851 elemental abundances with a typical precision of 0.07 dex, a substantial improvement over previous RAVE data releases. The synthesis of RAVE-on and TGAS is the most powerful data set for chemo-dynamic analyses of the Milky Way ever produced.

Evolutionary Design of Both Topologies and Parameters of a Hybrid Dynamical System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dupuis, Jean-Francois; Fan, Zhun; Goodman, Erik

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the issue of evolutionary design of open-ended plants for hybrid dynamical systems--i.e. both their topologies and parameters. Hybrid bond graphs are used to represent dynamical systems involving both continuous and discrete system dynamics. Genetic programming, with some...... of hybrid dynamical systems that fulfill predefined design specifications. A comprehensive investigation of a case study of DC-DC converter design demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the HBGGP approach. Important characteristics of the approach are also discussed, with some future research...

GLOBAL CLIMATE MODEL:A COMPREHENSIVE TOOL IN CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT STUDIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dharmaveer Singh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is growing concern, how and to what extent future changes in climate will affect human society and natural environments. Continuous emissions of Green House Gasses (GHGs at or above current rates will cause further warming. This, in turn, may modify global climate system during 21st century that very likely would have larger impacts than those observed during 20th century. At present, Global Climate Models (GCMs are only the most reliable tools available for studying behaviour of the climate system. This paper presents a comprehensive review of GCMs including their development and applications in climate change impacts studies. Following a discussion of the limitations of GCMs at regional and local scales, different approaches of downscaling are discussed in detail.

Oyster Creek cycle 10 nodal model parameter optimization study using PSMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dougher, J.D.

1987-01-01

The power shape monitoring system (PSMS) is an on-line core monitoring system that uses a three-dimensional nodal code (NODE-B) to perform nodal power calculations and compute thermal margins. The PSMS contains a parameter optimization function that improves the ability of NODE-B to accurately monitor core power distributions. This functions iterates on the model normalization parameters (albedos and mixing factors) to obtain the best agreement between predicted and measured traversing in-core probe (TIP) reading on a statepoint-by-statepoint basis. Following several statepoint optimization runs, an average set of optimized normalization parameters can be determined and can be implemented into the current or subsequent cycle core model for on-line core monitoring. A statistical analysis of 19 high-power steady-state state-points throughout Oyster Creek cycle 10 operation has shown a consistently poor virgin model performance. The normalization parameters used in the cycle 10 NODE-B model were based on a cycle 8 study, which evaluated only Exxon fuel types. The introduction of General Electric (GE) fuel into cycle 10 (172 assemblies) was a significant fuel/core design change that could have altered the optimum set of normalization parameters. Based on the need to evaluate a potential change in the model normalization parameters for cycle 11 and in an attempt to account for the poor cycle 10 model performance, a parameter optimization study was performed

The comprehension of mathematic problems in primary school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karel Pérez Ariza

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the result of the research project “A study of causes of difficulties in learning comprehension from an interdisciplinary perspective in Camagüey. The main objective of that study is to propose a methodology for the comprehension of mathematic problems in primary school. In designing the methodology, the characteristics of this text variety, basic principle of the theory of reading comprehension and problem solving were taking into account. In this research work several theoretical methods were used —analysis-synthesis, historical-logical, inductive-deductive— to elaborate the theoretical framework, while modeling and system approach in the methodology construction. Additionally, empirical methods were used in order to assess the knowledge about comprehension of mathematic problems; among them observation and analysis of the activity results.

GEMSFITS: Code package for optimization of geochemical model parameters and inverse modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miron, George D.; Kulik, Dmitrii A.; Dmytrieva, Svitlana V.; Wagner, Thomas

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Tool for generating consistent parameters against various types of experiments. • Handles a large number of experimental data and parameters (is parallelized). • Has a graphical interface and can perform statistical analysis on the parameters. • Tested on fitting the standard state Gibbs free energies of aqueous Al species. • Example on fitting interaction parameters of mixing models and thermobarometry. - Abstract: GEMSFITS is a new code package for fitting internally consistent input parameters of GEM (Gibbs Energy Minimization) geochemical–thermodynamic models against various types of experimental or geochemical data, and for performing inverse modeling tasks. It consists of the gemsfit2 (parameter optimizer) and gfshell2 (graphical user interface) programs both accessing a NoSQL database, all developed with flexibility, generality, efficiency, and user friendliness in mind. The parameter optimizer gemsfit2 includes the GEMS3K chemical speciation solver ( (http://gems.web.psi.ch/GEMS3K)), which features a comprehensive suite of non-ideal activity- and equation-of-state models of solution phases (aqueous electrolyte, gas and fluid mixtures, solid solutions, (ad)sorption. The gemsfit2 code uses the robust open-source NLopt library for parameter fitting, which provides a selection between several nonlinear optimization algorithms (global, local, gradient-based), and supports large-scale parallelization. The gemsfit2 code can also perform comprehensive statistical analysis of the fitted parameters (basic statistics, sensitivity, Monte Carlo confidence intervals), thus supporting the user with powerful tools for evaluating the quality of the fits and the physical significance of the model parameters. The gfshell2 code provides menu-driven setup of optimization options (data selection, properties to fit and their constraints, measured properties to compare with computed counterparts, and statistics). The practical utility, efficiency, and

Investigation on gas medium parameters for an ArF excimer laser through orthogonal experimental design

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xingliang; Sha, Pengfei; Fan, Yuanyuan; Jiang, R.; Zhao, Jiangshan; Zhou, Yi; Yang, Junhong; Xiong, Guangliang; Wang, Yu

2018-02-01

Due to complex kinetics of formation and loss mechanisms, such as ion-ion recombination reaction, neutral species harpoon reaction, excited state quenching and photon absorption, as well as their interactions, the performance behavior of different laser gas medium parameters for excimer laser varies greatly. Therefore, the effects of gas composition and total gas pressure on excimer laser performance attract continual research studies. In this work, orthogonal experimental design (OED) is used to investigate quantitative and qualitative correlations between output laser energy characteristics and gas medium parameters for an ArF excimer laser with plano-plano optical resonator operation. Optimized output laser energy with good pulse to pulse stability can be obtained effectively by proper selection of the gas medium parameters, which makes the most of the ArF excimer laser device. Simple and efficient method for gas medium optimization is proposed and demonstrated experimentally, which provides a global and systematic solution. By detailed statistical analysis, the significance sequence of relevant parameter factors and the optimized composition for gas medium parameters are obtained. Compared with conventional route of varying single gas parameter factor sequentially, this paper presents a more comprehensive way of considering multivariables simultaneously, which seems promising in striking an appropriate balance among various complicated parameters for power scaling study of an excimer laser.

Conceptual Combination During Sentence Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Swinney, David; Love, Tracy; Walenski, Matthew; Smith, Edward E.

2008-01-01

This experiment examined the time course of integration of modifier-noun (conceptual) combinations during auditory sentence comprehension using cross-modal lexical priming. The study revealed that during ongoing comprehension, there is initial activation of features of the noun prior to activation of (emergent) features of the entire conceptual combination. These results support compositionality in conceptual combination; that is, they indicate that features of the individual words constituting a conceptual combination are activated prior to combination of the words into a new concept. PMID:17576278

The Listening Comprehension Strategies Used by College Students to Cope with the Aural Problems in EFL Classes: An Analytical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ghoneim, Nahed Mohamed Mahmoud

2013-01-01

The current study focused on the problems which students encounter while listening to the English language, the mental processes they activate in listening comprehension, and the strategies they use in different phases of comprehension. Also, it aimed to find out whether there were any differences between advanced and intermediate students in…

Subject Comprehension and Critical Thinking: An Intervention for Subject Comprehension and Critical Thinking in Mixed-Academic-Ability University Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bellaera, Lauren; Debney, Lauren; Baker, Sara T.

2016-01-01

Subject comprehension and critical thinking are both key goals of higher education. However, while the former is, on the whole, successfully cultivated in undergraduate students, the latter is not. Few empirical studies have investigated the relationship between subject comprehension and critical thinking. In the present article we suggest that…

POPULATION SYNTHESIS OF HOT SUBDWARFS: A PARAMETER STUDY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clausen, Drew; Wade, Richard A.; Kopparapu, Ravi Kumar; O'Shaughnessy, Richard

2012-01-01

Binaries that contain a hot subdwarf (sdB) star and a main-sequence companion may have interacted in the past. This binary population has historically helped determine our understanding of binary stellar evolution. We have computed a grid of binary population synthesis models using different assumptions about the minimum core mass for helium ignition, the envelope binding energy, the common-envelope ejection efficiency, the amount of mass and angular momentum lost during stable mass transfer, and the criteria for stable mass transfer on the red giant branch and in the Hertzsprung gap. These parameters separately and together can significantly change the entire predicted population of sdBs. Nonetheless, several different parameter sets can reproduce the observed subpopulation of sdB + white dwarf and sdB + M dwarf binaries, which has been used to constrain these parameters in previous studies. The period distribution of sdB + early F dwarf binaries offers a better test of different mass transfer scenarios for stars that fill their Roche lobes on the red giant branch.

Comprehensive metabolic panel

Science.gov (United States)

Metabolic panel - comprehensive; Chem-20; SMA20; Sequential multi-channel analysis with computer-20; SMAC20; Metabolic panel 20 ... Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) - blood. In: ... Tests and Diagnostic Procedures . 6th ed. St Louis, MO: ...

Developmental relations between reading comprehension and reading strategies

OpenAIRE

Muijselaar, M.M.L.; Swart, N.M.; Steenbeek-Planting, E.G.; Droop, W.; Verhoeven, L.T.W.; Jong, P.F. de

2017-01-01

We examined the developmental relations between knowledge of reading strategies and reading comprehension in a longitudinal study of 312 Dutch children from the beginning of fourth grade to the end of fifth grade. Measures for reading comprehension, reading strategies, reading fluency, vocabulary, and working memory were administered. A structural equation model was constructed to estimate the unique relations between reading strategies and reading comprehension, while controlling for reading...

Comprehensive study of interaction between biocompatible PEG-InP/ZnS QDs and bovine serum albumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sannaikar, M S; Inamdar, Laxmi S; Pujar, G H; Wari, M N; Balasinor, Nafisa H; Inamdar, S R

2018-05-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface modified biocompatible InP/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) act as a potential alternative for conventional carcinogenic cadmium-based quantum dots for in vivo and in vitro studies. Comprehensively, we studied the interaction between a model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) and PEGylated toxic free InP/ZnS QDs using various spectroscopic tools such as absorption, fluorescence quenching, time resolved and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopic measurements. These studies principally show that tryptophan (Trp) residues of BSA have preferable binding affinity towards PEG-InP/ZnS QDs surface and a blue shift in Trp fluorescence emission is a signature of conformational changes in its hydrophobic microenvironment. Photoluminescence (PL) intensity of Trp is quenched by ground state complex formation (static quenching) at room temperature. However, InP/ZnS@BSA conjugates become unstable with increasing temperature and PL intensity of Trp is quenched via dynamic quenching by PEG-InP/ZnS QDs. Experimentally determined thermodynamic parameters for these conjugates have shown spontaneity, entropy driven and exothermic nature of bio-conjugation. The calculated binding affinity (n ≅ 1, Hill coefficient) suggest that the affinity of InP/ZnS QDs for a BSA protein is not dependent on whether or not other BSA proteins are already bound to the QD surface. Energy transfer efficiency (E), Trp residue to InP/ZnS QDs distances and energy transfer rate (k T ) were all obtained from FÖrster resonance energy. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cognitive Correlates of Listening Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young-Suk; Phillips, Beth

2014-01-01

In an effort to understand cognitive foundations of oral language comprehension (i.e., listening comprehension), we examined how inhibitory control, theory of mind, and comprehension monitoring are uniquely related to listening comprehension over and above vocabulary and age. A total of 156 children in kindergarten and first grade from…

Improving Student Comprehension of Social Studies Text: A Self-Questioning Strategy for Inclusive Middle School Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Berkeley, Sheri; Marshak, Lisa; Mastropieri, Margo A.; Scruggs, Thomas E.

2011-01-01

This study employed a randomized experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of a self-questioning strategy for improving student reading comprehension of grade-level social studies text material. Fifty-seven seventh grade students with a range of abilities, including English as second language learners and students with learning and…

Revisiting Sticht: The Changing Nature of the Relationship between Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension among Upper Elementary and Middle School Students over the Last 50 Years

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Verlaan, Wolfram; Pearce, Daniel L.; Zeng, Guang

2017-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between listening comprehension and reading comprehension to determine if environmental factors might be contributing to a possible change in the equalization age for these two comprehension modalities from what was theorized by Thomas Sticht. The study employed a counterbalanced design to measure the…

A comprehensive joint replacement program for total knee arthroplasty: a descriptive study

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Prefontaine Paul

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA is a commonly performed surgical procedure in the US. It is important to have a comprehensive inpatient TKA program which maximizes outcomes while minimizing adverse events. The purpose of this study was to describe a TKA program – the Joint Replacement Program (JRP – and report post-surgical outcomes. Methods 74 candidates for a primary TKA were enrolled in the JRP. The JRP was designed to minimize complications and optimize patient-centered outcomes using a team approach including the patient, patient's family, and a multidisciplinary team of health professionals. The JRP consisted of a pre-operative class, standard pathways for medical care, comprehensive peri-operative pain management, aggressive physical therapy (PT, and proactive discharge planning. Measures included functional tests, knee range of motion (ROM, and medical record abstraction of patient demographics, length of stay, discharge disposition, and complications over a 6-month follow-up period. Results All patients achieved medical criteria for hospital discharge. The patients achieved the knee flexion ROM goal of 90° (91.7 ± 5.4°, but did not achieve the knee extension ROM goal of 0° (2.4 ± 2.6°. The length of hospital stay was two days for 53% of the patients, with 39% and 7% discharged in three and four days, respectively. All but three patients were discharged home with functional independence. 68% of these received outpatient physical therapy compared with 32% who received home physical therapy immediately after discharge. Two patients ( Conclusion The comprehensive JRP for TKA was associated with satisfactory clinical outcomes, short lengths of stay, a high percentage of patients discharged home with outpatient PT, and minimal complications. This JRP may represent an efficient, effective and safe protocol for providing care after a TKA.

A Set of Functional Brain Networks for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Human Characteristics

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Yul-Wan Sung

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Many human characteristics must be evaluated to comprehensively understand an individual, and measurements of the corresponding cognition/behavior are required. Brain imaging by functional MRI (fMRI has been widely used to examine brain function related to human cognition/behavior. However, few aspects of cognition/behavior of individuals or experimental groups can be examined through task-based fMRI. Recently, resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI signals have been shown to represent functional infrastructure in the brain that is highly involved in processing information related to cognition/behavior. Using rs-fMRI may allow diverse information about the brain through a single MRI scan to be obtained, as rs-fMRI does not require stimulus tasks. In this study, we attempted to identify a set of functional networks representing cognition/behavior that are related to a wide variety of human characteristics and to evaluate these characteristics using rs-fMRI data. If possible, these findings would support the potential of rs-fMRI to provide diverse information about the brain. We used resting-state fMRI and a set of 130 psychometric parameters that cover most human characteristics, including those related to intelligence and emotional quotients and social ability/skill. We identified 163 brain regions by VBM analysis using regression analysis with 130 psychometric parameters. Next, using a 163 × 163 correlation matrix, we identified functional networks related to 111 of the 130 psychometric parameters. Finally, we made an 8-class support vector machine classifiers corresponding to these 111 functional networks. Our results demonstrate that rs-fMRI signals contain intrinsic information about brain function related to cognition/behaviors and that this set of 111 networks/classifiers can be used to comprehensively evaluate human characteristics.

The Influence of Working Memory on Listening Comprehension

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张军

2008-01-01

@@ We many notice that in listening classroom, what proficient students complain most is that they can get every word in the listening material but the most difficult thing for them is to keep in mind what they have heard. Although listening comprehension is now widely considered to be of great importance in second language learning and is extensively studied, there has not been enough research on listening comprehensionfrom the language processing perspective. And there is not too much studies involving the concept of memory in listening comprehension,especially the relationship between working memory capacity and listening comprehension.

Parameter Selection and Performance Comparison of Particle Swarm Optimization in Sensor Networks Localization.

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Cui, Huanqing; Shu, Minglei; Song, Min; Wang, Yinglong

2017-03-01

Localization is a key technology in wireless sensor networks. Faced with the challenges of the sensors' memory, computational constraints, and limited energy, particle swarm optimization has been widely applied in the localization of wireless sensor networks, demonstrating better performance than other optimization methods. In particle swarm optimization-based localization algorithms, the variants and parameters should be chosen elaborately to achieve the best performance. However, there is a lack of guidance on how to choose these variants and parameters. Further, there is no comprehensive performance comparison among particle swarm optimization algorithms. The main contribution of this paper is three-fold. First, it surveys the popular particle swarm optimization variants and particle swarm optimization-based localization algorithms for wireless sensor networks. Secondly, it presents parameter selection of nine particle swarm optimization variants and six types of swarm topologies by extensive simulations. Thirdly, it comprehensively compares the performance of these algorithms. The results show that the particle swarm optimization with constriction coefficient using ring topology outperforms other variants and swarm topologies, and it performs better than the second-order cone programming algorithm.

Parameter Selection and Performance Comparison of Particle Swarm Optimization in Sensor Networks Localization

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Huanqing Cui

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Localization is a key technology in wireless sensor networks. Faced with the challenges of the sensors’ memory, computational constraints, and limited energy, particle swarm optimization has been widely applied in the localization of wireless sensor networks, demonstrating better performance than other optimization methods. In particle swarm optimization-based localization algorithms, the variants and parameters should be chosen elaborately to achieve the best performance. However, there is a lack of guidance on how to choose these variants and parameters. Further, there is no comprehensive performance comparison among particle swarm optimization algorithms. The main contribution of this paper is three-fold. First, it surveys the popular particle swarm optimization variants and particle swarm optimization-based localization algorithms for wireless sensor networks. Secondly, it presents parameter selection of nine particle swarm optimization variants and six types of swarm topologies by extensive simulations. Thirdly, it comprehensively compares the performance of these algorithms. The results show that the particle swarm optimization with constriction coefficient using ring topology outperforms other variants and swarm topologies, and it performs better than the second-order cone programming algorithm.

Listening comprehension across the adult lifespan.

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Sommers, Mitchell S; Hale, Sandra; Myerson, Joel; Rose, Nathan; Tye-Murray, Nancy; Spehar, Brent

2011-01-01

Although age-related declines in perceiving spoken language are well established, the primary focus of research has been on perception of phonemes, words, and sentences. In contrast, relatively few investigations have been directed at establishing the effects of age on the comprehension of extended spoken passages. Moreover, most previous work has used extreme-group designs in which the performance of a group of young adults is contrasted with that of a group of older adults and little if any information is available regarding changes in listening comprehension across the adult lifespan. Accordingly, the goals of the current investigation were to determine whether there are age differences in listening comprehension across the adult lifespan and, if so, whether similar trajectories are observed for age-related changes in auditory sensitivity and listening comprehension. This study used a cross-sectional lifespan design in which approximately 60 individuals in each of 7 decades, from age 20 to 89 yr (a total of 433 participants), were tested on three different measures of listening comprehension. In addition, we obtained measures of auditory sensitivity from all participants. Changes in auditory sensitivity across the adult lifespan exhibited the progressive high-frequency loss typical of age-related hearing impairment. Performance on the listening comprehension measures, however, demonstrated a very different pattern, with scores on all measures remaining relatively stable until age 65 to 70 yr, after which significant declines were observed. Follow-up analyses indicated that this same general pattern was observed across three different types of passages (lectures, interviews, and narratives) and three different question types (information, integration, and inference). Multiple regression analyses indicated that low-frequency pure-tone average was the single largest contributor to age-related variance in listening comprehension for individuals older than 65 yr, but

Language Skills in Classical Chinese Text Comprehension

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Lau, Kit-ling

2018-01-01

This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the role of lower- and higher-level language skills in classical Chinese (CC) text comprehension. A CC word and sentence translation test, text comprehension test, and questionnaire were administered to 393 Secondary Four students; and 12 of these were randomly selected to…

Memory mechanisms supporting syntactic comprehension.

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Caplan, David; Waters, Gloria

2013-04-01

Efforts to characterize the memory system that supports sentence comprehension have historically drawn extensively on short-term memory as a source of mechanisms that might apply to sentences. The focus of these efforts has changed significantly in the past decade. As a result of changes in models of short-term working memory (ST-WM) and developments in models of sentence comprehension, the effort to relate entire components of an ST-WM system, such as those in the model developed by Baddeley (Nature Reviews Neuroscience 4: 829-839, 2003) to sentence comprehension has largely been replaced by an effort to relate more specific mechanisms found in modern models of ST-WM to memory processes that support one aspect of sentence comprehension--the assignment of syntactic structure (parsing) and its use in determining sentence meaning (interpretation) during sentence comprehension. In this article, we present the historical background to recent studies of the memory mechanisms that support parsing and interpretation and review recent research into this relation. We argue that the results of this research do not converge on a set of mechanisms derived from ST-WM that apply to parsing and interpretation. We argue that the memory mechanisms supporting parsing and interpretation have features that characterize another memory system that has been postulated to account for skilled performance-long-term working memory. We propose a model of the relation of different aspects of parsing and interpretation to ST-WM and long-term working memory.

A Pilot Study of Biomedical Text Comprehension using an Attention-Based Deep Neural Reader: Design and Experimental Analysis.

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Kim, Seongsoon; Park, Donghyeon; Choi, Yonghwa; Lee, Kyubum; Kim, Byounggun; Jeon, Minji; Kim, Jihye; Tan, Aik Choon; Kang, Jaewoo

2018-01-05

With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology centered on deep-learning, the computer has evolved to a point where it can read a given text and answer a question based on the context of the text. Such a specific task is known as the task of machine comprehension. Existing machine comprehension tasks mostly use datasets of general texts, such as news articles or elementary school-level storybooks. However, no attempt has been made to determine whether an up-to-date deep learning-based machine comprehension model can also process scientific literature containing expert-level knowledge, especially in the biomedical domain. This study aims to investigate whether a machine comprehension model can process biomedical articles as well as general texts. Since there is no dataset for the biomedical literature comprehension task, our work includes generating a large-scale question answering dataset using PubMed and manually evaluating the generated dataset. We present an attention-based deep neural model tailored to the biomedical domain. To further enhance the performance of our model, we used a pretrained word vector and biomedical entity type embedding. We also developed an ensemble method of combining the results of several independent models to reduce the variance of the answers from the models. The experimental results showed that our proposed deep neural network model outperformed the baseline model by more than 7% on the new dataset. We also evaluated human performance on the new dataset. The human evaluation result showed that our deep neural model outperformed humans in comprehension by 22% on average. In this work, we introduced a new task of machine comprehension in the biomedical domain using a deep neural model. Since there was no large-scale dataset for training deep neural models in the biomedical domain, we created the new cloze-style datasets Biomedical Knowledge Comprehension Title (BMKC_T) and Biomedical Knowledge Comprehension Last

Cognitive Frailty in China: Results from China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study

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Lina Ma

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveCognitive frailty (CF refers to the co-occurrence of physical frailty (PF and cognitive impairment in persons without dementia. We aimed to explore the prevalence and associated factors of CF in China.MethodData were obtained from the China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study. A total of 5,708 community-dwelling older adults without dementia were included. CF was assessed using the Mini–Mental State Examination for the evaluation of cognitive status and the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment-Frailty Index for the evaluation of PF. Participants with both cognitive impairment and PF were classified as having CF. Sociodemographic and clinical history was also collected. Logistic analysis was used to explore the association between the associated factors and CF.ResultsThe overall crude prevalence of CF was 3.3% [95% confidence interval (CI = 3.0–4.0], and the standard prevalence of CF was 2.7% (95% CI = 2.0–3.0. The prevalence of CF was significantly higher in women than men and higher in residents of rural areas than urban areas. Moreover, the prevalence of CF was found to increase with age. Multiple factor analysis showed that depression (OR = 2.462, 95% CI = 1.066–5.687 and hearing impairment (OR = 2.713, 95% CI = 1.114–6.608 were independent associated factors of CF in elderly individuals with PF.ConclusionOur results provide the first empirical evidence of CF in China. We have identified several associated factors with CF which should be considered while assessing older adults. More studies in Chinese population with CF are demanded to confirm with our findings.

Improving Reading Comprehension Skills through the SCRATCH Program

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Papatga, Erdal; Ersoy, Ali

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to reveal how reading comprehension skills of elementary fourth graders who have problems in reading comprehension can be improved by means of the SCRATCH program. The study was designed as a participant action research. It was carried out within a 15- week process at an elementary school with middle socio-economic level…

Comprehensive Study of Acute Effects and Recovery After Concussion

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

Prevent Mouthguard sensor system (Cleveland Clinic) demonstrated an ability to collect true positive head impacts, verified using video evidence...comparison of HIT System data to Prevent mouthguard data with comprehensive video analysis of all collected head impacts. • Interim anlaysis of HIM...presentation in both athlete and civilian mTBI patients and (2) test hypotheses regarding sex differences in mTBI phenotypes. The project will 33 be

Desert plains classification based on Geomorphometrical parameters (Case study: Aghda, Yazd)

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Tazeh, mahdi; Kalantari, Saeideh

2013-04-01

This research focuses on plains. There are several tremendous methods and classification which presented for plain classification. One of The natural resource based classification which is mostly using in Iran, classified plains into three types, Erosional Pediment, Denudation Pediment Aggradational Piedmont. The qualitative and quantitative factors to differentiate them from each other are also used appropriately. In this study effective Geomorphometrical parameters in differentiate landforms were applied for plain. Geomorphometrical parameters are calculable and can be extracted using mathematical equations and the corresponding relations on digital elevation model. Geomorphometrical parameters used in this study included Percent of Slope, Plan Curvature, Profile Curvature, Minimum Curvature, the Maximum Curvature, Cross sectional Curvature, Longitudinal Curvature and Gaussian Curvature. The results indicated that the most important affecting Geomorphometrical parameters for plain and desert classifications includes: Percent of Slope, Minimum Curvature, Profile Curvature, and Longitudinal Curvature. Key Words: Plain, Geomorphometry, Classification, Biophysical, Yazd Khezarabad.

Comprehensive stroke units: a review of comparative evidence and experience.

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Chan, Daniel K Y; Cordato, Dennis; O'Rourke, Fintan; Chan, Daniel L; Pollack, Michael; Middleton, Sandy; Levi, Chris

2013-06-01

Stroke unit care offers significant benefits in survival and dependency when compared to general medical ward. Most stroke units are either acute or rehabilitation, but comprehensive (combined acute and rehabilitation) model (comprehensive stroke unit) is less common. To examine different levels of evidence of comprehensive stroke unit compared to other organized inpatient stroke care and share local experience of comprehensive stroke units. Cochrane Library and Medline (1980 to December 2010) review of English language articles comparing stroke units to alternative forms of stroke care delivery, different types of stroke unit models, and differences in processes of care within different stroke unit models. Different levels of comparative evidence of comprehensive stroke units to other models of stroke units are collected. There are no randomized controlled trials directly comparing comprehensive stroke units to other stroke unit models (either acute or rehabilitation). Comprehensive stroke units are associated with reduced length of stay and greatest reduction in combined death and dependency in a meta-analysis study when compared to other stroke unit models. Comprehensive stroke units also have better length of stay and functional outcome when compared to acute or rehabilitation stroke unit models in a cross-sectional study, and better length of stay in a 'before-and-after' comparative study. Components of stroke unit care that improve outcome are multifactorial and most probably include early mobilization. A comprehensive stroke unit model has been successfully implemented in metropolitan and rural hospital settings. Comprehensive stroke units are associated with reductions in length of stay and combined death and dependency and improved functional outcomes compared to other stroke unit models. A comprehensive stroke unit model is worth considering as the preferred model of stroke unit care in the planning and delivery of metropolitan and rural stroke services

Specific Reading Comprehension Disability: Major Problem, Myth, or Misnomer?

OpenAIRE

Spencer, Mercedes; Quinn, Jamie M.; Wagner, Richard K.

2014-01-01

The goal of the present study was to test three competing hypotheses about the nature of comprehension problems of students who are poor in reading comprehension. Participants in the study were first, second, and third graders, totaling 9 cohorts and over 425,000 participants in all. The pattern of results was consistent across all cohorts: Less than one percent of first- through third-grade students who scored as poor in reading comprehension were adequate in both decoding and vocabulary. Al...

Nursing supervision for care comprehensiveness

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Lucieli Dias Pedreschi Chaves

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To reflect on nursing supervision as a management tool for care comprehensiveness by nurses, considering its potential and limits in the current scenario. Method: A reflective study based on discourse about nursing supervision, presenting theoretical and practical concepts and approaches. Results: Limits on the exercise of supervision are related to the organization of healthcare services based on the functional and clinical model of care, in addition to possible gaps in the nurse training process and work overload. Regarding the potential, researchers emphasize that supervision is a tool for coordinating care and management actions, which may favor care comprehensiveness, and stimulate positive attitudes toward cooperation and contribution within teams, co-responsibility, and educational development at work. Final considerations: Nursing supervision may help enhance care comprehensiveness by implying continuous reflection on including the dynamics of the healthcare work process and user needs in care networks.

Relationship between Vocabulary Size and Reading Comprehension Levels of Malaysian Tertiary Students

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Angelina Wan Lin Tan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension performance among students in a tertiary institution in a Malaysian context and examined the vocabulary size required for students to achieve reading comprehension at various levels of proficiency. The research questions that guided this study were: 1 What is the vocabulary size of second year diploma students studying Mass Communication?; 2 What is the reading comprehension proficiency of second year diploma students studying Mass Communication?; and 3 What vocabulary size is required for different levels of reading comprehension proficiency? This study used the quantitative approach. The participants were 53 Malaysian second-year students at a private university college in Malaysia who were reading for their Diploma in Mass Communication. The instruments used were the Vocabulary Size Test and the IELTS Reading Test (Academic Module. The findings showed that the average vocabulary size of the students was just over 6000 word families and this vocabulary size was generally insufficient for adequate reading comprehension. Students needed an average vocabulary size of about 8000 word families to achieve adequate reading comprehension and about 10000 word families to achieve proficient reading comprehension. Based on the individual student’s performance, this study did not find a linear relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension performance, nor was there a threshold vocabulary size for adequate reading comprehension.

The level of social relations comprehension and its impact on text comprehension in individuals with autistic spectrum disorder

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Hana Sotáková

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background The study was carried out within the research “Reading comprehension – typical development and its risks”. The article contains data from a component study focused on 4th grade students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD who were incorporated into a group of readers with reading comprehension development risks. The main aim was to establish whether variable results in children’s reading and comprehension tests relate to the level of understanding of social relations. Participants and procedure We tested 20 students with ASD in two phases: T1 and T2. Each phase consisted of 2 individual sessions. Under the leadership of a research assistant, during each of these sessions a student would carry out the test focused on general intellectual skills, language skills, reading, and reading comprehension. For students with autistic spectrum disorder the Strange Stories test was added in order to ascertain the level of social relations understanding. Results The results in reading and reading comprehension tests among students with ASD varied significantly. Based on a correlation analysis it was found that the Strange Stories results substantially correlate with tests focused on reading, text comprehension and language skill levels. Conclusions Our research proved the following: the Strange Stories test results show that the level to which an individual is able to understand social relations and social behavior is significantly related to his/her ability to comprehend a text. Consequently, this can influence his/her learning skills as well as the quality of life in society. Cultivation of social abilities, social communication and understanding of social situations and relations is therefore necessary for compensation of autistic spectrum disorder expressions.

Comprehensive treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders.

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Navrátil, Leos; Navratil, Vaclav; Hajkova, Simona; Hlinakova, Petra; Dostalova, Tatjana; Vranová, Jana

2014-01-01

Changing lifestyles, decreasing physical activity, which is increasing the number of degenerative joint diseases of various etiology, and certain dental procedures are increasing the number of patients complaining of pain in their temporomandibular joints. The aim of the study was to assess the benefits of comprehensive physiotherapy sessions in order to decrease the number of temporomandibular joint problems, thereby improving the patient's quality of life. An examination by a dentist determined each patient's treatment plan, which consisted of a medical exam, physical therapy and education. Each form of treatment was applied 10 times at intervals of 7-14 days. The main goal of the therapeutic physical education was to redress the muscle imbalance in the mandibular joint. This was achieved by restoring balance between the masticatory muscles, along with releasing the spastic shrouds found in the masticatory muscles. The aim of education was to teach the patient exercises focused on the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles. The intensity of the exercises and their composition were individually adjusted and adapted to their current state. Physical therapy consisted of the application of pulsed magnetic therapy, laser therapy, and non-invasive positive thermotherapy. The above procedure was conducted on a therapeutic group of 24 patients (3 men and 20 women). In the course of therapy, there were no complications, and all patients adhered to the prescribed regime. None reported any side effects. The mean treatment duration was 123 +/- 66 days. The outcome of the therapy was evaluated as described in the methodology, the degree of pain affecting the joint, and the opening ability of the mouth. In both parameters, there was a significant decline in patient pain. In a study devoted to tactics of rehabilitation treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders, the need for comprehensive long-term therapy, involving education, and learning proper chewing habits

A Comparative Study of “Subtitled” vs. “Auditory” Documentaries Comprehension among Persian Speakers of English

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Masoud Raee Sharif

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This study set out to compare the effect of modality of presentation (subtitled vs. auditory on the retention of verbal content of documentary films among Iranian EFL students. To this end, 60 participants (30 male and 30 female students of homogeneous English proficiency were volitionally assigned to one of the two experimental conditions: English soundtrack with no subtitles (ESONSU, no soundtrack with English subtitles (NSOESU. The sample was asked to watch five five-minute documentary clips with the presentation format varied in terms of the verbal information, which was alternatively given in soundtracks and subtitles. Thus, while one group was presented with subtitled documentary excerpts, the other group watched the same clips with the sound tracks. Comparison of the two groups on Mann-Whitney U test illustrated that there is not any significant difference between the rate of comprehension of subtitled documentaries as opposed to audible documentaries. However, females were found to outperform their male counterparts in both subtitled documentaries comprehension (median = 20 vs. male median = 13 and audible documentary comprehension (females’ median = 20.5 vs. males’ median = 13.5.

Reading Comprehension and Working Memory's Executive Processes: An Intervention Study in Primary School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Madruga, Juan A.; Elosua, Maria Rosa; Gil, Laura; Gomez-Veiga, Isabel; Vila, Jose Oscar; Orjales, Isabel; Contreras, Antonio; Rodriguez, Raquel; Melero, Maria Angeles; Duque, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

Reading comprehension is a highly demanding task that involves the simultaneous process of extracting and constructing meaning in which working memory's executive processes play a crucial role. In this article, a training program on working memory's executive processes to improve reading comprehension is presented and empirically tested in two…

Exploring the Causes of Listening Comprehension Anxiety from EFL Saudi Learners' Perspectives: A Pilot Study

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Otair, Ibrahim; Aziz, Noor Hashima Abd

2017-01-01

Anxiety is an important factor in foreign language learning. Very few studies have been done on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Saudi students in listening classes. Therefore, this pilot study was aimed at exploring the causes of listening comprehension anxiety from EFL Saudi learners' perspectives at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. The…

Comprehensive model for disruption erosion in a reactor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.; Konkashbaev, I.

1995-01-01

A comprehensive disruption erosion model which takes into account the interplay of major physical processes during plasma-material interaction has been developed. The model integrates with sufficient detail and in a self-consistent way, material thermal evolution response, plasma-vapor interaction physics, vapor hydrodynamics and radiation transport in order to realistically simulate the effects of a plasma disruption on plasma-facing components. Candidate materials such as beryllium and carbon have been analyzed. The dependence of the net erosion rate on disruption physics and various parameters was analyzed and is discussed. ((orig.))

Teacher's reading comprehension: Implication for teaching practices

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Adriana Benevides Soares

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A question of interest for educational workers is the reading comprehension process, a fundamental ability for progress in more advanced years of schooling, and its effect on pedagogical practices. This is a study that explores this question. A reading comprehension instrument composed by four structural levels of text and a scale of pedagogical practice composed by four sub-scales involving: cognitive practices with linguistic focus, cognitive practices, affective and motor practices, continuous education, was used. The results of 53 children suggest a slight tendency of teacher to prioritize cognitive practices independently of their reading comprehension level.

Improving weather predictability by including land-surface model parameter uncertainty

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Orth, Rene; Dutra, Emanuel; Pappenberger, Florian

2016-04-01

The land surface forms an important component of Earth system models and interacts nonlinearly with other parts such as ocean and atmosphere. To capture the complex and heterogenous hydrology of the land surface, land surface models include a large number of parameters impacting the coupling to other components of the Earth system model. Focusing on ECMWF's land-surface model HTESSEL we present in this study a comprehensive parameter sensitivity evaluation using multiple observational datasets in Europe. We select 6 poorly constrained effective parameters (surface runoff effective depth, skin conductivity, minimum stomatal resistance, maximum interception, soil moisture stress function shape, total soil depth) and explore their sensitivity to model outputs such as soil moisture, evapotranspiration and runoff using uncoupled simulations and coupled seasonal forecasts. Additionally we investigate the possibility to construct ensembles from the multiple land surface parameters. In the uncoupled runs we find that minimum stomatal resistance and total soil depth have the most influence on model performance. Forecast skill scores are moreover sensitive to the same parameters as HTESSEL performance in the uncoupled analysis. We demonstrate the robustness of our findings by comparing multiple best performing parameter sets and multiple randomly chosen parameter sets. We find better temperature and precipitation forecast skill with the best-performing parameter perturbations demonstrating representativeness of model performance across uncoupled (and hence less computationally demanding) and coupled settings. Finally, we construct ensemble forecasts from ensemble members derived with different best-performing parameterizations of HTESSEL. This incorporation of parameter uncertainty in the ensemble generation yields an increase in forecast skill, even beyond the skill of the default system. Orth, R., E. Dutra, and F. Pappenberger, 2016: Improving weather predictability by

[Comparative study on promoting blood effects of Danshen-Honghua herb pair with different preparations based on chemometrics and multi-attribute comprehensive index methods].

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Qu, Cheng; Tang, Yu-Ping; Shi, Xu-Qin; Zhou, Gui-Sheng; Shang, Er-Xin; Shang, Li-Li; Guo, Jian-Ming; Liu, Pei; Zhao, Jing; Zhao, Bu-Chang; Duan, Jin-Ao

2017-08-01

To evaluate the promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis effects of Danshen-Honghua(DH) herb pair with different preparations (alcohol, 50% alcohol and water) on blood rheology and coagulation functions in acute blood stasis rats, and optimize the best preparation method of DH based on principal component analysis(PCA), hierarchical cluster heatmap analysis and multi-attribute comprehensive index methods. Ice water bath and subcutaneous injection of adrenaline were both used to establish the acute blood stasis rat model. Then the blood stasis rats were administrated intragastrically with DH (alcohol, 50% alcohol and water) extracts. The whole blood viscosity(WBV), plasma viscosity(PV), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and haematocrit(HCT) were tested to observe the effects of DH herb pair with different preparations and doses on hemorheology of blood stasis rats; the activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), thrombin time(TT), prothrombin time(PT), and plasma fibrinogen(FIB) were tested to observe the effects of DH herb pair with different preparations on blood coagulation function and platelet aggregation of blood stasis rats. Then PCA, hierarchical cluster heatmap analysis and multi-attribute comprehensive index methods were all used to comprehensively evaluate the total promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis effects of DH herb pair with different preparations. The hemorheological indexes and coagulation parameters of model group had significant differences with normal blank group. As compared with the model group, the DH herb pair with different preparations at low, middle and high doses could improve the blood hemorheology indexes and coagulation parameters in acute blood stasis rats with dose-effect relation. Based on the PCA, hierarchical cluster heatmap analysis and multi-attribute comprehensive index methods, the high dose group of 50% alcohol extract had the best effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood

Object orientation affects spatial language comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Burigo, Michele; Sacchi, Simona

2013-01-01

Typical spatial descriptions, such as "The car is in front of the house," describe the position of a located object (LO; e.g., the car) in space relative to a reference object (RO) whose location is known (e.g., the house). The orientation of the RO affects spatial language comprehension via the reference frame selection process. However, the effects of the LO's orientation on spatial language have not received great attention. This study explores whether the pure geometric information of the LO (e.g., its orientation) affects spatial language comprehension using placing and production tasks. Our results suggest that the orientation of the LO influences spatial language comprehension even in the absence of functional relationships. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Clinicopathologic and gene expression parameters predict liver cancer prognosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Ke; Zhong, Hua; Greenawalt, Danielle; Ferguson, Mark D; Ng, Irene O; Sham, Pak C; Poon, Ronnie T; Molony, Cliona; Schadt, Eric E; Dai, Hongyue; Luk, John M; Lamb, John; Zhang, Chunsheng; Xie, Tao; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Bin; Chudin, Eugene; Lee, Nikki P; Mao, Mao

2011-01-01

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) varies following surgical resection and the large variation remains largely unexplained. Studies have revealed the ability of clinicopathologic parameters and gene expression to predict HCC prognosis. However, there has been little systematic effort to compare the performance of these two types of predictors or combine them in a comprehensive model. Tumor and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues were collected from 272 ethnic Chinese HCC patients who received curative surgery. We combined clinicopathologic parameters and gene expression data (from both tissue types) in predicting HCC prognosis. Cross-validation and independent studies were employed to assess prediction. HCC prognosis was significantly associated with six clinicopathologic parameters, which can partition the patients into good- and poor-prognosis groups. Within each group, gene expression data further divide patients into distinct prognostic subgroups. Our predictive genes significantly overlap with previously published gene sets predictive of prognosis. Moreover, the predictive genes were enriched for genes that underwent normal-to-tumor gene network transformation. Previously documented liver eSNPs underlying the HCC predictive gene signatures were enriched for SNPs that associated with HCC prognosis, providing support that these genes are involved in key processes of tumorigenesis. When applied individually, clinicopathologic parameters and gene expression offered similar predictive power for HCC prognosis. In contrast, a combination of the two types of data dramatically improved the power to predict HCC prognosis. Our results also provided a framework for understanding the impact of gene expression on the processes of tumorigenesis and clinical outcome

A Comprehensive Study of Agricultural Drought Resistance and Background Drought Levels in Five Main Grain-Producing Regions of China

OpenAIRE

Lei Kang; Hongqi Zhang

2016-01-01

Drought control and resistance affect national food security. With this in mind, we studied five main grain-producing regions of China: Sanjiang Plain, Songnen Plain, Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, the middle Yangtze River and Jianghuai region and Sichuan Basin. Using GIS technology, we evaluated the comprehensive agricultural drought situation based on major crops, the basic drought resistance by integrating multiple indicators and the comprehensive drought resistance against background agricultural ...

Developmental Relations Between Reading Comprehension and Reading Strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muijselaar, M.; Swart, N.M.; Steenbeek-Planting, E.G,.; Droop, M.; Verhoeven, L.; de Jong, P.F.

2017-01-01

We examined the developmental relations between knowledge of reading strategies and reading comprehension in a longitudinal study of 312 Dutch children from the beginning of fourth grade to the end of fifth grade. Measures for reading comprehension, reading strategies, reading fluency, vocabulary,

A System for Extracting Study Design Parameters from Nutritional Genomics Abstracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Cassidy

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The extraction of study design parameters from biomedical journal articles is an important problem in natural language processing (NLP. Such parameters define the characteristics of a study, such as the duration, the number of subjects, and their profile. Here we present a system for extracting study design parameters from sentences in article abstracts. This system will be used as a component of a larger system for creating nutrigenomics networks from articles in the nutritional genomics domain. The algorithms presented consist of manually designed rules expressed either as regular expressions or in terms of sentence parse structure. A number of filters and NLP tools are also utilized within a pipelined algorithmic framework. Using this novel approach, our system performs extraction at a finer level of granularity than comparable systems, while generating results that surpass the current state of the art.

A comprehensive study of metal distribution in three main classes of seaweed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, Siobhan; McLoughlin, Peter; O'Donovan, Orla

2012-01-01

This paper provides one of the most comprehensive studies of metal distributions in three main macroalgae species. In this novel study, levels of total, intracellular and surface bound Pb, Zn, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni associated with Polysiphonia lanosa (L) Tandy, Ascophyllum nodosum (L) Le Jolis, Fucus vesiculosus (L) and Ulva sp. were determined. Additionally, water and sediment metal levels were analysed to gain an insight into the relative uptake efficiencies of different macroalgal species. Samples were collected from a clean site in Fethard-on-Sea, Wexford, Ireland (52°11′53.68′N, 6°49′34.64′W), in May 2008. Results demonstrated that total, intracellular and surface bound metal levels varied according to metal and seaweed species, with the highest proportion of metals found to be intracellular. Inhibition of Mn uptake by Zn was indicated for P. lanosa. Furthermore, P. lanosa had enhanced bioaccumulation ability, with the highest Concentration Factor reported of any seaweed to date. - Highlights: ► Three main classes of seaweed were collected from the South-East coast of Ireland. ► Metal levels (total, intracellular and surface-bound) in four seaweed species were determined. ► Metal levels of seawater and sediment samples collected from the same location were quantified. ► The Concentration Factors for P. lanosa, A. nodosum, F. vesiculosus and Ulva sp., were calculated. ► Interspecies variations in seaweed metal concentrations were demonstrated. - This study, reports the most comprehensive uptake efficiencies and distributions of metals in four main seaweed sps., with P. lanosa demonstrating excellent bioaccumulation ability.

Evaluation of use of reading comprehension strategies to improve reading comprehension of adult college students with acquired brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Gina G; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Kirk, Cecilia; Fickas, Stephen; Biancarosa, Gina

2016-01-01

Adults with mild to moderate acquired brain injury (ABI) often pursue post-secondary or professional education after their injuries in order to enter or re-enter the job market. An increasing number of these adults report problems with reading-to-learn. The problem is particularly concerning given the growing population of adult survivors of ABI. Despite the rising need, empirical evaluation of reading comprehension interventions for adults with ABI is scarce. This study used a within-subject design to evaluate whether adult college students with ABI with no more than moderate cognitive impairments benefited from using reading comprehension strategies to improve comprehension of expository text. Integrating empirical support from the cognitive rehabilitation and special education literature, the researchers designed a multi-component reading comprehension strategy package. Participants read chapters from an introductory-level college anthropology textbook in two different conditions: strategy and no-strategy. The results indicated that reading comprehension strategy use was associated with recall of more correct information units in immediate and delayed free recall tasks; more efficient recall in the delayed free recall task; and increased accuracy recognising statements from a sentence verification task designed to reflect the local and global coherence of the text. The findings support further research into using reading comprehension strategies as an intervention approach for the adult ABI population. Future research needs include identifying how to match particular reading comprehension strategies to individuals, examining whether reading comprehension performance improves further through the incorporation of systematic training, and evaluating texts from a range of disciplines and genres.

Quotient-Comprehension Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenta Cho

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Quotients and comprehension are fundamental mathematical constructions that can be described via adjunctions in categorical logic. This paper reveals that quotients and comprehension are related to measurement, not only in quantum logic, but also in probabilistic and classical logic. This relation is presented by a long series of examples, some of them easy, and some also highly non-trivial (esp. for von Neumann algebras. We have not yet identified a unifying theory. Nevertheless, the paper contributes towards such a theory by introducing the new quotient-and-comprehension perspective on measurement instruments, and by describing the examples on which such a theory should be built.

Improving Students' Reading Comprehension in Descriptive Text Through Anticipation Guide

OpenAIRE

Nasution, Maya Puspita

2014-01-01

This study concerrns with improving students' reading comprehension in descriptive text through anticipation guide.The objective was to investigate improvement of students' reading comprehension by applying anticipation guide. This research was conducted by using action research method. The subject of the study was grade VII students of SMP SWASTA TAMAN HARAPAN MEDAN totalling to 30 students. They were taught reading comprehension by anticipation guide. The instruments for collecting data wer...

Students' Metacomprehension Knowledge: Components That Predict Comprehension Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Zabrucky, Karen M.; Moore, DeWayne; Agler, Lin-Miao Lin; Cummings, Andrea M.

2015-01-01

In the present study, we assessed students' metacomprehension knowledge and examined the components of knowledge most related to comprehension of expository texts. We used the Revised Metacomprehension Scale (RMCS) to investigate the relations between students' metacomprehension knowledge and comprehension performance. Students who evaluated and…

EFFICIENCY OF READING COMPREHENSION TRAINING IN PUPILS LIVING IN POVERTY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena Kosak Babuder

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The results of Slovene and foreign studies reveal the connection between literacy levels and the level of education, employment opportunities and consequent socio-economic status of individuals and families. Reading efficiency relating to reading comprehension is an important element of reading literacy performance. The findings of several authors indicate empirical evidence of the existence of deficits and poor reading comprehension in pupils living in poverty and stress the importance of offsetting deficits and developing reading comprehension. Results of both foreign and Slovene studies indicate that the program of reading comprehension should be implemented in this group of pupils. In the article, we want to present effectiveness of the reading comprehension improvement program in pupils living in poverty. According to the findings of our research, in which we structured and implemented the reading comprehension program for pupils living in poverty with the Metacognitive-intersentential model of reading comprehension, the reading comprehension of the experimental group pupils who participated in the program improved compared to the control group pupils who did not participate in the program. Experimental group pupils also significantly improved correctness of their reading, their vocabulary and skills of verbal expression. When the program ended, we tested its efficiency by applied tests. The results on the manifest variables indicated that the program was good and efficient for pupils who live in poverty and experience reading comprehension problems.

Optimization of Key Parameters of Energy Management Strategy for Hybrid Electric Vehicle Using DIRECT Algorithm

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Jingxian Hao

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The rule-based logic threshold control strategy has been frequently used in energy management strategies for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs owing to its convenience in adjusting parameters, real-time performance, stability, and robustness. However, the logic threshold control parameters cannot usually ensure the best vehicle performance at different driving cycles and conditions. For this reason, the optimization of key parameters is important to improve the fuel economy, dynamic performance, and drivability. In principle, this is a multiparameter nonlinear optimization problem. The logic threshold energy management strategy for an all-wheel-drive HEV is comprehensively analyzed and developed in this study. Seven key parameters to be optimized are extracted. The optimization model of key parameters is proposed from the perspective of fuel economy. The global optimization method, DIRECT algorithm, which has good real-time performance, low computational burden, rapid convergence, is selected to optimize the extracted key parameters globally. The results show that with the optimized parameters, the engine operates more at the high efficiency range resulting into a fuel savings of 7% compared with non-optimized parameters. The proposed method can provide guidance for calibrating the parameters of the vehicle energy management strategy from the perspective of fuel economy.

An open-source job management framework for parameter-space exploration: OACIS

Science.gov (United States)

Murase, Y.; Uchitane, T.; Ito, N.

2017-11-01

We present an open-source software framework for parameter-space exporation, named OACIS, which is useful to manage vast amount of simulation jobs and results in a systematic way. Recent development of high-performance computers enabled us to explore parameter spaces comprehensively, however, in such cases, manual management of the workflow is practically impossible. OACIS is developed aiming at reducing the cost of these repetitive tasks when conducting simulations by automating job submissions and data management. In this article, an overview of OACIS as well as a getting started guide are presented.

On the importance of listening comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, Tiffany P; Adlof, Suzanne M; Alonzo, Crystle N

2014-06-01

The simple view of reading highlights the importance of two primary components which account for individual differences in reading comprehension across development: word recognition (i.e., decoding) and listening comprehension. While assessments and interventions for decoding have been the focus of pedagogy in the past several decades, the importance of listening comprehension has received less attention. This paper reviews evidence showing that listening comprehension becomes the dominating influence on reading comprehension starting even in the elementary grades. It also highlights a growing number of children who fail to develop adequate reading comprehension skills, primarily due to deficient listening comprehension skills (i.e., poor comprehenders). Finally we discuss key language influences on listening comprehension for consideration during assessment and treatment of reading disabilities.

The Impact of Texting on Comprehension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamal K. M. Ali

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study of the effects of texting on English language comprehension. The authors believe that English used in texting causes a lack of comprehension for English speakers, learners, and texters. Wei, Xian-hai and Jiang (2008:3 declare “In Netspeak, there are some newly-created vocabularies, which people cannot comprehend them either from their partial pronunciation or from their figures.” Crystal (2007:23 claims; “variation causes problems of comprehension and acceptability. If you speak or write differently from the way I do, we may fail to understand each other.”  In this paper, the authors conducted a questionnaire at Aligarh Muslim University to ninety respondents from five different Faculties and four different levels. To measure respondents’ comprehension of English texting, the authors gave the respondents abbreviations used by texters and asked them to write the full forms of the abbreviations. The authors found that many abbreviations were not understood, which suggested that most of the respondents did not understand and did not use these abbreviations.

Age-related differences in warning symbol comprehension and training effectiveness: effects of familiarity, complexity, and comprehensibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesch, M F; Horrey, W J; Wogalter, M S; Powell, W R

2011-10-01

Age-related changes in selective attention, inhibitory efficiency, and the ability to form new associations suggest that older adults may have greater difficulty with more complex and less comprehensible symbols. We examined comprehension of symbols varying in terms of ratings of familiarity, complexity, and comprehensibility, by younger (aged 18-35) and older (aged 55-70) adults. It was found that older adults have greater difficulty than younger adults in comprehending warning symbols and that accident scenario training improves comprehension. Regression analyses indicated that familiarity and comprehensibility were important in determining performance on the pre-training comprehension test by both younger and older adults. However, training eliminated the effects of stimulus characteristics for younger adults, while older adults' comprehension continued to be significantly influenced by comprehensibility. We suggest that symbol design incorporates cues to knowledge to facilitate the linkage between new knowledge (i.e. the warning symbol) and relevant knowledge in long-term memory. Statement of Relevance: Symbol characteristics play an important role in age-related differences in warning symbol comprehension. To optimise comprehension by older adults, symbols should have a clear relationship with areal-world referent. Alternatively, symbol design could incorporate cues to knowledge to facilitate the linkage between new knowledge and relevant knowledge in long-term memory.

Salivary caries parameters: Comparative study among Yemeni khat chewers and nonchewers

OpenAIRE

Khaled Rashad Al-Alimi; Abdul Aziz Abdul Razak; Roslan Saub

2014-01-01

Background/purpose: Millions of people in Yemen and East African countries chew khat for more than 5 hours daily for its amphetamine-like effects. Previous studies have associated khat chewing with salivary glands enlargement, inflammation, and xerostomia. However, no information is available on the possible effects of this habit on salivary parameters. This comparative study aims to evaluate salivary parameters, such as salivary flow rate, pH, and viscosity among Yemeni khat chewers and nonc...

Reading comprehension in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Laura L; Rutledge, Stefanie

2014-05-01

Although individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) self-report reading problems and experience difficulties in cognitive-linguistic functions that support discourse-level reading, prior research has primarily focused on sentence-level processing and auditory comprehension. Accordingly, the authors investigated the presence and nature of reading comprehension in PD, hypothesizing that (a) individuals with PD would display impaired accuracy and/or speed on reading comprehension tests and (b) reading performances would be correlated with cognitive test results. Eleven adults with PD and 9 age- and education-matched control participants completed tests that evaluated reading comprehension; general language and cognitive abilities; and aspects of attention, memory, and executive functioning. The PD group obtained significantly lower scores on several, but not all, reading comprehension, language, and cognitive measures. Memory, language, and disease severity were significantly correlated with reading comprehension for the PD group. Individuals in the early stages of PD without dementia or broad cognitive deficits can display reading comprehension difficulties, particularly for high- versus basic-level reading tasks. These reading difficulties are most closely related to memory, high-level language, and PD symptom severity status. The findings warrant additional research to delineate further the types and nature of reading comprehension impairments experienced by individuals with PD.

Mental juggling: when does multitasking impair reading comprehension?

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Kit W; Altarriba, Jeanette; Popiel, Maximilian

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the conditions under which multitasking impairs reading comprehension. Participants read prose passages (the primary task), some of which required them to perform a secondary task. In Experiment 1, we compared two different types of secondary tasks (answering trivia questions and solving math problems). Reading comprehension was assessed using a multiple-choice test that measured both factual and conceptual knowledge. The results showed no observable detrimental effects associated with multitasking. In Experiment 2, the secondary task was a cognitive load task that required participants to remember a string of numbers while reading the passages. Performance on the reading comprehension test was lower in the cognitive load conditions relative to the no-load condition. The present study delineates the conditions under which multitasking can impair or have no effect on reading comprehension. These results further our understanding of our capacity to multitask and have practical implications in our technologically advanced society in which multitasking has become commonplace.

Halifax Lateral Pipeline Project : comprehensive study report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-12-01

The National Energy Board has requested the preparation of a comprehensive study report (CSR) for the proposed Halifax Lateral Pipeline Project in support of Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline Company's proposal to construct the lateral pipeline to transport natural gas produced in offshore Nova Scotia to the Tufts Cove electric generating station in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The project will also enhance the access of natural gas to potential markets located along the pipeline route. This CSR was prepared according to guidelines of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The report presents: (1) an overview of the project, (2) a summary of the regulatory requirements for assessment, (3) a description of the environmental assessment and regulatory process to date, (4) a summary of the predicted residual environmental and socio-economic effects associated with the project, and (5) a summary of the public consultation process. The environmental and socio-economic assessment focused on these eleven issues: groundwater resources, surface water resources, wetlands, soils, air quality, fish habitat, rare herpetiles, mammals, avifauna, rare plants and archaeological heritage resources. The report identified potential interactions between the project and valued socio-economic and environmental components. These were addressed in combination with recommended mitigative measures to reduce potential adverse effects. It was concluded that the overall environmental effects from the proposed project are likely to be minimal and can be effectively managed with good environmental management methods. 14 refs., 5 tabs., 5 figs., 2 appendices

[Study of the plantar arch: correlations between podometrical and radiological parameters. results of a prospective study of 79 cases].

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, R; Dojcinovic, S; Andrianne, Y; Burny, F

2006-01-01

The authors present a prospective study on the potential correlations between eight footprint parameters and three radiological parameters in the study of the plantar arch. Seventy nine patients were evaluated in 2001. The eight footprint parameters were as fellows : the arch angle, the Chippaux-Smirak's index, the Quamra's contact index 2,3 and 4, the Schwartz's footprint angle, the Staheli's arch index and the arch length index. The three radiological parameters were as fellows : the Djian-Annonier's angle, the Méary's angle and the calcaneal inclination. This prospective study confirms the best correlation, found in others studies, obtained between the Djian-Annonier's angle and the Chippaux-Smirak. The use of the Méary's angle and the calcaneal inclination is not justified because they have bad correlations with footprint parameters.

Accounting for parameter uncertainty in the definition of parametric distributions used to describe individual patient variation in health economic models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Degeling, Koen; Ijzerman, Maarten J.; Koopman, Miriam; Koffijberg, Hendrik

2017-01-01

Background: Parametric distributions based on individual patient data can be used to represent both stochastic and parameter uncertainty. Although general guidance is available on how parameter uncertainty should be accounted for in probabilistic sensitivity analysis, there is no comprehensive

Accounting for parameter uncertainty in the definition of parametric distributions used to describe individual patient variation in health economic models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Degeling, Koen; IJzerman, Maarten J; Koopman, Miriam; Koffijberg, Hendrik

2017-01-01

Background Parametric distributions based on individual patient data can be used to represent both stochastic and parameter uncertainty. Although general guidance is available on how parameter uncertainty should be accounted for in probabilistic sensitivity analysis, there is no comprehensive

Study on comprehensive planning of rocky desertification in karst area of Chongqing

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Yajun

2017-11-01

Chongqing is a key area for comprehensive treatment of rocky desertification in karst areas of china. Strengthening the comprehensive management of karst rocky desertification area, for the maintenance of ecological safety of Three Gorges Reservoir area, expanding the karst rocky desertification area people survival and development space, and improving the regional ecological conditions, have important practical significance to the construction of ecological civilization and building a harmonious society. Based on the investigation, analysis and arrangement of the data in the rocky desertification area, the paper puts forward the corresponding measures and phased targets for the treatment of the Rocky Desertification in the karst areas of Chongqing.

Global parameter estimation for thermodynamic models of transcriptional regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Suleimenov, Yerzhan; Ay, Ahmet; Samee, Md Abul Hassan; Dresch, Jacqueline M; Sinha, Saurabh; Arnosti, David N

2013-07-15

Deciphering the mechanisms involved in gene regulation holds the key to understanding the control of central biological processes, including human disease, population variation, and the evolution of morphological innovations. New experimental techniques including whole genome sequencing and transcriptome analysis have enabled comprehensive modeling approaches to study gene regulation. In many cases, it is useful to be able to assign biological significance to the inferred model parameters, but such interpretation should take into account features that affect these parameters, including model construction and sensitivity, the type of fitness calculation, and the effectiveness of parameter estimation. This last point is often neglected, as estimation methods are often selected for historical reasons or for computational ease. Here, we compare the performance of two parameter estimation techniques broadly representative of local and global approaches, namely, a quasi-Newton/Nelder-Mead simplex (QN/NMS) method and a covariance matrix adaptation-evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES) method. The estimation methods were applied to a set of thermodynamic models of gene transcription applied to regulatory elements active in the Drosophila embryo. Measuring overall fit, the global CMA-ES method performed significantly better than the local QN/NMS method on high quality data sets, but this difference was negligible on lower quality data sets with increased noise or on data sets simplified by stringent thresholding. Our results suggest that the choice of parameter estimation technique for evaluation of gene expression models depends both on quality of data, the nature of the models [again, remains to be established] and the aims of the modeling effort. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Comprehensive Feature Lists to Bias Medical Diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Kulatunga-Moruzi, Chan; Brooks, Lee R.; Norman, Geoffrey R.

2004-01-01

Clinicians routinely report fewer features in a case than they subsequently agree are present. The authors report studies that assess the effect of considering a more comprehensive description than physicians usually offer. These comprehensive descriptions were generated from photographs of dermatology and internal medicine and were complete and…

Fundamental Reform of Payment for Adult Primary Care: Comprehensive Payment for Comprehensive Care

Science.gov (United States)

Berenson, Robert A.; Schoenbaum, Stephen C.; Gardner, Laurence B.

2007-01-01

Primary care is essential to the effective and efficient functioning of health care delivery systems, yet there is an impending crisis in the field due in part to a dysfunctional payment system. We present a fundamentally new model of payment for primary care, replacing encounter-based imbursement with comprehensive payment for comprehensive care. Unlike former iterations of primary care capitation (which simply bundled inadequate fee-for-service payments), our comprehensive payment model represents new investment in adult primary care, with substantial increases in payment over current levels. The comprehensive payment is directed to practices to include support for the modern systems and teams essential to the delivery of comprehensive, coordinated care. Income to primary physicians is increased commensurate with the high level of responsibility expected. To ensure optimal allocation of resources and the rewarding of desired outcomes, the comprehensive payment is needs/risk-adjusted and performance-based. Our model establishes a new social contract with the primary care community, substantially increasing payment in return for achieving important societal health system goals, including improved accessibility, quality, safety, and efficiency. Attainment of these goals should help offset and justify the costs of the investment. Field tests of this and other new models of payment for primary care are urgently needed. PMID:17356977

Association of renal biochemical parameters with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in a community-based elderly population in China: a cross-sectional study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingmin Zhou

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Relationship of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD with parameters that could provide more information than hemodynamic renal indexes has not been clarified. We aimed to explore the association of comprehensive renal parameters with LVDD in a community-based elderly population. METHODS: 1,166 community residents (aged ≥ 65 years, 694 females participating in the Shanghai Heart Health Study with complete data of renal parameters were investigated. Echocardiography was used to evaluate diastolic function with conventional and tissue Doppler imaging techniques. Serum urea, creatinine, urea-to-creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR were analyzed on their associations with LVDD. RESULTS: The prevalence of LVDD increased in proportion to increasing serum urea, urea-to-creatinine ratio and UACR. These three renal parameters were found negatively correlated to peak early (E to late (A diastolic velocities ratio (E/A, and positively to left atrial volume index; UACR also positively correlated with E to peak early (E' diastolic mitral annular velocity ratio (E/E'. Serum urea, urea-to-creatinine ratio and UACR correlated with LVDD in logistic univariate regression analysis, and urea-to-creatinine ratio remained independently correlated to LVDD [Odds ratio (OR 2.82, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.34-5.95] after adjustment. Serum urea (OR 1.18, 95%CI 1.03-1.34, creatinine (OR 6.53, 95%CI 1.70- -25.02, eGFR (OR 0.22, 95%CI 0.07-0.65 and UACR (OR 2.15, 95%CI 1.42-3.24 were revealed independent correlates of advanced (moderate and severe LVDD. CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical parameters of renal function were closely linked with LVDD. This finding described new cardio-renal relationship in the elderly population.

Sleep Parameters in Short Daily versus Conventional Dialysis: An Actigraphic Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludimila D’Avila e Silva Allemand

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have observed worse sleep quality in patients undergoing conventional dialysis as compared to daily dialysis. Our aim was to compare the sleep parameters of patients undergoing daily or conventional dialysis using an objective measure (actigraphy. This cross-sectional study was performed in three dialysis centers, including a convenience sample (nonprobability sampling of 73 patients (36 patients on daily hemodialysis and 37 patients on conventional hemodialysis. The following parameters were evaluated: nocturnal total sleep time (NTST, expressed in minutes; wake time after sleep onset (WASO, expressed in minutes; number of nighttime awakenings; daytime total sleep time (DTST, expressed in minutes; number of daytime naps; and nighttime percentage of sleep (% sleep. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Beck Depression Inventory were also administered. The mean age was 53.4  ±  17.0 years. After adjustment of confounding factors using multiple linear regression analysis, no difference in actigraphy parameters was detected between the groups: NTST (p=0.468, WASO (p=0.88, % sleep (p=0.754, awakenings (p=0.648, naps (p=0.414, and DTST (p=0.805. Different from previous studies employing qualitative analysis, the present assessment did not observe an influence of hemodialysis modality on objective sleep parameters in chronic renal patients.

Parameters of importance to determine in geoscientific site studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Johan; Almen, K.E.; Ericsson, L.O.; Karlsson, Fred; Stroem, A.; Fredriksson, Anders; Stanfors, R.

1996-12-01

This report identifies and describes parameters, that may be determined in a site characterization study, for performing functional and safety analyses of a deep rock repository for radioactive wastes. The report discusses data needs for rock engineering and for description of other environmental aspects. It is intended that the report be used as a basis for formulating the criteria of acceptance in evaluating a candidate site. The report describes how different parameters influence the safety function, and how they are evaluated in practice. The logical order of performing measurements, due to the need of in-data and influence on other measurements is also discussed. 65 refs

A Comparative Study of Authentic Listening Materials and their Simplified Versions on the Listening Comprehension and Motivation of Iranian EFL Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Vossoughi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The present study was an attempt, to empirically investigate if there was any significant difference between authentic listening materials and their simplified version in terms of the listening comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. To this end, two groups of thirty subjects were chosen. One group received authentic listening materials and the other group received the same topic in simplified version through ten sessions. The subjects studied Top Notch Book, level 3. The listening parts were followed with seven listening comprehension questions to assess the listening comprehension of the subjects. Then, at the end of the course, the listening comprehension scores of the two groups were compared by a T-Test. The result showed that simplified demonstration of materials had a benefit over the use of authentic version. A questionnaire was also given to the subjects at the beginning and at the end of the course to find out their motivation toward using authentic or simplified materials. The result indicated that there was no significant difference between two groups in terms of motivation.

Measuring Speech Comprehensibility in Students with Down Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Yoder, Paul J.; Woynaroski, Tiffany; Camarata, Stephen

2016-01-01

Purpose: There is an ongoing need to develop assessments of spontaneous speech that focus on whether the child's utterances are comprehensible to listeners. This study sought to identify the attributes of a stable ratings-based measure of speech comprehensibility, which enabled examining the criterion-related validity of an orthography-based…

The effect of listening comprehension skills on students ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper presents the report of a study that investigated the effects of listening comprehension skill training on students' performance in Oral English Test. To investigate the effects that the teaching of listening comprehension skills would have on the performance in Oral English test, 82 Senior Secondary School 2 ...

Cognitive Modules Utilized for Narrative Comprehension in Children: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

OpenAIRE

Schmithorst, Vincent J.; Holland, Scott K.; Plante, Elena

2005-01-01

The ability to comprehend narratives constitutes an important component of human development and experience. The neural correlates of auditory narrative comprehension in children were investigated in a large-scale functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study involving 313 subjects ages 5–18. Using group Independent Component Analysis (ICA), bilateral task-related components were found comprising the primary auditory cortex, the mid-superior temporal gyrus, the hippocampus, the angular g...

Developing a More Comprehensive SOA Governance Framework by Using a Comparative Study Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fazilat Hojaji

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Many companies have adopted Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA as an approach to improve agility and increase performance of system development.However, deploying SOA has been encountered to some challenges and problems including difficulties in designing effective decision structures and building a SOA roadmap, lack of service funding and lack of consistent governance processes. Therefore, to address SOA challenges, organizations require a comprehensive and applicable SOA governance framework to implement management and control mechanisms. Study of existing SOA governance frameworks reveals that these frameworks are not expressive enough to cover all important elements of SOA governance and also, the y have very little discussions and clarifications regarding underpinning structures such as SOA processes and activities, governance procedures and measurement metrics. In this paper, in the process of proposing a new SOA governance framework, a set of important elements for a desired SOA governance framework is proposed. Based on these elements, a more comprehensive and expressive framework is developed based on governance structure of COBIT. It focuses on covering SOA governance elements and resolving the shortcomings of the existing frameworks and can delivers an appropriate solution to help enable effective SOA governance.

Thermal Hydraulic design parameters study for severe accidents using neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roh, Chang Hyun; Chang, Soon Heung [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Keun Sun [Sunmoon University, Asan (Korea, Republic of)

1998-12-31

To provide the information on severe accident progression is very important for advanced or new type of nuclear power plant (NPP) design. A parametric study, therefore, was performed to investigate the effect of thermal hydraulic design parameters on severe accident progression of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Nine parameters, which are considered important in NPP design or severe accident progression, were selected among the various thermal hydraulic design parameters. The backpropagation neural network (BPN) was used to determine parameters, which might more strongly affect the severe accident progression, among nine parameters. For training, different input patterns were generated by the latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique and then different target patterns that contain core uncovery time and vessel failure time were obtained for Young Gwang Nuclear (YGN) Units 3 and 4 using modular accident analysis program (MAAP) 3.0B code. Three different severe accident scenarios, such as two loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs) and station blackout (SBO), were considered in this analysis. Results indicated that design parameters related to refueling water storage tank (RWST), accumulator and steam generator (S/G) have more dominant effects on the progression of severe accidents investigated, compared to the other six parameters. 9 refs., 5 tabs. (Author)

Thermal Hydraulic design parameters study for severe accidents using neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roh, Chang Hyun; Chang, Soon Heung [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Keun Sun [Sunmoon University, Asan (Korea, Republic of)

1997-12-31

To provide the information on severe accident progression is very important for advanced or new type of nuclear power plant (NPP) design. A parametric study, therefore, was performed to investigate the effect of thermal hydraulic design parameters on severe accident progression of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Nine parameters, which are considered important in NPP design or severe accident progression, were selected among the various thermal hydraulic design parameters. The backpropagation neural network (BPN) was used to determine parameters, which might more strongly affect the severe accident progression, among nine parameters. For training, different input patterns were generated by the latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique and then different target patterns that contain core uncovery time and vessel failure time were obtained for Young Gwang Nuclear (YGN) Units 3 and 4 using modular accident analysis program (MAAP) 3.0B code. Three different severe accident scenarios, such as two loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs) and station blackout (SBO), were considered in this analysis. Results indicated that design parameters related to refueling water storage tank (RWST), accumulator and steam generator (S/G) have more dominant effects on the progression of severe accidents investigated, compared to the other six parameters. 9 refs., 5 tabs. (Author)

Children's Comprehension of Live Theatre.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Jeanne; Fitch, Marguerite

Two studies investigate the way in which children make sense of a play and the visual, aural, and psychological components of theatre which contribute to this comprehension. In the first study, 32 fifth graders saw "Don Quixote of La Mancha." In the second study, 45 third graders saw "Monkey, Monkey" (about the Chinese Monkey King). The day after…

Sentence comprehension following moderate closed head injury in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Leikin, Mark; Ibrahim, Raphiq; Aharon-Peretz, Judith

2012-09-01

The current study explores sentence comprehension impairments among adults following moderate closed head injury. It was hypothesized that if the factor of syntactic complexity significantly affects sentence comprehension in these patients, it would testify to the existence of syntactic processing deficit along with working-memory problems. Thirty-six adults (18 closed head injury patients and 18 healthy controls matched in age, gender, and IQ) participated in the study. A picture-sentence matching task together with various tests for memory, language, and reading abilities were used to explore whether sentence comprehension impairments exist as a result of a deficit in syntactic processing or of working-memory dysfunction. Results indicate significant impairment in sentence comprehension among adults with closed head injury compared with their non-head-injured peers. Results also reveal that closed head injury patients demonstrate considerable decline in working memory, short-term memory, and semantic knowledge. Analysis of the results shows that memory impairment and syntactic complexity contribute significantly to sentence comprehension difficulties in closed head injury patients. At the same time, the presentation mode (spoken or written language) was found to have no effect on comprehension among adults with closed head injury, and their reading abilities appear to be relatively intact.

Spectrum of physics comprehension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blasiak, W; Godlewska, M; Rosiek, R; Wcislo, D

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of research on the relationship between self-assessed comprehension of physics lectures and final grades of junior high school students (aged 13-15), high school students (aged 16-18) and physics students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland (aged 21). Students' declared level of comprehension was measured during a physics lecture on a prearranged scale of 1-10 with the use of a personal response system designed for the purpose of this experiment. Through the use of this tool, we obtained about 2000 computer records of students' declared comprehension of a 45 min lecture, which we named ‘the spectrum of comprehension’. In this paper, we present and analyse the correlation between students' declared comprehension of the content presented in the lecture and their final learning results. (paper)

Specific Reading Comprehension Disability: Major Problem, Myth, or Misnomer?

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Mercedes; Quinn, Jamie M.; Wagner, Richard K.

2014-01-01

The goal of the present study was to test three competing hypotheses about the nature of comprehension problems of students who are poor in reading comprehension. Participants in the study were first, second, and third graders, totaling nine cohorts and over 425,000 participants in all. The pattern of results was consistent across all cohorts:…

The role of phonological awareness in reading comprehension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Silvia Cárnio

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: to characterize the performance of 4th grade-Elementary School students with and without signs of reading and writing disorders as for phonological awareness and reading comprehension, and also verify possible correlations between them. Methods: 60 children enrolled in the 4th grade of Elementary School from two public schools, whose parents signed the Informed Consent Form, participated in the present study. They were selected and organized in groups, with and without signs of reading and writing disorders. All students were individually assessed regarding their phonological awareness and reading comprehension of sentences and texts through standardized tests. The data underwent statistical analysis. Results: those with signs of reading and writing disorders showed the lowest performance in the reading comprehension of sentences and texts. A correlation was found between phonological awareness and reading comprehension of sentences and texts in both groups. Conclusion: students with no signs of reading and writing disorders had a higher performance in the skills assessed. The correlation found between phonological awareness and reading comprehension of sentences and texts shows not only the importance of metaphonological skills for a proficient reading, but also for a comprehensive one.

Deaf Education Teacher Preparation: A Phenomenological Case Study of a Graduate Program with a Comprehensive Philosophy

Science.gov (United States)

Engler, Karen S.; MacGregor, Cynthia J.

2018-01-01

At a time when deaf education teacher preparation programs are declining in number, little is known about their actual effectiveness. A phenomenological case study of a graduate-level comprehensive deaf education teacher preparation program at a midwestern university explored empowered and enabled learning of teacher candidates using the Missouri…

Empirical study of the effects of discourse markers on the reading comprehension of Spanish students of English as a foreign language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cristina Lahuerta Martínez

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to analyse how Spanish readers react to English discourse markers in a text. We carry out an empirical study in which we ask three research question: (a if there is any relationship between presence of discourse markers or absence of discourse markers and reading comprehension in English as a foreign language, (b if there is any relationship between the readers’ proficiency in English and the effect of the presence or absence of discourse markers on reading comprehension and, (c if there is any relationship between the readers’ age, sex, competence as learners and as learners of English, and the effect of the presence or absence of discourse markers on reading comprehension. The results obtained show that discourse markers enhance reading comprehension in foreign language reading, and that the more successful students tend to use discourse markers as aids to help their reading comprehension. This latter result is nevertheless limited by the possible effect of the readers’ familiarity with the topic of the text and points to a need for further investigation.

The direction of bilateral transfer depends on the performance parameter.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Zhujun; van Gemmert, Arend W A

2013-10-01

To acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the learning benefits associated with bilateral transfer and to gain knowledge of possible mechanisms behind bilateral transfer, we investigated the transfer direction of several parameters which are assumed to represent important features of movement control in a visuo-motor task. During the study, participants learned a multidirectional point-to-point drawing task in which the visual feedback was rotated 45° and the gain was increased. Performance changes of the untrained hand in movement time, trajectory length, normalized jerk, initial direction error, ratio of the primary sub-movement time to the total movement time, and the accuracy of the aiming movement after the primary sub-movement were investigated as indices of learning from bilateral transfer. The results showed that performance parameters related to the initial production of the movement, such as the initial direction, ratio of primary sub-movement to the total movement time, and movement accuracy after the primary sub-movement, only transferred to the non-dominant, while hand performance variables related to the overall outcome, such as movement duration, movement smoothness, and trajectory length, transferred in both directions. The findings of the current study support the basic principle of the "dynamic dominance model" because it is suggested that overall improvements in the non-dominant system are controlled by trajectory parameters in visuo-motor tasks, which resulted in transference of the afore mentioned production parameters to rather occur to the non-dominant hand as opposed to transference to the dominant hand. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Optimizing gradient conditions in online comprehensive two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography by use of the linear solvent strength model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Græsbøll, Rune; Janssen, Hans-Gerd; Christensen, Jan H.

2017-01-01

The linear solvent strength model was used to predict coverage in online comprehensive two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The prediction model uses a parallelogram to describe the separation space covered with peaks in a system with limited orthogonality. The corners of the par......The linear solvent strength model was used to predict coverage in online comprehensive two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The prediction model uses a parallelogram to describe the separation space covered with peaks in a system with limited orthogonality. The corners...... of the parallelogram are assumed to behave like chromatographic peaks and the position of these pseudo-compounds was predicted. A mix of 25 polycyclic aromatic compounds were used as a test. The precision of the prediction, span 0-25, was tested by varying input parameters, and was found to be acceptable with root...... factors were low, or when gradient conditions affected parameters not included in the model, e.g. second dimension gradient time affects the second dimension equilibration time. The concept shows promise as a tool for gradient optimization in online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography...

Glosses, Comprehension, and Strategy Use

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Myong Hee

2005-01-01

This study, using both qualitative and quantitative measures, investigates how different types of gloss conditions affect Korean college students' reading comprehension. One hundred and six undergraduates at a university in Korea participated in the study. Twelve were assigned to think aloud, and the rest (ninety-four) took part in the main study…

Comprehensive Dataset and Reports of the Mamala Bay Study during 1993-1995 on Oahu, Hawaii (NODC Accession 0000030)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains comprehensive dataset and reports collected in support of the Mamala Bay Study during 1993-1995. Physical, chemical, biological, and...

Dichotic listening performance predicts language comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Asbjørnsen, Arve E; Helland, Turid

2006-05-01

Dichotic listening performance is considered a reliable and valid procedure for the assessment of language lateralisation in the brain. However, the documentation of a relationship between language functions and dichotic listening performance is sparse, although it is accepted that dichotic listening measures language perception. In particular, language comprehension should show close correspondence to perception of language stimuli. In the present study, we tested samples of reading-impaired and normally achieving children between 10 and 13 years of age with tests of reading skills, language comprehension, and dichotic listening to consonant-vowel (CV) syllables. A high correlation between the language scores and the dichotic listening performance was expected. However, since the left ear score is believed to be an error when assessing language laterality, covariation was expected for the right ear scores only. In addition, directing attention to one ear input was believed to reduce the influence of random factors, and thus show a more concise estimate of left hemisphere language capacity. Thus, a stronger correlation between language comprehension skills and the dichotic listening performance when attending to the right ear was expected. The analyses yielded a positive correlation between the right ear score in DL and language comprehension, an effect that was stronger when attending to the right ear. The present results confirm the assumption that dichotic listening with CV syllables measures an aspect of language perception and language skills that is related to general language comprehension.

A study of the international trend and comprehensive enhancement program on the Nuclear Power Plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Soon Hong; Cho, Nam Jin; Paek, Won Phil

1990-12-01

The objectives of this study are as follows : overview of the international trend related to the safety of Nuclear Power Plant(NPPs), study of the present status of NPP safety in Korea in aspects of design, construction and operation, suggestion of the comprehensive program to improve NPP safety in Korea. The results of this study can contribute to improve the safety of existing and future NPPs, and to establish the severe accident policy in Korea

A study of the international trend and comprehensive enhancement program on the Nuclear Power Plant safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jang, Soon Hong; Cho, Nam Jin; Paek, Won Phil [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1990-12-15

The objectives of this study are as follows : overview of the international trend related to the safety of Nuclear Power Plant(NPPs), study of the present status of NPP safety in Korea in aspects of design, construction and operation, suggestion of the comprehensive program to improve NPP safety in Korea. The results of this study can contribute to improve the safety of existing and future NPPs, and to establish the severe accident policy in Korea.

Deficits in working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with mouth breathing syndrome: analytical cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroishi, Rita Cristina Sadako; Garcia, Ricardo Basso; Valera, Fabiana Cardoso Pereira; Anselmo-Lima, Wilma Terezinha; Fukuda, Marisa Tomoe Hebihara

2015-01-01

Mouth breathing syndrome is very common among school-age children, and it is possibly related to learning difficulties and low academic achievement. In this study, we investigated working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with nasal and mouth breathing. Analytical cross-sectional study with control group conducted in a public university hospital. 42 children (mean age = 8.7 years) who had been identified as mouth breathers were compared with a control group (mean age = 8.4 years) matched for age and schooling. All the participants underwent a clinical interview, tone audiometry, otorhinolaryngological evaluation and cognitive assessment of phonological working memory (numbers and pseudowords), reading comprehension and arithmetic skills. Children with mouth breathing had poorer performance than controls, regarding reading comprehension (P = 0.006), arithmetic (P = 0.025) and working memory for pseudowords (P = 0.002), but not for numbers (P = 0.76). Children with mouth breathing have low academic achievement and poorer phonological working memory than controls. Teachers and healthcare professionals should be aware of the association of mouth breathing with children's physical and cognitive health.

Study on the Energetic Parameters in a Photothermic Sensor with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Study on the Energetic Parameters in a Photothermic Sensor with Black Polymeric Film. ... The evolution of incidental solar illumination on the horizontal plan of sensor and the temperature distribution are studied. Results showed that the ... Keywords: film, solar energy, greenhouse effect, design, radiation, illumination.

Parameter Sensitivity and Laboratory Benchmarking of a Biogeochemical Process Model for Enhanced Anaerobic Dechlorination

Science.gov (United States)

Kouznetsova, I.; Gerhard, J. I.; Mao, X.; Barry, D. A.; Robinson, C.; Brovelli, A.; Harkness, M.; Fisher, A.; Mack, E. E.; Payne, J. A.; Dworatzek, S.; Roberts, J.

2008-12-01

A detailed model to simulate trichloroethene (TCE) dechlorination in anaerobic groundwater systems has been developed and implemented through PHAST, a robust and flexible geochemical modeling platform. The approach is comprehensive but retains flexibility such that models of varying complexity can be used to simulate TCE biodegradation in the vicinity of nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zones. The complete model considers a full suite of biological (e.g., dechlorination, fermentation, sulfate and iron reduction, electron donor competition, toxic inhibition, pH inhibition), physical (e.g., flow and mass transfer) and geochemical processes (e.g., pH modulation, gas formation, mineral interactions). Example simulations with the model demonstrated that the feedback between biological, physical, and geochemical processes is critical. Successful simulation of a thirty-two-month column experiment with site soil, complex groundwater chemistry, and exhibiting both anaerobic dechlorination and endogenous respiration, provided confidence in the modeling approach. A comprehensive suite of batch simulations was then conducted to estimate the sensitivity of predicted TCE degradation to the 36 model input parameters. A local sensitivity analysis was first employed to rank the importance of parameters, revealing that 5 parameters consistently dominated model predictions across a range of performance metrics. A global sensitivity analysis was then performed to evaluate the influence of a variety of full parameter data sets available in the literature. The modeling study was performed as part of the SABRE (Source Area BioREmediation) project, a public/private consortium whose charter is to determine if enhanced anaerobic bioremediation can result in effective and quantifiable treatment of chlorinated solvent DNAPL source areas. The modelling conducted has provided valuable insight into the complex interactions between processes in the evolving biogeochemical systems

The semantic network, lexical access, and reading comprehension in monolingual and bilingual children : An individual differences study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spätgens, T.; Schoonen, R.

Using a semantic priming experiment, the influence of lexical access and knowledge of semantic relations on reading comprehension was studied in Dutch monolingual and bilingual minority children. Both context-independent semantic relations in the form of category coordinates and context-dependent

Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation of the Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Promote Metaphor Comprehension in Parkinson Disease: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Christina; Monetta, Laura; Langlois, Mélanie; Schneider, Cyril

2016-01-01

This single-case research-designed study explored whether intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) could improve metaphor comprehension in people with Parkinson disease (PD) and language impairments. A right-handed participant with PD diagnosed 9 years ago, receiving long-term treatment with levodopa, and with metaphor comprehension impairment was recruited to undergo 10 sessions of sham stimulation (in 2wk), a washout period (6wk), and then 10 sessions of iTBS (in 2wk). Clinical scores of metaphor comprehension and motor evaluation (Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale part III) and transcranial magnetic stimulation to test the excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) were used at baseline, postsham, post-iTBS, and at 3 follow-ups (8, 14, and 20wk post-iTBS). Metaphor comprehension was improved after iTBS, and the highest scores were obtained 8 weeks later (P=.01). This improvement was correlated with the increase of the right M1 excitability (r=-.86, P=.03) and with the decrease of transcallosal inhibition latency from the left to the right hemisphere (r=-.88, P=.02). Sham yielded no effect (P>.05). Administration of iTBS over the right DLPFC improved metaphor comprehension likely by a long-term influence on brain synaptic plasticity, including improvement of interhemispheric dialogue. More studies are warranted to confirm these findings in larger samples of participants with PD. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does comprehensive redevelopment change the housing price gradient? A case study in Mongkok, Hong Kong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung Yau

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Urban decay is an inevitable outcome of the growth of most cities, including Hong Kong. Many old buildings in Hong Kong are dilapidated, and it is urgent to tackle urban decay in the city. Redeveloping dilapidated buildings has long been regarded as an effective solution to this urban problem. Yet, as suggested in the literature, redevelopment may be responsible for gentrifying neighbourhoods because it pushes up property and rental prices near redeveloped sites. However, there are still few empirical studies on how comprehensive redevelopment affects housing values in a neighbourhood. In this light, this study investigates the impacts of the Urban Renewal Authority’s Argyle Street / Shanghai Street Redevelopment Project on the transaction prices of nearby housing. A set of panel data is employed and the change in the spatial price gradient before and after the redevelopment project is explored. The findings suggest that proximity to the project site had a significant positive impact on housing prices before the project. However, no change was seen in the spatial price gradient after completion of the project. These results confirm the findings of a previous study that housing prices do not respond to the change in the environmental quality resulting from comprehensive redevelopment.

Improving text comprehension strategies in reading and listening settings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brand-Gruwel, S; Aarnoutse, CAJ; van den Bos, KP

Traditional intervention programs for children with decoding and reading comprehension problems often focus on remediation of the decoding ability. The goal of this study was to determine whether it is possible to teach these children text comprehension strategies. The subjects were fourth-grade

The Effects of Using Advance Organizers on Improving EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension: A Mixed Method Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jafari, Khadijeh; Hashim, Fatimah

2012-01-01

This study investigated the effects of using two types of written advance organizers, key sentences and key vocabulary, on the improvement of EFL learners' listening comprehension. 108 second year university students at the higher and lower listening proficiency levels were randomly assigned to one control group and two experimental groups. Prior…

Improving 4th Grade Primary School Students' Reading Comprehension Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Bulut, Aydin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to carry out action research to investigate reading comprehension skills when using the SQ3R reading comprehension strategy. To that end, this strategy was used for improving the reading comprehension skills of 7 primary school 4th grade students who had problems with these skills. An action plan was prepared for 3hours a…

Impacts of Captioned Movies on Listening Comprehension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abusaied Janfaza

2014-04-01

Full Text Available With the advent of technology, the implication of authentic multimedia-based teaching materials are using widely in language classrooms. Technology can be in service of teaching different skills such as listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among these skills listening comprehension is a skill in which the learners have problems to master. Regarding this issue, utilizing captions for the education purposes has been a good motivation for conducting some research on the effects of captions of listening skills. However, it seems that there is a gap in the literature whether to use captioned movies in the classroom and whether they are effective in improving listening comprehension. Many studies have been conducted on this issue. However, their findings are conclusive. While some studies refer to the effectiveness of using captions, others revel that they are not so effective for improving the learner’s language skills. Hence, the present study is a review of the effects of captioned movies on the improvement of listening skill. In this case, the findings of this study can clarify the role of using captioned movies in improving the listening skill Keywords: captioned movie, technology, listening comprehension, instruction

The normative study of acoustic parameters in normal Egyptian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yehia A. Abo-Ras

2013-03-21

Mar 21, 2013 ... all children were subjected to computerized acoustic analysis using Multidimensional voice program ... cal quality is important for social relations to happen effectively. ... lish comparative parameters with the normal values of the acoustic ... from lower age ranges in the normative studies since the child's.

Comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blom, Helen; Segers, Eliane; Knoors, Harry; Hermans, Daan; Verhoeven, Ludo

2018-01-01

This study aims to investigate secondary school students' reading comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts with and without a graphic overview compared to linear digital texts. Additionally, it was studied whether prior knowledge, vocabulary, verbal, and visual working memory moderated

Comprehensive cooling water study annual report. Volume II: introduction and site description, Savannah River Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladden, J.B.; Lower, M.W.; Mackey, H.E.; Specht, W.L.; Wilde, E.W.

1985-07-01

The Comprehensive Cooling Water Study was initiated in 1983 to evaluate the environmental effecs of the intake and release of cooling water on the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems at the Savannah River Plant. This report presents the results from the first year of the two year study and also summarizes results from previous studies on aquatic ecosystems of the Savannah River Plant. Five major program elements are addressed: water quality, radionuclide and heavy metal transport, wetlands ecology, aquatic ecology, and endangered species. 63 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs

Effects of Various Architectural Parameters on Six Room Acoustical Measures in Auditoria.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Wei-Hwa

The effects of architectural parameters on six room acoustical measures were investigated by means of correlation analyses, factor analyses and multiple regression analyses based on data taken in twenty halls. Architectural parameters were used to estimate acoustical measures taken at individual locations within each room as well as the averages and standard deviations of all measured values in the rooms. The six acoustical measures were Early Decay Time (EDT10), Clarity Index (C80), Overall Level (G), Bass Ratio based on Early Decay Time (BR(EDT)), Treble Ratio based on Early Decay Time (TR(EDT)), and Early Inter-aural Cross Correlation (IACC80). A comprehensive method of quantifying various architectural characteristics of rooms was developed to define a large number of architectural parameters that were hypothesized to effect the acoustical measurements made in the rooms. This study quantitatively confirmed many of the principles used in the design of concert halls and auditoria. Three groups of room architectural parameters such as the parameters associated with the depth of diffusing surfaces were significantly correlated with the hall standard deviations of most of the acoustical measures. Significant differences of statistical relations among architectural parameters and receiver specific acoustical measures were found between a group of music halls and a group of lecture halls. For example, architectural parameters such as the relative distance from the receiver to the overhead ceiling increased the percentage of the variance of acoustical measures that was explained by Barron's revised theory from approximately 70% to 80% only when data were taken in the group of music halls. This study revealed the major architectural parameters which have strong relations with individual acoustical measures forming the basis for a more quantitative method for advancing the theoretical design of concert halls and other auditoria. The results of this study provide

Echoic Memory Interference and Comprehension in a Foreign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Seth N.; Roscoe, Suzanne

1988-01-01

Study of echoic memory interference among students in college introductory Spanish and German courses revealed that students with weaker listening comprehension skills depended more upon vulnerable sensory codes in echoic memory, while students with stronger comprehension relied on stable higher-order codes. (Author/CB)

Case in Language Comprehension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bader, Markus; Lamers, Monique

2012-01-01

Research on human language comprehension has been heavily influenced by properties of the English language. Since case plays only a minor role in English, its role for language comprehension has only recently become a topic for extensive research on psycholinguistics. In the psycholinguistic

Listening Comprehension in Middle-Aged Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommers, Mitchell S

2015-06-01

The purpose of this summary is to examine changes in listening comprehension across the adult lifespan and to identify factors associated with individual differences in listening comprehension. In this article, the author reports on both cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in listening comprehension. Despite significant declines in both sensory and cognitive abilities, listening comprehension remains relatively unchanged in middle-aged listeners (between the ages of 40 and 60 years) compared with young listeners. These results are discussed with respect to possible compensatory factors that maintain listening comprehension despite impaired hearing and reduced cognitive capacities.

Developing the Parameters of Scholarship in Postgraduate Coursework Studies

Science.gov (United States)

McLay, Allan F.

2013-01-01

Scholarship parameters, in relation to postgraduate coursework studies, are developed against the expectations of the Boyer classifications of scholarship (Boyer, 1990) with particular emphasis on the role of minor thesis development. An example is presented in which postgraduate coursework students are required to undertake a three semester minor…

Reading comprehension of deaf students in regular education.

Science.gov (United States)

Luccas, Marcia Regina Zemella; Chiari, Brasília Maria; Goulart, Bárbara Niegia Garcia de

2012-01-01

To evaluate and compare the reading comprehension of deaf students included in regular classrooms of public schools with and without specialized educational support. Observational analytic study with 35 students with sensorineural hearing loss, with and without educational support. All subjects were assessed with the Word Reading Competence Test (WRCT), the Picture-Print Matching Test by Choice (PPMT-C), and the Sentence Reading Comprehension Test (SRCT). In the tests regarding comprehension of words (WRCT and PPMT-C), the results showed no difference in the performance of deaf students who attend and do not attend educational support. Regarding reading comprehension of sentences, the application of the SRCT also did not show differences between the groups of deaf students. A significant correlation was found between age and grade, indicating that the older the students and the higher their educational level, the better their performance in reading sentences. The results indicate that deaf students, regardless of attending educational support, read words better than sentences. There is no difference in reading comprehension between deaf students who receive and do not receive specialized pedagogical monitoring.

The Effect of the Reader's Background on Reading Comprehension Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bushra Saadoon Mohammed Al-Noori

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims at measuring the amount of the effect of the reader's background knowledge on performance in reading comprehension tests through the assessment of information gained in reading comprehension (RC tests across-four testing techniques, short answer questions ,true-false items , multiple - choice items , and cloze test and re-test. This technique involves the examinees in two types of tasks, i.e. pre-reading and post -reading task. Two hypotheses have been proposed to achieve the aims of this study. They are  1-There are no significant differences between the pre-reading and post-reading performances of examinees on reading comprehension(RC. 2-There are no significant differences in information gain scores across the different techniques of testing reading comprehension (RC in EFL. To verify the validity of these two hypotheses, a number of statistical procedures have been used such as arithmetical mean, t-test for correlated and independent samples to analyze the performance of third and fourth year College students studying at the Department of English at University of Baghdad /Ibn Rushd College of Education for Humanities on two reading passages taken from TOEFL practice tests (2011. The analysis of the data has shown the following results: 1-The background knowledge has an effect on the performance on reading comprehension (RC. 2-There is a significant difference in students' performance on reading comprehension (RC. 3-The effect of background knowledge is investable on reading comprehension (RC tests, but it can be identified or neutralized. Based on these conclusions, the researcher presented a number of recommendations.

Normal Values for Heart Electrophysiology Parameters of Healthy Swine Determined on Electrophysiology Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Noszczyk-Nowak, Agnieszka; Cepiel, Alicja; Janiszewski, Adrian; Pasławski, Robert; Gajek, Jacek; Pasławska, Urszula; Nicpoń, Józef

2016-01-01

Swine are a well-recognized animal model for human cardiovascular diseases. Despite the widespread use of porcine model in experimental electrophysiology, still no reference values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters determined during an invasive electrophysiology study (EPS) have been developed in this species thus far. The aim of the study was to develop a set of normal values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters determined during an invasive EPS of swine. The study included 36 healthy domestic swine (24-40 kg body weight). EPS was performed under a general anesthesia with midazolam, propofol and isoflurane. The reference values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters were calculated as arithmetic means ± 2 standard deviations. The reference values were determined for AH, HV and PA intervals, interatrial conduction time at its own and imposed rhythm, sinus node recovery time (SNRT), corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT), anterograde and retrograde Wenckebach points, atrial, atrioventricular node and ventricular refractory periods. No significant correlations were found between body weight and heart rate of the examined pigs and their electrophysiological parameters. The hereby presented reference values can be helpful in comparing the results of various studies, as well as in more accurately estimating the values of electrophysiological parameters that can be expected in a given experiment.

Prediction during natural language comprehension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, R.M.; Frank, S.L.; Nijhof, A.D.; Hagoort, P.; Bosch, A.P.J. van den

2016-01-01

The notion of prediction is studied in cognitive neuroscience with increasing intensity. We investigated the neural basis of 2 distinct aspects of word prediction, derived from information theory, during story comprehension. We assessed the effect of entropy of next-word probability distributions as

Comprehension of marketing research textbooks among South African students: An investigation

OpenAIRE

Berndt, Adele; Petzer, Daniel; Wayland, Jane P.

2014-01-01

Reading is a skill people require in order to operate successfully in all spheres of life.  Mastering this skill is even more critical when pursuing academic studies. This study investigated the reading comprehension of final year undergraduate marketing students at a South African higher education institution (HEI) relating to their comprehension of marketing research textbooks. Two measurement instruments were used to test their reading comprehension. One instrument contained two passages f...

Modeling the X-ray Process, and X-ray Flaw Size Parameter for POD Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Koshti, Ajay M.

2014-01-01

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method reliability can be determined by a statistical flaw detection study called probability of detection (POD) study. In many instances, the NDE flaw detectability is given as a flaw size such as crack length. The flaw is either a crack or behaving like a crack in terms of affecting the structural integrity of the material. An alternate approach is to use a more complex flaw size parameter. The X-ray flaw size parameter, given here, takes into account many setup and geometric factors. The flaw size parameter relates to X-ray image contrast and is intended to have a monotonic correlation with the POD. Some factors such as set-up parameters, including X-ray energy, exposure, detector sensitivity, and material type that are not accounted for in the flaw size parameter may be accounted for in the technique calibration and controlled to meet certain quality requirements. The proposed flaw size parameter and the computer application described here give an alternate approach to conduct the POD studies. Results of the POD study can be applied to reliably detect small flaws through better assessment of effect of interaction between various geometric parameters on the flaw detectability. Moreover, a contrast simulation algorithm for a simple part-source-detector geometry using calibration data is also provided for the POD estimation.

Phonological Awareness and Listening Comprehension among Chinese English-Immersion Students

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Miao; Cheng, Liying; Kirby, John R.

2012-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between English listening comprehension and English and Chinese phonological awareness (PA), and the cross-linguistic transfer of PA in 48 Grade 2 and 47 Grade 4 Chinese English-immersion students. The results of the study indicate a correlation between English PA and English listening comprehension.…

Broca's area, sentence comprehension, and working memory: an fMRI study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corianne Rogalsky

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The role of Broca's area in sentence processing remains controversial. According to one view, Broca's area is involved in processing a subcomponent of syntactic processing. Another view holds that it contributes to sentence processing via verbal working memory. Sub-regions of Broca's area have been identified that are more active during the processing of complex (object-relative clause sentences compared to simple (subject-relative clause sentences. The present study aimed to determine if this complexity effect can be accounted for in terms of the articulatory rehearsal component of verbal working memory.  In a behavioral experiment, subjects were asked to comprehend sentences during concurrent speech articulation which minimizes articulatory rehearsal as a resource for sentence comprehension. A finger-tapping task was used as a control concurrent task. Only the object-relative clause sentences were more difficult to comprehend during speech articulation than during the manual task, showing that articulatory rehearsal does contribute to sentence processing.  A second experiment used fMRI to document the brain regions underlying this effect.  Subjects judged the plausibility of sentences during speech articulation, a finger-tapping task, or without a concurrent task. In the absence of a secondary task, Broca's area (pars triangularis and pars opercularis demonstrated an increase in activity as a function of syntactic complexity. However, during concurrent speech articulation (but not finger-tapping this complexity effect was eliminated in the pars opercularis suggesting that this region supports sentence comprehension via its role in articulatory rehearsal.  Activity in the pars triangularis was modulated by the finger-tapping task, but not the speech articulation task.

Text comprehension in Czech fourth-grade children with dyslexia

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Špačková Klára

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the Czech Republic, the concept of dyslexia is used as a global term for various developmental deficiencies relating to reading skills. The criteria used for dyslexia are not clear and intervention is solely focused on word reading training. Not much is known about the pattern and level of reading comprehension abilities among Czech readers. The study examines reading comprehension and its component skills (decoding and listening comprehension abilities in 32 Czech fourth-grade children with a formal diagnosis of dyslexia and their classmates (N=126. In decoding tests, the children with dyslexia surprisingly lagged behind most significantly in a task concerning speed and accuracy in context reading. Contrary to expectations, the children with dyslexia also showed inferiority in a listening comprehension task. In reading comprehension measures, in comparison to the typically developing readers, the children with dyslexia achieved the best results in a oral reading comprehension task. The results are discussed with respect to Czech counselling and educational practice and the need for changes in the current support system and terminology is stressed.

The nutrition-based comprehensive intervention study on childhood obesity in China (NISCOC: a randomised cluster controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Guifa

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood obesity and its related metabolic and psychological abnormalities are becoming serious health problems in China. Effective, feasible and practical interventions should be developed in order to prevent the childhood obesity and its related early onset of clinical cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a multi-centred random controlled school-based clinical intervention for childhood obesity in China. The secondary objective is to compare the cost-effectiveness of the comprehensive intervention strategy with two other interventions, one only focuses on nutrition education, the other only focuses on physical activity. Methods/Design The study is designed as a multi-centred randomised controlled trial, which included 6 centres located in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shandong province, Heilongjiang province and Guangdong province. Both nutrition education (special developed carton style nutrition education handbook and physical activity intervention (Happy 10 program will be applied in all intervention schools of 5 cities except Beijing. In Beijing, nutrition education intervention will be applied in 3 schools and physical activity intervention among another 3 schools. A total of 9750 primary students (grade 1 to grade 5, aged 7-13 years will participate in baseline and intervention measurements, including weight, height, waist circumference, body composition (bioelectrical impendence device, physical fitness, 3 days dietary record, physical activity questionnaire, blood pressure, plasma glucose and plasma lipid profiles. Data concerning investments will be collected in our study, including costs in staff training, intervention materials, teachers and school input and supervising related expenditure. Discussion Present study is the first and biggest multi-center comprehensive childhood obesity intervention study in China. Should the study produce comprehensive results, the

A comprehensive combustion chemistry study of 2,5-dimethylhexane

KAUST Repository

Sarathy, Mani

2014-06-01

Iso-paraffinic molecular structures larger than seven carbon atoms in chain length are commonly found in conventional petroleum, Fischer-Tropsch (FT), and other alternative hydrocarbon fuels, but little research has been done on their combustion behavior. Recent studies have focused on either mono-methylated alkanes and/or highly branched compounds (e.g., 2,2,4-trimethylpentane). In order to better understand the combustion characteristics of real fuels, this study presents new experimental data for the oxidation of 2,5-dimethylhexane under a wide variety of temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio conditions. This new dataset includes jet stirred reactor speciation, shock tube ignition delay, and rapid compression machine ignition delay, which builds upon recently published data for counterflow flame ignition, extinction, and speciation profiles. The low and high temperature oxidation of 2,5-dimethylhexane has been simulated with a comprehensive chemical kinetic model developed using established reaction rate rules. The agreement between the model and data is presented, along with suggestions for improving model predictions. The oxidation behavior of 2,5-dimethylhexane is compared with oxidation of other octane isomers to confirm the effects of branching on low and intermediate temperature fuel reactivity. The model is used to elucidate the structural features and reaction pathways responsible for inhibiting the reactivity of 2,5-dimethylhexane. © 2014 The Combustion Institute.

A comprehensive combustion chemistry study of 2,5-dimethylhexane

KAUST Repository

Sarathy, Mani; Javed, Tamour; Karsenty, Florent; Heufer, Alexander; Wang, Weijing; Park, Sungwoo; Elwardani, Ahmed Elsaid; Farooq, Aamir; Westbrook, Charles K.; Pitz, William J.; Oehlschlaeger, Matthew A.; Dayma, Guillaume; Curran, Henry J.; Dagaut, P.

2014-01-01

Iso-paraffinic molecular structures larger than seven carbon atoms in chain length are commonly found in conventional petroleum, Fischer-Tropsch (FT), and other alternative hydrocarbon fuels, but little research has been done on their combustion behavior. Recent studies have focused on either mono-methylated alkanes and/or highly branched compounds (e.g., 2,2,4-trimethylpentane). In order to better understand the combustion characteristics of real fuels, this study presents new experimental data for the oxidation of 2,5-dimethylhexane under a wide variety of temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio conditions. This new dataset includes jet stirred reactor speciation, shock tube ignition delay, and rapid compression machine ignition delay, which builds upon recently published data for counterflow flame ignition, extinction, and speciation profiles. The low and high temperature oxidation of 2,5-dimethylhexane has been simulated with a comprehensive chemical kinetic model developed using established reaction rate rules. The agreement between the model and data is presented, along with suggestions for improving model predictions. The oxidation behavior of 2,5-dimethylhexane is compared with oxidation of other octane isomers to confirm the effects of branching on low and intermediate temperature fuel reactivity. The model is used to elucidate the structural features and reaction pathways responsible for inhibiting the reactivity of 2,5-dimethylhexane. © 2014 The Combustion Institute.

Physical load handling and listening comprehension effects on balance control.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Xingda

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the physical load handling and listening comprehension effects on balance control. A total of 16 young and 16 elderly participants were recruited in this study. The physical load handling task required holding a 5-kg load in each hand with arms at sides. The listening comprehension task involved attentive listening to a short conversation. Three short questions were asked regarding the conversation right after the testing trial to test the participants' attentiveness during the experiment. Balance control was assessed by centre of pressure-based measures, which were calculated from the force platform data when the participants were quietly standing upright on a force platform. Results from this study showed that both physical load handling and listening comprehension adversely affected balance control. Physical load handling had a more deleterious effect on balance control under the listening comprehension condition vs. no-listening comprehension condition. Based on the findings from this study, interventions for the improvement of balance could be focused on avoiding exposures to physically demanding tasks and cognitively demanding tasks simultaneously. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Findings from this study can aid in better understanding how humans maintain balance, especially when physical and cognitive loads are applied. Such information is useful for developing interventions to prevent fall incidents and injuries in occupational settings and daily activities.

Experimental study on operating parameters of miniature loop heat pipe with flat evaporator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shuangfeng; Huo Jiepeng; Zhang Xianfeng; Lin Zirong

2012-01-01

Miniature loop heat pipe (MLHP) with flat evaporator has been proved that it has the capability to fulfill the demand for the thermal management of high-power electronic system. To employ MLHP into practical application and obtain the best operating parameters, a copper-water MLHP with flat evaporator of 8 mm thick was fabricated and tested in the condition of different condenser locations and operating orientations. The results show that the condenser located close to the evaporator outlet and adverse orientation have positive impact on the operating temperature of the loop, but negative impact on the cooling capability of condenser. For better understanding of their effect on the heat transfer characteristics of MLHP, the start-up behaviors, thermal performance and the operating regimes are explored in detail. - Highlights: ► A copper-water MLHP with flat evaporator of only 8 mm thick was fabricated. ► The MLHP can be applied to electronic cooling. ► The effect of condenser locations was investigated for the first time. ► The experimental results were discussed and analyzed comprehensively. ► Some practical solutions for disadvantages of LHP operation were provided.

Self-Efficacy and Preparation of Scholarly Writing: Online Doctoral Coursework to Comprehensive Examination--a Mixed Method Study

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Sonya C.

2013-01-01

Writing is seldom explicitly taught, most specifically, in academic and scholarly writing. Therefore, this mixed methods correlational phenomenology research study explored the correlation between self-efficacy perception and course room preparation for the comprehensive examination, APA standards in the course room, APA standards evaluation for…

The role of two reading strategies in text comprehension: An eye fixation study in primary school children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Schoot, M.; Vasbinder, A.L.; Horsley, T.M.; van Lieshout, E.C.D.M.

2008-01-01

This study examined whether 10-12-year-old children use two reading strategies to aid their text comprehension: (1) distinguishing between important and unimportant words; and (2) resolving anaphoric references. Of interest was the question to what extent use of these reading strategies was

Right is not always wrong: DTI and fMRI evidence for the reliance of reading comprehension on language-comprehension networks in the right hemisphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Grainger, Molly; DiFrancesco, Mark; Vannest, Jennifer; Holland, Scott K

2015-03-01

The Simple View theory suggests that reading comprehension relies on automatic recognition of words combined with language comprehension. The goal of the current study was to examine the structural and functional connectivity in networks supporting reading comprehension and their relationship with language comprehension within 7-9 year old children using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and fMRI during a Sentence Picture Matching task. Fractional Anisotropy (FA) values in the left and right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus (ILF) and Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (SLF), known language-related tracts, were correlated from DTI data with scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III (WJ-III) Passage Comprehension sub-test. Brodmann areas most proximal to white-matter regions with significant correlation to Passage Comprehension scores were chosen as Regions-of-Interest (ROIs) and used as seeds in a functional connectivity analysis using the Sentence Picture Matching task. The correlation between percentile scores for the WJ-III Passage Comprehension subtest and the FA values in the right and left ILF and SLF indicated positive correlation in language-related ROIs, with greater distribution in the right hemisphere, which in turn showed strong connectivity in the fMRI data from the Sentence Picture Matching task. These results support the participation of the right hemisphere in reading comprehension and may provide physiologic support for a distinction between different types of reading comprehension deficits vs difficulties in technical reading.

Cues, quantification, and agreement in language comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Darren; Bulkes, Nyssa Z

2015-12-01

We investigated factors that affect the comprehension of subject-verb agreement in English, using quantification as a window into the relationship between morphosyntactic processes in language production and comprehension. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read sentences with grammatical and ungrammatical verbs, in which the plurality of the subject noun phrase was either doubly marked (via overt plural quantification and morphological marking on the noun) or singly marked (via only plural morphology on the noun). Both acceptability judgments and the ERP data showed heightened sensitivity to agreement violations when quantification provided an additional cue to the grammatical number of the subject noun phrase, over and above plural morphology. This is consistent with models of grammatical comprehension that emphasize feature prediction in tandem with cue-based memory retrieval. Our results additionally contrast with those of prior studies that showed no effects of plural quantification on agreement in language production. These findings therefore highlight some nontrivial divergences in the cues and mechanisms supporting morphosyntactic processing in language production and comprehension.

Working memory contributions to reading comprehension components in middle childhood children.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrysochoou, Elisavet; Bablekou, Zoe; Tsigilis, Nikolaos

2011-01-01

This study examined working memory contributions to reading comprehension subskills in Greek children (mean age 9 years, 1 month). The phonological loop of the Baddeley and Hitch working memory model was assessed with 3 recall tasks (words, nonwords, and digits) and a word list matching task. The central executive (CE) was assessed with 3 tasks (listening, counting, and backward digit recall). Participants were also given a receptive vocabulary task, a reading fluency task, and written stories accompanied by comprehension questions. Canonical correlation analyses showed that the comprehension variables were related to the CE rather than the phonological loop measures. CE functions were more strongly associated with elaborative inference generation (involving significant offline processing) and comprehension control (involving metacognitive monitoring). Smaller yet significant associations were observed between the CE and the necessary inference and literal comprehension measures, whereas a moderate relationship was found in the case of the simile comprehension variable. Among the CE variables, listening recall demonstrated the highest loading on the canonical function, followed by moderate yet significant counting and backward digit recall loadings. Vocabulary was found to fully mediate several associations between working memory and comprehension measures; however, the relationship between listening recall and elaborative inferences was partly mediated. Reading fluency and, on several occasions, Greek vocabulary knowledge did not mediate the relationships between CE measures and comprehension skills assessed. This study demonstrates the usefulness of CE measures for identifying young children's possible difficulties in carrying out specific reading comprehension processes.

Assessment of HIV/AIDS comprehensive correct knowledge among Sudanese university: a cross-sectional analytic study 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbadawi, Abdulateef; Mirghani, Hyder

2016-01-01

Comprehensive correct HIV/AIDS knowledge (CCAK) is defined as correctly identify the two major ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, and reject the most common misconceptions about HIV transmission. There are limited studies on this topic in Sudan. In this study we investigated the Comprehensive correct HIV/AIDS knowledge among Universities students. A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 556 students from two universities in 2014. Data were collected by using the self-administered pre-tested structured questionnaire. Chi-square was used for testing the significance and P. Value of ≥ 0.05 is considered as statistically significant. The majority (97.1%) of study subjects have heard about a disease called HIV/AIDS, while only 28.6% of them knew anyone who is infected with AIDS in the local community. Minority (13.8%) of students had CCAK however, males showed a better level of CCAK than females (OR = 2.77) with high significant statistical differences (P. Value = 0.001). Poor rate of CCAK among university students is noticed, especially among females. Almost half of students did not know preventive measures of HIV, nearly two thirds had misconception, about one third did not know the mode of transmission of HIV.

A comprehensive special educational diagnostic assessment of five-year-old children with developmental coordination disorder (case studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tjasa Filipcic

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Developmental coordination disorder (DCD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which affects different areas of an individual's everyday living and learning. Children with DCD are often diagnosed late, at school age, when difficulties with writing, organization and executive functions arise, even though one could have seen signs of probable DCD very early in childhood. The aim of this study was to further assess five-year-old, preschool children recognized as children with DCD, and develop a model for a comprehensive special educational diagnostic assessment of abilities and skills in five-year-old children with DCD. The comprehensive diagnostic assessment comprised observations and assessments of children’s everyday skills in their kindergartens. It also included semi-structured interviews with children, their parents and their preschool teachers. Further, children’s skills and abilities in all developmental domains (sensory and motor skills, cognitive abilities, social and emotional development, speech and language development, including emerging literacy skills, and early maths skills were assessed. A qualitative analysis was undertaken to compare individual children’s comprehensive assessments. The developed model included both the strengths and weaknesses of the assessed children.

The comprehension of gesture and speech

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, R.M.; Özyürek, A.; Hagoort, P.

2005-01-01

Although generally studied in isolation, action observation and speech comprehension go hand in hand during everyday human communication. That is, people gesture while they speak. From previous research it is known that a tight link exists between spoken language and such hand gestures. This study

Auditory comprehension: from the voice up to the single word level

OpenAIRE

Jones, Anna Barbara

2016-01-01

Auditory comprehension, the ability to understand spoken language, consists of a number of different auditory processing skills. In the five studies presented in this thesis I investigated both intact and impaired auditory comprehension at different levels: voice versus phoneme perception, as well as single word auditory comprehension in terms of phonemic and semantic content. In the first study, using sounds from different continua of ‘male’-/pæ/ to ‘female’-/tæ/ and ‘male’...

Synergistic improvement of gas sensing performance by micro-gravimetrically extracted kinetic/thermodynamic parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Shuanbao; Xu, Pengcheng; Yu, Haitao; Cheng, Zhenxing; Li, Xinxin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Sensing material can be comprehensively optimized by using gravimetric cantilever. • Kinetic-thermodynamic model parameters are quantitatively extracted by experiment • Sensing-material performance is synergistically optimized by extracted parameters. - Abstract: A novel method is explored for comprehensive design/optimization of organophosphorus sensing material, which is loaded on mass-type microcantilever sensor. Conventionally, by directly observing the gas sensing response, it is difficult to build quantitative relationship with the intrinsic structure of the material. To break through this difficulty, resonant cantilever is employed as gravimetric tool to implement molecule adsorption experiment. Based on the sensing data, key kinetic/thermodynamic parameters of the material to the molecule, including adsorption heat −ΔH°, adsorption/desorption rate constants K a and K d , active-site number per unit mass N′ and surface coverage θ, can be quantitatively extracted according to physical–chemistry theories. With gaseous DMMP (simulant of organophosphorus agents) as sensing target, the optimization route for three sensing materials is successfully demonstrated. Firstly, a hyper-branched polymer is evaluated. Though suffering low sensitivity due to insufficient N′, the bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-hexafluoropropane (BHPF) sensing-group exhibits satisfactory reproducibility due to appropriate −ΔH°. To achieve more sensing-sites, KIT-5 mesoporous-silica with higher surface-area is assessed, resulting in good sensitivity but too high −ΔH° that brings poor repeatability. After comprehensive consideration, the confirmed BHPF sensing-group is grafted on the KIT-5 carrier to form an optimized DMMP sensing nanomaterial. Experimental results indicate that, featuring appropriate kinetic/thermodynamic parameters of −ΔH°, K a , K d , N′ and θ, the BHPF-functionalized KIT-5 mesoporous silica exhibits synergistic improvement among

SPOTting model parameters using a ready-made Python package

Science.gov (United States)

Houska, Tobias; Kraft, Philipp; Breuer, Lutz

2015-04-01

The selection and parameterization of reliable process descriptions in ecological modelling is driven by several uncertainties. The procedure is highly dependent on various criteria, like the used algorithm, the likelihood function selected and the definition of the prior parameter distributions. A wide variety of tools have been developed in the past decades to optimize parameters. Some of the tools are closed source. Due to this, the choice for a specific parameter estimation method is sometimes more dependent on its availability than the performance. A toolbox with a large set of methods can support users in deciding about the most suitable method. Further, it enables to test and compare different methods. We developed the SPOT (Statistical Parameter Optimization Tool), an open source python package containing a comprehensive set of modules, to analyze and optimize parameters of (environmental) models. SPOT comes along with a selected set of algorithms for parameter optimization and uncertainty analyses (Monte Carlo, MC; Latin Hypercube Sampling, LHS; Maximum Likelihood, MLE; Markov Chain Monte Carlo, MCMC; Scuffled Complex Evolution, SCE-UA; Differential Evolution Markov Chain, DE-MCZ), together with several likelihood functions (Bias, (log-) Nash-Sutcliff model efficiency, Correlation Coefficient, Coefficient of Determination, Covariance, (Decomposed-, Relative-, Root-) Mean Squared Error, Mean Absolute Error, Agreement Index) and prior distributions (Binomial, Chi-Square, Dirichlet, Exponential, Laplace, (log-, multivariate-) Normal, Pareto, Poisson, Cauchy, Uniform, Weibull) to sample from. The model-independent structure makes it suitable to analyze a wide range of applications. We apply all algorithms of the SPOT package in three different case studies. Firstly, we investigate the response of the Rosenbrock function, where the MLE algorithm shows its strengths. Secondly, we study the Griewank function, which has a challenging response surface for

Training Comprehensiveness: Construct Development and Relation with Role Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Anugamini Priya; Dhar, Rajib Lochan

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to develop the scale for perception of training comprehensiveness and attempts to examine the influence of perception of training comprehensiveness on role behaviour: teachers' efficacy as a mediator and job autonomy as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach: Through the steps for a generation, refinement, purification…

Correlates of Early Reading Comprehension Skills: A Componential Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Babayigit, Selma; Stainthorp, Rhona

2014-01-01

This study had three main aims. First, we examined to what extent listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammatical skills and verbal short-term memory (VSTM) assessed prior to formal reading instruction explained individual differences in early reading comprehension levels. Second, we examined to what extent the three common component skills,…

Effects of listening comprehension training on listening and reading

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarnoutse, C.A.J.; Van den Bos, K.P.; Brand-Gruwel, S.

1998-01-01

In this study the effects of providing text strategy instruction in a listening mode on listening and reading comprehension of experimental and control groups of 9- to 11-year-old poor readers were examined. All students were very poor in decoding and poor in reading comprehension. In addition, half

The Association between Mathematical Word Problems and Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Vilenius-Tuohimaa, Piia Maria; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2008-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the interplay between mathematical word problem skills and reading comprehension. The participants were 225 children aged 9-10 (Grade 4). The children's text comprehension and mathematical word problem-solving performance was tested. Technical reading skills were investigated in order to categorise participants as…

Relationship of Worldwide Rocket Launch Crashes with Geophysical Parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Romanova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A statistical comparison of launch crashes at different worldwide space ports with geophysical factors has been performed. A comprehensive database has been compiled, which includes 50 years of information from the beginning of the space age in 1957 about launch crashes occurring world-wide. Special attention has been paid to statistics concerning launches at the largest space ports: Plesetsk, Baikonur, Cape Canaveral, and Vandenberg. In search of a possible influence of geophysical factors on launch failures, such parameters as the vehicle type, local time, season, sunspot number, high-energy electron fluxes, and solar proton events have been examined. Also, we have analyzed correlations with the geomagnetic indices as indirect indicators of the space weather condition. Regularities found in this study suggest that further detailed studies of space weather effects on launcher systems, especially in the high-latitude regions, should be performed.

INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (IQ AS A PREDICTOR OF READING COMPREHENSION AND WRITING ACHIEVEMENT OF EFL LEARNERS

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Ary Setya B. Ningrum

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at investigating Intelligent Quotient (IQ as a predictor of reading comprehension and writing achievement as well as to correlate the students‟ reading comprehension with their writing achievement. The participant of the study were 32 senior high school Indonesian students. There are three instruments used in this study, those are IQ test, reading comprehension test, and writing test. Upon obtaining the whole data needed, Pearson Product Moment formula was employed to determine the correlation of IQ with reading comprehension and writing achievement as well as reading comprehension with writing achievement. The result of this study revealed that IQ made significant contribution in predicting reading comprehension (23.42% and writing achievement (16.08%. In addition, the correlation coefficient of reading comprehension and writing achievement shows that they are moderately correlated (r=.587, meaning that reading comprehension contributes as many as 34.45% to writing achievement.

Text-Based Vocabulary Intervention Training Study: Supporting Fourth Graders with Low Reading Comprehension and Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Solís, Michael; Scammacca, Nancy; Barth, Amy E.; Roberts, Garrett J.

2017-01-01

This experimental study examined the effectiveness of a text-based reading and vocabulary intervention with self-regulatory supports for 4th graders with low reading comprehension. Students with standard scores on the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test between 1.0 standard deviation (SD) and 0.5 SD below the normative sample were included (N=44) and…

Deficits in working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with mouth breathing syndrome: analytical cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Cristina Sadako Kuroishi

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Mouth breathing syndrome is very common among school-age children, and it is possibly related to learning difficulties and low academic achievement. In this study, we investigated working memory, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills in children with nasal and mouth breathing. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study with control group conducted in a public university hospital. METHODS: 42 children (mean age = 8.7 years who had been identified as mouth breathers were compared with a control group (mean age = 8.4 years matched for age and schooling. All the participants underwent a clinical interview, tone audiometry, otorhinolaryngological evaluation and cognitive assessment of phonological working memory (numbers and pseudowords, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills. RESULTS: Children with mouth breathing had poorer performance than controls, regarding reading comprehension (P = 0.006, arithmetic (P = 0.025 and working memory for pseudowords (P = 0.002, but not for numbers (P = 0.76. CONCLUSION: Children with mouth breathing have low academic achievement and poorer phonological working memory than controls. Teachers and healthcare professionals should be aware of the association of mouth breathing with children's physical and cognitive health.

Profiling classroom reading comprehension development practices ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

teaching practices for reading comprehension development from case study schools with achievement profiles at the PIRLS international .... who can understand the plot, character, setting, point of view ...... A teacher's handbook. Pretoria: DoE.

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION THROUGH IINTERACTIVE READ-ALOUD TECHNIQUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edi Santoso

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The present study, entitled Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension through Interactive Read-Aloud, attempts to unlock problems found in teaching and reading comprehension through interactive read-aloud in a Senior High School of Sport (SMAN Olah Raga Lampung, in Metro. The findings revealed that students’ reading comprehension improved through interactive read-aloud. The improvement can be seen from the increase of test results, meaning construction, and motivation. The process of reading activities showed that the teacher’s gesture and body language, 20 questions, explain and guess activities were proven to help the students construct meaning from the given texts. In addition, interactive read-aloud is effective to boost students’ motivation to comprehend the texts.   Key words: Reading comprehension, interactive read-aloud.

Riddle Appreciation and Reading Comprehension in Cantonese-Speaking Children

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Ivy N. Y.; To, Carol K. S.; Weekes, Brendan S.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Inference-making skills are necessary for reading comprehension. Training in riddle appreciation is an effective way to improve reading comprehension among English-speaking children. However, it is not clear whether these methods generalize to other writing systems. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between…

Enhancing Reading Comprehension with Student-Centered iPad Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Andria L.; Wold, Cheryl M.; Francom, Gregory M.

2017-01-01

Reading comprehension, or understanding the author's message, is a critical component of teaching literacy (Hougen and Smartt 2012). Student-centered activities using the iPad with the goal of improving reading comprehension in a fifth-grade classroom were implemented for this action research study. University teacher candidates guided fifth-grade…

ComprehensiveBench: a Benchmark for the Extensive Evaluation of Global Scheduling Algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Pilla, Laércio L.; Bozzetti, Tiago C.; Castro, Márcio; Navaux, Philippe O. A.; Méhaut, Jean-François

2015-10-01

Parallel applications that present tasks with imbalanced loads or complex communication behavior usually do not exploit the underlying resources of parallel platforms to their full potential. In order to mitigate this issue, global scheduling algorithms are employed. As finding the optimal task distribution is an NP-Hard problem, identifying the most suitable algorithm for a specific scenario and comparing algorithms are not trivial tasks. In this context, this paper presents ComprehensiveBench, a benchmark for global scheduling algorithms that enables the variation of a vast range of parameters that affect performance. ComprehensiveBench can be used to assist in the development and evaluation of new scheduling algorithms, to help choose a specific algorithm for an arbitrary application, to emulate other applications, and to enable statistical tests. We illustrate its use in this paper with an evaluation of Charm++ periodic load balancers that stresses their characteristics.

EMC² = comprehension: A reading strategy instruction framework for all teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanda M Klapwijk

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Comprehension is a critical part of the reading process, and yet learners continue to struggle with it and teachers continue to neglect it in their teaching. Many reasons exist for the lack of focus on reading comprehension instruction, but for the most part, teachers simply do not seem to view comprehension as part of the reading process, are not able to teach the concept, and are seemingly not taught to do so during their teacher training years. In addition to this, comprehension continues to be viewed as part of 'language teaching', and is therefore viewed as the so-called 'language teacher's' domain. In support of effective comprehension instruction in the unique, multilingual South African education environment, this article proposes a framework for reading strategy instruction, aimed specifically at teachers. The framework was developed from a research study, and refined through subsequent application in a university course as well as a further study. The framework acknowledges that reading is a multifaceted and complex process, and accordingly, provides sufficient structure for teachers. It further addresses the issue of comprehension instruction through the use of selected reading strategies, designed to be applied by all teachers in all subjects in a flexible and easy manner.

[Soluble interleukin 2 receptor as activity parameter in serum of systemic and discoid lupus erythematosus].

Science.gov (United States)

Blum, C; Zillikens, D; Tony, H P; Hartmann, A A; Burg, G

1993-05-01

The evaluation of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is important for selection of the appropriate therapeutic regimen. In addition to the clinical picture, various laboratory parameters are taken into account. However, no validated criteria for the evaluation of the disease activity in SLE have yet been established. Recently, serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) have been proposed as a potential parameter for disease activity in SLE. However, the studies reported on this subject so far have focused mainly on certain subsets of the disease, and the evaluation of the disease activity was based on a very limited number of parameters. In the present study, we determined serum levels of sIL-2R in 23 patients with SLE and 30 patients with discoid LE (DLE). Evaluation of disease activity in SLE was based on a comprehensive scale which considered numerous clinical signs and laboratory parameters. In SLE, serum levels of sIL-2R showed a better correlation with disease activity than all the other parameters investigated, including proteinuria, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum globulin concentration, titre of antibodies against double-stranded DNA, serum albumin concentration, serum complement levels and white blood cell count. For the first time, we report on elevated serum levels of sIL-2R in DLE, which also correlated with disease activity.

Study of some physiological parameters among mobile phone users

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anwar, S.M.; Gabr, S.A.

2002-01-01

Forty male mobile users in additional to twenty males as control group similar in age and socio economically matched were chosen for this study. Blood pressure, complete blood picture, five parameters of semen quality and four sex hormones (LH, FSH, prolactin and testosterone)were measured. Elevated significant differences for blood pressure (P<0.01) for the exposed group and some changes in mean values of haematologic parameters, although all values were within the normal range. Minor semen quality and hormonal levels changes between the two groups, including a higher mean follicle-stimulating hormone level; for mobile users (8.10 vs 6.00 mIU/mL), and a slightly higher mean luteinizing hormone level (11.73 vs 10.16 mLU/mL) were noted in the user group

Serial changes of humor comprehension for four-frame comic Manga: an fMRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Osaka, Mariko; Yaoi, Ken; Minamoto, Takehiro; Osaka, Naoyuki

2014-07-25

Serial changes of humor comprehension evoked by a well organized four-frame comic Manga were investigated by fMRI in each step of humor comprehension. The neural substrates underlying the amusing effects in response to funny and mixed order manga were compared. In accordance with the time course of the four frames, fMRI activations changed serially. Beginning with the second frame (development scene), activation of the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) was observed, followed by activations in the temporal and frontal areas during viewing of the third frame (turn scene). For the fourth frame (punch line), strong increased activations were confirmed in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and cerebellum. Interestingly, distinguishable activation differences in the cerebellum between funny and non-funny conditions were also found for the fourth frame. These findings suggest that humor comprehension evokes activation that initiates in the TPJ and expands to the MPFC and cerebellum at the convergence level.

Socio-cultural variation in reading comprehension development among fifth graders in Peru

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morales Silva, S.L.; Verhoeven, L.T.W.; Leeuwe, J.F.J. van

2011-01-01

In this study, the socio-cultural variation in reading comprehension development was examined in 331 fifth graders from schools in Lima, Peru. Reading comprehension was measured using an adaptation of the PIRLS Reading Literacy test. The fifth graders' reading comprehension results, measured over

Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer to wildlife

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-06-15

This handbook provides generic parameter values for estimating the transfer of radionuclides from environmental media to wildlife for the purpose of assessing potential radiation exposure under equilibrium conditions. These data are intended for use where site specific data are either not available or not required, and to parameterize generic assessment models. They are based on a comprehensive review of the available literature, including many Russian language publications that have not previously been available in English. The publication addresses the limitations of the parameter values and the applicability of data. Some general background information on the assessment of potential impacts of radioactive releases on wildlife is also included. It complements the existing handbook in the same IAEA series with parameter to assess the radiological impact to humans.

Photodissociation comprehensive study of OH- on alkali halides and their interaction with colour centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, L.

1985-01-01

This work shows that the OH - defect induces changes in the electronics processes of the alkali halides such as in radiation damage and optical cycles of colour centers. Two cases were considered: with the presence of an OH - ion in the (1) excited state and (2) in the ground state; 1) the comprehensive study of resonant OH - photodissociation in several hosts showed that deep traps (for electrons) can be produced from the OH - dissociation. These traps can be effective for the capture of electrons produced in the radiation damage of the lattice as well as for trapping electrons from ionized color centers. It was observed a second channel (new) for the de-excitation of the (OH - )* molecule in KI and RbI. This effect can be effective only when the lattice around the molecule holds a large enough interstitial space. This new mechanism is responsible for the strong production at LNT of F centers and OH 0 molecules at the expenses of OH - defects. Considering the complete investigation of the full cycle it was proposed a phenomenological model that would explain the observed behaviour when one covers a wide variation of lattice parameters (KCl -> RbI); 2) It was verified that the OH - ion present in the lattice induces strong changes in the de-excitation processes of electronic defects with a spread out wave function (like F centers). A change in the reorientation behaviour of excited F 2 and F + 2 centers was also verified. Two main effects should be mentioned: A) The induced de-excitation is very fast and non-radiative on F centers. B) Another type of system investigated (F 2 and F + 2 ) has shown an intense increase of the speed of reorientation of the F 2 and F + 2 excited centers. (autor) [pt

Software for marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring system based on MCGS

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X. H.; Ma, R.; Cao, X.; Cao, L.; Chu, D. Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, T. P.

2017-08-01

The automatic integrated monitoring software for marine ecological environment based on MCGS configuration software is designed and developed to realize real-time automatic monitoring of many marine ecological parameters. The DTU data transmission terminal performs network communication and transmits the data to the user data center in a timely manner. The software adopts the modular design and has the advantages of stable and flexible data structure, strong portability and scalability, clear interface, simple user operation and convenient maintenance. Continuous site comparison test of 6 months showed that, the relative error of the parameters monitored by the system such as temperature, salinity, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen was controlled within 5% with the standard method and the relative error of the nutrient parameters was within 15%. Meanwhile, the system had few maintenance times, low failure rate, stable and efficient continuous monitoring capabilities. The field application shows that the software is stable and the data communication is reliable, and it has a good application prospect in the field of marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring.

Production Practice During Language Learning Improves Comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopman, Elise W M; MacDonald, Maryellen C

2018-04-01

Language learners often spend more time comprehending than producing a new language. However, memory research suggests reasons to suspect that production practice might provide a stronger learning experience than comprehension practice. We tested the benefits of production during language learning and the degree to which this learning transfers to comprehension skill. We taught participants an artificial language containing multiple linguistic dependencies. Participants were randomly assigned to either a production- or a comprehension-learning condition, with conditions designed to balance attention demands and other known production-comprehension differences. After training, production-learning participants outperformed comprehension-learning participants on vocabulary comprehension and on comprehension tests of grammatical dependencies, even when we controlled for individual differences in vocabulary learning. This result shows that producing a language during learning can improve subsequent comprehension, which has implications for theories of memory and learning, language representations, and educational practices.

Comprehensive aerodynamic and dynamic study of independence of ukraine monument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Lebedich

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Comprehensive approach for solution the engineering problems o f creation the high-rise extended pillartype Monument in Kiyv is described. The results o f dynamic tests o f 1:25 scale model and aerodynamictests o f 1:8 scale model o f the Monument in TAD-2 wind tunnel are given. The procedures fordetermination o f actual dynamic characteristics and assurance the efficiency o f damping on the siteare described

Developing Reading Comprehension Modules to Facilitate Reading Comprehension among Malaysian Secondary School ESL Students

Science.gov (United States)

Javed, Muhammad; Eng, Lin Siew; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid

2015-01-01

The study aims to develop a set of 6 Reading Comprehension Modules (RCMs) for Malaysian ESL teachers to facilitate different reading abilities of ESL students effectively. Different skill categories were selected for developing the RCMs. This article describes how and why diverse texts of varying length were adopted and adapted from various…

Spectrum of Physics Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Blasiak, W.; Godlewska, M.; Rosiek, R.; Wcislo, D.

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of research on the relationship between self-assessed comprehension of physics lectures and final grades of junior high school students (aged 13-15), high school students (aged 16-18) and physics students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland (aged 21). Students' declared level of comprehension was measured…

How specific are specific comprehension difficulties?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønberg, Louise Flensted-Jensen; Petersen, Dorthe Klint

2016-01-01

as measured on a phonological coding measure. However, the proportion was smaller than the often reported 10-15 % and even smaller when average sight word recognition was also set as a criterion for word reading ability. Compared to average comprehenders, the poor comprehenders’ sight word recognition......This study explores the occurrence of poor comprehenders, i.e., children identified with reading comprehension difficulties in spite of age-appropriate word reading skills. It supports the findings that some children do show poor reading comprehension in spite of age-appropriate word reading...... and daily reading of literary texts were significantly below that of average readers. This study indicates that a lack of reading experience and, likewise, a lack of fluent word reading may be important factors in understanding nine-year-old poor comprehenders’ difficulties....

Noise disturbance in open-plan study environments: a field study on noise sources, student tasks and room acoustic parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Braat-Eggen, P Ella; van Heijst, Anne; Hornikx, Maarten; Kohlrausch, Armin

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the assessment of noise in open-plan study environments and to reveal correlations between noise disturbance experienced by students and the noise sources they perceive, the tasks they perform and the acoustic parameters of the open-plan study environment they work in. Data were collected in five open-plan study environments at universities in the Netherlands. A questionnaire was used to investigate student tasks, perceived sound sources and their perceived disturbance, and sound measurements were performed to determine the room acoustic parameters. This study shows that 38% of the surveyed students are disturbed by background noise in an open-plan study environment. Students are mostly disturbed by speech when performing complex cognitive tasks like studying for an exam, reading and writing. Significant but weak correlations were found between the room acoustic parameters and noise disturbance of students. Practitioner Summary: A field study was conducted to gain more insight in the assessment of noise in open-plan study environments at universities in the Netherlands. More than one third of the students was disturbed by noise. An interaction effect was found for task type, source type and room acoustic parameters.

Scalable total synthesis and comprehensive structure-activity relationship studies of the phytotoxin coronatine.

Science.gov (United States)

Littleson, Mairi M; Baker, Christopher M; Dalençon, Anne J; Frye, Elizabeth C; Jamieson, Craig; Kennedy, Alan R; Ling, Kenneth B; McLachlan, Matthew M; Montgomery, Mark G; Russell, Claire J; Watson, Allan J B

2018-03-16

Natural phytotoxins are valuable starting points for agrochemical design. Acting as a jasmonate agonist, coronatine represents an attractive herbicidal lead with novel mode of action, and has been an important synthetic target for agrochemical development. However, both restricted access to quantities of coronatine and a lack of a suitably scalable and flexible synthetic approach to its constituent natural product components, coronafacic and coronamic acids, has frustrated development of this target. Here, we report gram-scale production of coronafacic acid that allows a comprehensive structure-activity relationship study of this target. Biological assessment of a >120 member library combined with computational studies have revealed the key determinants of potency, rationalising hypotheses held for decades, and allowing future rational design of new herbicidal leads based on this template.

16 CFR 1018.43 - Comprehensive review.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Comprehensive review. 1018.43 Section 1018.43 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.43 Comprehensive review. A comprehensive review of all...

Thermal-Hydraulic Sensitivity Study of Intermediate Loop Parameters for Nuclear Hydrogen Production System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Jong Hwa; Lee, Heung Nae; Park, Jea Ho [KONES Corp., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Won Jae [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Il; Yoo, Yeon Jae [Hyundai Engineering Co., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The heat generated from the VHTR is transferred to the intermediate loop through Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX). It is further passed on to the Sulfur-Iodine (SI) hydrogen production system (HPS) through Process Heat Exchanger (PHX). The IL provides the safety distance between the VHTR and HPS. Since the IL performance affects the overall nuclear HPS efficiency, it is required to optimize its design and operation parameters. In this study, the thermal-hydraulic sensitivity of IL parameters with various coolant options has been examined by using MARS-GCR code, which was already applied for the case of steam generator. Sensitivity study of the IL and PHX parameters has been carried out based on their thermal-hydraulic performance. Several parameters for design and operation, such as the pipe diameter, safety distance and surface area, are considered for different coolant options, He, CO{sub 2} and He-CO{sub 2} (2:8). It was found that the circulator work is the major factor affecting on the overall nuclear hydrogen production system efficiency. Circulator work increases with the safety distance, and decreases with the operation pressure and loop pipe diameter. Sensitivity results obtained from this study will contribute to the optimization of the IL design and operation parameters and the optimal coolant selection.

Quantitatively Plotting the Human Face for Multivariate Data Visualisation Illustrated by Health Assessments Using Laboratory Parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Hongwei

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe a new data visualisation system by plotting the human face to observe the comprehensive effects of multivariate data. Methods. The Graphics Device Interface (GDI+ in the Visual Studio.NET development platform was used to write a program that enables facial image parameters to be recorded, such as cropping and rotation, and can generate a new facial image according to Z values from sets of normal data (Z>3 was still counted as 3. The measured clinical laboratory parameters related to health status were obtained from senile people, glaucoma patients, and fatty liver patients to illustrate the facial data visualisation system. Results. When the eyes, nose, and mouth were rotated around their own axes at the same angle, the deformation effects were similar. The deformation effects for any abnormality of the eyes, nose, or mouth should be slightly higher than those for simultaneous abnormalities. The facial changes in the populations with different health statuses were significant compared with a control population. Conclusions. The comprehensive effects of multivariate may not equal the sum of each variable. The 3Z facial data visualisation system can effectively distinguish people with poor health status from healthy people.

Improved Cole parameter extraction based on the least absolute deviation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yuxiang; Ni, Wenwen; Sun, Qiang; Wen, He; Teng, Zhaosheng

2013-01-01

The Cole function is widely used in bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) applications. Fitting the measured BIS data onto the model and then extracting the Cole parameters (R 0 , R ∞ , α and τ) is a common practice. Accurate extraction of the Cole parameters from the measured BIS data has great significance for evaluating the physiological or pathological status of biological tissue. The traditional least-squares (LS)-based curve fitting method for Cole parameter extraction is often sensitive to noise or outliers and becomes non-robust. This paper proposes an improved Cole parameter extraction based on the least absolute deviation (LAD) method. Comprehensive simulation experiments are carried out and the performances of the LAD method are compared with those of the LS method under the conditions of outliers, random noises and both disturbances. The proposed LAD method exhibits much better robustness under all circumstances, which demonstrates that the LAD method is deserving as an improved alternative to the LS method for Cole parameter extraction for its robustness to outliers and noises. (paper)

Study on Parameters Modeling of Wind Turbines Using SCADA Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yonglong YAN

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Taking the advantage of the current massive monitoring data from Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA system of wind farm, it is of important significance for anomaly detection, early warning and fault diagnosis to build the data model of state parameters of wind turbines (WTs. The operational conditions and the relationships between the state parameters of wind turbines are complex. It is difficult to establish the model of state parameter accurately, and the modeling method of state parameters of wind turbines considering parameter selection is proposed. Firstly, by analyzing the characteristic of SCADA data, a reasonable range of data and monitoring parameters are chosen. Secondly, neural network algorithm is adapted, and the selection method of input parameters in the model is presented. Generator bearing temperature and cooling air temperature are regarded as target parameters, and the two models are built and input parameters of the models are selected, respectively. Finally, the parameter selection method in this paper and the method using genetic algorithm-partial least square (GA-PLS are analyzed comparatively, and the results show that the proposed methods are correct and effective. Furthermore, the modeling of two parameters illustrate that the method in this paper can applied to other state parameters of wind turbines.

Individual variation in children's reading comprehension across digital text types

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fesel, S.S.; Segers, P.C.J.; Verhoeven, L.T.W.

2018-01-01

The present study examined children's digital text comprehension of digital text types linear digital text vs hypertext, with or without graphical navigable overviews. We investigated to what extent individual variation in children's comprehension could be explained by lexical quality (word reading

A comprehensive study of rate capability in Multi-Wire Proportional Chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andronic, A; Garabatos, C; Gonzalez-Diaz, D; Kalweit, A; Uhlig, F

2009-01-01

Systematic measurements on the rate capability of thin MWPCs operated in Xenon, Argon and Neon mixtures using CO 2 as UV-quencher are presented. A good agreement between data and existing models has been found, allowing us to present the rate capability of MWPCs in a comprehensive way and ultimately connect it with the mobilities of the drifting ions.

Television Literacy: Comprehension of Program Content Using Closed Captions for the Deaf.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Margaret S. Jelinek; Jackson, Dorothy W.

2001-01-01

This study assessed deaf and hearing students' comprehension of captions with and without visuals/video. Results indicate that reading grade level is highly correlated with caption comprehension test scores. Comprehension of the deaf students was consistently below that of hearing students. The captioned video produced significantly better…

The Effects of Pre-Learning Vocabulary on Reading Comprehension and Writing

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Stuart A.

2009-01-01

This study investigates the effects of pre-learning vocabulary on reading comprehension and writing. Japanese students studying English as a foreign language (EFL) learned word pairs receptively and productively; four tests were used to measure reading comprehension, writing, and receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. The findings suggest…

Gender Agreement Attraction in Russian: Production and Comprehension Evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Slioussar, Natalia; Malko, Anton

2016-01-01

Agreement attraction errors (such as the number error in the example "The key to the cabinets are rusty") have been the object of many studies in the last 20 years. So far, almost all production experiments and all comprehension experiments looked at binary features (primarily at number in Germanic, Romance, and some other languages, in several cases at gender in Romance languages). Among other things, it was noted that both in production and in comprehension, attraction effects are much stronger for some feature combinations than for the others: they can be observed in the sentences with singular heads and plural dependent nouns (e.g.,"The key to the cabinets…"), but not in the sentences with plural heads and singular dependent nouns (e.g., "The keys to the cabinet…"). Almost all proposed explanations of this asymmetry appeal to feature markedness, but existing findings do not allow teasing different approaches to markedness apart. We report the results of four experiments (one on production and three on comprehension) studying subject-verb gender agreement in Russian, a language with three genders. Firstly, we found attraction effects both in production and in comprehension, but, unlike in the case of number agreement, they were not parallel (in production, feminine gender triggered strongest effects, while neuter triggered weakest effects, while in comprehension, masculine triggered weakest effects). Secondly, in the comprehension experiments attraction was observed for all dependent noun genders, but only for a subset of head noun genders. This goes against the traditional assumption that the features of the dependent noun are crucial for attraction, showing the features of the head are more important. We demonstrate that this approach can be extended to previous findings on attraction and that there exists other evidence for it. In total, these findings let us reconsider the question which properties of features are crucial for agreement attraction in

Investigating Comprehension in Real World Tasks: Understanding Jury Instructions.

Science.gov (United States)

Charrow, Veda R.; Charrow, Robert

This paper discusses the results of part of an ongoing project studying an aspect of real world language usage, the comprehension of standard jury instructions. Problems in the comprehension of these instructions include the memory load that they impose, the fact that most instructions are read only once, and the fact that instructions are written…

Determination of a PWR key neutron parameters uncertainties and conformity studies applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, D.

2002-01-01

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate uncertainties of key neutron parameters of slab reactors. Uncertainties sources have many origins, technologic origin for parameters of fabrication and physical origin for nuclear data. First, each contribution of uncertainties is calculated and finally, a factor of uncertainties is associated to key slab parameter like reactivity, isotherm reactivity coefficient, control rod efficiency, power form factor before irradiation and lifetime. This factors of uncertainties were computed by Generalized Perturbations Theory in case of step 0 and by directs calculations in case of irradiation problems. One of neutronic conformity applications was about fabrication and nuclear data targets precision adjustments. Statistic (uncertainties) and deterministic (deviations) approaches were studied. Then neutronics key slab parameters uncertainties were reduced and so nuclear performances were optimised. (author)

Impedance of SOFC electrodes: A review and a comprehensive case study on the impedance of LSM:YSZ cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jimmi; Hjelm, Johan

2014-01-01

It was shown through a comprehensive impedance spectroscopy study that the impedance of the classic composite LSM:YSZ (lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode can be described well with porous electrode theory. Furthermore, it was illustr......It was shown through a comprehensive impedance spectroscopy study that the impedance of the classic composite LSM:YSZ (lanthanum strontium manganite and yttria stabilized zirconia) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode can be described well with porous electrode theory. Furthermore......, it was illustrated through a literature review on SOFC electrodes that porous electrode theory not only describes the classic LSM:YSZ SOFC cathode well, but SOFC electrodes in general. The extensive impedance spectroscopy study of LSM:YSZ cathodes consisted of measurements on cathodes with three different sintering...... temperatures and hence different microstructures and varying degrees of LSM/YSZ solid state interactions. LSM based composite cathodes, where YSZ was replaced with CGO was also studied in order to acquire further knowledge on the chemical compatibility between LSM and YSZ. All impedance measurements were...

Parameter motivated mutual correlation analysis: Application to the study of currency exchange rates based on intermittency parameter and Hurst exponent

Science.gov (United States)

Cristescu, Constantin P.; Stan, Cristina; Scarlat, Eugen I.; Minea, Teofil; Cristescu, Cristina M.

2012-04-01

We present a novel method for the parameter oriented analysis of mutual correlation between independent time series or between equivalent structures such as ordered data sets. The proposed method is based on the sliding window technique, defines a new type of correlation measure and can be applied to time series from all domains of science and technology, experimental or simulated. A specific parameter that can characterize the time series is computed for each window and a cross correlation analysis is carried out on the set of values obtained for the time series under investigation. We apply this method to the study of some currency daily exchange rates from the point of view of the Hurst exponent and the intermittency parameter. Interesting correlation relationships are revealed and a tentative crisis prediction is presented.

Theory of Mind and Reading Comprehension in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Signing Children

Science.gov (United States)

Holmer, Emil; Heimann, Mikael; Rudner, Mary

2016-01-01

Theory of Mind (ToM) is related to reading comprehension in hearing children. In the present study, we investigated progression in ToM in Swedish deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) signing children who were learning to read, as well as the association of ToM with reading comprehension. Thirteen children at Swedish state primary schools for DHH children performed a Swedish Sign Language (SSL) version of the Wellman and Liu (2004) ToM scale, along with tests of reading comprehension, SSL comprehension, and working memory. Results indicated that ToM progression did not differ from that reported in previous studies, although ToM development was delayed despite age-appropriate sign language skills. Correlation analysis revealed that ToM was associated with reading comprehension and working memory, but not sign language comprehension. We propose that some factor not investigated in the present study, possibly represented by inference making constrained by working memory capacity, supports both ToM and reading comprehension and may thus explain the results observed in the present study. PMID:27375532

Theory of Mind and Reading Comprehension in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Signing Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmer, Emil; Heimann, Mikael; Rudner, Mary

2016-01-01

Theory of Mind (ToM) is related to reading comprehension in hearing children. In the present study, we investigated progression in ToM in Swedish deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) signing children who were learning to read, as well as the association of ToM with reading comprehension. Thirteen children at Swedish state primary schools for DHH children performed a Swedish Sign Language (SSL) version of the Wellman and Liu (2004) ToM scale, along with tests of reading comprehension, SSL comprehension, and working memory. Results indicated that ToM progression did not differ from that reported in previous studies, although ToM development was delayed despite age-appropriate sign language skills. Correlation analysis revealed that ToM was associated with reading comprehension and working memory, but not sign language comprehension. We propose that some factor not investigated in the present study, possibly represented by inference making constrained by working memory capacity, supports both ToM and reading comprehension and may thus explain the results observed in the present study.

Theory of Mind and Reading Comprehension in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Signing Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emil eHolmer

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Theory of Mind (ToM is related to reading comprehension in hearing children. In the present study, we investigated progression in ToM in Swedish deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH signing children who were learning to read, as well as its assocation with reading comprehension. Thirteen children at Swedish state primary schools for DHH children performed a Swedish Sign Language (SSL version of the Wellman and Liu (2004 ToM scale, along with tests of reading comprehension, SSL comprehension, and working memory. Results indicated that ToM progression did not differ from that reported in previous studies, although ToM development was delayed despite age-appropriate sign language skills. Correlation analysis revealed that ToM was associated with reading comprehension and working memory, but not sign language comprehension. We propose that some factor not investigated in the present study, possibly represented by inference making constrained by working memory capacity, supports both ToM and reading comprehension and may thus explain the results observed in the present study.

Reading Strategy Use and Comprehension Performance of More Successful and Less Successful Readers: A Think-Aloud Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yen-Hui

2016-01-01

This study explores the differences between more successful and less successful EFL readers in their comprehension performance and abilities to use reading strategies in interaction with English texts through thinking aloud while reading in pairs. Ten freshman high school students participated in pairs in four think-aloud reading tasks to think…

A National Study of the Validity and Utility of the Comprehensive Assessment of School Environment (CASE) Survey

Science.gov (United States)

McGuffey, Amy R.

2016-01-01

A healthy school climate is necessary for improvement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and usability of the Comprehensive Assessment of School Environment (CASE) as it was purportedly realigned to the three dimensions of the Breaking Ranks Framework developed by the National Association of Secondary School…

Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Deo, Guru; Itagi R, Kumar; Thaiyar M, Srinivasan; Kuldeep, Kushwah K

2015-01-01

Mindfulness along with breathing is a well-established meditation technique. Breathing is an exquisite tool for exploring subtle awareness of mind and life itself. This study aimed at measuring changes in the different parameters of electrophotonic imaging (EPI) in anapanasati meditators. To carry out this study, 51 subjects comprising 32 males and 19 females of age 18 years and above (mean age 45.64 ± 14.43) were recruited voluntarily with informed consent attending Karnataka Dhyana Mahachakra-1 at Pyramid Valley International, Bengaluru, India. The design was a single group pre- post and data collected by EPI device before and after 5 days of intensive meditation. Results show significant changes in EPI parameter integral area with filter (physiological) in both right and left side, which reflects the availability of high functional energy reserve in meditators. The researchers observed similar trends without filter (psycho-physiological) indicating high reserves of energy at psycho-physiological level also. Activation coefficient, another parameter of EPI, reduced showing more relaxed state than earlier, possibly due to parasympathetic dominance. Integral entropy decreased in the case of psycho-physiological parameters left-side without filter, which indicates less disorder after meditation, but these changes were not significant. The study showed a reversed change in integral entropy in the right side without filter; however, the values on both sides with filter increased, which indicates disorder. The study suggests that EPI can be used in the recording functional physiological and psychophysiological status of meditators at a subtle level.

Psycholinguistic determinants of reading comprehension in english as a foreign language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Vivaldo-Lima

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze the contribution of linguistic and psychological variables in the explanation of the variance associated with reading comprehension in English (L2. Two hundred and eighty Mexican university students participated in the study. The variables analyzed within the linguistic dimension were: reading strategies in Spanish, linguistic competence in English, and ability to perceive lexical transparency between L1 and L2. The psychological dimension evaluated the influence of the reader’s cognitive style, locus of control, and action control orientation on reading comprehension in L2. Subjects were administered a battery of seven evaluation instruments. Multiple regression analyses suggested a two-stage explanatory model of reading in L2. Firstly, psychological variables accounted for 10.0% of the variance in reading comprehension in the first language. Secondly, reading comprehension in Spanish, linguistic competence in L2, and perception of lexical transparency, accounted for 35.5% of the variance in reading comprehension in English.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AS PREDICTORS OF READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Ali Zarei

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate types of Multiple Intelligences as predictors of reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. To meet this objective, a 60-item TOEFL test and a 90-item multiple intelligences questionnaire were distributed among 240 male and female Iranians studying English at Qazali and Parsian Universities in Qazvin. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression procedure. The result of the data analysis indicated that musical, interpersonal, kinesthetic, and logical intelligences were predicators of reading comprehension. Moreover, musical, verbal, visual, kinesthetic and natural intelligences made significant contributions to predicting vocabulary knowledge.   Key words: Multiple intelligences, reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge.

Associations Between Nutritional Parameters and Clinicopathologic Factors in Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Comprehensive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewczyński, Adam; Jabłońska, Beata; Pawlicki, Krzysztof

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess and analyze the nutritional status of gastric cancer (GC) patients. The analysis included 207 patients with GC treated in a large center of oncology. Patients were divided into two groups according to the cutoff value of the mean prognostic nutritional index (PNI): those with a PNI 10% (P = 0.000031). Body mass index (BMI) after disease recognition, albumin and total protein (0.003) levels, total lymphocyte count, and PNI were significantly lower in patients with nutritional risk. Significantly lower BMI before disease and BMI after disease recognition were noted in smoking patients. Significantly higher total lymphocyte count was observed in smoking patients (P nutritional status using PNI calculation should be the standard management of patients with GC before treatment.

EX VIVO STUDY OF QUANTITATIVE ULTRASOUND PARAMETERS IN FATTY RABBIT LIVERS

Science.gov (United States)

Ghoshal, Goutam; Lavarello, Roberto J.; Kemmerer, Jeremy P.; Miller, Rita J.; Oelze, Michael L.

2012-01-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects more than 30% of Americans, and with increasing problems of obesity in the United States, NAFLD is poised to become an even more serious medical concern. At present, accurate classification of steatosis (fatty liver) represents a significant challenge. In this study, the use of high-frequency (8 to 25 MHz) quantitative ultrasound (QUS) imaging to quantify fatty liver was explored. QUS is an imaging technique that can be used to quantify properties of tissue giving rise to scattered ultrasound. The changes in the ultrasound properties of livers in rabbits undergoing atherogenic diets of varying durations were investigated using QUS. Rabbits were placed on a special fatty diet for 0, 3, or 6 weeks. The fattiness of the livers was quantified by estimating the total lipid content of the livers. Ultrasonic properties, such as speed of sound, attenuation, and backscatter coefficients, were estimated in ex vivo rabbit liver samples from animals that had been on the diet for varying periods. Two QUS parameters were estimated based on the backscatter coefficient: effective scatterer diameter (ESD) and effective acoustic concentration (EAC), using a spherical Gaussian scattering model. Two parameters were estimated based on the backscattered envelope statistics (the k parameter and the μ parameter) according to the homodyned K distribution. The speed of sound decreased from 1574 to 1565 m/s and the attenuation coefficient increased from 0.71 to 1.27 dB/cm/MHz, respectively, with increasing fat content in the liver. The ESD decreased from 31 to 17 μm and the EAC increased from 38 to 63 dB/cm3 with increasing fat content in the liver. A significant increase in the μ parameter from 0.18 to 0.93 scatterers/mm3 was observed with increasing fat content in the liver samples. The results of this study indicate that QUS parameters are sensitive to fat content in the liver. PMID:23062376

Reference tissue modeling with parameter coupling: application to a study of SERT binding in HIV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endres, Christopher J; Pomper, Martin G [Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231 (United States); Hammoud, Dima A, E-mail: endres@jhmi.edu [Radiology and Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health/Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD (United States)

2011-04-21

When applicable, it is generally preferred to evaluate positron emission tomography (PET) studies using a reference tissue-based approach as that avoids the need for invasive arterial blood sampling. However, most reference tissue methods have been shown to have a bias that is dependent on the level of tracer binding, and the variability of parameter estimates may be substantially affected by noise level. In a study of serotonin transporter (SERT) binding in HIV dementia, it was determined that applying parameter coupling to the simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) reduced the variability of parameter estimates and yielded the strongest between-group significant differences in SERT binding. The use of parameter coupling makes the application of SRTM more consistent with conventional blood input models and reduces the total number of fitted parameters, thus should yield more robust parameter estimates. Here, we provide a detailed evaluation of the application of parameter constraint and parameter coupling to [{sup 11}C]DASB PET studies. Five quantitative methods, including three methods that constrain the reference tissue clearance (k{sup r}{sub 2}) to a common value across regions were applied to the clinical and simulated data to compare measurement of the tracer binding potential (BP{sub ND}). Compared with standard SRTM, either coupling of k{sup r}{sub 2} across regions or constraining k{sup r}{sub 2} to a first-pass estimate improved the sensitivity of SRTM to measuring a significant difference in BP{sub ND} between patients and controls. Parameter coupling was particularly effective in reducing the variance of parameter estimates, which was less than 50% of the variance obtained with standard SRTM. A linear approach was also improved when constraining k{sup r}{sub 2} to a first-pass estimate, although the SRTM-based methods yielded stronger significant differences when applied to the clinical study. This work shows that parameter coupling reduces the

Development and validation of a score for evaluating comprehensive stroke care capabilities: J-ASPECT Study

OpenAIRE

Kada, Akiko; Nishimura, Kunihiro; Nakagawara, Jyoji; Ogasawara, Kuniaki; Ono, Junichi; Shiokawa, Yoshiaki; Aruga, Toru; Miyachi, Shigeru; Nagata, Izumi; Toyoda, Kazunori; Matsuda, Shinya; Suzuki, Akifumi; Kataoka, Hiroharu; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Kamitani, Satoru

2017-01-01

Background Although the Brain Attack Coalition recommended establishing centers of comprehensive care for stroke and cerebrovascular disease patients, a scoring system for such centers was lacking. We created and validated a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) score, adapted to Japanese circumstances. Methods Of the selected 1369 certified training institutions in Japan, 749 completed an acute stroke care capabilities survey. Hospital performance was determined using a 25-item score, evaluating...

Comprehensive physical models and simulation package for plasma/material interactions during plasma instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.; Konkashbaev, I.

1999-01-01

Damage to plasma-facing components (PFCs) from plasma instabilities remains a major obstacle to a successful tokamak concept. The extent of the damage depends on the detailed physics of the disrupting plasma, as well as on the physics of plasma-material interactions. A comprehensive computer package called high energy interaction with general heterogeneous target systems (HEIGHTS) has been developed and consists of several integrated computer models that follow the beginning of a plasma disruption at the scrape-off layer (SOL) through the transport of the eroded debris and splashed target materials to nearby locations as a result of the deposited energy. The package can study, for the first time, plasma-turbulent behavior in the SOL and predict the plasma parameters and conditions at the divertor plate. Full two-dimensional (2-D) comprehensive radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models are coupled with target thermodynamics and liquid hydrodynamics to evaluate the integrated response of plasma-facing materials. Factors that influence the lifetime of plasma-facing and nearby components, such as loss of vapor cloud confinement and vapor removal due to MHD effects, damage to nearby components due to intense vapor radiation, melt splashing, and brittle destruction of target materials, are also modeled and discussed. (orig.)

Comprehensive physical models and simulation package for plasma/material interactions during plasma instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.

1998-01-01

Damage to plasma-facing components (PFCS) from plasma instabilities remains a major obstacle to a successful tokamak concept. The extent of the damage depends on the detailed physics of the disrupting plasma, as well as on the physics of plasma-material interactions. A comprehensive computer package called High Energy Interaction with General Heterogeneous Target Systems (HEIGHTS) has been developed and consists of several integrated computer models that follow the beginning of a plasma disruption at the scrape-off layer (SOL) through the transport of the eroded debris and splashed target materials to nearby locations as a result of the deposited energy. The package can study, for the first time, plasma-turbulent behavior in the SOL and predict the plasma parameters and conditions at the divertor plate. Full two-dimensional (2-D) comprehensive radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models are coupled with target thermodynamics and liquid hydrodynamics to evaluate the integrated response of plasma-facing materials. Factors that influence the lifetime of plasma-facing and nearby components, such as loss of vapor-cloud confinement and vapor removal due to MHD effects, damage to nearby components due to intense vapor radiation, melt splashing, and brittle destruction of target materials, are also modeled and discussed

Comprehensive Aspectual UML Approach to Support AspectJ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aws Magableh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Unified Modeling Language is the most popular and widely used Object-Oriented modelling language in the IT industry. This study focuses on investigating the ability to expand UML to some extent to model crosscutting concerns (Aspects to support AspectJ. Through a comprehensive literature review, we identify and extensively examine all the available Aspect-Oriented UML modelling approaches and find that the existing Aspect-Oriented Design Modelling approaches using UML cannot be considered to provide a framework for a comprehensive Aspectual UML modelling approach and also that there is a lack of adequate Aspect-Oriented tool support. This study also proposes a set of Aspectual UML semantic rules and attempts to generate AspectJ pseudocode from UML diagrams. The proposed Aspectual UML modelling approach is formally evaluated using a focus group to test six hypotheses regarding performance; a “good design” criteria-based evaluation to assess the quality of the design; and an AspectJ-based evaluation as a reference measurement-based evaluation. The results of the focus group evaluation confirm all the hypotheses put forward regarding the proposed approach. The proposed approach provides a comprehensive set of Aspectual UML structural and behavioral diagrams, which are designed and implemented based on a comprehensive and detailed set of AspectJ programming constructs.

Comprehensive Aspectual UML approach to support AspectJ.

Science.gov (United States)

Magableh, Aws; Shukur, Zarina; Ali, Noorazean Mohd

2014-01-01

Unified Modeling Language is the most popular and widely used Object-Oriented modelling language in the IT industry. This study focuses on investigating the ability to expand UML to some extent to model crosscutting concerns (Aspects) to support AspectJ. Through a comprehensive literature review, we identify and extensively examine all the available Aspect-Oriented UML modelling approaches and find that the existing Aspect-Oriented Design Modelling approaches using UML cannot be considered to provide a framework for a comprehensive Aspectual UML modelling approach and also that there is a lack of adequate Aspect-Oriented tool support. This study also proposes a set of Aspectual UML semantic rules and attempts to generate AspectJ pseudocode from UML diagrams. The proposed Aspectual UML modelling approach is formally evaluated using a focus group to test six hypotheses regarding performance; a "good design" criteria-based evaluation to assess the quality of the design; and an AspectJ-based evaluation as a reference measurement-based evaluation. The results of the focus group evaluation confirm all the hypotheses put forward regarding the proposed approach. The proposed approach provides a comprehensive set of Aspectual UML structural and behavioral diagrams, which are designed and implemented based on a comprehensive and detailed set of AspectJ programming constructs.

Lexical development of noun and predicate comprehension and production in isiZulu.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolas, Ramona Kunene; Ahmed, Saaliha

2016-07-28

This study seeks to investigate the development of noun and predicate comprehension and production in isiZulu-speaking children between the ages of 25 and 36 months. It compares lexical comprehension and production in isiZulu, using an Italian developed and validated vocabulary assessment tool: The Picture Naming Game (PiNG) developed by Bello, Giannantoni, Pettenati, Stefanini and Caselli (2012). The PiNG tool includes four subtests, one each for subnoun comprehension (NC), noun production (NP), predicate comprehension (PC), and predicate production (PP). Children are shown these lexical items and then asked to show comprehension and produce certain lexical items. After adaptation into the South African context, the adapted version of PiNG was used to directly assess the lexical development of isiZulu with the three main objectives to (1) test the efficiency of the adaptation of a vocabulary tool to measure isiZulu comprehension and production development, (2) test previous findings done in many cross-linguistic comparisons that have found that both comprehension and production performance increase with age for a lesser-studied language, and (3) present our findings around the comprehension and production of the linguistic categories of nouns and predicates. An analysis of the results reported in this study show an age effect throughout the entire sample. Across all the age groups, the comprehension of the noun and predicate subtests was better performed than the production of noun and predicate subtests. With regard to lexical items, the responses of children showed an influence of various factors, including the late acquisition of items, possible problems with stimuli presented to them, and the possible input received by the children from their home environment.

Lexical development of noun and predicate comprehension and production in isiZulu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramona Kunene Nicolas

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study seeks to investigate the development of noun and predicate comprehension and production in isiZulu-speaking children between the ages of 25 and 36 months. It compares lexical comprehension and production in isiZulu, using an Italian developed and validated vocabulary assessment tool: The Picture Naming Game (PiNG developed by Bello, Giannantoni, Pettenati, Stefanini and Caselli (2012. The PiNG tool includes four subtests, one each for subnoun comprehension (NC, noun production (NP, predicate comprehension (PC, and predicate production (PP. Children are shown these lexical items and then asked to show comprehension and produce certain lexical items. After adaptation into the South African context, the adapted version of PiNG was used to directly assess the lexical development of isiZulu with the three main objectives to (1 test the efficiency of the adaptation of a vocabulary tool to measure isiZulu comprehension and production development, (2 test previous findings done in many cross-linguistic comparisons that have found that both comprehension and production performance increase with age for a lesser-studied language, and (3 present our findings around the comprehension and production of the linguistic categories of nouns and predicates. An analysis of the results reported in this study show an age effect throughout the entire sample. Across all the age groups, the comprehension of the noun and predicate subtests was better performed than the production of noun and predicate subtests. With regard to lexical items, the responses of children showed an influence of various factors, including the late acquisition of items, possible problems with stimuli presented to them, and the possible input received by the children from their home environment.

Attention Process Training-3 to improve reading comprehension in mild aphasia: A single-case experimental design study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaime B; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Harn, Beth; Horner, Robert; Cherney, Leora R

2018-06-04

People with aphasia frequently present with nonlinguistic deficits, in addition to their compromised language abilities, which may contribute to their problems with reading comprehension. Treatment of attention, working memory and executive control may improve reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia, particularly those with mild reading problems. This single-case experimental design study evaluated the efficacy of Attention Process Training-3, an intervention combining direct attention training and metacognitive facilitation, for improving reading comprehension in individuals with mild aphasia. A multiple baseline design across six participants was used to evaluate treatment effects. The primary outcome measure was a maze reading task. Cognitive measures were administered pre- and post-treatment. Visual inspection of graphed maze reading performance data indicated a basic effect between APT-3 and improved maze reading for three of the six participants. Quantitative analyses, using Tau-U, corroborated findings identified through visual analysis. The overall effect size was significant (Tau = .48, p = .01). Results suggest that APT-3 has the potential to improve reading in individuals with aphasia, but that it may be more efficacious under certain conditions. Treatment and participant variables, including intensity of treatment and metacognitive strategy usage, are discussed as potential influences on participants' responsiveness to APT-3.

Shared Syntax in Language Production and Language Comprehension-An fMRI Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Segaert, K.R.; Menenti, L.M.E.; Weber, K.M.; Petersson, K.M.; Hagoort, P.

2012-01-01

During speaking and listening syntactic processing is a crucial step. It involves specifying syntactic relations between words in a sentence. If the production and comprehension modality share the neuronal substrate for syntactic processing then processing syntax in one modality should lead to

The Study of the Relation between Comprehension Process and Cognitive Capacities of Students in Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afsaneh Poorang

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In the creation of substances for developing and thinking of cognitive levels in mathematics from elementary course and recognizing effective variables of all external factors of mathematics, researchers have considered through designing hypothesis and effort to find the relation of reading literacy level and cognitive levels in mathematics of fourth grade among girls and boys and cognitive capacities of them in Tehran. The evaluation of reading literacy with the definition of comprehension process as index in surface layers spectrum such as focusing and reviewing information that are be stated in text and directive induction has organized. On other hands, mathematics evaluation has implemented for both content and cognitive dimensions. Research process has formed with selecting eight schools and in two tests. Reading literacy tests with the aim of evaluation of comprehension process and math test with the aim of the evaluation of cognitive levels have implemented for two classes of each schools. Research hypotheses have tested based on researching positive correlative between surface layers of comprehension with cognitive levels in mathematics meaningfully that have organized in three levels of knowing, application and reasoning. Instrumentation of the performance of comprehension have included two literary-information texts of PIRLS test 2011 and the collection of two respected notebooks and instrumentation of performance of cognitive levels in mathematics such as on notebook of TIMSS 2011. The procedure of testing hypotheses with Spearman correlative coefficient method have performed that all hypotheses have accepted meaningfully. Therefore, there is significant and directive relation between comprehension processes as reading literacy with cognitive capacities of students in mathematics of fourth grade.

Comprehension or comprehending? Using Critical Language ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is argued that the genre of the school reading comprehension exercise is a prime inculcator of thoughtless and non-interactive reading practices. Doing 'a comprehension' (the word is often nominalised in this manner) and answering the comprehension questions often 'counts as' reading and substitutes for other types of ...

Neuronal basis of speech comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Specht, Karsten

2014-01-01

Verbal communication does not rely only on the simple perception of auditory signals. It is rather a parallel and integrative processing of linguistic and non-linguistic information, involving temporal and frontal areas in particular. This review describes the inherent complexity of auditory speech comprehension from a functional-neuroanatomical perspective. The review is divided into two parts. In the first part, structural and functional asymmetry of language relevant structures will be discus. The second part of the review will discuss recent neuroimaging studies, which coherently demonstrate that speech comprehension processes rely on a hierarchical network involving the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. Further, the results support the dual-stream model for speech comprehension, with a dorsal stream for auditory-motor integration, and a ventral stream for extracting meaning but also the processing of sentences and narratives. Specific patterns of functional asymmetry between the left and right hemisphere can also be demonstrated. The review article concludes with a discussion on interactions between the dorsal and ventral streams, particularly the involvement of motor related areas in speech perception processes, and outlines some remaining unresolved issues. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Human Auditory Neuroimaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Screen Size on Mobile Phone User Comprehension of Health Information and Application Structure: An Experimental Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Ghamdi, Ebtisam; Yunus, Faisal; Da'ar, Omar; El-Metwally, Ashraf; Khalifa, Mohamed; Aldossari, Bakheet; Househ, Mowafa

2016-01-01

This research analyzes the impact of mobile phone screen size on user comprehension of health information and application structure. Applying experimental approach, we asked randomly selected users to read content and conduct tasks on a commonly used diabetes mobile application using three different mobile phone screen sizes. We timed and tracked a number of parameters, including correctness, effectiveness of completing tasks, content ease of reading, clarity of information organization, and comprehension. The impact of screen size on user comprehension/retention, clarity of information organization, and reading time were mixed. It is assumed on first glance that mobile screen size would affect all qualities of information reading and comprehension, including clarity of displayed information organization, reading time and user comprehension/retention of displayed information, but actually the screen size, in this experimental research, did not have significant impact on user comprehension/retention of the content or on understanding the application structure. However, it did have significant impact on clarity of information organization and reading time. Participants with larger screen size took shorter time reading the content with a significant difference in the ease of reading. While there was no significant difference in the comprehension of information or the application structures, there were a higher task completion rate and a lower number of errors with the bigger screen size. Screen size does not directly affect user comprehension of health information. However, it does affect clarity of information organization, reading time and user's ability to recall information.

Application Study of Comprehensive Forecasting Model Based on Entropy Weighting Method on Trend of PM2.5 Concentration in Guangzhou, China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong-jun; Li, Li

2015-01-01

For the issue of haze-fog, PM2.5 is the main influence factor of haze-fog pollution in China. The trend of PM2.5 concentration was analyzed from a qualitative point of view based on mathematical models and simulation in this study. The comprehensive forecasting model (CFM) was developed based on the combination forecasting ideas. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model (ARIMA), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) model and Exponential Smoothing Method (ESM) were used to predict the time series data of PM2.5 concentration. The results of the comprehensive forecasting model were obtained by combining the results of three methods based on the weights from the Entropy Weighting Method. The trend of PM2.5 concentration in Guangzhou China was quantitatively forecasted based on the comprehensive forecasting model. The results were compared with those of three single models, and PM2.5 concentration values in the next ten days were predicted. The comprehensive forecasting model balanced the deviation of each single prediction method, and had better applicability. It broadens a new prediction method for the air quality forecasting field. PMID:26110332

Journal writing in science: Effects on comprehension, interest, and critical reflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Wäschle

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Writing-to-learn assignments typically foster deep comprehension of learning contents. Journal writing, in particular, promotes the application of learning strategies, which promote learners’ comprehension, interest in a topic and ability to critically reflect on learning contents. Against this background, we conducted two longitudinal field studies. In Study 1, twenty-one students wrote learning journal entries after their biology lessons. After the intervention period, they showed better scores in comprehension, interest and critical reflection than the control class, in which students (n=25 completed other homework assignments. Mediation analyses revealed a domino effect: Journal writing improved comprehension, which led to raised interest, which resulted in superior critical reflection. Study 2 further investigated the role of learners’ interest in improving critical reflection. Students in the experimental condition (n=13 received a personal-utility prompt in addition to cognitive and metacognitive prompts to support journal writing. In the control group (n=11, students only received cognitive and metacognitive prompts. The experimental group showed higher interest scores after the intervention period and a better quality of critical reflections on a bio-ethical issue than the control group. Together, these studies illustrate the potentials of journal writing for improving learners’ comprehension, their interest and ability to critically reflect on complex scientific issues.

Individual differences in reading comprehension : A componential approach to eighth graders’ expository text comprehension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Welie, C.J.M.

2017-01-01

Why do secondary school students differ in their text comprehension? This is an important question because many secondary school students are unable to achieve the level of text comprehension required to enable learning from their school book texts. This thesis contributes to answering this question

Working parameters affecting earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) system performance for passive cooling: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Darius, D.; Misaran, M. S.; Rahman, Md. M.; Ismail, M. A.; Amaludin, A.

2017-07-01

The study on the effect of the working parameters such as pipe material, pipe length, pipe diameter, depth of burial of the pipe, air flow rate and different types of soils on the thermal performance of earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) systems is very crucial to ensure that thermal comfort can be achieved. In the past decade, researchers have performed studies to develop numerical models for analysis of EAHE systems. Until recently, two-dimensional models replaced the numerical models in the 1990s and in recent times, more advanced analysis using three-dimensional models, specifically the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation in the analysis of EAHE system. This paper reviews previous models used to analyse the EAHE system and working parameters that affects the earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) thermal performance as of February 2017. Recent findings on the parameters affecting EAHE performance are also presented and discussed. As a conclusion, with the advent of CFD methods, investigational work have geared up to modelling and simulation work as it saves time and cost. Comprehension of the EAHE working parameters and its effect on system performance is largely established. However, the study on type of soil and its characteristics on the performance of EAHEs systems are surprisingly barren. Therefore, future studies should focus on the effect of soil characteristics such as moisture content, density of soil, and type of soil on the thermal performance of EAHEs system.

A study of the infrared spectrum of psi Persei .1. A parameter study of the disc model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marlborough, JM; Waters, LBFM

We report a parameter study of emission lines arising from a disc surrounding a Be star, using parameters appropriate to the Be star psi Per. We concentrate on the Hn line and on some IR recombination lines (Br alpha, Br gamma, Pf gamma, and HI 17-6). The model we use is a simple cone-like disc

Testing audiovisual comprehension tasks with questions embedded in videos as subtitles: a pilot multimethod study