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Sample records for isaac written questionnaire

  1. Evaluation of Agreement Between Video and Written Questionnaires for Asthma Symptoms Among Children of Tehran: ISAAC Study

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    MR Masjedi

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: International study on asthma was conducted to study the prevalence of Asthma symptoms among 13-14 year old children using written and video questionnaires during the early 90's. The aim of the present study (ISAAC was to evaluate the agreement between the two questionnaires which were self-completed by the children. Methods: This study, which was a part of the third phase of International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC and performed exactly similar to phase1, was performed by National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD in two cities of Iran; Rasht and Tehran. All stages of the study were performed in accordance with ISAAC protocol. The present study discusses data related to children of Tehran. A total of 3100 school children aged 13-14 years were questioned about asthma symptoms using written and video questionnaires of ISAAC study. For statistical analysis, initially a descriptive study of the available data was performed. Thereafter, chance corrected agreement between the two questionnaires was evaluated using Cohen’s Kappa co-efficiency. Results: Of the total of 3100 children, 52.4% were male and 47.6% female, with a mean age of 13.6 years. Although the questions discussed in the two questionnaires were not exactly similar, the results of the video questionnaires showed a statistically significant lower positive response to asthma symptoms as compared to the written version. Kappa co-efficiency ranged between 0.06- 0.21 (mean=0.12, which is considered poor for all variables. Conclusion: Positive responses to having asthma symptoms were significantly higher using the written questionnaire compared to the video questionnaire. Similar to previous studies, agreement between the two was considered poor for all variables. Although factors such as language, culture, dwelling area, e.t.c. have special effects on results of these questionnaires, results indicate that the two questionnaires

  2. Validation of the ISAAC Standardized Questionnaire Used by Schoolchildren from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

    OpenAIRE

    Gorozave-Car, Karla; Barraza-Villarreal, Albino; Escamilla-Núñez, Consuelo; Hernandez-Cadena, Leticia; Sanín-Aguirre, Luz Helena; Cortez-Lugo, Marlene; Blanco-Muñoz, J.; Riojas-Rodríguez, Horacio; Moreno-Macias, Hortensia; Romieu, Isabelle

    2013-01-01

    Background. In Mexico, several studies have been conducted under the ISAAC methodology; nevertheless, no validation studies of the ISAAC questionnaire based on objective clinical testing in our country have been published. Aims of the Study. To validate the ISAAC questionnaire, used in a study of prevalence of allergic diseases, based on medical, respiratory, and allergic evaluations of schoolchildren being 11 to 16 years old in Mexicali, Mexico. Material and Methods. We conducted a cross-sec...

  3. Asthma prevalence among high school students in East Jakarta, 2001, based on ISAAC questionnaire

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    Faisal Yunus

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess asthma prevalence in children between 13-14 years of age in East Jakarta. This study is a cross sectional study which surveyed 2234 high school students between the ages of 13 and 14 years in East Jakarta in 2001 using the ISAAC questionnaire. Bronchial challenge test was applied by using methacholine substance to 186 students. Reports based on the ISAAC questionnaire indicate that 7.2% of teenage have had wheezing experience, 4.1% have wheezing within the last 12 months, 1.8% have ever suffered severe asthma attack within the last 12 months, 3.3% have suffered wheezing after exercise, and 6.3% have got night cough while they were not suffering from cold. Prevalence of atopy diseases such as rhinitis and eczema were 14.2% and 3.9%, meanwhile rhinitis and eczema prevalence within the last 12 months according to this study were 10.6% and 2.9% respectively. Statistically, there is a significant correlation between wheezing symptom and atopy (p < 0.05. From indepth questionnaire, a significant value of kappa 0.84 related with wheezing within the last 12 months was found. Bronchial challenge test results indicate that sensitivity was 90%, specificity 83.58%, positive predictive value 68.12% and negative predictive value was 95.73%. Asthma prevalence in East Jakarta at 2001 based on ISAAC questionnaire was 8.9%, and cumulative prevalence 11.5%. The ISAAC questionnaire can be used to study asthma prevalence in children at multicenter in Indonesia. (Med J Indones 2003; 12: 178-86Keywords: bronchial challenge, high school student, ISAAC questionnaire, East Jakarta, asthma prevalence

  4. Isaac Newton: Man, Myth, and Mathematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickey, V. Frederick

    1987-01-01

    This article was written in part to celebrate the anniversaries of landmark mathematical works by Newton and Descartes. It's other purpose is to dispel some myths about Sir Isaac Newton and to encourage readers to read Newton's works. (PK)

  5. Respiratory effects in children from passive smoking of cigarettes and narghile: ISAAC Phase Three in Syria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammad, Y; Shaaban, R; Hassan, M; Yassine, F; Mohammad, S; Tessier, J F; Ellwood, P

    2014-11-01

    The association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and asthma symptoms is well documented, but a causal relationship is inconclusive. International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three was the first to report a dose-response relationship between current wheezing and exposure to parental cigarette smoke. As exposure of children to water pipe (narghile) smoke is of concern in Syria, in the ISAAC Phase Three Tartous Centre we also examined the role of parental smoking of the narghile. Parents of children aged 6-7 years completed core written questionnaires about the prevalence of symptoms, and an environmental questionnaire for other risk factors, including parental cigarette smoking. We added questions about narghile to the questionnaire. Among 2 734 pupils (49% females) surveyed, we found an association between exposure to ETS of the mother smoking cigarette or narghile and ever wheezing, nocturnal cough and severe wheeze; however, the strongest association was found when the mother smoked narghile. Mother smoking narghile was also associated with exercise wheeze. Father smoking narghile, but not cigarettes, was associated with nocturnal cough, severe wheeze and exercise wheeze. The association with current wheeze became significant when mother smoked both cigarettes and narghile; however, the effect was addititive and not synergic. We recommend that international studies investigating ETS include questions on narghile smoking.

  6. Shortcomings of the written survey questionnaire for discovering ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this article I describe my reflections on using a written survey questionnaire to investigate, on a large-scale, students' perceptions of studying Xhosa as a first language in high schools. I describe the aims of the project, how the questionnaire was designed, and the problems I encountered with the analysis of the data.

  7. ISAAC. An Appreciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spyromilio, J.; Cuby, J.; Lidman, C.; Johnson, R.; Jaunsen, A. O.; Mason, E.; Ivanov, V. D.; Schmidtobreick, L.

    2014-03-01

    ISAAC was switched off, almost certainly for the final time, on 12 December 2013. The last observing block executed was OB1030962, the target, Supernova 2013ct, for a programme whose principal investigator just happened to be the first instrument scientist for ISAAC. "All constraints were respected and spectra of the target detected" are the public comments in the log. A short history of ISAAC, from the instrument scientists' viewpoint, is presented.

  8. 2nd ISAAC Congress

    CERN Document Server

    Gilbert, Robert; Kajiwara, Joji

    2000-01-01

    This book is the Proceedings of the Second ISAAC Congress. ISAAC is the acronym of the International Society for Analysis, its Applications and Computation. The president of ISAAC is Professor Robert P. Gilbert, the second named editor of this book, e-mail: gilbert@math.udel.edu. The Congress is world-wide valued so highly that an application for a grant has been selected and this project has been executed with Grant No. 11-56 from *the Commemorative Association for the Japan World Exposition (1970). The finance of the publication of this book is exclusively the said Grant No. 11-56 from *. Thus, a pair of each one copy of two volumes of this book will be sent to all contributors, who registered at the Second ISAAC Congress in Fukuoka, free of charge by the Kluwer Academic Publishers. Analysis is understood here in the broad sense of the word, includ­ ing differential equations, integral equations, functional analysis, and function theory. It is the purpose of ISAAC to promote analysis, its applications, and...

  9. Symposium on Recent Advances in Experimental Mechanics : in honor of Isaac M. Daniel

    CERN Document Server

    2002-01-01

    This book contains 71 papers presented at the symposium on “Recent Advances in Experimental Mechanics” which was organized in honor of Professor Isaac M. Daniel. The symposium took place at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University on th June 23-28, 2002, in conjunction with the 14 US National Congress of Applied Mechanics. The book is a tribute to Isaac Daniel, a pioneer of experimental mechanics and composite materials, in recognition of his continuous, original, diversified and outstanding contributions for half a century. The book consists of invited papers written by leading experts in the field. It contains original contributions concerning the latest developments in experimental mechanics. It covers a wide range of subjects, including optical methods of stress analysis (photoelasticity, moiré, etc.), composite materials, sandwich construction, fracture mechanics, fatigue and damage, nondestructive evaluation, dynamic problems, fiber optic sensors, speckle metrology, digital image process...

  10. [A case of Isaacs' syndrome associated with dextrocardia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, L; Cosentino, C; Vélez, M; Anicama, A

    Isaacs syndrome is a disorder of unknown etiology characterized by muscular rigidity, cramps and myokymias. Described by Isaacs in 1961 and called by him as continuous muscular activity syndrome. There are few reports in Latino american countries. A 31 year-old man with sustained muscular contractions in lower limbs and diffuse myokymias since he was eighteen-year old. Dextrocardia was disclosed on clinical examination. We report the case of a patient with Isaacs syndrome and dextrocardia.

  11. Isaac Newton Olympics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Carol

    2001-01-01

    Presents the Isaac Newton Olympics in which students complete a hands-on activity at seven stations and evaluate what they have learned in the activity and how it is related to real life. Includes both student and teacher instructions for three of the activities. (YDS)

  12. Interrelationships between Atopic Disorders in Children: A Meta-Analysis Based on ISAAC Questionnaires.

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    David H J Pols

    Full Text Available To study the prevalence and interrelationship between asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema using data obtained from ISAAC questionnaires.The Medline, Pubmed Publisher, EMBASE, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register databases were systematically reviewed to evaluate epidemiological data of children with atopic disorders. To study these interrelationships, a new approach was used. Risk ratios were calculated, describing the risk of having two different atopic disorders when the child is known with one disorder.Included were 31 studies, covering a large number of surveyed children (n=1,430,329 in 102 countries. The calculated worldwide prevalence for asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis is 12.00% (95% CI: 11.99-12.00, 7.88% (95% CI: 7.88-7.89 and 12.66% (95% CI: 12.65-12.67, respectively. The observed prevalence [1.17% (95% CI: 1.17-1.17] of having all three diseases is 9.8 times higher than could be expected by chance. For children with asthma the calculated risk ratio of having the other two disorders is 5.41 (95% CI: 4.76-6.16, for children with eczema 4.24 (95% CI: 3.75-4.79, and for children with allergic rhinitis 6.20 (95% CI: 5.30-7.27. No studied confounders had a significant influence on these risk ratios.Only a minority of children suffers from all three atopic disorders, however this co-occurrence is significantly higher than could be expected by chance and supports a close relationship of these disorders in children. The data of this meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that there could be a fourth distinct group of children with all three disorders. Researchers and clinicians might need to consider these children as a separate group with distinct characteristics regarding severity, causes, treatment or prognosis.

  13. [The Galenic content of Isaac Beeckman's medical ideas (1617-1629)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreau, Elisabeth

    2011-01-01

    The Journal tenu par Isaac Beeckman de 1604 à 1634 has been studied in the history of the seventeenth-century scientific revolution following the theme of Isaac Beeckman's physical mathematical mechanistic view, his proto-molecular theory and his atomistic Lucretian influence. This article goes deeper into the medical ideas of the Journal: how Isaac Beeckman (1588-1637) settles the structure of living matter according to his intensive reading of Galen. It develops a different analysis from the traditionally triumphalist approach in the history of science, focused on the victory of Cartesian mechanism, particularly in the history of medicine taking up Galenism very briefly because of its obsolete physiology. The Galenic corpus inside Isaac Beeckman's Journal consists of the many commentaries of Galen which Beeckman has put down in writing since 1616 until 1627, after when the passages linked to Galen became fewer. Isaac Beeckman's study of Galenic medicine is analyzed according to three approaches: the teleological dimension of Galenism showing up the organic conception of human body corresponding to the divine Providence and consistent with Beeckman's Calvinist belief, the physiologic angle of Galenism, based on natural faculties, stressing the purely speculative aspect of Beeckman's commentaries, while the pathologic and therapeutic angle supports the Hippocratic humourism influence.

  14. 9th ISAAC Congress

    CERN Document Server

    Ruzhansky, Michael; Analytic Methods in Interdisciplinary Applications

    2015-01-01

    The book includes lectures given by the plenary and key speakers at the 9th International ISAAC Congress held 2013 in Krakow, Poland. The contributions treat recent developments in analysis and surrounding areas, concerning topics from the theory of partial differential equations, function spaces, scattering, probability theory, and others, as well as applications to biomathematics, queueing models, fractured porous media and geomechanics.

  15. Yiddish, The Language Of Love: Isaac Wetzlar’s Libes Briv (1748/49 In The Context Of Jewish–Pietist Encounter

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    Voß Rebekka

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This special section examines Isaac Wetzlar‘s Love Letter, a Yiddish proposal for the improvement of Jewish society, written in 1748/49 in Northern Germany. The articles concentrate on the links between Libes briv and the contours of German Pietism in order to initiate exploration of the complex relationship between Central European Judaism and eighteenth-century Pietism. This largely unrecognized arena of Jewish-Christian encounter is presented as a significant factor in a century that promoted modernity

  16. McIsaac criteria for diagnosis of acute group-A β-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis

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    Imanuel Y. Malino

    2013-10-01

    Conclusion A McIsaac criteria total score of <4 is favorable for excluding a diagnosis of GABHS pharyngitis. A McIsaac total criteria score of ≥4 requires further examination to confirm a diagnosis of GABHS pharyngitis.

  17. 'Speaking Kleinian': Susan Isaacs as Ursula Wise and the Inter-War Popularisation of Psychoanalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapira, Michal

    2017-10-01

    How did the complex concepts of psychoanalysis become popular in early twentieth-century Britain? This article examines the contribution of educator and psychoanalyst Susan Isaacs (1885-1948) to this process, as well as her role as a female expert in the intellectual and medical history of this period. Isaacs was one of the most influential British psychologists of the inter-war era, yet historical research on her work is still limited. The article focuses on her writing as 'Ursula Wise', answering the questions of parents and nursery nurses in the popular journal Nursery World, from 1929 to 1936. Researched in depth for the first time, Isaacs' important magazine columns reveal that her writing was instrumental in disseminating the work of psychoanalyst Melanie Klein in Britain. Moreover, Isaacs' powerful rebuttals to behaviourist, disciplinarian parenting methods helped shift the focus of caregivers to the child's perspective, encouraging them to acknowledge children as independent subjects and future democratic citizens. Like other early psychoanalysts, Isaacs was not an elitist; she was in fact committed to disseminating her ideas as broadly as possible. Isaacs taught British parents and child caregivers to 'speak Kleinian', translating Klein's intellectual ideas into ordinary language and thus enabling their swift integration into popular discourse.

  18. Isaac Newton Institute of Chile: The fifteenth anniversary of its "Yugoslavia" Branch

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    Dimitrijević, M. S.

    In 2002, the Isaac Newton Institute of Chile established in Belgrade its "Yugoslavia" Branch, one of 15 branches in nine countries in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. On the occasion of fifteen years since its foundation, the activities of "Yugoslavia" Branch of the Isaac Newton Institute of Chile are briefly reviewed.

  19. [Isaac Newton's Anguli Contactus method].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wawrzycki, Jarosław

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we discuss the geometrical method for calculating the curvature of a class of curves from the third Book of Isaac Newton's Principia. The method involves any curve which is generated from an elementary curve (actually from any curve whose curvature we known of) by means of transformation increasing the polar angular coordinate in a constant ratio, but unchanging the polar radial angular coordinate.

  20. Parenthetical Glosses in a Sephardic Historiographical Book. Yildiź y sus secretos: el reino de Abdul Ḥamid, by Isaac Gabbay

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    Doğa Filiz Subaşı

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the use of parenthetical glosses in Yildiź y sus secretos: el reino de Abdul Ḥamid, a historiographical work written in Judeo-Spanish using Hebrew letters (Istanbul, 1909 by Isaac Gabbay. The glosses are first displayed in tables according to their grammatical categories, origins and forms, followed by a discussion of the lack of any systematic use of the glosses throughout the work alongside a graphical analysis. The paper also discusses the reason for the use of the glosses.

  1. BSDES IN GAMES, COUPLED WITH THE VALUE FUNCTIONS.ASSOCIATED NONLOCAL BELLMAN-ISAACS EQUATIONS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Tao HAO; Juan LI

    2017-01-01

    We establish a new type of backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs) connected with stochastic differential games (SDGs),namely,BSDEs strongly coupled with the lower and the upper value functions of SDGs,where the lower and the upper value functions are defined through this BSDE.The existence and the uniqueness theorem and comparison theorem are proved for such equations with the help of an iteration method.We also show that the lower and the upper value functions satisfy the dynamic programming principle.Moreover,we study the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman-Isaacs (HJB-Isaacs) equations,which are nonlocal,and strongly coupled with the lower and the upper value functions.Using a new method,we characterize the pair (W,U) consisting of the lower and the upper value functions as the unique viscosity solution of our nonlocal HJB-Isaacs equation.Furthermore,the game has a value under the Isaacs' condition.

  2. Isaac Newton and the Royal Mint

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 11; Issue 12. Isaac Newton and the Royal Mint. Biman Nath. Article-in-a-Box Volume 11 Issue 12 December 2006 pp 6-7. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/011/12/0006-0007 ...

  3. 1378-IJBCS-Article-Isaac Bertrand Mbowou Gbambi

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hp

    Ti-bearing aenigmatite from Djinga Tadorgal (Adamawa plateau) and Sao. Tomé (Cameroon Line) phonolites: geochemical implications and application of the QUILF thermobarometer for the crystallization conditions. Isaac Bertrand Gbambié MBOWOU 1*, Dagwaï NGUIHDAMA 2, Fadimatou Ngounouno. YAMGOUOT 3 ...

  4. Sir Isaac Newton

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    E. A. Venter

    1964-03-01

    Full Text Available Die geweldige oplewing van die Christelike wetenskaps- gedagte in ons geeslose tyd, is ongetwyfeld ’n haas onverklaar- bare verskynsel. Dwarsdeur die eeue het Christene ook wetenskap beoefen saam met ongelowiges, maar dit was eers in ons leeftyd dat die principia van die Christelike religie ook vrugbaar gemaak is vir die wetenskapsbeoefening. In hierdie verband sal die name van Dooyeweerd, Vollenhoven, Stoker e.a. steeds met eer vermeld word. Natuurlik het belydende Christene ook voorheen wel deeglik saamgewerk aan die gebou van die wetenskap. Die intieme verband tussen religie, wysbegeerte en wetenskaps­ beoefening is toe egter nog nie suiwer ingesien nie. Uit hier­ die tydperk dateer die arbeid van sir Isaac Newton.

  5. Jorge Isaacs: El espíritu radical de un poeta y sus frustraciones políticas

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    Raúl Vallejo Corral

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Jorge Isaacs es conocido por María (1867, novela cumbre del romanticismo americano. Pero Isaacs, además, fue un político liberal radical que llevó adelante una revolución, en enero de 1880, movido por sus principios ideológicos en medio de lo que él consideraba la traición de los liberales. La revolución, embebida de romanticismo, fue una empresa romántica destinada al fracaso desde un principio. Este artículo, a partir del estudio de los documentos de la época, analiza de qué manera Isaacs desarrolló sus actividades militantes, como superintendente de Educación, primero, como congresista, después, y como revolucionario, en el marco del proceso de recuperación del poder por parte de los conservadores. Asimismo, este artículo se enfoca en el espíritu romántico que animó a Isaacs y cómo se expresó a través de la palabra encendida de los manifiestos, proclamas, cartas e informes recopilados por el propio Isaacs en su libro La revolución radical en Antioquia (1880.   Jorge Isaacs is well-known for Maria (1867, which is considered the most important novel of Latin American romanticism. But Isaacs was also a radical liberal politician who carried forward a revolution, in January 1880, moved by his ideological principles in the midst of what he considered to be the treason of the liberals. From the very beginning, this revolution, which was immersed in romanticism, was an enterprise destined to fail. This article, based on the study of documents from that time, analyzes the way in which Isaacs developed his militant activities firstly as an Education inspector, then as a congressman, and finally as a revolutionary in the framework of the recovery process by the conservative party. Likewise, this article focuses on the romantic spirit that inspired Isaacs and how he expressed himself through his passionate words present in manifestos, proclamations, letters, and reports compiled by Isaacs himself in The Radical Revolution in

  6. Tradição em língua portuguesa do «Livro de Isaac»

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    César Nardelli Cambraia

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Resumo: No presente trabalho examina-se a tradição em língua portuguesa do Livro de Isaac, preservada atualmente em quatro manuscritos medievais. Neste estudo, apresenta-se um estema representando a relação genética entre esses manuscritos, constituindo-se, assim, a base para a realização de uma edição crítica dessa obra.Palavras-chave: Crítica textual; estemática; língua portuguesa; Isaac de Ninive.Resumé: Dans le présent travail on examine la tradition en langue portugaise du Livro de Isaac, preservé actuellement en quatre manuscrits medievaux. Dans cette étude, on présente un stemma représentant la relation génétique entre ces manuscrits, en fixant, alors, la base pour la réalisation d´une édition critique de cette oeuvre.Mots-clés: Critique textuelle; stemmatique; langue portugaise; Isaac de Ninive.Keywords: Textual criticism; stemmatics; Portuguese; Isaac of  Nineveh. 

  7. Jorge Isaacs en su tiempo...

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arturo Laguado

    1983-06-01

    Full Text Available 1867 marca una fecha de importancia para la literatura sudamericana; en este año Jorge Isaacs publica la "María". Poco queda por agregar sobre esta novela, leída y releída por varias generaciones, incansablemente analizada por los críticos más autorizados de la literatura universal, pero existen ciertos aspectos anecdóticos, que pueden ayudarnos a conocer mejor las circunstancias que rodearon el nacimiento de la obra.

  8. Isaac Newton pocket giants

    CERN Document Server

    May, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Isaac Newton had an extraordinary idea. He believed the physical universe and everything in it could be described in exact detail using mathematical relationships. He formulated a law of gravity that explained why objects fall downwards, how the moon causes the tides, and why planets and comets orbit the sun. While Newton's work has been added to over the years, his basic approach remains at the heart of the scientific worldview. Yet Newton's own had little in common with that of a modern scientist. He believed the universe was created to a precise and rational design - a design that was fully

  9. Comparison of clinically diagnosed asthma with parental assessment of children's asthma in a questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hederos, C.A.; Hasselgren, M.; Hedlin, G.

    2007-01-01

    with the corresponding medical records in the same region. An International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)-based WQ was answered by 75% of the parents of 6295 children aged 1-6 yr. Clinically diagnosed asthma, recorded in connection with admissions to the hospital or a visit to any of the outpatient......Epidemiological evaluations of the prevalence of asthma are usually based on written questionnaires (WQs) in combination with validation by clinical investigation. In the present investigation, we compared parental assessment of asthma among their preschool children in response to a WQ...... clinics in the same region, were analysed in parallel. Finally, a complementary WQ was sent to the parents of children identified as asthmatic by either or both of this approaches. In response to the WQ 5.9% were claimed to suffer from asthma diagnosed by a doctor. According to the medical records...

  10. Integrated Solar-Panel Antenna Array for CubeSats (ISAAC)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This project will develop a new subsystem technology for CubeSats. Integrated Solar-Panel Antenna Array for CubeSats (ISAAC) is an efficient, compact, high gain, low...

  11. 10th International ISAAC Congress

    CERN Document Server

    Rodino, Luigi

    2016-01-01

    This book collects lectures given by the plenary speakers at the 10th International ISAAC Congress, held in Macau, China in 2015. The contributions, authored by eminent specialists, present some of the most exciting recent developments in mathematical analysis, probability theory, and related applications. Topics include: partial differential equations in mathematical physics, Fourier analysis, probability and Brownian motion, numerical analysis, and reproducing kernels. The volume also presents a lecture on the visual exploration of complex functions using the domain coloring technique. Thanks to the accessible style used, readers only need a basic command of calculus.

  12. Restless Gentleman: Jorge Isaacs in Nineteenth-Century Colombia

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    Marco Palacios

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available María (1867 is one of the most widely read Spanish-American novels of all times; this work compares it to the ups and downs in its author's life. Jorge Isaacs had been rich and fallen on hard times; had been a conservative Catholic and turned into an anti-clerical liberal; had been a merchant and rose up in arms; later he was exiled from his native province. The parable of his life deserves an explanation and this paper offers two clues: Isaacs' ineptitude for business and the high price he had to pay for changing his political-ideological sign into one that ten years later opposed the political regime of La Regeneración (1878-1900. Ironically, a later conservative regime (1900-1930 crafted the literary canonization of María, a nostalgic and sentimental novel, and established it as a national model of immutable private morality.

  13. Prevalence of asthma symptoms in Latin America: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallol, J; Solé, D; Asher, I; Clayton, T; Stein, R; Soto-Quiroz, M

    2000-12-01

    The prevalence of respiratory symptoms indicative of asthma in children from Latin America has been largely ignored. As part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), 17 centers in 9 different Latin American countries participated in the study, and data from 52,549 written questionnaires (WQ) in children aged 13-14 years and from 36,264 WQ in 6-7 year olds are described here. In children aged 13-14 years, the prevalence of asthma ever ranged from 5.5-28%, and the prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months from 6.6-27%. In children aged 6-7 years, the prevalence of asthma ever ranged from 4.1-26.9%, and the prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months ranged from 8.6-32.1%. The lower prevalence in centers with higher levels of atmospheric pollution suggests that chronic inhalation of polluted air in children does not contribute to asthma. Furthermore, the high figures for asthma in a region with a high level of gastrointestinal parasite infestation, and a high burden of acute respiratory infections occurring early in life, suggest that these factors, considered as protective in other regions, do not have the same effect in this region. The present study indicates that the prevalence of asthma and related symptoms in Latin America is as high and variable as described in industrialized or developed regions of the world. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Cooking fuels and prevalence of asthma: a global analysis of phase three of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Gary W K; Brunekreef, Bert; Ellwood, Philippa; Anderson, H Ross; Asher, M Innes; Crane, Julian; Lai, Christopher K W

    2013-07-01

    Indoor air pollution from a range of household cooking fuels has been implicated in the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases. In both rich and poor countries, the effects of cooking fuels on asthma and allergies in childhood are unclear. We investigated the association between asthma and the use of a range of cooking fuels around the world. For phase three of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), written questionnaires were self-completed at school by secondary school students aged 13-14 years, 244,734 (78%) of whom were then shown a video questionnaire on wheezing symptoms. Parents of children aged 6-7 years completed the written questionnaire at home. We investigated the association between types of cooking fuels and symptoms of asthma using logistic regression. Adjustments were made for sex, region of the world, language, gross national income, maternal education, parental smoking, and six other subject-specific covariates. The ISAAC study is now closed, but researchers can continue to use the instruments for further research. Data were collected between 1999 and 2004. 512,707 primary and secondary school children from 108 centres in 47 countries were included in the analysis. The use of an open fire for cooking was associated with an increased risk of symptoms of asthma and reported asthma in both children aged 6-7 years (odds ratio [OR] for wheeze in the past year, 1·78, 95% CI 1·51-2·10) and those aged 13-14 years (OR 1·20, 95% CI 1·06-1·37). In the final multivariate analyses, ORs for wheeze in the past year and the use of solely an open fire for cooking were 2·17 (95% CI 1·64-2·87) for children aged 6-7 years and 1·35 (1·11-1·64) for children aged 13-14 years. Odds ratios for wheeze in the past year and the use of open fire in combination with other fuels for cooking were 1·51 (1·25-1·81 for children aged 6-7 years and 1·35 (1·15-1·58) for those aged 13-14 years. In both age groups, we

  15. Congress ISAAC '97

    CERN Document Server

    Gilbert, Robert; Wen, Guo-Chun

    1999-01-01

    This volume of the Proceedings of the congress ISAAC '97 collects the contributions of the four sections 1. Function theoretic and functional analytic methods for pde, 2. Applications of function theory of several complex variables to pde, 3. Integral equations and boundary value problems, 4. Partial differential equations. Most but not all of the authors have participated in the congress. Unfortunately some from Eastern Europe and Asia have not managed to come because of lack of financial support. Nevertheless their manuscripts of the proposed talks are included in this volume. The majority of the papers deal with complex methods. Among them boundary value problems in particular the Riemann-Hilbert, the Riemann (Hilbert) and related problems are treated. Boundary behaviour of vector-valued functions are studied too. The Riemann-Hilbert problem is solved for elliptic complex equations, for mixed complex equations, and for several complex variables. It is considered in a general topological setting for mapping...

  16. Prevalence of symptoms of eczema in Latin America: results of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solé, D; Mallol, J; Wandalsen, G F; Aguirre, V

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms of eczema among children living in different parts of Latin America. Data were from centers that participated in ISAAC Phase 3. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 93,851 schoolchildren (6 to 7 years old) from 35 centers in 14 Latin American countries and 165,917 adolescents (13 to 14 years old) from 56 centers in 17 Latin American countries. The mean prevalence of current flexural eczema in schoolchildren was 11.3%, ranging from 3.2% in Ciudad Victoria (Mexico) to 25.0% in Barranquilla (Colombia). For adolescents, the prevalence varied from 3.4% in Santo André (Brazil) to 30.2% in Barranquilla (mean prevalence, 10.6%). The mean prevalence of current symptoms of severe eczema among schoolchildren was 1.5%, ranging from 0.3% in Ciudad Victoria, Toluca, and Cuernavaca (Mexico) to 4.9% in La Habana (Cuba). For adolescents, the mean prevalence was 1.4%, ranging from 0.1% in Mexicali Valley (Mexico) to 4.2% in Santa Cruz (Bolivia). These prevalence values are among the highest observed during ISAAC Phase 3. In general, the prevalence of current symptoms of eczema was higher among the Spanish-speaking centers for both schoolchildren and adolescents. Environmental risk factors must be evaluated in order to identify potential causes for the differences observed, even in centers from the same country.

  17. Medium-resolution isaac newton telescope library of empirical spectra

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sanchez-Blazquez, P.; Peletier, R. F.; Jimenez-Vicente, J.; Cardiel, N.; Cenarro, A. J.; Falcon-Barroso, J.; Gorgas, J.; Selam, S.; Vazdekis, A.

    2006-01-01

    A new stellar library developed for stellar population synthesis modelling is presented. The library consists of 985 stars spanning a large range in atmospheric parameters. The spectra were obtained at the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope and cover the range lambda lambda 3525-7500 angstrom at 2.3

  18. Advantages of video questionnaire in estimating asthma prevalence and risk factors for school children: findings from an asthma survey in American Indian youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Fawn; Rhoades, Everett R; Tarpay, Martha; Eichner, June E

    2010-09-01

    The aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of asthma among a sample of American Indian youth and to evaluate survey instruments used in determining asthma prevalence and risk factors. Three hundred and fifty-two adolescents aged 9 to 21 years enrolled in an Indian boarding school completed an asthma screening. The survey instruments were a written questionnaire and a video-illustrated questionnaire prepared from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), school health records, and a health questionnaire. Participants also underwent spirometry testing. The prevalence of self-reported asthma varied from 12.7% to 13.4% depending upon the instrument used and the questions asked. A history of hay fever, respiratory infections, and family history of asthma were found to be risk factors for asthma by all instruments. Female gender and living on a reservation were significantly associated with asthma by some, but not all, instruments. Airway obstruction was highly associated with one asthma symptom (wheeze) shown in the video questionnaire. Associations for most risk factors with asthma were strongest for the video questionnaire. The prevalence of self-reported asthma among these American Indian youth was similar to rates reported for other ethnic groups. The video-based questionnaire may be the most sensitive tool for identifying individuals at risk for asthma.

  19. ‘Speaking Kleinian’: Susan Isaacs as Ursula Wise and the Inter-War Popularisation of Psychoanalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapira, Michal

    2017-01-01

    How did the complex concepts of psychoanalysis become popular in early twentieth-century Britain? This article examines the contribution of educator and psychoanalyst Susan Isaacs (1885–1948) to this process, as well as her role as a female expert in the intellectual and medical history of this period. Isaacs was one of the most influential British psychologists of the inter-war era, yet historical research on her work is still limited. The article focuses on her writing as ‘Ursula Wise’, answering the questions of parents and nursery nurses in the popular journal Nursery World, from 1929 to 1936. Researched in depth for the first time, Isaacs’ important magazine columns reveal that her writing was instrumental in disseminating the work of psychoanalyst Melanie Klein in Britain. Moreover, Isaacs’ powerful rebuttals to behaviourist, disciplinarian parenting methods helped shift the focus of caregivers to the child’s perspective, encouraging them to acknowledge children as independent subjects and future democratic citizens. Like other early psychoanalysts, Isaacs was not an elitist; she was in fact committed to disseminating her ideas as broadly as possible. Isaacs taught British parents and child caregivers to ‘speak Kleinian’, translating Klein’s intellectual ideas into ordinary language and thus enabling their swift integration into popular discourse. PMID:28901872

  20. A ESTRUTURA ARGUMENTATIVA E AS CARACTERÍSTICAS DOS ARGUMENTOS NO TEXTO QUE ABORDA A “NOVA TEORIA SOBRE LUZ E CORES” DE ISAAC NEWTON

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Marineli

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper aimed to analyze the argumentative structure and the characteristics of arguments used in Isaac Newton’s paper where his “New theory about light and colors”, written in 1672, is described. For this purpose, we have used “Toulmin’s Argument Pattern” as an analytical tool. The identification of argumentative structure in a scientific text can help one to understand the argument construction in science and support this reasoning on science education, particularly on textbooks organization. This analysis has characterized the arguments presented in the text and shown its relation to Newton’s explanation on color in light refraction phenomenon through a prism.

  1. Isaacs' syndrome in a patient with dermatomyositis: case report and review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lertnawapan, Ratchaya; Kulkantrakorn, Kongkiat

    2017-08-01

    This is a case report of Isaacs' syndrome in dermatomyositis. The patient presented with proximal muscle weakness, rash, elevated muscle enzyme, myopathic electromyograph and typical muscle biopsy. Ultimately he developed typical symptoms of Isaacs' syndrome which is an autoimmune channelopathy from voltage gated potassium channel antibody (anti-VGKC) leading to dysfunction of axonal discharge at neuromuscular junctions. It shares some similar characteristics with dermatomyositis such as autoimmunity, its association with malignancy and the response to treatment. © 2016 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  2. Supernatural Themes in Selected Children's Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlessinger, June H.; Vanderryst, June D.

    1989-01-01

    Discusses the impact of the traditional folklore theme of good versus evil on children's development and analyzes the development of this theme using magical and supernatural situations in the work of Isaac Bashevis Singer. A selected bibliography of work by and literary criticisms of Singer's writings is provided. (five references) (CLB)

  3. Canonical understanding of the sacrifice of Isaac: The influence of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2016-07-08

    Jul 8, 2016 ... Martyrdom has granted benefits to the people of ... Testament, as the authoritative text and understands the text primarily in the canonical context ... This is more significant in terms of ..... This image of the Father-Son relation recurs in the NT, ..... this passage is Abraham's obedience, not Isaac's self-sacrifice.

  4. Subsolutions of an Isaacs Equation and Efficient Schemes for Importance Sampling: Convergence Analysis

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dupuis, Paul; Wang, Hui

    2005-01-01

    Previous papers by authors establish the connection between importance sampling algorithms for estimating rare-event probabilities, two-person zero-sum differential games, and the associated Isaacs equation...

  5. On the Shoulders of Sir Isaac Newton and Arthur Storer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Helen E.; Evans-Gondo, Bonita

    2013-01-01

    Helen E. Martin, the author of this article, is a retired National Board Certified Teacher who has been researching Sir Isaac Newton's unpublished manuscripts for over three decades. While researching the work of Newton, a teacher she was mentoring asked for some hands-on activities to study planetary motion. The description of the activity…

  6. Intermittent Solar Ammonia Absorption Cycle (ISAAC) refrigeration for lesser developed countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Donald C.

    1990-02-01

    The Intermittent Solar Ammonia Absorption Cycle (ISAAC) refrigerator is a solar thermal technology which provides low cost, efficient, reliable ice-making to areas without ready access to electricity. An ISAAC refrigeration system consists of a compound parabolic solar collector, two pressure vessels, a condenser, a cold box or refrigerated space, and simple connective piping -- no moving parts or electrical components. Most parts are simple construction or plumbing grade materials, locally available in many remote areas. This technology has numerous potential benefits in lesser developed countries both by providing a cheap, reliable source of ice, and, since manufacture requires only semi-skilled labor, a source of employment to the local economy. Applications include vaccine storage for health care clinics; fish, meat, and dairy product storage; and personal consumption. Importantly, this technology increases the quality of life for people in lesser developed countries without depleting fossil fuel resources or increasing the release of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and chlorofluorocarbons.

  7. Prevalence of asthma in Latin America. Critical look at ISAAC and other studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Ocampo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Currently, the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood project is a global approach to assess the prevalence of asthma and other allergies in different latitudes. One of the great advantages of this project is that it compares using the same methodology, the prevalence of asthma in more than 50 cities during the same period of time, nevertheless the reproducibility of these results when compared with other studies of prevalence in each region has not been evaluated. In this review we aim to compare the epidemiological data provided by the ISAAC against the data identified in some regional cohort studies and by means of a critical evaluation to highlight the main similarities and to analyze the differences between these epidemiological data.

  8. Hurricane Isaac: observations and analysis of coastal change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guy, Kristy K.; Stockdon, Hilary F.; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Doran, Kara S.; Morgan, Karen L.M.

    2013-01-01

    Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical process of interest is sediment transport that is driven by waves, currents, and storm surge associated with storms. Storm surge, which is the rise in water level due to the wind, barometric pressure, and other factors, allows both waves and currents to impact parts of the coast not normally exposed to these processes. Coastal geomorphology reflects the coastal changes associated with extreme-storm processes. Relevant geomorphic variables that are observable before and after storms include sand dune elevation, beach width, shoreline position, sediment grain size, and foreshore beach slope. These variables, in addition to hydrodynamic processes, can be used to quantify coastal change and are used to predict coastal vulnerability to storms (Stockdon and others, 2007). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) project (http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/national-assessment/) provides hazard information to those concerned about the Nation’s coastlines, including residents of coastal areas, government agencies responsible for coastal management, and coastal researchers. Extreme-storm research is a component of the NACCH project (http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/) that includes development of predictive understanding, vulnerability assessments using models, and updated observations in response to specific storm events. In particular, observations were made to determine morphological changes associated with Hurricane Isaac, which made landfall in the United States first at Southwest Pass, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, at 0000 August 29, 2012 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and again, 8 hours later, west of Port Fourchon, Louisiana (Berg, 2013). Methods of observation included oblique aerial photography

  9. How to manage a revolution: Isaac Newton in the early twentieth century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Imogen

    2014-01-01

    In the first half of the twentieth century, dramatic developments in physics came to be viewed as revolutionary, apparently requiring a complete overthrow of previous theories. British physicists were keen to promote quantum physics and relativity theory as exciting and new, but the rhetoric of revolution threatened science's claim to stability and its prestigious connections with Isaac Newton. This was particularly problematic in the first decades of the twentieth century, within the broader context of political turmoil, world war, and the emergence of modernist art and literature. This article examines how physicists responded to their cultural and political environment and worked to maintain disciplinary connections with Isaac Newton, emphasizing the importance of both the old and the new. In doing so they attempted to make the physics ‘revolution’ more palatable to a British public seeking a sense of permanence in a rapidly changing world.

  10. Subsolutions of an Isaacs Equation and Efficient Schemes for Importance Sampling: Examples and Numerics

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dupuis, Paul; Wang, Hui

    2005-01-01

    It has been established that importance sampling algorithms for estimating rare-event probabilities are intimately connected with two-person zero-sum differential games and the associated Isaacs equation...

  11. Leadership among people who use AAC: ISAAC's Project LEAD

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Bryen, DN

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available stream_source_info Bryen_2008.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 23272 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name Bryen_2008.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Leadership in ISAAC: Leading the Way... Diane Nelson Bryen, USA Sarah Lever, USA Sayomdeb Mujherjee, India Martin Pistorius, South Africa Melinda Smith, Australia Leading the Way � square6 Powerful conference title square6 Important call for leadership development Across the Globe...

  12. Improvement of core degradation model in ISAAC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Ha; Kim, See Darl; Park, Soo Yong

    2004-02-01

    If water inventory in the fuel channels depletes and fuel rods are exposed to steam after uncover in the pressure tube, the decay heat generated from fuel rods is transferred to the pressure tube and to the calandria tube by radiation, and finally to the moderator in the calandria tank by conduction. During this process, the cladding will be heated first and ballooned when the fuel gap internal pressure exceeds the primary system pressure. The pressure tube will be also ballooned and will touch the calandria tube, increasing heat transfer rate to the moderator. Although these situation is not desirable, the fuel channel is expected to maintain its integrity as long as the calandria tube is submerged in the moderator, because the decay heat could be removed to the moderator through radiation and conduction. Therefore, loss of coolant and moderator inside and outside the channel may cause severe core damage including horizontal fuel channel sagging and finally loss of channel integrity. The sagged channels contact with the channels located below and lose their heat transfer area to the moderator. As the accident goes further, the disintegrated fuel channels will be heated up and relocated onto the bottom of the calandria tank. If the temperature of these relocated materials is high enough to attack the calandria tank, the calandria tank would fail and molten material would contact with the calandria vault water. Steam explosion and/or rapid steam generation from this interaction may threaten containment integrity. Though a detailed model is required to simulate the severe accident at CANDU plants, complexity of phenomena itself and inner structures as well as lack of experimental data forces to choose a simple but reasonable model as the first step. ISAAC 1.0 was developed to model the basic physicochemical phenomena during the severe accident progression. At present, ISAAC 2.0 is being developed for accident management guide development and strategy evaluation. In

  13. Shortcomings of the written survey questionnaire for discovering ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The problems can be categorised as follows: poor survey design; not doing enough with the responses; questions which only scratch the surface; and, respondents not knowing how to answer questions appropriately. Example questions from the questionnaire are given to illustrate these shortcomings. Recommendations ...

  14. Severe Accident Progression and Consequence Assessment Methodology Upgrades in ISAAC for Wolsong CANDU6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Y.M.; Kim, D.H.; Nijhawan, Sunil

    2015-01-01

    Amongst the applications of integrated severe accident analysis codes like ISAAC, the principal are to a) help develop an understanding of the severe accident progression and its consequences; b) support the design of mitigation measures by providing for them the state of the reactor following an accident; and c) to provide a training platform for accident management actions. After Fukushima accident there is an increased awareness of the need to implement effective and appropriate mitigation measures and empower the operators with training and understanding about severe accident progression and control opportunities. An updated code with reduced uncertainties can better serve these needs of the utility making decisions about mitigation measures and corrective actions. Optimal deployment of systems such as PARS and filtered containment venting require information on reactor transients for a number of critical parameters. Thus there is a greater consensus now for a demonstrated ability to perform accident progression and consequence assessment analyses with reduced uncertainties. Analyses must now provide source term transients that represent the best in available understanding and so meaningfully support mitigation measures. This requires removal of known simplifications and inclusion of all quantifiable and risk significant phenomena. Advances in understanding of CANDU6 severe accident progression reflected in the severe accident integrated code ROSHNI are being incorporated into ISAAC using CANDU specific component and system models developed and verified for Wolsong CANDU 6 reactors. A significant and comprehensive upgrade of core behavior models is being implemented in ISAAC to properly reflect the large variability amongst fuel channels in feeder geometry, fuel thermal powers and burnup. The paper summarizes the models that have been added and provides some results to illustrate code capabilities. ISAAC is being updated to meet the current requirements and

  15. Severe Accident Progression and Consequence Assessment Methodology Upgrades in ISAAC for Wolsong CANDU6

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Y.M.; Kim, D.H. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Nijhawan, Sunil [Prolet Inc. 98 Burbank Drive, Toronto (Canada)

    2015-05-15

    Amongst the applications of integrated severe accident analysis codes like ISAAC, the principal are to a) help develop an understanding of the severe accident progression and its consequences; b) support the design of mitigation measures by providing for them the state of the reactor following an accident; and c) to provide a training platform for accident management actions. After Fukushima accident there is an increased awareness of the need to implement effective and appropriate mitigation measures and empower the operators with training and understanding about severe accident progression and control opportunities. An updated code with reduced uncertainties can better serve these needs of the utility making decisions about mitigation measures and corrective actions. Optimal deployment of systems such as PARS and filtered containment venting require information on reactor transients for a number of critical parameters. Thus there is a greater consensus now for a demonstrated ability to perform accident progression and consequence assessment analyses with reduced uncertainties. Analyses must now provide source term transients that represent the best in available understanding and so meaningfully support mitigation measures. This requires removal of known simplifications and inclusion of all quantifiable and risk significant phenomena. Advances in understanding of CANDU6 severe accident progression reflected in the severe accident integrated code ROSHNI are being incorporated into ISAAC using CANDU specific component and system models developed and verified for Wolsong CANDU 6 reactors. A significant and comprehensive upgrade of core behavior models is being implemented in ISAAC to properly reflect the large variability amongst fuel channels in feeder geometry, fuel thermal powers and burnup. The paper summarizes the models that have been added and provides some results to illustrate code capabilities. ISAAC is being updated to meet the current requirements and

  16. From the Landgrave in Kassel to Isaac Newton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Høg, E.

    2018-01-01

    Landgrave Wilhelm IV established in 1560 the first permanent astronomical observatory in Europe. When he met the young Tycho Brahe in 1575 he recognized the genius and recommended him warmly to the Danish king Frederik II. Wilhelm and Tycho must share the credit for renewing astronomy with very accurate observations of positions of stars by new instrumentation and new methods. Tycho's observations of planets during 20 years enabled Johannes Kepler to derive the laws of planetary motion. These laws set Isaac Newton in a position to publish the laws of physical motion and universal gravitation in 1687 - the basis for the technical revolution.

  17. Isaac Newton and the astronomical refraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehn, Waldemar H

    2008-12-01

    In a short interval toward the end of 1694, Isaac Newton developed two mathematical models for the theory of the astronomical refraction and calculated two refraction tables, but did not publish his theory. Much effort has been expended, starting with Biot in 1836, in the attempt to identify the methods and equations that Newton used. In contrast to previous work, a closed form solution is identified for the refraction integral that reproduces the table for his first model (in which density decays linearly with elevation). The parameters of his second model, which includes the exponential variation of pressure in an isothermal atmosphere, have also been identified by reproducing his results. The implication is clear that in each case Newton had derived exactly the correct equations for the astronomical refraction; furthermore, he was the first to do so.

  18. Written Teacher Feedback: Aspects of Quality, Benefits and Challenges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holmeier, Monika; Grob, Regula; Nielsen, Jan Alexis

    2018-01-01

    was provided based on rubrics and templates for open comments. For this purpose, written teacher feedback itself, student artefacts and data from questionnaires were analysed. Furthermore, the benefits and challenges that teachers noticed in using written feedback will be examined. Finally......, it will be discussed which means of support for teachers seem necessary in order to foster the implementation of written teacher feedback as part of formative assessment in inquiry-based science education....

  19. Antibiotic sales and the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foliaki, Sunia; Nielsen, Sandy Kildegaard; Björkstén, Bengt; Von Mutius, Erika; Cheng, Soo; Pearce, Neil

    2004-06-01

    It has been hypothesized that antibiotic use early in life may increase the subsequent risk of asthma. We have conducted an ecologic analysis of the relationship between antibiotics sales and the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema in 99 centres from 28 countries. Data for antibiotics sales for 28 countries were obtained from the Institute for Medical Statistics (IMS), Health Global Services, UK and converted to defined daily doses (DDD). Data on the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in 13-14 year olds were based on the responses to the written and video questionnaires from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The analysis was adjusted for gross national product (GNP) as an estimate of the level of affluence. In general, there was a positive association between per capita antibiotics sales and the prevalence of symptoms for asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, but the associations generally became negative once the analyses had been adjusted for GNP. In particular, there were non-significant negative associations between total antibiotics sales and the prevalence of wheeze ever, wheeze in the last 12 months, nose problems with itchy-watery eyes, itchy rash in the last 12 months, and eczema ever. On the other hand there were weak non-significant positive associations for asthma ever, nose problems ever, nose problems in the last 12 months, and itchy rash ever. There was a statistically significant positive association with wheeze at rest as measured by the asthma video questionnaire; however, even this association was weak and would not account for more than a 1% difference in asthma prevalence between countries. These findings are generally not consistent with the hypothesis that antibiotic use increases the risk of asthma, rhinitis, or eczema. If there is a causal association of antibiotic use with asthma risk, it does not appear to explain the international differences in

  20. First Images and Spectra from ISAAC on UT1

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-11-01

    New VLT Instrument Delivers Spectacular Infrared Views of the Southern Sky The VLT Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) [1] was installed at the first 8.2-m VLT Unit Telescope (UT1) on November 14, 1998, cf. ESO PR Photos 42a-h/98. ISAAC is the second major VLT instrument to be installed at the VLT and the first to be fully designed and developed at ESO within its Instrumentation Division. Following evacuation of its large vacuum vessel, cooling to cryogenic temperature and alignment with the telescope according to the planned schedule, it successfully achieved technical first light during the night between November 16 and 17, 1998. ESO PR Photo 46a/98 ESO PR Photo 46a/98 [JPEG: 800 x 847 pix - 432k] [High-Res - JPEG: 3000 x 3175 pix - 2.9Mb] PR Photo 46a/98 shows ISAAC as it is now mounted at the UT1 Nasmyth B adaptor-rotator (right; blue colour). The co-rotator system (left) through which the various cables are fed to the instrument, is also well visible. (Photo obtained on November 16, 1998). The first focus tests on stars yielded images of excellent sharpness, around 0.45 arcsec full-width-half-maximum (FWHM). During the following nights, even better images, as small as 0.25 arcsec in relatively short exposures, were obtained, testifying to the quality of the site as well as the optical quality of both the telescope and instrument. Observations were executed using the new VLT Control and Data Flow Systems which are driven by Observation Blocks that define all details of the required astronomical exposures. In addition to direct images in various infrared colours (selected with different optical filters), spectroscopic observations were also made during the first few nights of operation. This Press Release is accompanied by several images and spectra which illustrate some of the exceptional new astronomical capabilities offered by this instrument. Star-Forming Region RCW38 in the Milky Way ESO PR Photo 46b/98 ESO PR Photo 46b/98 [Preview - JPEG: 800 x

  1. The Work of John Isaac Plummer at Orwell Park Observatory in the years 1874 to 1890

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiting, P. J.

    2006-12-01

    This paper builds on the unpublished collation by the Orwell Astronomical Society entitled John Isaac Plummer. It takes the form of a chronology and critique of papers published by John Isaac Plummer (1844-1925) in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and Astronomische Nachrichten on work undertaken at the Orwell Park Observatory, Ipswich, in the years 1874 to 1890. This work, mainly, although not exclusively, in England, took the form of measuring the positions and deriving the orbits of as many comets as could be observed from Orwell Park. Plummer also published papers in other journals, such as Nature and The Observatory, but these are to be the subject of future research.

  2. Prevalência de rinite alérgica em adolescentes do Distrito Federal: comparação entre as fases I e III do ISAAC Prevalence of allergic rhinitis among adolescents from Distrito Federal, Brazil: comparison between ISAAC phases I and III

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wellington G. Borges

    2006-04-01

    (phases I and III written questionnaire. Thirty-nine schools were chosen at random from eight administrative regions in Brasilia, and were classified into three groups according to the socioeconomic conditions of the population. RESULTS: A total of 3,009 questionnaires were collected. Of these 53.5% related to female children and 80% to students from public schools. Prevalence rates for diagnosed rhinitis, recent rhinitis and allergic rhinitis were 20, 29.3 and 12.2%, respectively. Rhinitis was more prevalent in private schools than in public ones (17.8 versus 14.1% and sufferers were predominantly female. Prevalence rates were also higher among populations with higher socioeconomic status (23.5 versus 12.2%. Comparison with the 1996 data revealed significant increases in the prevalence of diagnosed rhinitis (12.7 versus 20%, p = 0.001. These increases were observed at all socioeconomic levels. CONCLUSION: A large number of 13 and 14-year-old children resident in the Distrito Federal exhibit symptoms indicative of rhinitis and the majority of them have allergic rhinitis. Over a six-year period the prevalence of allergic rhinitis increased significantly, predominantly affecting females and with greater prevalence among students at private school and from families with higher socioeconomic status.

  3. Síndrome de Isaacs: relato de três casos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SCOLA ROSANA HERMÍNIA

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Relatamos três casos de síndrome de Isaacs, que apresentavam mioquímia clínica, cãibras, dificuldades para o relaxamento muscular, hipertrofia muscular e aumento da sudorese. A eletromiografia de agulha mostrou atividade muscular contínua involuntária, caracterizada como descargas mioquímicas. Os estudos da condução nervosa foram normais. Biópsia de músculo, realizado nos três casos, mostrou atrofia de fibras do tipo 2. Dois casos apresentaram melhora clínica com a utilização de carbamazepina e um com prednisona.

  4. Prevalence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms in inner-city schoolchildren.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mvula, Mosanda; Larzelere, Michele; Kraus, Marjorie; Moisiewicz, Kathleen; Morgan, Connie; Pierce, Stephanie; Post, Robert; Nash, Theresa; Moore, Cleveland

    2005-02-01

    This study investigates the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms in New Orleans inner-city schoolchildren. A cross-sectional survey of 1535 elementary, middle, and high school children (aged 5-18) was conducted by using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire. Lifetime prevalence of wheezing was 39.4%, and lifetime prevalence of asthma was 24.4%. Wheezing during the previous 12 months was reported by 25.7% of the sample. Twenty-one percent of respondents reported having one or more attacks of wheezing per year, with 5.6% reporting four or more attacks per year. Many participants reported sleep disturbance (15.4%), with 6.2% reporting sleep disturbance more than once a week. The 12-month rate of speech limitation due to asthma exacerbation was 6.6%. Exercise-induced asthma was reported by 16.9% of the students, and nocturnal cough (not associated with cold) was reported by 27.3%. Overall, boys reported higher rates of symptoms than girls, and younger children (aged 6-7) reported greater symptoms than older children (aged 13-14). These findings show that prevalence of asthma in this population is elevated, and the ISAAC written questionnaire successfully identified inner-city children at risk for asthma in New Orleans.

  5. Written Corrective Feedback: The Perception of Korean EFL Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Bohyon

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on the perception of Korean EFL learners toward feedback types on their written errors. The survey was administered using an adopted questionnaire from previous studies (Ishii 2011; Leki, 1991). This further allows a comparison of Korean EFL learners' attitudes with the responses to an identical questionnaire by Japanese EFL…

  6. I Have Faith in Thee, Lord: Criticism of Religion and Child Abuse in the Video Game the Binding of Isaac

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank G. Bosman

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The game The Binding of Isaac is an excellent example of a game that incorporates criticism of religion. Isaac is a roguelike dungeon crawler with randomly generated dungeons. Both from the perspective of narrative and of game design, McMillen built The Binding of Isaac around the Biblical story of Genesis 22:1-19, which has the same name in Jewish and Christian tradition, but he placed it in a modern-day setting in which a young boy is endangered by a mentally disturbed mother who hears “voices from above” that instruct her to sacrifice her only child. Multiple critical references to Christianity can be found in addition to the narrative: hostile embodiments of the seven deadly sins, rosaries, Bibles, and crucifixes, and unlockable characters, such as Mary Magdalene, Judas Iscariot, Samson, and Cain, who are all depicted negatively in both Jewish and Christian traditions. McMillen’s inspiration came from his own experiences with his family, which was made up of both Catholics and born-again Christians. The game describes both the dark creativity and the mental and physical abuse associated with religion. In this article, we analyse the narrative of The Binding of Isaac by performing an intertextual comparison with the Biblical narrative of Genesis 22:1-19. We then analyse the three-fold narrative structure of the game which enhances and nuances the criticism the game directs at religion.

  7. La politización en las lecturas canónicas: Miguel Antonio Caro, lector de Jorge Isaacs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Arturo López Jiménez

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The article herein shows some conceptual features of Miguel Antonio Caro’s intellectual project and its intrinsic strengths. Furthermore, it details the type of politicization which Caro imposed on some of the work of his contemporaries politicization which, in turn, was later imposed on him-self by contemporary historiography. More to the point, I evidence how Caro, when asserting that a particular text by Jorge Isaacs (The native tribes of the Magdalena basin was scientific, immediately proceeded to politicize Isaac’s work, among other things, because he (Caro did not have the relevant arguments needed to confront Isaacs’ text in its own terms and framework. Thus, in order to dismiss Isaacs’ objections raised against the government of Nuñez, Caro places the aforementioned work by the author of María, among the texts that threatened social order by presenting it as part and parcel of positivism, empiricism, liberalism, and all other intellectual efforts based on a damaging sensualism.//Aquí muestran algunos aspectos conceptuales del proyecto intelectual de Miguel Antonio Caro y su consistencia interna. Además, preciso el tipo específico de politización que este escritor impuso sobre algunos trabajos que le fueron contemporáneos –politización de la cual el mismo Caro ha sido objeto por parte de historiografía contemporánea–. Específicamente, presento cómo Miguel Antonio Caro, al afirmar que un texto de Isaacs (Las tribus indígenas del Magdalena es científico, politiza su trabajo por la imposibilidad de atacarlo dentro de los límites argumentativos del texto de Isaacs. De esta forma, para hacer a un lado las objeciones que Isaac eleva contra el gobierno de Núñez, Caro ubica el trabajo del autor de María en el grupo de escritos que amenazan el orden social, al presentarlo de la mano con el positivismo, empirismo, liberalismo y demás esfuerzos intelectuales fundados en un “nocivo” criterio sensualista.

  8. Written pain neuroscience education in fibromyalgia: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ittersum, Miriam W; van Wilgen, C Paul; van der Schans, Cees P; Lambrecht, Luc; Groothoff, Johan W; Nijs, Jo

    2014-11-01

    Mounting evidence supports the use of face-to-face pain neuroscience education for the treatment of chronic pain patients. This study aimed at examining whether written education about pain neuroscience improves illness perceptions, catastrophizing, and health status in patients with fibromyalgia. A double-blind, multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial with 6-month follow-up was conducted. Patients with FM (n = 114) that consented to participate were randomly allocated to receive either written pain neuroscience education or written relaxation training. Written pain neuroscience education comprised of a booklet with pain neuroscience education plus a telephone call to clarify any difficulties; the relaxation group received a booklet with relaxation education and a telephone call. The revised illness perception questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and fibromyalgia impact questionnaire were used as outcome measures. Both patients and assessors were blinded. Repeated-measures analyses with last observation carried forward principle were performed. Cohen's d effect sizes (ES) were calculated for all within-group changes and between-group differences. The results reveal that written pain neuroscience education does not change the impact of FM on daily life, catastrophizing, or perceived symptoms of patients with FM. Compared with written relaxation training, written pain neuroscience education improved beliefs in a chronic timeline of FM (P = 0.03; ES = 0.50), but it does not impact upon other domains of illness perceptions. Compared with written relaxation training, written pain neuroscience education slightly improved illness perceptions of patients with FM, but it did not impart clinically meaningful effects on pain, catastrophizing, or the impact of FM on daily life. Face-to-face sessions of pain neuroscience education are required to change inappropriate cognitions and perceived health in patients with FM. © 2013 World Institute of Pain.

  9. Development of Isaacs' syndrome following complete recovery of voltage-gated potassium channel antibody-associated limbic encephalitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hirokatsu; Mori, Masahiro; Sekiguchi, Yukari; Misawa, Sonoko; Sawai, Setsu; Hattori, Takamichi; Kuwabara, Satoshi

    2008-12-15

    Autoantibodies against voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKC-Abs) are associated with acquired neuromyotonia (Isaacs' syndrome) and related disorders such as Morvan's syndrome and some cases of limbic encephalitis. The mechanisms underlying the various phenotypes induced by VGKC-Abs are not fully understood. Recently, we reported a case of LE with VGKC-Abs accompanied by severe intestinal pseudo-obstruction and thymoma. Thymectomy and immunosuppressive therapy induced dramatic clinical improvement of LE symptoms, and VGKC-Abs titers decreased from 1254 pM to 549 pM (normal>100 pM). Seventeen months later, the patient developed progressive generalized muscle cramping, paresthesias in his lower extremities, excessive sweating, and severe constipation. There was no recurrence of the LE. Electromyography showed fasciculation potentials and myokymic discharges, and the plasma VGKC-Abs titer was again elevated to 879 pM. Here we report a case of Isaacs' syndrome after complete remission of LE with VGKC-Abs that may provide an insight into a possible link among VGKC-Abs associated syndromes.

  10. The Newtonian Moment - Isaac Newton and the Making of Modern Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feingold, Mordechai

    2004-12-01

    Isaac Newton is a legendary figure whose mythical dimension threatens to overshadow the actual man. The story of the apple falling from the tree may or may not be true, but Isaac Newton's revolutionary discoveries and their importance to the Enlightenment era and beyond are undeniable. The Newtonian Moment , a companion volume to a forthcoming exhibition by the New York Public Library, investigates the effect that Newton's theories and discoveries had, not only on the growth of science, but also on the very shape of modern culture and thought. Newton's scientific work at Cambridge was groundbreaking. From his optical experiments with prisms during the 1660s to the publication of both Principia (1687) and Opticks (1704), Newton's achievements were widely disseminated, inciting tremendous interest and excitement. Newtonianism developed into a worldview marked by many tensions: between modernity and the old guard, between the humanities and science, and the public battles between great minds. The Newtonian Moment illuminates the many facets of his colossal accomplishments, as well as the debates over the kind of knowledge that his accomplishments engendered. The book contributes to a greater understanding of the world today by offering a panoramic view of the profound impact of Newtonianism on the science, literature, art, and religion of the Enlightenment. Copiously illustrated with items drawn from the collections of the New York Public Library as well as numerous other libraries and museums, The Newtonian Moment enlightens its audience with a guided and in-depth look at the man, his world, and his enduring legacy.

  11. "To Improve upon Hints of Things": Illustrating Isaac Newton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilt, Cornelis J

    2016-01-01

    When Isaac Newton died in 1727 he left a rich legacy in terms of draft manuscripts, encompassing a variety of topics: natural philosophy, mathematics, alchemy, theology, and chronology, as well as papers relating to his career at the Mint. One thing that immediately strikes us is the textuality of Newton's legacy: images are sparse. Regarding his scholarly endeavours we witness the same practice. Newton's extensive drafts on theology and chronology do not contain a single illustration or map. Today we have all of Newton's draft manuscripts as witnesses of his working methods, as well as access to a significant number of books from his own library. Drawing parallels between Newton's reading practices and his natural philosophical and scholarly work, this paper seeks to understand Newton's recondite writing and publishing politics.

  12. Síndrome de Isaacs: relato de um caso

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hélio Ghizoni Teive

    1988-06-01

    Full Text Available Relato do caso de paciente do sexo feminino com 40 anos de idade, com quadro progressivo de diminuição de força, disfonia, disfagia, dispnéia e hiperidrose. O exame físico revelava contratura em flexão das mãos, déficit de força muscular, fasciculações, mioquimia facial e pseudomiotonia nas mãos, A eletromiografia mostrou atividade elétrica contínua em repouso. O estudo histoquímico muscular revelou atrofia de fibras do tipo II, enquanto a microscopia eletrônica mostrou dilatação importante das cisternas do retículo sarcoplasmático. O diagnóstico de síndrome de Isaacs foi firmado. Excelente resposta clínica ao emprego de carbamazepina foi observada. São discutidos e revistos vários aspectos relacionados a essa rara síndrome.

  13. A gravitação universal na filosofia da natureza de Isaac Newton

    OpenAIRE

    Garcia, Valdinei Gomes

    2010-01-01

    Resumo: Esta pesquisa apresenta um estudo sobre o conceito de força gravitacional na filosofia da natureza de Isaac Newton. O presente texto foi elaborado a partir dos argumentos desenvolvidos por Newton para defender esse conceito em sua obra mais importante, o Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687). Será visto que, em tais argumentos, Newton restringe o conceito de força gravitacional a partir de um tratamento matemático, que ele próprio elaborou em sua obra. Por outro lado, Ne...

  14. Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Journal of Biosciences. Isaac Salazar-Ciudad. Articles written in Journal of Biosciences. Volume 34 Issue 4 October 2009 pp 573-587 Articles. Looking at the origin of phenotypic variation from pattern formation gene networks · Isaac Salazar-Ciudad · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. This article critically ...

  15. Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Sadhana. NEENA ISAAC. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 42 Issue 7 July 2017 pp 1193-1201. Sediment management of run-of-river hydroelectric power project in the Himalayan region using hydraulic model studies · NEENA ISAAC T I ELDHO · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. Storage capacity of ...

  16. Gustave Flaubert, Charles Dickens, and Isaac Pulvermacher's "magic band".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waits, Robert K

    2013-01-01

    Around 1850, Isaac L. Pulvermacher (1815-1884) joined the ranks of so-called "galvanists" who had, for nearly a century, been touting the shocks and sparks of electricity as a miracle cure for all ills, including neurological complaints such as palsy and hemiplegia. The famed authors, Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), in France, and Charles Dickens (1812-1870), in England, although contemporaries, apparently never met or corresponded. But during their lives, they both became aware of Pulvermacher and his patented Hydro-Electric Chains, claimed to impart vigor and cure nearly every complaint. Pulvermacher's chains made a cameo appearance in Madame Bovary (1857), Flaubert's controversial (and most successful) novel. Among Dickens's last letters (1870) was an order for I. L. Pulvermacher and Company's "magic band." Since the Victorian age, electrical and magnetic cures, for better or worse, continue to be products of both the medical profession and quackery. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Charles Edward Isaacs (1811-1860): exploring the details of nephron structure and function in the post-Bowman period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fine, Leon G

    2003-01-01

    Charles Edward Isaacs (1811-1860), an anatomist working in New York, undertook a series of studies which attempted to define the microscopic structure of the nephrons in a variety of species. Given that he published his findings 15 years after William Bowman's seminal paper on the subject, he was able to add only a few of the finer details to the picture. He observed the continuity of the epithelium of the glomerular capsule with that of the proximal tubule and he demonstrated that the glomerular tuft is covered by a layer of epithelial cells. In a series of studies on human renal function he erroneously concluded that the glomerulus must have an excretory function in addition to its filtration function and that diuretics act primarily on the glomerlus. The latter conclusion was based upon observations of substances not currently categorized as being diuretic agents. The absence of a major conceptual advance in the writings of Isaacs probably accounts for that fact that his contribution has been largely forgotten.

  18. Primary Teachers' Written Unit Plans in Mathematics and Their Perceptions of Essential Elements of These

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roche, Anne; Clarke, Doug M.; Clarke, David J.; Sullivan, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The content and purpose of written unit plans in mathematics is an under-researched area. In this article, we provide a brief overview of research on teachers' planning processes and the place of mental and written plans. We report on data from a questionnaire completed by 357 teachers from Victorian Catholic primary schools, where we focused on…

  19. Prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in adolescents: nine-year follow-up study (2003-2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dirceu Solé

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema in adolescents (AD; 13-14 years living in seven Brazilian cities, by applying the standardized written questionnaire (WQ of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC, and to evaluate the time trend nine years after the last assessment of ISAAC phase 3 (ISP3. METHODS: The ISAAC-WQ was answered by 20,099 AD from the Northern, Northeastern, Southeastern, and Southern Brazilian regions. Values obtained were compared to those observed in ISP3 using nonparametric (chi-squared or Fisher tests, and the ratio of annual increment/decrement was established for each of the centers, according to the symptom assessed. RESULTS: Considering the national data and comparing to values of ISP3, there was a decrease in the mean prevalence of active asthma (18.5% vs. 17.5% and an increase in the frequency of severe asthma (4.5% vs. 4.7% and physician-diagnosed asthma (14.3% vs. 17.6%. An increase in prevalence of rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema in Brazil was variable; higher prevalence values, especially of asthma and eczema, were observed in regions located closer to the Equator.

  20. Developmental screening and parents' written comments: an added dimension to the parents' evaluation of developmental status questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Joanne E; Huntington, Noelle; Saada, Adrianna; Epee-Bounya, Alexandra; Schonwald, Alison D

    2010-12-01

    The aim of this study was to better understand the utility of using the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) in well-child visits by analyzing themes and patterns in parents' written responses on the PEDS form. We reviewed a consecutive sample of medical records with PEDS forms for children aged 6 months to 9 years (site 1) and 3 to 5 years (site 2). We recorded the concerns that parents identified in response to the 10 PEDS questions along with demographic information. We then categorized parents' written comments about those concerns according to comment content. We used qualitative and quantitative methods for analysis. We collected 752 PEDS forms. Ninety percent of the parents endorsed at least 1 concern (94.6% on the English forms versus 69.7% on the Spanish forms; P Parents qualified 27.5% of their concerns with a written comment. In 23.9% of cases in which parents identified a concern and provided a written comment, the content of the comment did not match the question's intent; rates of mismatch were similar for the English and Spanish forms. Among comments regarding behavioral concerns, 12% reflected a misunderstanding of age-appropriate behavior. Medical concerns accounted for 14.1% of the comments; these concerns were more common on English forms (61.3%) than on Spanish forms (1.7%) (P Parents frequently used the PEDS forms to communicate additional concerns regarding their child or provide positive feedback on their child's progress. The inappropriate developmental expectations, limited health literacy, and culturally distinct comments on the PEDS forms reinforce the importance of using screening tools to enhance the care provided during visits but not to replace patient-provider communication.

  1. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Isaac Newton Telescope Wide Field Survey (CASU 2002)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit

    2002-04-01

    The INT Wide Field Survey (WFS) is using the Wide Field Camera (~0.3 square degrees) on the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT). The project was initiated in August 1998 and is expected to have a duration of up to five years. Multicolour data will be obtained over 200+ square degrees to a typical depth of ~25 mag (u' through z'). The data is publically accessible via the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit to UK and NL communities from day one, with access to the rest of the world after one year. This observation log lists all observations older than the one year proprietary period. (1 data file).

  2. Leveraging Social Media Data to Understand Disaster Resilience: A Case Study of Hurricane Isaac

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, L.; Lam, N.; Cai, H.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal communities are facing multiple threats from natural hazards, such as hurricanes, flooding, and storm surge, and show uneven response and recovery behaviors. To build a sustainable coast, it is critical to understand how coastal hazards affect humans and how to enhance disaster resilience. However, understanding community resilience remains challenging, due to the lack of real-time data describing community's response and recovery behaviors during disasters. Public discussion through social media platforms provides an opportunity to understand these behaviors by categorizing real-time social media data into three main phases of emergency management - preparedness, response, and recovery. This study analyzes the spatial-temporal patterns of Twitter use and content during Hurricane Isaac, which struck coastal Louisiana on August 29, 2012. The study area includes counties affected by Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana and Mississippi. The objectives are three-fold. First, we will compute a set of Twitter indices to quantify the Twitter activities during Hurricane Issac and the results will be compared with those of Hurricane Sandy to gain a better understanding of human response in extreme events. Second, county-level disaster resilience in the affected region will be computed and evaluated using the Resilience Inference Measurement (RIM) model. Third, we will examine the relationship between the geographical and social disparities in Twitter use and the disparities in disaster resilience and evaluate the role of Twitter use in disaster resilience. Knowledge gained from this study could provide valuable insights into strategies for utilizing social media data to increase resilience to disasters.

  3. Newton's apple Isaac Newton and the English scientific renaissance

    CERN Document Server

    Aughton, Peter

    2003-01-01

    In the aftermath of the English Civil War, the Restoration overturned England's medieval outlook and a new way of looking at the world allowed the genius of Isaac Newton (b. 1642) and his contemporaries to flourish. Newton had a long and eventful life apart from his scentific discoveries. He was born at the beginnings of the Civil War, his studies were disrupted by the twin disasters of the Great Plague and the Fire of London; a brilliant and enigmatic genius, Newton dabbled in alchemy, wrote over a million words on the Bible, quarrelled with his contemporaries and spent his last years as Master of the Royal Mint as well as President of the Royal Society. This book sets Newton's life and work against this dramatic intellectual rebirth; among his friends and contemporaries were Samuel Pepys, the colourful diarist, John Evelyn, the eccentric antiquarian, the astronomers Edmund Halley and John Flamsteed, and Christopher Wren, the greatest architect of his age. They were all instrumental in the founding of the Ro...

  4. 77 FR 38714 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for the TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-28

    ... TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION..., the IRS is soliciting comments concerning the TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires. DATES: Written... [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires. OMB...

  5. Newton's gift how Sir Isaac Newton unlocked the system of the world

    CERN Document Server

    Berlinski, David

    2000-01-01

    Sir Isaac Newton, creator of the first and perhaps most important scientific theory, is a giant of the scientific era. Despite this, he has remained inaccessible to most modern readers, indisputably great but undeniably remote. In this witty, engaging, and often moving examination of Newton's life, David Berlinski recovers the man behind the mathematical breakthroughs. The story carries the reader from Newton's unremarkable childhood to his awkward undergraduate days at Cambridge through the astonishing year in which, working alone, he laid the foundation for his system of the world, his Principia Mathematica, and to the subsequent monumental feuds that poisoned his soul and wearied his supporters. An edifying appreciation of Newton's greatest accomplishment, Newton's Gift is also a touching celebration of a transcendent man.

  6. Graduate Students' Needs and Preferences for Written Feedback on Academic Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Manjet Kaur Mehar

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to examine graduate students' needs and preferences for written feedback on academic writing from their lecturers and thesis supervisors. Quantitative method via survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 21 respondents. The data collection involved Master and Doctorate students at a tertiary level institution…

  7. The Service Programme of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, J.

    2013-05-01

    The Service Programme of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain) aims at providing astronomers with a rapid and flexible tool for obtaining small sets of observations on the William Herschel Telescope up to 8 hours. This can be used to try new ideas or complement a regular observing programme allocated on the ING telescopes, for instance. Proposals are accepted from principal investigators working in an institution located in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands or Spain, but also regardless the nationality of the host institution. A monthly deadline for application submission takes place at midnight on the last day of each month but urgent requests submitted at any time can also be accepted. Proposals are generally withdrawn from the scheme after a one year period. In this poster we provide an overview of the programme and some statistics. More information can be obtained at http://www.ing.iac.es/astronomy/service/.

  8. 78 FR 63565 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for the TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-24

    ... TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION..., the IRS is soliciting comments concerning the TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires. DATES: Written... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: TE/GE Compliance Check Questionnaires. OMB Number: 1545-2071. Form Number: Not...

  9. Short message service (SMS language and written language skills: educators' perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salomé Geertsema

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available SMS language is English language slang, used as a means of mobile phone text messaging. This practice may impact on the written language skills of learners at school. The main aim of this study was to determine the perspectives of Grade 8 and 9 English (as Home Language educators in Gauteng regarding the possible influence of SMS language on certain aspects of learners' written language skills. If an influence was perceived by the educators, their perceptions regarding the degree and nature of the influence were also explored. A quantitative research design, utilising a questionnaire, was employed. The sample of participants comprised 22 educators employed at independent secondaryschools within Gauteng, South Africa. The results indicated that the majority of educators viewed SMS language as having a negative influence on the written language skills of Grade 8 and 9 learners. The influence was perceived as occurring in the learners' spelling, punctuation, and sentence length. A further finding was that the majority of educators address the negative influences of SMS language when encountered in written tasks.

  10. A new model of wheezing severity in young children using the validated ISAAC wheezing module: A latent variable approach with validation in independent cohorts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunwasser, Steven M; Gebretsadik, Tebeb; Gold, Diane R; Turi, Kedir N; Stone, Cosby A; Datta, Soma; Gern, James E; Hartert, Tina V

    2018-01-01

    The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) Wheezing Module is commonly used to characterize pediatric asthma in epidemiological studies, including nearly all airway cohorts participating in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium. However, there is no consensus model for operationalizing wheezing severity with this instrument in explanatory research studies. Severity is typically measured using coarsely-defined categorical variables, reducing power and potentially underestimating etiological associations. More precise measurement approaches could improve testing of etiological theories of wheezing illness. We evaluated a continuous latent variable model of pediatric wheezing severity based on four ISAAC Wheezing Module items. Analyses included subgroups of children from three independent cohorts whose parents reported past wheezing: infants ages 0-2 in the INSPIRE birth cohort study (Cohort 1; n = 657), 6-7-year-old North American children from Phase One of the ISAAC study (Cohort 2; n = 2,765), and 5-6-year-old children in the EHAAS birth cohort study (Cohort 3; n = 102). Models were estimated using structural equation modeling. In all cohorts, covariance patterns implied by the latent variable model were consistent with the observed data, as indicated by non-significant χ2 goodness of fit tests (no evidence of model misspecification). Cohort 1 analyses showed that the latent factor structure was stable across time points and child sexes. In both cohorts 1 and 3, the latent wheezing severity variable was prospectively associated with wheeze-related clinical outcomes, including physician asthma diagnosis, acute corticosteroid use, and wheeze-related outpatient medical visits when adjusting for confounders. We developed an easily applicable continuous latent variable model of pediatric wheezing severity based on items from the well-validated ISAAC Wheezing Module. This model prospectively associates with

  11. Isaac newton et la gravitation universelle un scientifique au tempérament rageur

    CERN Document Server

    Mettra, Pierre

    2015-01-01

    Découvrez enfin tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur Newton et la théorie de la gravitation universelle en moins d'une heure ! Figure incontournable de l'histoire des sciences, Isaac Newton bouleverse le monde avec sa théorie de la gravitation universelle. Secrètement passionné d'alchimie, il fait accomplir à l'optique et à l'analyse mathématique d'incroyables progrès, devenant aux yeux de ses contemporains l'un des savants les plus novateurs et les plus respectés au monde, ce que la postérité ne démentira pas.Ce livre vous permettra d'en savoir plus sur : La vie de New

  12. HARPS3 for a roboticized Isaac Newton Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Samantha J.; Queloz, Didier; Baraffe, Isabelle; Brake, Martyn; Dolgopolov, Andrey; Fisher, Martin; Fleury, Michel; Geelhoed, Joost; Hall, Richard; González Hernández, Jonay I.; ter Horst, Rik; Kragt, Jan; Navarro, Ramón; Naylor, Tim; Pepe, Francesco; Piskunov, Nikolai; Rebolo, Rafael; Sander, Louis; Ségransan, Damien; Seneta, Eugene; Sing, David; Snellen, Ignas; Snik, Frans; Spronck, Julien; Stempels, Eric; Sun, Xiaowei; Santana Tschudi, Samuel; Young, John

    2016-08-01

    We present a description of a new instrument development, HARPS3, planned to be installed on an upgraded and roboticized Isaac Newton Telescope by end-2018. HARPS3 will be a high resolution (R≃115,000) echelle spectrograph with a wavelength range from 380-690 nm. It is being built as part of the Terra Hunting Experiment - a future 10- year radial velocity measurement programme to discover Earth-like exoplanets. The instrument design is based on the successful HARPS spectrograph on the 3.6m ESO telescope and HARPS-N on the TNG telescope. The main changes to the design in HARPS3 will be: a customised fibre adapter at the Cassegrain focus providing a stabilised beam feed and on-sky fibre diameter ≍1:4 arcsec, the implementation of a new continuous ow cryostat to keep the CCD temperature very stable, detailed characterisation of the HARPS3 CCD to map the effective pixel positions and thus provide an improved accuracy wavelength solution, an optimised integrated polarimeter and the instrument integrated into a robotic operation. The robotic operation will optimise our programme which requires our target stars to be measured on a nightly basis. We present an overview of the entire project, including a description of our anticipated robotic operation.

  13. Polish Adaptation of Wrist Evaluation Questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czarnecki, Piotr; Wawrzyniak-Bielęda, Anna; Romanowski, Leszek

    2015-01-01

    Questionnaires evaluating hand and wrist function are a very useful tool allowing for objective and systematic recording of symptoms reported by the patients. Most questionnaires generally accepted in clinical practice are available in English and need to be appropriately adapted in translation and undergo subsequent validation before they can be used in another culture and language. The process of translation of the questionnaires was based on the generally accepted guidelines of the International Quality of Life Assessment Project (IQOLA). First, the questionnaires were translated from English into Polish by two independent translators. Then, a joint version of the translation was prepared collectively and translated back into English. Each stage was followed by a written report. The translated questionnaires were then evaluated by a group of patients. We selected 31 patients with wrist problems and asked them to complete the PRWE, Mayo, Michigan and DASH questionnaires twice at intervals of 3-10 days. The results were submitted for statistical analysis. We found a statistically significant (pquestionnaires. A comparison of the PRWE and Mayo questionnaires with the DASH questionnaire also showed a statistically significant correlation (pquestionnaires was successful and that the questionnaires may be used in clinical practice.

  14. An evaluation of nodalization/decay heat/ volatile fission product release models in ISAAC code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Yong Mann; Park, Soo Yong; Kim, Dong Ha

    2003-03-01

    An ISAAC computer code, which was developed for a Level-2 PSA during 1995, has developed mainly with fundamental models for CANDU-specific severe accident progression and also the accident-analyzing experiences are limited to Level-2 PSA purposes. Hence the system nodalization model, decay model and volatile fission product release model, which are known to affect fission product behavior directly or indirectly, are evaluated to both enhance understanding for basic models and accumulate accident-analyzing experiences. As a research strategy, sensitivity studies of model parameters and sensitivity coefficients are performed. According to the results from core nodalization sensitivity study, an original 3x3 nodalization (per loop) method which groups horizontal fuel channels into 12 representative channels, is evaluated to be sufficient for an optimal scheme because detailed nodalization methods have no large effect on fuel thermal-hydraulic behavior, total accident progression and fission product behavior. As ANSI/ANS standard model for decay heat prediction after reactor trip has no needs for further model evaluation due to both wide application on accident analysis codes and good comparison results with the ORIGEN code, ISAAC calculational results of decay heat are used as they are. In addition, fission product revaporization in a containment which is caused by the embedded decay heat, is demonstrated. The results for the volatile fission product release model are analyzed. In case of early release, the IDCOR model with an in-vessel Te release option shows the most conservative results and for the late release case, NUREG-0772 model shows the most conservative results. Considering both early and late release, the IDCOR model with an in-vessel Te bound option shows mitigated conservative results.

  15. Predikanten in ballingschap. De carrièrekansen van Jean en Isaac Claude in de Republiek

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David van der Linden

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, over 400 Huguenot ministers made their way to the Dutch Republic in search of a new pulpit. They stood a good chance, because the Huguenot exodus resulted in a corresponding demand for French preachers, while Dutch authorities offered financial support. Yet a surplus of ministers also meant fierce competition over positions. The careers of Jean and Isaac Claude show that on this highly competitive market Huguenot ministers succeeded in gaining a position in the Dutch Republic by virtue of their reputation, networks, and religious and political ideas.

  16. Isaac Newton learns Hebrew: Samuel Johnson's Nova cubi Hebræi tabella

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joalland, Michael; Mandelbrote, Scott

    2016-01-01

    This article concerns the earliest evidence for Isaac Newton's use of Hebrew: a manuscript copy by Newton of part of a work intended to provide a reader of the Hebrew alphabet with the ability to identify or memorize more than 1000 words and to begin to master the conjugations of the Hebrew verb. In describing the content of this unpublished manuscript and establishing its source and original author for the first time, we suggest how and when Newton may have initially become acquainted with the language. Finally, basing our discussion in part on an examination of the reading marks that Newton left in the surviving copies of Hebrew grammars and lexicons that he owned, we will argue that his interest in Hebrew was not intended to achieve linguistic proficiency but remained limited to particular theological queries of singular concern.

  17. ICDTag: a prototype for a web-based system for organizing physician-written blog posts using a hybrid taxonomy-folksonomy approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batch, Yamen; Yusof, Maryati Mohd; Noah, Shahrul Azman

    2013-02-27

    Medical blogs have emerged as new media, extending to a wider range of medical audiences, including health professionals and patients to share health-related information. However, extraction of quality health-related information from medical blogs is challenging primarily because these blogs lack systematic methods to organize their posts. Medical blogs can be categorized according to their author into (1) physician-written blogs, (2) nurse-written blogs, and (3) patient-written blogs. This study focuses on how to organize physician-written blog posts that discuss disease-related issues and how to extract quality information from these posts. The goal of this study was to create and implement a prototype for a Web-based system, called ICDTag, based on a hybrid taxonomy-folksonomy approach that follows a combination of a taxonomy classification schemes and user-generated tags to organize physician-written blog posts and extract information from these posts. First, the design specifications for the Web-based system were identified. This system included two modules: (1) a blogging module that was implemented as one or more blogs, and (2) an aggregator module that aggregated posts from different blogs into an aggregator website. We then developed a prototype for this system in which the blogging module included two blogs, the cardiology blog and the gastroenterology blog. To analyze the usage patterns of the prototype, we conducted an experiment with data provided by cardiologists and gastroenterologists. Next, we conducted two evaluation types: (1) an evaluation of the ICDTag blog, in which the browsing functionalities of the blogging module were evaluated from the end-user's perspective using an online questionnaire, and (2) an evaluation of information quality, in which the quality of the content on the aggregator website was assessed from the perspective of medical experts using an emailed questionnaire. Participants of this experiment included 23 cardiologists and

  18. Attitudes of second language students towards self-editing their own written texts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Kasule

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Recognizing students’ deliberate e!orts to minimize errors in their written texts is valuable in seeing them as responsible active agents in text creation. This paper reports on a brief survey of the attitudes towards self-editing of seventy university students using a questionnaire and class discussion. The context of the study is characterized by its emphasis on evaluating the finished written product. Findings show that students appreciate the role of self-editing in minimizing errors in their texts and that it helps in eventually producing well-written texts. Conceptualizing writing as discourse and therefore as social practice leads to an understanding of writers as socially-situated actors; repositions the student writer as an active agent in text creation; and is central to student-centred pedagogy. We recommend the recognition of self-editing as a vital element in the writing process and that additional error detection mechanisms namely peers, the lecturer, and the computer, increase student autonomy.

  19. Providing written information increases patient satisfaction: a web-based questionnaire survey of Japanese cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Hitomi; Katsumata, Noriyuki; Takahashi, Miyako

    2017-07-01

    The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the United States recommends that all cancer survivors be provided with a survivorship care plan (SCP), which includes a patient treatment summary and a follow-up care plan. However, SCPs have not been widely adopted in Japan. To provide basic data necessary for implementing SCPs in Japan, we aimed to investigate the forms of clinical and survivorship-related information that Japanese cancer survivors receive from their healthcare providers, and to examine whether written information increases their satisfaction. We performed a cross-sectional online survey of cancer survivors who underwent acute cancer treatment and had at least one follow-up with a physician in the past year. Cancer survivors provided the elements and forms (verbally and/or written) of information they received, as well as the degree of satisfaction with the information provided. Responses were obtained from 545 cancer survivors. Information elements such as surgical procedure (98.3%), surgical outcome (98.1%), and names of administered chemotherapy agents (97.8%) were commonly provided, whereas mental care resources and providers (29.7%), effects on marital relationship and sexual health (35.7%), and effects on fertility (43.4%) were less common. A large proportion of cancer survivors received verbal information only. For 18 of 20 elements, except for effects on fertility and duration of hormonal therapy, satisfaction was significantly higher when both forms of information were provided (P information can better meet the needs of Japanese cancer survivors. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  20. Prevalence of rhinitis-related symptoms in Latin American children - results of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase three.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solé, Dirceu; Mallol, Javier; Camelo-Nunes, Inês C; Wandalsen, Gustavo F

    2010-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of rhinitis-related symptoms among children living in different parts of Latin America (LA) considering all centers involved in ISAAC Phase Three (Ph3). 93,851 children (6-7 yr-old) from 35 centers in 14 LA countries and 165,917 adolescents (13-14 yr-old) from 56 centers in 17 LA countries were enrolled. The mean prevalence rate of current rhinoconjunctivitis was 12.7% and ranged from 5.5% in Rosario City (Argentina) to 21.2% in Caracas (Venezuela) for the schoolchildren. The mean prevalence rate of current rhinoconjunctivitis was 18.5% and ranged from 7.1% in Cuernavaca (México) to 45.1% in Asunción (Paraguay) for the adolescents. These indexes were among the higher observed during ISAAC Ph3. In general the prevalence of rhinitis-related symptoms was higher among the Spanish speaking centers. Environmental risk factors must be evaluated in order to explain the differences observed even in centers from the same country. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  1. The Newton papers the strange and true odyssey of Isaac Newton's manuscripts

    CERN Document Server

    Dry, Sarah

    2014-01-01

    When Isaac Newton died at 85 without a will on March 20, 1727, he left a mass of disorganized papers-upwards of 8 million words-that presented an immediate challenge to his heirs. Most of these writings, on subjects ranging from secret alchemical formulas to impassioned rejections of the Holy Trinity to notes and calculations on his core discoveries in calculus, universal gravitation, and optics, were summarily dismissed by his heirs as "not fit to be printed." Rabidly heretical, alchemically obsessed, and possibly even mad, the Newton presented in these papers threatened to undermine not just his personal reputation but the status of science itself. As a result, the private papers of the world's greatest scientist remained hidden to all but a select few for over two hundred years. In The Newton Papers, Sarah Dry divulges the story of how this secret archive finally came to light-and the complex and contradictory man it revealed. Covering a broad swath of history, Dry explores who controlled Newton's legacy, ...

  2. Isaac Newton's scientific method turning data into evidence about gravity and cosmology

    CERN Document Server

    Harper, William L.

    2014-01-01

    Isaac Newton's Scientific Method examines Newton's argument for universal gravity and his application of it to resolve the problem of deciding between geocentric and heliocentric world systems by measuring masses of the sun and planets. William L. Harper suggests that Newton's inferences from phenomena realize an ideal of empirical success that is richer than prediction. Any theory that can achieve this rich sort of empirical success must not only be able to predict the phenomena it purports to explain, but also have those phenomena accurately measure the parameters which explain them. Harper explores the ways in which Newton's method aims to turn theoretical questions into ones which can be answered empirically by measurement from phenomena, and to establish that propositions inferred from phenomena are provisionally accepted as guides to further research. This methodology, guided by its rich ideal of empirical success, supports a conception of scientific progress that does not require construing it as progr...

  3. Diet and Respiratory Health in Children from 11 Latin American Countries: Evidence from ISAAC Phase III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cepeda, Alfonso Mario; Thawer, Sumaiyya; Boyle, Robert J; Villalba, Sara; Jaller, Rodolfo; Tapias, Elmy; Segura, Ana María; Villegas, Rodrigo; Garcia-Larsen, Vanessa

    2017-12-01

    The burden of childhood asthma and its risk factors is an important but neglected public health challenge in Latin America. We investigated the association between allergic symptoms and dietary intake in children from this region. As part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase III, questionnaire collected dietary intake was investigated in relation to risk of parental/child reported current wheeze (primary outcome) and rhino-conjunctivitis and eczema. Per-country adjusted logistic regressions were performed, and combined effect sizes were calculated with meta-analyses. 143,967 children from 11 countries had complete data. In children aged 6-7 years, current wheeze was negatively associated with higher fruit intake (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.65; 95% CI 0.74, 0.97). Current rhino-conjunctivitis and eczema were statistically negatively associated with fruit intake (aOR 0.72; 95% CI 0.64, 0.82; and OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.56, 0.74, respectively). Vegetable intake was negatively associated with risk of symptoms in younger children, but these associations were attenuated in the 13-14 years old group. Fastfood/burger intake was positively associated with all three outcomes in the older children. A higher intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower prevalence of allergic symptoms in Latin American children. Conversely, intake of fastfood was positively associated with a higher prevalence of wheeze in adolescents. Improved dietary habits in children might help reduce the epidemic of allergic symptoms in Latin America. Food interventions in asthmatic children are needed to evaluate the possible public health impact of a better diet on respiratory health.

  4. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema symptoms in rural and urban school-aged children from Oropeza Province - Bolivia: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solis Soto, María Teresa; Patiño, Armando; Nowak, Dennis; Radon, Katja

    2014-03-10

    Asthma and allergies are world-wide common chronic diseases among children and young people. Little information is available about the prevalence of these diseases in rural areas of Latin America. This study assesses the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and allergies among children in urban and rural areas at Oropeza Province in Bolivia. The Spanish version of the ISAAC standardized questionnaire and the ISAAC video questionnaire were implemented to 2584 children attending the fifth elementary grade in 36 schools in Oropeza province (response 91%). Lifetime, 12 months and severity prevalence were determined for asthma, rhinitis and eczema symptoms. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated adjusting for age using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Median age of children was 11 years, 74.8% attended public schools, and 52.1% were female. While children attending urban schools had lower prevalence of self-reported wheeze in the written questionnaire (adjusted OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-1.9), they were more likely than children attending rural schools to report wheeze in the video questionnaire (aOR 2.1; 95% CI 1.0-2.6). They also reported more frequently severe rhinoconjunctivitis (aOR 2.8; 95% CI 1.2-6.6) and severe eczema symptoms (aOR 3.3; 95% CI 1.0-11.0). Overall in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis, children living in urban areas of Bolivia seem to have a higher prevalence of symptoms of asthma and allergies compared to children living in the country side. In order to develop primary prevention strategies, environmental factors need to be identified in future studies.

  5. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema among 13–14-year-old schoolchildren in Tochigi, Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Kumiya Sugiyama; Takako Sugiyama; Masao Toda; Tatsuo Yukawa; Sohei Makino; Takeshi Fukuda

    2000-01-01

    To analyze the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in children living in different countries, the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was developed. The ISAAC Phase One study evaluated approximately 720 000 children in 56 countries, including Japan. In late 1995 and early 1996, we administered the ISAAC questionnaire to 4466 schoolchildren aged 13–14 years of age in 24 schools in Utsunomiya City and Tochigi City (both in Tochigi Prefecture, Japa...

  6. Speech-language therapy for adolescents with written-language difficulties: The South African context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danel Erasmus

    2013-11-01

    Method: A survey study was conducted, using a self-administered questionnaire. Twenty-two currently practising speech-language therapists who are registered members of the South African Speech-Language-Hearing Association (SASLHA participated in the study. Results: The respondents indicated that they are aware of their role regarding adolescents with written-language difficulties. However, they feel that South-African speech-language therapists are not fulfilling this role. Existing assessment tools and interventions for written-language difficulties are described as inadequate, and culturally and age inappropriate. Yet, the majority of the respondents feel that they are adequately equipped to work with adolescents with written-language difficulties, based on their own experience, self-study and secondary training. The respondents feel that training regarding effective collaboration with teachers is necessary to establish specific roles, and to promote speech-language therapy for adolescents among teachers. Conclusion: Further research is needed in developing appropriate assessment and intervention tools as well as improvement of training at an undergraduate level.

  7. Isaac Newton: Eighteenth-century Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, A. Rupert

    1999-05-01

    This new product of the ever-flourishing Newton industry seems a bit far-fetched at first sight: who but a few specialists would be interested in the historiography of Newton biography in the eighteenth century? On closer inspection, this book by one of the most important Newton scholars of our day turns out to be of interest to a wider audience as well. It contains several biographical sketches of Newton, written in the decades after his death. The two most important ones are the Eloge by the French mathematician Bernard de Fontenelle and the Italian scholar Paolo Frisi's Elogio. The latter piece was hitherto unavailable in English translation. Both articles are well-written, interesting and sometimes even entertaining. They give us new insights into the way Newton was revered throughout Europe and how not even the slightest blemish on his personality or work could be tolerated. An example is the way in which Newton's famous controversy with Leibniz is treated: Newton is without hesitation presented as the wronged party. Hall has provided very useful historical introductions to the memoirs as well as footnotes where needed. Among the other articles discussed is a well-known memoir by John Conduitt, who was married to Newton's niece. This memoir, substantial parts of which are included in this volume, has been a major source of personal information for Newton biographers up to this day. In a concluding chapter, Hall gives a very interesting overview of the later history of Newton biography, in which he describes the gradual change from adoration to a more critical approach in Newton's various biographers. In short, this is a very useful addition to the existing biographical literature on Newton. A J Kox

  8. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

    OpenAIRE

    Oana COSMAN

    2013-01-01

    The article examines the work of researchers primarily interested in the investigation of written communication in business settings. The author regards 'business discourse' as a field of study with distinct features in the domain of discourse analysis. Thus, the paper overviews the most important contributions to the development of written business discourse with a number of landmark studies. To gain a greater understanding of the written business discourse, the author also investigates some...

  9. Evaluation of a Parental Questionnaire to Identify Atopic Dermatitis in Infants and Preschool Children

    OpenAIRE

    Laura B. von Kobyletzki; Staffan Janson; Mikael Hasselgren; Carl-Gustaf Bornehag; Åke Svensson

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To develop and validate a questionnaire for detecting atopic dermatitis in infants and small children from the age of 2 months. Methods: Parents to 60 children answered a written questionnaire prior to a physical examination and individual semistructured interview. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of validity, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the questionnaire were performed. Results: A total of 27 girls and 33 boys, aged 2 to 71 months, 35 with and...

  10. The Jewish modernist: Isaac Grünewald in Bertel Hintze’s art history

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludwig Qvarnström

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In the Finland-Swedish art historian and chef curator Bertel Hintze’s art historical handbook Modern konst: 1900-talet (Modern Art: Twentieth century, published in 1930, he introduce the Swedish artist Isaac Grünewald with a racial and anti-Semitic rhetoric. In this article Hintze’s rhetoric is analyzed in relation to a widespread everyday anti-Semitism and the language used in earlier art critical discussion on Grünewald’s art. The article concludes that earlier anti-Semitic expressions, visible in the negative and nationalistically oriented criticism, have been incorporated into Hintze’s ambivalent, but basically positive, characterization of Grünewald. In doing so Hintze translocate the anti-Semitic rhetoric from a negative and disparaging criticism into ‘normal’ art history, an example of how the voice of anti-Semitism have been built into the language and structure of Swedish art historiography, even where anti-Semitism was not the object.

  11. Investigating the impact of SMS speak on the written work of English first language and English second language high school learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Winzker, Kristy

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the impact of SMS speak on the written work of English first language (L1 and English second language (L2 grade 8s and 11s. The aim was to establish whether these learners make use of features of SMS speak in their English written work. The participants, 88 learners from an English-Afrikaans dual medium school, completed questionnaires from which the frequency and volume of their SMS use were determined, as well as the features of SMS speak they reportedly use while SMSing. In addition, samples of their English essays were examined for the following features of SMS speak: (deliberate spelling errors; lack of punctuation; over-punctuation; omission of function words; and use of abbreviation, acronyms, emoticons and rebus writing. The questionnaires indicated that these learners are avid users of the SMS. All participants reported using features of SMS speak in their SMSes, and more than 40% reported using SMS speak in their written school work. Despite this, features of SMS speak infrequently occurred in the written work of the learners, which could indicate that the learners are able to assess when it is and is not appropriate to use a certain variety of language. That said, a number of SMS speak features were indeed present in the samples, which indicates that SMS speak had some impact on the written work of these learners. Not all of the nonstandard features of their written English could, however, necessarily be attributed to the influence of SMS speak; specifically some of the spelling and punctuation errors could have occurred in the written English of high school learners from before the advent of cell phones.

  12. REPENSANDO A MARÍA ESCLAVISMO, ANTISEMITISMO Y MACHISMO EN LA OBRA DE JORGE ISAACS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Camilo Galeano Sánchez

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available El presente artículo propone una lectura de la novela María, del escritor colombiano Jorge Isaacs, desde la perspectiva de texto constructor de identidad nacional en virtud de su obligatorio estudio en los procesos formativos de los ciudadanos colombianos. Se hace un rastreo de elementos como actitudes frente a los esclavos, en la época en que la esclavitud fue abolida en el país; consideraciones frente a la situación de los inmigrantes judíos y la posición que ocupa la mujer en la fundación del país, asumiéndola como pilar fundamental de la sociedad. Se llega a la conclusión de que la obra debe ser entendida a la luz del contexto histórico en el que fue escrita y deninguna manera como paradigma axiomático vigente en la actualidad.

  13. Triangulation of written assessments from patients, teachers and students: useful for students and teachers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gran, Sarah Frandsen; Braend, Anja Maria; Lindbaek, Morten

    2010-01-01

    Many medical students in general practice clerkships experience lack of observation-based feedback. The StudentPEP project combined written feedback from patients, observing teachers and students. This study analyzes the perceived usefulness of triangulated written feedback. A total of 71 general practitioners and 79 medical students at the University of Oslo completed project evaluation forms after a 6-week clerkship. A principal component analysis was performed to find structures within the questionnaire. Regression analysis was performed regarding students' answers to whether StudentPEP was worthwhile. Free-text answers were analyzed qualitatively. Student and teacher responses were mixed within six subscales, with highest agreement on 'Teachers oral and written feedback' and 'Attitude to patient evaluation'. Fifty-four per cent of the students agreed that the triangulation gave concrete feedback on their weaknesses, and 59% valued the teachers' feedback provided. Two statements regarding the teacher's attitudes towards StudentPEP were significantly associated with the student's perception of worthwhileness. Qualitative analysis showed that patient evaluations were encouraging or distrusted. Some students thought that StudentPEP ensured observation and feedback. The patient evaluations increased the students' awareness of the patient perspective. A majority of the students considered the triangulated written feedback beneficial, although time-consuming. The teacher's attitudes strongly influenced how the students perceived the usefulness of StudentPEP.

  14. Critérios de correção da linguagem: o uso do Libro dell’Abate Isaac di Siria no Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia Vilaça

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present an analysis of the use of the ascetic treatise Libro dell’Abate Isaac of Syria by academicians of the Crusca as a source of accreditations for the preparation of the Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca, noted Italian lexicographical work, in light of the criteria used for the construction of the educated norm discussed by Bechara (2000

  15. Observing the skies of Lisbon. Isaac de Sequeira Samuda, an estrangeirado in the Royal Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Carla Costa

    2014-06-20

    Elected in 1723, Isaac de Sequeira Samuda (1681-1729) was the first Jewish Fellow of the Royal Society. He had arrived in London just a few years earlier, escaping from the Portuguese Inquisition. Despite his past, he had no difficulty in establishing links with his country's diplomatic representatives in London. A physician and adviser on scientific subjects, he became a conduit between the emerging world of Portuguese astronomy and the British scientific community. He reported to the Royal Society on astronomical observations made in the new observatories in Lisbon and helped with the acquisition of scientific instruments and books destined for Portugal. These activities were facets of Samuda's unusual career and the diverse though often converging associations that he established until his death. As the member of a network active in the diffusion of new ideas and in the modernization of Portuguese science, Samuda can be regarded as an estrangeirado, as this term has come to be used in the modern literature.

  16. Perception and Assessment of Verbal and Written Information on Sex and Relationships after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendt, Christel

    2017-12-01

    This study aimed to investigate experiences of verbal and written information about sex and relationships among men and women treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study also aimed to investigate the demand for information and assessment of the quality of written patient information material entitled "Sex and relationships in the treatment of blood diseases." Few studies exist that shed any light on the demand for information about sex and relationships on the part of patients with hematological diseases before, during, and after their treatment. A total of 216 patients undergoing treatment for malignant blood diseases between 2000 and 2010 participated in this study. Patients' experiences of information about sex and relationships, and their opinions about the written patient information, were assessed using a questionnaire created specifically for this study. Most patients (81 %) had not received information about sex and relationships from a healthcare professional. Almost 90 % of men felt that verbal information was important, compared with 82 % of women. The majority also held that written information was important. These results indicate that patients, regardless of gender, age, and treatment, consider oral and written information about sex and relationships to be important and that the healthcare system should provide the information. The written patient information was considered to play an important role in creating an opening for a conversation about a sensitive topic such as sexuality, and also as a source of reference and support for the patient and his/her partner.

  17. Evaluation of a Parental Questionnaire to Identify Atopic Dermatitis in Infants and Preschool Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Kobyletzki, Laura B.; Janson, Staffan; Hasselgren, Mikael; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Svensson, Åke

    2012-01-01

    Aim. To develop and validate a questionnaire for detecting atopic dermatitis in infants and small children from the age of 2 months. Methods. Parents to 60 children answered a written questionnaire prior to a physical examination and individual semistructured interview. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of validity, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the questionnaire were performed. Results. A total of 27 girls and 33 boys, aged 2 to 71 months, 35 with and 25 without physician-diagnosed eczema, participated. Validation of the questionnaire by comparisons with physicians' diagnoses showed a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI 0.77–0.98) and a specificity of 1 (95% CI 0.86–1). Conclusions. Three questions in a parental questionnaire were sufficient for diagnosing eczema in infants and small children. PMID:22500189

  18. 47 CFR 76.936 - Written decision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Cable Rate Regulation § 76.936 Written decision. (a) A franchising authority... of interested parties. A franchising authority is not required to issue a written decision that...

  19. For whom were Gospels written?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Bauckham

    1999-12-01

    Full Text Available This arlcie challenges the current consensus in Gospels scholarship that each Gospel was written for a specific church or group of churches. It argues that, since all our evidence about the early Christian movement shows it to have been a network of communities in constant, close communication, since all our evidence about early Christian leaders, such as might have written Gospels, shows them to have been typically people who travelled widely around the churches, and since, moreover, the evidence we have about early Christian literature shows that it did in fact circulate rapidily and widely, the strong probability is that the Gospels were written for general circulation around all the churches.

  20. Minimal Poems Written in 1979 Minimal Poems Written in 1979

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Sirangelo Maggio

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available The reading of M. van der Slice's Minimal Poems Written in 1979 (the work, actually, has no title reminded me of a book I have seen a long time ago. called Truth, which had not even a single word printed inside. In either case we have a sample of how often excentricities can prove efficient means of artistic creativity, in this new literary trend known as Minimalism. The reading of M. van der Slice's Minimal Poems Written in 1979 (the work, actually, has no title reminded me of a book I have seen a long time ago. called Truth, which had not even a single word printed inside. In either case we have a sample of how often excentricities can prove efficient means of artistic creativity, in this new literary trend known as Minimalism.

  1. Seasonal variation of total particulate matter and children respiratory diseases at Lisbon primary schools using passive methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Canha, N.; Almeida, M.; Do Carmo Freitas, M.; Almeida, S.M.; Wolterbeek, H.T.

    2011-01-01

    In this work, 14 primary schools of Lisbon city, Portugal, followed a questionnaire of the ISAAC - International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Program, in 2009/2010. The questionnaire contained questions to identify children with respiratory diseases (wheeze, asthma and rhinitis). Total

  2. The effect of written standardized feedback on the structure and quality of surgical lectures: A prospective cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmina Sterz

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Lectures remain an important teaching method to present and structure knowledge to many students concurrently. Adequate measures are necessary to maintain the quality of the lectures. The aim of this study was to determine the impact on the lecture quality using written structured feedback and to compare the ratings of surgical lectures between students and surgical peers. Methods Prospective analysis of two consecutive surgical lecture series for undergraduate students at Goethe-University Medical School was performed before and after evaluation of the lecturers via independent written feedback from trained undergraduate students and surgeons. The 22-item feedback instrument covered three areas of performance: content, visualization, and delivery. Additional suggestions for improvement were provided from both students and surgical peers who anonymously attended the lectures. The lecturers, experienced surgeons, as well as the student and peer raters were blinded in terms of the aim and content of the study. Their response to the feedback was collected using a web-based 13-item questionnaire. The Kendall’s-W coefficient was computed to calculate inter-rater reliability (IRR. Differences between ratings before and after feedback were analyzed using Student’s t-test for dependent samples. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov-test was used for independent samples. Results A total of 22 lectures from a possible 32 given by 13 lecturers were included and analyzed by at least three surgeons and two students. There were significant improvements in overall score as well as in the details of 9 of the 13 items were found. The average inter-rater reliability was 0.71. There were no differences in the ratings as a function of the rater’s level of expertise (peers vs. students. We found that 13/23 lecturers (56.5% answered the questionnaire, and 92% strongly agreed that the written feedback was useful. 76.9% of the lecturers revised their lecture

  3. Enlarging the bounds of moral philosophy: Why did Isaac Newton conclude the Opticks the way he did?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henry, John

    2017-01-01

    This paper draws attention to the remarkable closing words of Isaac Newton's Optice (1706) and subsequent editions of the Opticks (1718, 1721), and tries to suggest why Newton chose to conclude his book with a puzzling allusion to his own unpublished conclusions about the history of religion. Newton suggests in this concluding passage that the bounds of moral philosophy will be enlarged as natural philosophy is ‘perfected’. Asking what Newton might have had in mind, the paper first considers the idea that he was foreshadowing the ‘moral Newtonianism’ developed later in the eighteenth century; then it considers the idea that he was perhaps pointing to developments in natural theology. Finally, the paper suggests that Newton wanted to at least signal the importance of attempting to recover the true original religion, and perhaps was hinting at his intention to publish his own extensive research on the history of the Church.

  4. Is appreciation of written education about pain neurophysiology related to changes in illness perceptions and health status in patients with fibromyalgia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ittersum, M W; van Wilgen, C P; Groothoff, J W; van der Schans, C P

    2011-11-01

    To investigate the appreciation of written education about pain neurophysiology in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and its effects on illness perceptions and perceived health status. A booklet explaining pain neurophysiology was sent to participants with FM. Appreciation was assessed with 10 questions addressing relevance (0-30) and reassurance (0-30). Illness perceptions, catastrophizing and health status were measured with the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) at baseline (T0), after a 2-week control period (T1) and 6 weeks after the intervention (T2). Forty-one patients participated. Mean (SD) scores for relevance and reassurance were 21.6 (5.6) and 18.7 (5.7), respectively. Only illness coherence, emotional representations, pain and fatigue changed significantly between T0 and T2. Correlations between appreciation and changes in outcomes ranged between r=0.00 and r=0.34. Although a majority of subjects appreciated the written information, it did not have clinically relevant effects on illness perceptions, catastrophizing or impact of FM on daily life. Written education about pain neurophysiology is inadequate toward changing illness perceptions, catastrophizing or perceived health status of participants with FM; education should be incorporated into a broader multidisciplinary self-management program. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Usefulness of questionnaires on advance directives in haemodialysis units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jornet, Angel Rodríguez; Castellanos, Loreley Ana Betancourt; Contador, Maria Isabel Bolós; Morera, Juan Carlos Oliva; López, José Antonio Ibeas

    2017-10-01

    As renal replacement therapy has become universal practice in medicine, there is a need to consider whether this treatment is suitable for elderly people. These patients have high comorbidity and may require dialysis withdrawal in certain clinical circumstances. Advance directives (ADs) drawn up by patients facilitate treatment-related decisions if they lose cognitive capacity. Questionnaires dealing with possible extreme clinical circumstances can thus help clinicians and relatives reach pertinent decisions in such cases. We studied the usefulness of questionnaires on ADs in patients who started periodic haemodialysis over a period of 10 years. Telephone interviews were conducted to assess satisfaction level among relatives/representatives of deceased patients who had been advised to limit therapeutic efforts in certain clinical situations. The questionnaire was assessed using a six-factor degree of satisfaction. Four hundred and forty-three questionnaires were distributed over a period of 10 years. A total of 41.3% of patients stated that they wished to limit therapeutic efforts in the serious clinical situations presented; 37.9% refused to complete the questionnaire; 14.7% expressed their wishes without any written confirmation; and 6.1% expressed their wish to continue on dialysis in all situations. Two hundred and twenty-four patients had died by the study end date. The cause of death in 20.2% was scheduled dialysis withdrawal. Representatives reported an extremely high degree of satisfaction with the questionnaire (94.7%). Younger people, however, were more reluctant to consider and answer questionnaires on ADs. Questionnaires on ADs are a useful tool in daily nephrology practice and should be distributed to those patients willing to consider the limitation of therapeutic efforts in extreme clinical circumstances. In general terms, these questionnaires should be given to all elderly patients. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on

  6. A quantitative method to analyse an open answer questionnaire: A case study about the Boltzmann Factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Battaglia, Onofrio Rosario; Di Paola, Benedetto

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes a quantitative method to analyse an openended questionnaire. Student responses to a specially designed written questionnaire are quantitatively analysed by not hierarchical clustering called k-means method. Through this we can characterise behaviour students with respect their expertise to formulate explanations for phenomena or processes and/or use a given model in the different context. The physics topic is about the Boltzmann Factor, which allows the students to have a unifying view of different phenomena in different contexts.

  7. Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Sadhana. T I ELDHO. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 42 Issue 7 July 2017 pp 1193-1201. Sediment management of run-of-river hydroelectric power project in the Himalayan region using hydraulic model studies · NEENA ISAAC T I ELDHO · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. Storage capacity of ...

  8. Fulltext PDF

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Some three and a half centuries ago, Galileo Galilei declared that the book of nature was written in the language of mathematics. Isaac Newton following after him set up a comprehensive scheme for the description of physical phenomena, and aptly called it "Mathematical Principles of. Natural Philosophy". For a couple of ...

  9. Effects of Guided Written Disclosure Protocol on mood states and psychological symptoms among parents of off-therapy acute lymphoblastic leukemia children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Maria Luisa; Freda, Maria Francesca; Camera, Flavia

    2013-06-01

    This study assesses the effects of Guided Written Disclosure Protocol on psychological distress in mothers and fathers of off-therapy acute lymphoblastic leukemia children. An experimental group participated in the writing intervention with a control group subject only to test-taking standards. The Symptom Questionnaire and Profile of Mood States were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Guided Written Disclosure Protocol had significant effects on the progressive reduction of anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, hostility, tension-anxiety, and fatigue-inertia within the experimental group. However, the control group distress levels tended to worsen over time. The mediating role of emotional processing was highlighted.

  10. Written Language Shift among Norwegian Youth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamil ÖZERK

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available In Norway there are two written Norwegian languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk. Of these two written languages Bokmål is being used by the majority of the people, and Bokmål has the highest prestige in the society. This article is about the shift of written language from Nynorsk to Bokmål among young people in a traditional Nynorsk district in the country. Drawing on empirical data we conclude that many adolescents are experiencing written language shift. We discuss various reasons for this phenomenon in the linguistic landscape of Norway. In our discussions we emphasize the importance of the school with regard to language maintenance and language revitalization. We call for a new language policy in the educational system that can prevent language shift. Having several dialects and two officially written forms of Norwegian in the country, creates a special linguistic landscape in Norway. Despite the fact that the Norwegian language situation is in several ways unique, it’s done very little research on how the existing policy works in practice. Our research reveals that the existing language policy and practice in the school system is not powerful enough to prevent language shift and language decay among the youngsters. The school system functions like a fabric for language shift.

  11. Feedforward: helping students interpret written feedback

    OpenAIRE

    Hurford, Donna; Read, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    "Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners... "(Assessment Reform Group, 2002, p.2): for the Higher Education tutor, written feedback forms an integral part of this. This short article reports on teaching methods to engage students in feedback and assessment of their written work.

  12. [Need for Information about Medical Rehabilitation of Persons with German Pension Insurance: a Written Survey].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, Anna Lena; Falk, Johannes; Deck, Ruth

    2017-07-26

    Aim In order to acquire target group-specific information on rehabilitation for members of the German pension insurance, they were asked about their ideas about medical rehabilitation and desired information regarding subjects and kind of information transfer. Method The core of the project was a written survey of members of the German pension insurance. N=600 insured people were invited to participate in the study. The questionnaire was developed in a qualitative pre-study. Results N=196 questionnaires were evaluated. Recovery of working ability was mentioned by most persons as the aim of medical rehabilitation. The most common idea regarding indication for rehabilitation was a specific operation. Physiotherapy was most often considered as therapy during medical rehabilitation. Information about formal steps, realistic aims and rehabilitation clinics were important. A conversation with their physician, written information material and a website were the preferred information pathways. Two-thirds of participants thought that information about medical rehabilitation was important even though they had no rehabilitation indication at the time of survey. Conclusion The identified target-related information needs can be considered in a need-oriented development of information material. These can contribute to an informed decision for members of the German pension insurance for or against medical rehabilitation or an application for rehabilitation. Moreover, patient-oriented information can contribute to more successful rehabilitation participation, higher satisfaction with and a better rating of medical rehabilitation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Poling of UV-written Waveguides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arentoft, Jesper; Kristensen, Martin; Hübner, Jörg

    1999-01-01

    We report poling of UV-written silica waveguides. Thermal poling induces an electro-optic coefficient of 0.05 pm/V. We also demonstrate simultaneous UV-writing and UV-poling. No measurable decay in the induced electro-optic effect was detected after nine months......We report poling of UV-written silica waveguides. Thermal poling induces an electro-optic coefficient of 0.05 pm/V. We also demonstrate simultaneous UV-writing and UV-poling. No measurable decay in the induced electro-optic effect was detected after nine months...

  14. 29 CFR 100.610 - Written demand for payment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Procedures § 100.610 Written demand for payment. (a) The NLRB will promptly make written demand upon the debtor for payment of money or the return of specific property. The written demand for payment will be... late charges will be 60 days from the date that the demand letter is mailed or hand-delivered. (b) The...

  15. Fulltext PDF

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    his own failure to match the achievements of. Sir Isaac. I Raphson, an eminent scientist of his day and a friend of New- ton, published the method in his book Analysis Aequationum. Universalis in 1690. Newton described it in Method of Flux- ions written in 1671, but pub- lished in 1736 (l}. Keywords. Implicit function theorem,.

  16. Sunny hours and variations in the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies (ISAAC) Phase III in Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnedo-Pena, Alberto; García-Marcos, Luis; Fernández-Espinar, Jorge Fuertes; Bercedo-Sanz, Alberto; Aguinaga-Ontoso, Ines; González-Díaz, Carlos; Carvajal-Urueña, Ignacio; Busquet-Monge, Rosa; Suárez-Varela, Maria Morales; de Andoin, Nagore García; Batlles-Garrido, Juan; Blanco-Quirós, Alfredo; Varela, Angel López-Silvarrey; García-Hernández, Gloria

    2011-05-01

    The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren aged 6-7 years and 13-14 years and the mean annual sunny hours (MASH) in Spain, and to explore predictive models for asthma prevalence. The prevalence of asthma was obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies (ISAAC) Phase III 2002-2003, and climate and socio-economic variables from official sources. Nine centres were studied and a further four centres, two of which are in ISAAC, to test the predictive models. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence rates of asthma for each centre, and multiple regression models to study the effects of MASH and other meteorological and socio-economic variables. The adjusted prevalence rate of asthma decreased 0.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.8%] for the 6-7 years group and 1.1% (95% CI 0.8-1.3%) for the 13-14 years group with an increase in the MASH of 100 h. Relative humidity was negatively associated with asthma in the older age group, and gross province product per capita (GPP) was positively associated with asthma in the younger age group. The predictive models, which included MASH, gender, relative humidity, and GPP, anticipated prevalence rates of asthma without significant differences between the levels observed and those expected in 9 of the11 measurements carried out. The results indicate that sunny hours have a protective effect on the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren.

  17. There is grandeur in this view of Newton: Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Victorian conceptions of scientific virtue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellon, Richard

    2014-01-01

    For Victorian men of science, the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century represented a moral awakening. Great theoretical triumphs of inductive science flowed directly from a philosophical spirit that embraced the virtues of self-discipline, courage, patience and humility. Isaac Newton exemplified this union of moral and intellectual excellence. This, at least, was the story crafted by scientific leaders like David Brewster, Thomas Chalmers, John Herschel, Adam Sedgwick and William Whewell. Not everyone accepted this reading of history. Evangelicals who decried the 'materialism' of mainstream science assigned a different meaning to Newton's legacy on behalf of their 'scriptural' alternative. High-church critics of science like John Henry Newman, on the other hand, denied that Newton's secular achievements carried any moral significance at all. These debates over Newtonian standards of philosophical behavior had a decisive influence on Charles Darwin as he developed his theory of evolution by natural selection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 12 CFR 704.16 - Contracts/written agreements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Contracts/written agreements. 704.16 Section 704.16 Banks and Banking NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS AFFECTING CREDIT UNIONS CORPORATE CREDIT UNIONS § 704.16 Contracts/written agreements. Services, facilities, personnel, or equipment...

  19. Evanescent fields of laser written waveguides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jukić, Dario; Pohl, Thomas; Götte, Jörg B.

    2015-03-01

    We investigate the evanescent field at the surface of laser written waveguides. The waveguides are written by a direct femtosecond laser writing process into fused silica, which is then sanded down to expose the guiding layer. These waveguides support eigenmodes which have an evanescent field reaching into the vacuum above the waveguide. We study the governing wave equations and present solution for the fundamental eigenmodes of the modified waveguides.

  20. Prevalence and geographic variations in asthma symptoms in children and adolescents in Galicia (Spain).

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Silvarrey-Varela, Angel; Pértega-Díaz, Sonia; Rueda-Esteban, Santiago; Sánchez-Lastres, Juan Manuel; San-José-González, Miguel Angel; Sampedro-Campos, Manuel; Pérez-Castro, Teresa; Garnelo-Suárez, Luciano; Bamonde-Rodríguez, Luis; López-Silvarrey-Varela, Javier; González-Barcala, Javier

    2011-06-01

    To determine the prevalence and geographic variations of the symptoms associated with asthma in Galician children and adolescents. A cross-sectional epidemiological study following ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) methodology, and using a written questionnaire distributed in schools. The study sample included 10,371 6-7 year-old children and 10,372 13-14 year-old adolescents, all of them from Galician Health Areas. A logistic regression model was used to analyse geographic variations. In the 6-7 year-old group, wheezing in the last 12 months varied from 11.4% (Santiago) to 15.7% (Vigo) and in the adolescents varied from 8.8% (Ourense) to 18.8% (Vigo). The distribution by gender showed a predominant significance in 6-7 year-old males (Pchildren and 2.39 (95% CI, 1.82-3.13) for adolescents. The estimated prevalence of asthma in the Autonomous Community of Galicia was 13.6% in younger children and 12.2% in adolescents. The prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months in the different areas of Galicia is considerably higher than the rest of Spanish ISAAC cities in the 6-7 years group and very similar in the 13-14 years group, except in Vigo where it is considerably higher. We found a clearly defined geographic pattern in the adolescent group, with higher prevalences in coastal areas than in the interior. Copyright © 2010 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  1. 45 CFR 99.26 - Unsponsored written material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Unsponsored written material. 99.26 Section 99.26 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR HEARINGS FOR THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Hearing Procedures § 99.26 Unsponsored written material. Letters...

  2. Oral and Literate Strategies in Spoken and Written Narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tannen, Deborah

    1982-01-01

    Discusses comparative analysis of spoken and written versions of a narrative to demonstrate that features which have been identified as characterizing oral discourse are also found in written discourse and that the written short story combines syntactic complexity expected in writing with features which create involvement expected in speaking.…

  3. A computer simulation of iron corrosion in a sodium loop using the Fleitman-Isaacs' solubility relationship

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polley, M.V.; Skyrme, G.

    1975-11-01

    At the present time, no theoretical treatment of mass transfer in sodium loops has been able to reconcile the low observed corrosion rates with values of iron solubility recommended in the literature. Although measured values of the solubility of iron in sodium have varied very widely, one recent determination by Fleitman and Isaacs gave low values at low oxygen activities. These values were used in the present work for predicting, by conventional mass transfer theory, corrosion in a non-isothermal loop. The method was to simulate mass transfer using a computer program while following the sodium around the loop until equilibrium was established. The advantages of this method are that the concentration driving force is predicted for all parts of the loop and that changes in mass transfer rates with change in temperature distribution and geometry can be easily investigated. The predicted variation of corrosion rate in the hot isothermal region is reported as a function of sodium velocity, downstream position, temperature, temperature differential, oxygen concentration and loop geometry. Both surface controlled and diffusion controlled mass transfer were investigated and the results were compared with the data of Thorley and Tyzack reported in the literature. (author)

  4. Effects of Written and Auditory Language-Processing Skills on Written Passage Comprehension in Middle and High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caplan, David; Waters, Gloria; Bertram, Julia; Ostrowski, Adam; Michaud, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    The authors assessed 4,865 middle and high school students for the ability to recognize and understand written and spoken morphologically simple words, morphologically complex words, and the syntactic structure of sentences and for the ability to answer questions about facts presented in a written passage and to make inferences based on those…

  5. Development and communication of written ethics policies on euthanasia in Catholic hospitals and nursing homes in Belgium (Flanders).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gastmans, Chris; Lemiengre, Joke; de Casterlé, Bernadette Dierckx

    2006-10-01

    To describe whether and how Catholic hospitals and nursing homes in Belgium (Flanders) have developed written ethics policies on euthanasia and communicated these policies to their employees, patients, and patient's relatives. A cross-sectional mail survey of general directors of Catholic hospitals and nursing homes in Belgium (Flanders). Of the 298 targeted institutions, 81% of hospitals and 62% of nursing homes returned complete questionnaires. A high percentage of Catholic hospitals (79%) and a moderate percentage of nursing homes (30%) had written ethics policies on euthanasia. Both caregivers and healthcare administrators were involved in the development and approval of these policies. Physicians and nurses were best informed about the policies. More than half of the nursing homes (57%) took the initiative to inform both residents and relatives about the policies, while only one hospital did so. The high prevalence of written ethics policies on euthanasia in Flemish Catholic hospitals may reflect the concern of healthcare administrators to maintain the quality of care for patients requesting euthanasia. However, the true contribution of these policies to quality end-of-life care and to supporting caregivers remains unknown and needs further research. Legislation and centrally developed guidelines might influence healthcare institutions to develop ethics policies.

  6. Oral vs. written evaluation of students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Asklund, U.; Bendix, Lars Gotfred

    2003-01-01

    In this short paper we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of oral and written evaluation of students. First in more general terms and then followed by details of what we did in our course and our experience. Finally, we outline some topics for further study and discussions......In this short paper we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of oral and written evaluation of students. First in more general terms and then followed by details of what we did in our course and our experience. Finally, we outline some topics for further study and discussions...

  7. The challenge of giving written thesis feedback to nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuvesson, Hanna; Borglin, Gunilla

    2014-11-01

    Providing effective written feedback on nursing student's assignments can be a challenging task for any assessor. Additionally, as the student groups tend to become larger, written feedback is likely to gain an overall more prominent position than verbal feedback. Lack of formal training or regular discussion in the teaching faculty about the skill set needed to provide written feedback could negatively affect the students' learning abilities. In this brief paper, we discuss written feedback practices, whilst using the Bachelor of Science in Nursing thesis as an example. Our aim is to highlight the importance of an informed understanding of the impact written feedback can have on students. Creating awareness about this can facilitate the development of more strategic and successful written feedback strategies. We end by offering examples of some relatively simple strategies for improving this practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. 5 CFR 179.306 - Written agreement for repayment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Written agreement for repayment. 179.306 Section 179.306 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS Administrative Offset § 179.306 Written agreement for repayment. A debtor who admits...

  9. Improving Written Language Performance of Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delano, Monica E

    2007-01-01

    The effects of a multicomponent intervention involving self-regulated strategy development delivered via video self-modeling on the written language performance of 3 students with Asperger syndrome were examined. During intervention sessions, each student watched a video of himself performing strategies for increasing the number of words written and the number of functional essay elements. He then wrote a persuasive essay. The number of words written and number of functional essay elements included in each essay were measured. Each student demonstrated gains in the number of words written and number of functional essay elements. Maintenance of treatment effects at follow-up varied across targets and participants. Implications for future research are suggested. PMID:17624076

  10. [Changes in the prevalence of asthma in Chilean school age children between 1994 and 2002. International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)--Chile phases I and III].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallol, Javier; Aguirre, Viviana; Aguilar, Pedro; Calvo, Mario; Amarales, Lidia; Arellano, Pamela; Palma, Rodrigo

    2007-05-01

    In developed countries, the prevalence of asthma in children has significantly increased in the last decades. However, there is no information about the trends of asthma in Latin America. To determine changes in asthma prevalence between 1994 and 2002 in Chilean schoolchildren. The prevalence of asthma symptoms in schoolchildren aged 7 (n =18.697) and 13 years (n =18.939), from South Santiago, Valdivia and Punta Arenas, obtained during phases I and III of the ISAAC, carried out in 1994 and 2002, was compared. From 1994 to 2002, the mean national prevalence of "wheezing in the last 12 months" in the group aged 6-7 years, changed from 18.2% to 17.9% (p =NS); "asthma ever" from 12.5% to 10.7% (p =NS), and "severe episode" from 3.2% to 2.8% (p =NS). There was a significant increase of the prevalence of "wheezing in the last 12 months", in children aged 13-14 years, from 9.8% to 15.5% (p =0.01); in "asthma ever" from 10.2% to 14.9% (p =0.01), and for "severe episode" from 2.8% to 3.8% (p =0.01). There was a significant increase in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms related to asthma in children aged 13-14 years that was consistent in all the 3 participating centres of the ISAAC. However, the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children aged 6-7 years remained without significant changes between 1994 and 2002.

  11. Accurate modeling of UV written waveguide components

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svalgaard, Mikael

    BPM simulation results of UV written waveguide components that are indistinguishable from measurements can be achieved on the basis of trajectory scan data and an equivalent step index profile that is very easy to measure.......BPM simulation results of UV written waveguide components that are indistinguishable from measurements can be achieved on the basis of trajectory scan data and an equivalent step index profile that is very easy to measure....

  12. Accurate modelling of UV written waveguide components

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svalgaard, Mikael

    BPM simulation results of UV written waveguide components that are indistinguishable from measurements can be achieved on the basis of trajectory scan data and an equivalent step index profile that is very easy to measure.......BPM simulation results of UV written waveguide components that are indistinguishable from measurements can be achieved on the basis of trajectory scan data and an equivalent step index profile that is very easy to measure....

  13. Interpretation of Written Contracts in England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neil Andrews

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the leading principles governing interpretation of written contracts under English law. This is a comprehensive and incisive analysis of the current law and of the relevant doctrines, including the equitable principles of rectification, as well as the powers of appeal courts or of the High Court when hearing an appeal from an arbitral award. The topic of interpretation of written contracts is fast-moving. It is of fundamental importance because this is the most significant commercial focus for dispute and because of the number of cross-border transactions to which English law is expressly applied by businesses.

  14. 42 CFR 2.16 - Security for written records.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Security for written records. 2.16 Section 2.16 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL PROVISIONS CONFIDENTIALITY OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PATIENT RECORDS General Provisions § 2.16 Security for written records...

  15. Age of acquisition and word frequency in written picture naming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, P; Fayol, M; Chalard, M

    2001-05-01

    This study investigates age of acquisition (AoA) and word frequency effects in both spoken and written picture naming. In the first two experiments, reliable AoA effects on object naming speed, with objective word frequency controlled for, were found in both spoken (Experiment 1) and written picture naming (Experiment 2). In contrast, no reliable objective word frequency effects were observed on naming speed, with AoA controlled for, in either spoken (Experiment 3) or written (Experiment 4) picture naming. The implications of the findings for written picture naming are briefly discussed.

  16. An Australian Study Comparing the Use of Multiple-Choice Questionnaires with Assignments as Interim, Summative Law School Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Vicki

    2017-01-01

    To the author's knowledge, this is the first Australian study to empirically compare the use of a multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) with the use of a written assignment for interim, summative law school assessment. This study also surveyed the same student sample as to what types of assessments are preferred and why. In total, 182 undergraduate…

  17. 49 CFR 1018.20 - Written demand for payment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Collection of Claims § 1018.20 Written demand for payment. (a) The Board shall make appropriate written demand upon the debtor for payment of money in terms which specify: (1) The basis for the indebtedness... the debtor has explicitly refused to pay, or that sending a further demand is futile. Depending upon...

  18. Written Cultural Heritage in the Context of Adopted Legal Regulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Kodrič-Dačić

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTPurpose: Libraries collect written cultural heritage which is not only the most valuable part of their collections but also a part of library materials which is, due to digitalization projects in the last decade, becoming more and more interesting to librarians and library users. The main goal of the study is a theoretical research of library materials acknowledged as Slovenian heritage. By defining the basic terms it highlights the attributes which are immanent to library materials, derived from the context of their origin or later destiny. Slovenian library legislation concerning protection of written cultural heritage is also critically analysed.Methodology/approach: Comparative analyses of European and Slovenian legislation concerning librarianship and written cultural heritage. Research limitation: Research was mainly limited to professional literature and resources dealing with written cultural heritage. Originality/practical implications: Results of the research serve as formal criteria for definition of library materials as written heritage and suggest how to improve legislation in the field of protection of written heritage in libraries. 

  19. Can written information material help to increase treatment motivation in patients with erectile dysfunction? A survey of 1188 men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Günzler, C; Kriston, L; Stodden, V; Leiber, C; Berner, M M

    2007-01-01

    Although erectile dysfunction (ED) prevalence is high, patients and physicians often have problems discussing this issue. This study examines whether written information material increases motivation to seek treatment in patients with ED. For the study, persons were able to order information material about sexual problems within the context of a public campaign. From a total of 70,000 responders, 8000 persons were asked to fill out an epidemiological questionnaire. The response rate yielded 18.4%, the data of 1188 men with ED were analyzed. As a result of the information material, 28.3% of the untreated men intended to seek treatment and 38.5% of the men who had not spoken with their physician about their problem, planned to do so now. Nearly all responders were satisfied with the information material. These data reflect the usefulness of written information for men with ED. It not only serves as an informational source for patients but may also encourage them to seek treatment.

  20. ISAAC: A REXUS Student Experiment to Demonstrate an Ejection System with Predefined Direction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balmer, G.; Berquand, A.; Company-Vallet, E.; Granberg, V.; Grigore, V.; Ivchenko, N.; Kevorkov, R.; Lundkvist, E.; Olentsenko, G.; Pacheco-Labrador, J.; Tibert, G.; Yuan, Y.

    2015-09-01

    ISAAC Infrared Spectroscopy to Analyse the middle Atmosphere Composition — was a student experiment launched from SSC's Esrange Space Centre, Sweden, on 29th May 2014, on board the sounding rocket REXUS 15 in the frame of the REXUS/BEXUS programme. The main focus of the experiment was to implement an ejection system for two large Free Falling Units (FFUs) (240 mm x 80 mm) to be ejected from a spinning rocket into a predefined direction. The system design relied on a spring-based ejection system. Sun and angular rate sensors were used to control and time the ejection. The flight data includes telemetry from the Rocket Mounted Unit (RMU), received and saved during flight, as well as video footage from the GoPro camera mounted inside the RMU and recovered after the flight. The FFUs' direction, speed and spin frequency as well as the rocket spin frequency were determined by analyzing the video footage. The FFU-Rocket-Sun angles were 64.3° and 104.3°, within the required margins of 90°+45°. The FFU speeds were 3.98 mIs and 3.74 mIs, lower than the expected 5± 1 mIs. The FFUs' spin frequencies were 1 .38 Hz and 1 .60 Hz, approximately half the rocket's spin frequency. The rocket spin rate slightly changed from 3. 163 Hz before the ejection to 3.1 17 Hz after the ejection of the two FFUs. The angular rate, sun sensor data and temperature on the inside of the rocket module skin were also recorded. The experiment design and results of the data analysis are presented in this paper.

  1. Some attempts at a geological explanation for the origin of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the Nineteenth Century: the naturalists Joaquin Acosta and Jorge Isaacs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro Lopez, Pablo Antonio; Cardona Molina, Agustin

    2010-01-01

    The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, located in the northernmost part of Colombia, has been an object of scientific inquiry since at least the XIXth century, among other things because of its isolated character in relation to the Andean mountain chain. In this article we present some contributions to the knowledge of its origin and geological framework made by Joaquin Acosta (1800-1852) and Jorge Isaacs (1837-1895). Furthermore we establish a possible theoretical and conceptual relationship between these authors and some important European geologists and naturalists in the XIXth century, in the context of a history of ideas pertaining to orogenesis in Colombia.

  2. Failure to Follow Written Procedures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    Most tasks in aviation have a mandated written procedure to be followed specifically under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 14, Section 43.13(a). However, the incidence of Failure to Follow Procedure (FFP) events continues to be a major iss...

  3. Adaptation and Validation of the Spanish Version of the Nomophobia Questionnaire in Nursing Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez-Puertas, Lorena; Márquez-Hernández, Verónica V; Aguilera-Manrique, Gabriel

    2016-10-01

    Nomophobia is the uncontrollable fear of leaving your house without your mobile phone and is currently having a significant impact on the younger population. The aim of this study was first to translate the original version (written in English) of the Nomophobia questionnaire, culturally adapting it to the Spanish sociolinguistic context, and subsequently to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version with a sample of nursing students. In the first stage, a process of translation-back translation was carried out, following standardized recommendations. In order to validate the content, the adapted and agreed version of the Nomophobia questionnaire, consisting of 20 items, was submitted to a panel of 20 experts. After the content analysis and subsequent debate, a third version of the scale was obtained. The results confirmed a four-dimensional structure, the same as the original questionnaire, with a Cronbach's α value of .928 for the questionnaire as a whole, thus showing good internal consistency. The results of this study mean a suitable tool can be offered to nursing professionals with the aim of facilitating the diagnosis of addictive behaviors in relation to mobile phone use.

  4. Written Expression Performance in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeBono, Tony; Hosseini, Armita; Cairo, Cassandra; Ghelani, Karen; Tannock, Rosemary; Toplak, Maggie E.

    2012-01-01

    We examined written expression performance in a sample of adolescents with ADHD and subthreshold ADHD using two different strategies: examining performance on standardized measures of written expression and using other indicators of written expression developed in this study. We examined associations between standardized measures of written…

  5. Improving the use of historical written sources in paleopathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Piers D

    2017-12-01

    The texts written by the people of past societies can provide key information that enhances our understanding of disease in the past. Written sources and art can describe cultural contexts that not only help us interpret lesions in excavated human remains, but also provide evidence for past disease events themselves. However, in recent decades many biohistorical articles have been published that claim to diagnose diseases present in past celebrities or well known individuals, often using less than scholarly methodology. This article aims to help researchers use historical written sources and artwork responsibly, thus improving our understanding of health and disease in the past. It explores a broad range of historical sources, from medical texts and histories to legal documents and tax records, and it highlights how the key to interpreting any past text is to understand who wrote it, when it was written, and why it was written. Case studies of plague epidemics, crucifixion, and the spinal deformity of King Richard III are then used to highlight how we might better integrate archaeological and historical evidence. When done well, integrating evidence from both archaeological and historical sources increases the probability of a complete and well-balanced understanding of disease in past societies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Teaching Written Communication Strategies: A Training to Improve Writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanane Benali Taouis

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This research can be described as an experimental quantitative one including: a strategy training; two homogenous experimental groups with different levels of proficiency; and two homogenous control groups. The subjects are 60 Spanish high school students, who have been selected after taking the Oxford Quick Placement-Test. The study aims at investigating the possible relationship between the effect of the strategy training and the subjects' level of proficiency. It is also designed to analyze the effect of the training on the use of communication strategies in the written medium. It is meant to study the effect of the strategy training on the subjects' writing skill in English. The results show that the students' level of proficiency exerts a strong effect on the subjects' use of written communication strategies (CSs and on their strategy preference in written production. They also demonstrate how strategy training improves the subjects' written communication ability.

  7. 19 CFR 148.111 - Written declaration for unaccompanied articles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Written declaration for unaccompanied articles... of the United States § 148.111 Written declaration for unaccompanied articles. The baggage... covers articles which do not accompany him and: (a) The articles are entitled to free entry under the $1...

  8. The Mini Questionnaire of Personal Organization (MQPO): preliminary validation of a new post-rationalist personality questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardi, Bernardo; Arimatea, Emidio; Giovagnoli, Sara; Blasi, Stefano; Bellantuono, Cesario; Rezzonico, Giorgio

    2012-01-01

    The Mini Questionnaire of Personal Organization (MQPO) has been constructed in order to comply with the inward/outward Personal Meaning Organization's (PMO) theory. According to Nardi's Adaptive Post-Rationalist approach, predictable and invariable caregivers' behaviours allow inward focus and a physical sight of reciprocity; non-predictable and variable caregivers' behaviours allow outward focus and a semantic sight of reciprocity. The 20 items of MQPO have been selected from 29 intermediate (n = 160) and 40 initial items (n = 204). Psychometric validation has been conducted (n = 296), including Internal Validity (Item-Total Correlation; Factor Analysis), Internal Coherence by Factor Analysis, two analyses in Discriminant Validity (n = 132 and n = 80) and Reliability by Test-Retest Analysis (n = 49). All subjects have been given their written informed consent before beginning the test. The validation of the MQPO shows that the ultimate version is consistent with its post-rationalist paradigm. Four different factors have been found, one for each PMO. Validity of the construct and the internal reliability index are satisfying (Alpha = 0.73). Moreover, the results obtained are constant (from r = 0.80 to r = 0.89). There is an adequate agreement between the MQPO scales and the clinical evaluations (72.5%), as well as an excellent agreement (80.0%) between the scores of the MQPO and those of the Personal Meaning Questionnaire. The MQPO is a tool able to study personality as a process by focusing on the relationships between personality and developmental process axes, which are the bases of the PMO's theory, according to the APR approach. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Sensitisation to aeroallergens among asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents living in a poor region in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarinho, E C S; Mariano, J; Sarinho, S W; Medeiros, D; Rizzo, J A; Almerinda R, S; Solé, D

    2009-01-01

    To assess the kind and frequency of sensitisation to aeroallergens (skin prick test - SPT) of asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents (13-14 years old) living in the city of Caruaru, Northeast of Brazil, and to analyse their exposure to some environmental factors. A case-control study was conducted with asthmatic (50) and non-asthmatic (150) adolescents diagnosed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire. All were submitted to SPT with aeroallergens (house dust mites, cat and dog epithelium, cockroaches, moulds and grass) and completed a questionnaire to evaluate their environmental exposure. There were no significant differences between groups regarding gender, age, number of siblings and environmental exposure. Asthmatic subjects exhibited a higher frequency of positive SPTs than non-asthmatic subjects (54.0% vs 33.3%, p=0.009) mainly due to Periplaneta americana (34.0% vs 12.7%, p=0.0007 respectively) and Canis familiaris (20.0% vs 8.7%, p=0.029). Although sensitisation to aeroallergens was high among non-asthmatic adolescents, asthma was associated with parental history of atopic disease and sensitisation to P. americana and Canis familiaris but not to D. pteronyssinus showing that local studies are mandatory for the tailoring of appropriate management of allergic diseases.

  10. The influence of the pregroove on the shape of thermomagnetically written domains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichihara, K.

    1990-01-01

    In order to clarify the influence of pregrooved substrates on the shape of thermomagnetically written domains, the difference between the shape of the domains written on a pregrooved area and that written on a mirror area have been examined. Trilayered magneto-optical media, which had rare-earth- (RE-) rich TbFeCo films, transition-metal-rich TbFeCo films, and RE-rich GdTbFeCo films as a recording layer, were sputtered on disk substrates. The substrates had both a pregrooved area and a mirror area in a recording track. The domains were written in each medium by varying the recording power and the external field, and were observed by an Ar + -laser scanning polarized microscope. In the case of TbFeCo media which were written with lower recording power condition, the shape of the domains on a pregrooved area were almost the same as those written on a mirror area. On the other hand, the widths of the domains written on a mirror area became larger than those of domains written on a pregrooved area when the recording power was increased. In the case of a GdTbFeCo medium, the widths of the domains written on a mirror area were much larger than those of domains written on a pregrooved area independent of the recording conditions. The lengths of the domains written on both areas were almost the same for all cases. It is believed that the reason for the experimental results is that thermal diffusion in the film plane is suppressed at the step of a pregroove. The different result between TbFeCo and GdTbFeCo films is believed to come from the differences in the contracting forces on the domain walls during the writing process

  11. On written expression of primary school pupils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stevanović Jelena

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Normative rules of standard Serbian language are acquired during primary and secondary education through curriculum demands of Serbian language instruction, which takes place in three fields: grammar, orthography and culture of expression. Topic of interest in this paper is the quality of written expression of 6th and 7th grade pupils, in the context of all three fields specified to be mastered by the curriculum of Serbian language. Research comprised 148 primary school pupils from Belgrade. Linguistic analysis of spontaneously created written text was performed, in the conditions where it was not explicitly demanded form the pupil to write correctly. The results indicate that the majority of pupils make spelling and grammatical errors, meeting the condition for the basic level of mastering the knowledge in Serbian language according to the standards specified for the end of compulsory education. In addition to this, a considerable majority of pupils has a satisfactory level of culture of written expression. Pupils more often make spelling than grammatical errors. Seventh grade pupils are better than sixth grade pupils with respect to adhering to grammar rules and according to culture of written expression, while the mark in Serbian language and general school achievement of pupils correlate only with the degree of adhering to the orthographic rules. It was concluded that not only individual programs of support for pupils who make more errors are necessary, but also launching national projects for the development of linguistic competence of the young in Serbia.

  12. The Written Communication Skills That Matter Most for Accountants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, Tracey J.; Simons, Kathleen A.

    2016-01-01

    Given the importance of effective written communication skills to the discipline of accounting, faculty must emphasize these skills in their classroom in order to adequately prepare students for successful careers in the field. Since 2000, only two studies in the accounting literature have examined which written communication skills are needed by…

  13. La estancia de Isaac Albéniz en Valencia en 1882

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alemany Ferrer, Victoria

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This work focuses on documenting the public performances that a young Issac Albéniz presented in Valencia during the summer of 1882 at barely twenty years of age. These concerts, wihch formed part of a tour that he then performed as a solo pianist in the Levante area (as well as in Alicante, Cartagena and Alcoy, can be taken as a reference of performance activity that Albéniz was able develop in the Spanish provincial capitals (out of Madrid and Barcelona. Likewise, it collects information about the social repercussion that such performances had in the city, the way in which its citizens welcomed the artist is described (staying in Valencia for at least twenty one days, and the relationships that he established with certain Valencian artists of that era, as well as equally young musicians, painters and sculptors, is analysed, who themselves went to enjoy a certain level of celebrity, nationally and even internationally.

    Este trabajo se centra en documentar las actuaciones públicas que ofreció un joven Isaac Albéniz con apenas veintidós años en Valencia durante el verano de 1882. Dichos conciertos, que formaban parte de una gira que entonces realizó como pianista solista por el levante español (también estuvo en Alicante, Cartagena y Alcoy, pueden tomarse como referencia de la actividad interpretativa que pudo desarrollar Albéniz en capitales de provincias españolas (fuera de grandes ciudades como Madrid y Barcelona hacia finales del siglo XIX. Asimismo, se recoge información sobre la repercusión social que tuvieron dichas actuaciones en la ciudad, se describe la forma en que sus ciudadanos acogieron al artista (que permaneció en Valencia durante, al menos, veintiún días y se analizan las relaciones que estableció con algunos artistas valencianos de la época, músicos, pintores y escultores jóvenes como él, que después lograron alcanzar cierta celebridad en ámbito nacional e incluso internacional.

  14. 'I will never ever go back': patients' written narratives of health care communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denniston, Charlotte; Molloy, Elizabeth; Rees, Charlotte E

    2018-07-01

    Although communication with patients is essential to health care, education designed to develop patient-centred communication often ignores patients' voices. Patient stories may offer a means to explore patient experiences to inform patient-centred communication skills education design. Our research questions were: (i) What are the features of patients' health care communication narratives? (ii) What differences exist between patient narratives evaluated as positive and those evaluated as negative? (iii) How do patients narrate emotion in their narratives? This interpretivist research was underpinned by social constructionism. We employed a narrative approach to design an online questionnaire that was advertised to patients in the community. Analysis of the stories that were generated involved analysis of what was written (i.e. framework analysis) and of how it was written (i.e. attending to linguistic features). Participants shared 180 written narratives about previous health care professional (HCP) communication interactions. Narratives commonly included those of female patients seeking help for musculoskeletal or psychological concerns, which most frequently had occurred within the previous 6 months with male general practitioners in community settings. Framework analysis revealed four key themes: (i) patient actions during consultations; (ii) patient actions afterwards; (iii) lasting legacy, and (iv) interpersonal factors. Patients in narratives evaluated as positive actively engaged during and after interactions, had ongoing positive relationships with HCPs and felt valued in these relationships. Patients in narratives evaluated as negative were either passive or active during the interaction, but mostly failed to return to the HCP and felt devalued in their interaction. Further analysis of the linguistic features of select narratives revealed rich constructions of positive and negative emotions emphasising the lasting legacies of these interactions. Analysis

  15. 10 CFR 2.813 - Written communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... other written communications under the regulations of this chapter is requested but not required to cite whenever practical, in the upper right corner of the first page of the submission, the specific regulation...

  16. Adaptation and validation of a questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction with pharmacy services in general hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Jumah KA

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Khalaf Ali Al-Jumah,1 Mohamed Azmi Hassali,2 Ibrahem Al-Zaagi31Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaObjective: The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the Armando Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire into Arabic and validate its use in the general population.Methods: The translation was conducted based on the principles of the most widely used model in questionnaire translation, namely Brisling’s back-translation model. A written authorization allowing translation into Arabic was obtained from the original author. The Arabic version of the questionnaire was distributed to 480 participants to evaluate construct validity. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17.0 for Windows was used for the statistical analysis.Results: The response rate of this study was 96%; most of the respondents (52.5% were female. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s α, which showed that this questionnaire provides a high reliability coefficient (reaching 0.9299 and a high degree of consistency and thus can be relied upon in future patient satisfaction research.Keywords: cross-cultural, Arabic, survey

  17. Young Adults' Belief in Genetic Determinism, and Knowledge and Attitudes towards Modern Genetics and Genomics: The PUGGS Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carver, Rebecca Bruu; Castéra, Jérémy; Gericke, Niklas; Evangelista, Neima Alice Menezes; El-Hani, Charbel N

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we present the development and validation a comprehensive questionnaire to assess college students' knowledge about modern genetics and genomics, their belief in genetic determinism, and their attitudes towards applications of modern genetics and genomic-based technologies. Written in everyday language with minimal jargon, the Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics (PUGGS) questionnaire is intended for use in research on science education and public understanding of science, as a means to investigate relationships between knowledge, determinism and attitudes about modern genetics, which are to date little understood. We developed a set of core ideas and initial items from reviewing the scientific literature on genetics and previous studies on public and student knowledge and attitudes about genetics. Seventeen international experts from different fields (e.g., genetics, education, philosophy of science) reviewed the initial items and their feedback was used to revise the questionnaire. We validated the questionnaire in two pilot tests with samples of university freshmen students. The final questionnaire contains 45 items, including both multiple choice and Likert scale response formats. Cronbach alpha showed good reliability for each section of the questionnaire. In conclusion, the PUGGS questionnaire is a reliable tool for investigating public understanding and attitudes towards modern genetics and genomic-based technologies.

  18. Young Adults’ Belief in Genetic Determinism, and Knowledge and Attitudes towards Modern Genetics and Genomics: The PUGGS Questionnaire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carver, Rebecca Bruu; Castéra, Jérémy; Gericke, Niklas; Evangelista, Neima Alice Menezes

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we present the development and validation a comprehensive questionnaire to assess college students’ knowledge about modern genetics and genomics, their belief in genetic determinism, and their attitudes towards applications of modern genetics and genomic-based technologies. Written in everyday language with minimal jargon, the Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics (PUGGS) questionnaire is intended for use in research on science education and public understanding of science, as a means to investigate relationships between knowledge, determinism and attitudes about modern genetics, which are to date little understood. We developed a set of core ideas and initial items from reviewing the scientific literature on genetics and previous studies on public and student knowledge and attitudes about genetics. Seventeen international experts from different fields (e.g., genetics, education, philosophy of science) reviewed the initial items and their feedback was used to revise the questionnaire. We validated the questionnaire in two pilot tests with samples of university freshmen students. The final questionnaire contains 45 items, including both multiple choice and Likert scale response formats. Cronbach alpha showed good reliability for each section of the questionnaire. In conclusion, the PUGGS questionnaire is a reliable tool for investigating public understanding and attitudes towards modern genetics and genomic-based technologies. PMID:28114357

  19. Oral and written language in late adulthood: findings from the Nun Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitzner, Tracy L; Kemper, Susan

    2003-01-01

    As a part of the Nun Study, a longitudinal investigation of aging and Alzheimer's disease, oral and written autobiographies from 118 older women were analyzed to examine the relationship between spoken and written language. The written language samples were more complex than the oral samples, both conceptually and grammatically. The relationship between the linguistic measures and participant characteristics was also examined. The results suggest that the grammatical and conceptual characteristics of oral and written language are affected by participant differences in education, cognitive status, and physical function and that written language samples have greater power than oral language samples to differentiate between high- and low-ability older adults.

  20. Active Mobility and Environment: A Pilot Qualitative Study for the Design of a New Questionnaire.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franck Hess

    Full Text Available It is generally accepted that active mobility, mainly walking and cycling, contributes to people's physical and mental health. One of the current challenges is to improve our understanding of this type of behaviour. This study aims to identify factors from the daily-life environment that may be related to active mobility behaviours, in order to design a new questionnaire for a quantitative study of a large adult population. The new questionnaire obtained through this pilot study combines information from interviews with existing questionnaires materials in order to introduce new factors while retaining the factors already assessed. This approach comprises three stages. The first was a content analysis (Reinert method of interviews with a sample of participants about daily living activities as well as mobility. This stage led to a typology of factors suggested by interviews. The second was a scoping review of the literature in order to identify the active mobility questionnaires currently used in international literature. The last stage was a cross-tabulation of the factors resulting from the written interviews and the questionnaires. A table of the inter-relationships between the interview-based typology and the questionnaires shows discrepancies between factors considered by the existing questionnaires, and factors coming from individual interviews. Independent factors which were ignored in or absent from the questionnaires are the housing situation within the urban structure, overall consideration of the activity space beyond the limits of the residential neighbourhood, the perception of all the transportation modes, and the time scheduling impacting the modes actually used. Our new questionnaire integrates both the usual factors and the new factors that may be related to active mobility behaviours.

  1. Active Mobility and Environment: A Pilot Qualitative Study for the Design of a New Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Franck; Salze, Paul; Weber, Christiane; Feuillet, Thierry; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; Perchoux, Camille; Nazare, Julie-Anne; Simon, Chantal; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Enaux, Christophe

    2017-01-01

    It is generally accepted that active mobility, mainly walking and cycling, contributes to people's physical and mental health. One of the current challenges is to improve our understanding of this type of behaviour. This study aims to identify factors from the daily-life environment that may be related to active mobility behaviours, in order to design a new questionnaire for a quantitative study of a large adult population. The new questionnaire obtained through this pilot study combines information from interviews with existing questionnaires materials in order to introduce new factors while retaining the factors already assessed. This approach comprises three stages. The first was a content analysis (Reinert method) of interviews with a sample of participants about daily living activities as well as mobility. This stage led to a typology of factors suggested by interviews. The second was a scoping review of the literature in order to identify the active mobility questionnaires currently used in international literature. The last stage was a cross-tabulation of the factors resulting from the written interviews and the questionnaires. A table of the inter-relationships between the interview-based typology and the questionnaires shows discrepancies between factors considered by the existing questionnaires, and factors coming from individual interviews. Independent factors which were ignored in or absent from the questionnaires are the housing situation within the urban structure, overall consideration of the activity space beyond the limits of the residential neighbourhood, the perception of all the transportation modes, and the time scheduling impacting the modes actually used. Our new questionnaire integrates both the usual factors and the new factors that may be related to active mobility behaviours.

  2. Prevalence and content of written ethics policies on euthanasia in Catholic healthcare institutions in Belgium (Flanders).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gastmans, Chris; Lemiengre, Joke; van der Wal, Gerrit; Schotsmans, Paul; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette

    2006-04-01

    Euthanasia is performed worldwide, regardless of the existence of laws governing it. Belgium became the second country in the world to enact a law on euthanasia in 2002. Healthcare institutions bear responsibility for guaranteeing the quality of care for patients at the end of life, and for ensuring support for caregivers involved. Therefore, institutional ethics policies on end-of-life decision-making, especially on euthanasia, may be useful. A cross-sectional mail survey of general directors of Catholic hospitals and nursing homes in Belgium was used to describe the prevalence and content of written ethics policies for competent terminally ill, incompetent terminally ill, and non-terminally ill patients. Of the 298 targeted institutions, 81% of hospitals and 62% of nursing homes returned complete questionnaires. Of these, 79% of hospitals and 30% of nursing homes had a written ethics policy on euthanasia. Of hospitals 83% and of nursing homes 85% permitted euthanasia for competent terminally ill patients only in exceptional cases in accordance with legal due care criteria and provisions outlined by the palliative filter procedure. Euthanasia for incompetent terminally ill patients was prohibited by 27% of the hospitals and by 60% of the nursing homes. For non-terminally ill patients, these figures were 43 and 64%, respectively. Catholic healthcare institutions in Belgium (Flanders) made great efforts to develop written ethics policies on euthanasia. Only a small group of institutions completely prohibited euthanasia. Most of the institutions considered euthanasia to be an option if all possible alternatives (e.g., palliative filter procedure, which contains more rigorous criteria than those in the Belgian Euthanasia Act), have been thoroughly investigated.

  3. Teaching Computation in Primary School without Traditional Written Algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartnett, Judy

    2015-01-01

    Concerns regarding the dominance of the traditional written algorithms in schools have been raised by many mathematics educators, yet the teaching of these procedures remains a dominant focus in in primary schools. This paper reports on a project in one school where the staff agreed to put the teaching of the traditional written algorithm aside,…

  4. Written cohesion in children with and without language learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutsoftas, Anthony D; Petersen, Victoria

    2017-09-01

    Cohesion refers to the linguistic elements of discourse that contribute to its continuity and is an important element to consider as part of written language intervention, especially in children with language learning disabilities (LLD). There is substantial evidence that children with LLD perform more poorly than typically developing (TD) peers on measures of cohesion in spoken language and on written transcription measures; however, there is far less research comparing groups on cohesion as a measure of written language across genres. The current study addresses this gap through the following two aims. First, to describe and compare cohesion in narrative and expository writing samples of children with and without language learning disabilities. Second, to relate measures of cohesion to written transcription and translation measures, oral language, and writing quality. Fifty intermediate-grade children produced one narrative and one expository writing sample from which measures of written cohesion were obtained. These included the frequency, adequacy and complexity of referential and conjunctive ties. Expository samples resulted in more complex cohesive ties and children with TD used more complex ties than peers with LLD. Different relationships among cohesion measures and writing were observed for narrative verse expository samples. Findings from this study demonstrate cohesion as a discourse-level measure of written transcription and how the use of cohesion can vary by genre and group (LLD, TD). Clinical implications for assessment, intervention, and future research are provided. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

  5. The role of Dr Isaac Aaron and the Australian Medical Journal in the dissemination of information about etherisation in the 1840s.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paull, J D

    2013-07-01

    Isaac Aaron (1804 to 1877), an ambitious young medical practitioner, arrived in Sydney from Britain in 1838 and was registered by the New South Wales Medical Board the following year. After contributing to the Australian Medical Journal, established in August 1846 by William Baker, he became the editor in December and acquired it in May the following year. Dr Pugh became the most prolific local contributor to the journal but he and the editor had a somewhat 'prickly' relationship. Aaron was very critical of etherisation when the first news arrived in Australia, but Pugh chose Aaron's journal in which to report his initial and subsequent experience with the technique. Aaron repeatedly appealed for experimental evidence and rational decision-making to determine the place of etherisation in medical practice. Unfortunately for Australian medicine, Aaron had to suspend the publication of the journal in October 1847, lacking both time and the support of the profession necessary to maintain it. This created an unanticipated adverse outcome for Dr Pugh.

  6. A ESTRUTURA ARGUMENTATIVA E AS CARACTERÍSTICAS DOS ARGUMENTOS NO TEXTO QUE ABORDA A "NOVA TEORIASOBRE LUZ E CORES" DE ISAAC NEWTON

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Marineli

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho busca analisar a estrutura argumentativa e as características dos argumentos que aparecem no texto em que Isaac Newton descreve sua "Nova teoria sobre luz e cores", escrito em 1672. Para tanto, o padrão de Toulmin é utilizado como ferramenta analítica. A identificação da estrutura argumentativa de um texto científico pode ajudar na compreensão da construção do argumento na ciência e servir de apoio à utilização da argumentação na educação científica, inclusive na elaboração de textos didáticos. A análise realizada caracterizou os argumentos apresentados no texto e mostrou como se relacionam na elaboração da explicação de Newton para o fenômeno da formação de cores devido à refração da luz em um prisma.

  7. MODEL WRITTEN TEXTS IN THE RECOMMENDED SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Rukmini

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: This article is based on the study on the model written texts provided in the Senior High School English textbooks. It is aimed at finding out whether those models are written by considering the English two contexts, cultural and situational, which encircle them. The data are all written texts provided in the six recommended English textbooks published by six different publishers. The results reveal that only eleven out of 115 model written texts tend to be incompatible with the two contexts encircling them, this implies that 104 of them (93.43% are likely to be compatible and can be used as model texts.

  8. Sentence Writing and Perception of Written Sentences in Hearing-Impaired and Normal-Hearing Primary School Students in Hamadan, Western Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afsaneh Yaghobi

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim: Learning language is acquired in early childhood and gradually developed by new words and new structures. Hearing sense is the most important acquisition for learning this skill. Hearing disorders are barriers for natural language learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between writing sentences and perception of written sentences in hearing-impaired and normal-hearing students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among thirty hearing-impaired students with hearing loss of 70-90 dB and thirty normal hearing students. They were selected from 3rd grade primary school students in Hamadan, a large city in Western Iran. The language skills and non language information was assessed by questionnaire, Action Picture Test, and Sentence Perception Test.Results: Results showed that there was a significant relation between writing sentences and perception of written sentences in hearing impaired students (p<0.001, (r=0.8. This significant relation was seen in normal-hearing students as well (p<0.001, (r=0.7.Conclusion: Disability of hearing-impaired students in verbal communication is not only related to articulation and voice disorders but also is related to their disability to explore and use of language rules. They suffer lack of perception of written sentences, and they are not skilled to convey their feelings and thoughts in order to presenting themselves by using language structures.

  9. Cross-cultural differences in information disclosure evaluated through the EORTC questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arraras, Juan Ignacio; Greimel, Eva; Chie, Wei-Chu; Sezer, Orhan; Bergenmar, Mia; Costantini, Anna; Young, Teresa; Vlasic, Karin Kuljanic; Velikova, Galina

    2013-02-01

    Informational needs among cancer patients are similar, but the degree of information disclosure in different cultural areas varies. In this paper, we present the results of a cross-cultural study on information received. The EORTC information questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-INFO25, was administered during the treatment process. This questionnaire evaluates the information that patients report they have received. Cross-cultural differences in information have been evaluated using statistical tests such as Kruskall-Wallis and multivariate models with covariates to account for differences in clinical and demographic characteristics across areas. Four hundred and fifty-one patients from three cultural areas, North-Middle Europe, South Europe, and Taiwan, were included in the study. Significant differences among the three cultural areas appeared in eight QLQ-INFO25 dimensions: information about the disease; medical tests; places of care; written information; information on CD/tape/video; satisfaction; wish for more information; and information helpfulness. North-Middle Europe patients received more written information (mean = 67.2 (North) and 33.8 (South)) and South Europe patients received more information on different places of care (mean = 24.7 (North) and 35.0 (South)). Patients from North-Middle Europe and South Europe received more information than patients from Taiwan about the disease (mean = 57.9, 60.6, and 47.1, respectively) and medical tests (70.9, 70.4, and 54.5), showed more satisfaction (64.8, 70.2, and 35.0), and considered the information more helpful (71.9, 73.9, and 50.4). These results were confirmed when adjusting for age, education, and disease stage. There are cross-cultural differences in information received. Some of these differences are based on the characteristics of each culture. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. Providing written language services in the schools: the time is now.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallon, Karen A; Katz, Lauren A

    2011-01-01

    The current study was conducted to investigate the provision of written language services by school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Specifically, the study examined SLPs' knowledge, attitudes, and collaborative practices in the area of written language services as well as the variables that impact provision of these services. Public school-based SLPs from across the country were solicited for participation in an online, Web-based survey. Data from 645 full-time SLPs from 49 states were evaluated using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Many school-based SLPs reported not providing any services in the area of written language to students with written language weaknesses. Knowledge, attitudes, and collaborative practices were mixed. A logistic regression revealed three variables likely to predict high levels of service provision in the area of written language. Data from the current study revealed that many struggling readers and writers on school-based SLPs' caseloads are not receiving services from their SLPs. Implications for SLPs' preservice preparation, continuing education, and doctoral preparation are discussed.

  11. Raman spectroscopic analyses of preserved historical specimens of human hair attributed to Robert Stephenson and Sir Isaac Newton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Howell G M; Hassan, Nik F N; Wilson, Andrew S

    2004-10-01

    The Raman spectra of two historical specimens of human hair attributed to the engineer Robert Stephenson and scientist Sir Isaac Newton, preserved in private collections are reported. Comparisons are made with the Raman spectra of modern hair specimens and with hair from archaeological excavations. The hair spectra collected with a laser excitation of 785 nm are of a better quality than those collected using 1064 nm. The historical hair specimens are remarkably well-defined spectroscopically in terms of the amide I vibrational mode and the [small nu](SS), ascribed to a predominantly gauche-gauche-gauche CSSC conformation. The contrast with degraded hair specimens recovered from archaeological excavations is striking. The presence of a weak feature near 2590 cm(-1) in the hair samples attributed to a [small nu](SH) vibration could be indicative of a reduction process operative on the CSSC cystine keratotic linkages and a possible origin of this is bacterial biodegradation identified histologically. This study demonstrates the molecular information available from non-destructive Raman spectroscopic analysis from single hair shafts or small bundles of fibres which complements information available from histological and destructive analytical techniques for rare biological specimens subjected to conservation or curation procedures in museums or private collections.

  12. The dark side of the Scientific Revolution. The Biblical interpretation in Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Fiorentino

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This contribution investigates a hidden and surely singular – but far from marginal – aspect of the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century, in other words the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. First of all, this work analyzes the situation immediately before the advent of the fathers of the 17th Century Scientific Revolution like Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton, starting from the Council of Trent. This reconstruction aims to throw light on the particular way that Galileo and Newton intended to approach the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures with respect to the main tendencies of the Catholic Reformation of biblical hermeneutics. Their way is important both in itself and in relation to the Scientific Revolution. In itself because Galileo and Newton elaborate original theories that are not entirely in agreement with the predominant views and that are decidedly no less interesting than their pure scientific theories. In relation to the Scientific Revolution because the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures is addressed in an original fashion by both Galileo and Newton, also with the intent of facilitating the spread and approval of their own scientific theories in their respective socio-cultural environments. The primacy of nature is not manifested only in contrast to and outside the book of Scriptures, but conditions the Book of Scriptures, locating it within a precise cultural perspective and religious sense that are by no means contrary to Galileo and Newton’s views.

  13. The relationship between antibiotic therapy in early childhood and the symptoms of allergy in children aged 6-8 years - the questionnaire study results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raciborski, Filip; Tomaszewska, Aneta; Komorowski, Jarosław; Samel-Kowalik, Piotr; Białoszewski, Artur Z; Walkiewicz, Artur; Lusawa, Adam; Szymański, Jakub; Opoczyńska, Dagmara; Drużba, Michał; Borowicz, Jacek; Lipiec, Agnieszka; Kapalczynski, Wojciech J; Samoliński, Bolesław

    2012-09-01

    Studies based on the ISAAC questionnaire suggest a correlation between the use of antibiotics and the prevalence of asthma and allergy in children aged 6-7 years. The number of courses of antibiotic therapy is an important factor. To investigate the relationship between the use of antibiotics during the first years of life and the prevalence of allergy and asthma among children (aged 6-8 years) in the urban population of Poland. A survey-based study with a self-completed questionnaire. The respondents were parents of children aged 6-8 years living in Warszawa, Poland. 1461 completed questionnaires were collected. Asthma was declared in 4.3% of the children. Wheezing and/or sibilant rhonchi within 12 months before the study was observed in 13.5% of the cases. Asthma medication was taken by 21.8% of the children. Allergic rhinitis was declared in 18.7% of the children. Problems with sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal congestion not associated with cold or fever were observed in 40.7% of the children. The analysis of the odds ratios between the use of antibiotics and the symptoms of allergic diseases revealed a clear correlation. The highest odds ratio was observed between the completion of over three courses of antibiotic therapy prior to the age of 12 months and the declaration of one of the following: asthma (OR = 5.59, 95% CI: 2.6-12.01), wheezing and/or sibilant rhonchi (OR = 4.68, 95% CI: 3.01-7.27) and taking medicines for breathlessness (OR = 5.12, 95% CI: 3.42-7.68). There is a direct relationship between antibiotic use in the first 3 years of life and asthma and allergy symptoms in children aged 6-8 years old.

  14. Prevalence of childhood asthma in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshihara, Shigemi; Munkhbayarlakh, Sonomjants; Makino, Sohei; Ito, Clyde; Logii, Narantsetseg; Dashdemberel, Sarangerel; Sagara, Hironori; Fukuda, Takeshi; Arisaka, Osamu

    2016-01-01

    Bronchial asthma is a common but important chronic disease in children in all over the world. To take measures against prevalence of childhood asthma, many researchers have surveyed the actual statuses of childhood asthma in developed countries, but in most Asia-Pacific developing countries including Mongolia such surveys have never been sufficiently conducted until now. We have thought that this survey, though performed in 2009, will give important and meaningful information even now in taking measures to prevent prevailing bronchial asthma in children in Mongolia or the countries under similar statuses. The asthma prevalence and patient background information in Mongolian children aged 6-7 living in Ulaanbaatar were examined using a written questionnaire modified for their parents from that prepared by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The estimated prevalence of asthma in Mongolian children was 20.9%. The following 3 risk factors were found to be related to asthma: (1) having allergic rhinitis symptoms, (2) mothers' smoking, and (3) history of severe respiratory infection before 1-year-old. The asthma prevalence in Mongolian children was higher than that in the world and Asia-Pacific countries reported by ISAAC. The higher prevalence was probably attributable to households' (especially mothers) smoking in draft-free houses designed for the cold area and severe air-pollution due to rapid industrialization and urbanization in Mongolia. Smoking prohibition in the mother (including family members) and a reduction of exposure to air pollutants are urgently needed to prevent developing childhood asthma. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The Influence of Process Drama on Elementary Students' Written Language

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Alida

    2012-01-01

    This article describes the influence of process drama on fourth grade students' written language productivity and specificity. Participants included 16 students with learning and/or behavioral challenges at an urban public charter school. The influence of process drama on students' written language was compared across contextualized and…

  16. Written narrative practices in elementary school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romano-Soares, Soraia; Soares, Aparecido José Couto; Cárnio, Maria Silvia

    2010-01-01

    Promotion of a written narratives production program in the third grade of an Elementary School. To analyze two written narrative practice proposals in order to verify which resources are more efficient in benefitting the textual productions of third grade Elementary School students. Sixty students were selected from two third grade groups of a public Elementary School in São Paulo (Brazil). For the analysis, students were divided into two groups (Group A and Group B). Fourteen children's storybooks were used. In Group A, the story was orally told by the researchers in a colloquial manner, keeping the narrator role and the original structure proposed by the author. In Group B, the story was fully read. The book was projected onto a screen and read aloud so the students could follow the reading and observe the corresponding illustrations. Voice changing resources in the characters' dialogues were used. In the overall comparison, statistically significant results were found for moment (initial and final assessments) and for interaction between groups. It was observed that both groups presented substantial development from initial to final assessment. The Written Narratives Promotion Program based on the shared reading of children's storybooks constituted a more effective strategy than telling the stories using a single reader.

  17. Concreteness and Imagery Effects in the Written Composition of Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadoski, Mark; Kealy, William A.; Goetz, Ernest T.; Paivio, Allan

    1997-01-01

    In two experiments, undergraduates (n=48 and n=50) composed written definitions of concrete and abstract nouns that were matched for frequency of use and meaningfulness. Results support previous research suggesting that common cognitive mechanisms underlie production of spoken and written language as explained by dual coding theory. (SLD)

  18. Quantity and quality of written feedback, action plans, and student ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Mini-clinical-evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) assessment forms that have been modified with the addition of specific spaces on separate sheets are expected to improve the quantity and quality of written feedback and the action plan for further learning which is agreed upon, and to encourage written reflection.

  19. Classifying Written Texts Through Rhythmic Features

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Balint, Mihaela; Dascalu, Mihai; Trausan-Matu, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Rhythm analysis of written texts focuses on literary analysis and it mainly considers poetry. In this paper we investigate the relevance of rhythmic features for categorizing texts in prosaic form pertaining to different genres. Our contribution is threefold. First, we define a set of rhythmic

  20. Written mathematical traditions in Ancient Mesopotamia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høyrup, Jens

    2015-01-01

    Writing, as well as various mathematical techniques, were created in proto-literate Uruk in order to serve accounting, and Mesopotamian mathematics as we know it was always expressed in writing. In so far, mathematics generically regarded was always part of the generic written tradition....

  1. Validation of the multimedia version of the RDC/TMD axis II questionnaire in Portuguese

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Figueiredo Cavalcanti

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to validate the multimedia version of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD Axis II Questionnaire in Portuguese language. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample comprised 30 patients with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD, evaluated at the Orofacial Pain Control Center of the Dental School of the University of Pernambuco, Brazil, between April and June 2006. Data collection was performed using the following instruments: Simplifed Anamnestic Index (SAI and RDC/TMD Axis II written version and multimedia version. The validation process consisted of analyzing the internal consistency of the scales. Concurrent and convergent validity were evaluated by the Spearman's rank correlation. In addition, test and analysis of reproducibility by the Kappa weighted statistical test and Spearman's rank correlation test were performed. RESULTS: The multimedia version of the RDC/TMD Axis II questionnaire in Portuguese was considered consistent (Crombrach alpha = 0.94, reproducible (Spearman 0.670 to 0.913, p<0.01 and valid (p<0.01. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire showed valid and reproducible results, and represents an instrument of practical application in epidemiological studies of TMD in the Brazilian population.

  2. The Quality of Written Feedback by Attendings of Internal Medicine Residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Jeffrey L; Kay, Cynthia; Jackson, Wilkins C; Frank, Michael

    2015-07-01

    Attending evaluations are commonly used to evaluate residents. Evaluate the quality of written feedback of internal medicine residents. Retrospective. Internal medicine residents and faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2004 to 2012. From monthly evaluations of residents by attendings, a randomly selected sample of 500 written comments by attendings were qualitatively coded and rated as high-, moderate-, or low-quality feedback by two independent coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa: 0.94). Small group exercises with residents and attendings also coded the utterances as high, moderate, or low quality and developed criteria for this categorization. In-service examination scores were correlated with written feedback. There were 228 internal medicine residents who had 6,603 evaluations by 334 attendings. Among 500 randomly selected written comments, there were 2,056 unique utterances: 29% were coded as nonspecific statements, 20% were comments about resident personality, 16% about patient care, 14% interpersonal communication, 7% medical knowledge, 6% professionalism, and 4% each on practice-based learning and systems-based practice. Based on criteria developed by group exercises, the majority of written comments were rated as moderate quality (65%); 22% were rated as high quality and 13% as low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback rated residents significantly lower in all six of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (p service examination scores. Most attending written evaluation was of moderate or low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback appeared to be more discriminating, providing significantly lower ratings of residents in all six ACGME core competencies, and across a greater range. Attendings' negative written comments on medical knowledge correlated with lower in-service training scores.

  3. [Written personalized action plan for atopic dermatitis: a patient education tool].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabeff, R; Assathiany, R; Barbarot, S; Salinier, C; Stalder, J-F

    2014-07-01

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most frequent children's chronic skin disease. Management of AD can be difficult because local treatments must be adapted to the skin's condition. Between consultations, sudden changes in the state of the disease can make it difficult to manage local treatment. Parents and children need information that will help them adapt their treatment to the course of their disease. Aiming to enable parents to better treat their atopic child by themselves, we have developed a personalized action plan in order to simplify, personalize, and adapt the medical prescription to the state of the disease. The Personalized Written Action Plan for Atopics (PA2P) is based on the model used in the treatment of asthma, with integrated specificities for AD in children. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and pertinence of the PA2P for pediatricians to use in private practice. A total of 479 pediatricians answered a questionnaire sent by e-mail. The vast majority of the respondents gave positive reviews of the tool: 99% of the pediatricians declared the tool to be pertinent, qualifying it as clear and logical. The PA2P appeared to be appropriate for the atopic patient because it improves the families' involvement in the application of local treatment by offering personalized care and by simplifying the doctor's prescription. Finally, 72% of doctors responding to the questionnaire were willing to take part in future studies involving parents. More than a gadget, the PA2P could become a useful tool for therapeutic patient education. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. [Alcohol advertising in written mass media in Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montes-Santiago, J; Alvarez Muñiz, M L; Baz Lomba, A

    2007-03-01

    Alcohol advertising is a powerful factor of incitation to consumption. We analyzed the alcohol advertising, especially that youth-focused, in written mass media in Spain during the period 2002-2006. Annual cross-sectional study of advertisements in 41 widely difused written mass media (average readers: 10,1 millions). Media admitting alcohol publicity were 29% in the whole. (2,9 millions of readers on average, 29% of total readers). Alcohol advertising constituted the 3,8% of global publicity and the 8,6% of the publicity in media admitting alcohol publicity. In this period only 4% of the media (2,4% of total readers) inserted antidrug campaigns. In brief, three out of 10 total readers and one out of 12 people older than 15 years suffered the impact of tobacco advertising. Young people were included in 33% of alcohol advertisements and 3 out of 6 of youth-oriented magazines permitted a such publicity. Alcohol publicity remains high in written mass media in Spain. By contrast few people received informative antidrug campaigns. Advertising was preferentially directed to young people.

  5. Promoting Strong Written Communication Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, M.

    2015-12-01

    The reason that an improvement in the quality of technical writing is still needed in the classroom is due to the fact that universities are facing challenging problems not only on the technological front but also on the socio-economic front. The universities are actively responding to the changes that are taking place in the global consumer marketplace. Obviously, there are numerous benefits of promoting strong written communication skills. They can be summarized into the following six categories. First, and perhaps the most important: The University achieves learner satisfaction. The learner has documented verbally, that the necessary knowledge has been successfully acquired. This results in learner loyalty that in turn will attract more qualified learners.Second, quality communication lowers the cost per pupil, consequently resulting in increased productivity backed by a stronger economic structure and forecast. Third, quality communications help to improve the cash flow and cash reserves of the university. Fourth, having high quality communication enables the university to justify the need for high costs of tuition and fees. Fifth, better quality in written communication skills result in attracting top-quality learners. This will lead to happier and satisfied learners, not to mention greater prosperity for the university as a whole. Sixth, quality written communication skills result in reduced complaints, thus meaning fewer hours spent on answering or correcting the situation. The University faculty and staff are thus able to devote more time on scholarly activities, meaningful research and productive community service. References Boyer, Ernest L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the Professorate.Princeton, NJ: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Hawkins, P., & Winter, J. (1997). Mastering change: Learning the lessons of the enterprise.London: Department for Education and Employment. Buzzel, Robert D., and Bradley T. Gale. (1987

  6. 12 CFR 516.110 - Who may submit a written comment?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Who may submit a written comment? 516.110 Section 516.110 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY APPLICATION PROCESSING PROCEDURES Comment Procedures § 516.110 Who may submit a written comment? Any person may submit a...

  7. 21 CFR 14.35 - Written submissions to an advisory committee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Written submissions to an advisory committee. 14.35 Section 14.35 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... of the written summary along with a proposed agenda outlining the topics to be covered and...

  8. Appropriating Written French: Literacy Practices in a Parisian Elementary Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockwell, Elsie

    2012-01-01

    In this article, I examine French language instruction in an elementary classroom serving primarily children of Afro-French immigrants in Paris. I show that a prevalent French language ideology privileges written over oral expression and associates full mastery of written French with rational thought and full inclusion in the French polity. This…

  9. Evidence for a Limited-Cascading Account of Written Word Naming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, Patrick; Roux, Sebastien; Barry, Christopher; Canell, Laura

    2012-01-01

    We address the issue of how information flows within the written word production system by examining written object-naming latencies. We report 4 experiments in which we manipulate variables assumed to have their primary impact at the level of object recognition (e.g., quality of visual presentation of pictured objects), at the level of semantic…

  10. 37 CFR 251.43 - Written cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... and redirect) must be referenced. (d) In the case of a royalty fee distribution proceeding, each party... ROYALTY PANEL RULES AND PROCEDURES COPYRIGHT ARBITRATION ROYALTY PANEL RULES OF PROCEDURE Procedures of Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels § 251.43 Written cases. (a) All parties who have filed a notice of...

  11. Clay modeling versus written modules as effective interventions in understanding human anatomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bareither, Mary Lou; Arbel, Vered; Growe, Meghan; Muszczynski, Emily; Rudd, Adam; Marone, Jane R

    2013-01-01

    The effectiveness of clay modeling to written modules is examined to determine the degree of improvement in learning and retention of anatomical 3D relationships among students with different learning preferences. Thirty-nine undergraduate students enrolled in a cadaver dissection course completed a pre-assessment examination and the VARK questionnaire, classifying learning preference as visual, auditory, read/write, or kinesthetic. Students were divided into clay, module, and control groups with preference for learning style distributed among groups. The clay and module groups participated in weekly one-hour classes using either clay models or answering written questions (modules) about anatomical relationships, respectively. The control group received no intervention. Post-assessment and retention examinations were administered at the end of the semester, and three months later, respectively. Two variables (Δ1, Δ2) represented examination score differences between pre- and post-assessment and between post-assessment and retention examinations, respectively. The Δ1 for clay and module groups were each significantly higher than controls (21.46 ± 8.2 vs. 15.70 ± 7.5, P ≤ 0.05; and 21.31 ± 6.9 vs. 15.70 ± 7.5, P ≤0.05, respectively). The Δ2 for clay and module groups approached but did not achieve significance over controls (-6.09 ± 5.07 vs. -8.80 ± 4.60, P = 0.16 and -5.73 ± 4.47 vs. -8.80 ± 4.60, P = 0.12, respectively). No significant differences were seen between interventions or learning preferences in any group. However, students of some learning styles tended to perform better when engaging in certain modalities. Multiple teaching modalities may accommodate learning preferences and improve understanding of anatomy. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.

  12. 34 CFR 32.9 - Written decision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the employee has submitted the financial statement and written explanation required under § 32.4(c... stating the facts supporting the nature and origin of the debt and the hearing official's analysis... determination of the existence and the amount of the overpayment or the extreme financial hardship caused by the...

  13. Developing and Evaluating Clinical Written Assignment in Clinical Teaching for the Senior B.S. Nursing Students: An action research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leila Valizadeh

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: In a four-year undergraduate level , the nursing students have to get prepared in the patients education, designing care plans, applying nursing processes and exercise the clinical decisions, in addition to learning practical skills. Therefore, multiple clinical teaching strategies in nursing must be applied. In this study the sheets for the mentioned fields were designed and used. Methods: In this action research in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 64 nursing senior students and related instructors participated. Clinical written assignment included the patient’s health condition sheet, tables showing the used medicines and the precautions, the clinical and paraclinical tests and the results, identifying the patient problems, designing and implementing care plan and writing nursing reports with SOAPIE method. The instructors’ viewpoints were achieved through the group discussions and their notes taken. The perceived competency of the students was obtained through a questionnaire. The qualitative data was analyzed by the content analysis and quantitative using SPSS. Results: Both the students and the instructors agreed with the clinical written assignment. The desired care competency of the students before and after assignment was statistically significant (p<0.05. According to the instructors, intervention was useful for the senior students who have passed the courses needed for completing and using the different parts of these forms. Conclusion: Since a need is always felt in the trends of the nursing clinical teaching, the researchers recommend the clinical written assignment and their application along with other strategies for senior nursing students in clinical teaching.

  14. [Principles of order in the color systems of the 17th century. (Franciscus Aguilonius--Athanasius Kircher--Isaac Newton)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaeger, W

    1984-04-01

    Since Aristotle there have been two colour order systems: The first is according to the subjective luminosity of colours, and the second is that which is found in the rainbow. Almost all the medieval concepts of colour order were based on the subjective luminosity of colours. At the beginning of the 17th century Franciscus Aguilonius still described the traditional sequence according to subjective luminosity: white, yellow, red, blue and black in his colour order system. - Athanasius Kircher demonstrated two sequences: The first was the same as Aguilonius 's, completed by lists of symbolic qualities attributed to the respective colours; The second was the sequence of the prismatic spectrum; red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Violet was still missing from his spectrum. For that reason the idea of arranging the colours in a closed circle did not occur to him. - Isaac Newton added violet to the prismatic spectrum. Hence he was able to bring the ends of the spectrum together, forming a colour circle. He completed the colours of his spectrum "with those purple hues which, although not present in the spectrum, were familiar to painters and dyers , and in this way closed up the colour-circle into a band returning on itself" (W. Ostwald). Thus he combined the perceptual concept of the colour wheel, containing pairs of complementary colours, with the physical concept of the prismatic spectrum.

  15. Prosodic Parallelism – comparing spoken and written language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Wiese

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The Prosodic Parallelism hypothesis claims adjacent prosodic categories to prefer identical branching of internal adjacent constituents. According to Wiese and Speyer (2015, this preference implies feet contained in the same phonological phrase to display either binary or unary branching, but not different types of branching. The seemingly free schwa-zero alternations at the end of some words in German make it possible to test this hypothesis. The hypothesis was successfully tested by conducting a corpus study which used large-scale bodies of written German. As some open questions remain, and as it is unclear whether Prosodic Parallelism is valid for the spoken modality as well, the present study extends this inquiry to spoken German. As in the previous study, the results of a corpus analysis recruiting a variety of linguistic constructions are presented. The Prosodic Parallelism hypothesis can be demonstrated to be valid for spoken German as well as for written German. The paper thus contributes to the question whether prosodic preferences are similar between the spoken and written modes of a language. Some consequences of the results for the production of language are discussed.

  16. DISCOURSE AND PARTICIPATION IN ESL FACE-TO-FACE AND WRITTEN ELECTRONIC CONFERENCES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Fitze

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was a comparative investigation of face-to-face and written electronic conferences. The participants were advanced English as a second language (hereafter: ESL students. The two types of conferences were compared in terms of textual features and participation. There was no statistically significant difference in the total number of words that students produced in an equivalent amount of time in the two types of conferences. The discourse in written electronic conferences displayed greater lexical range, and students in these conferences produced more discourse demonstrating interactive competence. The statistically significant finding of increased lexical range in written electronic conferences persisted even when the interactive discourse was eliminated from the conference transcripts and the transcripts were reanalyzed. This finding suggests that, during written electronic conferences, students were better able to use and practice a wider range of vocabulary related to the topics. For one of the groups, participation in written electronic conferences was more balanced among students, while for the other group participation was about equally balanced regardless of the conference setting. This last finding came as a surprise and points to a need for further research into variables that might mediate balanced participation in face-to-face and written electronic conferences.

  17. Towards a Theory of Vernacularisation: Insights from Written Chinese Vernaculars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snow, Don

    2013-01-01

    This paper examines the history of four Chinese vernaculars which have developed written forms, and argues that five of the patterns Hanan identifies in the early development of Bai Hua can also be found in the early development of written Wu, Cantonese, and Minnan. In each of the cases studied, there is a clear pattern of early use of the…

  18. Factors associated with ownership and use of written asthma action plans in North-West Melbourne.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulaiman, N D; Barton, C A; Abramson, M J; Liaw, T; Harris, C; Chondros, P; Dharmage, S; Clarke, D

    2004-12-01

    Written asthma action plans (WAAPs) have become a core component of asthma management in Australia. We investigated ownership, utilisation and factors associated with ownership of asthma action plans by caregivers. 443/776 (57%) caregivers of children aged 2-14 years with asthma were identified from 32 GP clinics as part of a randomised controlled trial (RCT), and completed self-administered questionnaires. Only 29% of participants owned a WAAP, while 13% possessed verbal instructions, and 56% had no plan. An asthma action plan for children, which was developed by a general practitioner (GP) was more likely to comprise verbal instructions (p = 0.001), while action plans developed by paediatricians were more likely to be written (p time they visited their doctor for asthma. Factors associated with WAAP ownership included nights waking (p = 0.013), self reported severity (p = 0.001), and days lost from school (p = 0.037). Children who had seen a GP in the last 3 months for asthma, or who had been to the Emergency Department (ED) or hospital were more likely to possess a WAAP (p < 0.001). Caregivers who were less satisfied with their child's asthma control were more likely to own a WAAP (p = 0.037). Caregivers with any action plan found it useful and 82% reported using their action plan for management of an acute attack. However, caregivers with a WAAP were more likely to adhere to the plan for an acute attack compared to caregivers with verbal instructions (OR = 4.5, p < 0.05). Caregivers with a WAAP were more knowledgeable about asthma (p = 0.002), better able to recognise the difference between preventer and reliever medications (p = 0.01), and better able to recognise an asthma attack (p = 0.006). Ownership of WAAPs in this group was still too low. Importantly, caregivers with written instructions were more knowledgeable about asthma and more likely to report following the action plan during an asthma attack.

  19. Word frequencies in written and spoken English based on the British National Corpus

    CERN Document Server

    Leech, Geoffrey; Wilson, Andrew (All Of Lancaster University)

    2014-01-01

    Word Frequencies in Written and Spoken English is a landmark volume in the development of vocabulary frequency studies. Whereas previous books have in general given frequency information about the written language only, this book provides information on both speech and writing. It not only gives information about the language as a whole, but also about the differences between spoken and written English, and between different spoken and written varieties of the language. The frequencies are derived from a wide ranging and up-to-date corpus of English: the British Na

  20. 7 CFR 900.40 - Written testimony and USDA data request requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... and Nut Marketing Agreements and Marketing Orders § 900.40 Written testimony and USDA data request... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Written testimony and USDA data request requirements...) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF...

  1. Solar Simulation Laboratory Description and Manual.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-06-01

    2000 was sent back to Cyborg Corp. three times over a five month period for repairs. The solar lab is presently using a loaner from Cyborg Corp. The IBM...PC/XT is connected to the ISAAC 2000 by a RS232 connection. All programs were written in advanced basic ("BASICA"). BASICA was used because Cyborg ...2067 CH/P Temperature.Control Bath TechnicalManual, November. 1980. A 30. Cyborg Corporation, Version 1.2, IS..AC.....Co..mpiut.er.liz e.d Data

  2. Paper to Electronic Questionnaires: Effects on Structured Questionnaire Forms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Anna C.

    2009-01-01

    With the use of computers, paper questionnaires are being replaced by electronic questionnaires. The formats of traditional paper questionnaires have been found to effect a subject's rating. Consequently, the transition from paper to electronic format can subtly change results. The research presented begins to determine how electronic questionnaire formats change subjective ratings. For formats where subjects used a flow chart to arrive at their rating, starting at the worst and middle ratings of the flow charts were the most accurate but subjects took slightly more time to arrive at their answers. Except for the electronic paper format, starting at the worst rating was the most preferred. The paper and electronic paper versions had the worst accuracy. Therefore, for flowchart type of questionnaires, flowcharts should start at the worst rating and work their way up to better ratings.

  3. Written argument underlying the Brokdorf verdict

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1980-01-01

    In December 1979, the Schleswig administrative court delivered its judgment (AZ.: 10 A 512/76) against the plaintiffs (four neighbouring communities and nine individuals), who had brought in an action against the first part-construction permit for the Brokdorf nuclear power plant, issued on October 25, 1976. In mid-march 1980, the written argument underlying this court ruling (58 pages) has been sent out. The written argument conscientiously explains the reasoning of the court which delivered its verdict after several days of oral proceedings in October and November 1979, and clearly states the position of the court with regard to the limits of control by administrative jurisdiction as well as to the controversial legal problem of whether there is a lawful connection between the licensing in accordance with section 7, sub-section 2 of the AtG (Atomic Energy Act) and sufficient nuclear waste management provisions according to section 9a AtG. The court ruling declared the action to be substantially admissible but hot well-founded. (orig./HP) [de

  4. The determinants of spoken and written picture naming latencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, Patrick; Chalard, Marylène; Méot, Alain; Fayol, Michel

    2002-02-01

    The influence of nine variables on the latencies to write down or to speak aloud the names of pictures taken from Snodgrass and Vanderwart (1980) was investigated in French adults. The major determinants of both written and spoken picture naming latencies were image variability, image agreement and age of acquisition. To a lesser extent, name agreement was also found to have an impact in both production modes. The implications of the findings for theoretical views of both spoken and written picture naming are discussed.

  5. Enhancing the Benefits of Written Emotional Disclosure through Response Training

    OpenAIRE

    Konig, Andrea; Eonta, Alison; Dyal, Stephanie R.; Vrana, Scott R.

    2013-01-01

    Writing about a personal stressful event has been found to have psychological and physical health benefits, especially when physiological response increases during writing. Response training was developed to amplify appropriate physiological reactivity in imagery exposure. The present study examined whether response training enhances the benefits of written emotional disclosure. Participants were assigned to either a written emotional disclosure condition (n = 113) or a neutral writing condit...

  6. The impact of computer-based feedback on students’ written work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khaled El Ebyary

    2010-12-01

    automatic computer-based holistic scores and computer-based feedback (CBF on written work are available and therefore have the potential to deal with this issue. Criterion is one such tool that claims to be able to provide automated feedback at word, sentence, paragraph and text level, but there is still a need for more research into the practical value of providing feedback on L2 writing. Quantitative and qualitative data about feedback practice was collected from 31 instructors and 549 Egyptian trainee EFL teachers using pre-treatment questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. 24 of the trainees then received computer-based feedback using Criterion on two drafts of essays submitted on each of 4 topics. Data recorded by the software suggested a positive effect on the quality of students’ second drafts and subsequent submissions, and post-treatment questionnaires, interviews and focus groups showed a positive effect on the students’ attitudes towards feedback.

  7. Increasing advertising power via written scent references

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fenko, Anna; Breulmann, Svenja; Bialkova, Svetlana; Bialkova, Svetlana

    2014-01-01

    Olfactory cues in advertisements can evoke positive consumer emotions and product attitudes, yet including real scent in advertising is not always feasible. This study aimed at investigating whether written scent references could produce effects similar to real scents. Participants in online

  8. Aspects of Oral Language, Speech, and Written Language in Subjects with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy of Difficult Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berberian, Ana Paula

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction About 50 million people have epilepsy and 30% of them have epilepsy that does not respond to properly conducted drug treatment. Objective Verify the incidence of language disorders in oral language, speech, and written language of subjects with difficult to control temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE and compare the occurrence of these disorders in subjects before and after surgery. Methods Cross-sectional study with quantitative analysis, exploratory type. A questionnaire for data collection was administered covering the following aspects: oral language, speech complaints, and writing production and comprehension. Criteria for inclusion of subjects were a diagnosis of TLE refractory to drug treatment and at least 4 years of schooling. Results The sample of 63 patients with TLE was divided into two groups: presurgical (n = 31 and postsurgical (n = 32. In the postsurgical group, there was a higher frequency of left lobectomy (75% than right (25%. Conclusion Statistical analysis was performed with the chi-square test (significance level of 0.05. Complaints related to speech-language attention were more predominant in postsurgical subjects. Analysis of oral language, speech, and written language in subjects with epilepsy who underwent temporal lobectomy or not showed findings consistent with symptoms related to transient aphasia, with the presence of paraphasias, as well as changes in speech prosody and melody. These symptoms appeared more associated with recurrence after having a temporal lobectomy.

  9. A Comparison of Written, Vocal, and Video Feedback When Training Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luck, Kally M.; Lerman, Dorothea C.; Wu, Wai-Ling; Dupuis, Danielle L.; Hussein, Louisa A.

    2018-01-01

    We compared the effectiveness of and preference for different feedback strategies when training six special education teachers during a 5-day summer training program. In Experiment 1, teachers received written or vocal feedback while learning to implement two different types of preference assessments. In Experiment 2, we compared either written or…

  10. On Verification of PLC-Programs Written in the LD-Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Kuzmin

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We discuss some questions connected with the construction of a technology of analysing correctness of Programmable Logic Controller programs. We consider an example of modeling and automated verification of PLC-programs written in the Ladder Diagram language (including timed function blocks of the IEC 61131-3 standard. We use the Cadence SMV for symbolic model checking. Program properties are written in the linear-time temporal logic LTL.

  11. How Do Surgery Students Use Written Language to Say What They See? A Framework to Understand Medical Students' Written Evaluations of Their Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, David W; White, Jonathan S

    2015-11-01

    There remains debate regarding the value of the written comments that medical students are traditionally asked to provide to evaluate the teaching they receive. The purpose of this study was to examine written teaching evaluations to understand how medical students conceptualize teachers' behaviors and performance. All written comments collected from medical students about teachers in the two surgery clerkships at the University of Alberta in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 were collated and anonymized. A grounded theory approach was used for analysis, with iterative reading and open coding to identify recurring themes. A framework capturing variations observed in the data was generated until data saturation was achieved. Domains and subdomains were named using an in situ coding approach. The conceptual framework contained three main domains: "Physician as Teacher," "Physician as Person," and "Physician as Physician." Under "Physician as Teacher," students commented on specific acts of teaching and subjective perceptions of an educator's teaching values. Under the "Physician as Physician" domain, students commented on elements of their educator's physicianship, including communication and collaborative skills, medical expertise, professionalism, and role modeling. Under "Physician as Person," students commented on how both positive and negative personality traits impacted their learning. This framework describes how medical students perceive their teachers and how they use written language to attach meaning to the behaviors they observe. Such a framework can be used to help students provide more constructive feedback to teachers and to assist in faculty development efforts aimed at improving teaching performance.

  12. Comparisons between written and computerised patient histories

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Quaak, Martien; Westerman, R. Frans; van Bemmel, Jan H.

    1987-01-01

    Patient histories were obtained from 99 patients in three different ways: by a computerised patient interview (patient record), by the usual written interview (medical record), and by the transcribed record, which was a computerised version of the medical record. Patient complaints, diagnostic

  13. 14 CFR 302.207 - Cases to be decided on written submissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... administrative law judge is otherwise required by the public interest. (b) The standards employed in deciding... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cases to be decided on written submissions....207 Cases to be decided on written submissions. (a) Applications under this subpart will be decided on...

  14. [Experiences with the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21 in young men].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czeglédi, Edit

    2017-09-01

    Eating behaviours play a crucial role in the development of obesity. To conduct a psychometric analysis of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21 and to investigate the correlates of obesogenic eating behaviours among males. Participants of the cross-sectional questionnaire-based study were male university students (n = 239, mean of age: 20.3 years, SD = 2.78 years). self-reported body weight and body height, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21, Trait Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results of confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical model of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21 (χ 2 (186) = 366.1, peating behaviours, such as uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint, and emotional eating. Results support the construct validity and reliability of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21 among males and highlight the importance of taking psychological factors into account in the prevention of obesity. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(37): 1469-1477.

  15. Prevalence of childhood asthma in Korea: international study of asthma and allergies in childhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang-Il

    2010-04-01

    Childhood asthma is a major concern because it leads to more hospital visits and a heavy economic burden. Proper management and prevention strategies for childhood asthma must be based on correct evaluation of prevalence and risk factors for its development. In Korea, nationwide studies were conducted in 1995 and 2000 on students from 68 elementary schools (age, 6-12 years) and junior high schools (age, 12-15 years) by the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases. We used the Korean version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written and video questionnaires at the same schools during the same period (October-November). The prevalence of asthma in junior high school children seemed to increase over 5 years. However, in elementary school children, the prevalence of asthma symptoms decreased, although the prevalence of 'diagnosis of asthma, ever' and 'treatment of asthma, last 12 months' increased. In addition, it was found that various factors, such as obesity, passive smoking, dietary habits, raising pets at home, and fever/antibiotic use during infancy were associated with childhood asthma. When prevalence of asthma in Korea was compared with that in different regions, the prevalence changes in the 6-7 years age group did not seem to be consistent between regions, whereas similar trends were observed among children aged 13-14 years. To conduct another epidemiological study to evaluate the time trend over time, a third nationwide survey is planned in 2010, and we anticipate ISAAC Phase 3 will explore recent changes in the prevalence of childhood asthma and assess its risk factors in Korean children. On the basis of accurate data on the current status of childhood asthma in 2010, we will be able to establish proper management strategies.

  16. Atmospheric pollution and the prevalence of asthma: study among schoolchildren of 2 areas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rios, José Luiz Magalhães; Boechat, José Laerte; Sant'Anna, Clemax Couto; França, Alfeu Tavares

    2004-06-01

    Air pollutants have been associated with the exacerbation of respiratory diseases. They may intensify the inflammatory allergic response and airways reactivity to inhaled allergens. However, it is still not clear if air pollution contributes to the increased prevalence of asthma. To investigate if different levels of air pollution exposure can be related to differences in the prevalence of asthma. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol was used to determine and compare the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren in 2 cities of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Duque de Caxias (DC) and Seropédica (SR), which have different levels of atmospheric pollution. The research involved 4,064 students aged 13 to 14 years from 49 schools in DC and 1,129 from 17 schools in SR. Air pollution was evaluated by the concentration of inhalable particulate matter (PM10). ISAAC's written questionnaire was answered by 4,040 students aged 13 to 14 years in DC and 1,080 in SR. Between 1998 and 2000, the PM10 annual arithmetic mean was 124 microg/m3 in DC and 35 microg/m3 in SR (acceptable level is up to 50 microg/m3). The prevalence of wheezing ever was 35.1% in DC and 29.9% in SR (P = .001), and the prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months was 19.0% in DC and 15.0% in SR (P = .002). In DC, 14.5% of the adolescents presented 1 to 3 crises of wheezing in the last year, whereas in SR only 11.0% presented 1 to 3 crises (P = .003). In this study, the prevalence of asthma in adolescents was directly related to atmospheric pollution.

  17. English tsotsitaals? − an analysis of two written texts in Surfspeak ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... medium of English; (b) give an appreciation of the humour, wit and style associated with English tsotsitaals, via the analysis of two written texts; and (c) show the limitations of tsotsitaals in extended written usage, for which they have to co-exist with more mainstream forms of the dialect of English they utilise for their base.

  18. Developmental perspectives in written language and literacy: In honor of Ludo Verhoeven

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

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

    2017-01-01

    Research on the development on written language and literacy is inherently multidisciplinary. In this book, leading researchers studying brain, cognition and behavior, come together in revealing how children develop written language and literacy, why they may experience difficulties, and which

  19. Ultradeep Near-Infrared ISAAC Observations of the Hubble Deep Field South: Observations, Reduction, Multicolor Catalog, and Photometric Redshifts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labbé, Ivo; Franx, Marijn; Rudnick, Gregory; Schreiber, Natascha M. Förster; Rix, Hans-Walter; Moorwood, Alan; van Dokkum, Pieter G.; van der Werf, Paul; Röttgering, Huub; van Starkenburg, Lottie; van der Wel, Arjen; Kuijken, Konrad; Daddi, Emanuele

    2003-03-01

    We present deep near-infrared (NIR) Js-, H-, and Ks-band ISAAC imaging of the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) field of the Hubble Deep Field South (HDF-S). The 2.5‧×2.5‧ high Galactic latitude field was observed with the Very Large Telescope under the best seeing conditions, with integration times amounting to 33.6 hr in Js, 32.3 hr in H, and 35.6 hr in Ks. We reach total AB magnitudes for point sources of 26.8, 26.2, and 26.2, respectively (3 σ), which make it the deepest ground-based NIR observation to date and the deepest Ks-band data in any field. The effective seeing of the co-added images is ~0.45" in Js, ~0.48" in H, and ~0.46" in Ks. Using published WFPC2 optical data, we constructed a Ks-limited multicolor catalog containing 833 sources down to Ktots,AB2.3 (in Johnson magnitudes). Because they are extremely faint in the observed optical, they would be missed by ultraviolet-optical selection techniques, such as the U-dropout method. Based on service mode observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile (ESO Program 164.O-0612). Also based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.

  20. Learners' right to freedom of written expression

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erna Kinsey

    Learners' right to freedom of written expression. W.J. van Vollenhoven. Department of Education Management and Policy Studies, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa wvvollen@postino.up.ac.za. Charles I. Glenn. Training and Policy Studies of the University Professors' Program, University of Boston. Although ...

  1. Written culture: reading pratices and printed book

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidia Eugenia Cavalcante

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The history of the written culture and the reading practices is the subject argued in this article. It aims at to understand the trajectory of the printed book in its materiality, as well as the processes delineated from the undisputed cultural presence and politics of this support for the modern society. Search to evidence the reading practices, the phenomena and the mutations that fortify such support per centuries, approaching the “book crisis”, its causes and effects. Therefore, it deals with the particularitities of the written culture, that if they had accomplished in the Siècle des Lumières and if they had consecrated in “acting” of the spirit of the authors and the readers of that time, whose propagation influenced the western person. It analyzes the sociological and historical conditions of the place of the modern reader between Science, Philosophy and Romance, continuously transformed for the renewal of the thought and the culture.

  2. Adolescents and young adults with cancer: aspects of adherence – a questionnaire study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kleinke AM

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Anne Marie Kleinke, Carl Friedrich Classen Oncology and Hematology Unit, Children’s Hospital, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany Purpose: For adolescents and young adults (AYAs, a cancer diagnosis represents an extraordinary strike in a vulnerable phase of life. They have special needs that the medical system has to take into consideration, and they exhibit a lower degree of therapy adherence than both older and younger patients. The purpose of this study was first to analyze the adherence of AYAs with cancer compared to a group of older patients and, second, to determine correlated parameters, with focus on the psychosocial interaction between physicians and patients. Patients and methods: In 2012, a complete 1 year cohort of patients reported, by use of a questionnaire, to the Rostock clinical cancer registry, and a group of older patients were invited to answer a multi-item set of questionnaires on a volunteer basis, leading to a population-based cross-sectional analysis. This included a bias due to non-answering which is unavoidable in such a setting. The questionnaire consisted of well-established standard questionnaires, a questionnaire on adherence that has just recently been published, and a self-written questionnaire focusing on patient–physician relationship. The responses were analyzed for our current study. Results: Gender, religion, education, age, anxiety, family atmosphere, or physician–patient relationship were not significantly correlated to adherence in AYAs. However, markedly more AYAs, as compared to the older patients group, considered breaking off therapy and reported suboptimal communication with the physicians. Only the perceived physical illness could be identified as a factor related to adherence among the AYA group.Conclusion: Our findings confirm the need for more focused approaches to serve the special needs of AYAs, with particular attention on specific items that showed up discriminating AYAs from

  3. Consumer Preferences for Written and Oral Information about Allergens When Eating Out.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begen, Fiona M; Barnett, Julie; Payne, Ros; Roy, Debbie; Gowland, M Hazel; Lucas, Jane S

    2016-01-01

    Avoiding food allergens when eating outside the home presents particular difficulties for food allergic (FA) and intolerant (FI) consumers and a lack of allergen information in restaurants and takeaways causes unnecessary restrictions. Across Europe, legislation effective from December 2014, aims to improve allergen information by requiring providers of non-prepacked foods to supply information related to allergen content within their foods. Using in-depth interviews with 60 FA/FI adults and 15 parents/carers of FA/FI children, we aimed to identify FA/FI consumers' preferences for written and/or verbal allergen information when eating out or ordering takeaway food. A complex and dynamic set of preferences and practices for written and verbal allergen information was identified. Overwhelmingly, written information was favoured in the first instance, but credible personal/verbal communication was highly valued and essential to a good eating out experience. Adequate written information facilitated implicit trust in subsequent verbal information. Where written information was limited, FA/FIs depended on social cues to assess the reliability of verbal information resources, and defaulted to tried and tested allergen avoidance strategies when these were deemed unreliable. Understanding the subtle negotiations and difficulties encountered by FA/FIs when eating out can serve as a guide for legislators and food providers; by encouraging provision of clear written and verbal allergen information, and training of proactive, allergen-aware staff. This, in tandem with legal requirements for allergen information provision, paves the way for FA/FIs to feel more confident in eating out choices; and to experience improved eating out experiences.

  4. The Written-Pole{sup TM} motor: high efficiency - low start current

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beck, B. [C.Eng. Precise Power Corp., Bradenton, FL (United States); Friesen, D. [P.E. Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg (Canada)

    2000-07-01

    Written-Pole{sup TM} technology is a patented machine technology, which changes the magnetic polarity of the rotor field in a rotating machine, while the machine is operating. The number of poles is thereby changed, resulting in a constant frequency - variable speed machine. When operating as a motor, a Written-Pole machine has inherently low starting current and high operating efficiency. (orig.)

  5. 17 CFR 230.437a - Written consents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ...) Are filing a registration statement containing financial statements in which Arthur Andersen LLP (or a foreign affiliate of Arthur Andersen LLP) had been acting as the independent public accountant. (b... dispense with the requirement for the registrant to file the written consent of Arthur Andersen LLP (or a...

  6. STRATEGIES OF EXPRESSING WRITTEN APOLOGIES IN THE ONLINE NEWSPAPERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cipto Wardoyo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Expressing apology is a universal activity although people have different strategies or ways to express the apology based on the culture, situation, and context. An apology has played a vital role in verbal politeness; it is certainly impolite when someone does not express an apology when he or she has commited an offence to the others. Apologies in the Pragmatic study is classified under speech act theory. An apology based on Searle (1969 is classified as expressive speech acts because it expresses speaker’s physiological attitude. An apology expresses speaker’s sorrow and regret because he/she has offended hearers or readers.  This paper tries to discuss strategies of editors in expressing written apologies in the online newspaper. The objective of this paper is to explain what the strategies of written apologies are in the online newspaper. This study uses qualitative method; the writer chooses descriptive interpretative technique for analyzing data. There are four written apologies in the online neswpapers as data sources in this paper, the data are taken from The Jakarta Post, The Daily Express, The Sun, and Brisbane Times. The writer tries to describe and analyzes utterances in the data sources based on Olshtain & Cohen theory (1986. There are five main strategies in expressing apologies according to Olshtain & Cohen (1986; they are Illocutionary Force Indicating Device (IFID, expression responsibility, explanation/justification, offer repairs, and promise forbearance. The writer found that all of the written apologies used combination strategies, they used IFID by using performative verb: apologize and be sorry then followed by expression resposbility, explanation, offer repairs, and promise forbearance. Keywords: apologies, speech acts, politeness, pragmatics

  7. Synergistic relationships between Analytical Chemistry and written standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valcárcel, Miguel; Lucena, Rafael

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Analytical Chemistry is influenced by international written standards. •Different relationships can be established between them. •Synergies can be generated when these standards are conveniently managed. -- Abstract: This paper describes the mutual impact of Analytical Chemistry and several international written standards (norms and guides) related to knowledge management (CEN-CWA 14924:2004), social responsibility (ISO 26000:2010), management of occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001/2), environmental management (ISO 14001:2004), quality management systems (ISO 9001:2008) and requirements of the competence of testing and calibration laboratories (ISO 17025:2004). The intensity of this impact, based on a two-way influence, is quite different depending on the standard considered. In any case, a new and fruitful approach to Analytical Chemistry based on these relationships can be derived

  8. Synergistic relationships between Analytical Chemistry and written standards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valcárcel, Miguel, E-mail: qa1vacam@uco.es; Lucena, Rafael

    2013-07-25

    Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Analytical Chemistry is influenced by international written standards. •Different relationships can be established between them. •Synergies can be generated when these standards are conveniently managed. -- Abstract: This paper describes the mutual impact of Analytical Chemistry and several international written standards (norms and guides) related to knowledge management (CEN-CWA 14924:2004), social responsibility (ISO 26000:2010), management of occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001/2), environmental management (ISO 14001:2004), quality management systems (ISO 9001:2008) and requirements of the competence of testing and calibration laboratories (ISO 17025:2004). The intensity of this impact, based on a two-way influence, is quite different depending on the standard considered. In any case, a new and fruitful approach to Analytical Chemistry based on these relationships can be derived.

  9. Transforming Biology Assessment with Machine Learning: Automated Scoring of Written Evolutionary Explanations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nehm, Ross H.; Ha, Minsu; Mayfield, Elijah

    2012-01-01

    This study explored the use of machine learning to automatically evaluate the accuracy of students' written explanations of evolutionary change. Performance of the Summarization Integrated Development Environment (SIDE) program was compared to human expert scoring using a corpus of 2,260 evolutionary explanations written by 565 undergraduate…

  10. Assessing the quality of bereavement care after perinatal death: development and piloting of a questionnaire to assess parents' experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiyelaagbe, Esther; Scott, Rebecca E; Holmes, Victoria; Lane, Emma; Heazell, Alexander E P

    2017-10-01

    Understanding parents' experience of care is essential to develop high-quality perinatal bereavement services. This study aimed at developing a questionnaire to identify parents' needs and record their experience of care. The patient experience questionnaire was developed by professionals and parents, and piloted in a tertiary maternity unit. Responses were received from 58 parents. Sensitivity and kindness of staff and time spent with their baby were ranked as 'very important' by 95% of parents. Care in these areas largely met their needs (90%), although 5% of respondents stated that partners could have been more involved. Between 8% and 15% of respondents did not feel that language used at the diagnosis of fetal death was sensitive, clear and unambiguous. Parents did not always receive written information about their care (5%) or post-mortem (13%). Analysis of bereaved parents' responses identified areas for improvement including greater involvement of partners and a need for timely information. Impact statement What is already known on this subject?: Good quality bereavement care after perinatal death reduces the negative emotional, psychological and social effects for parents. Description of parents' experiences is a potential means to improve the quality of perinatal bereavement care. What do the results of this study add?: Parents' needs and experiences of care after perinatal death were recorded using a patient-experience questionnaire designed by a multi-professional team and parents. Staff behaviour, particularly sensitivity and kindness was highly valued by parents. Giving both verbal and written information could be improved. Training is needed for professionals, particularly those who come into contact with bereaved parents less frequently. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research?: Description of parents' priorities and views can be used to identify areas for improvement in perinatal bereavement care

  11. Cue Reliance in L2 Written Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiechmann, Daniel; Kerz, Elma

    2014-01-01

    Second language learners reach expert levels in relative cue weighting only gradually. On the basis of ensemble machine learning models fit to naturalistic written productions of German advanced learners of English and expert writers, we set out to reverse engineer differences in the weighting of multiple cues in a clause linearization problem. We…

  12. Modeling statistical properties of written text.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Angeles Serrano

    Full Text Available Written text is one of the fundamental manifestations of human language, and the study of its universal regularities can give clues about how our brains process information and how we, as a society, organize and share it. Among these regularities, only Zipf's law has been explored in depth. Other basic properties, such as the existence of bursts of rare words in specific documents, have only been studied independently of each other and mainly by descriptive models. As a consequence, there is a lack of understanding of linguistic processes as complex emergent phenomena. Beyond Zipf's law for word frequencies, here we focus on burstiness, Heaps' law describing the sublinear growth of vocabulary size with the length of a document, and the topicality of document collections, which encode correlations within and across documents absent in random null models. We introduce and validate a generative model that explains the simultaneous emergence of all these patterns from simple rules. As a result, we find a connection between the bursty nature of rare words and the topical organization of texts and identify dynamic word ranking and memory across documents as key mechanisms explaining the non trivial organization of written text. Our research can have broad implications and practical applications in computer science, cognitive science and linguistics.

  13. Language and Ageing--Exploring Propositional Density in Written Language--Stability over Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Elizabeth; Craig, Hugh; Ferguson, Alison; Colyvas, Kim

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the stability of propositional density (PD) in written texts, as this aspect of language shows promise as an indicator and as a predictor of language decline with ageing. This descriptive longitudinal study analysed written texts obtained from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health in which participants were…

  14. [Cross-cultural validated adaptation of dysfunctional voiding symptom score (DVSS) to Japanese language and cognitive linguistics in questionnaire for pediatric patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imamura, Masaaki; Usui, Tomoko; Johnin, Kazuyoshi; Yoshimura, Koji; Farhat, Walid; Kanematsu, Akihiro; Ogawa, Osamu

    2014-07-01

    Validated questionnaire for evaluation of pediatric lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is of a great need. We performed cross-cultural validated adaptation of Dysfunctional Voiding Symptom Score (DVSS) to Japanese language, and assessed whether children understand and respond to questionnaire correctly, using cognitive linguistic approach. We translated DVSS into two Japanese versions according to a standard validation methodology: translation, synthesis, back-translation, expert review, and pre-testing. One version was written in adult language for parents, and the other was written in child language for children. Pre-testing was done with 5 to 15-year-old patients visiting us, having normal intelligence. A specialist in cognitive linguistics observed the response by children and parents to DVSS as an interviewer. When a child could not understand a question without adding or paraphrasing the question by the parents, it was defined as 'misidentification'. We performed pretesting with 2 trial versions of DVSS before having the final version. The pre-testing for the first trial version was done for 32 patients (male to female ratio was 19 : 13). The pre-testing for the second trial version was done for 11 patients (male to female ratio was 8 : 3). In DVSS in child language, misidentification was consistently observed for representation of time or frequency. We completed the formal validated translation by amending the problems raised in the pre-testing. The cross-cultural validated adaptation of DVSS to child and adult Japanese was completed. Since temporal perception is not fully developed in children, caution should be taken for using the terms related with time or frequency in the questionnaires for children.

  15. Factors affecting written distance-learning feedback: the tutor’s perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Calfoglou

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Launching the distance-learning student-tutor interaction process, tutors of the first module of the M.Ed in English course at the HOU lay the foundations of academic student autonomy by means of providing – inter alia -- the appropriate written feedback on written assignments. In doing so, they need to gauge the content and form of their written comments systematically with regard to both output- and student-, that is human factor-related issues (cf. Goldstein, 2004, the latter being particularly relevant to the distance-learning context. In this article we discuss tutor policy as well as tutor perceptions (cf. Lee, 2004, 2009 among others regarding written feedback on students’ academic assignments in terms of aspects of deviance treated and the relative gravity of ‘global’ and ‘local’ errors (e.g. Ferris, 2002, the directness of the correction, the punitive or facilitative nature of the comments provided as well as the relative balance of student strengths and weaknesses on the tutor’s comment agenda (cf. Hyland & Hyland, 2006. The role of the tutor as an assessor and/or counsellor is explored and the importance of striking a delicate balance between the two, especially in a context where face-to-face feedback opportunities are severely restricted, is underscored. We suggest that distance-learning feedback practices may need to be at least partially individualized to maximize student response and meet the goal of ‘informed autonomy’.

  16. The Game Experience Questionnaire

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    IJsselsteijn, W.A.; de Kort, Y.A.W.; Poels, K.

    2013-01-01

    This document contains the English version of the Game Experience Questionnaire. The development and testing of the Game Experience Questionnaire is described in project Deliverable 3.3. The Game Experience Questionnaire has a modular structure and consists of : 1. The core questionnaire 2. The

  17. Speech language therapy bilingual clinic, a written language therapeutical proposal to deaf people: case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guarinello, Ana Cristina; Massi, Giselle; Berberian, Ana Paula; Tonocchi, Rita; Lustosa, Sandra Silva

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to analyze the written production of a deaf person who is in the process of written language acquisition. One person with hearing disability, called R., participated in this study together with his Speech Language Pathologist. The therapist, proficient in sign language, acted as an interlocutor and interpreter, prioritizing the interactive nature of language and interfering in the written production only when it was requested. During the 3 years of work with R., a change in stance toward written language was observed. In addition, he began to reflect on his texts and utilize written Portuguese in a way that allowed his texts to be more coherent. Writing became an opportunity to show his singularity and to begin reconstructing his relationship with language. Speech language pathology and audiology therapy, at a bilingual clinic, can allow people with hearing disability early access to sign language and, consequently, enable the development of the written form of Portuguese.

  18. Interplay among Technical, Socio-Emotional and Personal Factors in Written Feedback Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Ivan

    2018-01-01

    The centrality of written feedback is clearly seen from the proliferation of research in the context of higher education. As an increasingly expanding field in research, the majority of written feedback studies have been interested in investigating the technical aspect of how feedback should be given in order to promote student learning. More…

  19. Use of the Godin leisure-time exercise questionnaire in multiple sclerosis research: a comprehensive narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikes, Elizabeth Morghen; Richardson, Emma V; Cederberg, Katie J; Sasaki, Jeffer E; Sandroff, Brian M; Motl, Robert W

    2018-01-17

    The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire has been a commonly applied measure of physical activity in research among persons with multiple sclerosis over the past decade. This paper provides a comprehensive description of its application and inclusion in research on physical activity in multiple sclerosis. This comprehensive, narrative review included papers that were published between 1985 and 2017, written in English, involved participants with multiple sclerosis as a primary population, measured physical activity, and cited one of the two original Godin papers. There is a broad scope of research that has included the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire in persons with multiple sclerosis. Overall, 8 papers evaluated its psychometric properties, 21 evaluated patterns of physical activity, 24 evaluated correlates or determinants of physical activity, 28 evaluated outcomes or consequences of physical activity, and 15 evaluated physical activity interventions. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire is a valid self-report measure of physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis, and further is an appropriate, simple, and effective tool for describing patterns of physical activity, examining correlates and outcomes of physical activity, and provides a sensitive outcome for measuring change in physical activity after an intervention. Implications for rehabilitation There is increasing interest in physical activity and its benefits in multiple sclerosis. The study of physical activity requires appropriate and standardized measures. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire is a common self-report measure of physical activity for persons with multiple sclerosis. Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire scores are reliable measures of physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire further is an appropriate, simple, and effective tool for describing patterns of physical activity, examining

  20. Individual Differences in Strategy Use on Division Problems: Mental versus Written Computation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hickendorff, Marian; van Putten, Cornelis M.; Verhelst, Norman D.; Heiser, Willem J.

    2010-01-01

    Individual differences in strategy use (choice and accuracy) were analyzed. A sample of 362 Grade 6 students solved complex division problems under 2 different conditions. In the choice condition students were allowed to use either a mental or a written strategy. In the subsequent no-choice condition, they were required to use a written strategy.…

  1. Relations between scripted online peer feedback processes and quality of written argumentative essay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Noroozi, Omid; Biemans, Harm; Mulder, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Teachers often complain about the quality of students' written essays in higher education. This study explores the relations between scripted online peer feedback processes and quality of written argumentative essay as they occur in an authentic learning situation with direct practical relevance.

  2. Diet History Questionnaire II and Canadian Diet History Questionnaire II: Coding Guidelines

    Science.gov (United States)

    A questionnaire data file is an ASCII text file containing data from completed Diet History Questionnaires. If using paper forms, this file can be created by a scanner or a data entry system. If using DHQ*Web, the questionnaire data file is created automatically.

  3. Bullying among trainee doctors in Southern India: A questionnaire study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bairy K

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Workplace bullying is an important and serious issue in a healthcare setting because of its potential impact on the welfare of care-providers as well as the consumers. Aims: To gauge the extent of bullying among the medical community in India; as a subsidiary objective, to assess the personality trait of the bullying victims. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-reported questionnaire survey was undertaken among a convenient sample of all the trainee doctors at a Government Medical College in Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire, in English with standard written explanation of bullying was used. Basic information like age, sex, job grade and the specialty in case of Postgraduates (PGs were also collected. Statistical Analysis: The results were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and Chi-square test for comparison of frequencies. Results: A total of 174 doctors (115 PGs and 59 junior doctors, took part in the study with a cent percent response. Nearly half of the surveyed population reported being subjected to bullying. Nearly 54 (53% of the men and 35 (48% of women were subjected to bullying. Significant proportions ( P < 0.0001 of medical personnel and paramedical staff bullied the PGs and junior doctors, respectively. More than 85 (90% of bullying incidents went unreported. A significant ( P < 0.0001 percentage of PGs and junior doctors revealed a personality trait towards bully. Conclusions: Workplace bullying is common among trainee doctors and usually goes unreported.

  4. 42 CFR 456.180 - Individual written plan of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Mental Hospitals Plan of Care § 456.180 Individual written plan of care. (a) Before admission to a mental hospital or...

  5. Household conditions, eczema symptoms and rhinitis symptoms: relationship with wheeze and severe wheeze in children living in the Polokwane area, South Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wichmann, Janine; Wolvaardt, Jacqueline E; Maritz, Chantelle

    2009-01-01

    was conducted during August 2004 and February 2005. Parents/guardians of 6- to 7-year-old children completed the questionnaires in English, Afrikaans or North-Sotho. However, the statistical analyses were restricted to the North-Sotho group (n = 2,437). RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence rates of wheeze......BACKGROUND: This is the fifth study that applied the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology in the Southern African Development Community (SADC region). However, it is the first ISAAC study that focused on 6- to 7-year-old children living in South Africa...... and that also investigated the association between potential risk factors and asthma symptoms. Objective To assess the 12-month prevalence of wheeze and severe wheeze along with their potential risk factors. Setting Within a 60-km radius from the Polokwane city centre, Limpopo Province. METHODS: The survey...

  6. 19 CFR 210.4 - Written submissions; representations; sanctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Written submissions; representations; sanctions. 210.4 Section 210.4 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Rules of General Applicability § 210.4...

  7. One-Dimensional Signal Extraction Of Paper-Written ECG Image And Its Archiving

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhi-ni; Zhang, Hong; Zhuang, Tian-ge

    1987-10-01

    A method for converting paper-written electrocardiograms to one dimensional (1-D) signals for archival storage on floppy disk is presented here. Appropriate image processing techniques were employed to remove the back-ground noise inherent to ECG recorder charts and to reconstruct the ECG waveform. The entire process consists of (1) digitization of paper-written ECGs with an image processing system via a TV camera; (2) image preprocessing, including histogram filtering and binary image generation; (3) ECG feature extraction and ECG wave tracing, and (4) transmission of the processed ECG data to IBM-PC compatible floppy disks for storage and retrieval. The algorithms employed here may also be used in the recognition of paper-written EEG or EMG and may be useful in robotic vision.

  8. The Contribution of Verbal Working Memory to Deaf Children’s Oral and Written Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arfé, Barbara; Rossi, Cristina; Sicoli, Silvia

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the contribution of verbal working memory to the oral and written story production of deaf children. Participants were 29 severely to profoundly deaf children aged 8–13 years and 29 hearing controls, matched for grade level. The children narrated a picture story orally and in writing and performed a reading comprehension test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition forward digit span task, and a reading span task. Oral and written stories were analyzed at the microstructural (i.e., clause) and macrostructural (discourse) levels. Hearing children’s stories scored higher than deaf children’s at both levels. Verbal working memory skills contributed to deaf children’s oral and written production over and above age and reading comprehension skills. Verbal rehearsal skills (forward digit span) contributed significantly to deaf children’s ability to organize oral and written stories at the microstructural level; they also accounted for unique variance at the macrostructural level in writing. Written story production appeared to involve greater verbal working memory resources than oral story production. PMID:25802319

  9. Written object naming, spelling to dictation, and immediate copying: Different tasks, different pathways?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonin, Patrick; Méot, Alain; Lagarrigue, Aurélie; Roux, Sébastien

    2015-01-01

    We report an investigation of cross-task comparisons of handwritten latencies in written object naming, spelling to dictation, and immediate copying. In three separate sessions, adults had to write down a list of concrete nouns from their corresponding pictures (written naming), from their spoken (spelling to dictation) and from their visual presentation (immediate copying). Linear mixed models without random slopes were performed on the latencies in order to study and compare within-task fixed effects. By-participants random slopes were then included to investigate individual differences within and across tasks. Overall, the findings suggest that written naming, spelling to dictation, and copying all involve a lexical pathway, but that written naming relies on this pathway more than the other two tasks do. Only spelling to dictation strongly involves a nonlexical pathway. Finally, the analyses performed at the level of participants indicate that, depending on the type of task, the slower participants are more or less influenced by certain psycholinguistic variables.

  10. The Written Literacy Forum: Combining Research and Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Christopher M.; Florio, Susan

    1983-01-01

    Writing teachers and researchers collaborate in the Written Literacy Forum at Michigan State University to: (1) heighten teachers' awareness of the complexity of writing; (2) stimulate discussion across grade levels; and (3) focus research on areas concerning teachers. Discussion formats and inservice activities are described, and materials…

  11. Optimizing the efficiency of femtosecond-laser-written holograms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wædegaard, Kristian Juncher; Hansen, Henrik Dueholm; Balling, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Computer-generated binary holograms are written on a polished copper surface using single 800-nm, 120-fs pulses from a 1-kHz-repetition-rate laser system. The hologram efficiency (i.e. the power in the holographic reconstructed image relative to the incoming laser power) is investigated...

  12. Modality differences between written and spoken story retelling in healthy older adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica Ann Obermeyer

    2015-04-01

    Methods: Ten native English speaking healthy elderly participants between the ages of 50 and 80 were recruited. Exclusionary criteria included neurological disease/injury, history of learning disability, uncorrected hearing or vision impairment, history of drug/alcohol abuse and presence of cognitive decline (based on Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test. Spoken and written discourse was analyzed for micro linguistic measures including total words, percent correct information units (CIUs; Nicholas & Brookshire, 1993 and percent complete utterances (CUs; Edmonds, et al. 2009. CIUs measure relevant and informative words while CUs focus at the sentence level and measure whether a relevant subject and verb and object (if appropriate are present. Results: Analysis was completed using Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test due to small sample size. Preliminary results revealed that healthy elderly people produced significantly more words in spoken retellings than written retellings (p=.000; however, this measure contrasted with %CIUs and %CUs with participants producing significantly higher %CIUs (p=.000 and %CUs (p=.000 in written story retellings than in spoken story retellings. Conclusion: These findings indicate that written retellings, while shorter, contained higher accuracy at both a word (CIU and sentence (CU level. This observation could be related to the ability to revise written text and therefore make it more concise, whereas the nature of speech results in more embellishment and “thinking out loud,” such as comments about the task, associated observations about the story, etc. We plan to run more participants and conduct a main concepts analysis (before conference time to gain more insight into modality differences and implications.

  13. A precompiler written in SPITBOL applied to programs to analyze nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winkelmann, K.; Croome, D.

    1985-01-01

    For an interactive data acquisition and analysis system for nuclear physics experiments a precompiler is provided to expand system specific macros in user written analysis programs. It is written with help of the string processing language SPITBOL and generates PL/I or PL-11 code. It is shown that SPITBOL is a suitable precompiler language for this kind of medium size precompile problems. (orig.)

  14. Impact of more intensive written information in patients having radical radiation therapy: Results of a prospective randomized phase III trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zissiadis, Yvonne; Harper, Emily; Kearney, Elizabeth

    2010-01-01

    Background and purpose: A diagnosis of malignancy and its treatment is a very stressful time for patients and their families. This study was conducted to determine the impact of more intensive written information on patients' anxiety levels. The secondary aim was to determine the impact of this information on patients' satisfaction levels. Materials and methods: This prospective randomized trial consisted of patients with a pathological diagnosis of cancer having radical radiotherapy (RT). Patients were randomized to receive the more intensive information (including written information and a telephone call from the research nurse) or not to receive the more intensive information at the time of their initial consultation with the radiation oncologist. Study questionnaires measuring anxiety (STAI form) were completed prior to their first consultation (baseline) at the time of simulation (pre-RT) and at the completion of radiotherapy. A second questionnaire assessing satisfaction with the information given (ISQ) was completed at the time of simulation prior to commencing RT. Results: One hundred and ninety-four patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 58.5 years and 70% of patients were female. Breast cancer (67%) was the commonest cancer. One hundred and two patients were randomized to receive the intensive information package and 92 patients received the standard consultation. There was no significant difference in mean State or Trait anxiety scores between any of the time intervals and no difference between the two information groups. There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to mean satisfaction scores with the overall information given, nor with any individual question. The satisfaction scores with lifestyle information given were lower than those for any other type of information in both randomization arms. Conclusion: More intensive information did not significantly change patients' anxiety scores or

  15. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema among 13–14-year-old schoolchildren in Tochigi, Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kumiya Sugiyama

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available To analyze the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in children living in different countries, the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC was developed. The ISAAC Phase One study evaluated approximately 720 000 children in 56 countries, including Japan. In late 1995 and early 1996, we administered the ISAAC questionnaire to 4466 schoolchildren aged 13–14 years of age in 24 schools in Utsunomiya City and Tochigi City (both in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. With regard to asthma, the reported prevalence of wheezing in the preceding 12 months was 8.4%, of frequent wheezing attacks 0.6% and of wheezing with sleep disturbance 0.5%. The prevalence in the preceding 12 months of rhinitis was 42.1% and of rhinoconjunctivitis was 21.5%. Nasal symptoms were most frequent in April (19.9% and least frequent in July (5.6%. The prevalence of atopic eczema in the prior 12 months was 9.6% and atopic eczema with sleep disturbance was 0.6%. All prevalence values were slightly increased in Utsunomiya City, the largest city in Tochigi Prefecture, in comparison with Tochigi City. In conclusion, in Japanese cities, 33.3% of children had some allergic symptoms and 2.4% of children reported severe allergic symptoms.

  16. Discharge communication from inpatient care: an audit of written medical discharge summary procedure against the new National Health Service Standard for clinical handover.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Daniel Brooks; Parsons, Shaun R; Gill, Stephen D; Hughes, Andrew J

    2015-04-01

    To audit written medical discharge summary procedure and practice against Standard Six (clinical handover) of the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards at a major regional Victorian health service. Department heads were invited to complete a questionnaire about departmental discharge summary practices. Twenty-seven (82%) department heads completed the questionnaire. Seven (26%) departments had a documented discharge summary procedure. Fourteen (52%) departments monitored discharge summary completion and 13 (48%) departments monitored the timeliness of completion. Seven (26%) departments informed the patient of the content of the discharge summary and six (22%) departments provided the patient with a copy. Seven (26%) departments provided training for staff members on how to complete discharge summaries. Completing discharge summaries was usually delegated to the medical intern. The introduction of the National Service Standards prompted an organisation-wide audit of discharge summary practices against the external criterion. There was substantial variation in the organisation's practices. The Standards and the current audit results highlight an opportunity for the organisation to enhance and standardise discharge summary practices and improve communication with general practice.

  17. The association between tobacco and the risk of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children and adolescents: analyses from Phase Three of the ISAAC programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Edwin A; Beasley, Richard; Keil, Ulrich; Montefort, Stephen; Odhiambo, Joseph

    2012-11-01

    Exposure to parental smoking is associated with wheeze in early childhood, but in 2006 the US Surgeon General stated that the evidence is insufficient to infer a causal relationship between exposure and asthma in childhood and adolescents. To examine the association between maternal and paternal smoking and symptoms of asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis. Parents or guardians of children aged 6-7 years completed written questionnaires about symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema, and several risk factors, including maternal smoking in the child's first year of life, current maternal smoking (and amount) and paternal smoking. Adolescents aged 13-14 years self completed the questionnaires on these symptoms and whether their parents currently smoked. In the 6-7-year age group there were 220 407 children from 75 centres in 32 countries. In the 13-14-year age group there were 350 654 adolescents from 118 centres in 53 countries. Maternal and paternal smoking was associated with an increased risk of symptoms of asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis in both age groups, although the magnitude of the OR is higher for symptoms of asthma than the other outcomes. Maternal smoking is associated with higher ORs than paternal smoking. For asthma symptoms there is a clear dose relationship (1-9 cigarettes/day, OR 1.27; 10-19 cigarettes/day, OR 1.35; and 20+ cigarettes/day, OR 1.56). When maternal smoking in the child's first year of life and current maternal smoking are considered, the main effect is due to maternal smoking in the child's first year of life. There was no interaction between maternal and paternal smoking. This study has confirmed the importance of maternal smoking, and the separate and additional effect of paternal smoking. The presence of a dose-response effect relationship with asthma symptoms suggests that the relationship is causal, however for eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis causality is less certain.

  18. Concreteness Effects and Syntactic Modification in Written Composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadoski, Mark; Goetz, Ernest T.

    1998-01-01

    Investigates whether concreteness was related to a key characteristic of written composition--the cumulative sentence with a final modifier--which has been consistently associated with higher quality writing. Supports the conceptual-peg hypothesis of dual coding theory, with concrete verbs providing the pegs on which cumulative sentences are…

  19. Behavioral Assessment: Questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, C. Chrisman

    1980-01-01

    This is a general discussion of the validity, reliability, function, and format of questionnaires designed to measure problem behavior, noncompliance, anxiety, social interaction, hyperactivity, drug use, and sexual behavior. Commonly used questionnaires are cited. (CP)

  20. The Relevance of Second Language Acquisition Theory to the Written Error Correction Debate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polio, Charlene

    2012-01-01

    The controversies surrounding written error correction can be traced to Truscott (1996) in his polemic against written error correction. He claimed that empirical studies showed that error correction was ineffective and that this was to be expected "given the nature of the correction process and "the nature of language learning" (p. 328, emphasis…

  1. Responding Effectively to Composition Students: Comparing Student Perceptions of Written and Audio Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilbro, J.; Iluzada, C.; Clark, D. E.

    2013-01-01

    The authors compared student perceptions of audio and written feedback in order to assess what types of students may benefit from receiving audio feedback on their essays rather than written feedback. Many instructors previously have reported the advantages they see in audio feedback, but little quantitative research has been done on how the…

  2. Marginalia as the beginning of written culture: The Glosas Emilianensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja Šabec

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The Glosas emilianenses are notes in Latin and in a Romance language dating from the eleventh century, written by an anonymous monk between the lines and in the margins of a Latin manuscript known as Codex Aemilianensis 60 to explicate syntactic, morphological, and semantic difficulties in understanding the original. The document was named after its place of origin, a monastery in the village of San Millán de la Cogolla, known as “the cradle of Castilian.” The non-Latin Romance glosses are believed to be the first written accounts of the language that later evolved into present-day Castilian or Spanish; they are therefore invaluable historical, linguistic, literary, and cultural material. The place and time of the origin of the glosses are not a coincidence, but a consequence of particular historical circumstances in the Iberian Peninsula. The Moorish invasion in 711 AD destroyed the Visigothic Kingdom and constrained the development of Christian culture, confining it to two independent cores in the north. The ninth century therefore saw the establishment of the County of Castile emerging from the two cores as the predecessor of the Kingdom of Castile (1065. Due to turbulent historical events, the place was populated by people from various adjacent and rather distant countries, thus making the spoken language a mixture of several varieties of Vulgar Latin, Mozarabic, and Navarrian (Basque elements. All of these features are reflected in the glosses in the San Millán manuscript. Therefore, it is difficult for linguists to name the variant of the Romance language the glosses were written in: “the Riojan dialect,” “a vernacular Castilian-Riojan dialect of the second half of the eleventh century displaying tendencies towards learned Latin,” or “a Riojan dialect with elements more common to neighboring dialects (Aragon, Navarrian, Léon, and Mozarabic than to Castilian.” However, because the San Millán glosses also include elements

  3. 9 CFR 202.113 - Rule 13: Written hearing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Rule 13: Written hearing. 202.113 Section 202.113 Animals and Animal Products GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS ADMINISTRATION... waiver of the right to file such evidence. (g) Extension of time for depositions. If any party timely...

  4. Written Emotional Expression as an Intervention for Asthma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bray, Melissa A.; Theodore, Lea A.; Patwa, Shamim S.; Margiano, Suzanne G.; Alric, Jolie M.; Peck, Heather L.

    2003-01-01

    This investigation employed a multiple baseline design across five participants to examine written emotional expression as an intervention to improve lung function in high school-aged students, college students, and adults with asthma. The predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV[subscript 1] measure of large airway functioning) and…

  5. Reliability and validity of child/adolescent food frequency questionnaires that assess foods and/or food groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolodziejczyk, Julia K; Merchant, Gina; Norman, Gregory J

    2012-07-01

    Summarize the validity and reliability of child/adolescent food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) that assess food and/or food groups. We performed a systematic review of child/adolescent (6-18 years) FFQ studies published between January 2001 and December 2010 using MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Main inclusion criteria were peer reviewed, written in English, and reported reliability or validity of questionnaires that assessed intake of food/food groups. Studies were excluded that focused on diseased people or used a combined dietary assessment method. Two authors independently selected the articles and extracted questionnaire characteristics such as number of items, portion size information, time span, category intake frequencies, and method of administration. Validity and reliability coefficients were extracted and reported for food categories and averaged across food categories for each study. Twenty-one studies were selected from 873, 18 included validity data, and 14 included test-retest reliability data. Publications were from the United States, Europe, Africa, Brazil, and the south Pacific. Validity correlations ranged from 0.01 to 0.80, and reliability correlations ranged from 0.05 to 0.88. The highest average validity correlations were obtained when the questionnaire did not assess portion size, measured a shorter time span (ie, previous day/week), was of medium length (ie, ≈ 20-60 items), and was not administered to the child's parents. There are design and administration features of child/adolescent FFQs that should be considered to obtain reliable and valid estimates of dietary intake in this population.

  6. Evaluation of written patient educational materials in the field of diagnostic imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryhaenen, A.M.; Johansson, K.; Virtanen, H.; Salo, S.; Salanterae, S.; Leino-Kilpi, H.

    2009-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the quality of written educational materials for diagnostic imaging (radiological and nuclear medicine) patients. Materials and methods: Written educational materials (n = 70) for diagnostic imaging patients were analysed. The materials were evaluated based on their external appearance (9 criteria), instructiveness (7), content (7), language and structure (8) and readability (1). Deductive content analysis was used. Quantified parts of the analyses were analysed by SAS for Windows. Dependence between criteria (32) was tested by Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The external appearance fulfilled almost completely the criteria of good written education materials. The instructiveness was addressed clearly, except for the purpose of the material. The contents of materials dealt with bio-physiological, functional and cognitive dimensions of knowledge, while financial dimensions of knowledge were hardly dealt with at all. The language and the structure were reasonably good, but the language was partly in passive voice and the text contained strange words. Most of the education material was moderately easy to read. Conclusions: The results show that the quality of material was quite good in all dimensions. Only a small number of criteria were unsatisfactory. The results can be used to further improve written patient education materials and patient education in the imaging unit.

  7. How Does Dissociation between Written and Oral Forms Affect Reading: Evidence from Auxiliary Verbs in Arabic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Raphiq

    2011-01-01

    In Arabic, auxiliary verbs are necessary in the written language, but absent from the oral language. This is contrary to languages such as English and French in which auxiliary verbs are mandatory in both written and oral languages. This fact was exploited to examine if dissociation between written and oral forms affects reading measures like…

  8. A Theory of Developing Competence with Written Mathematical Symbols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiebert, James

    1988-01-01

    Presented is a theory of how competence with written mathematical symbols develops, tracing a succession of cognitive processes that cumulate to yield competence. Arguments supporting the theory are drawn from the history, philosophy, and psychology of mathematics. (MNS)

  9. KORELASI PRESTASI BELAJAR MATA PELAJARAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN DAN PRESTASI PRAKTIK INDUSTRI DENGAN MINATBERWIRAUSAHA SISWA KELAS XII SMK MA’ARIF KOTA MUNGKIDKABUPATEN MAGELANGTAHUN PELAJARAN2014/2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunawanto Bakti Putro

    2016-06-01

    Correlational research type and using a quantitative approach to determine the effect of two variables is how much correlation. This research was conducted at SMK Ma'Arif Kota Mungkid  Magelang District Academic Year 2014/2015with a population of 159 students. The research sample is determined by Isaac and Michael, which amounted to 110 students. The sampling technique is random sampling. The data collection technique using questionnaires (questionnaire and methods of documentation. The validity of the questionnaire instrument made with grain analysis using Product Moment Correlation formula and reliability test using Cronbach Alpha formula. Testing the hypothesis with regression analysis andpartial correlation analysis, which had previously been carried out analysis prerequisite test including normality test, linearity and multicollinearity

  10. Written Formative Assessment and Silence in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee Hang, Desmond Mene; Bell, Beverley

    2015-01-01

    In this commentary, we build on Xinying Yin and Gayle Buck's discussion by exploring the cultural practices which are integral to formative assessment, when it is viewed as a sociocultural practice. First we discuss the role of assessment and in particular oral and written formative assessments in both western and Samoan cultures, building on the…

  11. THE PHONOLOGICAL BASIS OF MISSPELLINGS IN THE WRITTEN ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Misspellings have been a common error in the written English of non-native speakers. ... The study was done with a view to investigating whether the phonology of Kikuyu as a learner's first language and pronunciation of words in English as the second language, based on the influence of the phonology of Kikuyu affects ...

  12. Fabrication of self-written waveguide in photosensitive polyimide resin by controlling photochemical reaction of photosensitizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, K.; Kuro, T.; Oe, K.; Mune, K.; Tagawa, K.; Naitou, R.; Mochizuki, A.

    2004-01-01

    We have investigated optical properties of photosensitive polyimide appropriating for long self-written waveguide fabrication. From systematic measurements of absorption properties, it was found that photochemical reaction of photosensitizer dissolved in the photosensitive polyimide resins relates to transparency after the exposure, which limits the length of the fabricated self-written waveguide. By controlling the photochemical reaction, in which the photosensitive polyimide resin has sufficient transparency during exposure, four times longer self-written waveguide core was fabricated

  13. Alquimia: Isaac Newton revisitado Alchemy: Isaac Newton Revisited

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reginaldo Carmello Corrêa de Moraes

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Nota sobre publicações recentes que revelam aspectos pouco conhecidos da biblioteca de Newton - os numerosos textos religiosos, místicos e herméticos. Os biógrafos de Newton resistiram muito até admitir que os escritos esotéricos fossem genuíno interesse do sábio e que tivessem importância para entender sua trajetória intelectual. As publicações aqui indicadas afirmam o contrário, seguindo trilha aberta por ensaio pioneiro de J. M. Keynes (1946.A note on recent books about an unexplored side of Newton’s library: religious, mystical and hermetic texts. Newton's biographers had resisted so much to believe that esoteric writings were in Newton’s field of interest. Even if they recognized that, they didn't believe those strange works were important elements to understand his intellectual trajectory. The studies we mention here are saying just the opposite thing, exploring the way opened by the pioneer essay of J. M. Keynes (1946.

  14. Sports metaphors in Polish written commentaries on politics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarosław Wiliński

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper seeks to investigate what sports metaphors are used in Polish written commentaries on politics and what special purpose they serve. In particular, the paper examines structural metaphors that come from the lexicon of popular sports, such as boxing, racing, track and field athletics, sailing, etc. The language data, derived from English Internet websites, has been grouped and discussed according to source domains. Applying George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s approach to metaphor, the paper attempts to determine both the kind of source domains from which common metaphors are drawn and to what degree structural metaphors are used. The data suggests that many structural metaphors can be found in the language of politics. They are drawn from a wide variety of sports source domains, although the domains of boxing, racing, sailing, and soccer are of particular prominence. It seems that the primary function of structural metaphors in written commentaries is to facilitate the interpretation of facts in a way that is enormously appealing to the reader.

  15. Feasibility testing of smart tablet questionnaires compared to paper questionnaires in an amputee rehabilitation clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, Michael; Janzen, Shannon; Earl, Eric; Deathe, Barry; Viana, Ricardo

    2017-08-01

    Capturing the variability that exists among patients attending an amputee clinic using standardized paper-based questionnaires is time-consuming and may not be practical for routine clinical use. Electronic questionnaires are a potential solution; however, the benefits are dependent on the feasibility and acceptance of this mode of data collection among patients. To determine the feasibility and patient preference/comfort in using a tablet-based questionnaire for data collection in an outpatient amputee rehabilitation clinic compared to a traditional paper-based questionnaire. Observational study. In all, 48 patients with major extremity amputations completed both tablet and paper questionnaires related to their amputation and prosthetic use. Both trials were timed; patients then completed a semi-structured questionnaire about their experience. In all, 20.5% of patients needed hands-on assistance completing the paper questionnaire compared to 20.8% for the tablet. The majority of participants (52.1%) indicated a preference for the tablet questionnaire; 64.6% of patients felt the tablet collected a more complete and accurate representation of their status and needs. In all, 70.8% of participants described themselves as comfortable using the tablet. Despite comorbidities, patients with amputations demonstrated excellent acceptance of the electronic tablet-based questionnaire. Tablet questionnaires have significant potential advantages over paper questionnaires and should be further explored. Clinical relevance A custom electronic questionnaire was found to be beneficial for routine clinic use and was well received by patients in an amputee rehabilitation clinic. Development of such questionnaires can provide an efficient mechanism to collect meaningful data that can be used for individual patient care and program quality improvement initiatives.

  16. Worldwide trends in the prevalence of asthma symptoms: phase III of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearce, Neil; Aït-Khaled, Nadia; Beasley, Richard; Mallol, Javier; Keil, Ulrich; Mitchell, Ed; Robertson, Colin

    2007-09-01

    Phase I of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was designed to allow worldwide comparisons of the prevalence of asthma symptoms. In phase III the phase I survey was repeated in order to assess changes over time. The phase I survey was repeated after an interval of 5-10 years in 106 centres in 56 countries in children aged 13-14 years (n = 304,679) and in 66 centres in 37 countries in children aged 6-7 years (n = 193,404). The mean symptom prevalence of current wheeze in the last 12 months changed slightly from 13.2% to 13.7% in the 13-14 year age group (mean increase of 0.06% per year) and from 11.1% to 11.6% in the 6-7 year age group (mean increase of 0.13% per year). There was also little change in the mean symptom prevalence of severe asthma or the symptom prevalence measured with the asthma video questionnaire. However, the time trends in asthma symptom prevalence showed different regional patterns. In Western Europe, current wheeze decreased by 0.07% per year in children aged 13-14 years but increased by 0.20% per year in children aged 6-7 years. The corresponding findings per year for the other regions in children aged 13-14 years and 6-7 years, respectively, were: Oceania (-0.39% and -0.21%); Latin America (+0.32% and +0.07%); Northern and Eastern Europe (+0.26% and +0.05%); Africa (+0.16% and +0.10%); North America (+0.12% and +0.32%); Eastern Mediterranean (-0.10% and +0.79%); Asia-Pacific (+0.07% and -0.06%); and the Indian subcontinent (+0.02% and +0.06%). There was a particularly marked reduction in current asthma symptom prevalence in English language countries (-0.51% and -0.09%). Similar patterns were observed for symptoms of severe asthma. However, the percentage of children reported to have had asthma at some time in their lives increased by 0.28% per year in the 13-14 year age group and by 0.18% per year in the 6-7 year age group. These findings indicate that international differences in asthma symptom prevalence

  17. 19 CFR 357.105 - Questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Questionnaires. 357.105 Section 357.105 Customs... Questionnaires. For reviews conducted under section 106(b)(2), the Secretary normally will send questionnaires to potential producers/suppliers of the product to determine whether it is in short supply. Questionnaires...

  18. Questionnaire for the management of the victim of sexual abuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iztok Takač

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Caring for victims of sexual assault demands of the physician a precise physical examination, provision of evidence, psychological support and appropriate treatment. Because the majority of victims of sexual violence are women, we usually encounter these patients in gynecological clinics. If the evidence is collected and stored properly, with special forensic methods we can distinguish between any two persons in the world, except identical twins. Therefore, patient’s history and taking evidence is of utmost importance. In the case of sexual assault, infection with sexually transmitted diseases is possible, so they should be diagnosed and treated in time. The victim should be offered the use of emergency contraception, which is only effective in the first days after sexual assault. To make sure that each step of the examination is completed and all samplings are done in the correct order, it is useful to have a written questionnaire or a routine protocol. We describe stepby- step management procedures for victims of sexual assault, taking into consideration the victim’s history, physical examination, different samplings, and different emergency treatments.

  19. Designing student peer assessment in higher education: Analysis of written and oral peer feedback

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Berg, I.; Admiraal, W.; Pilot, A.

    2006-01-01

    Designing student peer assessment in higher education: analysis of written and oral peer feedback Relating it to design features, the present article describes the nature of written and oral peer feedback as it occurred in seven writing courses, each with a different PA design. Results indicate that

  20. THE ORTHOGRAPHIC NORM IN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana Đorđev

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of research conducted with the primary objective to determine in which areas secondary school students usually make orthographic mistakes when writing (official written assignments. Starting from the hypothesis that the punctuation writing of whole and split words are areas in which secondary school students (regardless of age and school orientation achieved the weakest achievements an (exploratory research was conducted on a corpus of 3,135 written assignments written in the school year of 2010/11. The research sample was intentional, descriptive and analytical methods were used for the description and the analysis of the results. The results showed the following (1 secondary school students usually make mistakes in punctuation of written assignments - we recorded 4,487 errors in the use of signs to denote intonation and meaning of a text (errors of this type make 53.93% of the total number of spelling errors reported in the corpus of research; by frequency of errors the second are errors related to writing whole and split words (11.02%, the third error is in the use of the capital letter (9.34%; (2 most problems in orthography have second grade students, quantum of mistakes is almost the same with first graders and seniors, but in all grades the most frequent errors are in punctuation, writing of whole and split words and the use of capital letters; (3 Although school orientation affects the spelling skills of pupils, the weakest orthographic achievements are also recorded in punctuation, writing of whole and split words and capitalization, so those are areas that need to be thoroughly addressed in teaching and methodology literature. The results are, on the one hand, a picture of the current status of teaching orthography and grammar knowledge of secondary school students. On the other hand, the research results can be applied in all phases of methodical practical work in teaching orthography, the upgrading the

  1. Cracking the code: residents' interpretations of written assessment comments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ginsburg, S.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der; Eva, K.W.; Lingard, L.

    2017-01-01

    CONTEXT: Interest is growing in the use of qualitative data for assessment. Written comments on residents' in-training evaluation reports (ITERs) can be reliably rank-ordered by faculty attendings, who are adept at interpreting these narratives. However, if residents do not interpret assessment

  2. Parental authority questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buri, J R

    1991-08-01

    A questionnaire was developed for the purpose of measuring Baumrind's (1971) permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative parental authority prototypes. It consists of 30 items per parent and yields permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative scores for both the mother and the father; each of these scores is derived from the phenomenological appraisals of the parents' authority by their son or daughter. The results of several studies have supported the Parental Authority Questionnaire as a psychometrically sound and valid measure of Baumrind's parental authority prototypes, and they have suggested that this questionnaire has considerable potential as a valuable tool in the investigation of correlates of parental permissiveness, authoritarianism, and authoritativeness.

  3. A Structure Analysis of English Argumentative Writings Written by Chinese and Korean EFL Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Cui

    2013-01-01

    This study employed Kamimura and Oi (1996)'s classification of the organizational patterns of the argumentative essay structure: Thesis Statement (TS), Background Information (BI), Reservation (R), Hesitation (H), Rational Appeals (RA), Affective Appeals (AA) and Conclusion (C). 178 essays, 84 written by Chinese EFL learners, 84 written by Korean…

  4. Discourse Features of Written Mexican Spanish: Current Research in Contrastive Rhetoric and Its Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montano-Harmon, Maria Rosario

    1991-01-01

    Analyzes discourse features of compositions written in Spanish by secondary school students in Mexico, draws comparisons with those written in English by Anglo-American students in the United States, and discusses the implications of the results for teaching and evaluating composition skills in Spanish language programs. (29 references) (GLR)

  5. Advance Planning of Form Properties in the Written Production of Single and Multiple Words

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damian, Markus F.; Stadthagen-Gonzalez, Hans

    2009-01-01

    Three experiments investigated the scope of advance planning in written production. Experiment 1 manipulated phonological factors in single word written production, and Experiments 2 and 3 did the same in the production of adjective-noun utterances. In all three experiments, effects on latencies were found which mirrored those previously…

  6. Mushu, a free- and open source BCI signal acquisition, written in Python.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venthur, Bastian; Blankertz, Benjamin

    2012-01-01

    The following paper describes Mushu, a signal acquisition software for retrieval and online streaming of Electroencephalography (EEG) data. It is written, but not limited, to the needs of Brain Computer Interfacing (BCI). It's main goal is to provide a unified interface to EEG data regardless of the amplifiers used. It runs under all major operating systems, like Windows, Mac OS and Linux, is written in Python and is free- and open source software licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

  7. Teachers' Accounts of Their Perceptions and Practices of Providing Written Feedback to Nursing Students on Their Assignments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Sajid; Gul, Raisa; Lakhani, Arusa; Rizvi, Nusrat Fatima

    2014-01-01

    Written feedback can facilitate students' learning in several ways. However, the teachers' practices of written feedback may be affected by various factors. This study aimed to explore the nurse teachers' accounts of their perceptions and practices of providing written feedback. A descriptive exploratory design was employed in the study. A…

  8. Oral and Written Picture Description in Individuals with Aphasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandenborre, Dorien; Visch-Brink, Evy; van Dun, Kim; Verhoeven, Jo; Mariën, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Background: Aphasia is characterized by difficulties in connected speech/writing. Aims: To explore the differences between the oral and written description of a picture in individuals with chronic aphasia (IWA) and healthy controls. Descriptions were controlled for productivity, efficiency, grammatical organization, substitution behaviour and…

  9. 42 CFR 456.80 - Individual written plan of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Hospitals Plan of Care § 456.80 Individual written plan of care. (a) Before admission to a hospital or before authorization for... and rehabilitative services; (iv) Activities; (v) Social services; (vi) Diet; (4) Plans for continuing...

  10. Questionnaire use among nordic neuropsychologists

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Egeland, Jens; Norup, Anne; Persson, Bengt A.

    2017-01-01

    The core method of neuropsychologists has been to collect structured samples of behavior through standardized tests. Information that cannot be elicited through tests may be gathered by questionnaires asking questions about behavior. Tests may deconstruct cognitive function precisely, but lack...... the ecological validity of questionnaires. Thus, many neuropsychologists have advocated more use of questionnaires, but it is not known whether professional practice has changed. Until recently, personality instruments were the only widespread questionnaires in frequent use among neuropsychologists. We studied...... the inventory use of 702 Nordic neuropsychologists. The most used questionnaires are listed, and differences between countries are analyzed. In addition, the questionnaires are grouped with regard to whether they map cognition, behavior not observable during consultations, emotional symptoms, personality...

  11. Enhancing the benefits of written emotional disclosure through response training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konig, Andrea; Eonta, Alison; Dyal, Stephanie R; Vrana, Scott R

    2014-05-01

    Writing about a personal stressful event has been found to have psychological and physical health benefits, especially when physiological response increases during writing. Response training was developed to amplify appropriate physiological reactivity in imagery exposure. The present study examined whether response training enhances the benefits of written emotional disclosure. Participants were assigned to either a written emotional disclosure condition (n=113) or a neutral writing condition (n=133). Participants in each condition wrote for 20 minutes on 3 occasions and received response training (n=79), stimulus training (n=84) or no training (n=83). Heart rate and skin conductance were recorded throughout a 10-minute baseline, 20-minute writing, and a 10-minute recovery period. Self-reported emotion was assessed in each session. One month after completing the sessions, participants completed follow-up assessments of psychological and physical health outcomes. Emotional disclosure elicited greater physiological reactivity and self-reported emotion than neutral writing. Response training amplified physiological reactivity to emotional disclosure. Greater heart rate during emotional disclosure was associated with the greatest reductions in event-related distress, depression, and physical illness symptoms at follow-up, especially among response trained participants. Results support an exposure explanation of emotional disclosure effects and are the first to demonstrate that response training facilitates emotional processing and may be a beneficial adjunct to written emotional disclosure. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Enhancing the Benefits of Written Emotional Disclosure through Response Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konig, Andrea; Eonta, Alison; Dyal, Stephanie R.; Vrana, Scott R.

    2014-01-01

    Writing about a personal stressful event has been found to have psychological and physical health benefits, especially when physiological response increases during writing. Response training was developed to amplify appropriate physiological reactivity in imagery exposure. The present study examined whether response training enhances the benefits of written emotional disclosure. Participants were assigned to either a written emotional disclosure condition (n = 113) or a neutral writing condition (n = 133). Participants in each condition wrote for 20 minutes on three occasions and received response training (n = 79), stimulus training (n = 84) or no training (n = 83). Heart rate and skin conductance were recorded throughout a 10-minute baseline, 20-minute writing, and a 10-minute recovery period. Self-reported emotion was assessed in each session. One month after completing the sessions, participants completed follow-up assessments of psychological and physical health outcomes. Emotional disclosure elicited greater physiological reactivity and self-reported emotion than neutral writing. Response training amplified physiological reactivity to emotional disclosure. Greater heart rate during emotional disclosure was associated with the greatest reductions in event-related distress, depression, and physical illness symptoms at follow-up, especially among response trained participants. Results support an exposure explanation of emotional disclosure effects and are the first to demonstrate that response training facilitates emotional processing and may be a beneficial adjunct to written emotional disclosure. PMID:24680230

  13. The emotional importance of key: do Beatles songs written in different keys convey different emotional tones?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whissel, R; Whissel, C

    2000-12-01

    Lyrics from 155 songs written by the Lennon-McCartney team were scored using the Dictionary of Affect in Language. Resultant scores (pleasantness, activation, and imagery of words) were compared across key signatures using one way analyses of variance. Words from songs written in minor keys were less pleasant and less active than those from songs written in major keys. Words from songs written in the key of F scored extremely low on all three measures. Lyrics from the keys of C, D, and G were relatively active in tone. Results from Dictionary scoring were compared with assignments of character to keys made more than one century ago and with current musicians' opinions.

  14. Politeness strategies in written communications: the issue of Iranian EFL learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karimkhanlooei Giti

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The approximation of the pragmatic knowledge of English language learners to native speakers has been a realm of concern for the scholars and researchers in applied linguistics. Thus, this research was an endeavor to figure out the association between the proficiency level and politeness strategies and external/internal modifications in written communication skills in the speech act of requests in Iranian English language learners. To this end, a written Discourse Completion Test (DCT, adapted from Rose (1994, including 8 situations was administered to elicit data from Iran Language Institute120 female and male EFL learners, 60 upper-intermediate and 60 intermediate. The data were sorted out using Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies taxonomy (Brown and Levinson 1987 and external/internal modifications developed by Faerch and Kasper (1989. The written request utterances provided by each participant were analyzed in terms of frequency and types of politeness strategies, namely, positive, negative, bald on record, and off-record as well as external/internal modifications utilized in requests. The Pearson Chi-Square test results revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between upper-intermediate and intermediate learners’ type of politeness strategies and external/internal modifications.

  15. Methodological Issues in Questionnaire Design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Youngshin; Son, Youn Jung; Oh, Doonam

    2015-06-01

    The process of designing a questionnaire is complicated. Many questionnaires on nursing phenomena have been developed and used by nursing researchers. The purpose of this paper was to discuss questionnaire design and factors that should be considered when using existing scales. Methodological issues were discussed, such as factors in the design of questions, steps in developing questionnaires, wording and formatting methods for items, and administrations methods. How to use existing scales, how to facilitate cultural adaptation, and how to prevent socially desirable responding were discussed. Moreover, the triangulation method in questionnaire development was introduced. Steps were recommended for designing questions such as appropriately operationalizing key concepts for the target population, clearly formatting response options, generating items and confirming final items through face or content validity, sufficiently piloting the questionnaire using item analysis, demonstrating reliability and validity, finalizing the scale, and training the administrator. Psychometric properties and cultural equivalence should be evaluated prior to administration when using an existing questionnaire and performing cultural adaptation. In the context of well-defined nursing phenomena, logical and systematic methods will contribute to the development of simple and precise questionnaires.

  16. Childhood Asthma and Allergies in Urban, Semiurban, and Rural Residential Sectors in Chile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonie Kausel

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available While rural living protects from asthma and allergies in many countries, results are conflicting in Latin America. We studied the prevalence of asthma and asthma symptoms in children from urban, semiurban, and rural sectors in south Chile. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in semiurban and rural sectors in the province of Valdivia (n=559 using the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Results were compared to prevalence in urban Valdivia (n=3105 by using data from ISAAC III study. Odds ratios (+95% confidence intervals were calculated. No statistical significant differences were found for asthma ever and eczema symptoms stratified by residential sector, but a gradient could be shown for current asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms with urban living having highest and rural living having lowest prevalence. Rural living was inversely associated in a statistical significant way with current asthma (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2–0.9 and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2–0.7 in logistic regression analyses. Rural living seems to protect from asthma and respiratory allergies also in Chile, a South American country facing epidemiological transition. These data would be improved by clinical studies of allergic symptoms observed in studied sectors.

  17. Childhood asthma and allergies in urban, semiurban, and rural residential sectors in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kausel, Leonie; Boneberger, Anja; Calvo, Mario; Radon, Katja

    2013-01-01

    While rural living protects from asthma and allergies in many countries, results are conflicting in Latin America. We studied the prevalence of asthma and asthma symptoms in children from urban, semiurban, and rural sectors in south Chile. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in semiurban and rural sectors in the province of Valdivia (n = 559) using the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire. Results were compared to prevalence in urban Valdivia (n = 3105) by using data from ISAAC III study. Odds ratios (+95% confidence intervals) were calculated. No statistical significant differences were found for asthma ever and eczema symptoms stratified by residential sector, but a gradient could be shown for current asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms with urban living having highest and rural living having lowest prevalence. Rural living was inversely associated in a statistical significant way with current asthma (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.9) and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2-0.7) in logistic regression analyses. Rural living seems to protect from asthma and respiratory allergies also in Chile, a South American country facing epidemiological transition. These data would be improved by clinical studies of allergic symptoms observed in studied sectors.

  18. Integrating Technology Tools for Students Struggling with Written Language

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedora, Pledger

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study was designed to assess the experience of preservice teachers when integrating written language technology and their likelihood of applying that technology in their future classrooms. Results suggest that after experiencing technology integration, preservice teachers are more likely to use it in their future teaching.

  19. 2 CFR 182.100 - How is this part written?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 2 Grants and Agreements 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How is this part written? 182.100 Section 182.100 Grants and Agreements OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET GOVERNMENTWIDE GUIDANCE FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS Reserved GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Purpose and...

  20. The "SignOn"-Model for Teaching Written Language to Deaf People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlene Hilzensauer

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper shows a method of teaching written language to deaf people using sign language as the language of instruction. Written texts in the target language are combined with sign language videos which provide the users with various modes of translation (words/phrases/sentences. As examples, two EU projects for English for the Deaf are presented which feature English texts and translations into the national sign languages of all the partner countries plus signed grammar explanations and interactive exercises. Both courses are web-based; the programs may be accessed free of charge via the respective homepages (without any download or log-in.

  1. A Large-Scale Analysis of Variance in Written Language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johns, Brendan T; Jamieson, Randall K

    2018-01-22

    The collection of very large text sources has revolutionized the study of natural language, leading to the development of several models of language learning and distributional semantics that extract sophisticated semantic representations of words based on the statistical redundancies contained within natural language (e.g., Griffiths, Steyvers, & Tenenbaum, ; Jones & Mewhort, ; Landauer & Dumais, ; Mikolov, Sutskever, Chen, Corrado, & Dean, ). The models treat knowledge as an interaction of processing mechanisms and the structure of language experience. But language experience is often treated agnostically. We report a distributional semantic analysis that shows written language in fiction books varies appreciably between books from the different genres, books from the same genre, and even books written by the same author. Given that current theories assume that word knowledge reflects an interaction between processing mechanisms and the language environment, the analysis shows the need for the field to engage in a more deliberate consideration and curation of the corpora used in computational studies of natural language processing. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  2. 22 CFR 208.50 - How is this part written?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How is this part written? 208.50 Section 208.50 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENTWIDE DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION... for the general public and business community to use. The section headings and text, often in the form...

  3. Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback in Developmental Multilingual Writing Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurzer, Kendon

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the role of dynamic written corrective feedback (DWCF; Evans, Hartshorn, McCollum, & Wolfersberger, 2010; Hartshorn & Evans, 2015; Hartshorn et al., 2010), a mode of providing specific, targeted, and individualized grammar feedback in developmental English as a second language (ESL) writing classes (pre-first year…

  4. Argumentation Schema and the Myside Bias in Written Argumentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfe, Christopher R.; Britt, M. Anne; Butler, Jodie A.

    2009-01-01

    This article describes a cognitive argumentation schema for written arguments and presents three empirical studies on the "myside" bias--the tendency to ignore or exclude evidence against one's position. Study 1 examined the consequences of conceding, rebutting, and denying other-side information. Rebuttal led to higher ratings of…

  5. Airline Transport Pilot-Airplane (Air Carrier) Written Test Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Federal Aviation Administration (DOT), Washington, DC. Flight Standards Service.

    Presented is information useful to applicants who are preparing for the Airline Transport Pilot-Airplane (Air Carrier) Written Test. The guide describes the basic aeronautical knowledge and associated requirements for certification, as well as information on source material, instructions for taking the official test, and questions that are…

  6. Morphosyntactic correctness of written language production in adults with moderate to severe congenital hearing loss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huysmans, Elke; de Jong, Jan; Festen, Joost M.; Coene, Martine M.R.; Goverts, S. Theo

    2017-01-01

    Objective To examine whether moderate to severe congenital hearing loss (MSCHL) leads to persistent morphosyntactic problems in the written language production of adults, as it does in their spoken language production. Design Samples of written language in Dutch were analysed for morphosyntactic

  7. Development of Questionnaire for Self-Assessment of Regulatory Capture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muhmood, Ul Hassan; Lee, Young Eal [Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Islamabad (Pakistan); Choi, Kwang Sik [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-10-15

    Nuclear industry with its evolution in 60s came with a number of pros and cons. In order to avoid any accident or incident, highest safety standards and quality control mechanism were established. The relation of regulator with its licensee is critical in the sense of public safety and welfare. The situation when the regulator starts to work for the interests of the industry instead of the public interest and fails to cling with his mission is known as 'regulatory capture' which may cause a number of serious negative effects like radiological or radiation risk. According to George Stigler, as a rule regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit. The phenomenon of regulatory capture may hamper the safety culture and can also be considered as regulatory failure. It is therefore necessary to clearly understand this type of government failure to avoid the happening of serious accidents like TMI and Fukushima in the future. This paper aims to explore whether the regulatory body works independently and effectively to achieve its assigned tasks and objectives. Hence we proposed a questionnaire for the self-assessment of regulatory capture within the regulatory body. It also includes the results of an experimental assessment which was carried out to check the relevance and reliability of the questions to this subject. This assessment survey was conducted with the officers and staff members of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). We checked the significance of the proposed questionnaire and found some of the questions like Q. 27, 30 and 33 (written in italic) are not directly related to the phenomenon of regulatory capture. However, the existence of the situation which has been asked in these questions may lead towards the hampering of regulatory culture.

  8. Development of Questionnaire for Self-Assessment of Regulatory Capture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhmood, Ul Hassan; Lee, Young Eal; Choi, Kwang Sik

    2014-01-01

    Nuclear industry with its evolution in 60s came with a number of pros and cons. In order to avoid any accident or incident, highest safety standards and quality control mechanism were established. The relation of regulator with its licensee is critical in the sense of public safety and welfare. The situation when the regulator starts to work for the interests of the industry instead of the public interest and fails to cling with his mission is known as 'regulatory capture' which may cause a number of serious negative effects like radiological or radiation risk. According to George Stigler, as a rule regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit. The phenomenon of regulatory capture may hamper the safety culture and can also be considered as regulatory failure. It is therefore necessary to clearly understand this type of government failure to avoid the happening of serious accidents like TMI and Fukushima in the future. This paper aims to explore whether the regulatory body works independently and effectively to achieve its assigned tasks and objectives. Hence we proposed a questionnaire for the self-assessment of regulatory capture within the regulatory body. It also includes the results of an experimental assessment which was carried out to check the relevance and reliability of the questions to this subject. This assessment survey was conducted with the officers and staff members of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). We checked the significance of the proposed questionnaire and found some of the questions like Q. 27, 30 and 33 (written in italic) are not directly related to the phenomenon of regulatory capture. However, the existence of the situation which has been asked in these questions may lead towards the hampering of regulatory culture

  9. Characterization of UV written waveguides with luminescence microscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svalgaard, Mikael; Harpøth, Anders; Rosbirk, Tue

    2005-01-01

    Luminescence microscopy is used to measure the refractive index profile and molecular defect distribution of UV written waveguides with a spatial resolution of ~0.4 mm and high signal-to-noise ratio. The measurements reveal comlex waveguide formation dynamics with significant topological changes...... in the core profile. In addition, it is observed that thewaveguide formation process requires several milliseconds of UV exposure before starting....

  10. A History of Oral and Written Storytelling in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edosomwan, Simeon; Peterson, Claudette M.

    2016-01-01

    Storytelling is a powerful process in adult education as a useful instructional approach in facilitating adult instruction and learning, especially during preliterate eras. What began as oral tradition has evolved to include written literature. A popular Eurocentric perspective in the early 19th century was that before the arrival of Europeans…

  11. Students' Written Arguments in General Chemistry Laboratory Investigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Aeran; Hand, Brian; Greenbowe, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to examine the written arguments developed by college freshman students using the Science Writing Heuristic approach in inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory classrooms and its relationships with students' achievement in chemistry courses. Fourteen freshman students participated in the first year of the study while 19…

  12. Assessing written communication during interhospital transfers of emergency general surgery patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harl, Felicity N R; Saucke, Megan C; Greenberg, Caprice C; Ingraham, Angela M

    2017-06-15

    Poor communication causes fragmented care. Studies of transitions of care within a hospital and on discharge suggest significant communication deficits. Communication during transfers between hospitals has not been well studied. We assessed the written communication provided during interhospital transfers of emergency general surgery patients. We hypothesized that patients are transferred with incomplete documentation from referring facilities. We performed a retrospective review of written communication provided during interhospital transfers to our emergency department (ED) from referring EDs for emergency general surgical evaluation between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2016. Elements of written communication were abstracted from referring facility documents scanned into the medical record using a standardized abstraction protocol. Descriptive statistics summarized the information communicated. A total of 129 patients met inclusion criteria. 87.6% (n = 113) of charts contained referring hospital documents. 42.5% (n = 48) were missing history and physicals. Diagnoses were missing in 9.7% (n = 11). Ninety-one computed tomography scans were performed; among 70 with reads, final reads were absent for 70.0% (n = 49). 45 ultrasounds and x-rays were performed; among 27 with reads, final reads were missing for 80.0% (n = 36). Reasons for transfer were missing in 18.6% (n = 21). Referring hospital physicians outside the ED were consulted in 32.7% (n = 37); consultants' notes were absent in 89.2% (n = 33). In 12.4% (n = 14), referring documents arrived after the patient's ED arrival and were not part of the original documentation provided. This study documents that information important to patient care is often missing in the written communication provided during interhospital transfers. This gap affords a foundation for standardizing provider communication during interhospital transfers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy: EXPECT questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, V M; Chakraborty, S; Jithin, T K; Dessai, S; Sajith Babu, T P; Raghavan, V; Geetha, M; Kumar, T Shiva; Biji, M S; Bhattacharjee, A; Nair, C

    2016-01-01

    The objective was to design and validate the questionnaire for capturing palliative chemotherapy-related preferences and expectations. Single arm, unicentric, prospective observational study. EXPECT questionnaire was designed to capture preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. This questionnaire underwent a linguistic validation and then was tested in patients. Ten patients are undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria self-administered the EXPECT questionnaire in regional language. After filling this questionnaire, they self-administered quick questionnaire-10 (QQ-10). SPSS version 16 (IBM New York) was used for analysis. Completion rate of EXPECT questionnaire was calculated. The feasibility, face validity, utility and time taken for completion of EXPECT questionnaire was also assessed. The completion rate of this questionnaire was 100%. All patients completed questionnaire within 5 min. The QQ-10 tool confirmed the feasibility, face validity and utility of the questionnaire. EXPECT questionnaire was validated in the regional language, and it's an effective tool for capturing patient's preferences and expectation from chemotherapy.

  14. Reconsidering Written Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gopal P. Sarma

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available A number of elite thinkers in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries pursued an agenda which historian Paolo Rossi calls the “quest for a universal language,” a quest which was deeply interwoven with the emergence of the scientific method. From a modern perspective, one of the many surprising aspects of these efforts is that they relied on a diverse array of memorization techniques as foundational elements. In the case of Leibniz’s universal calculus, the ultimate vision was to create a pictorial language that could be learned by anyone in a matter of weeks and which would contain within it a symbolic representation of all domains of contemporary thought, ranging from the natural sciences, to theology, to law. In this brief article, I explore why this agenda might have been appealing to thinkers of this era by examining ancient and modern memory feats. As a thought experiment, I suggest that a society built entirely upon memorization might be less limited than we might otherwise imagine, and furthermore, that cultural norms discouraging the use of written language might have had implications for the development of scientific methodology. Viewed in this light, the efforts of Leibniz and others seem significantly less surprising. I close with some general observations about cross-cultural origins of scientific thought.

  15. Trends in prevalence and risk factors of allergic rhinitis symptoms in primary schoolchildren six years apart in Budapest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultész, M; Balogh, I; Katona, G; Mezei, G; Hirschberg, A; Gálffy, G

    Few data are available concerning the time trends and risk factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) in schoolchildren in Hungary. At an interval of six years, parents of 6-12-year-old children completed identical ISAAC-based and additional questionnaires related to possible risk factors. Response rate was 62.8% with 6335 questionnaires distributed in 2007, and 52.9% with 6441 questionnaires in 2013. The prevalence of current AR symptoms (subjects presenting clinical symptoms of AR in the past 12 months, but had yet to be diagnosed by physician) increased significantly from 14.9% to 23.5% (pBudapest. Our results revealed new aspects of bedding customs in atopic families. Copyright © 2017 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  16. L2 writing and L2 written feedback in upper secondary schools as experienced by teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Manousou, Angeliki

    2015-01-01

    L2 written feedback is a multi-faceted issue and this is the reason behind the big number of studies that have been conducted on it. However, the majority of studies deal with learners’ opinions of teachers’ feedback or several types of feedback and their advantages and disadvantages. There are no studies that could have addressed teachers’ opinions of their L2 written feedback. This study attempts to describe how L2 teachers view their written feedback on learners’ essays. ...

  17. Prevalence of atopic disorders and immunodeficiency in patients with ectodermal dysplasia syndromes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mark, Barry J.; Becker, Bradley A.; Halloran, Donna R.; Bree, Alanna F.; Sindwani, Raj; Fete, Mary D.; Motil, Kathleen J.; Srun, Sopheak W.; Fete, Timothy J.

    2013-01-01

    Background Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes are a diverse group of disorders that affect multiple ectodermally derived tissues. Small studies and case reports suggest an increase in atopy and primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) among patients with ED syndromes. Objective To determine the prevalence of clinical symptoms suggestive of atopy or immunodeficiency among a large cohort of children with ED syndromes. Methods A 9-page questionnaire was mailed to families who were members of the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias. The surveys were completed by parents of children younger than 18 years with a diagnosis of an ED syndrome or carrier state. Portions of the questionnaire were adapted from previously validated questionnaires developed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Results We received 347 completed questionnaires (41%). When compared with the 13- to 14-year-old children surveyed by ISAAC, we found both all-aged and age-matched children with ED syndromes, respectively, had significantly higher rates of asthma (32.2% and 37.2% vs 16.4%), rhinitis symptoms (76.1% and 78.3% vs 38.9%), and eczema (58.9% and 48.9% vs 8.2%). The prevalence of physician-diagnosed food allergies (20.7%) and PIDs (6.1%) in these ED patients also exceeded known rates in the general pediatric population. Conclusion This large-scale, retrospective study demonstrates a greater reported prevalence of symptoms suggestive of atopic disorders and PIDs among children with ED syndromes than the general pediatric population. A combination of genetic and environmental factors in ED syndromes may contribute to breaches of skin and mucosal barriers, permitting enhanced transmission and sensitization to irritants, allergens, and pathogens. PMID:22626597

  18. A Descriptive Study of Registers Found in Spoken and Written Communication (A Semantic Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurul Hidayah

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This research is descriptive study of registers found in spoken and written communication. The type of this research is Descriptive Qualitative Research. In this research, the data of the study is register in spoken and written communication that are found in a book entitled "Communicating! Theory and Practice" and from internet. The data can be in the forms of words, phrases and abbreviation. In relation with method of collection data, the writer uses the library method as her instrument. The writer relates it to the study of register in spoken and written communication. The technique of analyzing the data using descriptive method. The types of register in this term will be separated into formal register and informal register, and identify the meaning of register.

  19. Isaac Newton

    CERN Document Server

    Westfall, Richard S

    2007-01-01

    Definitive, concise, and very interesting... From William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill, the Very Interesting People series provides authoritative bite-sized biographies of Britain's most fascinating historical figures - people whose influence and importance have stood the test of time. Each book in the series is based upon the biographical entry from the world-famous Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. -

  20. Examining the central and peripheral processes of written word production through meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy ePurcell

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Producing written words requires central cognitive processes (such as orthographic long-term and working memory as well as more peripheral processes responsible for generating the motor actions needed for producing written words in a variety of formats (handwriting, typing, etc.. In recent years, various functional neuroimaging studies have examined the neural substrates underlying the central and peripheral processes of written word production. This study provides the first quantitative meta-analysis of these studies by applying Activation Likelihood Estimation methods (Turkeltaub et al., 2002. For alphabet languages, we identified 11 studies (with a total of 17 experimental contrasts that had been designed to isolate central and/or peripheral processes of word spelling (total number of participants = 146. Three ALE meta-analyses were carried out. One involved the complete set of 17 contrasts; two others were applied to subsets of contrasts to distinguish the neural substrates of central from peripheral processes. These analyses identified a network of brain regions reliably associated with the central and peripheral processes of word spelling. Among the many significant results, is the finding that the regions with the greatest correspondence across studies were in the left inferior temporal/fusiform gyri and left inferior frontal gyrus. Furthermore, although the angular gyrus has traditionally been identified as a key site within the written word production network, none of the meta-analyses found it to be a consistent site of activation, identifying instead a region just superior/medial to the left angular gyrus in the left posterior intraparietal sulcus. In general these meta-analyses and the discussion of results provide a valuable foundation upon which future studies that examine the neural basis of written word production can build.

  1. Improving medical students' written communication skills: design and evaluation of an educational curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melvin, L; Connolly, K; Pitre, L; Dore, K L; Wasi, P

    2015-06-01

    Written and verbal communication skills are important skills for all physicians. While verbal skills are taught and assessed in medical school, medical students report limited instruction in written communication skills. This study examined the impact of a curriculum delivered during a 6-week clinical rotation in Internal Medicine on the objective assessment of medical students' written communication skills. The curriculum consisted of two educational programmes: a medical student communication tutorial and a resident feedback workshop. The study was conducted from March 2012 to January 2013 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The study featured three arms: (1) control, (2) medical student communication tutorial alone and (3) student tutorial and resident feedback workshop. Data were collected on 126 students during 6-week Internal Medicine clerkship rotations. Students' written consultation notes were collected prior to the educational programmes and at 6 weeks. Blinded faculty assessors used an independently validated Assessment Checklist to evaluate consultation notes. Consultation note scores improved from week 1 to week 6 across all study arms. However, the change was statistically significant only in arm 3, featuring both the medical student tutorial and the resident feedback workshop, with mean scores improving from 4.75 (SD=1.496) to 5.56 (SD=0.984) out of 7. The mean difference between week 1 and week 6 was significantly different (0.806, p=0.002, 95% CI 0.306 to 1.058). The combination of a resident feedback workshop with medical student written communication tutorial improves objective evaluations of consultation note scores over student tutorial alone. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  2. Written institutional ethics policies on euthanasia: an empirical-based organizational-ethical framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemiengre, Joke; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; Schotsmans, Paul; Gastmans, Chris

    2014-05-01

    As euthanasia has become a widely debated issue in many Western countries, hospitals and nursing homes especially are increasingly being confronted with this ethically sensitive societal issue. The focus of this paper is how healthcare institutions can deal with euthanasia requests on an organizational level by means of a written institutional ethics policy. The general aim is to make a critical analysis whether these policies can be considered as organizational-ethical instruments that support healthcare institutions to take their institutional responsibility for dealing with euthanasia requests. By means of an interpretative analysis, we conducted a process of reinterpretation of results of former Belgian empirical studies on written institutional ethics policies on euthanasia in dialogue with the existing international literature. The study findings revealed that legal regulations, ethical and care-oriented aspects strongly affected the development, the content, and the impact of written institutional ethics policies on euthanasia. Hence, these three cornerstones-law, care and ethics-constituted the basis for the empirical-based organizational-ethical framework for written institutional ethics policies on euthanasia that is presented in this paper. However, having a euthanasia policy does not automatically lead to more legal transparency, or to a more professional and ethical care practice. The study findings suggest that the development and implementation of an ethics policy on euthanasia as an organizational-ethical instrument should be considered as a dynamic process. Administrators and ethics committees must take responsibility to actively create an ethical climate supporting care providers who have to deal with ethical dilemmas in their practice.

  3. Effects of written information material on help-seeking behavior in patients with erectile dysfunction: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berner, Michael M; Leiber, Christian; Kriston, Levente; Stodden, Vera; Günzler, Cindy

    2008-02-01

    Neither men with erectile dysfunction (ED) nor their physicians are willing to discuss sexual problem sufficiently. Written information material could facilitate a dialogue and encourage men to seek treatment. The central task of this article was to determine the effectiveness and acceptance of patient information material for sexual dysfunction. Through an information campaign, men received informational material. Eight thousand men also received a first survey, which asked about the intention to seek treatment and to discuss the sexual problem with a physician or partner. A second follow-up questionnaire, 3-6 months after the first one, asked for the implementation of these intentions. Descriptive and regression-based analyses were applied. Help-seeking behavior, subjective assessment of change in disease severity and partnership quality, satisfaction. Four hundred forty-three men participated in both surveys. Nearly 90% of them became active after reading the information material. More than half talked with their partner (57.8%) and a physician (65%), and one-third sought treatment (31.8%). Especially discussing the problem with the partner and receiving treatment improved erectile functioning and led to an increase in the quality of partnership (P written information material is a useful resource for men with ED, because it evokes a high help-seeking behavior. It was perceived both to improve the sexual problem as well as to increase the quality of partnership. Providing such material in the medical practice may be an appropriate way to overcome inhibitions and to initiate dialogue with affected men. However, the results must be interpreted with caution because of possible motivationally driven self

  4. Exploring Management Strategies to Reduce Cheating in Written Examinations: Case Study of Midlands State University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taderera, Ever; Nyikahadzoi, Loveness; Matamande, Wilson; Mandimika, Elinah

    2014-01-01

    This study was concerned about cheating in written examinations at Midlands State University (MSU). The study revealed that both male and female students cheat in written examination; business studies students cheat more than other faculties, and younger (lower class) students cheat more than (upper class) older students. Factors influencing…

  5. A Case Study in Business Writing: An Examination of Documents Written by Executives and Managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallion, Leona M.; Kavan, C. Bruce

    1994-01-01

    Examines the types of documents written by 23 executives/managers in 2 different companies, finding that the most frequently written documents are memorandums and letters. Notes implications for business writing courses. Suggests that students be required to prepare a wide variety of documents in business writing courses. (SR)

  6. Validation of a questionnaire for self-rating of urological and gynaecological morbidity after treatment of gynaecological cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, Pernille Tine; Klee, Marianne Carol; Groenvold, Mogens

    2002-01-01

    Background and purpose: Patient self-assessment of symptom severity provides clinicians and researchers with important information. It is crucial to evaluate the validity of a self-assessment questionnaire in the context of its intended use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of the uro-gynaecological questionnaire (UGQ), a new instrument for patient self-assessment of urological-, genital-, menopausal-, and pain symptomatology in gynaecological cancer patients. Material and methods: The UGQ was developed after literature review, patient- and expert interviews and pilot testing. From February 1992 to October 1992, 88 gynaecological cancer patients were invited to participate in a validation study after the initiation of their primary radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The method of validation investigated whether patients and researchers interpreted the items of the questionnaire in the same way. The patient's written response before interview was compared with an observer rating of the patient's open-ended audio-taped responses to the same questionnaire, administered as an interview. Qualitative recordings by the observer were made to describe potential misinterpretations. Results: The agreement between the patient's and the observer's ratings was high: the median overall agreement was 0.91 (range 0.71-1.00) and the median kappa was 0.88 (range 0.45-1.00). The quantitative and the qualitative results identified a few minor validity problems; especially, the issue of selective reporting, i.e. some patients only reporting those symptoms they considered relevant for the study, which may lead to systematic errors. Conclusions: The results strongly suggest that patients interpret the UGQ items as intended, i.e. they are valid. The UGQ is recommended for patient self-assessment of uro-gynaecological morbidity in gynaecological cancer patients

  7. Short message service (SMS) language and written language skills ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SMS language is English language slang, used as a means of mobile phone text messaging. This practice may impact on the written language skills of learners at school. The main aim of this study was to determine the perspectives of Grade 8 and 9 English (as Home Language) educators in Gauteng regarding the ...

  8. Questionnaires for Measuring Refractive Surgery Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandel, Himal; Khadka, Jyoti; Lundström, Mats; Goggin, Michael; Pesudovs, Konrad

    2017-06-01

    To identify the questionnaires used to assess refractive surgery outcomes, assess the available questionnaires in regard to their psychometric properties, validity, and reliability, and evaluate the performance of the available questionnaires in measuring refractive surgery outcomes. An extensive literature search was done on PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases to identify articles that described or used at least one questionnaire to assess refractive surgery outcomes. The information on content quality, validity, reliability, responsiveness, and psychometric properties was extracted and analyzed based on an extensive set of quality criteria. Eighty-one articles describing 27 questionnaires (12 refractive error-specific, including 4 refractive surgery-specific, 7 vision-but-non-refractive, and 8 generic) were included in the review. Most articles (56, 69.1%) described refractive error-specific questionnaires. The Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction (QIRC), the Quality of Vision (QoV), and the Near Activity Visual Questionnaire (NAVQ) were originally constructed using Rasch analysis; others were developed using the Classical Test Theory. The National Eye Institute Refractive Quality of Life questionnaire was the most frequently used questionnaire, but it does not provide a valid measurement. The QoV, QIRC, and NAVQ are the three best existing questionnaires to assess visual symptoms, quality of life, and activity limitations, respectively. This review identified three superior quality questionnaires for measuring different aspects of quality of life in refractive surgery. Clinicians and researchers should choose a questionnaire based on the concept being measured with superior psychometric properties. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(6):416-424.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  9. Papa Pig Just Left for Pigtown: Children's Oral and Written Picture Descriptions under Varying Instructions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Temple, Jeanne M.; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Investigates the extent of variation in children's language performance in a picture description task arising from mode (oral or written) versus degree of demand for decontextualization. Finds that children manipulated the wide range of the oral form of the contextualized/decontextualized continuum more skillfully than the written form. Finds no…

  10. Prose Checklist: Strategies for Improving School-to-Home Written Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagro, Sarah A.

    2015-01-01

    Effective communication enhances school-family partnerships. Written communication is a common, efficient way of communicating with families, but potential barriers to effective communication include readability level, clarity of presentation, complexity of format, and structural components. The PROSE Checklist presented in this article can…

  11. How to score questionnaires

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hofstee, W.K.B.; Ten Berge, J.M.F.; Hendriks, A.A.J.

    The standard practice in scoring questionnaires consists of adding item scores and standardizing these sums. We present a set of alternative procedures, consisting of (a) correcting for the acquiescence variance that disturbs the structure of the questionnaire; (b) establishing item weights through

  12. Effect of the Level of Inquiry of Lab Experiments on General Chemistry Students' Written Reflections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Haozhi; Talanquer, Vincente

    2013-01-01

    The central goal of this exploratory study was to characterize the effects of experiments involving different levels of inquiry on the nature of college students' written reflections about laboratory work. Data were collected in the form of individual lab reports written using a science writing heuristic template by a subset of the students…

  13. Relationship between Legible Handwriting and Level of Success of Third Grade Students in Written Expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayat, Seher; Küçükayar, Hasan

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to identify third-grade students' performance levels for written expression and handwriting and to find the relationship between these performances. The study is based on relational screening model. It is carried out with 110 third grade students. Students' levels of success in handwriting and in written expression are evaluated…

  14. A Comparison between Written and Spoken Narratives in Aphasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrns, Ingrid; Wengelin, Asa; Broberg, Malin; Hartelius, Lena

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to explore how a personal narrative told by a group of eight persons with aphasia differed between written and spoken language, and to compare this with findings from 10 participants in a reference group. The stories were analysed through holistic assessments made by 60 participants without experience of aphasia…

  15. THE WRITTEN DISCOURSE OF INTERVIEWING STYLE FOR A MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessie Barrot

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: This paper examines the written discourse of interviewing style for the purpose of print publication. Specifically, this paper sought to describe and explain the phases of interviewing procedures, the typology of the questions, and the transitional strategies executed by Oprah Winfrey during her interviews for O Magazine. One hundred and ten (110 response-soliciting statements were subjected to discourse analytic procedure to determine the features of such utterances. The results showed that her interview procedure follows a certain pattern that contributes to her ability to maintain the intimacy, familiarity, and dynamics of conversation. Further, results revealed that the interviewer employs a variety of response-soliciting strategies and transitional strategies that unconsciously put the control and authority in the conversation to the interviewees. Finally, some pedagogical implications were also presented for classroom use. Keywords: discourse analysis, interviewing style, interview questions, written discourse

  16. Verb-Noun Collocations in Written Discourse of Iranian EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Ebrahimi-Bazzaz

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available When native speakers of English write, they employ both grammatical rules and collocations. Collocations are words that are present in the memory of native speakers as ready-made prefabricated chunks. Non-native speakers who wish to acquire native-like fluency should give appropriate attention to collocations in writing in order not to produce sentences that native speakers may consider odd. The present study tries to explore the use of verb-noun collocations in written discourse of English as foreign language (EFL among Iranian EFL learners from one academic year to the next in Iran. To measure the use of verb-noun collocations in written discourse, there was a 60-minute task of writing story  based on a series of six pictures whereby for each picture, three verb-noun collocations were measured, and nouns were provided to limit the choice of collocations. The results of the statistical analysis of ANOVA for the research question indicated that there was a significant difference in the use of lexical verb-noun collocations in written discourse both between and within the four academic years. The results of a post hoc multiple comparison tests confirmed that the means are significantly different between the first year and the third and fourth years, between the second and the fourth, and between the third and the fourth academic year which indicate substantial development in verb-noun collocation proficiency.  The vital implication is that the learners could use verb-noun collocations in productive skill of writing.

  17. Understanding Extraordinary Architectural Experiences through Content Analysis of Written Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon Richard Ro

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This study a identifies how people describe, characterize, and communicate in written form Extraordinary Architectural Experiences (EAE, and b expands the traditional qualitative approach to architectural phenomenology by demonstrating a quantitative method to analyze written narratives. Specifically, this study reports on the content analysis of 718 personal accounts of EAEs. Using a deductive, ‘theory-driven’ approach, these narratives were read, coded, and statistically analyzed to identify storyline structure, convincing power, and the relationship between subjective and objective experiential qualities used in the story-telling process. Statistical intercoder agreement tests were conducted to verify the reliability of the interpretations to approach the hard problem of “extraordinary aesthetics” in architecture empirically. The results of this study confirm the aesthetic nature of EAE narratives (and of told experiences by showing their higher dependence on external objective content (e.g., a building’s features and location rather than its internal subjective counterpart (e.g., emotions and sensations, which makes them more outwardly focused. The strong interrelationships and intercoder agreement between the thematic realms provide a unique aesthetic construct revealing EAE narratives as memorable, embodied, emotional events mapped by the externally focused content of place, social setting, time, and building features. A majority of EAE narratives were found to possess plot-structure along with significant relationships to objective-subjective content that further grounded their storylines. This study concludes that content analysis provides not only a valid method to understand written narratives about extraordinary architectural experiences quantitatively, but also a view as to how to map the unique nature of aesthetic phenomenology empirically.

  18. RECOGNITION METHOD FOR CURSIVE JAPANESE WORD WRITTEN IN LATIN CHARACTERS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maruyama, K.; Nakano, Y.

    2004-01-01

    This paper proposes a recognition method for cursive Japanese words written in Latin characters. The method integrates multiple classifiers using duplicated can­ didates in multiple classifiers and orders of classifiers to improve the word recog­ nition rate combining their results. In experiments

  19. 38 CFR 21.8072 - Authorizing training, services, and assistance beyond the initial individualized written plan of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Authorizing training, services, and assistance beyond the initial individualized written plan of vocational... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Authorizing training, services, and assistance beyond the initial individualized written plan of vocational rehabilitation. 21...

  20. Sexual behavioral abstine HIV/AIDS questionnaire: Validation study of an Iranian questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najarkolaei, Fatemeh Rahmati; Niknami, Shamsaddin; Shokravi, Farkhondeh Amin; Tavafian, Sedigheh Sadat; Fesharaki, Mohammad Gholami; Jafari, Mohammad Reza

    2014-01-01

    This study was designed to assess the validity and reliability of the designed sexual, behavioral abstinence, and avoidance of high-risk situation questionnaire (SBAHAQ), with an aim to construct an appropriate development tool in the Iranian population. A descriptive-analytic study was conducted among female undergraduate students of Tehran University, who were selected through cluster random sampling. After reviewing the questionnaires and investigating face and content validity, internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS 16 Software, respectively. The sample consisted of 348 female university students with a mean age of 20.69 ± 1.63 years. The content validity ratio (CVR) coefficient was 0.85 and the reliability of each section of the questionnaire was as follows: Perceived benefit (PB; 0.87), behavioral intention (BI; 0.77), and self-efficacy (SE; 0.85) (Cronbach's alpha totally was 0.83). Explanatory factor analysis showed three factors, including SE, PB, and BI, with the total variance of 61% and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index of 88%. These factors were also confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis [adjusted goodness of fitness index (AGFI) = 0.939, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.039]. This study showed the designed questionnaire provided adequate construct validity and reliability, and could be adequately used to measure sexual abstinence and avoidance of high-risk situations among female students.

  1. Quality and energy yield of modules and photovoltaic plants - Final report; Qualita e resa energetica di moduli ed impianti fotovoltaici. Centrale ISAAC-TISO - Periodo VII: 2003-2006

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chianese, D; Bernasconi, A; Friesen, G; Cereghetti, N; Pola, I; Bura, E; Nagel, K; Pittet, D; Realini, A; Pasinelli, P; Ballerini, N; Rioggi, S

    2008-07-01

    This comprehensive final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) reviews work done at the ISAAC-TISO test centre in southern Switzerland. The main objective of the test centre is the evaluation of photovoltaic module quality, i.e. the assessment of the power values declared by the manufacturer, the electrical behaviour and energy production in varying climatic conditions, the stability of these values over time, and module life-span. Up till now, both outdoor and indoor structures for testing the electrical behaviour of modules have been realised. Indoor measurements under standard conditions are carried out using a solar simulator, outdoor measurements are carried out using external stands capable of accommodating 18 pairs of modules. The aim of the test procedure is to verify the actual power of modules; to verify if module guarantees are respected; to observe the behaviour of modules under real climatic conditions; to compare the energy yield of the different types of module; and finally, to develop methods for forecasting energy yield. The test installations are described in detail and various results are presented. Building-integrated photovoltaics is discussed and the mechanical characteristics of various module types are examined.

  2. Justify Your Answer: The Role of Written Think Aloud in Script Concordance Testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, Alyssa; Lemay, Jean-Francois; Cooke, Suzette

    2017-01-01

    Construct: Clinical reasoning assessment is a growing area of interest in the medical education literature. Script concordance testing (SCT) evaluates clinical reasoning in conditions of uncertainty and has emerged as an innovative tool in the domain of clinical reasoning assessment. SCT quantifies the degree of concordance between a learner and an experienced clinician and attempts to capture the breadth of responses of expert clinicians, acknowledging the significant yet acceptable variation in practice under situations of uncertainty. SCT has been shown to be a valid and reliable clinical reasoning assessment tool. However, as SCT provides only quantitative information, it may not provide a complete assessment of clinical reasoning. Think aloud (TA) is a qualitative research tool used in clinical reasoning assessment in which learners verbalize their thought process around an assigned task. This study explores the use of TA, in the form of written reflection, in SCT to assess resident clinical reasoning, hypothesizing that the information obtained from the written TA would enrich the quantitative data obtained through SCT. Ninety-one pediatric postgraduate trainees and 21 pediatricians from 4 Canadian training centers completed an online test consisting of 24 SCT cases immediately followed by retrospective written TA. Six of 24 cases were selected to gather TA data. These cases were chosen to allow all phases of clinical decision making (diagnosis, investigation, and treatment) to be represented in the TA data. Inductive thematic analysis was employed when systematically reviewing TA responses. Three main benefits of adding written TA to SCT were identified: (a) uncovering instances of incorrect clinical reasoning despite a correct SCT response, (b) revealing sound clinical reasoning in the context of a suboptimal SCT response, and (c) detecting question misinterpretation. Written TA can optimize SCT by demonstrating when correct examinee responses are based on

  3. Directing Focus and Enabling Inquiry with Representations of Practice: Written Cases, Storyboards, and Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbst, Patricio; Boileau, Nicolas; Clark, Lawrence; Milewski, Amanda; Chieu, Vu Minh; Gürsel, Umut; Chazan, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    We discuss affordances and liabilities of using a storyboard to depict a written case of a teacher's dilemma that involves race, opportunity to learn, and student community. We rely on reflections by the teacher educator who authored the written case and later depicted it as a storyboard to use it with his preservice teachers (PSTs). The analysis…

  4. The Groningen Radiotherapy-Induced Xerostomia questionnaire : Development and validation of a new questionnaire

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beetz, I.; Burlage, Fred; Bijl, H.P.; Chouvalova, Olga; Christianen, M.E.; Vissink, A.; van der Laan, B.F.; de Bock, G.H.; Langendijk, J.A.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire (Groningen Radiotherapy-Induced Xerostomia (GRIX) questionnaire) that has the ability to distinguish between patient-rated xerostomia during day and night and can be used to evaluate the impact of emerging radiation

  5. Teaching And Learning Writing Using Teacher’s Written Feedback And Conference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iisrohli Irawati

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to find out whether there is a significant difference in terms of writing skills improvements between the 8th grade students of SMP N 1 Prambanan Sleman who are given teacher’s written feedback and conference and those who are not in the academic year of 2011/2012. This study involved 71 students from two groups, Class VIII B (35 students as the experimental group and Class VIII A (36 students as the control group. The experimental group was given teacher’s written feedback and conference in the writing learning process, whereas the control group was given peer’s feedback. The data were obtained by using two essay writing tests. They were administered to the two groups as the pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was given to both groups before the treatment was given and the post-test was given after the treatment finished. The data of the pre-test and post-test of both groups were analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. After the data were tested and found to be homogeneous and normal, the hypothesis was tested using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA. The results show that there is a significant difference in the writing ability between the students who are given teacher’s written feedback and conference and those who were not. It can be seen in the result of the hypothesis testing using ANCOVA. The significant value of 0.001 is less than the significance level of 0.05 (0.001 < 0.05, which means that the data of this study are considered to have a significant difference. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study is accepted. It means that the technique of giving teacher’s written feedback and conference significantly improves the students’ writing ability in the English teaching and learning process in SMP N 1 Prambanan Sleman.

  6. Sports metaphors in Polish written commentaries on politics

    OpenAIRE

    Jarosław Wiliński

    2015-01-01

    This paper seeks to investigate what sports metaphors are used in Polish written commentaries on politics and what special purpose they serve. In particular, the paper examines structural metaphors that come from the lexicon of popular sports, such as boxing, racing, track and field athletics, sailing, etc. The language data, derived from English Internet websites, has been grouped and discussed according to source domains. Applying George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s approach to metaphor, the p...

  7. Written Composition Performance of Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casas, Ana Miranda; Ferrer, Manuel Soriano; Fortea, Inmaculada Baixauli

    2013-01-01

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently associated with learning disabilities. The present study examined the written composition of children with ADHD, which depends to a large degree on continuous self-regulation and attentional control skills for organizing information and maintaining the level of effort. Fifty children…

  8. Pathways to the Oral and Written Language Competence Among Young Vietnamese English Language Learners

    OpenAIRE

    Duong, Thao Michelle

    2011-01-01

    This case study, drawing upon the ecological perspectives (Kramsch, 2002; van Lier, 2004) as a theoretical framework, described the learning experiences of two second generation and first grade Vietnamese English Language Learners navigating between home and school to develop oral and written L1 Vietnamese and L2 English competence for one school year. In the second school year, the focal students' oral and written language samples were collected without classroom observations or interviews....

  9. Factors associated with asthma expression in adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia de Souza Campos Fernandes

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate risk factors associated with asthma symptoms in adolescents in the 13- to 14-year age bracket. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving adolescents enrolled in randomly selected public schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and conducted with the use of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC questionnaire and its supplementary module for risk factor assessment. The ISAAC questionnaire was completed by the students themselves, whereas the supplementary questionnaire was completed by their parents or legal guardians. Variables showing p ≤ 0.25 in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis. Stepwise regression with backward elimination was used for variable selection. Results: We evaluated 375 adolescents, 124 (33.1% of whom had asthma symptoms. The final multivariate analysis model revealed that asthma symptoms were associated with birth weight < 2,500 g (p < 0.001, day care center or nursery attendance (p < 0.002, maternal history of asthma (p < 0.001, contact with animals during the first year of life (p < 0.027, current contact with animals outside the home (dogs, cats, or farm animals; p < 0.005, and more than 20 cigarettes per day smoked by parents or other household members (p < 0.02. Conclusions: Exposure to animals in and outside the home is associated with asthma symptoms, as is environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Families, health professionals, and administrators of health care facilities should take that into account in order to prevent asthma and reduce asthma morbidity.

  10. Evaluation of Prevalence of Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms in Kurdistan, a Western Province in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasoul Nasiri

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Allergic rhinitis, like other allergic diseases, is one of the most common disorders during childhood; this study was conducted to assess and compare the prevalence and severity of allergic rhinitis in children and adolescents living in Kurdistan province. The study was aimed to provide a ground for the identification of likely causes and risk factors of this disorder. Materials and Methods This study was a cross-sectional study. In order to collect data, 4,000 questionnaires were distributed to elementary schools and junior high schools and 3,890 questionnaires were completed; as a result, the survey response rate was 97%. The study was carried out based on International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC: ISAAC questionnaire. After entering the data into SPSS version 13, they were analyzed using logistic regression and Chi- square test. Results Of a total 3,890 people, 29.7% of the subjects in this study reported a history of sneezing or runny nose in the past 12 months; it was reported more in boys in the age group 13-14 years and the difference between the sexes was significant [Odds ratio(OR=1.35, Confidence interval (CI]: 1.09-1.67, P < 0.01. Based on physician diagnosis, 9.37% of the subjects were overtaken by allergic rhinitis and it was more prevalent in boys at both educational levels and the difference was statistically significant in subjects aged 13-14 years old (OR=1.44 CI: 1.07-1.94, P

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  12. 75 FR 57826 - Notice of Public Meeting and Opportunity To Submit Written Comments Concerning the Administration...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-22

    ... soliciting written comments and will hold a public meeting concerning the Administration's review of the U.S... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7175] Notice of Public Meeting and Opportunity To Submit Written Comments Concerning the Administration's Review of the U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD...

  13. Development of a cohesion questionnaire for youth: the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eys, Mark; Loughead, Todd; Bray, Steven R; Carron, Albert V

    2009-06-01

    The purpose of the current study was to initiate the development of a psychometrically sound measure of cohesion for youth sport groups. A series of projects were undertaken in a four-phase research program. The initial phase was designed to garner an understanding of how youth sport group members perceived the concept of cohesion through focus groups (n = 56), open-ended questionnaires (n = 280), and a literature review. In Phase 2, information from the initial projects was used in the development of 142 potential items and content validity was assessed. In Phase 3, 227 participants completed a revised 87-item questionnaire. Principal components analyses further reduced the number of items to 17 and suggested a two-factor structure (i.e., task and social cohesion dimensions). Finally, support for the factorial validity of the resultant questionnaire was provided through confirmatory factor analyses with an independent sample (n = 352) in Phase 4. The final version of the questionnaire contains 16 items that assess task and social cohesion in addition to 2 negatively worded spurious items. Specific issues related to assessing youth perceptions of cohesion are discussed and future research directions are suggested.

  14. Studies on the reporting system by a questionnaire for the physiological and radiological examinations in Gunma University Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomioka, Kuniaki; Suzuki, Hideki; Inoue, Tomio; Matsumoto, Mitsuomi; Hasegawa, Akira; Endo, Keigo

    1992-01-01

    The utilization and preservation of reports on diagnostic radiology and physiology examinations in Gunma University Hospital was evaluated using a questionnaire, in advance of an online reporting system linked to the PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) being introduced into the hospital information system. The recovery rate was 83% (83/100). And the following results were obtained. Reports made by specialists are necessary, irrespective of the grade and complexity of examinations. Reports have to be written in correspondence with clinical problems. For case of film-report matching, some schemata should be added to sentence-form reports. The format of reports, including the language, expression and extent of comments, may be modified in accordance with the speciality or career of the referring doctor. (author)

  15. AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WRITTEN PRODUCTION. AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF EFL SCHOOL LEARNERS'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Luz Celaya

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyse the development of the written production of two groups of EFL leamers (N = 63 in a school context. The two groups started instruction at different ages (8 and 11, respectively. Their written production was measured afier 200 and 416 hours of instruction. and analysed longitudinally. Both intragroup and intergroup analyses were carried out a to analyse the development of the participants' written production as measured by three indicators of writing proficiency (fluency, complexity and accuracy; and b to ascertain whether the differences observed (both in terms of attainment and rate of development could be attributed to the age at which the groups of participants initiated their contact with the L2. Results show that not all the areas of writing proficiency (fluency, complexity and accuracy develop in parallel and that an earlier start does not seem to show clear advantages in the development of EFL written production.

  16. 9 CFR 202.111 - Rule 11: Hearing, oral or written.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Rule 11: Hearing, oral or written. 202.111 Section 202.111 Animals and Animal Products GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS... for oral hearing, timely filed. Declining to make such withdrawal shall not affect the rights or...

  17. The Written Literacy Forum: An Analysis of Teacher/Researcher Collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio-Ruane, Susan

    1990-01-01

    Describes the Written Literacy Forum, a collaborative research effort between Michigan State University's Institute for Research on Teaching and the East Lansing, Michigan Public Schools, which attempted to identify ways that research on writing could be applied to instructional problems. Depicts the first year's experience and offers sample…

  18. Surnud mehe käsi / Veiko Belials

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Belials, Veiko, 1966-

    1997-01-01

    Arvustus: Asimov, Isaac. Asum / inglise k. tlk. Linda Ariva. Tallinn : Eesti Raamat, 1985. (Mirabilia); Asimov, Isaac. Asum ja impeerium / inglise k. tlk. Linda Ariva. Tallinn : Eesti Raamat, 1989. (Mirabilia); Asimov, Isaac. Teine asum / inglise k. tlk. Indrek Elling. Tallinn : Eesti Raamat, 1996. (Mirabilia)

  19. Clarity Versus Accuracy and Objectivity in Written Legal English

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Violeta Janulevičienė

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper is an attempt to analyse the most important grammatical and, specifically, syntactic features and to point out some prominent lexical ones, which aim at accuracy and objectivity of a written legal document, and to discuss how these features influence clarity and transparency of the legal documents. The study covers the analysis of some EU, UK, US legislative acts alongside with some extracts from contract samples. The analysis reveals that written legal English is distinguished by long compound sentences, often with inverted word order and numerous embeddings, passive constructions and nominalisations, specific use of personal pronouns and collocations of synonyms (doublets and triplets, etc. These means allow to achieve the most possible accuracy and objectivity in legal texts but make them complicated and difficult to comprehend at once. Formality, achieved by the mentioned means, makes legal English distant from everyday language and often becomes a reason for criticism. Plain English supporters encourage simplifying legal language; however, long traditions of legal English make changes slow and difficult. Therefore, comprehension and usage of legal English still requires special knowledge of its lexical and grammatical features.

  20. The MPC and A Questionnaire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powell, Danny H.; Elwood, Robert H. Jr.

    2011-01-01

    The questionnaire is the instrument used for recording performance data on the nuclear material protection, control, and accountability (MPC and A) system at a nuclear facility. The performance information provides a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the MPC and A system. The goal for the questionnaire is to provide an accurate representation of the performance of the MPC and A system as it currently exists in the facility. Performance grades for all basic MPC and A functions should realistically reflect the actual level of performance at the time the survey is conducted. The questionnaire was developed after testing and benchmarking the material control and accountability (MC and A) system effectiveness tool (MSET) in the United States. The benchmarking exercise at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) proved extremely valuable for improving the content and quality of the early versions of the questionnaire. Members of the INL benchmark team identified many areas of the questionnaire where questions should be clarified and areas where additional questions should be incorporated. The questionnaire addresses all elements of the MC and A system. Specific parts pertain to the foundation for the facility's overall MPC and A system, and other parts pertain to the specific functions of the operational MPC and A system. The questionnaire includes performance metrics for each of the basic functions or tasks performed in the operational MPC and A system. All of those basic functions or tasks are represented as basic events in the MPC and A fault tree. Performance metrics are to be used during completion of the questionnaire to report what is actually being done in relation to what should be done in the performance of MPC and A functions.

  1. What Comes First, What Comes Next: Information Packaging in Written and Spoken Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladislav Smolka

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper explores similarities and differences in the strategies of structuring information at sentence level in spoken and written language, respectively. In particular, it is concerned with the position of the rheme in the sentence in the two different modalities of language, and with the application and correlation of the end-focus and the end-weight principles. The assumption is that while there is a general tendency in both written and spoken language to place the focus in or close to the final position, owing to the limitations imposed by short-term memory capacity (and possibly by other factors, for the sake of easy processibility, it may occasionally be more felicitous in spoken language to place the rhematic element in the initial position or at least close to the beginning of the sentence. The paper aims to identify differences in the function of selected grammatical structures in written and spoken language, respectively, and to point out circumstances under which initial focus is a convenient alternative to the usual end-focus principle.

  2. DOUBLE PARTICIPLES: STANDARD LANGUAGE, EVALUATION AND WRITTEN DATA

    OpenAIRE

    Fernanda Lima Jardim Miara; Izete Lehmkuhl Coelho

    2016-01-01

    This research aims to investigate the variation in the regular and irregular past participle forms, in active sentences and in passive sentences, based on a synchronic analysis of four verbs: salvar (to save), pegar (to take), abrir (to open) and chegar (to arrive). The sample is formed by a corpus, extracted from the online newspaper Diário Catarinense online. The results of this work show that irregular participles are best evaluated forms and they are the most frequent forms in written dat...

  3. Examining Elementary Students' Development of Oral and Written Argumentation Practices Through Argument-Based Inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying-Chih; Hand, Brian; Park, Soonhye

    2016-05-01

    Argumentation, and the production of scientific arguments are critical elements of inquiry that are necessary for helping students become scientifically literate through engaging them in constructing and critiquing ideas. This case study employed a mixed methods research design to examine the development in 5th grade students' practices of oral and written argumentation from one unit to another over 16 weeks utilizing the science writing heuristic approach. Data sources included five rounds of whole-class discussion focused on group presentations of arguments that occurred over eleven class periods; students' group writings; interviews with six target students and the teacher; and the researcher's field notes. The results revealed five salient trends in students' development of oral and written argumentative practices over time: (1) Students came to use more critique components as they participated in more rounds of whole-class discussion focused on group presentations of arguments; (2) by challenging each other's arguments, students came to focus on the coherence of the argument and the quality of evidence; (3) students came to use evidence to defend, support, and reject arguments; (4) the quality of students' writing continuously improved over time; and (5) students connected oral argument skills to written argument skills as they had opportunities to revise their writing after debating and developed awareness of the usefulness of critique from peers. Given the development in oral argumentative practices and the quality of written arguments over time, this study indicates that students' development of oral and written argumentative practices is positively related to each other. This study suggests that argumentative practices should be framed through both a social and epistemic understanding of argument-utilizing talk and writing as vehicles to create norms of these complex practices.

  4. Product involvement and consumer food-elicited emotional associations: Insights from emoji questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaeger, Sara R; Lee, Pui-Yee; Ares, Gastón

    2018-04-01

    Individual differences in food-related consumer behaviour are well documented, but lack thorough exploration in relation to product-elicited emotional associations. In this research, focus is directed to product involvement as a factor that modulates emotional associations to tasted products (dried fruit, n = 4) and written descriptions of consumption situations (drinking red wine, cooking dinner using seafood). Emoji questionnaires were used (as check-all-that-apply questions: CATA), and across two studies with consumers in New Zealand (n = 352) and China (n = 450), higher levels of involvement were associated with more positive emotional associations. For example, consumers with higher involvement for dried fruit used emoji with positive meanings (e.g., face savouring delicious food (), smiling face with heart-shaped eyes () and smiling face with smiling eyes () more frequently than those with lower levels of involvement. Conversely, emoji with negative or neutral meanings (e.g., confused face (), confounded face (), neutral face ()), were more frequently used by consumers with lower levels of product involvement. The number of significant differences between the samples of dried fruit were lower in the less involved consumer segment, and these consumers, on average, used less emoji to characterise the samples. A similar pattern of results were established for the written stimuli, which were used with Chinese consumers. For example, in the segment with greater involvement with seafood, associations to emoji with positive meanings were higher when responding to the situation "cooking dinner using frozen seafood as one of the ingredients." In the case of "drinking French red wine," the strategy used to define segments (median vs. triadic split of summed involvement scores) additionally influenced the results, and bigger differences were established when comparing more discrete segments (two extreme groups following triadic split). Copyright © 2018

  5. Surveys and questionnaires in nursing research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timmins, Fiona

    2015-06-17

    Surveys and questionnaires are often used in nursing research to elicit the views of large groups of people to develop the nursing knowledge base. This article provides an overview of survey and questionnaire use in nursing research, clarifies the place of the questionnaire as a data collection tool in quantitative research design and provides information and advice about best practice in the development of quantitative surveys and questionnaires.

  6. Attentive Reading With Constrained Summarization Adapted to Address Written Discourse in People With Mild Aphasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obermeyer, Jessica A; Edmonds, Lisa A

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the preliminary efficacy of Attentive Reading and Constrained Summarization-Written (ARCS-W) in people with mild aphasia. ARCS-W adapts an existing treatment, ARCS (Rogalski & Edmonds, 2008), to address discourse level writing in mild aphasia. ARCS-W focuses on the cognitive and linguistic skills required for discourse production. This study was a within-subject pre-postdesign. Three people with mild aphasia participated. ARCS-W integrates attentive reading or listening with constrained summarization of discourse level material in spoken and written modalities. Outcomes included macro- (main concepts) and microlinguistic (correct information units, complete utterances) discourse measures, confrontation naming, aphasia severity, and functional communication. All 3 participants demonstrated some generalization to untrained spoken and written discourse at the word, sentence, and text levels. Reduced aphasia severity and/or increased functional communication and confrontation naming were also observed in some participants. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy of ARCS-W to improve spoken and written discourse in mild aphasia. Different generalization patterns suggest different mechanisms of improvement. Further research and replication are required to better understand how ARCS-W can impact discourse abilities.

  7. Syllable frequency and word frequency effects in spoken and written word production in a non-alphabetic script

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingfang eZhang

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The effects of word frequency and syllable frequency are well-established phenomena in domain such as spoken production in alphabetic languages. Chinese, as a non-alphabetic language, presents unique lexical and phonological properties in speech production. For example, the proximate unit of phonological encoding is syllable in Chinese but segments in Dutch, French or English. The present study investigated the effects of word frequency and syllable frequency, and their interaction in Chinese written and spoken production. Significant facilitatory word frequency and syllable frequency effects were observed in spoken as well as in written production. The syllable frequency effect in writing indicated that phonological properties (i.e., syllabic frequency constrain orthographic output via a lexical route, at least, in Chinese written production. However, the syllable frequency effect over repetitions was divergent in both modalities: it was significant in the former two repetitions in spoken whereas it was significant in the second repetition only in written. Due to the fragility of the syllable frequency effect in writing, we suggest that the phonological influence in handwritten production is not mandatory and universal, and it is modulated by experimental manipulations. This provides evidence for the orthographic autonomy hypothesis, rather than the phonological mediation hypothesis. The absence of an interaction between word frequency and syllable frequency showed that the syllable frequency effect is independent of the word frequency effect in spoken and written output modalities. The implications of these results on written production models are discussed.

  8. Written and Computer-Mediated Accounting Communication Skills: An Employer Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Christopher G.

    2011-01-01

    Communication skills are a fundamental personal competency for a successful career in accounting. What is not so obvious is the specific written communication skill set employers look for and the extent those skills are computer mediated. Using survey research, this article explores the particular skills employers desire and their satisfaction…

  9. The Effects of Social Relationships, Writing Media, and Microgenetic Development on First-Grade Students' Written Narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Ithel; Pellegrini, A. D.

    1996-01-01

    Studied effects of social relationships, writing media, and microgenetic development on written narratives with 20 first graders in a within-subjects design. Results show that narratives composed with a word processor are lexically denser and more cohesive than those written in pencil. The facilitative effects of computer-supported writing are…

  10. Top-down influences of written text on perceived clarity of degraded speech.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sohoglu, Ediz; Peelle, Jonathan E; Carlyon, Robert P; Davis, Matthew H

    2014-02-01

    An unresolved question is how the reported clarity of degraded speech is enhanced when listeners have prior knowledge of speech content. One account of this phenomenon proposes top-down modulation of early acoustic processing by higher-level linguistic knowledge. Alternative, strictly bottom-up accounts argue that acoustic information and higher-level knowledge are combined at a late decision stage without modulating early acoustic processing. Here we tested top-down and bottom-up accounts using written text to manipulate listeners' knowledge of speech content. The effect of written text on the reported clarity of noise-vocoded speech was most pronounced when text was presented before (rather than after) speech (Experiment 1). Fine-grained manipulation of the onset asynchrony between text and speech revealed that this effect declined when text was presented more than 120 ms after speech onset (Experiment 2). Finally, the influence of written text was found to arise from phonological (rather than lexical) correspondence between text and speech (Experiment 3). These results suggest that prior knowledge effects are time-limited by the duration of auditory echoic memory for degraded speech, consistent with top-down modulation of early acoustic processing by linguistic knowledge. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  11. Moves Analysis on Abstracts Written by the Students in Academic Writing Class

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajeng Setyorini

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper contains analysis results on abstracts written by students in Academic Writing course. The analysis includes analyses on moves and linguistic features. The analysis aims at finding out how the abstract writing structures of the English Education students are in the Academic Writing course. The abstract analysis also includes the analysis on the use of the linguistic features in the abstracts. The analysis uses a qualitative research approach. There are totally 10 abstracts that are analyzed. These are then called as the data. Data obtained is analyzed using genre analysis approach. Results of analysis on the 10 abstracts showed that some of the abstracts are written using 5 kinds of moves. All of the abstracts are found using Purpose Move and Method Move. Meanwhile, Situation Move is found in 5 abstracts. 8 abstracts are identified using Result Move. Conclusion Move is found in 5 abstracts. The results also show that all of the abstract writers use pronouns ‘the writer’ and ‘the researcher’. The use of personal pronoun ‘she’ is also found in 1 abstract. Hedges used in abstracts written by students in Academic Writing course vary from modal auxiliary verbs, adjectival, adverbial, nominal to Approximates of degree.

  12. Diet History Questionnaire: Suggested Citations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Use of the Diet History Questionnaire and Diet*Calc Analysis Software for publication purposes should contain a citation which includes version information for the software, questionnaire, and nutrient database.

  13. Femtosecond laser-written double line waveguides in germanate and tellurite glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    S. da Silva, Diego; Wetter, Niklaus U.; de Rossi, Wagner; Samad, Ricardo E.; Kassab, Luciana R. P.

    2018-02-01

    The authors report the fabrication and characterization of passive waveguides in GeO2-PbO and TeO2-ZnO glasses written with a femtosecond laser delivering pulses with 3μJ, 30μJ and 80fs at 4kHz repetition rate. Permanent refractive index change at the focus of the laser beam was obtained and waveguides were formed by two closely spaced laser written lines, where the light guiding occurs between them. The refractive index change at 632 nm is around 10-4 . The value of the propagation losses was around 2.0 dB/cm. The output mode profiles indicate multimodal guiding behavior. Raman measurements show structural modification of the glassy network. The results show that these materials are potential candidates for passive waveguides applications as low-loss optical components.

  14. Problems of an Emergent Written Language of the Global System for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    written language of the GSM' via the lexemes, morphemes, syntax, and mechanics of ... Most important, is the overall chaotic effect of this language on formal teaching and learning in English in an ESL (English as a Second Language) situation.

  15. Validating a Written Instrument for Assessing Students' Fractions Schemes and

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, Jesse L. M.; Norton, Anderson; Boyce, Steven J.

    2013-01-01

    Previous research has documented schemes and operations that undergird students' understanding of fractions. This prior research was based, in large part, on small-group teaching experiments. However, written assessments are needed in order for teachers and researchers to assess students' ways of operating on a whole-class scale. In this study,…

  16. Comparing Written Competency in Core French and French Immersion Graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lappin-Fortin, Kerry

    2014-01-01

    Few studies have compared the written competency of French immersion students and their core French peers, and research on these learners at a postsecondary level is even scarcer. My corpus consists of writing samples from 255 students from both backgrounds beginning a university course in French language. The writing proficiency of core French…

  17. The quality of rabbinic leadership in the generation of expulsión

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saperstein, Marc

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Not a few Jewish historians have strongly criticized the spiritual and intellectual leaders of Spanish Jewry in the years leading up to the expulsion of 1492, as expressed by the following statement in a 1995 academic book by Norman Roth: “An important characteristic of fi fteenthcentury Spanish Jewry was the almost complete lack of leadership”. This article will challenge some of the underlying assumptions of this claim, especially pertaining to the failure of these leaders to foresee and prevent the expulsion, and the charge of intellectual mediocrity in the areas of Jewish law, philosophy and Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism. Passing briefly over the best-known Jewish leader of the generation, Don Isaac Abravanel, about whom much has been written, the second part of the article will focus on Rabbi Isaac Aboab, based largely on material from his sermons, much of which remains in unpublished manuscripts.

    Algunos historiadores judíos han criticado duramente los líderes espirituales e intelectuales de los sefardíes en los años previos a la expulsión de 1492, como pone de manifiesto Norman Roth en una publicación de 1995: “Una característica importante de los sefardíes del siglo XV fue la falta casi total de liderazgo”. Con el fi n de cuestionar algunos de los presupuestos subyacentes, este artículo pone en tela de juicio algunas de las asunciones fundamentales de esta afirmación, especialmente en lo que respecta al supuesto fracaso de esos líderes en prever y prevenir la expulsión, y a la acusación de mediocridad intelectual en los ámbitos de la ley, la filosofía y la cábala judías. Después de un breve acercamiento al líder judío más conocido de esa generación, Don Isaac Abravanel, sobre quien ya se ha escrito mucho, la segunda parte del artículo se centra en el rabí Isaac Aboab, basándose sobre todo en sus sermones, muchos de los cuales proceden de manuscritos todavía sin publicar.

  18. Glimpses into the transition world: New graduate nurses' written reflections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Jo Ann; Lindsay, Natalie; Hales, Caz; Rook, Helen

    2018-01-01

    This study was born out of our reflections as educators responsible for helping new graduate nurses transition into their first year of professional practice through a formal education programme. Finding ourselves wondering about many of the questions the students raised with us, we set about looking more closely at what could be gleaned from the students' experience, captured in their written work over the course of a year. To identify the challenges and learning experiences revealed in reflective assignments written by new graduate nurses undertaking a postgraduate course as part of their transition to registered nurse practice. Data consisted of the written work of two cohorts of students who had completed a postgraduate university course as part of their transition to new graduate practice in New Zealand. Fifty four reflective essays completed by twenty seven participating students were collected and their contents analysed thematically. Five key themes were identified. The students' reflections noted individual attributes - personal and professional strengths and weaknesses; professional behaviour - actions such as engaging help and support, advocating for patients' needs and safety and putting their own feelings aside; situational challenges such as communication difficulties, both systemic and interpersonal, and the pressure of competing demands. Students also identified rewards - results they experienced such as achieving the nursing outcomes they desired, and commented on reflection as a useful tool. The findings shed light on the experiences of new graduates, and how they fare through this critical phase of career development. Challenges relating to the emotional labour of nursing work are particularly evident. In addition the reflective essay is shown to be a powerful tool for assisting both new graduate nurses and their lecturers to reflect on the learning opportunities inherent in current clinical practice environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

  19. 16 CFR 303.40 - Use of terms in written advertisements that imply presence of a fiber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of terms in written advertisements that imply presence of a fiber. 303.40 Section 303.40 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION REGULATIONS UNDER SPECIFIC ACTS OF CONGRESS RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER THE TEXTILE FIBER PRODUCTS IDENTIFICATION ACT § 303.40 Use of terms in written...

  20. 280 one-opposition near-Earth asteroids recovered by the EURONEAR with the Isaac Newton Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaduvescu, O.; Hudin, L.; Mocnik, T.; Char, F.; Sonka, A.; Tudor, V.; Ordonez-Etxeberria, I.; Díaz Alfaro, M.; Ashley, R.; Errmann, R.; Short, P.; Moloceniuc, A.; Cornea, R.; Inceu, V.; Zavoianu, D.; Popescu, M.; Curelaru, L.; Mihalea, S.; Stoian, A.-M.; Boldea, A.; Toma, R.; Fields, L.; Grigore, V.; Stoev, H.; Lopez-Martinez, F.; Humphries, N.; Sowicka, P.; Ramanjooloo, Y.; Manilla-Robles, A.; Riddick, F. C.; Jimenez-Lujan, F.; Mendez, J.; Aceituno, F.; Sota, A.; Jones, D.; Hidalgo, S.; Murabito, S.; Oteo, I.; Bongiovanni, A.; Zamora, O.; Pyrzas, S.; Génova-Santos, R.; Font, J.; Bereciartua, A.; Perez-Fournon, I.; Martínez-Vázquez, C. E.; Monelli, M.; Cicuendez, L.; Monteagudo, L.; Agulli, I.; Bouy, H.; Huélamo, N.; Monguió, M.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Steeghs, D.; Gentile-Fusillo, N. P.; Hollands, M. A.; Toloza, O.; Manser, C. J.; Dhillon, V.; Sahman, D.; Fitzsimmons, A.; McNeill, A.; Thompson, A.; Tabor, M.; Murphy, D. N. A.; Davies, J.; Snodgrass, C.; Triaud, A. H. M. J.; Groot, P. J.; Macfarlane, S.; Peletier, R.; Sen, S.; İkiz, T.; Hoekstra, H.; Herbonnet, R.; Köhlinger, F.; Greimel, R.; Afonso, A.; Parker, Q. A.; Kong, A. K. H.; Bassa, C.; Pleunis, Z.

    2018-01-01

    Context. One-opposition near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are growing in number, and they must be recovered to prevent loss and mismatch risk, and to improve their orbits, as they are likely to be too faint for detection in shallow surveys at future apparitions. Aims: We aimed to recover more than half of the one-opposition NEAs recommended for observations by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) in soft-override mode and some fractions of available D-nights. During about 130 h in total between 2013 and 2016, we targeted 368 NEAs, among which 56 potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), observing 437 INT Wide Field Camera (WFC) fields and recovering 280 NEAs (76% of all targets). Methods: Engaging a core team of about ten students and amateurs, we used the THELI, Astrometrica, and the Find_Orb software to identify all moving objects using the blink and track-and-stack method for the faintest targets and plotting the positional uncertainty ellipse from NEODyS. Results: Most targets and recovered objects had apparent magnitudes centered around V 22.8 mag, with some becoming as faint as V 24 mag. One hundred and three objects (representing 28% of all targets) were recovered by EURONEAR alone by Aug. 2017. Orbital arcs were prolonged typically from a few weeks to a few years; our oldest recoveries reach 16 years. The O-C residuals for our 1854 NEA astrometric positions show that most measurements cluster closely around the origin. In addition to the recovered NEAs, 22 000 positions of about 3500 known minor planets and another 10 000 observations of about 1500 unknown objects (mostly main-belt objects) were promptly reported to the MPC by our team. Four new NEAs were discovered serendipitously in the analyzed fields and were promptly secured with the INT and other telescopes, while two more NEAs were lost due to extremely fast motion and lack of rapid follow-up time. They increase the counting to nine NEAs discovered by the EURONEAR in 2014 and

  1. The Secrets of the Nearest Starburst Cluster. I. Very Large Telescope/ISAAC Photometry of NGC 3603

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolte, Andrea; Brandner, Wolfgang; Brandl, Bernhard; Zinnecker, Hans; Grebel, Eva K.

    2004-08-01

    VLT/ISAAC JHKL photometry with subarcsecond resolution of the dense, massive starburst cluster NGC 3603 YC forming the core of the NGC 3603 giant molecular cloud is analyzed to reveal characteristics of the stellar population in unprecedented detail. The color-magnitude plane features a strong pre-main-sequence/main-sequence (PMS/MS) transition region, including the PMS/MS transition point, and reveals a secondary sequence for the first time in a nearby young starburst cluster. Arguments for a possible binary nature of this sequence are given. The resolved PMS/MS transition region allows isochrone fitting below the hydrogen-burning turn-on in NGC 3603 YC, yielding an independent estimate of global cluster parameters. A distance modulus of 13.9 mag, equivalent to d=6.0+/-0.3 kpc, is derived, as well as a line-of-sight extinction of AV=4.5+/-0.6 toward PMS stars in the cluster center. The interpretation of a binary candidate sequence suggests a single age of 1 Myr for NGC 3603 YC, providing evidence for a single burst of star formation without the need to employ an age spread in the PMS population, as argued for in earlier studies. Disk fractions are derived from L-band excesses, indicating a radial increase in the disk frequency from 20% to 40% from the core to the cluster outskirts. The low disk fraction in the cluster core, as compared to the 42% L-band excess fraction found for massive stars in the Trapezium cluster of a comparably young age, indicates strong photoevaporation in the cluster center. The estimated binary fraction of 30%, as well as the low disk fraction, suggest strong impacts on low-mass star formation due to stellar interactions in the dense starburst. The significant differences between NGC 3603 YC and less dense and massive young star clusters in the Milky Way reveal the importance of using local starbursts as templates for massive extragalactic star formation. Based on observations obtained at the ESO VLT on Paranal, Chile, under programs 63.I

  2. Diet History Questionnaire: International Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    ARP staff adapted the Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) for use by Canadian populations in collaboration with the Alberta Cancer Board. This questionnaire takes into account the different food fortification polices of the U.S. and Canada.

  3. Hedging to save face: a linguistic analysis of written comments on in-training evaluation reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Shiphra; van der Vleuten, Cees; Eva, Kevin W; Lingard, Lorelei

    2016-03-01

    Written comments on residents' evaluations can be useful, yet the literature suggests that the language used by assessors is often vague and indirect. The branch of linguistics called pragmatics argues that much of our day to day language is not meant to be interpreted literally. Within pragmatics, the theory of 'politeness' suggests that non-literal language and other strategies are employed in order to 'save face'. We conducted a rigorous, in-depth analysis of a set of written in-training evaluation report (ITER) comments using Brown and Levinson's influential theory of 'politeness' to shed light on the phenomenon of vague language use in assessment. We coded text from 637 comment boxes from first year residents in internal medicine at one institution according to politeness theory. Non-literal language use was common and 'hedging', a key politeness strategy, was pervasive in comments about both high and low rated residents, suggesting that faculty may be working to 'save face' for themselves and their residents. Hedging and other politeness strategies are considered essential to smooth social functioning; their prevalence in our ITERs may reflect the difficult social context in which written assessments occur. This research raises questions regarding the 'optimal' construction of written comments by faculty.

  4. Meeting the Demands of the Workplace: Science Students and Written Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, F. Elizabeth; Emerson, Lisa; Mackay, Bruce

    2005-12-01

    Over the last 15 years, surveys in a range of English-speaking countries, from North America and the United Kingdom, to New Zealand and Australia, have consistently shown that employers rank oral and written communication skills as highly as or more highly than any technical or quantitative skills. However, in New Zealand there has been very little research into determining exactly what is meant by the "written communication skills" employers state they desire. A further issue in this research to date has been a lack of differentiation between employers—no study has specifically targeted the requirements of employers of science graduates. This article reports the findings of ongoing research into the expectations of science students and of employers of science graduates, and centers around several key questions: What do New Zealand employers of science graduates specifically want in terms of their new hires' writing skills?

  5. ACADEMIC TRAINING LECTURES-QUESTIONNAIRE

    CERN Multimedia

    Françoise Benz

    2004-01-01

    ACADEMIC TRAINING Françoise Benz tel. 73127 academic.training@cern.ch SUGGEST AND WIN! Its time to plan the 2004-2005 lecture series. From today until March 19 you have the chance to give your contribution to planning for next year's Academic Training Lecture Series. At the web site: http://cern.ch/Academic.Training/questionnaire you will find questionnaires proposing topics in high energy physics, applied physics and science and society. Answering the questionnaire will help ensure that the selected topics are as close as possible to your interests. In particular requests and comments from students will be much appreciated. To encourage your contribution, the AT Committee will reward one lucky winner with a small prize, a 50 CHF coupon for a book purchase at the CERN bookshop.

  6. DOUBLE PARTICIPLES: STANDARD LANGUAGE, EVALUATION AND WRITTEN DATA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Lima Jardim Miara

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to investigate the variation in the regular and irregular past participle forms, in active sentences and in passive sentences, based on a synchronic analysis of four verbs: salvar (to save, pegar (to take, abrir (to open and chegar (to arrive. The sample is formed by a corpus, extracted from the online newspaper Diário Catarinense online. The results of this work show that irregular participles are best evaluated forms and they are the most frequent forms in written data in PB (cf. MIARA, 2013.

  7. What does the media say about palliative care? A descriptive study of news coverage in written media in Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    García, Miriam; Navas, Alejandro; Olza, Inés; Gómez-Baceiredo, Beatriz; Pujol, Francesc; Garralda, Eduardo; Centeno, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    Introduction The goal of palliative care (PC) is to improve the quality of life of terminal stage patients and their families. The subject frequently appears in the mass-media and this helps create a socially accepted identity. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse PC related news items appeared in the Spanish written media. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed. Considering diffusion, scope and the range in editorial policy criteria, four printed newspapers (PN) were selected, together with four exclusively digital media sources (DM). Through Mynews, a newspaper content depository, and the search tool for each DM website, articles published between 2009 and 2014 which included the terms "palliative care" and "palliative medicine" were sought. A questionnaire was created to characterise each article identified and a descriptive analysis was undertaken. Results A total of 627 articles were identified, of which 359 (57%) were published in PN (42% in the printed editions -PE- 16% in their online editions -OE-) and 268 (43%) in DM. In general, they appeared mainly in sections concerning Health (23%), Culture and Society (18%) and General/Home News (15%). In PE, just 2% were found in the Health section and nearly 70% in Culture and Society and General/Home News. Most of the articles were informative in nature and contained socio-political messages (90%). Statements by PC professionals were found in 35% of the articles and by politicians in 32%. The most frequent content was related to facing end of life (74%) and patient quality of life (70%). Conclusions The Spanish written media reflects the socio-political interest aroused by PC. Nevertheless, messages circulating about PC do not describe professional practice, or the contribution of the same for patients. Content more in line with the clinical practice might help contribute to the development of this new area of medicine. PMID:28968433

  8. What does the media say about palliative care? A descriptive study of news coverage in written media in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrasco, José Miguel; García, Miriam; Navas, Alejandro; Olza, Inés; Gómez-Baceiredo, Beatriz; Pujol, Francesc; Garralda, Eduardo; Centeno, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    The goal of palliative care (PC) is to improve the quality of life of terminal stage patients and their families. The subject frequently appears in the mass-media and this helps create a socially accepted identity. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse PC related news items appeared in the Spanish written media. A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed. Considering diffusion, scope and the range in editorial policy criteria, four printed newspapers (PN) were selected, together with four exclusively digital media sources (DM). Through Mynews, a newspaper content depository, and the search tool for each DM website, articles published between 2009 and 2014 which included the terms "palliative care" and "palliative medicine" were sought. A questionnaire was created to characterise each article identified and a descriptive analysis was undertaken. A total of 627 articles were identified, of which 359 (57%) were published in PN (42% in the printed editions -PE- 16% in their online editions -OE-) and 268 (43%) in DM. In general, they appeared mainly in sections concerning Health (23%), Culture and Society (18%) and General/Home News (15%). In PE, just 2% were found in the Health section and nearly 70% in Culture and Society and General/Home News. Most of the articles were informative in nature and contained socio-political messages (90%). Statements by PC professionals were found in 35% of the articles and by politicians in 32%. The most frequent content was related to facing end of life (74%) and patient quality of life (70%). The Spanish written media reflects the socio-political interest aroused by PC. Nevertheless, messages circulating about PC do not describe professional practice, or the contribution of the same for patients. Content more in line with the clinical practice might help contribute to the development of this new area of medicine.

  9. What does the media say about palliative care? A descriptive study of news coverage in written media in Spain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Miguel Carrasco

    Full Text Available The goal of palliative care (PC is to improve the quality of life of terminal stage patients and their families. The subject frequently appears in the mass-media and this helps create a socially accepted identity. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse PC related news items appeared in the Spanish written media.A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed. Considering diffusion, scope and the range in editorial policy criteria, four printed newspapers (PN were selected, together with four exclusively digital media sources (DM. Through Mynews, a newspaper content depository, and the search tool for each DM website, articles published between 2009 and 2014 which included the terms "palliative care" and "palliative medicine" were sought. A questionnaire was created to characterise each article identified and a descriptive analysis was undertaken.A total of 627 articles were identified, of which 359 (57% were published in PN (42% in the printed editions -PE- 16% in their online editions -OE- and 268 (43% in DM. In general, they appeared mainly in sections concerning Health (23%, Culture and Society (18% and General/Home News (15%. In PE, just 2% were found in the Health section and nearly 70% in Culture and Society and General/Home News. Most of the articles were informative in nature and contained socio-political messages (90%. Statements by PC professionals were found in 35% of the articles and by politicians in 32%. The most frequent content was related to facing end of life (74% and patient quality of life (70%.The Spanish written media reflects the socio-political interest aroused by PC. Nevertheless, messages circulating about PC do not describe professional practice, or the contribution of the same for patients. Content more in line with the clinical practice might help contribute to the development of this new area of medicine.

  10. Distribution of Articles in Written Composition among Malaysian ESL Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahim, Mia Emily Abdul; Rahim, Emma Marini Abdul; Ning, Chia Han

    2013-01-01

    The study aimed to investigate the distribution patterns of the English grammar articles (a, an, and the) as well as the distributions of their colligation patterns in written compositions of English among Malaysian ESL learners. This paper reports the results of a corpus-based study on articles used by these learners. The method used in this…

  11. Language Parameters in Written Compositions of Nine Year Old Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubin, Rosalyn; Buium, Nissan

    The purpose of this study was to develop a foundation for reliable and effective measurement of significant parameters in the development of written language skills in school age children. The subjects for the study were 25 nine-year-old children, 12 boys and 13 girls, who were randomly selected from among 1,559 participants. The findings…

  12. Written Composition Process, Evaluation Difficulties and Modalities: An Experimental Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Celestino; Garci, Jesus Nicasio; Gonzalez-Castro, Paloma; Alvarez, David; Cerezo, Rebeca; Bernardo, Ana

    2011-01-01

    The underlying processes used in written compositions are currently a very interesting subject. Participants in this study were 326 people between 10 and 16 years of age, divided into two groups and compared by means of a "writing log". One group was provided assistance in the writing task by means of a graphic organiser, whilst the other was not…

  13. Development and Application of Assessment Standards to Advanced Written Assignments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miihkinen, Antti; Virtanen, Tuija

    2018-01-01

    This study describes the results of a project that focused on developing an assessment rubric to be used as the assessment criteria for the written thesis of accounting majors and the quality of the coursework during the seminar. We used descriptive analysis and the survey method to collect information for the development work and to examine the…

  14. About the psycholinguistic models of the writing process for a didactics of written production1

    OpenAIRE

    Garcia-Debanc, Claudine; Fayol, Michel

    2013-01-01

    This article problematises the possible areas of cooperation between psycholinguists and specialists in didactics by underlining both the interests of an interaction between them and the specific and complementary mission of both fields.After a historic overview of how references to psycholinguistic works emerged in the research on the didactics of written production, the main models of verbal production, especially of written verbal production, published during the 1980s and1990s are present...

  15. The validated sun exposure questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Køster, B; Søndergaard, J; Nielsen, J B

    2017-01-01

    Few questionnaires used in monitoring sun-related behavior have been tested for validity. We established criteria validity of a developed questionnaire for monitoring population sun-related behavior. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic UV-dosimeter for one week...... that measured the outdoor time and dose of erythemal UVR exposure. In the following week, they answered a questionnaire on their sun-related behavior in the measurement week. Outdoor time measured by dosimetry correlated strongly with both outdoor time and the developed exposure scale measured...... in the questionnaire. Exposure measured in SED by dosimetry correlated strongly with the exposure scale. In a linear regression model of UVR (SED) received, 41 percent of the variation was explained by skin type, age, week of participation and the exposure scale, with the exposure scale as the main contributor...

  16. Referrer satisfaction as a quality criterion: developing an questionnaire for measuring the quality of services provided by a radiology departement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubik-Huch, R.A.; Duerselen, L.; Otto, R.; Rexroth, M.; Porst, R.; Szucs, T.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To develop a questionnaire for measuring referring physician satisfaction and to conduct a pilot study in which this questionnaire is given to all physicians referring patients to the authors' radiology department. Materials and Methods: After qualitative pre-testing and adjustment of the prototype questionnaire, data were collected using the finalized standardized questionnaire comprising 29 indicators rated on a 4-point ordinal scale mailed with a personalized cover letter to the total referring physician population of a radiology department (n=727). The replies, rated 1-4, were entered into a data entry mask for statistical analysis. Results: The response rate was 33.8%. the indicators with the highest satisfaction rating were the range of examinations offered ('very satisfied': 79.3% mean 3.79), the quality of the technical equipment used for MRI and CT (79.3%, 3.79) and mammography (82.5%, 3.82), and the quality of the images yielded by these procedures (74.5%, 3.73 and 82.2%, 3.83). Dissatisfaction was relatively high with the indicators 'time to receipt of the written report (28.3% 'not very satisfied' or 'not at all satisfied', mean 2.97), 'time to receipt of the X-ray images' (18.2%, 3.07) and 'availability of previous findings' (20.9%, 3.05); satisfaction was higher among external referring physicians (p<0.05). Physicians rated the importance of these three indicators as relatively high ('very important': 62.4%, 54.3% and 49.6%). Other indicators showing a similar level of dissatisfaction were 'car parking availability' (24.1%, 3.01), 'patient waiting time' (27.4%, 2.87) and 'patient environment' (21.2%, 2.99), although these factors were rated as less important ('very important': 33.0%, 33.7% and 40.4%). Conclusion: This questionnaire constitutes a standardized validated instrument for assessing referring physician satisfaction with a radiology department. The data from this pilot study highlight areas for potential improvement. Deployment of

  17. Questionnaire discrimination: (re-introducing coefficient δ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hankins Matthew

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Questionnaires are used routinely in clinical research to measure health status and quality of life. Questionnaire measurements are traditionally formally assessed by indices of reliability (the degree of measurement error and validity (the extent to which the questionnaire measures what it is supposed to measure. Neither of these indices assesses the degree to which the questionnaire is able to discriminate between individuals, an important aspect of measurement. This paper introduces and extends an existing index of a questionnaire's ability to distinguish between individuals, that is, the questionnaire's discrimination. Methods Ferguson (1949 1 derived an index of test discrimination, coefficient δ, for psychometric tests with dichotomous (correct/incorrect items. In this paper a general form of the formula, δG, is derived for the more general class of questionnaires allowing for several response choices. The calculation and characteristics of δG are then demonstrated using questionnaire data (GHQ-12 from 2003–2004 British Household Panel Survey (N = 14761. Coefficients for reliability (α and discrimination (δG are computed for two commonly-used GHQ-12 coding methods: dichotomous coding and four-point Likert-type coding. Results Both scoring methods were reliable (α > 0.88. However, δG was substantially lower (0.73 for the dichotomous coding of the GHQ-12 than for the Likert-type method (δG = 0.96, indicating that the dichotomous coding, although reliable, failed to discriminate between individuals. Conclusion Coefficient δG was shown to have decisive utility in distinguishing between the cross-sectional discrimination of two equally reliable scoring methods. Ferguson's δ has been neglected in discussions of questionnaire design and performance, perhaps because it has not been implemented in software and was restricted to questionnaires with dichotomous items, which are rare in health care research. It is

  18. 5 CFR 2638.706 - Agency's written plan for annual ethics training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Agency's written plan for annual ethics training. 2638.706 Section 2638.706 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS GOVERNMENT ETHICS OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS AND EXECUTIVE AGENCY ETHICS PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES Executive Agency Ethics...

  19. SOCIOLINGUISTIC FACTORS OF THE WRITTEN SPEECH NORMS APPROXIMATION IN LABOR MIGRANTS’ TEXTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Utesheva Altynay Pazylovna

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The article focuses on the features of written Russian speech of labor migrants from different countries considering the norms of written speech. The empirical basis of the research is represented by the handwritten CVs of unemployed migrants from Vietnam and Uzbekistan, that were presented to the departments of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation in the city of Volgograd. Written speech violations are classified according to the age groups which migrants belong to. The following sociolinguistic characteristics of the migrants are also taken into account: nationality, period of school education, higher education, document writing competence. Group 1 combined informants aged from 20 to 30, without higher education, who studied the Russian language at school in the new period of the collapse of the Soviet Union procedures or on their own. It is an educational institution with no experience compiling official documents and communication skills in Russian. Group 2 combined informants aged from 30 to 50, without higher education, who studied Russian at school by Soviet methods with experience of drawing up official documents and possessing basic communication skills to communicate in Russian. Group 3 combined informants aged 50 and older with secondary special education, who studied Russian at school by Soviet methods and actively developed communicative competence at the expense of everyday communication, reading books, listening to the radio and watching programs in Russian, with experience in drafting official documents. The features of migrants' written speech are manifested in specific language and speech mistakes, particularly in graphic, phonetic and genre rules violations. The general patterns of mistakes are registered. The mistakes are caused not only by language transfer and the Russian language competence, but also by sociolinguistic factors. The particular cross-language differences of migrants writing are

  20. Self-administered physical activity questionnaires for the elderly: a systematic review of measurement properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsén, Lisa; Loland, Nina Waaler; Vuillemin, Anne; Chinapaw, Mai J M; van Poppel, Mireille N M; Mokkink, Lidwine B; van Mechelen, Willem; Terwee, Caroline B

    2010-07-01

    To systematically review and appraise studies examining self-administered physical activity questionnaires (PAQ) for the elderly. This article is one of a group of four articles in Sports Medicine on the content and measurement properties of PAQs. LITERATURE SEARCH METHODOLOGY: Searches in PubMed, EMBASE and SportDiscu (until May 2009) on self-administered PAQ. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) the study examined (at least one of) the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ; (ii) the questionnaire aimed to measure physical activity (PA) in older people; (iii) the average age of the study population was >55 years; (iv) the article was written in English. We excluded PA interviews, diaries and studies that evaluated the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ in a specific population, such as patients. We used a standard checklist (qualitative attributes and measurement properties of PA questionnaires [QAPAQ]) for appraising the measurement properties of PAQs. Eighteen articles on 13 PAQs were reviewed, including 16 reliability analyses and 25 validity analyses (of which 15 were on construct validity, seven on health/functioning associations, two on known-groups validity and one on responsiveness). Many studies suffered from methodological flaws, e.g. too small sample size or inadequate time interval between test and retest. Three PAQs received a positive rating on reliability: IPAQ-C (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Chinese), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) > or = 0.81; WHI-PAQ (Women's Health Initiative-PAQ), ICC = 0.76; and PASE (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), Pearson correlation coefficient (r) = 0.84. However, PASE was negatively rated on reliability in another study (ICC = 0.65). One PAQ received a positive rating on construct validity: PASE against Mini-Logger (r > 0.52), but PASE was negatively rated in another study against accelerometer and another PAQ, Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.17 and 0

  1. [The evaluation of nursing graduates' scientific reasoning and oral and written communication].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demandes, Ingrid; Latrach, Cecilia A; Febre, Naldy Pamela; Muñoz, Claudia; Torres, Pamela; Retamal, Jessica

    2012-08-01

    This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in Santiago de Chile, with the objective to evaluate the scientific reasoning and the oral and written communication of nursing graduates. The sample consisted of 37 nursing graduates who participated in the three stages of the study: I) creation and validation of the instrument; II) training the faculty participating in the study to apply the instrument uniformly; and III) application of the instrument and data analysis. The data show different percentages regarding this competency, with the predominance of scientific reasoning (83.16%), followed by oral and written communication (78.37%). In conclusion, this study demonstrates the value for nursing schools to implement a formal evaluation that allows for determining the profile of nursing graduates, guaranteeing the quality of their training and education.

  2. Written but not oral verbal production is preserved in young schizophrenic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salomé, Franck; Boyer, Patrice; Fayol, Michel

    2002-08-30

    The aim of this study is to discover whether the language capabilities of young schizophrenic patients are more affected in speaking than in writing or whether the disorders are equivalent in the two modes. To do this, we compared spoken and written descriptions of pictures obtained from 10 schizophrenic patients with those produced by 10 control subjects. These productions were analysed on the basis of objective indices. The syntax and coherence of the productions were evaluated by judges. The comparison of the performances of the controls and schizophrenic patients supports the hypothesis that the latter suffer from a language disorder affecting the oral mode but impacting less frequently and less severely on the written mode. These results are discussed in the light of the cognitive mechanisms which may provide an explanation of these language disorders.

  3. Testing knowledge of whole English collocations available for use in written production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Revier, Robert Lee

    2014-01-01

    Testing knowledge of whole English collocations available for use in written production: Developing tests for use with intermediate and advanced Danish learners (dansk resume nedenfor) The present foreign language acquisition research derives its impetus from four assumptions regarding knowledge...... of English collocations. These are: (a) collocation knowledge can be conceptualized as an independent knowledge construct, (b) collocations are lexical items in their own right, (c) testing of collocation knowledge should also target knowledge of whole collocations, and (d) the learning burden of a whole...... the development of Danish EFL learners’ productive knowledge of whole English collocations. Five empirical studies were designed to generate information that would shed light on the reliability and validity of the CONTRIX as a measure of collocation knowledge available for use in written production. Study 1...

  4. The relationship between oral and written narratives: A three-year longitudinal study of narrative cohesion, coherence, and structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Giuliana; Tarchi, Christian; Bigozzi, Lucia

    2015-12-01

    The relationship between oral language and the writing process at early acquisition stages and the ways the former can enhance or limit the latter has not been researched extensively. The predictive relationship between kindergarten oral narrative competence and the first- and second-grade written narrative competence was explored in a 3-year longitudinal study. Among the first and second graders, the relationship between orthographic competence and narrative competence in written productions was also analysed. One hundred and nine Italian children participated in this study. Kindergarteners produced an oral narrative, whereas the first and second graders produced a written narrative. The oral and written narratives were analysed in terms of cohesion, coherence, and structure. The first-grade orthographic competence was assessed via a dictation task. Multiple linear regression and mediational analyses were performed. Kindergarten oral narrative competence affected the first- and second-grade written narrative competence via a mediational effect of orthographic competence. The results suggest the importance of practicing oral narrative competence in kindergarten and first grade and the value of composition quality independent of orthographic text accuracy. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  5. Individual Differences in the "Myside Bias" in Reasoning and Written Argumentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfe, Christopher R.

    2012-01-01

    Three studies examined the "myside bias" in reasoning, evaluating written arguments, and writing argumentative essays. Previous research suggests that some people possess a fact-based argumentation schema and some people have a balanced argumentation schema. I developed reliable Likert scale instruments (1-7 rating) for these constructs…

  6. Written Expression in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finnegan, Elizabeth; Accardo, Amy L.

    2018-01-01

    Although studies exist measuring the effectiveness of writing interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), research assessing the writing skills for this group is sparse. The present study identified differences in the written expression of individuals with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) peers, using variables…

  7. 10 CFR 35.41 - Procedures for administrations requiring a written directive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... identity is verified before each administration; and (2) Each administration is in accordance with the... identity of the patient or human research subject; (2) Verifying that the administration is in accordance with the treatment plan, if applicable, and the written directive; (3) Checking both manual and...

  8. Text Comprehension Mediates Morphological Awareness, Syntactic Processing, and Working Memory in Predicting Chinese Written Composition Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2014-01-01

    The goal of the present study was to test opposing views about four issues concerning predictors of individual differences in Chinese written composition: (a) Whether morphological awareness, syntactic processing, and working memory represent distinct and measureable constructs in Chinese or are just manifestations of general language ability; (b) whether they are important predictors of Chinese written composition, and if so, the relative magnitudes and independence of their predictive relations; (c) whether observed predictive relations are mediated by text comprehension; and (d) whether these relations vary or are developmentally invariant across three years of writing development. Based on analyses of the performance of students in grades 4 (n = 246), 5 (n = 242) and 6 (n = 261), the results supported morphological awareness, syntactic processing, and working memory as distinct yet correlated abilities that made independent contributions to predicting Chinese written composition, with working memory as the strongest predictor. However, predictive relations were mediated by text comprehension. The final model accounted for approximately 75 percent of the variance in Chinese written composition. The results were largely developmentally invariant across the three grades from which participants were drawn. PMID:25530630

  9. Rhetorical Use of Inscriptions in Students' Written Arguments About Socioscientific Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Sihan

    2018-05-01

    Educators expect that students be able to make informed decisions about science-related problems in their everyday lives. Engaging science in such problems often entails evaluating available evidence for given arguments. This study explores how students use inscriptions as evidence to argue about socioscientific issues. Fifth- and sixth-grade students (N = 102) in two intact classrooms completed written argument tasks in which they were asked to cite given inscriptions to support their decisions about energy use or genetically modified organisms. Qualitative content analyses of these written arguments, which focused on the coordination between inscriptions and claims, show three patterns of rhetorical use of inscriptions: seeing is believing, believing is seeing, and asserting is inferring. What counts as evidence was not the inscriptions per se, but the rhetorical functions they performed in particular arguments. These findings suggest that justifying socioscientific decisions is functionally different from explaining scientific phenomena. Linking these two activities in school may help students more productively engage with science in their everyday lives.

  10. The scientists A history of science told through the lives of its greatest inventors

    CERN Document Server

    Gribbin, John

    2004-01-01

    By focusing on the scientists themselves, Gribbin has written an anecdotal narrative enlivened with stories of personal drama, success and failure. A bestselling science writer with an international reputation, Gribbin is among the few authors who could even attempt a work of this magnitude. Praised as “a sequence of witty, information-packed tales” and “a terrifi c read” by The Times upon its recent British publication, The Scientists breathes new life into such venerable icons as Galileo, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Linus Pauling, as well as lesser lights whose stories have been undeservedly neglected. Filled with pioneers, visionaries, eccentrics and madmen, this is the history of science as it has never been told before.

  11. How Does Nursing Staff Perceive the Use of Electronic Handover Reports? A Questionnaire-Based Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Torbjørg Meum

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Following the implementation of electronic nursing records in a psychogeriatric ward, we examined nursing staff's attitudes and perceptions to the implementation of an electronic handover routine. A web-based anonymous and secure questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to all nursing staff at a psychogeriatric ward at a university hospital. Most respondents were satisfied with the electronic handover, and they believed they managed to keep informed by the new routine. The simultaneous introduction of a morning meeting, to ensure a forum for oral professional discussion, was a success. A minority of staff did not fully trust the information conveyed in the electronic handover, and a significant proportion expressed a need for guidance in using the system. Staff that had a high level of trust in written reports believed these saved time, had little trouble finding time and a place to read the reports, and were more positive to the new handover routine.

  12. An Analysis of Written Feedback on a PhD Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Vijay; Stracke, Elke

    2007-01-01

    This paper offers an interim analysis of written feedback on a first draft of a PhD thesis. It first looks at two sources of data: in-text feedback and overall feedback. Looking at how language is used in its situational context, we then coded the feedback and developed a model for analysis based on three fundamental functions of speech:…

  13. Food frequency questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez Rodrigo, Carmen; Aranceta, Javier; Salvador, Gemma; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio

    2015-02-26

    Food Frequency Questionnaires are dietary assessment tools widely used in epidemiological studies investigating the relationship between dietary intake and disease or risk factors since the early '90s. The three main components of these questionnaires are the list of foods, frequency of consumption and the portion size consumed. The food list should reflect the food habits of the study population at the time the data is collected. The frequency of consumption may be asked by open ended questions or by presenting frequency categories. Qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaires do not ask about the consumed portions; semi-quantitative include standard portions and quantitative questionnaires ask respondents to estimate the portion size consumed either in household measures or grams. The latter implies a greater participant burden. Some versions include only close-ended questions in a standardized format, while others add an open section with questions about some specific food habits and practices and admit additions to the food list for foods and beverages consumed which are not included. The method can be self-administered, on paper or web-based, or interview administered either face-to-face or by telephone. Due to the standard format, especially closed-ended versions, and method of administration, FFQs are highly cost-effective thus encouraging its widespread use in large scale epidemiological cohort studies and also in other study designs. Coding and processing data collected is also less costly and requires less nutrition expertise compared to other dietary intake assessment methods. However, the main limitations are systematic errors and biases in estimates. Important efforts are being developed to improve the quality of the information. It has been recommended the use of FFQs with other methods thus enabling the adjustments required. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2015. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  14. The Groningen Radiotherapy-Induced Xerostomia questionnaire: Development and validation of a new questionnaire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beetz, Ivo; Burlage, Fred R.; Bijl, Henk P.; Hoegen-Chouvalova, Olga; Christianen, Miranda E.M.C.; Vissink, Arjan; Laan, Bernard F.A.M. van der; Bock, Geertruida H. de; Langendijk, Johannes A.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire (Groningen Radiotherapy-Induced Xerostomia (GRIX) questionnaire) that has the ability to distinguish between patient-rated xerostomia during day and night and can be used to evaluate the impact of emerging radiation delivery techniques aiming at prevention of xerostomia in more detail. Materials and methods: All questions in the GRIX were generated from an exhaustive list of relevant questions according to xerostomia as reported in the literature and reported by patients and health care providers. Finally the GRIX was reduced from 56 questions to a 14-item questionnaire, with four subscales; xerostomia during day and night and sticky saliva during day and night. 315 patients filled out 2936 questionnaires and the GRIX was evaluated by calculating Crohnbach's α for all subscales. Criterion validity was evaluated to compare the GRIX with patient-rated xerostomia scored with the EORTC QLQ-HN35 and physician-rated xerostomia, test-retest analysis and responsiveness were also tested. Results: Crohnbach's α varied for all subscales between 0.88 and 0.94. The GRIX scored well for criterion-related validity on all subscales with high correlations with the EORTC QLQ-HN35 xerostomia and sticky saliva scale as well with physician-rated toxicity scoring. No significant differences were found between test and retest score and the GRIX showed good responsiveness with different time points for all subscales. Conclusion: The GRIX is a validated questionnaire which can be used in future research focusing on patient-rated xerostomia and sticky saliva during day and night in relation with the impact of emerging radiation delivery techniques aiming at reduction of xerostomia.

  15. Usefulness of self-report questionnaires for psychological assessment of patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis and patients' views of the questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aazh, Hashir; Moore, Brian C J

    2017-07-01

    The objective was to determine the relevance and applicability of psychological questionnaires to patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis. This was a questionnaire-based survey. The following questionnaires were administered: Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI), Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN), Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated version (PSWQ-A). In addition, a patient feedback questionnaire was completed asking about the extent to which each questionnaire was relevant to them and how strongly they would recommend its use in the assessment of patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis. A total of 150/402 consecutive patients seen in a one-year period completed the questionnaires. 65% of patients had abnormal scores for one or more of the questionnaires. All questionnaires except the PDSS-SR were rated as relevant and recommended for use. The GAD-7, SHAI, Mini-SPIN, OCI-R, PSWQ-A and PHQ-9 are recommended for evaluation of psychological problems for patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis. Abnormal results on these questionnaires may indicate the need for referral for possible treatment of psychological problems.

  16. Polish adaptation of Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire-Brace and Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire-Deformity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misterska, Ewa; Głowacki, Maciej; Harasymczuk, Jerzy

    2009-12-01

    Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire-Brace and Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire-Deformity are relatively new tools aimed at facilitating the evaluation of long-term results of therapy in persons with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing conservative treatment. To use these tools properly in Poland, they must be translated into Polish and adapted to the Polish cultural settings. The process of cultural adaptation of the questionnaires was compliant with the guidelines of International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) Project. In the first stage, two independent translators converted the originals into Polish. Stage two, consisted of a comparison of the originals and two translated versions. During that stage, the team of two translators and authors of the project identified differences in those translations and created a combination of the two. In the third stage, two independent translators, who were native speakers of German, translated the adjusted version of the Polish translation into the language of the original document. At the last stage, a commission composed of: specialists in orthopedics, translators, a statistician and a psychologist reviewed all translations and drafted a pre-final version of the questionnaires. Thirty-five adolescent girls with idiopathic scoliosis who were treated with Cheneau brace were subjected to the questionnaire assessment. All patients were treated in an out-patient setting by a specialist in orthopedics at the Chair and Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology. Median age of patients was 14.8 SD 1.5, median value of the Cobb's angle was 27.8 degrees SD 7.4. 48.6% of patients had thoracic scoliosis, 31.4% had thoracolumbar scoliosis, and 20% patients had lumbar scoliosis. Median results obtained by means of the Polish version of BSSQ-Brace and BSSQ-Deformity questionnaires were 17.9 SD 5.0 and 11.3 SD 4.7, respectively. Internal consistency of BSSQ-Brace and BSSQ-Deformity was at the level of 0.80 and 0.87, whereas the value of

  17. Cultural-historical and cognitive approaches to understanding the origins of development of written speech

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.F. Obukhova

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available We present an analysis of the emergence and development of written speech, its relationship to the oral speech, connections to the symbolic and modeling activities of preschool children – playing and drawing. While a child's drawing is traditionally interpreted in psychology either as a measure of intellectual development, or as a projective technique, or as a criterion for creative giftedness of the child, in this article, the artistic activity is analyzed as a prerequisite for development of written speech. The article substantiates the hypothesis that the mastery of “picture writing” – the ability to display the verbal content in a schematic picturesque plan – is connected to the success of writing speech at school age. Along with the classical works of L.S. Vygotsky, D.B. Elkonin, A.R. Luria, dedicated to finding the origins of writing, the article presents the current Russian and foreign frameworks of forming the preconditions of writing, based on the concepts of cultural-historical theory (“higher mental functions”, “zone of proximal development”, etc.. In Western psychology, a number of pilot studies used the developmental function of drawing for teaching the written skills to children of 5-7 years old. However, in cognitive psychology, relationship between drawing and writing is most often reduced mainly to the analysis of general motor circuits. Despite the recovery in research on writing and its origins in the last decade, either in domestic or in foreign psychology, the written speech is not a sufficiently studied problem.

  18. Device of Definition of Hand-Written Documents Belonging to One Executor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. D. Kulik

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Results of working out of the device of definition of hand-written documents belonging to the executor of the text in Russian are presented. The device is intended for automation of work of experts and allows to solve problems of information security and search of criminals.

  19. Long period gratings written in large-mode area photonic crystal fiber

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nodop, D.; Linke, S.; Jansen, F.

    2008-01-01

    We report for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, on the fabrication and characterization of CO2-laser written long-period gratings in a large-mode area photonic crystal fiber with a core diameter of 25 mu m. The gratings have low insertion losses ( 10 d...

  20. A lower prevalence of atopy symptoms in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meerwaldt, R; Odink, R J; Landaeta, R; Aarts, F; Brunekreef, B; Gerritsen, J; Van Aalderen, W M C; Hoekstra, M O

    2002-02-01

    The Th1/Th 2 concept is a model to understand the pathophysiology of certain diseases. Atopic diseases (asthma, eczema and hayfever) are characterized by a chronic inflammatory reaction that is dominated by Th 2 cells, and type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is Th1 cell dominated. Because it is known that Th1 and Th 2 cells reciprocally counteract each other, it can be speculated that the prevalence of Th 2-mediated disease is lower in patients with Th1-mediated disease. To compare the prevalence of atopic diseases between children with DM and age-matched controls. Parents of children with DM were requested by Dutch paediatricians to complete the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire on the prevalence of atopic diseases. A control group was derived from a Dutch cross-sectional survey (the ISAAC2 study). We received 555 completed questionnaires, which is estimated to be 25% of the total number of Dutch children with DM. The control group consisted of 777 children. After age-matching, the questionnaires of 188 DM patients were used. Symptoms of asthma, hayfever and eczema were reported less in the group of children with DM compared with the control group (wheeze last year, OR 0.796, 95% CI 0.408-1.554; hayfever symptoms last year, OR 0.642, 95% CI 0.369-1.118; eczema symptoms last year, OR 0.693, 95% CI 0.430-1.115). The lower prevalence of astma, hayfever and eczema symptoms in DM patients compared with age-matched controls, although not statistically significant, is consistent with the Th1/Th 2 concept.

  1. Physiotherapy Questionnaires App to Deliver Main Musculoskeletal Assessment Questionnaires: Development and Validation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira Neto, Nestor Cavalcante; Lima, Yuri Lopes; Almeida, Gabriel Peixoto Leão; Bezerra, Márcio Almeida; Lima, Pedro Olavo De Paula; de Oliveira, Rodrigo Ribeiro

    2018-02-23

    Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) translate subjective outcomes into objective data that can be quantified and analyzed. Nevertheless, the use of PROs in their traditional paper format is not practical for clinical practice due to limitations associated with the analysis and management of the data. To address the need for a viable way to group and utilize the main functioning assessment tools in the field of musculoskeletal disorders, the Physiotherapy Questionnaires app was developed. This study aims to explain the development of the app, to validate it using two questionnaires, and to analyze whether participants prefer to use the app or the paper version of the questionnaires. In the first stage, the app for an Android operational system was developed. In the second stage, the aim was to select questionnaires that were most often used in musculoskeletal clinical practice and research. The Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) questionnaire were selected to validate the app. In total, 50 participants completed the paper and app versions of the AOFAS and 50 completed the FAOS. The study's outcomes were the correlation of the data between the paper and app versions as well as the preference of the participants between the two versions. The app was approved by experts after the adaptations of the layout for mobile phones and a total of 18 questionnaires were included in the app. Moreover, the app allows the generation of PDF and Excel files with the patients' data. In regards to validity, the mean of the total scores of the FAOS were 91.54% (SD 8.86%) for the paper version and 91.74% (SD 9.20%) for the app. There was no statistically significant differences in the means of the total scores or the subscales (P=.11-.94). The mean total scores for the AOFAS were 93.94 (SD 8.47) for the paper version and 93.96 (SD 8.48) for the app. No statistically significant differences were found for the total scores for the AOFAS

  2. Written reflection in an eHealth intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lie, Silje S; Karlsen, Bjørg; Niemiec, Christopher P; Graue, Marit; Oftedal, Bjørg

    2018-01-01

    Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are responsible for the daily decisions and actions necessary to manage their disease, which makes self-management the cornerstone of diabetes care. Many patients do not reach recommended treatment goals, and thus it is important to develop and evaluate innovative interventions that facilitate optimal motivation for adequate self-management of T2DM. The aim of the current study was to explore how adults with T2DM experience using reflection sheets to stimulate written reflection in the context of the Guided Self-Determination (GSD) eHealth intervention and how written reflection might affect their motivation for self-management of T2DM. We used a qualitative design in which data were collected through individual interviews. The sample consisted of 10 patients who completed the GSD eHealth intervention, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The qualitative content analysis yielded 2 main themes. We labeled the first theme as "Written reflection affects awareness and commitment in diabetes self-management", which reflects 2 subthemes, namely, "Writing creates space and time for autonomous reflection" and "Writing influences individuals' focus in diabetes self-management". We labeled the second theme as "Written reflection is perceived as inapplicable in diabetes self-management", which reflects 2 subthemes, namely, "Responding in writing is difficult" and "The timing of the writing is inappropriate". Our findings indicate that written reflection in the context of the GSD eHealth intervention may be conducive to motivation for diabetes self-management for some patients. However, it seems that in-person consultation with the diabetes nurse may be necessary to achieve the full potential benefit of the GSD as an eHealth intervention. We advocate further development and examination of the GSD as a "blended" approach, especially for those who consider written reflection to be difficult or unfamiliar.

  3. Is handwriting constrained by phonology? Evidence from Stroop tasks with written responses and Chinese characters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus eDamian

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available To what extent is handwritten word production based on phonological codes? A few studies conducted in Western languages have recently provided evidence showing that phonology contributes to the retrieval of graphemic properties in written output tasks. Less is known about how orthographic production works in languages with non-alphabetic scripts such as written Chinese. We report a Stroop study in which Chinese participants wrote the colour of characters on a digital graphic tablet; characters were either neutral, or homophonic to the target (congruent, or homophonic to an alternative (incongruent. Facilitation was found from congruent homophonic distractors, but only when the homophone shared the same tone with the target. This finding suggests a contribution of phonology to written word production. A second experiment served as a control experiment to exclude the possibility that the effect in Experiment 1 had an exclusively semantic locus. Overall, the findings offer new insight into the relative contribution of phonology to handwriting, particularly in non-Western languages.

  4. PIRLS 2011 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 1: International Version of the PIRLS 2011, Background Questionnaires and Curriculum Questionnaire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foy, Pierre, Ed.; Drucker, Kathleen T., Ed.

    2013-01-01

    The PIRLS 2011 international database includes data for all questionnaires administered as part of the PIRLS 2011 assessment. This supplement contains the international version of the PIRLS 2011 background questionnaires and curriculum questionnaires in the following 5 sections: (1) Student Questionnaire; (2) Home Questionnaire (Learning to Read…

  5. Font size matters--emotion and attention in cortical responses to written words.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayer, Mareike; Sommer, Werner; Schacht, Annekathrin

    2012-01-01

    For emotional pictures with fear-, disgust-, or sex-related contents, stimulus size has been shown to increase emotion effects in attention-related event-related potentials (ERPs), presumably reflecting the enhanced biological impact of larger emotion-inducing pictures. If this is true, size should not enhance emotion effects for written words with symbolic and acquired meaning. Here, we investigated ERP effects of font size for emotional and neutral words. While P1 and N1 amplitudes were not affected by emotion, the early posterior negativity started earlier and lasted longer for large relative to small words. These results suggest that emotion-driven facilitation of attention is not necessarily based on biological relevance, but might generalize to stimuli with arbitrary perceptual features. This finding points to the high relevance of written language in today's society as an important source of emotional meaning.

  6. Roy Reider (1914-1979) selections from his written and spoken words

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paxton, H.C.

    1980-01-01

    Comments by Roy Reider on chemical criticality control, the fundamentals of safety, policy and responsibility, on written procedures, profiting from accidents, safety training, early history of criticality safety, requirements for the possible, the value of enlightened challenge, public acceptance of a new risk, and on prophets of doom are presented

  7. A Psycholinguistic Description of the Oral and Written Language of a Selected Group of Middle School Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martellock, Helen Anna

    Six highly skilled middle school readers read aloud a story from a basal reader, then orally retold the story in their own words, wrote a version of the story, and finally read their own version aloud. Typescripts made from audio tape were compared with typescripts of the written compositions. The oral and written retellings were analyzed for…

  8. What Is Normal, True, and Right: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Students' Written Resistance Strategies on LGBTQ Topics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaekel, Kathryn

    2016-01-01

    This study examines how students perform resistance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer topics in their written reflections in a higher education diversity course. Using a three-tiered critical discourse analysis , this article maps students' resistant textual devices in their written reflections, analyzes the institutional setting…

  9. Comparing definitions in guidelines and written standards - a case study: 'Trueness'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavese, F

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes the structure of a repository initiated by IMEKO TC21 to allow the comparison of different definitions and use of the same term or concept in written standards and guidelines available internationally. The method used is illustrated for a case study: the critical concept of 'trueness' and its definitions.

  10. Spelling in Written Stories by School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straley, Sara G.; Werfel, Krystal L.; Hendricks, Alison Eisel

    2016-01-01

    This study evaluated the spelling of 3rd to 6th grade children with cochlear implants in written stories. Spelling was analysed using traditional correct/incorrect scoring as well as the Spelling Sensitivity Score, which provides linguistic information about spelling attempts. Children with cochlear implants spelled 86 per cent of words in stories…

  11. A Corpus-Based View of Lexical Gender in Written Business English

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuertes-Olivera, Pedro A.

    2007-01-01

    This article investigates lexical gender in specialized communication. The key method of analysis is that of forms of address, professional titles, and "generic man" in a 10 million word corpus of written Business English. After a brief introduction and literature review on both gender in specialized communication and similar corpus-based views of…

  12. Use of spoken and written Japanese did not protect Japanese-American men from cognitive decline in late life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crane, Paul K; Gruhl, Jonathan C; Erosheva, Elena A; Gibbons, Laura E; McCurry, Susan M; Rhoads, Kristoffer; Nguyen, Viet; Arani, Keerthi; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon

    2010-11-01

    Spoken bilingualism may be associated with cognitive reserve. Mastering a complicated written language may be associated with additional reserve. We sought to determine if midlife use of spoken and written Japanese was associated with lower rates of late life cognitive decline. Participants were second-generation Japanese-American men from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, born 1900-1919, free of dementia in 1991, and categorized based on midlife self-reported use of spoken and written Japanese (total n included in primary analysis = 2,520). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scored using item response theory. We used mixed effects models, controlling for age, income, education, smoking status, apolipoprotein E e4 alleles, and number of study visits. Rates of cognitive decline were not related to use of spoken or written Japanese. This finding was consistent across numerous sensitivity analyses. We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that multilingualism is associated with cognitive reserve.

  13. Use of Spoken and Written Japanese Did Not Protect Japanese-American Men From Cognitive Decline in Late Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruhl, Jonathan C.; Erosheva, Elena A.; Gibbons, Laura E.; McCurry, Susan M.; Rhoads, Kristoffer; Nguyen, Viet; Arani, Keerthi; Masaki, Kamal; White, Lon

    2010-01-01

    Objectives. Spoken bilingualism may be associated with cognitive reserve. Mastering a complicated written language may be associated with additional reserve. We sought to determine if midlife use of spoken and written Japanese was associated with lower rates of late life cognitive decline. Methods. Participants were second-generation Japanese-American men from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, born 1900–1919, free of dementia in 1991, and categorized based on midlife self-reported use of spoken and written Japanese (total n included in primary analysis = 2,520). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scored using item response theory. We used mixed effects models, controlling for age, income, education, smoking status, apolipoprotein E e4 alleles, and number of study visits. Results. Rates of cognitive decline were not related to use of spoken or written Japanese. This finding was consistent across numerous sensitivity analyses. Discussion. We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that multilingualism is associated with cognitive reserve. PMID:20639282

  14. Presenting the Prenatal Caregiving Experiences Questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røhder, Katrine; Trier, Christopher Høier; Brennan, Jessica

    to the child´s attachment system. The Prenatal Caregiving Experiences Questionnaire (PCEQ) (Brennan, George, & Solomon, 2013) is the first questionnaire that directly assesses prenatal caregiving representation. This poster presentation brings together different researchers who use the instrument in ongoing...... longitudinal research projects. The poster includes a description of the development of the PCEQ questionnaire, the theoretical background, as well as preliminary data on future mothers and fathers from the WARM study....

  15. Questionnaire surveys of dentists on radiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelley, A M; Brunton, P; Horner, K

    2012-05-01

    Survey by questionnaire is a widely used research method in dental radiology. A major concern in reviews of questionnaires is non-response. The objectives of this study were to review questionnaire studies in dental radiology with regard to potential survey errors and to develop recommendations to assist future researchers. A literature search with the software search package PubMed was used to obtain internet-based access to Medline through the website www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. A search of the English language peer-reviewed literature was conducted of all published studies, with no restriction on date. The search strategy found articles with dates from 1983 to 2010. The medical subject heading terms used were "questionnaire", "dental radiology" and "dental radiography". The reference sections of articles retrieved by this method were hand-searched in order to identify further relevant papers. Reviews, commentaries and relevant studies from the wider literature were also included. 53 questionnaire studies were identified in the dental literature that concerned dental radiography and included a report of response rate. These were all published between 1983 and 2010. In total, 87 articles are referred to in this review, including the 53 dental radiology studies. Other cited articles include reviews, commentaries and examples of studies outside dental radiology where they are germane to the arguments presented. Non-response is only one of four broad areas of error to which questionnaire surveys are subject. This review considers coverage, sampling and measurement, as well as non-response. Recommendations are made to assist future research that uses questionnaire surveys.

  16. Grammatical Deviations in the Spoken and Written Language of Hebrew-Speaking Children With Hearing Impairments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tur-Kaspa, Hana; Dromi, Esther

    2001-04-01

    The present study reports a detailed analysis of written and spoken language samples of Hebrew-speaking children aged 11-13 years who are deaf. It focuses on the description of various grammatical deviations in the two modalities. Participants were 13 students with hearing impairments (HI) attending special classrooms integrated into two elementary schools in Tel Aviv, Israel, and 9 students with normal hearing (NH) in regular classes in these same schools. Spoken and written language samples were collected from all participants using the same five preplanned elicitation probes. Students with HI were found to display significantly more grammatical deviations than their NH peers in both their spoken and written language samples. Most importantly, between-modality differences were noted. The participants with HI exhibited significantly more grammatical deviations in their written language samples than in their spoken samples. However, the distribution of grammatical deviations across categories was similar in the two modalities. The most common grammatical deviations in order of their frequency were failure to supply obligatory morphological markers, failure to mark grammatical agreement, and the omission of a major syntactic constituent in a sentence. Word order violations were rarely recorded in the Hebrew samples. Performance differences in the two modalities encourage clinicians and teachers to facilitate target linguistic forms in diverse communication contexts. Furthermore, the identification of linguistic targets for intervention must be based on the unique grammatical structure of the target language.

  17. How to Verify Plagiarism of the Paper Written in Macedonian and Translated in Foreign Language?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiroski, Mirko

    2016-03-15

    The aim of this study was to show how to verify plagiarism of the paper written in Macedonian and translated in foreign language. Original article "Ethics in Medical Research Involving Human Subjects", written in Macedonian, was submitted as an assay-2 for the subject Ethics and published by Ilina Stefanovska, PhD candidate from the Iustinianus Primus Faculty of Law, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje (UKIM), Skopje, Republic of Macedonia in Fabruary, 2013. Suspected article for plagiarism was published by Prof. Dr. Gordana Panova from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Goce Delchev, Shtip, Republic of Macedonia in English with the identical title and identical content in International scientific on-line journal "SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGIES", Publisher "Union of Scientists - Stara Zagora". Original document (written in Macedonian) was translated with Google Translator; suspected article (published in English pdf file) was converted into Word document, and compared both documents with several programs for plagiarism detection. It was found that both documents are identical in 71%, 78% and 82%, respectively, depending on the computer program used for plagiarism detection. It was obvious that original paper was entirely plagiarised by Prof. Dr. Gordana Panova, including six references from the original paper. Plagiarism of the original papers written in Macedonian and translated in other languages can be verified after computerised translation in other languages. Later on, original and translated documents can be compared with available software for plagiarism detection.

  18. The Integral Theory System Questionnaire: an anatomically directed questionnaire to determine pelvic floor dysfunctions in women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagenlehner, Florian Martin Erich; Fröhlich, Oliver; Bschleipfer, Thomas; Weidner, Wolfgang; Perletti, Gianpaolo

    2014-06-01

    Anatomical damage to pelvic floor structures may cause multiple symptoms. The Integral Theory System Questionnaire (ITSQ) is a holistic questionnaire that uses symptoms to help locate damage in specific connective tissue structures as a guide to reconstructive surgery. It is based on the integral theory, which states that pelvic floor symptoms and prolapse are both caused by lax suspensory ligaments. The aim of the present study was to psychometrically validate the ITSQ. Established psychometric properties including validity, reliability, and responsiveness were considered for evaluation. Criterion validity was assessed in a cohort of 110 women with pelvic floor dysfunctions by analyzing the correlation of questionnaire responses with objective clinical data. Test-retest was performed with questionnaires from 47 patients. Cronbach's alpha and "split-half" reliability coefficients were calculated for inner consistency analysis. Psychometric properties of ITSQ were comparable to the ones of previously validated Pelvic Floor Questionnaires. Face validity and content validity were approved by an expert group of the International Collaboration of Pelvic Floor surgeons. Convergent validity assessed using Bayesian method was at least as accurate as the expert assessment of anatomical defects. Objective data measurement in patients demonstrated significant correlations with ITSQ domains fulfilling criterion validity. Internal consistency values ranked from 0.85 to 0.89 in different scenarios. The ITSQ proofed accurate and is able to serve as a holistic Pelvic Floor Questionnaire directing symptoms to site-specific pelvic floor reconstructive surgery.

  19. Dealing with ambiguity: Israeli physician's attitudes and practices regarding pre-exercise certificates: a questionnaire study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Robert D; Golan, Ron; Vinker, Shlomo

    2016-01-01

    It has become clear in recent years that a healthy lifestyle, including physical exercise is crucial for health maintenance. Nevertheless, most people do not exercise regularly. Physician intervention is beneficial in increasing patient exercise. In Israel, the 1994 "Sports Law" regarding exercising in a gymnasium requires a physician's written authorization, but does not direct the physicians what they should ascertain before issuing the certificate. This pre-exercise certificate has been widely discussed in Israel over the last year as the law is to be revised to enable using a modification of the PAR-Q+ (Physical Activity Readiness questionnaire) patient questionnaire as a screening tool. This will leave the requirement for a pre-exercise certificate for a less healthy population, yet without clear instructions to the primary care physician on criteria for ascertaining fitness. Our aim was to evaluate how primary care physicians deal with the ambiguity of defining health criteria for issuing exercise authorization/certificate. We used an anonymous ten-item attitude/knowledge multiple choice questionnaire with an additional 13 personal/education and employment questions. We assessed each potential predictor of physician attitude and knowledge in univariate models. 135 useable questionnaires were collected. Of these, 43.7 % of the doctors will provide the pre-exercise certificate to all their patients; 63 % were aware of their HMO/employers guidelines for issuing certificates; 62 % stated they complied with these guidelines, and 16 % stated they did not follow them. In addition, 70 % of the physicians reported regular exercise themselves, an average of 4.12 h/week. These physicians tended to provide the pre-exercise certificate to all patients unconditionally, as compared to physicians that did not exercise regularly. (46 % vs. 14.5 %, p exercise in the gym. There is a wide variation as to what physicians check before providing the certificate. The

  20. The gastro-esophageal reflux disease questionnaire using Indonesian language: A language validation survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcellus Simadibrata

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aims of this study were to test the usefulness of the Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GERDQ in the diagnosis of GERD, to validate the GERDQ written in Indonesian language, and to evaluate the reliability of the GERDQ for use in Indonesian-speaking GERD patients (Virginia study.Methods: This was a prospective survey of 40 patients diagnosed with GERD, based on an endoscopic examination, in 3 cities in Indonesia (Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya from 15 January to 15 May 2009. Patients were asked to complete the GERDQ, and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed.Results: The percentages of respondents who reported symptoms lasting 4–7 days were as follows: 68% had a burning sensation behind the breastbone (heartburn; 65% had stomach content (fluid move upwards to the throat or mouth (regurgitation; 70% had a pain in the centre of the upper abdomen; 58% had nausea; 63% had difficulty sleeping because of the heartburn and/or regurgitation; and 63% took additional medication for heartburn and/or regurgitation. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.83, indicating that all of the questions in the Indonesian-language GERDQ are valid and reliable for Indonesian GERD patients.Conclusions: This study achieved the primary objectives and showed that the GERDQ is valid and reliable for use with Indonesian-speaking GERD patients. The results were consistent with those of the DIAMOND study, which showed that the GERDQ can be used to diagnose GERD on the basis of the reported symptoms. (Med J Indones 2011; 20:125-30Keyword: GERD, GERDQ, Reliability test, Validity test, Virginia study

  1. Computer-Assisted Learning for the Hearing Impaired: An Interactive Written Language Enviroment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, R. D.; Rostron, A. B.

    1983-01-01

    To help hearing-impaired children develop their linguistic competence, a computer system that can process sentences and give feedback about their acceptability was developed. Suggestions are made of ways to use the system as an environment for interactive written communication. (Author/CL)

  2. Development of a Maltese version of oral health-associated questionnaires: OHIP-14, GOHAI, and the Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santucci, Daniela; Camilleri, Liberato; Kobayashi, Yasuyoshi; Attard, Nikolai

    2014-01-01

    To show the reliability of the Maltese translations of OHIP-14, GOHAI, and the Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire, define the reliability of the responses, and determine the correlation between OHIP-14 and GOHAI. The items of the three questionnaires (OHIP-14, GOHAI, and Denture Satisfaction) were translated into Maltese and back into English to compare with the original version. Specific sampling of a population well versed in Maltese and English was carried out to obtain a sample of respondents for each questionnaire. Data were gathered through self-administered questionnaires: first administering the Maltese version and following with the English version 1 week later. Participation rates were high (98%). Cronbach's alpha for all three questionnaires was high (> 0.7), indicating satisfactory test-retest reliability of the instruments. Similarly, the Spearman correlation coefficients for both the English and Maltese versions of OHIP-14 and GOHAI were good (> 0.6). The Maltese versions of OHIP-14, GOHAI, and the Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire can be safely used as a valid alternative to the English versions in studies of patients who are limited in linguistic proficiency.

  3. Polish Phoneme Statistics Obtained On Large Set Of Written Texts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bartosz Ziółko

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The phonetical statistics were collected from several Polish corpora. The paper is a summaryof the data which are phoneme n-grams and some phenomena in the statistics. Triphonestatistics apply context-dependent speech units which have an important role in speech recognitionsystems and were never calculated for a large set of Polish written texts. The standardphonetic alphabet for Polish, SAMPA, and methods of providing phonetic transcriptions are described.

  4. Technology supporting written productivity in children with learning disabilities: a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batorowicz, Beata; Missiuna, Cheryl A; Pollock, Nancy A

    2012-10-01

    Occupational therapists working with school-aged children are often in the position of recommending technology to enhance written productivity. The outcome of using technology on the writing of children with learning disabilities has not been reviewed critically, and this knowledge is necessary for evidence-based practice. To review evidence regarding the use of technology to support written productivity in children with learning disabilities. A systematic search of seven databases, plus a manual search, retrieved 864 papers published between 1985 and March 2012. Twenty-seven papers (28 studies) met inclusion criteria. The evidence is of a moderately low level and results are inconclusive; however, trends suggest a positive influence of some technology on children's performance and behaviour. Methodological limitations exist in most studies and the description of specific technology intervention is often combined with teaching instructions. The available research is encouraging, but high-quality investigations with newer technologies are needed.

  5. The beginnings of the written culture in Antiquity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Isabel Panosa

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes an analysis of writing as a system for communication, since its origins, in terms of its uses and socio-cultural context. We shall also look to review and comment on the way in which it has evolved in time and space and its primordial domains for expression. Likewise, we shall look at the current state of affairs with respect to graphic communication, which includes the alphabet, logographic systems and symbols. From a more global point of view, the relationship between the concept of writing and the concept of civilisation is studied and two dimensions are set out: the oral culture and the written culture.

  6. Synergistic relationships between Analytical Chemistry and written standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valcárcel, Miguel; Lucena, Rafael

    2013-07-25

    This paper describes the mutual impact of Analytical Chemistry and several international written standards (norms and guides) related to knowledge management (CEN-CWA 14924:2004), social responsibility (ISO 26000:2010), management of occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001/2), environmental management (ISO 14001:2004), quality management systems (ISO 9001:2008) and requirements of the competence of testing and calibration laboratories (ISO 17025:2004). The intensity of this impact, based on a two-way influence, is quite different depending on the standard considered. In any case, a new and fruitful approach to Analytical Chemistry based on these relationships can be derived. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. [Written and pictorial content in magazines and their possible relationship to eating disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabó, Kornélia; Túry, Ferenc

    2012-02-01

    In the current study we reviewed the literature on studies exploring the magazine reading frequency, written and pictorial contents appearing in magazines and their connection to eating disorders. Reading different fashion and fitness magazines has effect on readers through several indirect and direct factors and through trustable and false information. They affect readers' body satisfaction, self-esteem, eating habits and more generally their health behavior. Different theories have been explained to account for these associations and several other studies examined empirically the connection between the frequency of magazine reading and eating disorders, as well as the symptoms leading to eating disorders. We analyzed and summarized articles between 1975 and 2009 from online databases. We used the following sources: Science Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), Springer-Verlag GmbH (http://www.springerlink.com/) and SAGE Publications Ltd (http://online.sagepub. com/). The pictorial and written magazine contents were associated with the development and maintenance of eating disorders or with symptoms that might lead to eating disorders. The publications compared to previous years featured an increased number of advertisements for unhealthy foods, for unhealthy radical diet plans and exercise programs. Furthermore the magazines contained conflicting messages about nutrition, body functions and eating disorders. Written and pictorial magazine contents, messages might increase the risk for development of eating disorders, especially in vulnerable individuals.

  8. Meeting the Demands of the Workplace: Science Students and Written Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, F. Elizabeth; Emerson, Lisa; MacKay, Bruce

    2005-01-01

    Over the last 15 years, surveys in a range of English-speaking countries, from North America and the United Kingdom, to New Zealand and Australia, have consistently shown that employers rank oral and written communication skills as highly as or more highly than any technical or quantitative skills. However, in New Zealand there has been very…

  9. Short Message Service (SMS) Language and Written Language Skills: Educators' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geertsema, Salomé; Hyman, Charene; van Deventer, Chantelle

    2011-01-01

    SMS language is English language slang, used as a means of mobile phone text messaging. This practice may impact on the written language skills of learners at school. The main aim of this study was to determine the perspectives of Grade 8 and 9 English (as Home Language) educators in Gauteng regarding the possible influence of SMS language on…

  10. 37 CFR 251.44 - Filing and service of written cases and pleadings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... OF CONGRESS COPYRIGHT ARBITRATION ROYALTY PANEL RULES AND PROCEDURES COPYRIGHT ARBITRATION ROYALTY PANEL RULES OF PROCEDURE Procedures of Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels § 251.44 Filing and service of written cases and pleadings. (a) Filing of pleadings. In a royalty fee distribution proceeding or...

  11. Fundaments for the study of orality in written language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Gaston Hilgert

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we put forth some reflections upon the production of effects of orality in written texts in light of the fundaments of enunciation. In this theoretical context, we show that the study of orality in written language should not depart from the random identification of lexical and syntactic, figurative and thematic, stylistic or rhetoric resources. What matters is the identification of the interactive scenario in which these linguistic resources are manifested. The interactive scenario is configured by the relationship between narrator/narratee revealed in the text. If this relation takes place by means of the interaction between an I (narrator and a you (narratee, either explicit or implicit, then it is instituted, in this scenario, the basic principle of dialog, of conversation, which defines the proximity condition of the interlocutors and, therefore, the interactive scenario favorable to the use of orality resources. When this relation, however, takes place in the form of a third person narrator who addresses him/herself to an implicit reader, the scenario of distancing is installed, in which orality resources may be unfit or, if they occur, they may have specific functions. This text addresses special attention to the interactive scenario set by the interaction between I/you, showing, in different examples, traits of orality determined by such interaction, and also the various degrees of proximity that this interaction may reveal in its various manifestations.

  12. Uses of the word "macula" in written English, 1400-present.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Stephen G; Leffler, Christopher T

    2014-01-01

    We compiled uses of the word "macula" in written English by searching multiple databases, including the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership, America's Historical Newspapers, the Gale Cengage Collections, and others. "Macula" has been used: as a non-medical "spot" or "stain", literal or figurative, including in astronomy and in Shakespeare; as a medical skin lesion, occasionally with a following descriptive adjective, such as a color (macula alba); as a corneal lesion, including the earliest identified use in English, circa 1400; and to describe the center of the retina. Francesco Buzzi described a yellow color in the posterior pole ("retina tinta di un color giallo") in 1782, but did not use the word "macula". "Macula lutea" was published by Samuel Thomas von Sömmering by 1799, and subsequently used in 1818 by James Wardrop, which appears to be the first known use in English. The Google n-gram database shows a marked increase in the frequencies of both "macula" and "macula lutea" following the introduction of the ophthalmoscope in 1850. "Macula" has been used in multiple contexts in written English. Modern databases provide powerful tools to explore historical uses of this word, which may be underappreciated by contemporary ophthalmologists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. [A workshop to improve written communication skills of medical students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitran, Marcela; Zúñiga, Denisse; Flotts, Paulina; Padilla, Oslando; Moreno, Rodrigo

    2009-05-01

    Despite being among the best academically prepared of the country, many medical students have difficulties to communicate in writing. In 2005, the School of Medicine at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile introduced a writing workshop in the undergraduate curriculum, to enhance the students' writing skills. To describe the workshop and its impact on the writing skills of 3 cohorts of students. This 30-h workshop used a participative methodology with emphasis on deliberate practice and feedback. Students worked in small groups with a faculty member specially trained in writing. The qualities of the essays written before and after the workshop were compared. Essays were rated by a professional team that used an analytic rubric to measure formal aspects of text writing as well as more complex thinking processes. There was a significant improvement in the quality of the texts written after the workshop; the main changes occurred in argumentation, and in paragraph and text structure. This improvement was inversely proportional to the initial level of performance, and independent of gender. A writing workshop based on deliberate practice and personalized feedback is effective to enhance the writing proficiency of medical students. Due to its design, this workshop could be useful for students of other careers and universities.

  14. Network analysis of named entity co-occurrences in written texts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amancio, Diego Raphael

    2016-06-01

    The use of methods borrowed from statistics and physics to analyze written texts has allowed the discovery of unprecedent patterns of human behavior and cognition by establishing links between models features and language structure. While current models have been useful to unveil patterns via analysis of syntactical and semantical networks, only a few works have probed the relevance of investigating the structure arising from the relationship between relevant entities such as characters, locations and organizations. In this study, we represent entities appearing in the same context as a co-occurrence network, where links are established according to a null model based on random, shuffled texts. Computational simulations performed in novels revealed that the proposed model displays interesting topological features, such as the small world feature, characterized by high values of clustering coefficient. The effectiveness of our model was verified in a practical pattern recognition task in real networks. When compared with traditional word adjacency networks, our model displayed optimized results in identifying unknown references in texts. Because the proposed representation plays a complementary role in characterizing unstructured documents via topological analysis of named entities, we believe that it could be useful to improve the characterization of written texts (and related systems), specially if combined with traditional approaches based on statistical and deeper paradigms.

  15. Referrer satisfaction as a quality criterion: developing an questionnaire for measuring the quality of services provided by a radiology department

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubik-Huch, R.A.; Duerselen, L.; Otto, R.; Rexroth, M.; Porst, R.; Szucs, T.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: to develop a questionnaire for measuring referring physician satisfaction and to conduct a pilot study in which this questionnaire is given to all physicians referring patients to the authors' radiology department. Materials and methods: after qualitative pre-testing and adjustment of the prototype questionnaire, data were collected using the finalized standardized questionnaire comprising 29 indicators rated on a 4-point ordinal scale mailed with a personalized cover letter to the total referring physician population of a radiology department (n = 727). The replies, rated 1-4, were entered into a data entry mask for statistical analysis. Results: the response rate was 33.8%. The indicators with the highest satisfaction rating were the range of examinations offered (''very satisfied'': 79.3% mean 3.79), the quality of the technical equipment used for MRI and CT (79.3%, 3.79) and mammography (82.5%, 3.82), and the quality of the images yielded by these procedures (74.5%, 3.73 and 82.2%, 3.83). Dissatisfaction was relatively high with the indicators ''time to receipt of the written report'' (28.3% ''not very satisfied'' or ''not at all satisfied'', mean 2.97), ''time to receipt of the X-ray images'' (18.2%, 3.07) and ''availability of previous findings'' (20.9%, 3.05); satisfaction was higher among external referring physicians (p < 0.05). Physicians rated the importance of these three indicators as relatively high (''very important'': 62.4%, 54.3% and 49.6%). Other indicators showing a similar level of dissatisfaction were ''car parking availability'' (24.1%, 3.01), ''patient waiting time'' (27.4%, 2.87) and ''patient environment'' (21.2%, 2.99), although these factors were rated as less important (''very important'': 33.0%, 33.7% and 40.4%). (orig.)

  16. Written reflection in an eHealth intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lie SS

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Silje S Lie,1 Bjørg Karlsen,1 Christopher P Niemiec,2 Marit Graue,3 Bjørg Oftedal1 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway; 2Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA; 3Center for Evidence-Based Practice, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway Background: Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM are responsible for the daily decisions and actions necessary to manage their disease, which makes self-management the cornerstone of diabetes care. Many patients do not reach recommended treatment goals, and thus it is important to develop and evaluate innovative interventions that facilitate optimal motivation for adequate self-management of T2DM. Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore how adults with T2DM experience using reflection sheets to stimulate written reflection in the context of the Guided Self-Determination (GSD eHealth intervention and how written reflection might affect their motivation for self-management of T2DM. Methods: We used a qualitative design in which data were collected through individual interviews. The sample consisted of 10 patients who completed the GSD eHealth intervention, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The qualitative content analysis yielded 2 main themes. We labeled the first theme as “Written reflection affects awareness and commitment in diabetes self-management”, which reflects 2 subthemes, namely, “Writing creates space and time for autonomous reflection” and “Writing influences individuals’ focus in diabetes self-management”. We labeled the second theme as “Written reflection is perceived as inapplicable in diabetes self-management”, which reflects 2 subthemes, namely, “Responding in writing is difficult” and “The timing of the writing is inappropriate”. Conclusion: Our findings

  17. Systematic review: questionnaires for assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolier, E A; Kessing, B F; Smout, A J; Bredenoord, A J

    2015-01-01

    Numerous questionnaires with a wide variety of characteristics have been developed for the assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Four well-defined dimensions are noticeable in these GERD questionnaires, which are symptoms, response to treatment, diagnosis, and burden on the quality of life of GERD patients. The aim of this review is to develop a complete overview of all available questionnaires, categorized per dimension of the assessment of GERD. A systematic search of the literature up to January 2013 using the Pubmed database and the Embase database, and search of references and conference abstract books were conducted. A total number of 65 questionnaires were extracted and evaluated. Thirty-nine questionnaires were found applicable for the assessment of GERD symptoms, three of which are generic gastrointestinal questionnaires. For the assessment of response to treatment, 14 questionnaires were considered applicable. Seven questionnaires with diagnostic purposes were found. In the assessment of quality of life in GERD patients, 18 questionnaires were found and evaluated. Twenty questionnaires were found to be used for more than one assessment dimension, and eight questionnaires were found for GERD assessment in infants and/or children. A wide variety of GERD questionnaires is available, of which the majority is used for assessment of GERD symptoms. Questionnaires differ in aspects such as design, validation and translations. Also, numerous multidimensional questionnaires are available, of which the Reflux Disease Questionnaire is widely applicable. We provided an overview of GERD questionnaires to aid investigators and clinicians in their search for the most appropriate questionnaire for their specific purposes. © 2013 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  18. Dissipative Control Systems and Disturbance Attenuation for Nonlinear H∞ Problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frankowska, H.; Quincampoix, M.

    1999-01-01

    We characterize functions satisfying a dissipative inequality associated with a control problem. Such a characterization is provided in terms of an epicontingent solution, or a viscosity supersolution to a partial differential equation called Isaacs' equation. Links between supersolutions and epicontingent solutions to Isaacs' equation are studied. Finally, we derive (possibly discontinuous) disturbance attenuation feedback of the H ∞ problem from contingent formulation of Isaacs' equation

  19. Global map of the prevalence of symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in children: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aït-Khaled, N; Pearce, N; Anderson, H R; Ellwood, P; Montefort, S; Shah, J

    2009-01-01

    Phase One of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) measured the global patterns of prevalence and severity of symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in children in 1993-1997. International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase Three was a cross-sectional survey performed 5-10 years after Phase One using the same methodology. Phase Three covered all of the major regions of the world and involved 1 059 053 children of 2 age groups from 236 centres in 98 countries. The average overall prevalence of current rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms was 14.6% for the 13- to 14-year old children (range 1.0-45%). Variation in the prevalence of severe rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms was observed between centres (range 0.0-5.1%) and regions (range 0.4% in western Europe to 2.3% in Africa), with the highest prevalence being observed mainly in the centres from middle and low income countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America. Co-morbidity with asthma and eczema varied from 1.6% in the Indian sub-continent to 4.7% in North America. For 6- to 7-year old children, the average prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms was 8.5%, and large variations in symptom prevalence were also observed between regions, countries and centres. Wide global variations exist in the prevalence of current rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms, being higher in high vs low income countries, but the prevalence of severe symptoms was greater in less affluent countries. Co-morbidity with asthma is high particularly in Africa, North America and Oceania. This global map of symptom prevalence is of clinical importance for health professionals.

  20. Supervision of radiography licensees - using electronic questionnaires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olson, Aa. [Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2005-09-15

    The results from this questionnaire gave a general view of the state of the radiography practices in Sweden, and the questionnaire hopefully contributed to improve the knowledge of these regulations for the licensees. The largest deficiencies were found in the documentation of the radiation protection organisation as well as documentation of quality assurance and operational statistics. The results of the questionnaire constitute a useful basis for selecting companies for future inspections by SSI. Those who has not answered the questionnaire and are working with site radiography can expect a visit in the near future.

  1. Webster's word power better English grammar improve your written and spoken English

    CERN Document Server

    Kirkpatrick, Betty

    2014-01-01

    With questions and answer sections throughout, this book helps you to improve your written and spoken English through understanding the structure of the English language. This is a thorough and useful book with all parts of speech and grammar explained. Used by ELT self-study students.

  2. The effect of written text on comprehension of spoken English as a foreign language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diao, Yali; Chandler, Paul; Sweller, John

    2007-01-01

    Based on cognitive load theory, this study investigated the effect of simultaneous written presentations on comprehension of spoken English as a foreign language. Learners' language comprehension was compared while they used 3 instructional formats: listening with auditory materials only, listening with a full, written script, and listening with simultaneous subtitled text. Listening with the presence of a script and subtitles led to better understanding of the scripted and subtitled passage but poorer performance on a subsequent auditory passage than listening with the auditory materials only. These findings indicated that where the intention was learning to listen, the use of a full script or subtitles had detrimental effects on the construction and automation of listening comprehension schemas.

  3. Education, Sociability and Written Culture : the case of the Society of Jesus in France

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphane Van Damme

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available In a special Issue of the journal Annales, the historian Roger Chartier could draw up a review of the written culture history and underlined the role played by certain social groups in the diffusion of written culture in the cities. He distinguished two major elements in this evolution  : one hand “ The use of writing as an instrument of self-government and administration ” and on the other hand “ the link between religious experience and use of writting ”. In this tension, it has been intere...

  4. QUESTIONNAIRES PRETESTING IN MARKETING RESEARCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALINA-MIHAELA BABONEA

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Designing the perfect survey questionnaire is impossible. However, researchers can still create an effective research. To make your questionnaire effective, it is necessary to pretest it before actually using it. The following paper reveals some general guidelines on pretesting and what to do for a more effective marketing research giving the fact that the existing literature highlights the importance and indispensability of pretesting and on the other hand, does not provide sufficient information in terms of methodology about it. Also, we have tried to explain the importance of questionnaires pretesting before applying them in order to obtain the best results in marketing research and we’ve kept in mind that high quality in this domain means using new tools and improving the existing ones if one searches for efficient results.

  5. Investigating the associations between Mediterranean diet, physical activity and living environment with childhood asthma using path analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alphantonogeorgos, George; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Grigoropoulou, Dimitra; Yfanti, Konstantina; Papoutsakis, Constantina; Papadimitriou, Anastasios; Anthracopoulos, Michael B; Bakoula, Chryssa; Priftis, Kostas N

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the role of the Mediterranean diet and physical activity with relation to living environment and childhood asthma. 1125 children (529 boys), 10 to 12 years old were recruited either in an urban environment (Athens, n = 700) or rural environment (n = 425) in Greece. A path analytic model was developed to assess the causal relation between urban environment and asthma prevalence (standardized ISAAC questionnaire), through the mediation of the Mediterranean diet (evaluated by the KIDMED food frequency questionnaire) and physical activity (evaluated by the PALQ physical activity questionnaire). The proposed model had a very good fit (χ2/df ratio =1.05, RMSEA=0.007, 90% confidence interval: 0.01 to 0.046, p=0.97, CFI = 0.98). A significant total positive effect was found between urban environment and asthma symptoms (standardized beta= 0.09, penvironment - asthma relation (standardized beta=-0.029, penvironment on childhood asthma.

  6. The Written Corrective Feedback Debate: Next Steps for Classroom Teachers and Practitioners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Dan

    2012-01-01

    Language teachers spend much of their time providing corrective feedback on students' writing in hope of helping them improve grammatical accuracy. Turning to research for guidance, however, can leave practitioners with few concrete answers as to the effectiveness of written corrective feedback (CF). Debate in the literature continues, reflecting…

  7. Clay Modeling versus Written Modules as Effective Interventions in Understanding Human Anatomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bareither, Mary Lou; Arbel, Vered; Growe, Meghan; Muszczynski, Emily; Rudd, Adam; Marone, Jane R.

    2013-01-01

    The effectiveness of clay modeling to written modules is examined to determine the degree of improvement in learning and retention of anatomical 3D relationships among students with different learning preferences. Thirty-nine undergraduate students enrolled in a cadaver dissection course completed a pre-assessment examination and the VARK…

  8. Determining Appropriate Accommodations for Postsecondary Students with Reading and Written Expression Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindstrom, Jennifer H.

    2007-01-01

    One of the most significant barriers facing postsecondary students with reading and written expression disorders who are eligible to receive specific accommodations is the lack of professional knowledge pertaining to issues surrounding accommodations. Though guided by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with…

  9. Special Education in Saudi Arabia: A Synthesis of Literature Written in English

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altamimi, Ahmed A.; Lee, Lay Wah; Sayed-Ahmed, Al-sayed A.; Kassem, Mostafa M.

    2015-01-01

    Special education in Saudi Arabia was formally established in 1962. The earliest cited literature on special education written in English was a 1970 government report. This article presents results from the first synthesis of internationally published Saudi special education literature over a 44-year period. This synthesis yielded information…

  10. Subordinated clauses usage and assessment of syntactic maturity: A comparison of oral and written retellings in beginning writers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verónica Sánchez Abchi

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The present longitudinal study aims to explore possible syntactic complexity differences between oral and written story retellings produced by Spanish speaking children at the end of the 1st and 2nd grades of primary education. It is assumed that differences between oral and written modalities can be found due in part to the cognitive demands of low level writing skills. Indeed, it has been observed that written texts produced by children are shorter and of lower quality than oral ones (Berninger, et al., , 1992; Berninger & Swanson,1994. However, how the transcription skills might constrain the syntactic complexity of children’s written texts is not well established.The children (N=163 that participated in this study were attending three different schools located in Córdoba Province, Argentina. The children were examined at the end of the 1st and 2nd year of primary education. The oral and written retellings were analyzed using Length, T- unit number and Syntactic Complexity Index (SCI (Hunt, 1965; 1970. The analysis of children’s productions showed differences between grades and modalities. The differences between modalities were found in text Length and T-unit, but not in SCI. These results suggest that transcription skills do not affect syntactic performance. Nevertheless, a more detailed analysis revealed differences between groups. Possible restrictions of the original text on children’s performance were also observed. The implications and the scope of the SCI and units used for the analysis are furthered discussed.

  11. Written production of learners of Portuguese as an additional foreign language: referentiation as a sociocognitive processing resource

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Rottava

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses referentiation in texts written by learners of Portuguese as an additional foreign language. Referentiation consists of construction and reconstruction of discourse objects, a product that results from cognitive and interactive activity. Among forms of interaction, written production is an interactive process as meanings derive from the interaction between writer/reader and text in complex and multifaceted experiences that involve prior experiences and/or knowledge, besides the interlocutor’s discursive purpose. Therefore, the text is the result of an action ‘under construction’ made possible through the use of language. Data for this article come from written production developed in classes of Portuguese as a foreign language. The findings reveal learners’ textual processing and its peculiarities resulting from the learners’ proficiency levels and the requirements of the type and theme of the specified task.

  12. Quality of life questionnaires in otorhinolaryngology: a systematic overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koenraads, S P C; Aarts, M C J; van der Veen, E L; Grolman, W; Stegeman, I

    2016-12-01

    The importance of quality of life (QOL) as an endpoint and the use of validated QOL questionnaires have increased over time. To evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) measurement instruments used in patients in otorhinolaryngology (ORL). We aimed to establish the use of QOL questionnaires in ORL over a period of time, establish the use of QOL questionnaires within different domains and determine the use of validated QOL questionnaires. We performed a comprehensive search in PubMed up to 1 January 2014. Articles were included that measured HR-QOL questionnaires in clinical practice in children, adolescents or adults in 42 journals of ORL. Multiple unique QOL questionnaires, organised according to domain, time and survey of validation, were extracted from reported articles. Of 2442 articles, we utilised 1196 publications with a total of 2103 QOL questionnaires regarding ORL. We evaluated a variety of 363 unique QOL questionnaires in which 60% (n = 220) QOL questionnaires had been validated. We found a continuing increase in the amount of articles which used QOL questionnaires since the beginning of the 20th century, while the percentage of validated QOL questionnaires remained the same (76%). Most QOL questionnaires were used in the domains oncology (35%), otology (21%) and rhinology (20%). The domain otology had the largest amount of unique QOL questionnaires (n = 122). We identified and evaluated all unique HR-QOL questionnaires utilised in patients in ORL. Recently, the use of validated and non-validated HR-QOL questionnaires has increased within all domains of ORL. The assessment of QOL has become an important outcome measure in clinical practice, in medical research and for healthcare organisations. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Cascaded Processing in Written Naming: Evidence from the Picture-Picture Interference Paradigm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roux, Sebastien; Bonin, Patrick

    2012-01-01

    The issue of how information flows within the lexical system in written naming was investigated in five experiments. In Experiment 1, participants named target pictures that were accompanied by context pictures having phonologically and orthographically related or unrelated names (e.g., a picture of a "ball" superimposed on a picture of…

  14. PRAGMATIC AND RHETORICAL STRATEGIES IN THE ENGLISH-WRITTEN JOKES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dyah Rochmawati

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Understanding verbal jokes in English is problematic for English as Foreign Language (EFL readers since understanding the jokes requires understanding their linguistic, cultural and social elements. Since a joke constitutes a complex and paradoxical phenomenon, it needs multiple approaches of analyses—such as pragmatic and rhetorical analyses—in order to investigate the multiple layers of meanings it carries. Recently there has been a shift in humor studies, emphasizing linguistic humors and involving the field of rhetoric. These studies, however, have mostly addressed the connection between rhetoric and spoken jokes in persuasion. The present study therefore applied Austin’s Speech Act Theory (1975 and Grice’s Cooperative Principles (1957, and Berger’s rhetorical techniques (1993 to crack the funniness of the written jokes. Specifically, the study aims at describing: how the (1 rhetorical and (2 pragmatic strategies are used in the jokes, and (3 how the pragmatic and rhetorical strategies complement to create humor. The study employed a qualitative research method. Some jokes were purposively selected from the Reader’s Digest and two online sources: http://jokes.cc.com/, and http://www.ajokeaday.com/. Document studies were the means of data collection. The collected data were then analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. The results showed that that there was a relationship between the two pragmatic theories, i.e., Speech Act Theory and Cooperative Principles, and Berger’s rhetorical techniques. The results offered an alternative reading and richer understanding of how written jokes employed pragmatic and rhetorical strategies to advance their rhetorical objectives and humor functions.

  15. Language Learners' Writing Task Representation and Its Effect on Written Performance in an EFL Context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, Gholam Reza; Pourghasemian, Hossein; Jalali, Hassan

    2017-06-01

    The present study attempts to give an account of how students represent writing task in an EAP course. Further, the study is intended to discover if learners' mental representation of writing would contribute to their written performance. During a 16-week term, students were instructed to practice writing as a problem solving activity. At almost the end of the term, they were prompted to write on what they thought writing task was like and also an essay on an argumentative topic. The results revealed that students could conceptualize the instructed recursive model of writing as a process-based, multi-dimensional and integrated activity inducing self-direction and organization while holding in low regard the product view of writing. The findings also demonstrated that task representation was related to the students' writing performance, with process oriented students significantly outperforming the product-oriented ones. Also, it was found that task representation components (ideational, linguistic, textual, interpersonal) had a significant relationship with the written performance ([Formula: see text]; Sig.: 0.006). The study can have both theoretical and practical implications with regard to the factors involving the students' writing internal processes and their effects on written performance.

  16. ELLIPT2D: A Flexible Finite Element Code Written Python

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pletzer, A.; Mollis, J.C.

    2001-01-01

    The use of the Python scripting language for scientific applications and in particular to solve partial differential equations is explored. It is shown that Python's rich data structure and object-oriented features can be exploited to write programs that are not only significantly more concise than their counter parts written in Fortran, C or C++, but are also numerically efficient. To illustrate this, a two-dimensional finite element code (ELLIPT2D) has been written. ELLIPT2D provides a flexible and easy-to-use framework for solving a large class of second-order elliptic problems. The program allows for structured or unstructured meshes. All functions defining the elliptic operator are user supplied and so are the boundary conditions, which can be of Dirichlet, Neumann or Robbins type. ELLIPT2D makes extensive use of dictionaries (hash tables) as a way to represent sparse matrices.Other key features of the Python language that have been widely used include: operator over loading, error handling, array slicing, and the Tkinter module for building graphical use interfaces. As an example of the utility of ELLIPT2D, a nonlinear solution of the Grad-Shafranov equation is computed using a Newton iterative scheme. A second application focuses on a solution of the toroidal Laplace equation coupled to a magnetohydrodynamic stability code, a problem arising in the context of magnetic fusion research

  17. Oral and Written Expression in Children With Reading Comprehension Difficulties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carretti, Barbara; Motta, Eleonora; Re, Anna Maria

    2016-01-01

    Several studies have highlighted that children with reading comprehension difficulties also have problems in tasks that involve telling a story, in writing or verbally. The main differences identified regard poor comprehenders' lower level of coherence in their productions by comparison with good comprehenders. Only one study has compared poor and good comprehenders' performance in both modalities (oral and written), however, to see whether these modalities differently influence poor comprehenders' performance. We qualitatively and quantitatively compared the performance of good and poor comprehenders in oral and written narrative tasks with the aim of shedding light on this issue. Regression analyses were also used to explore the role of working memory and vocabulary in explaining individual differences. Our results showed that the two groups produced narratives of comparable length, with similar percentages of spelling mistakes, whereas they differed in terms of the quality of their narratives, regardless of the modality. These differences were qualified by analyzing the children's use of connective devices, and poor comprehenders were found to use a higher proportion of additive devices than good comprehenders. Regression analyses showed that working memory (particularly the intrusion errors measure) explained a modest part of the qualitative differences in narrative production. Implications for our theoretical understanding of poor comprehenders' profiles and education are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

  18. Developement of supervisor's bullying questionnaire at workplace

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Golparvar

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Bullying is one of behaviors which occur in various forms at workplaces. These types of behaviors are associated with diverse range of behaviors and other variables. Considering the lack of instrument to assess supervisor's bullying in workplaces of Iran, this research was carried out to constructing and studying reliability and validity of supervisor's bullying questionnaire at workplace. Statistical population of this research was all of Isfahan oil refinery’s staff that 402 participants was chosen as participant by simple random sampling mehod. The tools included perceived organizational justice questionnaire, organizational citizenship behaviors questionnaire and deviant behaviors questionnaire which used for studying convergent and divergent validity of researcher-made questionnaire of supervisor's bullying. Data were analyzed by using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, canonical correlation coefficient (for studying convergent and divergent validity and reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha and test- retest reliability. Results showed that supervisor's bullying questionnaire has five factor structures which named: supervisors’ threat, insult and scorn by supervisor, anger and revengefulness of supervisor, ignorance and unconventional work pressure of supervisor, supervisors’ boring and cheap. Cronbach’s alpha for the five factors was equal to 0.87, 0.84, 0.82, 0.81, 0.81, and test-retest reliability for those five factors was equal to 0.81, 0.59, 0.58, 0.83, and 0.77. The results of this study revealed that supervisor's bullying questionnaire has suitable validity and reliability for assessment the level of supervisor's bullying at workplaces.

  19. Cognitive Levels and Approaches Taken by Students Failing Written Examinations in Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roegner, Katherine

    2013-01-01

    A study was conducted at the Technical University Berlin involving students who twice failed the written examination in the first semester course Linear Algebra for Engineers in order to better understand the reasons behind their failure. The study considered student understanding in terms of Bloom's taxonomy and the ways in which students…

  20. Generalizability Theory Reliability of Written Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement in Universal Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller-Margulis, Milena A.; Mercer, Sterett H.; Thomas, Erin L.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of written expression curriculum-based measurement (WE-CBM) in the context of universal screening from a generalizability theory framework. Students in second through fifth grade (n = 145) participated in the study. The sample included 54% female students, 49% White students, 23% African…