Quality in preschool in a cultural context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragh-Müller, Grethe; Ringsmose, Charlotte

What is educational quality i preschools? How can it be evaluated/measured. How can educational quality be developped in everyday life in preschools?......What is educational quality i preschools? How can it be evaluated/measured. How can educational quality be developped in everyday life in preschools?...

Cultural Differences in Korean- and Anglo-American Preschoolers' Social Interaction and Play Behaviors.

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Farver, Jo Ann M.; And Others

1995-01-01

Compared Korean American and Anglo-American preschoolers' social and play behavior to determine the influence of culture on early development and to understand how culture shapes and organizes the environment in which children's social and play activities take place. Suggests that children's social interaction and pretend play are influenced by…

Multi-chamber and multi-layer thiol-ene microchip for cell culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, H. Y.; Hemmingsen, Mette; Lafleur, Josiane P.

2014-01-01

We present a multi-layer and multi-chamber microfluidic chip fabricated using two different thiol-ene mixtures. Sandwiched between the thiol-ene chip layers is a commercially available membrane whose morphology has been altered with coatings of thiol-ene mixtures. Experiments have been conducted ...... with the microchip and shown that the fabricated microchip is suitable for long term cell culture....

The status of preschool teachers in two municipalities following the economic collapse

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Laufey Axelsdóttir

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This feminist study examines the working conditions of preschool teachers, a female dominated occupation, in two municipalities in Iceland and asks, in light of government policy, if and then how the municipalities facilitate preschool teachers professionalism following the 2008 bank collapse. Weber´s (2001 theoretical framework is applied to explore the professional status of the preschools and the impact of local government on preschool teachers’ position. Qualitative methods were used and data was gathered in 2011 and 2012. Thirteen interviews were conducted with women and men in two preschools and the schools administrative environment. Preschool teachers employed in management and non-management positions as well as assistants were interviewed. The study’s results show that financial cutbacks in local government affect preschool teachers and assistants and thus the position of women in the labour market by preserving their subordination. Furthermore, preschool children seem to be affected by the cutbacks which possibly have negative consequences on their well-being. Reforms and developments of the preschool teachers education seem to be met with considerable opposition from local government and more emphasis is placed on operational costs rather than strengthening the preschool teachers in their role as professionals. The results thus point to a gap between government policy and the municipalities’ local version of that same policy.

Being part of a multi-generational medical practice team.

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Hills, Laura

2010-01-01

What happens when you find yourself working in your medical practice every day with co-workers who are the ages of your parents or children? Do you find yourself reverting to age-related roles? Do you become exasperated with or bewildered by the values and behaviors of older or younger colleagues? This article explores the challenges and opportunities the medical practice staff member faces when he or she is part of a multi-generational medical practice team. It describes the tensions that often occur when a medical practice staff runs the gamut from those who remember using a library card catalog and those who can't remember the days before Google. It describes the core values, career goals, key formative events, and attitudes that may have shaped the thinking and behavior of the four generations that may work in the medical practice today: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. It suggests preferred communication and learning methods for staff members of different generations. Finally, this article offers 10 best practices for working in a multi-generational staff and for creating a supportive multi-generational medical practice culture.

Person Perception in Young Children across Two Cultures

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Chen, Eva E.; Corriveau, Kathleen H.; Harris, Paul L.

2016-01-01

To adult humans, the task of forming an impression of another social being seems effortless and even obligatory. In 2 experiments, we offer the first systematic cross-cultural examination of impression formation in European American and East Asian preschool children. Children across both cultures easily inferred basic personality traits, such as…

Motor Profile of Portuguese Preschool Children on the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2: A Cross-Cultural Study

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Saraiva, Linda; Rodrigues, Luis P.; Cordovil, Rita; Barreiros, Joao

2013-01-01

This study was designed to examine the cultural sensitivity of the PDMS-2 for Portuguese preschool children aged 36-71 months. A total of 540 children (255 males and 285 females) from 15 public preschools of Viana do Castelo, Portugal, were assessed. Age and gender effects in motor performance were examined. Results indicated that PDMS-2 is valid…

A NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECT UTILIZING TELEVISED MATERIALS FOR THE FORMAL EDUCATION OF CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. FINAL REPORT.

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MUKERJI, ROSE; AND OTHERS

TO SUPPLY DISADVANTAGED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH CULTURALLY STIMULATING EXPERIENCES, A TV SERIES, "ROUNDABOUT," WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. INNER-CITY PRESCHOOL AND DAY CARE CENTERS. THE 15-MINUTE PROGRAMS WERE TO INTRODUCE NEW EXPERIENCES AND SUPPLEMENT REGULAR ACTIVITIES. IT WAS HOPED THAT THE CHILDREN WOULD IDENTIFY…

Professional Development of Preschool Teachers and Changing the Culture of the Institution of Early Education

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Vujicic, Lidija; Camber Tambolaš, Akvilina

2017-01-01

The culture of institutions of early education is a strong network of customs, rules, norms and behaviours that affect the daily life and work of all its individuals. Consequently, the professional development of preschool teachers is not only an individual process of professional advancement, but also a process that changes the culture of the…

High energy multi-cycle terahertz generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahr, Frederike Beate

2017-10-01

Development of compact electron accelerators and free-electron lasers requires novel acceleration schemes at shorter driving wavelengths. The Axsis project seeks to develop terahertz based electron acceleration as well as the high energy terahertz sources required. This thesis explores the methods and optical material required for the generation of highenergy multi-cycle terahertz pulses. Two experimental concepts to generate high energy terahertz radiation are presented. In addition the theoretical background and the optical properties of pertinent optical materials in the terahertz range are discussed. Investigations of the materials are performed with a terahertz time domain spectrometer and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The nonlinear optical crystal lithium niobate as well as other crystals suitable for the terahertz generation and in addition polymers and other radiation attenuators are characterized in the range from 0.2 to 1 THz. The theory describing the generation of narrowband terahertz radiation is evaluated. The experimental setups to generate terahertz radiation and to characterize its properties are described. The specific crystals - periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) - used in the experiments to generate the multi-cycle terahertz radiation are examined to determine e.g. the poling period. The first experimental concept splits the ultra fast, broadband pump pulses into a pulse train in order to pump the PPLN at a higher fluence while increasing the damage limit. The measurements confirm that a pulse train of ultra short, broadband pump pulses increases not only the terahertz energy but also the energy conversion efficiency. The second experimental concept utilizes chirped and delayed infrared laser pulses. This pulse format makes it possible to pump the crystal with high energy pulses resulting in high energy terahertz radiation. The concept is optimized to reach energies up to 127 μJ exceeding the existing results of narrowband

High energy multi-cycle terahertz generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahr, Frederike Beate

2017-10-15

Development of compact electron accelerators and free-electron lasers requires novel acceleration schemes at shorter driving wavelengths. The Axsis project seeks to develop terahertz based electron acceleration as well as the high energy terahertz sources required. This thesis explores the methods and optical material required for the generation of highenergy multi-cycle terahertz pulses. Two experimental concepts to generate high energy terahertz radiation are presented. In addition the theoretical background and the optical properties of pertinent optical materials in the terahertz range are discussed. Investigations of the materials are performed with a terahertz time domain spectrometer and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The nonlinear optical crystal lithium niobate as well as other crystals suitable for the terahertz generation and in addition polymers and other radiation attenuators are characterized in the range from 0.2 to 1 THz. The theory describing the generation of narrowband terahertz radiation is evaluated. The experimental setups to generate terahertz radiation and to characterize its properties are described. The specific crystals - periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) - used in the experiments to generate the multi-cycle terahertz radiation are examined to determine e.g. the poling period. The first experimental concept splits the ultra fast, broadband pump pulses into a pulse train in order to pump the PPLN at a higher fluence while increasing the damage limit. The measurements confirm that a pulse train of ultra short, broadband pump pulses increases not only the terahertz energy but also the energy conversion efficiency. The second experimental concept utilizes chirped and delayed infrared laser pulses. This pulse format makes it possible to pump the crystal with high energy pulses resulting in high energy terahertz radiation. The concept is optimized to reach energies up to 127 μJ exceeding the existing results of narrowband

Stepping Stones to Resiliency following a community-based two-generation Canadian preschool programme.

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Ginn, Carla S; Benzies, Karen M; Keown, Leslie Anne; Raffin Bouchal, Shelley; Thurston, Wilfreda E Billlie

2018-05-01

Early intervention programmes are designed to address complex inequities for Canadian families living with low income, affecting social relationships, well-being and mental health. However, there is limited understanding of resiliency and change in families living with low income over time. We conducted a mixed methods study with recent immigrant, other Canadian-born, and Aboriginal families living with low income, who attended a two-generation preschool programme (CUPS One World) between 2002 and 2008. The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of the processes of change. We included 134 children and their caregivers living with low income, and experiencing mental health problems, addiction or social isolation. Children's receptive language, a proxy for school readiness, was measured at programme intake, exit, and age 10 years using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test 3rd Edition (PPVT-III). In Phase I (quantitative), we identified children with receptive language scores in the top and bottom 25th percentile, informing participant selection for Phase II. In Phase II (qualitative), we engaged in constructivist grounded theory to explore experiences of 14 biological mothers, after their children (n = 25) reached age 10 years. Interviews were conducted between June and September 2015. The core category, Stepping Stones to Resiliency, encompassed Perceptions of Family, Moving Forward, Achieving Goals, and Completely Different. Perceptions of Family influenced families' capabilities to move across the Stepping Stones to Resiliency. Stepping Stones to Resiliency provides a lens from which to view others in their daily challenges to break free of painful intergenerational cycles. It is a reminder of our struggle, our shared humanness, and that movement towards resiliency is more difficult for some than others. Our findings challenge traditional episodic, biomedical treatment paradigms for low-income families also experiencing intergenerational cycles of

Social Competence, Cultural Orientations and Gender Differences: A Study of Mandarin-English Bilingual Preschoolers

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Ren, Yonggang; Wyver, Shirley

2016-01-01

This study investigated whether host and heritage cultural orientations were associated with Chinese preschoolers' social competence and whether such associations varied across gender in Western contexts. Ninety-six Chinese-Australian children aged 36-69 months from 15 childcare centres in Sydney participated in the study. The General Ethnicity…

Parenting and Preschool Child Development: Examination of Three Low-Income U.S. Cultural Groups

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Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne; Bradley, Robert H.; McKelvey, Lorraine

2009-01-01

We examined the impact of parenting behaviors on preschool children's social development in low-income families from three cultural groups: European American (n = 286), African American (n = 399), and Hispanic American (n = 164) using Spanish as the primary language in the home. Observed parenting behaviors of stimulation, responsivity, and…

The effect of labour on ownership decisions in two cultures: developmental evidence from Japan and the United Kingdom.

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Kanngiesser, Patricia; Itakura, Shoji; Hood, Bruce M

2014-09-01

Creative labour has an effect on children's and adults' ownership decisions in Western cultures. We investigated whether preschoolers and adults from an Eastern culture (Japan) would show a similar bias. In a first-party task (Experiment 1), in which participants created their own objects, Japanese preschoolers but not adults assigned ownership to creators. When participants watched videos of third-party conflicts between owners of materials and creators (Experiment 2), Japanese adults, but not preschoolers, transferred ownership to creators. In a British comparison group, both preschoolers and adults showed an effect of creative labour in the third-party task. A bias to attribute ownership on the basis of creative labour is thus not specific to Western culture. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

AN EVALUATION OF A PRESCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN. FINAL REPORT.

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TAMMINEN, ARMAS W.; AND OTHERS

TO FIND OUT IF CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN SHOW CHANGE IN ACADEMIC READINESS AS A RESULT OF SPECIAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, 3 GROUPS OF CHILDREN (14 TO 17 IN EACH) IN 3 DULUTH SCHOOL AREAS WERE PRE- AND POSTTESTED WITH THE STANFORD-BINET AND SRA PRIMARY MENTAL ABILITIES TESTS. A CONTROL GROUP OF 30 CHILDREN FROM THE SAME 3 SCHOOL AREAS WERE GIVEN THE…

Similarity of Mothers' and Preschool Teachers' Evaluations of Socialization Goals in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

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Döge, Paula; Keller, Heidi

2014-01-01

This study examines the similarity of socialization goals of a group of mothers with different cultural backgrounds and their children's respective preschool teachers in Germany. Additionally, the researchers were interested in the relationship between the degree of mother-teacher similarity and maternal satisfaction with child care. Questionnaire…

Preschool Teachers' Skills in Teaching Music: Two Steps Forward One Step Back

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Ehrlin, Anna; Wallerstedt, Cecilia

2014-01-01

This study investigates through observations and interviews what importance further education has for preschool teachers' practice in two music-profiled preschool and their way of conceptualising it. A distinction between music as a method for teaching, on the one hand, and as a content of knowledge, on the other, is used in the analysis. The…

Latent trajectories of internalizing symptoms from preschool to school age: A multi-informant study in a high-risk sample.

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Klein, Annette M; Schlesier-Michel, Andrea; Otto, Yvonne; White, Lars O; Andreas, Anna; Sierau, Susan; Bergmann, Sarah; Perren, Sonja; von Klitzing, Kai

2018-04-29

Recent proposals suggest early adversity sets in motion particularly chronic and neurobiologically distinct trajectories of internalizing symptoms. However, few prospective studies in high-risk samples delineate distinct trajectories of internalizing symptoms from preschool age onward. We examined trajectories in a high-risk cohort, oversampled for internalizing symptoms, several preschool risk/maintenance factors, and school-age outcomes. Parents of 325 children completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire on up to four waves of data collection from preschool (3-5 years) to school age (8-9 years) and Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment interviews at both ages. Multi-informant data were collected on risk factors and symptoms. Growth mixture modelling identified four trajectory classes of internalizing symptoms with stable low, rising low-to-moderate, stable moderate, and stable high symptoms. Children in the stable high symptom trajectory manifested clinically relevant internalizing symptoms, mainly diagnosed with anxiety disorders/depression at preschool and school age. Trajectories differed regarding loss/separation experience, maltreatment, maternal psychopathology, temperament, and stress-hormone regulation with loss/separation, temperament, maternal psychopathology, and stress-hormone regulation (trend) significantly contributing to explained variance. At school age, trajectories continued to differ on symptoms, disorders, and impairment. Our study is among the first to show that severe early adversity may trigger a chronic and neurobiologically distinct internalizing trajectory from preschool age onward.

Teaching University Students Cultural Diversity by Means of Multi-Cultural Picture Books in Taiwan

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Wu, Jia-Fen

2017-01-01

In a pluralistic society, learning about foreign cultures is an important goal in the kind of multi-cultural education that will lead to cultural competency. This study adopted a qualitative dominant mixed-method approach to examine the effectiveness of the multi-cultural picture books on: (1) students' achieving awareness towards cultural…

Socio-cultural determinants of adiposity and physical activity in preschool children: a cross-sectional study.

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Bürgi, Flavia; Meyer, Ursina; Niederer, Iris; Ebenegger, Vincent; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Granacher, Urs; Kriemler, Susi; Puder, Jardena J

2010-11-26

Both individual socio-cultural determinants such as selected parental characteristics (migrant background, low educational level and workload) as well as the regional environment are related to childhood overweight and physical activity (PA). The purpose of the study was to compare the impact of distinct socio-cultural determinants such as the regional environment and selected parental characteristics on adiposity, PA and motor skills in preschool children. Forty preschools (N = 542 children) of two culturally different urban regions (German and French speaking part of Switzerland) participated in the study (Ballabeina Study). Outcome measures included adiposity (BMI and skinfold thickness), objectively measured sedentary activities and PA (accelerometers) and agility performance (obstacle course). Parental characteristics (migrant status, educational level and workload) were assessed by questionnaire. Children from the French speaking areas had higher adiposity, lower levels of total and of more intense PA, were more sedentary and less agile than children from the German speaking regions (percent differences for all outcome parameters except for BMI ≥10%; all p ≤ 0.04). Differences in skinfold thickness, sedentary activities and agility, but not in PA, were also found between children of Swiss and migrant parents, though they were ≤8% (p ≤ 0.02). While paternal workload had no effect, maternal workload and parental education resulted in differences in some PA measures and/or agility performance (percent differences in both: ≤9%, p ≤ 0.008), but not in adiposity or sedentary activities (p = NS). Regional differences in skinfold thickness, PA, sedentary activities and agility performance persisted after adjustment for parental socio-cultural characteristics, parental BMI and, where applicable, children's skinfolds (all p ≤ 0.01). The regional environment, especially the broader social environment, plays a prominent role in determining adiposity, PA and

Socio-cultural determinants of adiposity and physical activity in preschool children: A cross-sectional study

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Kriemler Susi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both individual socio-cultural determinants such as selected parental characteristics (migrant background, low educational level and workload as well as the regional environment are related to childhood overweight and physical activity (PA. The purpose of the study was to compare the impact of distinct socio-cultural determinants such as the regional environment and selected parental characteristics on adiposity, PA and motor skills in preschool children. Methods Forty preschools (N = 542 children of two culturally different urban regions (German and French speaking part of Switzerland participated in the study (Ballabeina Study. Outcome measures included adiposity (BMI and skinfold thickness, objectively measured sedentary activities and PA (accelerometers and agility performance (obstacle course. Parental characteristics (migrant status, educational level and workload were assessed by questionnaire. Results Children from the French speaking areas had higher adiposity, lower levels of total and of more intense PA, were more sedentary and less agile than children from the German speaking regions (percent differences for all outcome parameters except for BMI ≥10%; all p ≤ 0.04. Differences in skinfold thickness, sedentary activities and agility, but not in PA, were also found between children of Swiss and migrant parents, though they were ≤8% (p ≤ 0.02. While paternal workload had no effect, maternal workload and parental education resulted in differences in some PA measures and/or agility performance (percent differences in both: ≤9%, p ≤ 0.008, but not in adiposity or sedentary activities (p = NS. Regional differences in skinfold thickness, PA, sedentary activities and agility performance persisted after adjustment for parental socio-cultural characteristics, parental BMI and, where applicable, children's skinfolds (all p ≤ 0.01. Conclusions The regional environment, especially the broader social environment

Acute appendicitis in preschoolers: a study of two different populations of children

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Sivridis Efthimios

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To assess the incidence and the risk factors implicated in acute appendicitis in preschoolers in our region. Methods Over a 7-year period, 352 children underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis. Of these, data for 23 children were excluded because no inflammation of the appendix was found on subsequent histology. Of the remaining 329, 82 were ≤ 5 years old (i.e., preschool children and 247 were 5-14 years old. These two groups of children were further divided according to their religion into Muslims and Christian Orthodox: 43 of the children aged ≤ 5 years were Muslims and 39 were Christian Orthodox. A household questionnaire was designed to collect data concerning age, gender, type of residence area, living conditions, vegetable consumption, and family history of surgery for acute appendicitis as preschool children. The removed appendices were also assessed histologically for the amount of lymphoid tissue. Results Acute appendicitis of preschoolers developed more frequently in Muslims (39.4% than in Christians (17.7%; p p p > 0.05. Conclusions In our region, the percentage of preschool-aged Muslim children with acute appendicitis was remarkably high. One possible explanation for this finding could be the higher amount of lymphoid tissue in the wall of the appendix in Muslim preschool children together with their low standard of hygiene.

Factors of the active listening of preschool children

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Purić Daliborka S.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Active listening is a communication skill which is crucial for the development of cooperative relationships in the group, culture of friendship and fellowship, it is also important for the development of literacy skills and talent for speaking. Furthermore, it contributes to the improvement of the level of knowledge, skills and school achievement, as well as to the development of self-confidence of children. Developing of active listening is an important task in the activities with children of preschool age. In this paper, the author, wanting to determine the importance of the factors of active listening of preschool children, examines how preschool teachers (N = 198: (a evaluate the importance of certain elements of active listening that relate to the speaker and the listener, and (b estimate their role in the process of developing active listening skills of preschool children as an essential element of successful interpersonal communication. Results of the survey show that preschool teachers attach greater importance to the factors of active listening related to the listener (attention, listening skill, interest in the subject, than to the factors related to the speaker (motivation for listening, quality of the narrative. More than two-thirds of surveyed preschool teachers (172 or 86.9% define its impact on the stimulation of active listening of children as significant. Work experience and professional qualifications as independent variables significantly influence the attitudes of preschool teachers about the importance of their impact in stimulating active listening. Preschool teacher is a key element of the training of preschool children in the area of the basic communication skills of active listening. In this sense, the results of our survey show that in the context of academic study programs for education of preschool teachers special attention is given to the communication skills and to their role in the development of active listening

Implementation of a novel two-attractor grid multi-scroll chaotic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao-Hua, Luo; Zheng-Wei, Tu; Xi-Rui, Liu; Chang, Cai; Pu, Gong; Yi-Long, Liang

2010-01-01

This paper proposed a method of generating two attractors in a novel grid multi-scroll chaotic system. Based on a newly generated three-dimensional system, a two-attractor grid multi-scroll attractor system can be generated by adding two triangular waves and a sign function. Some basic dynamical properties, such as equilibrium points, bifurcations, and phase diagrams, were studied. Furthermore, the system was experimentally confirmed by an electronic circuit. The circuit simulation results and numerical simulation results verified the feasibility of this method. (general)

IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IN REALIZATION OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL TASKS OF PRESCHOOL INSTITUTIONS

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Zvezdan Arsić

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The rapid scientific and technological development imposes numerous changes in all spheres of life and work. In such circumstances, a computer has become a part of all aspects of life: economy, education, free time, family. Since children in contemporary society increasingly acquire knowledge before the school age, the question is how to prepare them for the world in which we live, bearing in mind how significantly different it is from the world in which the previous generations grew up. The research was aimed at examining the attitudes of preschool teachers about the importance of computers in the realization of educational activities in preschool institutions. The study included 54 teachers from Kosovo and Metohija: Kosovska Mitrovica, Donja Gušterica and Ropotovo. The research results indicate that digital technology is a very important and a useful didactic tool in the realization of educational activities in preschool institutions and that preschool teachers have the required competence to implement the technology. However, they are not satisfied with the quality of their ICT education and training during their studies; they also feel that their institutions do not provide adequate working conditions for the use of computers in the realization of educational tasks.

Social-cognitive processes in preschoolers' selective trust: three cultures compared.

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Lucas, Amanda J; Lewis, Charlie; Pala, F Cansu; Wong, Katie; Berridge, Damon

2013-03-01

Research on preschoolers' selective learning has mostly been conducted in English-speaking countries. We compared the performance of Turkish preschoolers (who are exposed to a language with evidential markers), Chinese preschoolers (known to be advanced in executive skills), and English preschoolers on an extended selective trust task (N = 144). We also measured children's executive function skills and their ability to attribute false belief. Overall we found a Turkish (rather than a Chinese) advantage in selective trust and a relationship between selective trust and false belief (rather than executive function). This is the 1st evidence that exposure to a language that obliges speakers to state the sources of their knowledge may sensitize preschoolers to informant reliability. It is also the first demonstration of an association between false belief and selective trust. Together these findings suggest that effective selective learning may progress alongside children's developing capacity to assess the knowledge of others.

On Major Developments in Preschoolers' Imagination

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Diachenko, Olga M.

2011-01-01

The role of the imagination in adult thinking is to go beyond reality and to express generalised laws. The researcher's job is to specify the cultural tools that preschool children use in the development of their imagination. Previous research has identified two main stages in the development of imagination up until the age of six, a third stage…

Cultural Practice of Children's-adult Research Activity in Pre-school Education: Content and Risks (Part I

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Alieva T.I.,

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the characteristics of children's "research" activities, discusses the features and examples of its existence in pre-school education. Kinds of activity in which the child shows an educational initiative and curiosity, and also the contents of interests of children of preschool age are discussed. The author shows how everyday life situations, communication with adults and peers become sources of children's "research". In such situations, samples are set and the model of the cultural practices of cognition implemented. The author analyses the elements of technology of children's "research" according to empirical material. This work was supported by Federal Research Centre for Projects Evaluation and Consulting Services (project № 2.48.2016/НМ.

Cultural adaptation of preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum for Pakistani children.

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Inam, Ayesha; Tariq, Pervaiz N; Zaman, Sahira

2015-06-01

Cultural adaptation of evidence-based programmes has gained importance primarily owing to its perceived impact on the established effectiveness of a programme. To date, many researchers have proposed different frameworks for systematic adaptation process. This article presents the cultural adaptation of preschool Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum for Pakistani children using the heuristic framework of adaptation (Barrera & Castro, 2006). The study was completed in four steps: information gathering, preliminary adaptation design, preliminary adaptation test and adaptation refinement. Feedbacks on programme content suggested universality of the core programme components. Suggested changes were mostly surface structure: language, presentation of materials, conceptual equivalence of concepts, training needs of implementation staff and frequency of programme delivery. In-depth analysis was done to acquire cultural equivalence. Pilot testing of the outcome measures showed strong internal consistency. The results were further discussed with reference to similar work undertaken in other cultures. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Generating Multi-Destination Maps.

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Zhang, Junsong; Fan, Jiepeng; Luo, Zhenshan

2017-08-01

Multi-destination maps are a kind of navigation maps aimed to guide visitors to multiple destinations within a region, which can be of great help to urban visitors. However, they have not been developed in the current online map service. To address this issue, we introduce a novel layout model designed especially for generating multi-destination maps, which considers the global and local layout of a multi-destination map. We model the layout problem as a graph drawing that satisfies a set of hard and soft constraints. In the global layout phase, we balance the scale factor between ROIs. In the local layout phase, we make all edges have good visibility and optimize the map layout to preserve the relative length and angle of roads. We also propose a perturbation-based optimization method to find an optimal layout in the complex solution space. The multi-destination maps generated by our system are potential feasible on the modern mobile devices and our result can show an overview and a detail view of the whole map at the same time. In addition, we perform a user study to evaluate the effectiveness of our method, and the results prove that the multi-destination maps achieve our goals well.

Difference in children's gross motor skills between two types of preschools.

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Chow, Bik C; Louie, Lobo H T

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of preschool type (public vs private) on motor skill performance in 239 (121 boys, 118 girls) preschool children ages 3 to 6.5 yr. Preschoolers were tested on 12 fundamental motor skills from the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition and 11 anthropometrics (body height, weight, Body Mass Index, waist and hip girths, and body segment lengths). Analysis of variance controlled for anthropometrics and age indicated that children from private preschools performed better on locomotor skills than those from public preschools. However, no difference was found in object control skills. The results suggest that performance of locomotor skills by preschool children is affected by their schools' physical environment.

Parents' participation in cultural practices with their preschoolers

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Tudge Jonathan

2000-01-01

Full Text Available In this article we discuss cross-cultural similarities and variations in parents' engagement in the everyday activities in which their preschool-age children engage, focusing on mothers' and fathers' presence in the same setting as their children, the impact of their presence on the types of activities in which the children engaged, and the extent of mothers' and fathers' involvement with their children in those activities. The data were gathered from different societies - the United States, Korea, Russia, Estonia, and Kenya. They reveal that the children were involved primarily in play (more than in lessons, work, or conversation, and this was unaffected by the presence of either parent. However, parents were relatively less likely to be involved in their children's play than in the other activities. Mothers, not surprisingly, were more likely to be found in the same setting as their children and, even when taking account of their greater presence, were more likely to be involved with their children than were fathers.

Parents' participation in cultural practices with their preschoolers

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Jonathan Tudge

Full Text Available In this article we discuss cross-cultural similarities and variations in parents' engagement in the everyday activities in which their preschool-age children engage, focusing on mothers' and fathers' presence in the same setting as their children, the impact of their presence on the types of activities in which the children engaged, and the extent of mothers' and fathers' involvement with their children in those activities. The data were gathered from different societies - the United States, Korea, Russia, Estonia, and Kenya. They reveal that the children were involved primarily in play (more than in lessons, work, or conversation, and this was unaffected by the presence of either parent. However, parents were relatively less likely to be involved in their children's play than in the other activities. Mothers, not surprisingly, were more likely to be found in the same setting as their children and, even when taking account of their greater presence, were more likely to be involved with their children than were fathers.

Does Parental Mind-Mindedness Account for Cross-Cultural Differences in Preschoolers' Theory of Mind?

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Hughes, Claire; Devine, Rory T; Wang, Zhenlin

2017-02-03

This study of 241 parent-child dyads from the United Kingdom (N = 120, M age  = 3.92, SD = 0.53) and Hong Kong (N = 121, M age  = 3.99, SD = 0.50) breaks new ground by adopting a cross-cultural approach to investigate children's theory of mind and parental mind-mindedness. Relative to the Hong Kong sample, U.K. children showed superior theory-of-mind performance and U.K. parents showed greater levels of mind-mindedness. Within both cultures parental mind-mindedness was correlated with theory of mind. Mind-mindedness also accounted for cultural differences in preschoolers' theory of mind. We argue that children's family environments might shed light on how culture shapes children's theory of mind. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Research in Child Development.

Generating relations of multi-variable Tricomi functions of two indices using Lie algebra representation

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Nader Ali Makboul Hassan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is an attempt to stress the usefulness of the multi-variable special functions. In this paper, we derive certain generating relations involving 2-indices 5-variables 5-parameters Tricomi functions (2I5V5PTF by using a Lie-algebraic method. Further, we derive certain new and known generating relations involving other forms of Tricomi and Bessel functions as applications.

Crossing Cultures with Multi-Voiced Journals

Science.gov (United States)

Styslinger, Mary E.; Whisenant, Alison

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the benefits of using multi-voiced journals as a teaching strategy in reading instruction. Multi-voiced journals, an adaptation of dual-voiced journals, encourage responses to reading in varied, cultured voices of characters. It is similar to reading journals in that they prod students to connect to the lives…

"Martin Luther King Stopped Discrimination": Multi-Generational Latino Elementary Students' Perceptions of Social Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Curwen, Margie Sauceda

2011-01-01

This study explored how multi-generational, middle-class, fifth-graders from Latino families responded to classroom discussions of social issues--particularly discrimination--and draws upon sociocultural views of culture, educational theory, and sociological perspectives of immigration to provide insight into the learning experiences of one group…

Child Development in the Context of Multicultural Pre-School Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Umek, Ljubica Marjanovic; Kranjc, Simona; Fekonja, Urska

This study examined the impact of a multicultural preschool curriculum in Slovenia on preschool children's sensitization to cultural differences and understanding of themselves, others, and different cultures. The curriculum was implemented for a 1-month period for 6.6- to 7-year-olds. Multicultural enrichment was evident in wall decorations, toys…

From Picturebook to Multilingual Collage: Bringing Learners’ First Language and Culture into the Pre-school Classroom

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Emma McGilp

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses a project with a small group of children learning English as an a language (EAL at a pre-school in Scotland. The project however could be replicated across the globe, in any classroom with a diverse range of learners, with particular benefit to minority and newly arrived migrant children. At the project’s core was the aim to bring the children’s first language and culture into the classroom, drawing in particular on Cummin’s (1984 Common Underlying Proficiency model, which asserts that knowledge of one language can assist learners in their acquisition of another. The project used multicultural picturebooks to validate the learner’s experiences and culture, and then called on parents’ funds of knowledge to make the children’s first language visible in the classroom. This joint working between the children, parents and the pre-school culminated in the production of a multilingual collage – a prominent display that recognises the value of the children’s first language in the classroom, builds bridges between home and school and is reflective, and proud, of an increasingly multilingual Scotland.

THE INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION IN MULTI-RACIAL AND MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY

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Chamisah Chamisah

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study aims to know the reasons of education ina multi-racial and multi-cultural society demands integration.. The studywhich focuses onMalaysia country typified by three major ethnic groups, namely Malays, Chinese and Indians,foundthat, firstlythe integration of curriculum in creating a holistic education isvital for the society to create a competitive human capital with value laden such as trustworthiness, dedication, creativity, civic awareness and many more. Secondly, integration curriculum emphasizes on the equity and equality of education for all.Through interacting with individuals from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, people will learn to understand, accept and embrace differences. Throughsharing experiences and aspirations,a common national identity and ultimately unity can be achieved. Therefore, integrating curriculum is not only to integrate Islamic concepts in the education system but alsoto integrate all the concepts that make one comprehensive curriculum. Thirdly, it is important to integrate the curriculum with a value-laden perspective to encourage solidarity and harmony. Keywords: Multi-racial; Multi-cultural society; Education; Malaysia

Fabrication of Multi-Harmonic Buncher for Pulsed Proton Beam Generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, H. S.; Kwon, H. J.; Cho, Y. S. [Korea Multipurpose Accelerator Complex, Gyeongju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Fast neutrons with a broad spectrum can be generated by irradiating the proton beams on target materials. To measure the neutron energy by time of flight (TOF) method, the short pulse width of the proton beam is preferred because the neutron energy uncertainty is proportional to the pulse width. In addition, the pulse repetition rate should be low enough to extend the lower limit of the available neutron energy. Pulsed proton beam generation system is designed based on an electrostatic deflector and slit system as shown in Fig. 1. In a simple deflector with slit system, most of the proton beam is blocked by slit, especially when the beam pulse width is short. The ideal field pattern inside the buncher cavity is saw-tooth wave. To make the field pattern similar to the saw-tooth waveform, we adopted a multi-harmonic buncher (MHB). The design for the multi-harmonic buncher including 3D electromagnetic calculation has been performed. Based on the design, a multi-harmonic buncher cavity was fabricated. It consists of two resonators, two drift tubes and a vacuum chamber. The resonator is a quarter-wave coaxial resonator type. The drift tube is connected to the resonator by using a coaxial vacuum feedthrough. Design summary and detailed fabrication method of the multi-harmonic buncher is presented in this paper. A multi-harmonic buncher for a proton beam chopper system to generate a short pulse neutron beam was designed, fabricated and assembled.

Is one sputum specimen as good as two during follow-up cultures for monitoring multi drug resistant tuberculosis patients in India?

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Sharath Burugina Nagaraja

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In India, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP has adopted the strategy of examining two specimens during follow-up culture examinations to monitor the treatment response of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB patients. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incremental yield of the second sputum specimen during follow-up culture examinations among patients with MDR-TB and the effect on case management on changing from two to one specimen follow-up strategy. METHODS: A cross sectional record review of MDR-TB patients registered during 2008-09 under RNTCP was undertaken in three MDR-TB treatment sites of India. RESULTS: Of 1721 pairs of follow-up sputum culture examinations done among 220 MDR-TB patients, 451(26% were positive with either of the two specimens; 29(1.7% were culture positive only on the second specimen indicating the incremental yield. To detect one additional culture positive result on the second specimen, 59 specimens needed to be processed. If we had examined only one specimen, we would have missed 29 culture-positive results. By current RNTCP guidelines, however, a single specimen policy would have altered case management in only 3(0.2% instances, where patients would have missed a one month extension of the intensive phase of MDR-TB treatment. There is no meaningful advantage in using two specimens for the monitoring of MDR-TB patients. A single specimen policy could be safely implemented with negligible clinical effect on MDR-TB patients and favourable resource implications for RNTCP.

Cross-cultural adaptation of Preschool Language Assessment Instrument: Second Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindau, Tâmara Andrade; Rossi, Natalia Freitas; Giacheti, Célia Maria

2014-01-01

In Brazil, formal tools for the evaluation of spoken language are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and adapt to Brazilian Portuguese the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument: Second Edition (PLAI-2). The process of translation and adaptation of this instrument was conducted in two stages - Stage 1: (1a) translation of the original version to Brazilian Portuguese, (1b) comparison of the translated versions and synthesis into a single Portuguese version, (1c) back-translation, (1d) revision of the translated version; and Step 2: (2a) application of the Portuguese version in a pilot project with 30 subjects, and (2b) statistical comparison of three age groups. In the Brazilian version, all items of the original version were kept. However, it was necessary to modify the application order of one item, and the change of one picture was suggested in another. The results obtained after application indicated that the Brazilian version of the PLAI-2 allows us to distinguish the performance of participants belonging to different age groups, and that the raw score tends to increase with age. Semantic and syntactic adjustments were required and made to ensure that PLAI-2 would be used with the same methodological rigor of the original instrument. The adaptation process observed the theoretical, semantic, and cultural equivalences.

Multi-Threaded DNA Tag/Anti-Tag Library Generator for Multi-Core Platforms

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-01

base pair)  Watson ‐ Crick  strand pairs that bind perfectly within pairs, but poorly across pairs. A variety  of  DNA  strand hybridization metrics...AFRL-RI-RS-TR-2009-131 Final Technical Report May 2009 MULTI-THREADED DNA TAG/ANTI-TAG LIBRARY GENERATOR FOR MULTI-CORE PLATFORMS...TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Jun 08 – Feb 09 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE MULTI-THREADED DNA TAG/ANTI-TAG LIBRARY GENERATOR FOR MULTI-CORE

Outdoor Play in Preschools in England and South Korea: Learning from Polyvocal Methods

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Nah, Kwi-Ok; Waller, Tim

2015-01-01

This paper discusses a cross-cultural and collaborative project, in preschools in England and South Korea. The aim of the project is to investigate the pedagogy of outdoor play and learning in two different cultural contexts, from the perspectives of the practitioners. Although there has been a growing academic interest in the use of outdoor…

Music Pedagogy as an Aid to Integration? El Sistema-Inspired Music Activity in Two Swedish Preschools

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Gustavsson, Hans-Olof; Ehrlin, Anna

2018-01-01

The study focuses on how preschool and musical school teachers experience working with El Sistema-inspired activity at two municipal preschools in a multicultural district in a medium-sized Swedish town. What, according to the educators,is the most significant aspect of working with El Sistema-inspired activities? The theoretical point of…

Psychopathological symptoms in two generations of the same family: a cross-cultural comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Essau, Cecilia A; Ishikawa, Shin-Ichi; Sasagawa, Satoko; Otsui, Kanako; Sato, Hiroshi; Okajima, Isa; Georgiou, George A; O'Callaghan, Jean; Bray, Diane

2013-12-01

The main aims of the present study were to compare the frequency and correlates of psychopathological symptoms in two generations of the same family in Japan and in England. The sample included 689 adolescents and one of their parents/guardians. All participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure psychopathological symptoms, self-construals, and perceived social support. In both parent and adolescent data, the Japanese sample reported significantly lower psychopathological symptoms than the English sample. The relationship between parental and adolescent psychopathology was significant in England, but not in Japan. In both countries, perceived social support and independent self-construal were generally associated with less psychopathological symptoms, and interdependent self-construal was associated with more symptoms. Additionally, in England, a significant interaction effect was found between social support and the self-construals. Participants with low independent and high interdependent self-construal had elevated levels of psychopathological symptoms when perceived social support was low. The present study illustrates the importance of culture in the transmission of psychopathological symptoms across different generations in the same family.

The Integration of Education in Multi-racial and Multi-cultural Society

OpenAIRE

Chamisah, Chamisah; M. Daud, Ridhwan

2016-01-01

This study aims to know the reasons of education ina multi-racial and multi-cultural society demands integration.. The studywhich focuses onMalaysia country typified by three major ethnic groups, namely Malays, Chinese and Indians,foundthat, firstlythe integration of curriculum in creating a holistic education isvital for the society to create a competitive human capital with value laden such as trustworthiness, dedication, creativity, civic awareness and many more. Secondly, integration curr...

Narratives in Two Languages: Storytelling of Bilingual Cantonese-English Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezzonico, Stefano; Goldberg, Ahuva; Mak, Katy Ka-Yan; Yap, Stephanie; Milburn, Trelani; Belletti, Adriana; Girolametto, Luigi

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare narratives generated by 4-year-old and 5-year-old children who were bilingual in English and Cantonese. The sample included 47 children (23 who were 4 years old and 24 who were 5 years old) living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who spoke both Cantonese and English. The participants spoke and heard predominantly Cantonese in the home. Participants generated a story in English and Cantonese by using a wordless picture book; language order was counterbalanced. Data were transcribed and coded for story grammar, morphosyntactic quality, mean length of utterance in words, and the number of different words. Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed higher story grammar scores in English than in Cantonese, but no other significant main effects of language were observed. Analyses also revealed that older children had higher story grammar, mean length of utterance in words, and morphosyntactic quality scores than younger children in both languages. Hierarchical regressions indicated that Cantonese story grammar predicted English story grammar and Cantonese microstructure predicted English microstructure. However, no correlation was observed between Cantonese and English morphosyntactic quality. The results of this study have implications for speech-language pathologists who collect narratives in Cantonese and English from bilingual preschoolers. The results suggest that there is a possible transfer in narrative abilities between the two languages.

Children's Agency in Creating and Maintaining Language Policy in Practice in Two "Language Profile" Preschools in Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Sally; Huss, Leena; Ottesjö, Cajsa

2017-01-01

This paper presents results from an ethnographic study of language policy as it is enacted in everyday interaction in two language profile preschools in Sweden with explicit monolingual language policies: English and Finnish, respectively. However, in both preschools, children are free to choose language or code alternate. The study shows how…

A hybrid multi-objective cultural algorithm for short-term environmental/economic hydrothermal scheduling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Youlin; Zhou Jianzhong; Qin Hui; Wang Ying; Zhang Yongchuan

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Multi-objective optimization model of short-term environmental/economic hydrothermal scheduling. → A hybrid multi-objective cultural algorithm (HMOCA) is presented. → New heuristic constraint handling methods are proposed. → Better quality solutions by reducing fuel cost and emission effects simultaneously are obtained. -- Abstract: The short-term environmental/economic hydrothermal scheduling (SEEHS) with the consideration of multiple objectives is a complicated non-linear constrained optimization problem with non-smooth and non-convex characteristics. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model of SEEHS is proposed to consider the minimal of fuel cost and emission effects synthetically, and the transmission loss, the water transport delays between connected reservoirs as well as the valve-point effects of thermal plants are taken into consideration to formulate the problem precisely. Meanwhile, a hybrid multi-objective cultural algorithm (HMOCA) is presented to deal with SEEHS problem by optimizing both two objectives simultaneously. The proposed method integrated differential evolution (DE) algorithm into the framework of cultural algorithm model to implement the evolution of population space, and two knowledge structures in belief space are redefined according to the characteristics of DE and SEEHS problem to avoid premature convergence effectively. Moreover, in order to deal with the complicated constraints effectively, new heuristic constraint handling methods without any penalty factor settings are proposed in this paper. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed HMOCA method are demonstrated by two case studies of a hydrothermal power system. The simulation results reveal that, compared with other methods established recently, HMOCA can get better quality solutions by reducing fuel cost and emission effects simultaneously.

Multi-objective optimization for generating a weighted multi-model ensemble

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Lee, H.

2017-12-01

Many studies have demonstrated that multi-model ensembles generally show better skill than each ensemble member. When generating weighted multi-model ensembles, the first step is measuring the performance of individual model simulations using observations. There is a consensus on the assignment of weighting factors based on a single evaluation metric. When considering only one evaluation metric, the weighting factor for each model is proportional to a performance score or inversely proportional to an error for the model. While this conventional approach can provide appropriate combinations of multiple models, the approach confronts a big challenge when there are multiple metrics under consideration. When considering multiple evaluation metrics, it is obvious that a simple averaging of multiple performance scores or model ranks does not address the trade-off problem between conflicting metrics. So far, there seems to be no best method to generate weighted multi-model ensembles based on multiple performance metrics. The current study applies the multi-objective optimization, a mathematical process that provides a set of optimal trade-off solutions based on a range of evaluation metrics, to combining multiple performance metrics for the global climate models and their dynamically downscaled regional climate simulations over North America and generating a weighted multi-model ensemble. NASA satellite data and the Regional Climate Model Evaluation System (RCMES) software toolkit are used for assessment of the climate simulations. Overall, the performance of each model differs markedly with strong seasonal dependence. Because of the considerable variability across the climate simulations, it is important to evaluate models systematically and make future projections by assigning optimized weighting factors to the models with relatively good performance. Our results indicate that the optimally weighted multi-model ensemble always shows better performance than an arithmetic

Adjusting to Social Change - A Multi-Level Analysis in Three Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

example, coping may be more collective in collectivist , compared to individualist , societies (Chang & Sivam, 2004). Some cultures have a greater sense...AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2013-0041 Adjusting to Social Change - A multi-level Analysis in three cultures Prof Robin Goodwin...COVERED (From – To) 23 May 2012 – 22 May 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Adjusting to Social Change - A multi-level Analysis in three cultures

Multi-Cultural Competency-Based Vocational Curricula. Food Service. Multi-Cultural Competency-Based Vocational/Technical Curricula Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Hepburn, Larry; Shin, Masako

This document, one of eight in a multi-cultural competency-based vocational/technical curricula series, is on food service. This program is designed to run 24 weeks and cover 15 instructional areas: orientation, sanitation, management/planning, preparing food for cooking, preparing beverages, cooking eggs, cooking meat, cooking vegetables,…

Efficient multi-site two-photon functional imaging of neuronal circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Castanares, Michael Lawrence; Gautam, Vini; Drury, Jack; Bachor, Hans; Daria, Vincent R

2016-12-01

Two-photon imaging using high-speed multi-channel detectors is a promising approach for optical recording of cellular membrane dynamics at multiple sites. A main bottleneck of this technique is the limited number of photons captured within a short exposure time (~1ms). Here, we implement temporal gating to improve the two-photon fluorescence yield from holographically projected multiple foci whilst maintaining a biologically safe incident average power. We observed up to 6x improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in Fluorescein and cultured hippocampal neurons showing evoked calcium transients. With improved SNR, we could pave the way to achieving multi-site optical recording of fluorogenic probes with response times in the order of ~1ms.

Multi-Cultural Competency-Based Vocational Curricula. Automotive Mechanics. Multi-Cultural Competency-Based Vocational/Technical Curricula Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Hepburn, Larry; Shin, Masako

This document, one of eight in a multi-cultural competency-based vocational/technical curricula series, is on automotive mechanics. This program is designed to run 36 weeks and cover 10 instructional areas: the engine; drive trains--rear ends/drive shafts/manual transmission; carburetor; emission; ignition/tune-up; charging and starting;…

On the impact of second generation mating and offspring in multi-generation reproductive toxicity studies on classification and labelling of substances in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rorije, Emiel; Muller, André; Beekhuijzen, Manon E.W.

2011-01-01

The possible impact on classification and labelling decisions of effects observed in second generation parental (P1) and offspring (F2) parameters in multi-generation studies was investigated. This was done for 50 substances classified as reproductive toxicants in Europe, for which a multi-genera...... and reduced animal use, provide strong further support for replacement of the classical two-generation reproductive toxicity study by the EOGRTS in regulatory reproductive toxicity assessment....

Research on Shaft Subsynchronous Oscillation Characteristics of Parallel Generators and SSDC Application in Mitigating SSO of Multi-Generators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shen Wang

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Subsynchronous oscillation (SSO of generators caused by high voltage direct current (HVDC systems can be solved by applying supplemental subsynchronous damping controller (SSDC. SSDC application in mitigating SSO of single-generator systems has been studied intensively. This paper focuses on SSDC application in mitigating SSO of multi-generator systems. The phase relationship of the speed signals of the generators under their common mechanical natural frequencies is a key consideration in SSDC design. The paper studies in detail the phase relationship of the speed signals of two generators in parallel under their shared mechanical natural frequency, revealing regardless of whether the two generators are identical or not, there always exists a common-mode and an anti-mode under their common natural frequency, and the phase relationship of the speed signals of the generators depends on the extent to which the anti-mode is stimulated. The paper further demonstrates that to guarantee the effectiveness of SSDC, the anti-phase mode component of its input signal should be eliminated. Based on the above analysis, the paper introduces the design process of SSDC for multi-generator systems and verifies its effectiveness through simulation in Power Systems Computer Aided Design/Electromagnetic Transients including Direct Current (PSCAD/EMTDC.

Some thoughts on practising physiotherapy in a multi-cultural country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Jelsma

2004-02-01

issues, which arise from the multi-cultural nature of the society. This paper discusses the ethical theory of cultural relativism in an attempt to highlight the complexities of making moral judgements across cultural, ethnic and religious boundaries.

Investigating Chinese Preschool Teachers' Beliefs in Mathematics Teaching from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xia; Liu, Song; DeBey, Mary; McFadden, Karen; Pan, Yue-Juan

2018-01-01

In China, preschool curriculum has undergone reform and profound changes. Much remains unknown, however, regarding preschool teachers' teaching beliefs after 30 years of curriculum reform and adaptation. This study aimed to address the issue and investigate teachers' beliefs concerning teaching mathematics. Twelve preschool teachers in China…

User-Generated Content, YouTube and Participatory Culture on the Web: Music Learning and Teaching in Two Contrasting Online Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Waldron, Janice

2013-01-01

In this paper, I draw on seminal literature from new media researchers to frame the broader implications that user-generated content (UGC), YouTube, and participatory culture have for music learning and teaching in online communities; to illustrate, I use examples from two contrasting online music communities, the Online Academy of Irish…

Using the intervention mapping protocol to reduce European preschoolers' sedentary behavior, an application to the ToyBox-Study.

Science.gov (United States)

De Decker, Ellen; De Craemer, Marieke; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Verbestel, Vera; Duvinage, Kristin; Iotova, Violeta; Grammatikaki, Evangelia; Wildgruber, Andreas; Mouratidou, Theodora; Manios, Yannis; Cardon, Greet

2014-02-19

High levels of sedentary behavior are often measured in preschoolers, but only a few interventions have been developed to counteract this. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of interventions in preschoolers targeting different forms of sedentary behavior could not be located in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to describe the different steps of the Intervention Mapping Protocol used towards the development of an intervention component of the ToyBox-study focusing on decreasing preschoolers' sedentary behavior. The ToyBox-study focuses on the prevention of overweight in 4- to 6-year-old children by implementing a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention with family involvement in six different European countries. Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol, six different steps were systematically completed for the structured planning and development of the intervention. A literature search and results from focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers were used as a guide during the development of the intervention and the intervention materials. The application of the different steps in the Intervention Mapping Protocol resulted in the creation of matrices of change objectives, followed by the selection of practical applications for five different intervention tools that could be used at the individual level of the preschool child, at the interpersonal level (i.e., parents/caregivers) and at the organizational level (i.e., kindergarten teachers). No cultural differences regarding preschoolers' sedentary behavior were identified between the participating countries during the focus groups, so cultural and local adaptations of the intervention materials were not necessary to improve the adoption and implementation of the intervention. A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for the development of this kindergarten-based family-involved intervention targeting preschoolers, with the inclusion of parental involvement. The

MAIL3.1 : a computer program generating cross section sets for SIMCRI, ANISN-JR, KENO IV, KENO V, MULTI-KENO, MULTI-KENO-2 and MULTI-KENO-3.0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suyama, Kenya; Komuro, Yuichi; Takada, Tomoyuki; Kawasaki, Hiromitsu; Ouchi, Keisuke

1998-02-01

This report is a user's manual of the computer program MAIL3.1 which generates various types of cross section sets for neutron transport programs such as SIMCRI, ANISN-JR, KENO IV, KENO V, MULTI-KENO, MULTI-KENO-2 and MULTI-KENO-3.0. MAIL3.1 is a revised version of MAIL3.0 that was opened in 1990. It has all of abilities of MAIL3.0 and has two more functions as shown in following. 1. AMPX-type cross section set generating function for KENO V. 2. Enhanced function for user of 16 group Hansen-Roach library. (author)

MAIL3.1 : a computer program generating cross section sets for SIMCRI, ANISN-JR, KENO IV, KENO V, MULTI-KENO, MULTI-KENO-2 and MULTI-KENO-3.0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suyama, Kenya; Komuro, Yuichi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Takada, Tomoyuki; Kawasaki, Hiromitsu; Ouchi, Keisuke

1998-02-01

This report is a user`s manual of the computer program MAIL3.1 which generates various types of cross section sets for neutron transport programs such as SIMCRI, ANISN-JR, KENO IV, KENO V, MULTI-KENO, MULTI-KENO-2 and MULTI-KENO-3.0. MAIL3.1 is a revised version of MAIL3.0 that was opened in 1990. It has all of abilities of MAIL3.0 and has two more functions as shown in following. 1. AMPX-type cross section set generating function for KENO V. 2. Enhanced function for user of 16 group Hansen-Roach library. (author)

Generation of multi-wing chaotic attractor in fractional order system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chaoxia; Yu Simin

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We investigate a novel approach for generating multi-wing chaotic attractors. → We introduce a fundamental fractional differential nominal linear system. → A proper nonlinear state feedback controller is designed. → The controlled system can generate fractional-order multi-wing chaotic attractors. - Abstract: In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for generating multi-wing chaotic attractors from the fractional linear differential system via nonlinear state feedback controller equipped with a duality-symmetric multi-segment quadratic function. The main idea is to design a proper nonlinear state feedback controller by using four construction criterions from a fundamental fractional differential nominal linear system, so that the controlled fractional differential system can generate multi-wing chaotic attractors. It is the first time in the literature to report the multi-wing chaotic attractors from an uncoupled fractional differential system. Furthermore, some basic dynamical analysis and numerical simulations are also given, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Differences in problem behaviour among ethnic minority and majority preschoolers in the Netherlands and the role of family functioning and parenting factors as mediators: the Generation R Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flink Ilse JE

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies have shown that, compared to native counterparts, preschoolers from ethnic minorities are at an increased risk of problem behaviour. Socio-economic factors only partly explain this increased risk. This study aimed to further unravel the differences in problem behaviour among ethnic minority and native preschoolers by examining the mediating role of family functioning and parenting factors. Methods We included 4,282 preschoolers participating in the Generation R Study, an ethnically-diverse cohort study with inclusion in early pregnancy. At child age 3 years, parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1,5-5; information on demographics, socio-economic status and measures of family functioning (maternal psychopathology; general family functioning and parenting (parenting stress; harsh parenting were retrieved from questionnaires. CBCL Total Problems scores in each ethnic subgroup were compared with scores in the Dutch reference population. Mediation was evaluated using multivariate regression models. Results After adjustment for confounders, preschoolers from ethnic minorities were more likely to present problem behaviour than the Dutch subgroup (e.g. CBCL Total Problems Turkish subgroup (OR 7.0 (95% CI 4.9; 10.1. When considering generational status, children of first generation immigrants were worse off than the second generation (P Conclusions This study showed that preschoolers from ethnic minorities and particularly children of first generation immigrants are at an increased risk of problem behaviour compared to children born to a Dutch mother. Although socio-economic factors were found to partly explain the association between the ethnic minority status and child problem behaviour, a similar part was explained by family functioning and parenting factors. Considering these findings, it is important for health care workers to also be attentive to symptoms of parental psychopathology (e.g. depression, poor

Generative inference for cultural evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandler, Anne; Powell, Adam

2018-04-05

One of the major challenges in cultural evolution is to understand why and how various forms of social learning are used in human populations, both now and in the past. To date, much of the theoretical work on social learning has been done in isolation of data, and consequently many insights focus on revealing the learning processes or the distributions of cultural variants that are expected to have evolved in human populations. In population genetics, recent methodological advances have allowed a greater understanding of the explicit demographic and/or selection mechanisms that underlie observed allele frequency distributions across the globe, and their change through time. In particular, generative frameworks-often using coalescent-based simulation coupled with approximate Bayesian computation (ABC)-have provided robust inferences on the human past, with no reliance on a priori assumptions of equilibrium. Here, we demonstrate the applicability and utility of generative inference approaches to the field of cultural evolution. The framework advocated here uses observed population-level frequency data directly to establish the likely presence or absence of particular hypothesized learning strategies. In this context, we discuss the problem of equifinality and argue that, in the light of sparse cultural data and the multiplicity of possible social learning processes, the exclusion of those processes inconsistent with the observed data might be the most instructive outcome. Finally, we summarize the findings of generative inference approaches applied to a number of case studies.This article is part of the theme issue 'Bridging cultural gaps: interdisciplinary studies in human cultural evolution'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Generation and control of multi-scroll chaotic attractors in fractional order systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Wajdi M.

2005-01-01

The objective of this paper is twofold: on one hand we demonstrate the generation of multi-scroll attractors in fractional order chaotic systems. Then, we design state feedback controllers to eliminate chaos from the system trajectories. It is demonstrated that modifying the underlying nonlinearity of the fractional chaotic system results in the birth of multiple chaotic attractors, thus forming the so called multi-scroll attractors. The presence of chaotic behavior is evidenced by a positive largest Lyapunov exponent computed for the output time series. We investigate generation and control of multi-scroll attractors in two different models, both of which are fractional order and chaotic: an electronic oscillator, and a mechanical 'jerk' model. The current findings extend previously reported results on generation of n-scroll attractors from the domain of integer order to the domain of fractional order chaotic systems, and addresses the issue of controlling such chaotic behaviors. Our investigations are validated through numerical simulations

Some thoughts on practising physiotherapy in a multi-cultural country

OpenAIRE

J. Jelsma

2004-01-01

Physiotherapists in South Africa are often confronted with ethical issues, which arise from the multi-cultural nature of the society. This paper discusses the ethical theory of cultural relativism in an attempt to highlight the complexities of making moral judgements across cultural, ethnic and religious boundaries.

Development of the language subtest in a developmental assessment scale to identify Chinese preschool children with special needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Anita M-Y; Leung, Cynthia; Siu, Elaine K-L; Lam, Catherine C-C; Chan, Grace P-S

2011-01-01

This study reports on the development of the language subtest in the Preschool Developmental Assessment Scale (PDAS) for Cantonese-Chinese speaking children. A pilot pool of 158 items covering the two language modalities and the three language domains was developed. This initial item set was subsequently revised based on Rasch analyses of data from 324 multi-stage randomly selected children between 3 and 6 years of age. The revised 106-item set demonstrated adequate measurement properties, including targeting and uni-dimensionality. The revised 106-item set successfully discriminated preschool children in the three age groups, and between preschool children and their age peers with special education needs (SEN). Results from this study support the collection of normative data from a larger population sample of children to examine its accuracy in identifying language impairment in children with SEN. Test development procedures reported in this study provide insight for the development of language subtests in multi-domain developmental assessment tools for children speaking other varieties of Chinese. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parenting Dimensions in Relation to Pre-Schoolers' Behaviour Problems in Latvia and Lithuania

Science.gov (United States)

Sebre, Sandra B.; Jusiene, Roma; Dapkevice, Egle; Skreitule-Pikse, Inga; Bieliauskaite, Rasa

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine associations between parenting and child behaviour problems in two neighbouring countries with subtle, yet apparent cultural differences. Participants were mothers and fathers of preschool-age children from Latvia and Lithuania. Parents completed a measure of child-rearing attitudes and reported on their…

An exploration study to find important factors influencing on multi-dimensional organizational culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naser Azad

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an empirical investigation to find important factors influencing multi-dimensional organizational culture. The proposed study designs a questionnaire in Likert scale consists of 21 questions, distributes it among 300 people who worked for different business units and collects 283 filled ones. Cronbach alpha is calculated as 0.799. In addition, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Approx. Chi-Square are 0.821 and 1395.74, respectively. The study has implemented principal component analysis and the results have indicated that there were four factors influencing organizational culture including, diversity in culture, connection based culture, integrated culture and structure of culture. In terms of diversity in culture, sensitivity to quality data and cultural flexibility are the most influential sub-factors while connection based marketing and relational satisfaction are two important sub-factors associated with diversity in culture. The study discusses other issues.

Generativity does not necessarily satisfy all your needs: Associations among cultural demand for generativity, generative concern, generative action, and need satisfaction in the elderly in four cultures

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hofer, J.; Busch, H.; Au, A.; Poláčková Šolcová, Iva; Tavel, P.; Wong, T.T.

2016-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 3 (2016), s. 509-519 ISSN 0012-1649 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP14-02889P Institutional support: RVO:68081740 Keywords : generative concern * internalized cultural demands * value orientations * generative behavior * basic need satisfaction * culture Subject RIV: AN - Psychology Impact factor: 3.228, year: 2016

Predicting asthma in preschool children with asthma symptoms: study rationale and design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hafkamp-de Groen Esther

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In well-child care it is difficult to determine whether preschool children with asthma symptoms actually have or will develop asthma at school age. The PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy Risk Score has been proposed as an instrument that predicts asthma at school age, using eight easy obtainable parameters, assessed at the time of first asthma symptoms at preschool age. The aim of this study is to present the rationale and design of a study 1 to externally validate and update the PIAMA Risk Score, 2 to develop an Asthma Risk Appraisal Tool to predict asthma at school age in (specific subgroups of preschool children with asthma symptoms and 3 to test implementation of the Asthma Risk Appraisal Tool in well-child care. Methods and design The study will be performed within the framework of Generation R, a prospective multi-ethnic cohort study. In total, consent for postnatal follow-up was obtained from 7893 children, born between 2002 and 2006. At preschool age the PIAMA Risk Score will be assessed and used to predict asthma at school age. Discrimination (C-index and calibration will be assessed for the external validation. We will study whether the predictive ability of the PIAMA Risk Score can be improved by removing or adding predictors (e.g. preterm birth. The (updated PIAMA Risk Score will be converted to the Asthma Risk Appraisal Tool- to predict asthma at school age in preschool children with asthma symptoms. Additionally, we will conduct a pilot study to test implementation of the Asthma Risk Appraisal Tool in well-child care. Discussion Application of the Asthma Risk Appraisal Tool in well-child care will help to distinguish preschool children at high- and low-risk of developing asthma at school age when asthma symptoms appear. This study will increase knowledge about the validity of the PIAMA risk score and might improve risk assessment of developing asthma at school age in (specific subgroups

Next generation multi-particle event generators for the MSSM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reuter, J.; Kilian, W.; Hagiwara, K.; Krauss, F.; Schumann, S.; Rainwater, D.

2005-12-01

We present a next generation of multi-particle Monte Carlo (MC) Event generators for LHC and ILC for the MSSM, namely the three program packages Madgraph/MadEvent, WHiZard/O'Mega and Sherpa/Amegic++. The interesting but difficult phenomenology of supersymmetric models at the upcoming colliders demands a corresponding complexity and maturity from simulation tools. This includes multi-particle final states, reducible and irreducible backgrounds, spin correlations, real emission of photons and gluons, etc., which are incorporated in the programs presented here. The framework of a model with such a huge particle content and as complicated as the MSSM makes strenuous tests and comparison of codes inevitable. Various tests show agreement among the three different programs; the tables of cross sections produced in these tests may serve as a future reference for other codes. Furthermore, first MSSM physics analyses performed with these programs are presented here. (orig.)

Generating multi-double-scroll attractors via nonautonomous approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Qinghui; Xie, Qingguo; Shen, Yi; Wang, Xiaoping

2016-08-01

It is a common phenomenon that multi-scroll attractors are realized by introducing the various nonlinear functions with multiple breakpoints in double scroll chaotic systems. Differently, we present a nonautonomous approach for generating multi-double-scroll attractors (MDSA) without changing the original nonlinear functions. By using the multi-level-logic pulse excitation technique in double scroll chaotic systems, MDSA can be generated. A Chua's circuit, a Jerk circuit, and a modified Lorenz system are given as designed example and the Matlab simulation results are presented. Furthermore, the corresponding realization circuits are designed. The Pspice results are in agreement with numerical simulation results, which verify the availability and feasibility of this method.

The Traditional in Contemporary Curricula of Preschool Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kopas-Vukašinović Emina

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Contemporary curricula of preschool education are the result of the improvement of pedagogical and didactic theories. They imply a technical plan with which it is possible to achieve measurable objectives of preschool education. The curriculum is also defined as a tool for quality and equal education for all. It represents a reflection of the time, society and culture in which it exists, but also a model for future society and education. Thus an important research question arises as to what extent we recognize traditional ideas about learning and the development of a preschool child in contemporary preschool programs. Are traditional ideas about educating young children unjustly neglected or do we recognize them in contemporary pedagogical theory even today, at the same time forgetting about the past and declaring them innovations? This paper deals with the starting points for the development of a curriculum. The goal of the research was to determine to what extent can the starting points for the development of preschool children, which have existed in the first preschool programs in Serbia in the late 19th century, be recognized in contemporary preschool programs. A descriptive method was applied as well as a procedure for content analysis of program documents. Research results confirm that the elements of the first preschool programs, which remain relevant until today, can be recognized in contemporary preschool programs. They are related to target orientations, principles and functions of preschool education. However, these ideas are defined as contemporary tendencies, and the fact that they existed in preschool programs that were developed a long time ago is unjustly ignored.

Democratization of Education as Prerequisite for Social Economic and Cultural Progress in a Multi-Cultural Society

Science.gov (United States)

Madumere, S. C.; Olisaemeka, B. U.

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on democratization of education as a prerequisite for social, economic and cultural progress in a multi-cultural society, such as Nigeria. Attempt was made to define and explain the major concepts in the paper. Education was explained as an instrument of democracy and as function of socialization, culture and economic…

Italian Family Business Cultures Involved in the Generational Change

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Ruggero Ruggieri

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In family firms, the business and the family are two arenas in which processes significantly overlap and influence management. The present paper investigates the overlap of the family system and the business through the use of culture. Adopting an idiographic approach and recognising the unique psychodynamic process of family business (FB, this study aims to identify the cultural patterns within the FB, starting from what families define as a family, b business and, c the generational change. Twenty-five family firms were considered during the generational change. The results show how and when this overlap takes shape pointing out how the role of family tradition can became a critical or success factor for the business.

A study on multi-cultural family wives adapting to Korean cuisine and dietary patterns

OpenAIRE

Park, Youngil; Jeong, Hee Sun; Joo, Nami

2010-01-01

With the increase in multi-cultural families, Korea is seeing a rapid increase in immigrated housewives, who are closely related to food culture. However, studies for the diet of multi-cultural families, which is most closely related to our lives have not been sufficiently researched. With this background, this study conducted research for immigrated women nationwide about food cultures to provide the possibility which Korean food culture would be developed harmoniously with various foreign f...

Generating multi-double-scroll attractors via nonautonomous approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Qinghui; Xie, Qingguo, E-mail: qgxie@mail.hust.edu.cn [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan 430074 (China); Shen, Yi; Wang, Xiaoping [School of Automation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2016-08-15

It is a common phenomenon that multi-scroll attractors are realized by introducing the various nonlinear functions with multiple breakpoints in double scroll chaotic systems. Differently, we present a nonautonomous approach for generating multi-double-scroll attractors (MDSA) without changing the original nonlinear functions. By using the multi-level-logic pulse excitation technique in double scroll chaotic systems, MDSA can be generated. A Chua's circuit, a Jerk circuit, and a modified Lorenz system are given as designed example and the Matlab simulation results are presented. Furthermore, the corresponding realization circuits are designed. The Pspice results are in agreement with numerical simulation results, which verify the availability and feasibility of this method.

Cost-analysis of an oral health outreach program for preschool children in a low socioeconomic multicultural area in Sweden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wennhall, Inger; Norlund, Anders; Matsson, Lars

2010-01-01

to a comprehensive oral health outreach project for preschool children conducted in a low-socioeconomic multi-cultural urban area. The outcome was compared with historical controls from the same area with conventional dental care. The cost per minute for the various dental professions was added to the cost......The aim was to calculate the total and the net costs per child included in a 3-year caries preventive program for preschool children and to make estimates of expected lowest and highest costs in a sensitivity analysis. The direct costs for prevention and dental care were applied retrospectively...... of materials, rental facilities and equipment based on accounting data. The cost for fillings was extracted from a specified per diem list. Overhead costs were assumed to correspond to 50% of salaries and all costs were calculated as net present value per participating child in the program and expressed...

Exploring intergenerational relations in a multi-cultural context: the example of filial responsibility in Mauritius.

Science.gov (United States)

Hillcoat-Nallétamby, Sarah

2010-03-01

The purpose of this study is to explore attitudes towards filial responsibility amongst dyads of parents and young adult children using qualitative data from Mauritius, and to draw on the intergenerational solidarity-conflict and ambivalence frameworks to see whether they provide relevant interpretive tools for understanding these attitudes in a multi-cultural society. The study shows that although both generations agree that younger kin should support parents in later life, their motives vary: parents' attitudes reflect norms of obligation, children those of reciprocity; parents want autonomy and independence, but are ambivalent about expectations of future support. Both generations think providing support will be mediated by past parent-child relationships, socialization experiences, gender expectations and cultural tradition. The study suggests that attitudes towards filial responsibility are influenced by a broad set of mechanisms, which can be equated with concepts of structure, function, association, consensus and norm, as well as conflict and ambivalence.

Assessment of Attention in Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Mahone, E.M.; Schneider, H.E.

2012-01-01

In the past two decades, there has been an increased interest in the assessment and treatment of preschool children presenting with concerns about attention problems. This article reviews the research and clinical literature involving assessment of attention and related skills in the preschool years. While inattention among preschoolers is common, symptoms alone do not necessarily indicate a disorder, and most often represent a normal variation in typical preschool child development. Thus, accurate identification of “disordered” attention in preschoolers can be challenging, and development of appropriate, norm-referenced tests of attention for preschoolers is also difficult. The current review suggests that comprehensive assessment of attention and related functions in the preschool child should include thorough review of the child’s history, planned observations, and formal psychometric testing. The three primary methods of psychometric assessment that have been used to characterize attentional functioning in preschool children include performance-based tests, structured caregiver interviews, and rating scales (parent, teacher, and clinician). Among performance-based methods for measurement of attention in the preschool years, tests have been developed to assess sustained attention, selective (focused) attention, span of attention (encoding/manipulation), and (top-down) controlled attention—including freedom from distractibility and set shifting. Many of these tests remain experimental in nature, and review of published methods yields relatively few commercially available, nationally normed tests of attention for preschoolers, and an overall dearth of reliability and validity studies on the available measures. PMID:23090646

Dynamic analyses, FPGA implementation and engineering applications of multi-butterfly chaotic attractors generated from generalised Sprott C system

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Qiang; Zhao, Xiao-Wen; Rajagopal, Karthikeyan; Xu, Guanghui; Akgul, Akif; Guleryuz, Emre

2018-01-01

This paper considers the generation of multi-butterfly chaotic attractors from a generalised Sprott C system with multiple non-hyperbolic equilibria. The system is constructed by introducing an additional variable whose derivative has a switching function to the Sprott C system. It is numerically found that the system creates two-, three-, four-, five-butterfly attractors and any other multi-butterfly attractors. First, the dynamic analyses of multi-butterfly chaotic attractors are presented. Secondly, the field programmable gate array implementation, electronic circuit realisation and random number generator are done with the multi-butterfly chaotic attractors.

Velocity Profile measurements in two-phase flow using multi-wave sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Biddinika, M. K.; Ito, D.; Takahashi, H.; Kikura, H.; Aritomi, M.

2009-02-01

Two-phase flow has been recognized as one of the most important phenomena in fluid dynamics. In addition, gas-liquid two-phase flow appears in various industrial fields such as chemical industries and power generations. In order to clarify the flow structure, some flow parameters have been measured by using many effective measurement techniques. The velocity profile as one of the important flow parameter, has been measured by using ultrasonic velocity profile (UVP) technique. This technique can measure velocity distributions along a measuring line, which is a beam formed by pulse ultrasounds. Furthermore, a multi-wave sensor can measure the velocity profiles of both gas and liquid phase using UVP method. In this study, two types of multi-wave sensors are used. A sensor has cylindrical shape, and another one has square shape. The piezoelectric elements of each sensor have basic frequencies of 8 MHz for liquid phase and 2 MHz for gas phase, separately. The velocity profiles of air-water bubbly flow in a vertical rectangular channel were measured by using these multi-wave sensors, and the validation of the measuring accuracy was performed by the comparison between the velocity profiles measured by two multi-wave sensors.

Velocity Profile measurements in two-phase flow using multi-wave sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biddinika, M K; Ito, D; Takahashi, H; Kikura, H; Aritomi, M

2009-01-01

Two-phase flow has been recognized as one of the most important phenomena in fluid dynamics. In addition, gas-liquid two-phase flow appears in various industrial fields such as chemical industries and power generations. In order to clarify the flow structure, some flow parameters have been measured by using many effective measurement techniques. The velocity profile as one of the important flow parameter, has been measured by using ultrasonic velocity profile (UVP) technique. This technique can measure velocity distributions along a measuring line, which is a beam formed by pulse ultrasounds. Furthermore, a multi-wave sensor can measure the velocity profiles of both gas and liquid phase using UVP method. In this study, two types of multi-wave sensors are used. A sensor has cylindrical shape, and another one has square shape. The piezoelectric elements of each sensor have basic frequencies of 8 MHz for liquid phase and 2 MHz for gas phase, separately. The velocity profiles of air-water bubbly flow in a vertical rectangular channel were measured by using these multi-wave sensors, and the validation of the measuring accuracy was performed by the comparison between the velocity profiles measured by two multi-wave sensors.

The INTERGROWTH-21st Project Neurodevelopment Package: a novel method for the multi-dimensional assessment of neurodevelopment in pre-school age children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle Fernandes

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH-21st Project is a population-based, longitudinal study describing early growth and development in an optimally healthy cohort of 4607 mothers and newborns. At 24 months, children are assessed for neurodevelopmental outcomes with the INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Package. This paper describes neurodevelopment tools for preschoolers and the systematic approach leading to the development of the Package. METHODS: An advisory panel shortlisted project-specific criteria (such as multi-dimensional assessments and suitability for international populations to be fulfilled by a neurodevelopment instrument. A literature review of well-established tools for preschoolers revealed 47 candidates, none of which fulfilled all the project's criteria. A multi-dimensional assessment was, therefore, compiled using a package-based approach by: (i categorizing desired outcomes into domains, (ii devising domain-specific criteria for tool selection, and (iii selecting the most appropriate measure for each domain. RESULTS: The Package measures vision (Cardiff tests; cortical auditory processing (auditory evoked potentials to a novelty oddball paradigm; and cognition, language skills, behavior, motor skills and attention (the INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Assessment in 35-45 minutes. Sleep-wake patterns (actigraphy are also assessed. Tablet-based applications with integrated quality checks and automated, wireless electroencephalography make the Package easy to administer in the field by non-specialist staff. The Package is in use in Brazil, India, Italy, Kenya and the United Kingdom. CONCLUSIONS: The INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Package is a multi-dimensional instrument measuring early child development (ECD. Its developmental approach may be useful to those involved in large-scale ECD research and surveillance efforts.

Language Characteristics of Preschool Children with Hearing Loss in Tehran, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Younes Lotfi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Hearing impairment affects all aspect of individual life, specially language and communication skills. When hearing impairment is congenital or occurs early in life, the child’s ability to learn optimally through audition, will be affected. The aim of this study was to evaluate linguistic skills of preschool hearing impaired children and compare these skills with normal peers.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 38 preschool hearing impaired children that the main handicap was severe to profound hearing loss with ability to communicate orally and 28 normal children with the same cultural and social context. Twenty four non linguistic variables including age, gender, the age of entrance of preschool center, number of hearing aids, etc. were obtained by filling a questionnaire and fifteen linguistics variables including number of utterance, morphemes, correct utterance, noun phrase, ambiguous utterance, correct sentences, compound sentences, etc. were collected by some part of TOLD-P-3 test and three complementary questions. Then we compared the data from two groups.Results: There were significant differences between number of utterance, number of correct mean length utterance, number of well-formed sentences in normal and hearing impaired group (p0.05.Conclusion: This study showed a severe deficit in linguistic skills in preschool hearing impaired children.

Improving Video Generation for Multi-functional Applications

OpenAIRE

Kratzwald, Bernhard; Huang, Zhiwu; Paudel, Danda Pani; Dinesh, Acharya; Van Gool, Luc

2017-01-01

In this paper, we aim to improve the state-of-the-art video generative adversarial networks (GANs) with a view towards multi-functional applications. Our improved video GAN model does not separate foreground from background nor dynamic from static patterns, but learns to generate the entire video clip conjointly. Our model can thus be trained to generate - and learn from - a broad set of videos with no restriction. This is achieved by designing a robust one-stream video generation architectur...

Generativity Does Not Necessarily Satisfy All Your Needs: Associations among Cultural Demand for Generativity, Generative Concern, Generative Action, and Need Satisfaction in the Elderly in Four Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Hofer, Jan; Busch, Holger; Au, Alma; Polácková Šolcová, Iva; Tavel, Peter; Tsien Wong, Teresa

2016-01-01

The present study examines the association between various facets of generativity, that is, cultural demand for generativity, generative concern, and generative action, with the satisfaction of the needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy in samples of elderly from Cameroon, China (Hong Kong), the Czech Republic, and Germany. Participants…

Gender Differences in Fundamental Motor Skill Development in Disadvantaged Preschoolers from Two Geographical Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Goodway, Jacqueline D.; Robinson, Leah E.; Crowe, Heather

2010-01-01

This study examined the influence of gender and region on object control (OC) and locomotor skill development. Participants were 275 midwestern African American and 194 southwestern Hispanic preschool children who were disadvantaged. All were evaluated on the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (Ulrich, 2000). Two, 2 Gender (girls, boys) x 2 Region…

Slavic and Norwegian Language and Culture in Contact: The Influence of the Norwegian Language and Culture on Immigrant Youth from the Former Yugoslavia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Branka Lie

2000-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is in fact an extensive summary of the author’s dissertation, which focuses on the immigrant children’s life in migratory existence in Norway. The dissertation is divided into two main parts: Part I – Cultures in Contact and Part II – Languages in contact. The main purpose of this dissertation was to find out what happened with the first language of the former Yugoslav immigrant youth in Norway, while under the influence of the Norwegian environment and language. It has been an aim to understand and analyse these immigrant children’s bilingual and bicultural lives as immigrants in Norway. The term immigrant children are here defined as children of first generation of immigrants where both parents are ex-Yugoslavians. Among these immigrant children were those who were born in Norway, and those who arrived in Norway as babies, as preschoolers, and as school age children. Research on immigrants’ language and culture indicates that it is possible for immigrant children to identify themselves with two cultures and two languages. The dissertation tries to give answer to what extent the immigrant children in this study have become bilingual and bicultural.

Science in the Eyes of Preschool Children: Findings from an Innovative Research Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Dubosarsky, Mia D.

How do young children view science? Do these views reflect cultural stereotypes? When do these views develop? These fundamental questions in the field of science education have rarely been studied with the population of preschool children. One main reason is the lack of an appropriate research instrument that addresses preschool children's developmental competencies. Extensive body of research has pointed at the significance of early childhood experiences in developing positive attitudes and interests toward learning in general and the learning of science in particular. Theoretical and empirical research suggests that stereotypical views of science may be replaced by authentic views following inquiry science experience. However, no preschool science intervention program could be designed without a reliable instrument that provides baseline information about preschool children's current views of science. The current study presents preschool children's views of science as gathered from a pioneering research tool. This tool, in the form of a computer "game," does not require reading, writing, or expressive language skills and is operated by the children. The program engages children in several simple tasks involving picture recognition and yes/no answers in order to reveal their views about science. The study was conducted with 120 preschool children in two phases and found that by the age of 4 years, participants possess an emergent concept of science. Gender and school differences were detected. Findings from this interdisciplinary study will contribute to the fields of early childhood, science education, learning technologies, program evaluation, and early childhood curriculum development.

An Investigation of Preschoolers' Misattributions of the Properties of Two-Dimensional Images: Understanding the Relationship between a Symbol and Its Referent

Science.gov (United States)

Claxton, Laura J.

2011-01-01

Previous studies have found that preschoolers are confused about the relationship between two-dimensional (2D) symbols and their referents. Preschoolers report that 2D images (e.g. televised images and photographs) share some of the characteristics of the objects they are representing. A novel Comparison Task was created to test what might account…

Open pre-schools at integrated health services - A program theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agneta Abrahamsson

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Family centres in Sweden are integrated services that reach all prospective parents and parents with children up to their sixth year, because of the co-location of the health service with the social service and the open pre-school. The personnel on the multi-professional site work together to meet the needs of the target group. The article explores a program theory focused on the open pre-schools at family centres.Method: A multi-case design is used and the sample consists of open pre-schools at six family centres. The hypothesis is based on previous research and evaluation data. It guides the data collection which is collected and analysed stepwise. Both parents and personnel are interviewed individually and in groups at each centre.Findings: The hypothesis was expanded to a program theory. The compliance of the professionals was the most significant element that explained why the open access service facilitated positive parenting. The professionals act in a compliant manner to meet the needs of the children and parents as well as in creating good conditions for social networking and learning amongst the parents. Conclusion: The compliance of the professionals in this program theory of open pre-schools at family centres can be a standard in integrated and open access services, whereas the organisation form can vary. The best way of increasing the number of integrative services is to support and encourage professionals that prefer to work in a compliant manner.

Open pre-schools at integrated health services - A program theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agneta Abrahamsson

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Family centres in Sweden are integrated services that reach all prospective parents and parents with children up to their sixth year, because of the co-location of the health service with the social service and the open pre-school. The personnel on the multi-professional site work together to meet the needs of the target group. The article explores a program theory focused on the open pre-schools at family centres. Method: A multi-case design is used and the sample consists of open pre-schools at six family centres. The hypothesis is based on previous research and evaluation data. It guides the data collection which is collected and analysed stepwise. Both parents and personnel are interviewed individually and in groups at each centre. Findings: The hypothesis was expanded to a program theory. The compliance of the professionals was the most significant element that explained why the open access service facilitated positive parenting. The professionals act in a compliant manner to meet the needs of the children and parents as well as in creating good conditions for social networking and learning amongst the parents. Conclusion: The compliance of the professionals in this program theory of open pre-schools at family centres can be a standard in integrated and open access services, whereas the organisation form can vary. The best way of increasing the number of integrative services is to support and encourage professionals that prefer to work in a compliant manner.

Impression Generation of Indonesian Cultural Paintings for Mobile Application with Culture Dependent Color-Impression Metric Creation Contents

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Devira Nanda Kuswhara

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Painting is one of complex image reflecting observations and feelings of the artist to the environment. This condition extends the need of painting impression generation system since common people with lack of art experience would have difficulties to interpret the painting. From this point of view we presents a new model to provide representative impressions of paintings by providing a color-impression metric taken from public survey and implement it for mobile application. The new model provides analytical functions to generate the representative impression of the image query. The functions consist of two main section: (1 The cultural-dependent color-impression metric creation which consist of conducting survey, applying normalized 3D color vector quantization to image dataset, generating image-impression metric, and generating color- impression metric; and (2 Impression generation of image query which consist of applying normalized 3D color vector quantization to image query and measuring the similarity between image query andcolor-impression metric. To perform our proposed impression generation system, we examine our system with Indonesian cultural image dataset and 5 different mobile devices. Our proposed system performs main color impression precision result with average precision of more than 60%. Brightness intensity and zooming affects the retrieved impressions. Rotating captures of an image generate the same retrieved impressions. The system also performs average response time vary in range 41263 to 117434 milliseconds from all devices. Keywords: impression generation system, color based impression, cultural computing, mobile application.

Associations of Eating Two Breakfasts with Childhood Overweight Status, Sociodemographics, and Parental Factors among Preschool Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bruening, Meg; Afuso, Kevin; Mason, Maureen

2016-01-01

Background: School breakfast may contribute to increased risk for obesity because children may be consuming two breakfasts: at home and at school. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of preschoolers consuming two breakfasts and to assess relationships with overweight/obesity and other factors. Method: Head Start parents (n =…

Design and optimization of flexible multi-generation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst

variations and dynamics, and energy system analysis, which fails to consider process integration synergies in local systems. The primary objective of the thesis is to derive a methodology for linking process design practices with energy system analysis for enabling coherent and holistic design optimization...... of flexible multi-generation system. In addition, the case study results emphasize the importance of considering flexible operation, systematic process integration, and systematic assessment of uncertainties in the design optimization. It is recommended that future research focus on assessing system impacts...... from flexible multi-generation systems and performance improvements from storage options....

Looking at sexual education in pre-school education

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Estrella García Quintero

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The paper provides the framework supporting the training of educative agents to influence upon sexual education of boys and girls in pre-school age as a way to attain high quality standard in the education. These rationale starts from the assumption that it is possible to favor the training process of educative agents on the topic by means of integrating actions with a gender centered approach. The proposal is the result of a thorough study based on the socio-historical cultural approach resulting from the doctoral dissertation already presented by the first authoress. At the same time, these results contribute to the research project “Training the family for the intellectual stimulus of pre-school children. Additionally it offers the stages of sexual education at pre-school age.

A selection of Slovenian literary heroes for the preschool period

OpenAIRE

Dolinar, Ana

2014-01-01

In preschools, Slovenian literary heroes are being displaced by foreign fantastic heroes that impress children via cartoons, magazines and video games. Slovenian heroes are an important part of our culture and can act as companions of sorts within citizenship education of youngsters. This thesis should serve as a promotion of Slovenian literary heroes for children of all ages, beginning with the preschool period. The thesis defines the selection criterion of characters; it introduces their st...

The Two Cultures in Psychiatry.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleghorn, R A

1965-07-10

The division between the two cultures of the literary and scientific worlds is considered, as is the division between the two cultures of humanism and somaticism. The development of psychiatric thought important to this latter dichotomy is described through the Age of Enlightenment, the Romantic Movement and the New Enlightenment. The two cultures of our present literary and scientific milieux are equated with the romanticism and somaticism of the past. The development of two cultures in psychiatry is traced, beginning with Freud's attempt to combine science and romanticism, to the present day where one finds some degree of convergence between the somatic and psychoanalytic approaches. Criteria are presented for a greater union of the two cultures in psychiatry.

Two-phase framework for optimal multi-target Lambert rendezvous

OpenAIRE

Bang, Jun; Ahn, Jaemyung

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a two-phase framework to solve an optimal multi-target Lambert rendezvous problem. The first phase solves a series of single-target rendezvous problems for all departure-arrival object pairs to generate the elementary solutions, which provides candidate rendezvous trajectories (elementary solutions). The second phase formulates a variant of traveling salesman problem (TSP) using the elementary solutions prepared in the first phase and determines the best rendezvous sequenc...

Multi-lipofection efficiently transfected genes into astrocytes in primary culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, B Y; Liu, R Y; So, K L; Yu, A C

2000-10-30

This study demonstrated that liposome-mediated transfection - lipofection - is suitable for delivering genes into astrocytes. By repeatedly lipofecting the same astrocyte cultures, a process we call multi-lipofection, the transfection efficiency of the beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) gene was improved from 2.6+/-0.6 to 17. 4+/-1.1%. This is the highest efficiency ever reported in gene-transfer with Lipofectin(R) in a primary culture of mouse cerebral cortical astrocytes. Furthermore, multi-lipofection did not cause observable disturbance to astrocytes as indicated by insignificant changes in the glial fibrillary acidic protein content in the cultures. In order to demonstrate that the transfected gene achieved a physiologically relevant expression level, a plasmid containing the pEF-hsp70 protein gene was lipofected into astrocytes. This produced colonies of astrocytes showing an increased resistance to heat-induced cell death. A similar experiment was performed with the glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene. Control astrocytes had no detectable GDNF. In the transfected astrocytes, the GDNF protein could be identified intracellularly by immunocytochemistry. Western blot analysis revealed, as compared to astrocytes with one lipofection, a 2.9-fold increase of GDNF with four lipofections. GDNF remained detectable in astrocytes 2 weeks after four lipofections. Thus, multi-lipofection provides a mild and efficient means of delivering foreign genes into astrocytes in a primary culture, making astrocytes good candidate vehicle cells for gene/cell therapy in the CNS.

Assessing fears of preschool children with nighttime fears by a parent version of the fear survey schedule for preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kushnir, Jonathan; Gothelf, Doron; Sadeh, Avi

2015-01-01

Although excessive fears are common in preschool children, validated assessment tools for this age are lacking. Our aim was to modify and provide preliminary evidence of the utility of a preschoolers' fear screening tool, a parent-reported Fear Survey Schedule for Preschool Children (FSS-PC). 109 Israeli preschool children (aged 4-6 years) with chronic night time fears (NF) and 30 healthy children (controls) participated. The FSS-PC analysis included: 1) internal reliability, 2) correlations between FSS-PC scores and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) measures, 3) differences between NF and a comparison sample of FSS-PC scores, and 4) FSS-PC sensitivity in detecting change in NF following an intervention for NF. There were low-to-medium positive correlations between the FSS-PC scores and several internalizing scales of the CBCL measures. FSS-PC scores in the NF group were significantly higher than the control children's score. FSS-PC scores had adequate internal reliability and were also sensitive for detecting significant changes in fear levels following behavioral interventions. Unique cultural and environmental circumstances and specific study group. This new version of the FSS-PC may provide clinicians with a novel and useful screening tool for early assessment of fear- and anxiety-related phenomena of preschool children.

Affordances of Ditches for Children in Preschool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lerstrup, Inger Elisabeth; Møller, Maja Steen

2016-01-01

This study aims to expand understanding of the affordances provided by ditches in a Danish preschool context. Affordances are defined as the meaningful action possibilities of the environment. At a forest preschool, a group of 21 children aged approximately 3to 6.5 years accompanied by two to three...... offered varied and changing action possibilities for the preschool children. The paper discusses the possible incorporation of this largely unrecognized design element by planners and managers of green spaces and playgrounds for children in preschool....

Multi-generation cadmium acclimation and tolerance in Daphnia magna Straus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muyssen, Brita T.A.; Janssen, Colin R.

2004-01-01

The cladoceran Daphnia magna was acclimated for seven generations to cadmium concentrations ranging from 0 (control) to 250 μg/l Cd (corresponding to a free ion activity of 4.60 nM Cd 2+ ). Acute and chronic cadmium tolerance as well as cadmium accumulation were monitored as a function of acclimation time. After two to three generations of acclimation to concentrations ranging from 0.23 to 1.11 nM Cd 2+ increases in acute tolerance were maximal (factor 7.2) and significant. Acclimation for seven generations to the same acclimation concentrations did result in an increased chronic cadmium tolerance (21 days EC 50 values increased). Organisms acclimated to 1.93 nM Cd 2+ were equally or more sensitive than non-acclimated daphnids in acute and chronic toxicity tests. Cadmium contents in D. magna increased significantly as a function of the acclimation concentration. Maximum body burdens of 236±30 μg Cd/g dry weight were measured in organisms exposed to 4.60 nM Cd 2+ , but detoxification mechanisms were only successful up to 82±20 μg Cd/g dry weight as this concentration did not cause major decreases in survival and reproduction in chronic toxicity tests. As the potential positive effect of acclimation on cadmium tolerance disappeared with successive acclimation generations and increasing acclimation concentrations, it is concluded that multi-generation acclimation studies are important for the evaluation of the long-term effects of environmental toxicants. - Multi-generation acclimation studies are important for evaluating long-term effects of aquatic pollutants

The Two Cultures in Psychiatry

Science.gov (United States)

Cleghorn, R. A.

1965-01-01

The division between the two cultures of the literary and scientific worlds is considered, as is the division between the two cultures of humanism and somaticism. The development of psychiatric thought important to this latter dichotomy is described through the Age of Enlightenment, the Romantic Movement and the New Enlightenment. The two cultures of our present literary and scientific milieux are equated with the romanticism and somaticism of the past. The development of two cultures in psychiatry is traced, beginning with Freud's attempt to combine science and romanticism, to the present day where one finds some degree of convergence between the somatic and psychoanalytic approaches. Criteria are presented for a greater union of the two cultures in psychiatry. PMID:20328284

A theoretical framework for analysing preschool teaching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chaiklin, Seth

2014-01-01

This article introduces a theoretical framework for analysing preschool teaching as a historically-grounded societal practice. The aim is to present a unified framework that can be used to analyse and compare both historical and contemporary examples of preschool teaching practice within and across...... national traditions. The framework has two main components, an analysis of preschool teaching as a practice, formed in relation to societal needs, and an analysis of the categorical relations which necessarily must be addressed in preschool teaching activity. The framework is introduced and illustrated...

Promoting mental health in Swedish preschool-teacher views.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaksson, Pernilla; Marklund, Bertil; Haraldsson, Katarina

2017-02-01

The promotion of childhood mental health is an important investment for the future. Many young children spend a large amount of time in preschool, which have unique opportunities to promote mental health at an early stage. The aim of this study was to illuminate teachers’ views of what they do in ordinary work to promote mental health among preschool children. This qualitative study had a descriptive and exploratory design and qualitative content analysis was utilized. Six focus group interviews with preschool teachers, concerning families from different cultural, geographical and socioeconomic backgrounds, were conducted in a county in the southwest of Sweden. Both manifest and latent content appeared. Three categories, ‘structured world’, ‘pleasant climate’ and ‘affirming the child’ and 10 subcategories emerged. The latent content of these categories is described under the theme ‘creating an atmosphere where each child can flourish in harmony with their environment’. The results show teachers different working approaches with mental health in preschool and together with previous research these results can provide a basis of knowledge for preschool teachers and inspire them to develop and maintain their health-promoting work. In future studies it should be particularly interesting to investigate how the promotive way to work can be transferred to strengthen mental health throughout the school years.

Culture-specific links between maternal executive function, parenting, and preschool children's executive function in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Min Kyung; Baker, Sara; Whitebread, David

2018-06-01

Research on the relationships between parental factors and children's executive function (EF) has been conducted mainly in Western cultures. This study provides the first empirical test, in a non-Western context, of how maternal EF and parenting behaviours relate to child EF. South Korean mothers and their preschool children (N = 95 dyads) completed EF tasks. Two aspects of parental scaffolding were observed during a puzzle task: contingency (i.e., adjusting among levels of scaffolding according to the child's ongoing evidence of understanding) and intrusiveness (i.e., directive, mother-centred interactions). Maternal EF and maternal contingency each accounted for unique variance in child EF, above and beyond child age, child language and maternal education. Maternal intrusiveness, however, was not significantly related to child EF. Additionally, no mediating role of parenting was found in the maternal and child EF link. However, child language was found to partially mediate the link between maternal contingency and child EF. These results complement prior findings by revealing distinctive patterns in the link between maternal EF, parenting behaviours, and child EF in the Korean context. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Training Peer Partners to Use a Speech-Generating Device with Classmates with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Exploring Communication Outcomes across Preschool Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Thiemann-Bourque, Kathy S.; McGuff, Sara; Goldstein, Howard

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study examined effects of a peer-mediated intervention that provided training on the use of a speech-generating device for preschoolers with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and peer partners. Method: Effects were examined using a multiple probe design across 3 children with ASD and limited to no verbal skills. Three peers…

Swedish Preschool Teachers' Ideas of the Ideal Preschool Group

Science.gov (United States)

Pramling Samuelsson, Ingrid; Williams, Pia; Sheridan, Sonja; Hellman, Annette

2016-01-01

In Sweden, preschool has been noted as being of a high quality compared to many other countries. However, dramatic changes in the preschool sector are taking place. A recent law states that it is a child's right to get a preschool place within a few months. As a consequence, the number of children in preschool has increased, which could influence…

Preschool Movement Education in Turkey: Perceptions of Preschool Administrators and Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Sevimli-Celik, Serap; Kirazci, Sadettin; Ince, Mustafa Levent

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of preschool administrators and parents about preschool movement education and movement practices in preschools. Participants were 8 preschool administrators and 21 parents from 8 randomly selected private preschools in one of the municipalities in Ankara, Turkey. Semi-structured interviews,…

Two-year follow-up results for Hip-Hop to Health Jr.: a randomized controlled trial for overweight prevention in preschool minority children.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Stolley, Melinda R; Schiffer, Linda; Van Horn, Linda; KauferChristoffel, Katherine; Dyer, Alan

2005-05-01

To assess the impact of a culturally proficient dietary/physical activity intervention on changes in body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2 ). Randomized controlled trial (Hip-Hop to Health Jr.) conducted between September 1999 and June 2002 in 12 Head Start preschool programs in Chicago, Illinois. Intervention children had significantly smaller increases in BMI compared with control children at 1-year follow-up, 0.06 vs 0.59 kg/m 2 ; difference -0.53 kg/m 2 (95% CI -0.91 to -0.14), P = .01; and at 2-year follow-up, 0.54 vs 1.08 kg/m 2 ; difference -0.54 kg/m 2 (95% CI -0.98 to -0.10), P = .02, with adjustment for baseline age and BMI. The only significant difference between intervention and control children in food intake/physical activity was the Year 1 difference in percent of calories from saturated fat, 11.6% vs 12.8% ( P = .002). Hip-Hop to Health Jr. was effective in reducing subsequent increases in BMI in preschool children. This represents a promising approach to prevention of overweight among minority children in the preschool years.

Integration of main directions of development of preschool children in innovative successive educational system “World of Music”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baklanova Tatiana I.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes an innovative education system of pre-school music education “Music world” byT. I. Baklanova, and G. P. Novikova included in a new system of Russian preschool education “Paths”.The education system “Music world” consists of an author’s concept, an integrated programme of musical education, training, development and improvement of health of children of preschool age (3-7 years, two grants for children, methodical recommendations for tutors and musical directors of preschool educational organizations. This education system is developed on a successive basis with a set of textbooks “Music” of T.I. Baklanova (“Planet of Knowledge” series.The integrated approach to five main directions of development and education of children included in the new Federal state educational standards of preschool education is applied in the education system “Music world” for the first time. It is social and communicative, informative, speech, art and esthetic and physical development. These directions are realized in “Music world” in several interconnected interdisciplinary contexts: axiological, cultural and historical, ethnocultural, etc. Polycontextual approach to development of maintenance of preschool music education in combination with integration in him all directions of development and education of preschool children causes scientific novelty, practical importance and efficiency of the education system “Music world”.

The socio-cultural importance of Mauritia flexuosa palm swamps (aguajales) and implications for multi-use management in two Maijuna communities of the Peruvian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmore, Michael P; Endress, Bryan A; Horn, Christa M

2013-04-22

Fruit from the palm Mauritia flexuosa (aguaje) is harvested throughout the Peruvian Amazon for subsistence and commercial purposes. Recent estimates suggest that residents of Iquitos, the largest city in the region, consume approximately 148.8 metric tons of aguaje fruit per month, the vast majority of which is harvested by felling and killing adult female trees. In this study, we sought to better understand and document the importance of M. flexuosa palm swamps (aguajales) in two Maijuna indigenous communities to inform the sustainable management of this habitat and species. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and household surveys were carried out to assess the significance of aguajales and their associated plant and animal resources as well as to determine how the relationship that the Maijuna have with aguajales has changed over time. Aguajales and their associated resources are culturally significant and useful to the Maijuna in a wide variety of ways. In addition to M. flexuosa, the Maijuna use over 60 different species of plants from aguajales. When M. flexuosa is in fruit, aguajales are important hunting areas with a total of 20 different animal species hunted. The Maijuna also have traditional beliefs about aguajales, believing that malevolent supernatural beings reside in them. Notably, the relationship that the Maijuna have with aguajales has changed considerably over the years as aguaje fruit went from a subsistence item collected opportunistically from the ground to a market good destructively harvested beginning in the early 1990s. The Maijuna are concerned not only about how this has affected the future commercial harvest of aguaje but also about its effects on game animals given the importance of hunting to Maijuna cultural identity, subsistence, and income generation. In order to meet the multiple socio-cultural and economic needs of the Maijuna, sustainable management efforts must be expanded to not only focus on the commercial harvest of

Multi-objective and multi-criteria optimization for power generation expansion planning with CO2 mitigation in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamphol Promjiraprawat

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In power generation expansion planning, electric utilities have encountered the major challenge of environmental awareness whilst being concerned with budgetary burdens. The approach for selecting generating technologies should depend on economic and environmental constraint as well as externalities. Thus, the multi-objective optimization becomes a more attractive approach. This paper presents a hybrid framework of multi-objective optimization and multi-criteria decision making to solve power generation expansion planning problems in Thailand. In this paper, CO2 emissions and external cost are modeled as a multi-objective optimization problem. Then the analytic hierarchy process is utilized to determine thecompromised solution. For carbon capture and storage technology, CO2 emissions can be mitigated by 74.7% from the least cost plan and leads to the reduction of the external cost of around 500 billion US dollars over the planning horizon. Results indicate that the proposed approach provides optimum cost-related CO2 mitigation plan as well as external cost.

Multiple optical code-label processing using multi-wavelength frequency comb generator and multi-port optical spectrum synthesizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Moritsuka, Fumi; Wada, Naoya; Sakamoto, Takahide; Kawanishi, Tetsuya; Komai, Yuki; Anzai, Shimako; Izutsu, Masayuki; Kodate, Kashiko

2007-06-11

In optical packet switching (OPS) and optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) systems, label generation and processing are key technologies. Recently, several label processors have been proposed and demonstrated. However, in order to recognize N different labels, N separate devices are required. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a large-scale, multiple optical code (OC)-label generation and processing technology based on multi-port, a fully tunable optical spectrum synthesizer (OSS) and a multi-wavelength electro-optic frequency comb generator. The OSS can generate 80 different OC-labels simultaneously and can perform 80-parallel matched filtering. We also demonstrated its application to OCDMA.

Swedish Preschool Leadership--Supportive of Music or Not?

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrlin, Anna

2015-01-01

This study uses observations and interviews to investigate how the leadership at three Swedish preschools in Sweden has impacted the didactic choices made. Two of these preschools use music as a tool for stimulating language and social development, while the third preschool serves as a comparison. The inspiration that the leadership has brought to…

A retrospective critic Re-Debate on Stakeholders’ resistance checklist in software project management within multi-cultural, multi-ethnical and cosmopolitan society context: The Malaysian experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamed Taherdoost

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Risks stemming from software projects were extensively studied. However, software project risk management has rarely researched organizational risks within multi-cultural and multi-ethnical atmospheres. The fact of the matter is that problems occur when the stakeholders’ cultural and ethnical aspects are not addressed, especially in multi-cultural, multi-ethnical, and cosmopolitan society such as Malaysia. To avoid analyzing something that has already been studied in detail, this study conducted based on in-depth literature review considering key word search in subject-specific databases. Journal articles published in reputed journals were reviewed. By employing Rumelt’s resistance to change checklist and culture gap tool source, this paper develops an organizational risk framework considering cross-cultural and cross-ethnical critical factors in order to show how can risks be better comprehended and managed. The significance of bio-cultural dimensions was scrutinized as vital criteria which should be considered in international project sphere, so that, not only the odds of project success would be increased but also the risks can be mitigated significantly. A review of the risk management process, Rumelt’s Checklist, cultural issues in international project environment allows a better understanding of the importance of cultural dimensions in project spheres.

Objectively measured sedentary behavior in preschool children: comparison between Montessori and traditional preschools.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Wonwoo; Blair, Steven N; Pate, Russell R

2013-01-03

This study aimed to compare the levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior in children attending Montessori preschools with those attending traditional preschools. The participants in this study were preschool children aged 4 years old who were enrolled in Montessori and traditional preschools. The preschool children wore ActiGraph accelerometers. Accelerometers were initialized using 15-second intervals and sedentary behavior was defined as Montessori preschools, after adjusting for selected potential correlates of preschoolers' sedentary behavior. Children attending Montessori preschools spent less time in sedentary behavior than those attending traditional preschools during the in-school (44.4. min/hr vs. 47.1 min/hr, P = 0.03), after-school (42.8. min/hr vs. 44.7 min/hr, P = 0.04), and total-day (43.7 min/hr vs. 45.5 min/hr, P = 0. 009) periods. School type (Montessori or traditional), preschool setting (private or public), socio-demographic factors (age, gender, and socioeconomic status) were found to be significant predictors of preschoolers' sedentary behavior. Levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior were significantly lower among children attending Montessori preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools. Future research should examine the specific characteristics of Montessori preschools that predict the lower levels of sedentary behavior among children attending these preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools.

Generating description with multi-feature fusion and saliency maps of image

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lisha; Ding, Yuxuan; Tian, Chunna; Yuan, Bo

2018-04-01

Generating description for an image can be regard as visual understanding. It is across artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing and many other areas. In this paper, we present a model that generates description for images based on RNN (recurrent neural network) with object attention and multi-feature of images. The deep recurrent neural networks have excellent performance in machine translation, so we use it to generate natural sentence description for images. The proposed method uses single CNN (convolution neural network) that is trained on ImageNet to extract image features. But we think it can not adequately contain the content in images, it may only focus on the object area of image. So we add scene information to image feature using CNN which is trained on Places205. Experiments show that model with multi-feature extracted by two CNNs perform better than which with a single feature. In addition, we make saliency weights on images to emphasize the salient objects in images. We evaluate our model on MSCOCO based on public metrics, and the results show that our model performs better than several state-of-the-art methods.

Ethnic background and television viewing time among 4-year-old preschool children: the generation R study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijtzes, Anne I; Jansen, Wilma; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Moll, Henriëtte A; Tiemeier, Henning; Verhulst, Frank C; Hofman, Albert; Mackenbach, Johan P; Raat, Hein

2013-02-01

Children's television viewing has been associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. This study aims to assess the associations of ethnic background and acculturation characteristics with television viewing time in 4-year-old preschool children. The authors analyzed data from 3452 preschool children and their parents enrolled in the Generation R Study, a large, multiethnic, prospective birth cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios of watching television ≥2 hours/day and ≥1 hour/day for Turkish, Moroccan, and Surinamese children (reference group: native Dutch children), adjusted for family socioeconomic position. Effect modification by family socioeconomic position was also assessed. After adjustment for family socioeconomic position, Turkish children (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-3.30), Moroccan children (aOR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.03-2.76), and Surinamese children (aOR, 3.12; 95% CI, 2.16-4.50) were significantly more likely to watch television ≥2 hours/day compared with native Dutch children. Stratified analyses showed greater disparity between ethnic minority groups and native Dutch children at higher educational levels. There were no significant associations between acculturation characteristics (i.e., generational status, age at immigration, and Dutch language skills) and children's television viewing time. Children from ethnic minority groups are at an increased risk for high levels of television viewing compared with native Dutch children, independent of family socioeconomic position. Interventions aimed to reduce television viewing time should target all children from ethnic minority groups.

On-chip gradient generation in 256 microfluidic cell cultures: simulation and experimental validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Somaweera, Himali; Haputhanthri, Shehan O; Ibraguimov, Akif; Pappas, Dimitri

2015-08-07

A microfluidic diffusion diluter was used to create a stable concentration gradient for dose response studies. The microfluidic diffusion diluter used in this study consisted of 128 culture chambers on each side of the main fluidic channel. A calibration method was used to find unknown concentrations with 12% error. Flow rate dependent studies showed that changing the flow rates generated different gradient patterns. Mathematical simulations using COMSOL Multi-physics were performed to validate the experimental data. The experimental data obtained for the flow rate studies agreed with the simulation results. Cells could be loaded into culture chambers using vacuum actuation and cultured for long times under low shear stress. Decreasing the size of the culture chambers resulted in faster gradient formation (20 min). Mass transport into the side channels of the microfluidic diffusion diluter used in this study is an important factor in creating the gradient using diffusional mixing as a function of the distance. To demonstrate the device's utility, an H2O2 gradient was generated while culturing Ramos cells. Cell viability was assayed in the 256 culture chambers, each at a discrete H2O2 concentration. As expected, the cell viability for the high concentration side channels increased (by injecting H2O2) whereas the cell viability in the low concentration side channels decreased along the chip due to diffusional mixing as a function of distance. COMSOL simulations were used to identify the effective concentration of H2O2 for cell viability in each side chamber at 45 min. The gradient effects were confirmed using traditional H2O2 culture experiments. Viability of cells in the microfluidic device under gradient conditions showed a linear relationship with the viability of the traditional culture experiment. Development of the microfluidic device used in this study could be used to study hundreds of concentrations of a compound in a single experiment.

Improper nutrition and diseases in pre-school children

OpenAIRE

Panova, Gordana; Taseva, Lence; Sumanov, Gorgi; Dzidrova, Violeta

2017-01-01

For healthy generation it is healthy and orderly development from early childhood. It needs proper nutrition, proper care and personal hygiene. Early childhood is the most vulnerable period in the development stage of man. Improper diet and disease in children from pre-school age are a problem for both children and parents. It is therefore important to undertake measures for proper nutrition and prevention of diseases. Described as improper diet affects children from pre-school...

Tell Me Lies: Confronting the Preschool Closet

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Travis

2011-01-01

This case explores the impact of being closeted on a gay, male preschool educator and the ways in which homophobic culture is fostered in one early learning center. Although sometimes protective, being challenged to hide one's sexual orientation most always has negative consequences for the individual and society. Internalized homophobia silences…

Human Resource Management in Hong Kong Preschools: The Impact of Falling Rolls on Staffing

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Choi-Wa Dora

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of falling rolls on human resource management in local preschools in Hong Kong. It aims to argue that the developing role of leadership in creating a culture and procedures for collective participation in staff appraisal is important for human resource management in preschool settings.…

Preschoolers' Theory-of-Mind Knowledge Influences Whom They Trust about Others' Theories of Mind

Science.gov (United States)

Van Reet, Jennifer; Green, Kathryn F.; Sobel, David M.

2015-01-01

Two experiments examined whether particular aspects of social-cognitive knowledge predicted how preschoolers would treat informants who displayed a more or less developed understanding of that knowledge. In Experiment 1, children's own success on false-belief measures correlated with the extent to which they endorsed information generated by a…

Generation of multi-branch beam with thermionic gun for the Japan linear collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, T.; Akemoto, M.; Matsumonto, H.; Urakawa, J.; Yoshioka, M.; Akiyama, H.

1992-01-01

We report on the development of a thermionic gun that is capable of producing multi-bunch beam to be used at the KEK Accelerator Test Facility for the Japan Linear Collider project. Two types of grid pulse generators have been developed. One is an avalanche pulse generator. A Y-646E cathode was successfully operated to generate double-bunch beam with a pulse width shorter than 700 ps, bunch spacing 1.4 ns, and a peak current 4.3 A. The other grid pulse generator is a fast ECL circuit with an RF power amplifier. Generation of 20-pulse trains with 2.1 ns time spacing has been demonstrated. (Author) 4 refs., 6 figs

Introduction to Special Issue "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bloomfield, Kim; Gmel, Gerhard; Wilsnack, Sharon

2006-01-01

This paper provides an introduction to a series of articles reporting results from the EU concerted action "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study" which examined differences in drinking among women and men in 13 European and two non-European countries. The gender gap...... analyses the smallest gender differences in drinking behaviour were found in Nordic countries, followed by western and central European countries, with the largest gender differences in countries with developing economies....

Children's attachment-related self-worth: a multi-method investigation of postdivorce preschoolers' relationships with their mothers and peers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bretherton, Inge; Gullón-Rivera, Ángel L; Page, Timothy F; Oettel, Barbara J; Corey, Janet M; Golby, Barbara J

2013-01-01

Three related hypotheses derived from attachment theory were examined in this multi-informant and multi-method study of 71 postdivorce mothers and their preschool children (40 boys, 31 girls): (1) mother-child interactions observed at home will be related to attachment-related representations by children (Attachment Story Completion Task or ASCT) and mothers (Parent Attachment Interview or PAI); and (2) these variables will be inversely correlated with maternal depressive symptoms and positively with social support (from mother's parents and the child's father); and (3) mother-child observations and representations will predict teacher-rated peer behavior. Where appropriate, child gender, maternal income, and child receptive language were statistically controlled. More harmonious observed mother-child interactions were associated with children's sense of self-worth in family relationships (ASCT) and maternal accounts of sensitive-effective guidance (PAI). Observational and representational variables were inversely correlated with maternal depressive symptoms. Mothers' satisfaction with social support from their parents was indirectly linked to the family variables while social support from the child's father had no measurable effect on the mother-child variables. Mother-child variables and teacher ratings were uncorrelated but explained independent variance in ASCT self-worth scores.

Effectiveness of a Danish early year preschool program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Bente; Holm, Anders; Bremberg, Sven

2013-01-01

A significant number of studies indicate that early year preschool programs lead to positive long-term effects. Systematic quality improvement of early year preschool may enhance these outcomes. The ASP Program was built on this principle. In this program preschool staff are supported...... in their efforts to critically reflect on current practices and to change these. A randomized controlled study was carried out in Denmark from September 2006 to May 2008. The study encompassed 2323 children in 59 preschools in two municipalities. Children were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties...

South Korean Mothers' Beliefs regarding Aggression and Social Withdrawal in Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Cheah, Charissa, S. L.; Park, Sung-Yun

2006-01-01

South Korean mothers' reactions to preschoolers' aggression and social withdrawal were examined within a cultural framework. With recent social, political, and cultural changes in South Korea, there appears to be a conflict between traditional values and the Confucian heritage on one hand, and Western influence on the other. Mothers (N=81) of…

Does cross-generational epigenetic inheritance contribute to cultural continuity?

Science.gov (United States)

Pembrey, Marcus E

2018-04-01

Human studies of cross-generational epigenetic inheritance have to consider confounding by social patterning down the generations, often referred to as 'cultural inheritance'. This raises the question to what extent is 'cultural inheritance' itself epigenetically mediated rather than just learnt. Human studies of non-genetic inheritance have demonstrated that, beyond foetal life, experiences occurring in mid-childhood before puberty are the most likely to be associated with cross-generational responses in the next generation(s). It is proposed that cultural continuity is played out along the axis, or 'payoff', between responsiveness and stability. During the formative years of childhood a stable family and/or home permits small children to explore and thereby learn. To counter disruptions to this family home ideal, cultural institutions such as local schools, religious centres and market places emerged to provide ongoing stability, holding the received wisdom of the past in an accessible state. This cultural support allows the growing child to freely indulge their responsiveness. Some of these prepubertal experiences induce epigenetic responses that also transfer molecular signals to the gametes through which they contribute to the conception of future offspring. In parallel co-evolution with growing cultural support for increasing responsiveness, 'runaway' responsiveness is countered by the positive selection of genetic variants that dampen responsiveness. Testing these ideas within longitudinal multigenerational cohorts will need information on ancestors/parents' own communities and experiences (Exposome scans) linked to ongoing Phenome scans on grandchildren; coupled with epigenome analysis, metastable epialleles and DNA methylation age. Interactions with genetic variants affecting responsiveness should help inform the broad hypothesis.

Mathematical model of snake-type multi-directional wave generation

Science.gov (United States)

Muarif; Halfiani, Vera; Rusdiana, Siti; Munzir, Said; Ramli, Marwan

2018-01-01

Research on extreme wave generation is one intensive research on water wave study because the fact that the occurrence of this wave in the ocean can cause serious damage to the ships and offshore structures. One method to be used to generate the wave is self-correcting. This method controls the signal on the wavemakers in a wave tank. Some studies also consider the nonlinear wave generation in a wave tank by using numerical approach. Study on wave generation is essential in the effectiveness and efficiency of offshore structure model testing before it can be operated in the ocean. Generally, there are two types of wavemakers implemented in the hydrodynamic laboratory, piston-type and flap-type. The flap-type is preferred to conduct a testing to a ship in deep water. Single flap wavemaker has been explained in many studies yet snake-type wavemaker (has more than one flap) is still a case needed to be examined. Hence, the formulation in controlling the wavemaker need to be precisely analyzed such that the given input can generate the desired wave in the space-limited wave tank. By applying the same analogy and methodhology as the previous study, this article represents multi-directional wave generation by implementing snake-type wavemakers.

Objectively measured sedentary behavior in preschool children: comparison between Montessori and traditional preschools

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Byun Wonwoo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to compare the levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior in children attending Montessori preschools with those attending traditional preschools. Methods The participants in this study were preschool children aged 4 years old who were enrolled in Montessori and traditional preschools. The preschool children wore ActiGraph accelerometers. Accelerometers were initialized using 15-second intervals and sedentary behavior was defined as Results Children attending Montessori preschools spent less time in sedentary behavior than those attending traditional preschools during the in-school (44.4. min/hr vs. 47.1 min/hr, P = 0.03, after-school (42.8. min/hr vs. 44.7 min/hr, P = 0.04, and total-day (43.7 min/hr vs. 45.5 min/hr, P = 0. 009 periods. School type (Montessori or traditional, preschool setting (private or public, socio-demographic factors (age, gender, and socioeconomic status were found to be significant predictors of preschoolers’ sedentary behavior. Conclusions Levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior were significantly lower among children attending Montessori preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools. Future research should examine the specific characteristics of Montessori preschools that predict the lower levels of sedentary behavior among children attending these preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools.

Pasos Adelante (Steps Forward): A Resiliency Enhancement Curriculum for Preschoolers and Their Parents. Volume 1: Preschool Curriculum. Volume 2: Parent Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Lucy; And Others

This guide presents a curriculum designed to promote resiliency in Hispanic preschool children whose parents are undergoing treatment for substance abuse, and includes a 12-week parent and child component. The curriculum focuses on increasing cultural awareness, motor skills, language skills, early childhood coping strategies, and social…

The Differential Effects of the Use of Handwriting without Tears® Modified Gray Block Paper to Teach Two Preschool Students with Developmental Delays Capital Letter Writing Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, Jessica; McLaughlin, T. F.; Neyman, Jen; Donica, Denise K.; Robison, Milena

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) modified gray block paper with letter writing on two preschool students diagnosed with developmental delays in pre-academics. Two students were selected from a self-contained special education preschool classroom in the Pacific Northwest. All…

Exploring the Role of the Speech-language Therapist in City Centre Preschools

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Sandra du Plessis

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the perception of the strengths and challenges that face city centre preschool teachers and preschool learners in the acquisition of English as medium of instruction and to use the results to explore the role of speech-language therapists in this context. A descriptive survey, incorporating a quantitative data collection method, was selected as the research design and a questionnaire was developed as a survey instrument. The findings identified the strengths as including the creative communication strategies employed by the pre-schoolers and the innovative techniques of the teachers. Perceived challenges include a cultural and linguistic mismatch between teachers and learners and communication barriers that cause emotional and behavioural problems in classrooms. The study suggests that speech-language therapists need to consider and employ service delivery models instead of traditional models with the preschool teachers.

Simulating secondary organic aerosol in a regional air quality model using the statistical oxidation model - Part 1: Assessing the influence of constrained multi-generational ageing

Science.gov (United States)

Jathar, S. H.; Cappa, C. D.; Wexler, A. S.; Seinfeld, J. H.; Kleeman, M. J.

2016-02-01

Multi-generational oxidation of volatile organic compound (VOC) oxidation products can significantly alter the mass, chemical composition and properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) compared to calculations that consider only the first few generations of oxidation reactions. However, the most commonly used state-of-the-science schemes in 3-D regional or global models that account for multi-generational oxidation (1) consider only functionalization reactions but do not consider fragmentation reactions, (2) have not been constrained to experimental data and (3) are added on top of existing parameterizations. The incomplete description of multi-generational oxidation in these models has the potential to bias source apportionment and control calculations for SOA. In this work, we used the statistical oxidation model (SOM) of Cappa and Wilson (2012), constrained by experimental laboratory chamber data, to evaluate the regional implications of multi-generational oxidation considering both functionalization and fragmentation reactions. SOM was implemented into the regional University of California at Davis / California Institute of Technology (UCD/CIT) air quality model and applied to air quality episodes in California and the eastern USA. The mass, composition and properties of SOA predicted using SOM were compared to SOA predictions generated by a traditional two-product model to fully investigate the impact of explicit and self-consistent accounting of multi-generational oxidation.Results show that SOA mass concentrations predicted by the UCD/CIT-SOM model are very similar to those predicted by a two-product model when both models use parameters that are derived from the same chamber data. Since the two-product model does not explicitly resolve multi-generational oxidation reactions, this finding suggests that the chamber data used to parameterize the models captures the majority of the SOA mass formation from multi-generational oxidation under the conditions

Response to multi-generational selection under elevated [CO2] in two temperature regimes suggests enhanced carbon assimilation and increased reproductive output in Brassica napus L

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frenck, Georg; van der Linden, Leon; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard

2013-01-01

different temperature regimes. To reveal phenotypic divergence at the manipulated [CO2] and temperature conditions, a full-factorial natural selection regime was established in a phytotron environment over the range of four generations. It is demonstrated that a directional response to selection at elevated......Functional plant traits are likely to adapt under the sustained pressure imposed by environmental changes through natural selection. Employing Brassica napus as a model, a multi-generational study was performed to investigate the potential trajectories of selection at elevated [CO2] in two...... subjected to increased levels of CO2 over the generational range investigated. The results of this study suggest that phenotypic divergence of plants selected under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration may drive the future functions of plant productivity to be different from projections that do...

Intercultural sensitivity in preschool institution

OpenAIRE

Jovanova-Mitkovska, Snezana; Popeska, Biljana

2017-01-01

The multicultural society, in which we live, implies the existence of continuous process of personality, formation, and defining her identity. Understanding and respecting our self, respecting the others around us, perceiving our own attitudes, values, but also respecting the culture, values of the other, different from our self, the development of the so-called intercultural sensitivity, begins at the earlies age, first at the family, and after in an organized way in the preschool institutio...

Applying a Socioecological Model to Understand Preschool Children's Sedentary Behaviors from the Viewpoints of Parents and Preschool Personnel

Science.gov (United States)

Määttä, Suvi; Ray, Carola; Roos, Gun; Roos, Eva

2016-01-01

This study explored parents' and preschool personnel's opinions on factors influencing 3-5-year-old children's sedentary behaviors by applying the socioecological model. Four focus group interviews with preschool personnel (N = 14) and six interviews with parents (N = 17) were conducted in autumn 2014. Two researchers independently analyzed the…

"GARDEN OF CHILDHOOD" as an Innovative Approach to Training and Education of Children at Preschool Institutions

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Alekseeva, Larisa; Shkolyar, Luidmila; Savenkova, Luibov

2016-01-01

The authors reveal an innovative approach to training and education of preschool children. This approach is called "GARDEN OF CHILDHOOD". It is based on the idea that the development of the preschool child's personality should be joyous and free "cultural self-creation" in terms of the collective co-creation, where adults and…

Generational Affiliation as a Component of Culture: Focus Group Perspectives of Three Generational Cohorts

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Nesbit, Elisabeth Anne

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the multicultural elements related to generational affiliation. Much of current generational literature is anecdotal and does not empirically explore the culture of each generation. A constructivist ground theory approach was applied to the study of three generational cohorts (Baby Boomers, Generation Xers,…

Cross-dimensional mapping of number, length and brightness by preschool children.

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Maria Dolores de Hevia

Full Text Available Human adults in diverse cultures, children, infants, and non-human primates relate number to space, but it is not clear whether this ability reflects a specific and privileged number-space mapping. To investigate this possibility, we tested preschool children in matching tasks where the dimensions of number and length were mapped both to one another and to a third dimension, brightness. Children detected variation on all three dimensions, and they reliably performed mappings between number and length, and partially between brightness and length, but not between number and brightness. Moreover, children showed reliably better mapping of number onto the dimension of length than onto the dimension of brightness. These findings suggest that number establishes a privileged mapping with the dimension of length, and that other dimensions, including brightness, can be mapped onto length, although less efficiently. Children's adeptness at number-length mappings suggests that these two dimensions are intuitively related by the end of the preschool years.

Cultural similarities and differences in medical professionalism: a multi-region study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandratilake, Madawa; McAleer, Sean; Gibson, John

2012-03-01

Over the last two decades, many medical educators have sought to define professionalism. Initial attempts to do so were focused on defining professionalism in a manner that allowed for universal agreement. This quest was later transformed into an effort to 'understand professionalism' as many researchers realised that professionalism is a social construct and is culture-sensitive. The determination of cultural differences in the understanding of professionalism, however, has been subject to very little research, possibly because of the practical difficulties of doing so. In this multi-region study, we illustrate the universal and culture-specific aspects of medical professionalism as it is perceived by medical practitioners. Forty-six professional attributes were identified by reviewing the literature. A total of 584 medical practitioners, representing the UK, Europe, North America and Asia, participated in a survey in which they indicated the importance of each of these attributes. We determined the 'essentialness' of each attribute in different geographic regions using the content validity index, supplemented with kappa statistics. With acceptable levels of consensus, all regional groups identified 29 attributes as 'essential', thereby indicating the universality of these professional attributes, and six attributes as non-essential. The essentialness of the rest varied by regional group. This study has helped to identify regional similarities and dissimilarities in understandings of professionalism, most of which can be explained by cultural differences in line with the theories of cultural dimensions and cultural value. However, certain dissonances among regions may well be attributable to socio-economic factors. Some of the responses appear to be counter-cultural and demonstrate practitioners' keenness to overcome cultural barriers in order to provide better patient care. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

A multi-state model for the reliability assessment of a distributed generation system via universal generating function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yan-Fu; Zio, Enrico

2012-01-01

The current and future developments of electric power systems are pushing the boundaries of reliability assessment to consider distribution networks with renewable generators. Given the stochastic features of these elements, most modeling approaches rely on Monte Carlo simulation. The computational costs associated to the simulation approach force to treating mostly small-sized systems, i.e. with a limited number of lumped components of a given renewable technology (e.g. wind or solar, etc.) whose behavior is described by a binary state, working or failed. In this paper, we propose an analytical multi-state modeling approach for the reliability assessment of distributed generation (DG). The approach allows looking to a number of diverse energy generation technologies distributed on the system. Multiple states are used to describe the randomness in the generation units, due to the stochastic nature of the generation sources and of the mechanical degradation/failure behavior of the generation systems. The universal generating function (UGF) technique is used for the individual component multi-state modeling. A multiplication-type composition operator is introduced to combine the UGFs for the mechanical degradation and renewable generation source states into the UGF of the renewable generator power output. The overall multi-state DG system UGF is then constructed and classical reliability indices (e.g. loss of load expectation (LOLE), expected energy not supplied (EENS)) are computed from the DG system generation and load UGFs. An application of the model is shown on a DG system adapted from the IEEE 34 nodes distribution test feeder.

Simulating the Effects of Cross-Generational Cultural Transmission on Language Change

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Tao; Shuai, Lan

Language evolves in a socio-cultural environment. Apart from biological evolution and individual learning, cultural transmission also casts important influence on many aspects of language evolution. In this paper, based on the lexicon-syntax coevolution model, we extend the acquisition framework in our previous work to examine the roles of three forms of cultural transmission spanning the offspring, parent, and grandparent generations in language change. These transmissions are: those between the parent and offspring generations (PO), those within the offspring generation (OO), and those between the grandparent and offspring generations (GO). The simulation results of the considered model and relevant analyses illustrate not only the necessity of PO and OO transmissions for language change, thus echoing our previous findings, but also the importance of GO transmission, a form of cross-generational cultural transmission, on preserving the mutual understandability of the communal language across generations of individuals.

Thermodynamic analysis of a solar-based multi-generation system with hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozturk, Murat; Dincer, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

Thermodynamic analysis of a renewable-based multi-generation energy production system which produces a number of outputs, such as power, heating, cooling, hot water, hydrogen and oxygen is conducted. This solar-based multi-generation system consists of four main sub-systems: Rankine cycle, organic Rankine cycle, absorption cooling and heating, and hydrogen production and utilization. Exergy destruction ratios and rates, power or heat transfer rates, energy and exergy efficiencies of the system components are carried out. Some parametric studies are performed in order to examine the effects of varying operating conditions (e.g., reference temperature, direct solar radiation and receiver temperature) on the exergy efficiencies of the sub-systems as well as the whole system. The solar-based multi-generation system which has an exergy efficiency of 57.35%, is obtained to be higher than using these sub-systems separately. The evaluation of the exergy efficiency and exergy destruction for the sub-systems and the overall system show that the parabolic dish collectors have the highest exergy destruction rate among constituent parts of the solar-based multi-generation system, due to high temperature difference between the working fluid and collector receivers. -- Highlights: ► Development of a new multi-generation system for solar-based hydrogen production. ► Investigation of exergy efficiencies and destructions in each process of the system. ► Evaluation of varying operating conditions on the exergy destruction and efficiency

A Low-cost Multi-channel Analogue Signal Generator

CERN Document Server

Muller, F; Shen, W; Stamen, R

2009-01-01

A scalable multi-channel analogue signal generator is presented. It uses a commercial low-cost graphics card with multiple outputs in a standard PC as signal source. Each color signal serves as independent channel to generate an analogue signal. A custom-built external PCB was developed to adjust the graphics card output voltage levels for a specific task, which needed differential signals. The system furthermore comprises a software package to program the signal shape. The implementation of the signal generator is presented as well as an application where it was successfully utilized.

Epistemological Beliefs of Prospective Preschool Teachers and Their Relation to Knowledge, Perception, and Planning Abilities in the Field of Mathematics: A Process Model

Science.gov (United States)

Dunekacke, Simone; Jenßen, Lars; Eilerts, Katja; Blömeke, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Teacher competence is a multi-dimensional construct that includes beliefs as well as knowledge. The present study investigated the structure of prospective preschool teachers' mathematics-related beliefs and their relation to content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, prospective preschool teachers' perception and planning…

Real-time Distributed Economic Dispatch forDistributed Generation Based on Multi-Agent System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luo, Kui; Wu, Qiuwei; Nielsen, Arne Hejde

2015-01-01

The distributed economic dispatch for distributed generation is formulated as a optimization problem with equality and inequality constraints. An effective distributed approach based on multi-agent system is proposed for solving the economic dispatch problem in this paper. The proposed approach...... consists of two stages. In the first stage, an adjacency average allocation algorithm is proposed to ensure the generation-demand equality. In the second stage, a local replicator dynamics algorithm is applied to achieve nash equilibrium for the power dispatch game. The approach is implemented in a fully...

Organising and Leading Systematic Quality Work in the Preschool -- Preschool Managers' Perspectives

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Håkansson, Jan

2016-01-01

Preschool managers' responsibility for and leadership of systematic quality work has come to the fore in connection with changes made to the Swedish preschool curriculum. The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of preschool managers' leadership and management of the systematic quality work in Swedish preschools with reference…

Un approccio “multi-scala” per la gestione del patrimonio culturale italiano / A “multi-scale” approach for the management of Italian cultural heritage

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Fabio Donato

2011-11-01

Questo articolo intende dunque svolgere una riflessione critica sulla opportunità di indirizzarsi verso una gestione di tipo “multi-scala”, che comprenda sia un livello organizzativo “micro” sia un livello organizzativo “meso”. L'effettiva capacità di funzionamento del modello “multi-scala” deriverà dalla capacità di rendere armonici e sinergici tra di loro tali due livelli organizzativi. Today, the management model adopted for Italian cultural organizations and Italian cultural heritage derives from the new public management theory, that has been designed, crafted and firstly implemented in Anglophone countries. Instead, the management model should be consistent with the features of the cultural heritage of the specific country. In the Italian case, that is a widespread cultural heritage, strongly linked with the history of the territory. Hence, this article aims at analyzing the opportunity of developing a “multi-scale” management approach, able to combine the traditional “micro” organizational perspective, with a “meso” organizational perspective.

How Organizational Culture as Perceived by Senior Administrators Influences the Adoption of Information Technology Systems in Two 4-Year Public Universities

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, David Edward

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between university culture, organizational characteristics, and central IT systems adoption within two four-year public universities. A qualitative multi-case methodology was used to examine the influence of organizational cultures and characteristics on personal perceptions, actions,…

Human colon tissue in organ culture: calcium and multi-mineral-induced mucosal differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dame, Michael K; Veerapaneni, Indiradevi; Bhagavathula, Narasimharao; Naik, Madhav; Varani, James

2011-01-01

We have recently shown that a multi-mineral extract from the marine red algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, suppresses colon polyp formation and inflammation in mice. In the present study, we used intact human colon tissue in organ culture to compare responses initiated by Ca(2+) supplementation versus the multi-mineral extract. Normal human colon tissue was treated for 2 d in culture with various concentrations of calcium or the mineral-rich extract. The tissue was then prepared for histology/immunohistochemistry, and the culture supernatants were assayed for levels of type I procollagen and type I collagen. At higher Ca(2+) concentrations or with the mineral-rich extract, proliferation of epithelial cells at the base and walls of the mucosal crypts was suppressed, as visualized by reduced Ki67 staining. E-cadherin, a marker of differentiation, was more strongly expressed at the upper third of the crypt and at the luminal surface. Treatment with Ca(2+) or with the multi-mineral extract influenced collagen turnover, with decreased procollagen and increased type I collagen. These data suggest that calcium or mineral-rich extract has the capacity to (1) promote differentiation in human colon tissue in organ culture and (2) modulate stromal function as assessed by increased levels of type I collagen. Taken together, these data suggest that human colon tissue in organ culture (supporting in vivo finding in mice) will provide a valuable model for the preclinical assessment of agents that regulate growth and differentiation in the colonic mucosa.

The value of (pre)school playgrounds for children's physical activity level: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Broekhuizen, Karen; Scholten, Anne-Marie; de Vries, Sanne I

2014-05-03

The (pre)school environment is an important setting to improve children's health. Especially, the (pre)school playground provides a major opportunity to intervene. This review presents an overview of the existing evidence on the value of both school and preschool playgrounds on children's health in terms of physical activity, cognitive and social outcomes. In addition, we aimed to identify which playground characteristics are the strongest correlates of beneficial effects and for which subgroups of children effects are most distinct. In total, 13 experimental and 17 observational studies have been summarized of which 10 (77%) and 16 (94%) demonstrated moderate to high methodological quality, respectively. Nearly all experimental studies (n = 11) evaluated intervention effects on time spent in different levels of physical activity during recess. Research on the effects of (pre)school playgrounds on cognitive and social outcomes is scarce (n = 2). The experimental studies generated moderate evidence for an effect of the provision of play equipment, inconclusive evidence for an effect of the use of playground markings, allocating play space and for multi-component interventions, and no evidence for an effect of decreasing playground density, the promotion of physical activity by staff and increasing recess duration on children's health. In line with this, observational studies showed positive associations between play equipment and children's physical activity level. In contrast to experimental studies, significant associations were also found between children's physical activity and a decreased playground density and increased recess duration. To confirm the findings of this review, researchers are advised to conduct more experimental studies with a randomized controlled design and to incorporate the assessment of implementation strategies and process evaluations to reveal which intervention strategies and playground characteristics are most effective.

Cross-cultural adaptation of instruments assessing breastfeeding determinants: a multi-step approach

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Cross-cultural adaptation is a necessary process to effectively use existing instruments in other cultural and language settings. The process of cross-culturally adapting, including translation, of existing instruments is considered a critical set to establishing a meaningful instrument for use in another setting. Using a multi-step approach is considered best practice in achieving cultural and semantic equivalence of the adapted version. We aimed to ensure the content validity of our instruments in the cultural context of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form and additional items comprise our consolidated instrument, which was cross-culturally adapted utilizing a multi-step approach during August 2012. Cross-cultural adaptation was achieved through steps to maintain content validity and attain semantic equivalence in the target version. Specifically, Lynn’s recommendation to apply an item-level content validity index score was followed. The revised instrument was translated and back-translated. To ensure semantic equivalence, Brislin’s back-translation approach was utilized followed by the committee review to address any discrepancies that emerged from translation. Results Our consolidated instrument was adapted to be culturally relevant and translated to yield more reliable and valid results for use in our larger research study to measure infant feeding determinants effectively in our target cultural context. Conclusions Undertaking rigorous steps to effectively ensure cross-cultural adaptation increases our confidence that the conclusions we make based on our self-report instrument(s) will be stronger. In this way, our aim to achieve strong cross-cultural adaptation of our consolidated instruments was achieved while also providing a clear framework for other researchers choosing to utilize existing instruments for work in other cultural, geographic and population

PSYCHO-PEDAGOGICAL MAINTENANCE OF SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SENIOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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Irina Vasilievna Sklezneva

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In the article the questions of creation of conditions for formation of game rules in children of preschool age and the role of game rules in a socio-communicative development of senior preschool children. Goal. The article is devoted to the work of the teacher-psychologist at psycho-pedagogical support of social-communicative development of senior pre-school educational activities, including the development of senior preschool children in the game rules. Methods and methodology of work. Built in accordance with the cultural-historical approach to the study of child development, the study was conducted on the basis of the observation of the free play of older preschoolers and formative experiment. Results. The results are that the features of psychological and pedagogical support of social and communicative development in different types of activities, including game rules, which involves: business educators in the successful development of children in all activities; work with educators about the organization of subject gaming environment; diagnostic work with the aim of the organization is directly educational work aimed at socio-communicative development. The scope of the results. The results of the study can be applied in the activities of the teacher-psychologist of preschool education.

Cooperation between Parents and Preschool Institutions through Different Concepts of Preschool Education

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Sanja Berčnik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the importance, role, and methods of cooperation between parents and preschool institutions through the different concepts of preschool education and different educational approaches and formal frameworks. Through educational approaches, the authors analyse how cooperation affects the implementation of preschool education in alternative educational approaches, such as the Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia approaches, and Slovenian public preschool institutions. They envisage that different educational approaches in preschool education perceive the importance and role of cooperation with parents differently and conclude that there are various models of cooperation, which can be demonstrated through a theoretical analysis of the aforementioned alternative preschool approaches. In their view, partnership promotes a shared commitment to the quality realisation of educational goals; it also develops understanding and an ethos of openness in the relationship between all actors in the process of care and education of preschool children.

Preschool Personality Antecedents of Narcissism in Adolescence and Emergent Adulthood: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study

OpenAIRE

Carlson, Kevin S.; Gjerde, Per F.

2009-01-01

This prospective study examined relations between preschool personality attributes and narcissism during adolescence and emerging adulthood. We created five a priori preschool scales anticipated to foretell future narcissism. Independent assessors evaluated the participants' personality at ages 14, 18, and 23. Based upon these evaluations, we generated observer-based narcissism scales for each of these three ages. All preschool scales predicted subsequent narcissism, except Interpersonal Anta...

Relational Aggression and Prosocial Behaviours in Australian Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Swit, Cara; McMaugh, Anne

2012-01-01

Relational aggression is a subtle form of aggressive behaviour that uses dyadic relationships and manipulation as a vehicle of harm. Little is known about relational aggression in preschool-age children in cultural contexts outside the United States. This study examined relationally aggressive behaviours and prosocial behaviours in Australian…

A comparison of attitudes towards stuttering of non-stuttering preschoolers in the United States and Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Nakisci, Egemen; Ozdemir, Ramazan S.

2017-01-01

Background and objectives Extensive research documents ubiquitous negative attitudes towards stuttering, but when and how they develop is unclear. This non-experimental, comparative study examined US and Turkish preschoolers to explore the origin of stuttering attitudes cross-culturally. Method The authors compared stuttering attitudes of 28 US and 31 Turkish non-stuttering preschoolers on English and Turkish versions of experimental prototypes of the newly developed Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes–Stuttering/Child (POSHA–S/Child). Children first watched a short video of two stuttering avatar characters and then answered oral questions about stuttering. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire. Differences in the US and Turkish POSHA–S/Child means were calculated using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results Attitudes of the US and Turkish children were remarkably similar. Children rated most of the items negatively but also rated some items as neutral or positive. They held relatively more negative attitudes towards traits and personalities of children who stutter yet relatively more positive attitudes towards stuttering children’s potential. Conclusion Stuttering attitudes in children appear to be partly independent of culture. PMID:28470081

Preschool Teachers' Emotional Socialization Responses to 4-6 Year-Old Turkish Preschoolers' Emotional Expressions

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Sukran

2015-01-01

The goal of the present study was to investigate preschool teachers' emotion socialization responses to Turkish preschoolers' emotional expressions based on children's age and gender. The participants in the current study were 12 preschool full time teachers from 4 preschool and 288 preschoolers ranging in age from 4 to 6 years in Aksaray. In…

A Low-cost Multi-channel Analogue Signal Generator

CERN Document Server

Müller, F; The ATLAS collaboration; Shen, W; Stamen, R

2009-01-01

A scalable multi-channel analogue signal generator is presented. It uses a commercial low-cost graphics card with multiple outputs in a standard PC as signal source. Each color signal serves as independent channel to generate an analogue signal. A custom-built external PCB was developed to adjust the graphics card output voltage levels for a specific task, which needed differential signals. The system furthermore comprises a software package to program the signal shape. The signal generator was successfully used as independent test bed for the ATLAS Level-1 Trigger Pre-Processor, providing up to 16 analogue signals.

Simulating secondary organic aerosol in a regional air quality model using the statistical oxidation model – Part 1: Assessing the influence of constrained multi-generational ageing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. H. Jathar

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Multi-generational oxidation of volatile organic compound (VOC oxidation products can significantly alter the mass, chemical composition and properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA compared to calculations that consider only the first few generations of oxidation reactions. However, the most commonly used state-of-the-science schemes in 3-D regional or global models that account for multi-generational oxidation (1 consider only functionalization reactions but do not consider fragmentation reactions, (2 have not been constrained to experimental data and (3 are added on top of existing parameterizations. The incomplete description of multi-generational oxidation in these models has the potential to bias source apportionment and control calculations for SOA. In this work, we used the statistical oxidation model (SOM of Cappa and Wilson (2012, constrained by experimental laboratory chamber data, to evaluate the regional implications of multi-generational oxidation considering both functionalization and fragmentation reactions. SOM was implemented into the regional University of California at Davis / California Institute of Technology (UCD/CIT air quality model and applied to air quality episodes in California and the eastern USA. The mass, composition and properties of SOA predicted using SOM were compared to SOA predictions generated by a traditional two-product model to fully investigate the impact of explicit and self-consistent accounting of multi-generational oxidation.Results show that SOA mass concentrations predicted by the UCD/CIT-SOM model are very similar to those predicted by a two-product model when both models use parameters that are derived from the same chamber data. Since the two-product model does not explicitly resolve multi-generational oxidation reactions, this finding suggests that the chamber data used to parameterize the models captures the majority of the SOA mass formation from multi-generational oxidation under

Impact of Short-Term Training in Social Cognition in Preschoolers with Externalizing Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Houssa, Marine; Jacobs, Emilie; Nader-Grosbois, Nathalie

2017-01-01

In two experimental and exploratory studies, we wanted to test the differentiated effects on preschoolers with externalizing behavior (EB) of two short-term social information processing (SIP) and Theory of Mind (ToM) training sessions, in comparison with typically developing (TD) preschoolers or with preschoolers with EB whom didn't receive…

Low level of alcohol drinking among two generations of non-Western immigrants in Oslo: a multi-ethnic comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Amundsen, Ellen J

2012-07-23

Alcohol drinking is a risk factor for harm and disease. A low level of drinking among non-Western immigrants may lead to less alcohol-related harm and disease. The first aim of this study was to describe frequency of drinking in two generations of immigrants in Oslo, contrasting the result to drinking frequency among ethnic Norwegians. The second aim was to study how frequency of drinking among adult immigrants was associated with social interaction with their own countrymen and ethnic Norwegians, acculturation, age, gender, socioeconomic factors and the Muslim faith. The Oslo Health Study (HUBRO) was conducted during the period 2000 to 2002 and consisted of three separate surveys: a youth study (15-16-year-olds, a total of 7343 respondents, response rate 88.3%); adult cohorts from 30 to 75 years old (18,770 respondents, response rate 46%); the five largest immigrant groups in Oslo (aged 20-60 years, a total of 3019 respondents, response rate 39.7%). Based on these three surveys, studies of frequency of drinking in the previous year (four categories) were conducted among 15-16-year-olds and their parents' generation, 30-60-year-old Iranians, Pakistanis, Turks and ethnic Norwegians. A structural equation model with drinking frequency as outcome was established for the adult immigrants. Adults and youth of ethnic Norwegian background reported more frequent alcohol use than immigrants with backgrounds from Iran, Turkey and Pakistan. Iranians reported a higher drinking frequency than Turks and Pakistanis. In the structural equation model high drinking frequency was associated with high host culture competence and social interaction, while high own culture competence was associated with low drinking frequency. Adult first-generation immigrants with a longer stay in Norway, those of a higher age, and females drank alcohol less frequently, while those with a higher level of education and work participation drank more frequently. Muslim immigrants reported a significantly

Challenges to preschool teachers in learner's acquisition of English as Language of Learning and Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra du Plessis

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Multilingualism in classrooms is currently prompting debate and has significantly impacted on schooling in South Africa over the last decade. At present South African educators face the challenge of coping with and finding solutions to culturally and linguistically diverse urban school contexts which did not exist before. In many South African communities young learners, without any prior knowledge of English, are enrolled in English preschools. Preschool teachers have the demanding task of preparing these multilingual preschoolers for formal schooling in English, and, in addition, are pressurised by parents or caregivers who expect their children to be fluent in English by the time they enter primary school. A group of preschool teachers in a specific urban, multilingual preschool context expressed concern about multilingual preschool learners' academic performances and their future, and requested advice and support from speech-language therapists. To investigate this need, an exploratory, descriptive, contextual research design, incorporating the quantitative perspective, was selected to describe the specific educational context of multilingual preschools in the Pretoria central business district (CBD and the Sunnyside area. Results indicated that the participants perceived certain personal challenges while supporting the preschool learners acquiring English as Language of Learning and Teaching (ELoLT. These participants expressed a need for knowledge and support.

Leveraging multi-generational workforce values in interactive information societies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie van der Walt

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The success of organisations relies on various factors including the ability of its multi-generational workforce to collaborate within the interactive information society. By developing an awareness of the different values of a diverse workforce, organisations may benefit from diversity. Various diversity factors, such as ethnicity, age and gender, impact on the way people interact, especially in the interactive information society.Objectives: This article advocates the need for generational awareness and addresses how this awareness presents benefits to companies, such as, increased productivity, improved succession planning policies and strategies to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. The research problem is directed at how diversity management influences Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y in terms of their work performance and co-worker relationships.Method: The research design combines Critical Theory and Generational Theory within the mixed-method paradigm. The sequential exploratory design was decided upon as it studies the unknown relationships between different generations of employees. The literature review was followed by a quantitative empirical research component and data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Results: The findings highlight specific differences between generations regarding their perspectives on work values and co-worker relationships, rewards, work-life balance and retirement.Conclusion: The article concludes with recommendations on the role diversity management plays in terms of work performance and co-worker relationships. By leveraging generational awareness in the interactive information society organizations with a multi-generational workforce will succeed in the competitive business environment.

NSGA-II algorithm for multi-objective generation expansion planning problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murugan, P.; Kannan, S. [Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Engineering, Krishnankoil 626190, Tamilnadu (India); Baskar, S. [Electrical Engineering Department, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai 625015, Tamilnadu (India)

2009-04-15

This paper presents an application of Elitist Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm version II (NSGA-II), to multi-objective generation expansion planning (GEP) problem. The GEP problem is considered as a two-objective problem. The first objective is the minimization of investment cost and the second objective is the minimization of outage cost (or maximization of reliability). To improve the performance of NSGA-II, two modifications are proposed. One modification is incorporation of Virtual Mapping Procedure (VMP), and the other is introduction of controlled elitism in NSGA-II. A synthetic test system having 5 types of candidate units is considered here for GEP for a 6-year planning horizon. The effectiveness of the proposed modifications is illustrated in detail. (author)

Response to multi-generational selection under elevated [CO₂] in two temperature regimes suggests enhanced carbon assimilation and increased reproductive output in Brassica napus L

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frenck, Georg; van der Linden, Leon; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard

2013-01-01

Functional plant traits are likely to adapt under the sustained pressure imposed by environmental changes through natural selection. Employing Brassica napus as a model, a multi-generational study was performed to investigate the potential trajectories of selection at elevated [CO2] in two differ...... ameliorate depressions in plant reproductive fitness caused by higher temperatures in situations where both factors co-occur....

Response to Instruction in Preschool: Results of Two Randomized Studies with Children At Significant Risk of Reading Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.

2015-01-01

Although response-to-instruction (RTI) approaches have received increased attention, few studies have evaluated the potential impacts of RTI approaches with preschool populations. This manuscript presents results of two studies examining impacts of Tier II instruction with preschool children. Participating children were identified as substantially delayed in the acquisition of early literacy skills despite exposure to high-quality, evidence-based classroom instruction. Study 1 included 93 children (M age = 58.2 months; SD = 3.62) attending 12 Title I preschools. Study 2 included 184 children (M age = 58.2 months; SD = 3.38) attending 19 Title I preschools. The majority of children were Black/African American, and about 60% were male. In both studies, eligible children were randomized to receive either 11 weeks of need-aligned, small-group instruction or just Tier I. Tier II instruction in Study 1 included variations of activities for code- and language-focused domains with prior evidence of efficacy in non-RTI contexts. Tier II instruction in Study 2 included instructional activities narrower in scope, more intensive, and delivered to smaller groups of children. Impacts of Tier II instruction in Study 1 were minimal; however, there were significant and moderate-to-large impacts in Study 2. These results identify effective Tier II instruction but indicate that the context in which children are identified may alter the nature of Tier II instruction that is required. Children identified as eligible for Tier II in an RTI framework likely require more intensive and more narrowly focused instruction than do children at general risk of later academic difficulties. PMID:26869730

US and Turkish preschoolers' observational knowledge of astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Saçkes, Mesut; McCormick Smith, Mandy; Cabe Trundle, Kathy

2016-01-01

The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to describe and compare US and Turkish children's observational knowledge of the day and night cycle and to identify similarities predicted by framework theory. Fifty-six (27 US and 29 Turkish) young children (ages 48-60 months) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted, digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results demonstrate that preschoolers from the two cultures are able to make comparable informal observations of the sky, and their observational knowledge includes many similarities, with one exception, as predicted by framework theory. US children were more likely to perform better than the Turkish children on the question about the time of observation for the moon. Although science concepts and skills are better represented in US early childhood education programs than the Turkish program, the results suggest that this advantage did not translate into performance differences between US and Turkish children.

Associations of maternal employment and three-generation families with pre-school children's overweight and obesity in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, E; Lee, J S; Kawakubo, K

2011-07-01

Maternal employment has been shown to be associated with childhood overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob), but the presence of family members who care for children in place of the mothers might influence children's Ow/Ob and lifestyles. The influence of maternal employment on children's Ow/Ob should be examined together with the presence of caregivers such as grandparents. The effects of maternal employment and the presence of grandparents on lifestyles and Ow/Ob in Japanese pre-school children were investigated. Cross-sectional study on 2114 children aged 3-6 years who attended all childcare facilities in a city and primary caregivers was conducted. Children's weight and height, family environments (family members, maternal employment, single parent, number of siblings and parental Ow/Ob) and lifestyles (dietary, physical activity and sleeping habits) were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. Ow/Ob was defined by the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. The eligible participants were 1765 children. The prevalence of Ow/Ob was 8.4% in boys and 9.9% in girls. Maternal employment was associated positively with irregular mealtimes, unfixed snacking times, bedtime after 10 p.m. and nighttime sleep duration of less than 10 h, whereas three-generation families were associated negatively with irregular mealtimes after adjustment for children's characteristics and family environments. Irregular mealtimes (OR (95% CI); 2.03 (1.36, 3.06)) and nighttime sleep duration of less than 10 h (1.96 (1.28, 3.01)) were associated with increased risks of being Ow/Ob. Both maternal employment and three-generation families were significantly associated with children's Ow/Ob. However, three-generation families maintained a significant association (1.59 (1.08, 2.35)) after adjustment for maternal employment. These study results suggest that the grandparents who care for pre-school children in place of mothers are more likely to contribute to childhood Ow/Ob than maternal

Child Sexual Abuse at Preschools--A Research Review of a Complex Issue for Preschool Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Bergström, Helena; Eidevald, Christian; Westberg-Broström, Anna

2016-01-01

The objective of this research review is to synthesize research published between 2000 and 2015 regarding child sexual abuse, preschool and preschool teachers. The review identifies themes relevant for the preschool teacher profession: child sexual abuse at preschools, suspicions and consequences for the preschool sector, preventing techniques and…

Multi-generational responses of a marine polychaete to a rapid change in seawater pCO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; Jarrold, Michael D; Massamba-N'Siala, Gloria; Spicer, John I; Calosi, Piero

2016-10-01

Little is known of the capacity that marine metazoans have to evolve under rapid p CO 2 changes. Consequently, we reared a marine polychaete, Ophryotrocha labronica , previously cultured for approximately 33 generations under a low/variable pH regime, under elevated and low p CO 2 for six generations. The strain used was found to be tolerant to elevated p CO 2 conditions. In generations F1 and F2 females' fecundity was significantly lower in the low p CO 2 treatment. However, from generation F3 onwards there were no differences between p CO 2 treatments, indicating that trans-generational effects enabled the restoration and maintenance of reproductive output. Whilst the initial fitness recovery was likely driven by trans-generational plasticity (TGP), the results from reciprocal transplant assays, performed using F7 individuals, made it difficult to disentangle between whether TGP had persisted across multiple generations, or if evolutionary adaptation had occurred. Nonetheless, both are important mechanisms for persistence under climate change. Overall, our study highlights the importance of multi-generational experiments in more accurately determining marine metazoans' responses to changes in p CO 2 , and strengthens the case for exploring their use in conservation, by creating specific p CO 2 tolerant strains of keystone ecosystem species.

Mothers' views of their preschool child's screen-viewing behaviour: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Georgina F; Turner, Katrina M; Jago, Russell

2016-08-04

Research on screen-viewing in preschool children has predominantly focused on television viewing. The rapid development of mobile devices (e.g. tablets, smart phones and e-readers) and the increase in their use by preschool children means there is a need to understand how and why these devices are used by this age group. The aim of this study was to explore mothers' views of their preschool children's screen viewing behaviour (including mobile devices) and investigate how preschool children use different screen-viewing devices. One-to-one, semi-structured interviews with mothers of preschool children (aged between 2 and 4 years old). Mothers were recruited through preschools, nurseries, and mother and toddler groups located within four areas of varying socio-economic status within Bristol, UK. Data were analysed thematically using a framework approach. Twenty-six mothers were interviewed. Mobile devices were regularly used as a form of screen-viewing for most children but were used on an ad hoc basis rather than being a habitual activity. The reasons and influences of mobile device use described by mothers were similar to that of television viewing. However, the portability of mobile devices meant that they were often used outside of the home as a distraction tool. Their multi-functionality meant that they could be used as a portable television, or for purposeful learning through educational games and applications. Some mothers showed concerns over mobile device use by their child, whilst others felt it was an important and useful educational tool. Although the majority of mothers felt they needed to set rules and restrictions for mobile device use, many mothers felt that they are also a necessary and unavoidable part of life. Mothers in this study suggested that mobile device use by preschool children is common. More research is needed to determine the impact of mobile device use in preschool children, how much time preschool children spend using mobile devices

Optimal power system generation scheduling by multi-objective genetic algorithms with preferences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zio, E.; Baraldi, P.; Pedroni, N.

2009-01-01

Power system generation scheduling is an important issue both from the economical and environmental safety viewpoints. The scheduling involves decisions with regards to the units start-up and shut-down times and to the assignment of the load demands to the committed generating units for minimizing the system operation costs and the emission of atmospheric pollutants. As many other real-world engineering problems, power system generation scheduling involves multiple, conflicting optimization criteria for which there exists no single best solution with respect to all criteria considered. Multi-objective optimization algorithms, based on the principle of Pareto optimality, can then be designed to search for the set of nondominated scheduling solutions from which the decision-maker (DM) must a posteriori choose the preferred alternative. On the other hand, often, information is available a priori regarding the preference values of the DM with respect to the objectives. When possible, it is important to exploit this information during the search so as to focus it on the region of preference of the Pareto-optimal set. In this paper, ways are explored to use this preference information for driving a multi-objective genetic algorithm towards the preferential region of the Pareto-optimal front. Two methods are considered: the first one extends the concept of Pareto dominance by biasing the chromosome replacement step of the algorithm by means of numerical weights that express the DM' s preferences; the second one drives the search algorithm by changing the shape of the dominance region according to linear trade-off functions specified by the DM. The effectiveness of the proposed approaches is first compared on a case study of literature. Then, a nonlinear, constrained, two-objective power generation scheduling problem is effectively tackled

The Pedagogical Support for Preschool Children with Deviant Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Kostyunina, Nadezhda Y.; Kazaeva, Evgenia A.; Karimova, Raushan B.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the research problems of pedagogical support of preschool children with behavioral problems is explained by changes due and of taking place in modern Russia in various spheres of life: ecological and economic disadvantage, social instability, the growing influence of pseudo-culture, unfavorable climate in family, too busy parents,…

Preschool Teachers' Language and Literacy Practices with Dual Language Learners.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawyer, Brook E; Hammer, Carol Scheffner; Cycyk, Lauren M; López, Lisa; Blair, Clancy; Sandilos, Lia; Komaroff, Eugene

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the degree to which teachers used linguistically responsive practices to support the language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learners (DLL) and (b) to investigate the associations between these practices and select teacher-level factors. The sample consisted of 72 preschool teachers. Observational data were collected on practices. Teachers self-reported on language and culture beliefs, Spanish speaking ability, and classroom composition. Results indicated that teachers, including those who spoke Spanish, used few linguistically responsive practices to support preschool DLLs. Only Spanish-speaking ability was related to practices. Implications for targeted professional development are discussed.

Maternal weight, gestational weight gain and preschool wheezing: The Generation R Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.T.M. Leermakers (Lisan); A.M.M. van der Sonnenschein-Voort (Agnes); R. Gaillard (Romy); A. Hofman (Albert); J.C. de Jongste (Johan); V.W.V. Jaddoe (Vincent); L. Duijts (Liesbeth)

2013-01-01

textabstractWe studied the associations of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain with risks of preschool wheezing in offspring and explored the role of growth, infectious and atopic mechanisms. This substudy of 4656 children was embedded in a population-based birth

Italian and Russian Verse: Two Cultures and Two Mentalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Garzonio

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Italian and Russian Verse: Two Cultures and Two Mentalities The present text was given as a talk at Stanford University in 2003. Here the author presents a comparative analysis of Russian and Italian versification and pays attention to the cultural contacts between these two poetical traditions in an effort to define the role played by Italian patterns in Russian verse. In this perspective the author offers a history of Russian poetical translation of Italian texts pointing out the different opinions of Russian poets about the “musicality” of Italian verse. The combined influence of language and culture in modelling different Russian poetical forms in a chronological perspective is underlined.

Addressing the Needs of Preschool Children in the Context of Disasters and Terrorism: Assessment, Prevention, and Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolmer, Leo; Hamiel, Daniel; Pardo-Aviv, Lee; Laor, Nathaniel

2017-07-01

The goal of this paper is to review the research literature regarding the needs of preschoolers in the context of disasters and terrorism with the aim of understanding the existing methods for assessment, prevention, and intervention to provide recommendations and point out required research and development. We differentiate between screening tools that provide initial evaluation and assessment tools for diagnosing preschooler children's pathology and review possible interventions that address the preschool child's needs before, during, and after the incident itself. We also emphasize the lack of dissemination and research of prevention programs and mass interventions for preschoolers. Programs for community mass prevention and intervention for preschoolers should be developed and evaluated and interventions should be adapted for individual and group delivery. Moreover, the increase in the number of children refugees requires cultural adaptations of assessment measures and interventions.

Mental Health and Hmong Americans: A comparison of two generations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pa Der Vang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Early studies of Hmong refugees in the U.S. indicated high rates of mental distress related to post-migration stressors such as grief and loss, poverty, and social adversity. This study explores the mental health status of two generations of Hmong Americans 38 years after their first migration. The relationship between acculturation and mental health of 191 1st and 2nd generation Hmong are reported. Results indicated relatively low reports of depressive symptoms and medium to high rates of acculturation to American society. The results are unrelated to demographic factors indicating resilience and adaptation to Western society despite age and generational status and maintenance of culture of origin

Intervention in Multi-cultural Organizations -Prevention of Accidents as political change processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dyhrberg, Mette Bang; Kamp, Annette; Koch, Christian

1999-01-01

mainstream safety culture approaches is over rationalististic compared with day to day life of organisations. A simplistic model of mans behaviour, and too abbreviated understanding of the total set of goals and means in action in organisation and rather simple change management models flaws the safety...... of an organisation as a Multi-cultural Organisation. Second on change processes as political processes where the needed change have to be negotiated and reshaped....

TLS for generating multi-LOD of 3D building model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akmalia, R; Setan, H; Majid, Z; Suwardhi, D; Chong, A

2014-01-01

The popularity of Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) to capture three dimensional (3D) objects has been used widely for various applications. Development in 3D models has also led people to visualize the environment in 3D. Visualization of objects in a city environment in 3D can be useful for many applications. However, different applications require different kind of 3D models. Since a building is an important object, CityGML has defined a standard for 3D building models at four different levels of detail (LOD). In this research, the advantages of TLS for capturing buildings and the modelling process of the point cloud can be explored. TLS will be used to capture all the building details to generate multi-LOD. This task, in previous works, involves usually the integration of several sensors. However, in this research, point cloud from TLS will be processed to generate the LOD3 model. LOD2 and LOD1 will then be generalized from the resulting LOD3 model. Result from this research is a guiding process to generate the multi-LOD of 3D building starting from LOD3 using TLS. Lastly, the visualization for multi-LOD model will also be shown

TLS for generating multi-LOD of 3D building model

Science.gov (United States)

Akmalia, R.; Setan, H.; Majid, Z.; Suwardhi, D.; Chong, A.

2014-02-01

The popularity of Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) to capture three dimensional (3D) objects has been used widely for various applications. Development in 3D models has also led people to visualize the environment in 3D. Visualization of objects in a city environment in 3D can be useful for many applications. However, different applications require different kind of 3D models. Since a building is an important object, CityGML has defined a standard for 3D building models at four different levels of detail (LOD). In this research, the advantages of TLS for capturing buildings and the modelling process of the point cloud can be explored. TLS will be used to capture all the building details to generate multi-LOD. This task, in previous works, involves usually the integration of several sensors. However, in this research, point cloud from TLS will be processed to generate the LOD3 model. LOD2 and LOD1 will then be generalized from the resulting LOD3 model. Result from this research is a guiding process to generate the multi-LOD of 3D building starting from LOD3 using TLS. Lastly, the visualization for multi-LOD model will also be shown.

Nutrition Knowledge Assessment of Preschool Children

OpenAIRE

Plum, Jane Meacham Jr.

1997-01-01

A game with food and nutrition related pictures was developed to provide an opportunity for a classroom teacher to interview preschool children for assessment of nutrition knowledge concepts. Specifically, knowledge of vegetable concepts which included identification of the food, the food group, the source, preparation methods and use by the body was measured. The assessment was administered to five groups of children (ages two and one-half to five years) in preschools and child care center...

Cultural Differences in Perceiving Sounds Generated by Others: Self Matters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liyu eCao

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sensory consequences resulting from own movements receive different neural processing compared to externally generated sensory consequences (e.g., by a computer, leading to sensory attenuation, i.e., a reduction in perceived loudness or brain evoked responses. However, discrepant findings exist from different cultural regions about whether sensory attenuation is also present for sensory consequences generated by others. In this study, we performed a cross culture (between Chinese and British comparison on the processing of sensory consequences (perceived loudness from self and others compared to an external source in the auditory domain. We found a cultural difference in processing sensory consequences generated by others, with only Chinese and not British showing the sensory attenuation effect. Sensory attenuation in this case was correlated with independent self-construal scores. The sensory attenuation effect for self-generated sensory consequences was not replicated. However, a correlation with delusional ideation was observed for British. These findings are discussed with respects to mechanisms of sensory attenuation.

Noise and stress effects on preschool personnel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fredrik Sjödin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to analyze the presence of stress-related health problems among preschool employees and the way in which these reactions are related to noise and other work parameters. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå County, located in northern Sweden. Individual noise recordings and recordings in dining rooms and play halls were made at two departments from each preschool. The adverse effects on the employees were analyzed by use of different validated questionnaires and by saliva cortisol samples. Stress and energy output were pronounced among the employees, and about 30% of the staff experienced strong burnout syndromes. Mental recovery after work was low, indicated by remaining high levels of stress after work. The burnout symptoms were associated with reduced sleep quality and morning sleepiness. Cortisol levels supported the conclusion about pronounced daily stress levels of the preschool employees.

Gendered Word (Or World): Sexism in Philippine Preschool English Language Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Tarrayo, Veronico Nogales

2014-01-01

Adhering to the notion that language learning is necessarily a culture-learning process, this paper explores the issue of sexism in six Philippine preschool English language textbooks. The study adopts the qualitative-quantitative approach in examining the following categories: gender visibility (illustrations), "firstness",…

Thermal analysis of multi-MW two-level wind power converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Dao; Blaabjerg, Frede; Mogens, Lau

2012-01-01

In this paper, the multi-MW wind turbine of partial-scale and full-scale two-level power converter with DFIG and direct-drive PMSG are designed and compared in terms of their thermal performance. Simulations of different configurations regarding loss distribution and junction temperature...... in the power device in the whole range of wind speed are presented and analyzed. It is concluded that in both partial-scale and full-scale power converter the most thermal stressed power device in the generator-side converter will have higher mean junction temperature and larger junction temperature...... fluctuation compared to grid-side converter at the rated wind speed. Moreover, the thermal performance of the generator-side converter in the partial-scale power converter becomes crucial around the synchronous operating point and should be considered carefully....

Household market participation and stunting in preschool children in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Stunting among Malawian preschool children continues to be a concern. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 251 semi-urban households, who participated in a community-supported preschool programme, was conducted. Results: Of the 433 participating two- to five-year-old children, 34.4% had stunting.

Behavioral/Emotional Problems of Preschoolers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rescorla, L.A.; Achenbach, T.M.; Ivanova, M.Y.

2012-01-01

This study tested societal effects on caregiver/teacher ratings of behavioral/emotional problems for 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies. Many societies had problem scale scores within a relatively narrow range, despite differences in language, culture, and other characteristics. The small age...... and gender effects were quite similar across societies. The rank orders of mean item ratings were similar across diverse societies. For 7,380 children from 13 societies, ratings were also obtained from a parent. In all 13 societies, mean Total Problems scores derived from parent ratings were significantly...

An Examination of Parents' and Preschool Workers' Perspectives on Bullying in Preschool

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo

2016-01-01

Parents (n = 141) and preschool workers (n = 81) completed a survey regarding their perspectives towards: (a) the existence of bullying in preschool, (b) interpretations of bullying, (c) the roles of bullies and victims, and (d) gender differences. Findings suggest that both groups largely believe that bullying occurs in preschool. Excluding…

Leading and Managing Disparate Generations in Cross-Cultural Learning Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Mujtaba, Bahaudin; Thomas, Gimol

2005-01-01

The enclosed literature focuses on learning about the various generations of the workforce and techniques that employers can utilize to organize collaborative teams in today's multigenerational and multicultural workplaces. Trainers and teachers can use this material to provide effective skills for managers that deal with a multi-generation of…

Two Randomized Trials Provide No Consistent Evidence for Nonmusical Cognitive Benefits of Brief Preschool Music Enrichment

OpenAIRE

Mehr, Samuel A.; Schachner, Adena; Katz, Rachel C.; Spelke, Elizabeth S.

2013-01-01

Young children regularly engage in musical activities, but the effects of early music education on children’s cognitive development are unknown. While some studies have found associations between musical training in childhood and later nonmusical cognitive outcomes, few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been employed to assess causal effects of music lessons on child cognition and no clear pattern of results has emerged. We conducted two RCTs  with preschool children investigating the ...

Reaching Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Young Learners with Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus, Susanne D.; Ames, Margery E.

1998-01-01

Describes how cross-over training and a whole-school approach help preschool educators assist disabled students who have not yet acquired their native language, examining New York's English-as-a Second-Language/Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Training Program for Pre-K Special Education Personnel, which trains preschool personnel to meet…

Hydrological modeling using a multi-site stochastic weather generator

Science.gov (United States)

Weather data is usually required at several locations over a large watershed, especially when using distributed models for hydrological simulations. In many applications, spatially correlated weather data can be provided by a multi-site stochastic weather generator which considers the spatial correl...

Two multi-dimensional uncertainty relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skala, L; Kapsa, V

2008-01-01

Two multi-dimensional uncertainty relations, one related to the probability density and the other one related to the probability density current, are derived and discussed. Both relations are stronger than the usual uncertainty relations for the coordinates and momentum

Mothers’ views of their preschool child’s screen-viewing behaviour: a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgina F. Bentley

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research on screen-viewing in preschool children has predominantly focused on television viewing. The rapid development of mobile devices (e.g. tablets, smart phones and e-readers and the increase in their use by preschool children means there is a need to understand how and why these devices are used by this age group. The aim of this study was to explore mothers’ views of their preschool children’s screen viewing behaviour (including mobile devices and investigate how preschool children use different screen-viewing devices. Methods One-to-one, semi-structured interviews with mothers of preschool children (aged between 2 and 4 years old. Mothers were recruited through preschools, nurseries, and mother and toddler groups located within four areas of varying socio-economic status within Bristol, UK. Data were analysed thematically using a framework approach. Results Twenty-six mothers were interviewed. Mobile devices were regularly used as a form of screen-viewing for most children but were used on an ad hoc basis rather than being a habitual activity. The reasons and influences of mobile device use described by mothers were similar to that of television viewing. However, the portability of mobile devices meant that they were often used outside of the home as a distraction tool. Their multi-functionality meant that they could be used as a portable television, or for purposeful learning through educational games and applications. Some mothers showed concerns over mobile device use by their child, whilst others felt it was an important and useful educational tool. Although the majority of mothers felt they needed to set rules and restrictions for mobile device use, many mothers felt that they are also a necessary and unavoidable part of life. Conclusions Mothers in this study suggested that mobile device use by preschool children is common. More research is needed to determine the impact of mobile device use in preschool

Mouse embryonic stem cell culture for generation of three-dimensional retinal and cortical tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Eiraku, Mototsugu; Sasai, Yoshiki

2011-12-15

Generation of compound tissues with complex structures is a major challenge in cell biology. In this article, we describe a protocol for mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture for in vitro generation of three-dimensional retinal tissue, comparing it with the culture protocol for cortical tissue generation. Dissociated ESCs are reaggregated in a 96-well plate with reduced cell-plate adhesion and cultured as floating aggregates. Retinal epithelium is efficiently generated when ESC aggregates are cultured in serum-free medium containing extracellular matrix proteins, spontaneously forming hemispherical vesicles and then progressively transforming into a shape reminiscent of the embryonic optic cup in 9-10 d. In long-term culture, the ESC-derived optic cup generates a fully stratified retinal tissue consisting of all major neural retinal components. In contrast, the cortical differentiation culture can be started without exogenous extracellular matrix proteins, and it generates stratified cortical epithelia consisting of four distinct layers in 13 d.

Multi-Group Library Generation with Explicit Resonance Interference Using Continuous Energy Monte Carlo Calculation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Jin; Cho, Jin Young [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kang Seog [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge (United States); Hong, Ser Gi [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In this study, multi-group cross section libraries for the DeCART code were generated using a new procedure. The new procedure includes generating the RI tables based on the MC calculations, correcting the effective fission product yield calculations, and considering most of the fission products as resonant nuclides. KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has developed the transport lattice code KARMA (Kernel Analyzer by Ray-tracing Method for fuel Assembly) and DeCART (Deterministic Core Analysis based on Ray Tracing) for a multi-group neutron transport analysis of light water reactors (LWRs). These codes adopt the method of characteristics (MOC) to solve the multi-group transport equation and resonance fixed source problem, the subgroup and the direct iteration method with resonance integral tables for resonance treatment. With the development of the DeCART and KARMA code, KAERI has established its own library generation system for a multi-group transport calculation. In the KAERI library generation system, the multi-group average cross section and resonance integral (RI) table are generated and edited using PENDF (point-wise ENDF) and GENDF (group-wise ENDF) produced by the NJOY code. The new method does not need additional processing because the MC method can handle any geometry information and material composition. In this study, the new method is applied to the dominant resonance nuclide such as U{sup 235} and U{sup 238} and the conventional method is applied to the minor resonance nuclides. To examine the newly generated multi-group cross section libraries, various benchmark calculations such as pin-cell, FA, and core depletion problem are performed and the results are compared with the reference solutions. Overall, the results by the new method agree well with the reference solution. The new procedure based on the MC method were verified and provided the multi-group library that can be used in the SMR nuclear design analysis.

A comparison of attitudes towards stuttering of non-stuttering preschoolers in the United States and Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary E. Weidner

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Extensive research documents ubiquitous negative attitudes towards stuttering, but when and how they develop is unclear. This non-experimental, comparative study examined US and Turkish preschoolers to explore the origin of stuttering attitudes cross-culturally. Method: The authors compared stuttering attitudes of 28 US and 31 Turkish non-stuttering preschoolers on English and Turkish versions of experimental prototypes of the newly developed Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes–Stuttering/Child (POSHA–S/Child. Children first watched a short video of two stuttering avatar characters and then answered oral questions about stuttering. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire. Differences in the US and Turkish POSHA–S/Child means were calculated using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Attitudes of the US and Turkish children were remarkably similar. Children rated most of the items negatively but also rated some items as neutral or positive. They held relatively more negative attitudes towards traits and personalities of children who stutter yet relatively more positive attitudes towards stuttering children’s potential. Conclusion: Stuttering attitudes in children appear to be partly independent of culture.

Monsters in the dark and other scary things: preschoolers' self-reports

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: This study attempted to obtain normative data regarding the content and frequency of expressed fears of a culturally diverse group of 152 South African preschool children (aged 5–7 years). Method: The study employed four measuring instruments: a biographical questionnaire, the Goodenough-Harris Drawing ...

Generational Differences in the Perception of Corporate Culture in European Transport Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudolf Kampf

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The workforce of an enterprise consists of employees of various ages with different personality types. Members of each generation differ not only in their behaviour, but also in their attitudes and opinions. A manager should identify generational differences. Subsequently, the management style, leadership and employee motivation should be adapted forasmuch as well-motivated employees are able to affect the efficiency of enterprise processes in right way. The objective of the paper is to identify differences in perception of the preferred level of corporate culture in terms of various generations. Preferred level of corporate culture in six areas is evaluated using a questionnaire consisting of 24 questions. Sixty-four European transport enterprises are engaged in the survey. Following the outcomes, we find that all generations of respondents working in the European transport enterprises prefer clan corporate culture in the course of five years. This culture puts emphasis on employees, customers and traditions. Loyalty and teamwork are considered to be the essential tools for business success. Following the statistical verification using the ANOVA test, we can state that the hypothesis regarding the existence of generational differences in the perception of corporate culture was not confirmed.

Evaluation of the Paratrend Multi-Analyte Sensor for Potential Utilization in Long-Duration Automated Cell Culture Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Emma Y.; Pappas, Dimitri; Jeevarajan, Antony S.; Anderson, Melody M.

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Compact and automated sensors are desired for assessing the health of cell cultures in biotechnology experiments. While several single-analyte sensors exist to measure culture health, a multi-analyte sensor would simplify the cell culture system. One such multi-analyte sensor, the Paratrend 7 manufactured by Diametrics Medical, consists of three optical fibers for measuring pH, dissolved carbon dioxide (pCO(2)), dissolved oxygen (pO(2)), and a thermocouple to measure temperature. The sensor bundle was designed for intra-vascular measurements in clinical settings, and can be used in bioreactors operated both on the ground and in NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) experiments. METHODS: A Paratrend 7 sensor was placed at the outlet of a bioreactor inoculated with BHK-21 (baby hamster kidney) cells. The pH, pCO(2), pO(2), and temperature data were transferred continuously to an external computer. Cell culture medium, manually extracted from the bioreactor through a sampling port, was also assayed using a bench top blood gas analyzer (BGA). RESULTS: Two Paratrend 7 sensors were used over a single cell culture experiment (64 days). When compared to the manually obtained BGA samples, the sensor had good agreement for pH, pCO(2), and pO(2) with bias (and precision) 0.005(0.024), 8.0 mmHg (4.4 mmHg), and 11 mmHg (17 mmHg), respectively for the first two sensors. A third Paratrend sensor (operated for 141 days) had similar agreement (0.02+/-0.15 for pH, -4+/-8 mm Hg for pCO(2), and 24+/-18 mmHg for pO(2)). CONCLUSION: The resulting biases and precisions are com- parable to Paratrend sensor clinical results. Although the pO(2) differences may be acceptable for clinically relevant measurement ranges, the O(2) sensor in this bundle may not be reliable enough for the ranges of pO(2) in these cell culture studies without periodic calibration.

Multi-shocks generation and collapsing instabilities induced by competing nonlinearities

KAUST Repository

Crosta, Matteo; Trillo, Stefano; Fratalocchi, Andrea

2012-01-01

We investigate dispersive shock dynamics in materials with competing cubic-quintic nonlinearities. Whitham theory of modulation, hydrodynamic analysis and numerics demonstrate a rich physical scenario, ranging from multi-shock generation to collapse.

Pre-school manager training: a cost-effective tool to promote nutrition- and health-related practice improvements in the Irish full-day-care pre-school setting.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Johnston Molloy, Charlotte

2013-10-18

To evaluate the impact on nutrition- and health-related practice of two methods of delivery of a nutrition and health intervention in Irish full-day-care pre-schools: training of pre-school managers only or training of managers and their staff.

Planning and Evaluating Educational Work in Slovene Preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Batistič Zorec

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The present article examines the changes in Slovene preschools subsequent to Slovenia’s independence in 1991. In the socialist period, the national education programme for preschools was highly structured, goaland content-oriented and subject to schoolization. The Curriculum for Preschools (1999 brought conceptual changes towards education “based on the child” and the process approach, as well as giving more autonomy to preschool teachers and their assistants. In the empirical study, we examine changes in planning and evaluating educational work compared to the past. The results show that the majority of professional workers have reduced the high level of structure and rigidity in planning, and that there is better cooperation between preschool teachers and teachers’ assistants. Unlike in the past, most professional workers regularly evaluate their educational work. As the data was gathered in two phases, before and after the training of professional workers in the Reggio Emilia concept, we also search for the (probably indirect influencesof this training. We conclude that after the training the participation of children in planning and evaluating educational work is higher.

SPAGETTA: a Multi-Purpose Gridded Stochastic Weather Generator

Science.gov (United States)

Dubrovsky, M.; Huth, R.; Rotach, M. W.; Dabhi, H.

2017-12-01

SPAGETTA is a new multisite/gridded multivariate parametric stochastic weather generator (WG). Site-specific precipitation occurrence and amount are modelled by Markov chain and Gamma distribution, the non-precipitation variables are modelled by an autoregressive (AR) model conditioned on precipitation occurrence, and the spatial coherence of all variables is modelled following the Wilks' (2009) approach. SPAGETTA may be run in two modes. Mode 1: it is run as a classical WG, which is calibrated using weather series from multiple sites, and only then it may produce arbitrarily long synthetic series mimicking the spatial and temporal structure of the calibration data. To generate the weather series representing the future climate, the WG parameters are modified according to the climate change scenario, typically derived from GCM or RCM simulations. Mode 2: the user provides only basic information (not necessarily to be realistic) on the temporal and spatial auto-correlation structure of the weather variables and their mean annual cycle; the generator itself derives the parameters of the underlying AR model, which produces the multi-site weather series. Optionally, the user may add the spatially varying trend, which is superimposed to the synthetic series. The contribution consists of following parts: (a) Model of the WG. (b) Validation of WG in terms of the spatial temperature and precipitation characteristics, including characteristics of spatial hot/cold/dry/wet spells. (c) Results of the climate change impact experiment, in which the WG parameters representing the spatial and temporal variability are modified using the climate change scenarios and the effect on the above spatial validation indices is analysed. In this experiment, the WG is calibrated using the E-OBS gridded daily weather data for several European regions, and the climate change scenarios are derived from the selected RCM simulations (CORDEX database). (d) The second mode of operation will be

Effect of the temperature and the culture medium on the productivity of two generations of dihybrid crosses in Drosophila melanogaster Efecto de la temperatura y del medio de cultivo en la productividad de dos generaciones hijas de un cruce Dihibrido en Drosophila melanogaster

OpenAIRE

Campos Héctor Aníbal; Balbín Alejandro; Chica Claudia; Rojas Yesika

2000-01-01

In the present study we analize the productivity of the dihybrid cross +//+ e//e x vg//vg +//+ and its reciprocal, carried on up to the second generation under different environmental conditions: two culture media (maize and banana) and two temperatures (23 and 26ºC). The differences were shown to be statistically significantfor the temperature in the first generation, the culture medium and the parental line in the second generation. At a general level, the significant factors were the tempe...

Mathematics and Science Learning Opportunities in Preschool Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Piasta, Shayne B.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Miller, Heather Lynnine

2014-01-01

Research findings The present study observed and coded instruction in 65 preschool classrooms to examine (a) overall amounts and (b) types of mathematics and science learning opportunities experienced by preschool children as well as (c) the extent to which these opportunities were associated with classroom and program characteristics. Results indicated that children were afforded an average of 24 and 26 minutes of mathematics and science learning opportunities, respectively, corresponding to spending approximately 25% of total instructional time in each domain. Considerable variability existed, however, in the amounts and types of mathematics and science opportunities provided to children in their classrooms; to some extent, this variability was associated with teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ levels of education, and the socioeconomic status of children served in the program. Practice/policy Although results suggest greater integration of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms than previously established, there was considerable diversity in the amounts and types of learning opportunities provided in preschool classrooms. Affording mathematics and science experiences to all preschool children, as outlined in professional and state standards, may require additional professional development aimed at increasing preschool teachers’ understanding and implementation of learning opportunities in these two domains in their classrooms. PMID:25489205

When Does Preschool Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Weiland, Christina; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2016-01-01

We have many reasons to invest in preschool programs, including persistent gaps in school readiness between children from poorer and wealthier families, large increases in maternal employment over the past several decades, and the rapid brain development that preschool-age children experience. But what do we know about preschool education's…

Preschool education studentsʼ attitude towards inclusion in preschool educational context

OpenAIRE

Skubic, Darija; Vidrih, Alenka

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the attitudes of preschool education students regarding inclusive teaching/inclusive practices. As a research instrument a questionnaire with 17 statements, referred to education, practices and policies of inclusion was developed. 118 students of the preschool education study programme at the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana participated in the study. There were 3 different groups of students: 25 students of the 2nd year of preschool educat...

Next generation multi-material 3D food printer concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klomp, D.J.; Anderson, P.D.

2017-01-01

3D food printing is a new rapidly developing technology capable of creating food structures that are impossible to create with normal processing techniques. Challenges in this field are creating texture and multi-material food products. To address these challenges a next generation food printer will

Follow the Leader: Attending to the Curriculum Making Potential of Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Miller Marsh, Monica; Zhulamanova, Ilfa

2017-01-01

This research focused on making visible children's funds of identity [Esteban-Guitart, M., & Moll, L. (2014). Funds of identity: A new concept based on the funds of knowledge approach. "Culture & Psychology," 20(1), 31-48] and incorporating these resources into an inquiry-oriented, play-based, preschool curriculum. Participants…

Behavioral/Emotional Problems of Preschoolers: Caregiver/Teacher Reports from 15 Societies

Science.gov (United States)

Rescorla, Leslie A.; Achenbach, Thomas M.; Ivanova, Masha Y.; Bilenberg, Niels; Bjarnadottir, Gudrun; Denner, Silvia; Dias, Pedro; Dobrean, Anca; Dopfner, Manfred; Frigerio, Alessandra; Goncalves, Miguel; Guomundsson, Halldor; Jusiene, Roma; Kristensen, Solvejg; Lecannelier, Felipe; Leung, Patrick W. L.; Liu, Jianghong; Lobel, Sofia P.; Machado, Barbara Cesar; Markovic, Jasminka; Mas, Paola A.; Esmaeili, Elaheh Mohammad; Montirosso, Rosario; Pluck, Julia; Pronaj, Adelina Ahmeti; Rodriguez, Jorge T.; Rojas, Pamela O.; Schmeck, Klaus; Shahini, Mimoza; Silva, Jaime R.; van der Ende, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C.

2012-01-01

This study tested societal effects on caregiver/teacher ratings of behavioral/emotional problems for 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies. Many societies had problem scale scores within a relatively narrow range, despite differences in language, culture, and other characteristics. The small age and gender effects were quite similar across…

Screening for urine abnormalities among preschool children in western Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alharthi, Abdulla A.; Taha, Azza A.; Edrees, Awatif E.; Elnawawy, Ali N.; Abdelrahman, Azza H.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To estimate the frequency of urinary problems among preschool children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1000 preschool asymptomatic children attending the outpatient clinics of the Children’s Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between August 2013 and December 2013 were subjected to dipstick urine analysis. Microscopic examination was performed for the abnormal dipstick samples, and children with hematuria were investigated for kidney function. Results: Dipstick urine analysis revealed abnormal findings in 25.1% of the screened children. The most common dipstick abnormalities were positive nitrite test in 18.1%, hematuria in 16.9%, and positive leukocyte esterase test in 14.3% of the cases. The most common abnormality in microscopic urine examination was crystals in 13% of the cases. Pyuria were evident in 5% of cases and hematuria in 2.5%. The most common bacteria in positive urine culture samples was Escherichia coli in 62.6%. Conclusion: In view of these important findings, dipstick screening should be implemented in preschool children. PMID:25491212

Process Mediates Structure: The Relation between Preschool Teacher Education and Preschool Teachers' Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Blömeke, Sigrid; Jenßen, Lars; Grassmann, Marianne; Dunekacke, Simone; Wedekind, Hartmut

2017-01-01

Data about processes and outcomes of preschool teacher education is scarce. This paper examines the opportunities to learn (OTL) of prospective preschool teachers (N = 1,851) at different types and stages of preschool teacher education and their relation to general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK), and…

Physical Education Policies and Practices in Qatari Preschools: A Cross-Cultural Study

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Thani, Tamader; Semmar, Yassir

2016-01-01

Anecdotal evidence and empirical research point out to the low physical activity levels at preschools as well as the global rise in childhood obesity rates. Placing a high premium on sports and healthy well-being of its citizens by the Qatari government, taking into account the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among Qatari children,…

Examining the Predictive Relations between Two Aspects of Self-Regulation and Growth in Preschool Children’s Early Literacy Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Lonigan, Christopher J.; Allan, Darcey M.; Phillips, Beth M.

2016-01-01

There is strong evidence that self-regulatory processes are linked to early academic skills both concurrently and longitudinally. The majority of extant longitudinal studies, however, have been conducted using autoregressive techniques that may not accurately model change across time. The purpose of this study was to examine the unique associations between two components of self-regulation, attention and executive functioning (EF), and growth in early literacy skills over the preschool year using latent-growth-curve analysis. The sample included 1,082 preschool children (M-age = 55.0 months, SD = 3.73). Children completed measures of vocabulary, syntax, phonological awareness, print knowledge, cognitive ability, and self-regulation, and children’s classroom teachers completed a behavior rating measure. To examine the independent relations of the self-regulatory skills and cognitive ability with children’s initial early literacy skills and growth across the preschool year, growth models in which the intercept and slope were simultaneously regressed on each of the predictor variables were examined. Because of the significant relation between intercept and slope for most outcomes, slope was regressed on intercept in the models to allow a determination of direct and indirect effects of the predictors on growth in children’s language and literacy skills across the preschool year. In general, both teacher-rated inattention and directly measured EF were uniquely associated with initial skills level; however, only teacher-rated inattention uniquely predicted growth in early literacy skills. These findings suggest that teacher-ratings of inattention may measure an aspect of self-regulation that is particularly associated with the acquisition of academic skills in early childhood. PMID:27854463

A novel multi-agent decentralized win or learn fast policy hill-climbing with eligibility trace algorithm for smart generation control of interconnected complex power grids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, Lei; Yu, Tao; Yang, Bo; Zhang, Xiaoshun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Proposing a decentralized smart generation control scheme for the automatic generation control coordination. • A novel multi-agent learning algorithm is developed to resolve stochastic control problems in power systems. • A variable learning rate are introduced base on the framework of stochastic games. • A simulation platform is developed to test the performance of different algorithms. - Abstract: This paper proposes a multi-agent smart generation control scheme for the automatic generation control coordination in interconnected complex power systems. A novel multi-agent decentralized win or learn fast policy hill-climbing with eligibility trace algorithm is developed, which can effectively identify the optimal average policies via a variable learning rate under various operation conditions. Based on control performance standards, the proposed approach is implemented in a flexible multi-agent stochastic dynamic game-based smart generation control simulation platform. Based on the mixed strategy and average policy, it is highly adaptive in stochastic non-Markov environments and large time-delay systems, which can fulfill automatic generation control coordination in interconnected complex power systems in the presence of increasing penetration of decentralized renewable energy. Two case studies on both a two-area load–frequency control power system and the China Southern Power Grid model have been done. Simulation results verify that multi-agent smart generation control scheme based on the proposed approach can obtain optimal average policies thus improve the closed-loop system performances, and can achieve a fast convergence rate with significant robustness compared with other methods

Contextual assessment of organisational culture - methodological development in two case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, T.; Oedewald, P.

2002-01-01

Despite the acknowledged significance of organisational culture in the nuclear field, previous cultural studies have concentrated on purely safety related matters, or been only descriptive in nature. New kinds of methods, taking into account the overall objectives of the organisation, were needed to assess culture and develop its working practices appropriately. VTT developed the Contextual Assessment of Organisational Culture (CAOC) methodology during the FINNUS programme. The methodology utilises two concepts, organisational culture and core task. The core task can be defined as the core demands and content of work that the organisation has to accomplish in order to be effective. The core task concept is used in assessing the central dimensions of the organisation's culture. Organisational culture is defined as a solution the company has generated in order to fulfil the perceived demands of its core task. The CAOC-methodology was applied in two case studies, in the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland and in the maintenance unit of Loviisa NPP. The aim of the studies was not only to assess the given culture, but also to give the personnel new concepts and new tools for reflecting on their organisation, their jobs and on appropriate working practices. The CAOC-methodology contributes to the design and redesign of work in complex sociotechnical systems. It strives to enhance organisations' capability to assess their current working practices and the meanings attached to them and compare these to the actual demands of their basic mission and so change unadaptive practices. (orig.)

Perceptions of Organizational Culture of a Multi-Campus Community College District: Mixed Methods in Concert

Science.gov (United States)

Kuster Dale, Kimberly

2012-01-01

This concurrent, mixed-methods case study analyzed perceptions of current and preferred organizational culture within a rural, multi-campus community college district. This phenomenon was examined by analyzing and comparing data collected by surveying all full-time employees utilizing the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) and…

Preschool Teachers' Views on Competence in the Context of Home and Preschool Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Vuorinen, Tuula; Sandberg, Anette; Sheridan, Sonja; Williams, Pia

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyse and discuss preschool teachers' views regarding competence within their profession in the context of home and preschool collaboration. The question addressed is as follows: In what situations do preschool teachers perceive that their competence becomes visible for parents? The results, based on interviews…

Lexical and metaphonological abilities in preschoolers with phonological disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Ranilde Cristiane Cavalcante; Avila, Clara Regina Brandão de

2010-01-01

lexical and metaphonological abilities of phonologically disordered preschoolers. to investigate the influence of Phonological Disorder on the lexical and metaphonological abilities of a group of preschoolers and the correlation between them. participants were 56 preschoolers - 32 boys and 24 girls - with ages between 4 years and 6 months and 6 years and 11 months, divided into two different groups: the Research Group, composed of 28 preschoolers with Phonological Disorder, and the Control Group, composed of 28 preschoolers with normal speech and no oral speech-related complaints, paired to the research group by gender and age. All of the participants were initially assessed by the ABFW Test - Phonology. After that, they were assessed on their lexical and metaphonological abilities by the ABFW Test - Vocabulary and phonological awareness test: sequential assessment instrument, CONFIAS - identification tasks and, rhyme and alliteration production, respectively. regarding lexical ability, the preschoolers from both groups presented similar behavior. The disordered preschoolers presented the worst performance on the overall analysis of the metaphonological ability. Age had an influence on the performance of lexical ability for both groups and the metaphonological abilities only for the Control Group. Correlations were identified, mostly positive, good to moderate between lexical and metaphonological abilities. the influence of Phonological Disorder may only be observed on the metaphonological performance. Phonological Disorder did not interfere with the development of the lexical ability of this group of preschoolers. Positive correlations were identified between both abilities in the studied age group.

A multi-objective optimization problem for multi-state series-parallel systems: A two-stage flow-shop manufacturing system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azadeh, A.; Maleki Shoja, B.; Ghanei, S.; Sheikhalishahi, M.

2015-01-01

This research investigates a redundancy-scheduling optimization problem for a multi-state series parallel system. The system is a flow shop manufacturing system with multi-state machines. Each manufacturing machine may have different performance rates including perfect performance, decreased performance and complete failure. Moreover, warm standby redundancy is considered for the redundancy allocation problem. Three objectives are considered for the problem: (1) minimizing system purchasing cost, (2) minimizing makespan, and (3) maximizing system reliability. Universal generating function is employed to evaluate system performance and overall reliability of the system. Since the problem is in the NP-hard class of combinatorial problems, genetic algorithm (GA) is used to find optimal/near optimal solutions. Different test problems are generated to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of proposed approach and compared to simulated annealing optimization method. The results show the proposed approach is capable of finding optimal/near optimal solution within a very reasonable time. - Highlights: • A redundancy-scheduling optimization problem for a multi-state series parallel system. • A flow shop with multi-state machines and warm standby redundancy. • Objectives are to optimize system purchasing cost, makespan and reliability. • Different test problems are generated and evaluated by a unique genetic algorithm. • It locates optimal/near optimal solution within a very reasonable time

Teaching cross-cultural communication skills online: a multi-method evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Amy L; Mader, Emily M; Morley, Christopher P

2015-04-01

Cultural competency education is an important and required part of undergraduate medical education. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether an online cross-cultural communication module could increase student use of cross-cultural communication questions that assess the patient's definition of the problem, the way the problem affects their life, their concerns about the problem, and what the treatment should be (PACT). We used multi-method assessment of students assigned to family medicine clerkship blocks that were randomized to receive online cultural competency and PACT training added to their standard curriculum or to a control group receiving the standard curriculum only. Outcomes included comparison, via analysis of variance, of number of PACT questions used during an observed Standardized Patient Exercise, end-of-year OSCE scores, and qualitative analysis of student narratives. Students (n=119) who participated in the online module (n=60) demonstrated increased use of cross-cultural communication PACT questions compared to the control group (n=59) and generally had positive themes emerge from their reflective writing. The module had the biggest impact on students who later went on to match in high communication specialties. Online teaching of cross-cultural communication skills can be effective at changing medical student behavior.

How much change is true change?: The smallest detectable difference of the Preschool Imitation and Praxis Scale (PIPS) in preschoolers with intellectual disabilities of heterogeneous aetiology

OpenAIRE

Vanvuchelen, Marleen; Vochten, Christine

2011-01-01

The teaching of imitation skills is often the first step in interventions for young learners with intellectual disabilities. The main goal of this study was to determine the smallest detectable difference (SDD) at 95% confidence of the Preschool Imitation and Praxis Scale(PIPS) in preschoolers with intellectual disabilities. Two raters independently scored videotapes of the imitation performance of 44 preschoolers (27 with Down syndrome, 10 with Non-Specific Mental Retardation and 7 with Low-...

A methodology for designing flexible multi-generation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst; Viana Ensinas, Adriano; Münster, Marie

2016-01-01

An FMG (flexible multi-generation system) consists of integrated and flexibly operated facilities that provide multiple links between the various layers of the energy system. FMGs may facilitate integration and balancing of fluctuating renewable energy sources in the energy system in a cost...... is based on consideration of the following points: Selection, location and dimensioning of processes; systematic heat and mass integration; flexible operation optimization with respect to both short-term market fluctuations and long-term energy system development; global sensitivity and uncertainty...... analysis; biomass supply chains; variable part-load performance; and multi-objective optimization considering economic and environmental performance. Tested in a case study, the methodology is proved effective in screening the solution space for efficient FMG designs, in assessing the importance...

Developing Preschoolers' Social Skills: The Effectiveness of Two Educational Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Smogorzewska, Joanna; Szumski, Grzegorz

2018-01-01

This study tested whether and how methods called 'Play Time/Social Time' and 'I Can Problem Solve' contribute to the improvement of social skills and the development of theory of mind (ToM) in children. The participants in the experiment were nearly 200 (N = 196) preschool children with low social functioning, with and without disabilities. The…

Multi-Period Portfolio Optimization of Power Generation Assets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Glensk

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The liberalization and deregulation of the energy industry in the past decades have been significantly affected by changes in the strategies of energy firms. The traditionally used approach of cost minimization was no longer sufficient, risk and market behavior could no longer be ignored and the need for more appropriate optimization methods for uncertain environments was increased. Meanvariance portfolio (MVP theory is one of the more advanced financial methods that has been successfully applied to the energy sector. Unfortunately, this static approach is inadequate for studying multi-stage investment decision problems. The methodology proposed in this paper considering power generation assets is based on the model introduced by Mulvey, who suggests a reallocation approach using the analysis of various scenarios. The adoption of this methodology to power generation assets allows us to capture the impact of variations in the economic and technical parameters considered. The results of our study show that the application of a model for selection of multi-period portfolio can indeed improve the decision making process. Especially for the case of adding new investments to the portfolio mix, this rebalancing model captures new entries very well. (original abstract

The Impact of a Two-Year School Breakfast Program for Preschool-Aged Children on Their Nutrient Intake and Pre-Academic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Worobey, John; Worobey, Harriet S.

1999-01-01

Two studies examined nutritional differences between home breakfasts and breakfasts served at preschool following School Breakfast Program guidelines and evaluated nutritional impact of program participation on 4-year olds' preacademic performance. Results indicated that breakfast intake was altered under school breakfast conditions. Performance…

Multi-modal distribution crossover method based on two crossing segments bounded by selected parents applied to multi-objective design optimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ariyarit, Atthaphon; Kanazaki, Masahiro [Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo (Japan)

2015-04-15

This paper discusses airfoil design optimization using a genetic algorithm (GA) with multi-modal distribution crossover (MMDX). The proposed crossover method creates four segments from four parents, of which two segments are bounded by selected parents and two segments are bounded by one parent and another segment. After these segments are defined, four offsprings are generated. This study applied the proposed optimization to a real-world, multi-objective airfoil design problem using class-shape function transformation parameterization, which is an airfoil representation that uses polynomial function, to investigate the effectiveness of this algorithm. The results are compared with the results of the blend crossover (BLX) and unimodal normal distribution crossover (UNDX) algorithms. The objective of these airfoil design problems is to successfully find the optimal design. The outcome of using this algorithm is superior to that of the BLX and UNDX crossover methods because the proposed method can maintain higher diversity than the BLX and UNDX methods. This advantage is desirable for real-world problems.

Multi-modal distribution crossover method based on two crossing segments bounded by selected parents applied to multi-objective design optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ariyarit, Atthaphon; Kanazaki, Masahiro

2015-01-01

This paper discusses airfoil design optimization using a genetic algorithm (GA) with multi-modal distribution crossover (MMDX). The proposed crossover method creates four segments from four parents, of which two segments are bounded by selected parents and two segments are bounded by one parent and another segment. After these segments are defined, four offsprings are generated. This study applied the proposed optimization to a real-world, multi-objective airfoil design problem using class-shape function transformation parameterization, which is an airfoil representation that uses polynomial function, to investigate the effectiveness of this algorithm. The results are compared with the results of the blend crossover (BLX) and unimodal normal distribution crossover (UNDX) algorithms. The objective of these airfoil design problems is to successfully find the optimal design. The outcome of using this algorithm is superior to that of the BLX and UNDX crossover methods because the proposed method can maintain higher diversity than the BLX and UNDX methods. This advantage is desirable for real-world problems.

Dual-acting of Hybrid Compounds - A New Dawn in the Discovery of Multi-target Drugs: Lead Generation Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdolmaleki, Azizeh; Ghasemi, Jahan B

2017-01-01

Finding high quality beginning compounds is a critical job at the start of the lead generation stage for multi-target drug discovery (MTDD). Designing hybrid compounds as selective multitarget chemical entity is a challenge, opportunity, and new idea to better act against specific multiple targets. One hybrid molecule is formed by two (or more) pharmacophore group's participation. So, these new compounds often exhibit two or more activities going about as multi-target drugs (mtdrugs) and may have superior safety or efficacy. Application of integrating a range of information and sophisticated new in silico, bioinformatics, structural biology, pharmacogenomics methods may be useful to discover/design, and synthesis of the new hybrid molecules. In this regard, many rational and screening approaches have followed by medicinal chemists for the lead generation in MTDD. Here, we review some popular lead generation approaches that have been used for designing multiple ligands (DMLs). This paper focuses on dual- acting chemical entities that incorporate a part of two drugs or bioactive compounds to compose hybrid molecules. Also, it presents some of key concepts and limitations/strengths of lead generation methods by comparing combination framework method with screening approaches. Besides, a number of examples to represent applications of hybrid molecules in the drug discovery are included. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Clonal differences in generation times of GPK epithelial cells in monolayer culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, P A; Hola, M

1980-01-01

Pedigrees of cells in eight clones of guinea pig keratocyte (GPK) cells in monolayer culture were analyzed from a time-lapse film. The generation times and the position in the field of observation were recorded up to the sixth generation when the cultures were still subconfluent. Statistical analysis of the results indicates that the position in the culture has less significance than the clonal origin of the cell in determining the interval between successive mitoses.

Microbial Fuel Cells using Mixed Cultures of Wastewater for Electricity Generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zain, S.M; Roslani, N.S.; Hashim, R.; Anuar, N.; Suja, F.; Basi, N.E.A.; Anuar, N.; Daud, W.R.W.

2011-01-01

Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas and coal) are the main resources for generating electricity. However, they have been major contributors to environmental problems. One potential alternative to explore is the use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which generate electricity using microorganisms. MFCs uses catalytic reactions activated by microorganisms to convert energy preserved in the chemical bonds between organic molecules into electrical energy. MFC has the ability to generate electricity during the wastewater treatment process while simultaneously treating the pollutants. This study investigated the potential of using different types of mixed cultures (raw sewage, mixed liquor from the aeration tank and return waste activated sludge) from an activated sludge treatment plant in MFCs for electricity generation and pollutant removals (COD and total kjeldahl nitrogen, TKN). The MFC in this study was designed as a dual-chambered system, in which the chambers were separated by a Nafion TM membrane using a mixed culture of wastewater as a bio catalyst. The maximum power density generated using activated sludge was 9.053 mW/ cm 2 , with 26.8 % COD removal and 40 % TKN removal. It is demonstrated that MFC offers great potential to optimize power generation using mixed cultures of wastewater. (author)

Performing the comic side of bodily abjection: A study of twenty-first century female stand-up comedy in a multi-cultural and multi-racial Britain

OpenAIRE

Blunden, Pamela

2011-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University. This thesis is a socio-cultural study of the development of female stand-up comedy in the first decade of the twenty-first century within a multi-racial and multi-cultural Britain. It also engages with the theory and practice of performance and asks the question: ‘In what ways can it be said that female stand-up comics perform the comic side of bodily abjection?’ This question is applied to t...

Social Play at the Computer: Preschoolers Scaffold and Support Peers' Computer Competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Nancy K.; Somerindyke, Jennifer

2001-01-01

Describes preschoolers' collaboration during free play in a computer lab, focusing on the computer's contribution to active, peer-mediated learning. Discusses these observations in terms of Parten's insights on children's social play and Vygotsky's socio-cultural learning theory, noting that the children scaffolded each other's growing computer…

Riddle in preschool education

OpenAIRE

Ferjančič, Tanja

2016-01-01

In this work, in theoretical part, I would like to explore and present: (1) the theory of riddle and forms in which it appears; (2) the historical origin of riddles; (3) the emergence of the first riddles in Slovenia; (4) the characteristics of literary riddles and definition how riddles are formed; (5) the importance of the riddles in the preschool period, since most of them are for younger generation; (6) different ways of setting and solving riddles with the youngest according to their abi...

An Adaptive Model Predictive Load Frequency Control Method for Multi-Area Interconnected Power Systems with Photovoltaic Generations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo-Qiang Zeng

2017-11-01

Full Text Available As the penetration level of renewable distributed generations such as wind turbine generator and photovoltaic stations increases, the load frequency control issue of a multi-area interconnected power system becomes more challenging. This paper presents an adaptive model predictive load frequency control method for a multi-area interconnected power system with photovoltaic generation by considering some nonlinear features such as a dead band for governor and generation rate constraint for steam turbine. The dynamic characteristic of this system is formulated as a discrete-time state space model firstly. Then, the predictive dynamic model is obtained by introducing an expanded state vector, and rolling optimization of control signal is implemented based on a cost function by minimizing the weighted sum of square predicted errors and square future control values. The simulation results on a typical two-area power system consisting of photovoltaic and thermal generator have demonstrated the superiority of the proposed model predictive control method to these state-of-the-art control techniques such as firefly algorithm, genetic algorithm, and population extremal optimization-based proportional-integral control methods in cases of normal conditions, load disturbance and parameters uncertainty.

Multi-cooperation of Cultural Heritage Conservation: The Cangdong Project of Guangdong Province

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, J.

2015-09-01

In recent years, some workshops and research cases have arisen in China to seek for suitable ways for heritage conservation and development of historic villages. However, the issue of multi-cooperation has not been much mentioned in research works. The case of Cangdong Project in Guangdong Province is a social enterprise. It is a center focusing on heritage education. It organizes tailor-made workshops for interested people from all over China and Hong Kong, Macao and overseas, including university courses for credits, summer/winter camps for primary and middle school students, as well as common people who are interested in heritage conservation. The purpose of the education center is to enhance heritage/cultural interest of the younger generations and common people, and try to work with local villagers to build a wealthy community. Nowadays, more and more villagers moved out for work and the countryside population in China is decreasing, this project also aims to create work opportunities for villagers through heritage conservation projects, so that the villagers can be willing to stay. The project focuses more in a sustainable way for community development. It has been five years since the project was set up in Cangdong Village. The project team worked with villagers, city people, students, scholars, different levels of local governments, investors, Medias, charitable organizations, as well as the market of tourism. As such, a platform of multi-cooperation for the above parties has formed during the past five years. This paper takes the Project experience from 2010-2015 as the case to study multi-cooperation in the field of heritage conservation in China, as well as to discuss how to co-operate the subjective initiatives of different stokeholds.

Multi-point laser spark generation for internal combustion engines using a spatial light modulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, Elliott; Kuang, Zheng; Dearden, Geoff; Cheng, Hua; Page, Vincent; Shenton, Tom

2014-01-01

This paper reports on a technique demonstrating for the first time successful multi-point laser-induced spark generation, which is variable in three dimensions and derived from a single laser beam. Previous work on laser ignition of internal combustion engines found that simultaneously igniting in more than one location resulted in more stable and faster combustion – a key potential advantage over conventional spark ignition. However, previous approaches could only generate secondary foci at fixed locations. The work reported here is an experimental technique for multi-point laser ignition, in which several sparks with arbitrary spatial location in three dimensions are created by variable diffraction of a pulsed single laser beam source and transmission through an optical plug. The diffractive multi-beam arrays and patterns are generated using a spatial light modulator on which computer generated holograms are displayed. A gratings and lenses algorithm is used to accurately modulate the phase of the input laser beam and create multi-beam output. The underpinning theory, experimental arrangement and results obtained are presented and discussed. (paper)

NATIONAL-REGIONAL COMPONENT IN THE TRAINING OFSPECIALISTS FOR THE BILINGUAL EDUCATION OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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Neonila Vyacheslavovna Ivanova

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The article deals with some aspects of the implementation of the content of the national-regional component in the training of future specialists of preschool education.Methodology: Used in the study of the methodological principles: a systematic approach, personality, activity, polysubject (dialogical, cultural, ethnopedagogical. In accordance with the logic of scientific research work is a set of theoretical and empirical methods, the combination of which gives you the opportunity to explore the most confident object of study (methods for the study of teaching experience, methods of theoretical research.Results: Study of research and teaching experience in the implementation of national and regional content component of professional training for communicative language development of preschool children in a multilingual context and the dialogue of cultures.Practical implications: Еducational system of higher education.

Effects of multi-photon interferences from internally generated fields in strongly resonant systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Lu; Payne, Marvin G.; Garrett, William R.

2006-01-01

In studies of various nonlinear optical phenomena, strong resonant features in the atomic or molecular response to multi-photon driven processes have been used to greatly enhance the visibility of otherwise weak higher-order processes. However, there are well defined circumstances where a multi-photon-resonant response of a target system leads to the generation of one or more new electromagnetic fields that can drastically change the overall system response from what would be expected from the imposed laser fields alone. New effects can occur and dominate some aspects of the nonlinear optical response because of the constructive or destructive interference between transition amplitudes along multiple excitation pathways between a given set of optically coupled states, where one of the pathways involve internally generated field(s). Under destructive interference some resonant enhancements can become completely canceled (suppressed). This review focuses on the class of optical interference effects associated with internally generated fields, that have been found to be capable of influencing a very significant number of basic physical phenomena in gas or vapor phase systems. It provides a historical overview of experimental and theoretical developments and a modern understanding of the underlying physics and its various manifestations that include: suppression of multi-photon excitation processes, suppression of stimulated emissions (Raman, hyper-Raman, and optically pumped stimulated emissions), saturation of parametric wave-mixing, pressure and beam-geometry dependent shifting of multi-photon-resonant absorption lines, and the suppression of Autler-Townes splitting and ac-stark shifts. Additionally, optical interference effects in some modern contexts, such as achieving multi-photon induced transparency, establishing single-photon self-interference based induced transparency, and generating entangled single photon states, are reviewed

Multi-objective optimal strategy for generating and bidding in the power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Chunhua; Sun Huijuan; Guo Jianfeng; Liu Gang

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A new benefit/risk/emission comprehensive generation optimization model is established. ► A hybrid multi-objective differential evolution optimization algorithm is designed. ► Fuzzy set theory and entropy weighting method are employed to extract the general best solution. ► The proposed approach of generating and bidding is efficient for maximizing profit and minimizing both risk and emissions. - Abstract: Based on the coordinated interaction between units output and electricity market prices, the benefit/risk/emission comprehensive generation optimization model with objectives of maximal profit and minimal bidding risk and emissions is established. A hybrid multi-objective differential evolution optimization algorithm, which successfully integrates Pareto non-dominated sorting with differential evolution algorithm and improves individual crowding distance mechanism and mutation strategy to avoid premature and unevenly search, is designed to achieve Pareto optimal set of this model. Moreover, fuzzy set theory and entropy weighting method are employed to extract one of the Pareto optimal solutions as the general best solution. Several optimization runs have been carried out on different cases of generation bidding and scheduling. The results confirm the potential and effectiveness of the proposed approach in solving the multi-objective optimization problem of generation bidding and scheduling. In addition, the comparison with the classical optimization algorithms demonstrates the superiorities of the proposed algorithm such as integrality of Pareto front, well-distributed Pareto-optimal solutions, high search speed.

Eating out of home and dietary adequacy in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Teresa; Severo, Milton; Oliveira, Andreia; Ramos, Elisabete; Rodrigues, Sara; Lopes, Carla

2015-07-01

The present study aims to describe dietary intake and dietary adequacy according to eating location in preschool children. A sub-sample of 2414 children from the Generation XXI birth cohort (Porto, Portugal), evaluated during the follow-up between 2009 and 2011, was included. Dietary intake was assessed by 3 d food diaries and four groups of children were defined according to the eating location: 'Home' ( ≥ 80% of meals at home), 'Other homes', 'Preschool' and 'Restaurants'. A dietary adequacy index was developed based on general recommendations for children; a higher score represents a better dietary adequacy. The comparison of nutrients and foods daily intake according to the eating location groups was performed by ANOVA and ANCOVA to adjust for potential confounders. Children classified in 'Preschool' group ate significantly more vegetables, fruit, bread and fish, and less meat, compared to children classified into the 'Home' group. Children classified in the 'Restaurants' group ate more cakes, salty snacks and fruit juices than children in 'Home' group; and less vegetables, dairy products and pasta/rice/potatoes. In 'Restaurants' children obtained the lowest mean score of the dietary adequacy index (15.5, 95% CI 14.8, 16.3) and in 'Preschool' children had the highest mean score (18.3, 95% CI 18.1, 18.4), corresponding to a better dietary adequacy. Preschools seem to have a relevant role in promoting the intake of healthy foods in preschool children. The consumption in restaurants/coffee shops seems to contribute to energy-dense food intake and reduced consumption of nutrient-dense foods.

Randomized Comparison of Two Communication Interventions for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Yoder, Paul; Stone, Wendy L.

2006-01-01

This randomized group experiment compared the efficacy of 2 communication interventions (Responsive Education and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching [RPMT] and the Picture Exchange Communication System [PECS]) in 36 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Each treatment was delivered 3 times per week, in 20-min sessions, for 6 months. The results…

Experimental study of the effect of Nd:YAG laser on dental hard tissues: comparison between multi-pulse and free-generation emission code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carballosa Amor, A.; Tellez Jimenez, H.; Ponce Flores, E.; Flores Reyes, T.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare and contrast the morphological changes on dental hard tissue when irradiated with a Nd: YAG laser both on multi-pulse mode, with a Q: Switch of Cr: YAG passive, and on free generation mode. The experimental sample consisted of 6 healthy third molars which were divided equally and randomly between the two emission methods. The depths of each perforation were measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). It was noted that, despite being less energy in the multi-pulse mode, the first three shots in this achieved deeper cavities than the ones on the free generation mode. Also, less damage to surrounding tissue were obtained on multi-pulse mode. (Author)

Learning craft skills. Exploring preschoolers' craft making process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virpi Yliverronen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to explore a preschooler craft-making process in which 18 preschool novices cut pieces for fabric bags and designed and printed patterns to decorate the bags. Through the task, children were familiarised with a small-scale holistic craft process. The intention was to determine how preschoolers perceived, verbalised and interpreted the craft-making process and how children used bodily expressions when explaining a learned craft skill. The present study relies on the videographic method: two preschool groups’ stamp printing activities were recorded, and each child was interviewed individually. Children’s embodied expressions were particularly in focus in video analysis. The results reveal that all the children were able to sufficiently explain the making phase, however, some children compensated for missing words using bodily and facial expressions and gestures when talking about making. The results showed that children worked logically, and the skill learning phases of perceiving, making, and interpretation were revealed from their learning.

Harmonious Parents and Their Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Baumrind, Diana

1971-01-01

This brief report describes harmonious parents and their children. The six preschool daughters whose parents were harmonious were outstandingly competent but the opposite was true of the two sons. (Author/WY)

Collaboration between Mathematics Facilitators and Preschool Teachers Using the Innovative "Senso-Math" Preschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hassidov, Dina; Ilany, Bat-Sheva

2018-01-01

This article presents a mixed-method study of the innovative "Senso-Math" preschool program and the reactions of both the facilitators, who underwent a special training program, and the preschool teachers in whose classes the program was implemented. The goal of the program is to enhance mathematical development in preschool children…

Leveraging multi-generational workforce values in interactive information societies

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Sophie van der Walt

2010-11-01

Objectives: This article advocates the need for generational awareness and addresses how this awareness presents benefits to companies, such as, increased productivity, improved succession planning policies and strategies to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. The research problem is directed at how diversity management influences Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y in terms of their work performance and co-worker relationships. Method: The research design combines Critical Theory and Generational Theory within the mixed-method paradigm. The sequential exploratory design was decided upon as it studies the unknown relationships between different generations of employees. The literature review was followed by a quantitative empirical research component and data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Results: The findings highlight specific differences between generations regarding their perspectives on work values and co-worker relationships, rewards, work-life balance and retirement. Conclusion: The article concludes with recommendations on the role diversity management plays in terms of work performance and co-worker relationships. By leveraging generational awareness in the interactive information society organizations with a multi-generational workforce will succeed in the competitive business environment.

On two-generator satellite knots

OpenAIRE

Bleiler, Steven A.; Jones, Amelia C.

1997-01-01

Techniques are introduced which determine the geometric structure of non-simple two-generator $3$-manifolds from purely algebraic data. As an application, the satellite knots in the $3$-sphere with a two-generator presentation in which at least one generator is represented by a meridian for the knot are classified.

Science and mathematics teaching through local games in preschools of Botswana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kabita Bose

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents a study regarding preschool teachers’ skills and competencies in teaching science and mathematics. The aim of the project was twofold; one to find out the preschool teachers’ knowledge about mathematics and science concepts and then to develop support material to empower them with skills and competencies to teach these concepts in preschools. A qualitative approach was adopted, and a case study method was used. Data were collected through two workshops and focus group discussions with preschool teachers. The study revealed that the preschool teachers had content knowledge, but lacked pedagogical knowledge that is crucial in teaching of preschool children, and they provided science and mathematics experiences in preschools scarcely. A resource book of 33 local games and rhymes thus was developed as a support material to empower the teachers with skills and competencies to use play to teach science and mathematics in preschools. The resource book developed consists of 33 local games/rhymes and is packaged with the games’ illustrations, steps and rules followed in the games, science and mathematics concepts and competencies that could be taught to children, along with probing questions that would help in teaching of science and mathematics concepts to children.

Impact of the two different iron fortified cookies on treatment of anemia in preschool children in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Landim, Liejy Agnes; Pessoa, Marcia Luiza Dos Santos Beserra; Brandão, Amanda de Castro Amorim Serpa; Morgano, Marcelo Antonio; Marcos Antônio de Mota Araújo, Marcos Antônio De Mota Araújo; Rocha, Maurisrael De Moura; Arêas, José Alfredo Gomes; Moreira-Araújo, Regilda Saraiva Dos Reis

2016-09-20

Nutritional intervention in pre-school children using cookies prepared with wheat flour enriched with iron and folic acid (CWFFeFA) and cookies prepared with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) flour fortified with iron and zinc and wheat flour enriched with iron and folic acid (CCFFeZn + WFFeFA). To assess the impact of the ingestion of CWFFeFA and CCFFeZn + WFFeFA by pre-school children, using the cowpea variety BRS-Xiquexique, to control iron-deficiency anaemia. Nutritional intervention was conducted in municipal day care centres selected at random (n = 262) involving pre-school children aged 2 to 5 years living in Teresina, state of Piauí, Brazil. To assess the socioeconomic data, BMI-for-age, haemoglobin levels before and after intervention, and dietary intake, the children were divided into group 1 (G1), which received CWFFeFA (30 g), and group 2 (G2), which received CCFFeZn + WFFeFA (30 g). Food acceptance was evaluated daily. The prevalence of anaemia in G1 and G2 before the nutritional intervention was 12.2% (n = 18) and 11.5% (n = 30), respectively. After intervention, the prevalence decreased to 1.4% in G1 (n = 2) and to 4.2% in G2 (n = 11). Food acceptance by pre-school children in G1 and G2 was 97.4% and 94.3%, respectively. The use of both types of cookie formulations decreased the prevalence of anaemia among pre-school children, and CCFFeZn + WFFeFA yielded the greatest decrease.

Introduction to Special Issue "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bloomfield, Kim; Gmel, Gerhard; Wilsnack, Sharon

2006-01-01

and global level. Country surveys were independently conducted and then centralized at one institution for further data standardization and processing. Several results indicated that the greater the societal gender equality in a country, the smaller the gender differences in drinking behavior. In most...... analyses the smallest gender differences in drinking behaviour were found in Nordic countries, followed by western and central European countries, with the largest gender differences in countries with developing economies.......This paper provides an introduction to a series of articles reporting results from the EU concerted action "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study" which examined differences in drinking among women and men in 13 European and two non-European countries. The gender gap...

Reduction of multi-dimensional laboratory data to a two-dimensional plot: a novel technique for the identification of laboratory error.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazmierczak, Steven C; Leen, Todd K; Erdogmus, Deniz; Carreira-Perpinan, Miguel A

2007-01-01

The clinical laboratory generates large amounts of patient-specific data. Detection of errors that arise during pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes is difficult. We performed a pilot study, utilizing a multidimensional data reduction technique, to assess the utility of this method for identifying errors in laboratory data. We evaluated 13,670 individual patient records collected over a 2-month period from hospital inpatients and outpatients. We utilized those patient records that contained a complete set of 14 different biochemical analytes. We used two-dimensional generative topographic mapping to project the 14-dimensional record to a two-dimensional space. The use of a two-dimensional generative topographic mapping technique to plot multi-analyte patient data as a two-dimensional graph allows for the rapid identification of potentially anomalous data. Although we performed a retrospective analysis, this technique has the benefit of being able to assess laboratory-generated data in real time, allowing for the rapid identification and correction of anomalous data before they are released to the physician. In addition, serial laboratory multi-analyte data for an individual patient can also be plotted as a two-dimensional plot. This tool might also be useful for assessing patient wellbeing and prognosis.

Challenges and Responses to the Vulnerability of Families in a Preschool Context

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Nada Turnšek

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Problems in vulnerable families are multilayered and include the intersection of physical, psychosocial and other forms of distress. The multidimensional nature of the problems of these families is closely linked to the fact that there are many institutions in the field of education, social welfare, health care and others, in which treatment and support are not satisfactory or adapted to their needs. The article presents the partial results of a large-scale qualitative research study, results that refer to the position of vulnerable families in the context of preschool education. The study examined how vulnerability is experienced by parents of preschool children, how the expert workers in the preschools involved in the study responded to the parents’ vulnerability, and how they cooperated with experts from other services outside the preschool. A qualitative research method was used in the study. Data was collected partly through semi-structured interviews with various expert workers employed in two preschools, as well as with the parents of children in the preschools; the interviews were conducted individually and in focus groups. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, we have identified four representative themes: amongst parents, the two recurring themes can be subsumed under the headings “from door to door” and “adaptation/flexibility”, and amongst experts, under the headings “powerlessness/ incompetence/lack of information” and “power/innovation/ sensitivity”. The study finds that the ability to effectively contend with vulnerability presumes a reconceptualisation of the attitude of institutional preschool education towards the family, including a change in the professional role of preschool teachers.

Results from an experimental trial at a Head Start center to evaluate two meal service approaches to increase fruit and vegetable intake of preschool aged children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harnack Lisa J

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption of preschool aged children are needed. Objectives Evaluate the independent effects of the following meal service strategies on intake of fruits and vegetables of preschool children: 1. Serving fruits and vegetables in advance of other menu items as part of traditional family style meal service; and 2. Serving meals portioned and plated by providers. Methods Fifty-three preschool aged children completed a randomized crossover experiment conducted at a Head Start center in Minneapolis, MN. Over a six week trial period each of the experimental meal service strategies (serving fruits and vegetable first and serving meals portioned by providers was implemented during lunch service for two one-week periods. Two one-week control periods (traditional family style meal service with all menu items served at once were also included over the six week trial period. Childrens lunch intake was observed as a measure of food and nutrient intake during each experimental condition. Results Fruit intake was significantly higher (p Conclusions Serving fruits in advance of other meal items may be a low cost easy to implement strategy for increasing fruit intake in young children. However, serving vegetables first does not appear to increase vegetable intake. Results provide support for current recommendations for traditional family style meal service in preschool settings.

Study the multi-photon absorption process in two types of molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-azawi, H.R.

1986-01-01

The aim of the present work was to study the multi-photon absorption process in two types of molecules; spherical top such as SF 6 molecules and assymetric top such as CHOOH and C 2 H 4 molecules. This work also aimed to study the effect of buffer gas pressure (Ar), which is transparent to the infrared (IR) laser on the multiphoton absorption of both types of molecules. A pulsed (TEA) CO 2 laser was used as a source which generates multi-lines in the IR-region of the spectrum and an optoacoustic detector was used to detect the energy absorbed by the molecules. In this study, the relaxation process was found to be faster in the heavy molecules than that in the light ones. A limit in the Ar pressure was observed. Below this limit, the gas acted as an active buffer gas and above it, the multi-photon absorption process was quenched. This work also aimed to study the multi-photon absorption spectrum for the CHOOH molecules in the range (1067-1090 cm -1 ). This spectrum was found to be consistent with the linear absorption spectrum obtained for the same range. The density of the vibrational states as a function of the vibrational energy was studied for the molecules SF 6 , CHOOH and C 2 H 4 . The results were used to interpret (i) the difference in the energy absorbed by difference molecules at the same energy density and (ii) the non-linearity in the multi-photon absorption for CHOOH molecules. 1 tab.; 40 figs.; 70 refs

Transition between Swedish Preschool and Preschool Class: A Question about Interweaving Care and Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Alatalo, Tarja; Meier, Joanna; Frank, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

This study highlights teachers' experiences with transition from Swedish preschool to preschool class, i.e. from the daycare centre to the formal school. One assumption was that transition activities, to favour continuity in the long-term, need to focus on children's learning within the target areas that the policy documents specify for preschool.…

Multi-Generation Concentrating Solar-Hydrogen Power System for Sustainable Rural Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krothapalli, A.; Greska, B.

2007-07-01

This paper describes an energy system that is designed to meet the demands of rural populations that currently have no access to grid-connected electricity. Besides electricity, it is well recognized that rural populations need at least a centralized refrigeration system for storage of medicines and other emergency supplies, as well as safe drinking water. Here we propose a district system that will employ a multi-generation concentrated solar power (CSP) system that will generate electricity and supply the heat needed for both absorption refrigeration and membrane distillation (MD) water purification. The electricity will be used to generate hydrogen through highly efficient water electrolysis and individual households can use the hydrogen for generating electricity, via affordable proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and as a fuel for cooking. The multi-generation system is being developed such that its components will be easy to manufacture and maintain. As a result, these components will be less efficient than their typical counterparts but their low cost-to-efficiency ratio will allow for us to meet our installation cost goal of $1/Watt for the entire system. The objective of this paper is to introduce the system concept and discuss the system components that are currently under development. (auth)

Optimal Golomb Ruler Sequences Generation for Optical WDM Systems: A Novel Parallel Hybrid Multi-objective Bat Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Shonak; Singh, Arun Kumar; Gupta, Neena

2017-02-01

In real-life, multi-objective engineering design problems are very tough and time consuming optimization problems due to their high degree of nonlinearities, complexities and inhomogeneity. Nature-inspired based multi-objective optimization algorithms are now becoming popular for solving multi-objective engineering design problems. This paper proposes original multi-objective Bat algorithm (MOBA) and its extended form, namely, novel parallel hybrid multi-objective Bat algorithm (PHMOBA) to generate shortest length Golomb ruler called optimal Golomb ruler (OGR) sequences at a reasonable computation time. The OGRs found their application in optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems as channel-allocation algorithm to reduce the four-wave mixing (FWM) crosstalk. The performances of both the proposed algorithms to generate OGRs as optical WDM channel-allocation is compared with other existing classical computing and nature-inspired algorithms, including extended quadratic congruence (EQC), search algorithm (SA), genetic algorithms (GAs), biogeography based optimization (BBO) and big bang-big crunch (BB-BC) optimization algorithms. Simulations conclude that the proposed parallel hybrid multi-objective Bat algorithm works efficiently as compared to original multi-objective Bat algorithm and other existing algorithms to generate OGRs for optical WDM systems. The algorithm PHMOBA to generate OGRs, has higher convergence and success rate than original MOBA. The efficiency improvement of proposed PHMOBA to generate OGRs up to 20-marks, in terms of ruler length and total optical channel bandwidth (TBW) is 100 %, whereas for original MOBA is 85 %. Finally the implications for further research are also discussed.

Cost-analysis of an oral health outreach program for preschool children in a low socioeconomic multicultural area in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Wennhall, Inger; Norlund, Anders; Matsson, Lars; Twetman, Svante

2010-01-01

The aim was to calculate the total and the net costs per child included in a 3-year caries preventive program for preschool children and to make estimates of expected lowest and highest costs in a sensitivity analysis. The direct costs for prevention and dental care were applied retrospectively to a comprehensive oral health outreach project for preschool children conducted in a low-socioeconomic multi-cultural urban area. The outcome was compared with historical controls from the same area with conventional dental care. The cost per minute for the various dental professions was added to the cost of materials, rental facilities and equipment based on accounting data. The cost for fillings was extracted from a specified per diem list. Overhead costs were assumed to correspond to 50% of salaries and all costs were calculated as net present value per participating child in the program and expressed in Euro. The results revealed an estimated total cost of 310 Euro per included child (net present value) in the 3-year program. Half of the costs were attributed to the first year of the program and the costs of manpower constituted 45% of the total costs. When the total cost was reduced with the cost of conventional care and the revenue of avoided fillings, the net cost was estimated to 30 Euro. A sensitivity analysis displayed that a net gain could be possible with a maximal outcome of the program. In conclusion, the estimated net costs were displayed and available to those considering implementation of a similar population-based preventive program in areas where preschool children are at high caries risk.

Generating Culture-Specific Gestures for Virtual Agent Dialogs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Endrass, Birgit; Damian, Ionut; Huber, Peter

2010-01-01

Integrating culture into the behavioral model of virtual agents has come into focus lately. When investigating verbal aspects of behavior, nonverbal behaviors are desirably added automatically, driven by the speech-act. In this paper, we present a corpus driven approach of generating gestures...

The influence of cross-cultural interviewing on the generation of data ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cultural interviews and problematised data generation as a vital contributor in cross-cultural data collection. An Interview Process Model was adapted from the Response Process Model of Miller and Cannell, and used to understand how responses ...

Cultural Transmission and Evolution of Melodic Structures in Multi-generational Signaling Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lumaca, Massimo; Baggio, G.

2017-01-01

It has been proposed that languages evolve by adapting to the perceptual and cognitive constraints of the human brain, developing, in the course of cultural transmission, structural regularities that maximize or optimize learnability and ease of processing. To what extent would perceptual and cog...

Looking across three generations of Alaska Natives to explore how culture fosters indigenous resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Wexler, Lisa

2014-02-01

Research has established connection between indigenous culture--often described in terms of cultural identity, enculturation, and participation in traditional activities--and resilience, the process by which people overcome acute and ongoing challenges. Despite correlations between culture and resilience, research has seldom described the ways these concepts are linked in indigenous people's narratives. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to the affect of historical trauma on different generations' understanding and deployment of "culture" in the context of hardship. This project, conducted in the summer of 2008 in an indigenous Arctic community, focuses on narratives from three generations who have experienced different degrees of cultural suppression in their lifetimes. From this starting point, the study explores how individuals make meaning and take strength from particular notions of culture, and illuminates the ways each generation accesses and deploys their cultural understandings in the face of hardship. By identifying the similarities and differences in both the challenges and sources of strength for each generation, the paper highlights how understandings of culture are shaped by historical experiences and modified through time. The differing ways that culture fosters strength, purpose, and fortitude (or does not) in indigenous young people's, adults' and Elders' life stories provide clues for enhancing indigenous youth resilience. Findings suggest that "culture" can galvanize Inupiaq people's sense of identity, feeling of commitment, and purpose, all of which are protective. However, young people need support in developing particular ideas around cultural identity and group membership that can contribute to resilience.

The Next Generation: Students Discuss Archaeology in the 21st Century

OpenAIRE

Sands, Ashley; Butler, Kristin

2010-01-01

The Next Generation Project is a multi-agent, multi-directional cultural diplomacy effort. The need for communication among emerging archaeologists has never been greater. Increasingly, archaeological sites are impacted by military activity, destroyed through the development of dams and building projects, and torn apart through looting. The Next Generation Project works to develop communication via social networking sites online and through in-person meetings at international conferences. As ...

Globalization, localization and food culture: perceived roles of social and cultural capitals in healthy child feeding practices in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Keiko; Ominami, Chihiro; Song, Chunyan; Murayama, Nobuko; Wolff, Cindy

2014-03-01

The current study examined parental perceptions of sociocultural factors associated with healthy child feeding practices among parents of preschool-age children in rural Japan. Fifteen Japanese mothers of preschool-age children participated in this qualitative study. These participants were aged 22-39 years and resided in a rural town in western Japan. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to assess parental perceptions of healthy child feeding practices and their relationships with globalization and localization. These interviews were transcribed, translated into English and coded, based on the principles of grounded theory. A codebook was developed and pre-identified, and the newly-identified themes from this codebook were examined and compared. Overall, local and seasonal foods, along with traditional Japanese foods and simple foods (soshoku), were considered to be beneficial for children. Participants also noted that children were expected to be mindful and exhibit good table manners that reflect cultural values related to meal-time socializing or family bonding, and food appreciation. On the other hand, the majority of the participants stated that foods containing food additives and imported foods were unsuitable for children. Participants noted that strong social capital, especially social support from their mothers or mothers-in-law, as well as social networks for obtaining fresh local foods, contributed to healthy child feeding practices. Cultural capital (including the preservation of traditional Japanese dietary habits, eating rules and inter-generational commensality), was also identified as being key to healthy feeding practices. Identifying and promoting the social and cultural capital that positively support healthy child feeding practices may be an important component of nutrition education programs.

Metaphase II oocytes from human unilaminar follicles grown in a multi-step culture system.

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, M; Albertini, D F; Wallace, W H B; Anderson, R A; Telfer, E E

2018-03-01

Can complete oocyte development be achieved from human ovarian tissue containing primordial/unilaminar follicles and grown in vitro in a multi-step culture to meiotic maturation demonstrated by the formation of polar bodies and a Metaphase II spindle? Development of human oocytes from primordial/unilaminar stages to resumption of meiosis (Metaphase II) and emission of a polar body was achieved within a serum free multi-step culture system. Complete development of oocytes in vitro has been achieved in mouse, where in vitro grown (IVG) oocytes from primordial follicles have resulted in the production of live offspring. Human oocytes have been grown in vitro from the secondary/multi-laminar stage to obtain fully grown oocytes capable of meiotic maturation. However, there are no reports of a culture system supporting complete growth from the earliest stages of human follicle development through to Metaphase II. Ovarian cortical biopsies were obtained with informed consent from women undergoing elective caesarean section (mean age: 30.7 ± 1.7; range: 25-39 years, n = 10). Laboratory setting. Ovarian biopsies were dissected into thin strips, and after removal of growing follicles were cultured in serum free medium for 8 days (Step 1). At the end of this period secondary/multi-laminar follicles were dissected from the strips and intact follicles 100-150 μm in diameter were selected for further culture. Isolated follicles were cultured individually in serum free medium in the presence of 100 ng/ml of human recombinant Activin A (Step 2). Individual follicles were monitored and after 8 days, cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were retrieved by gentle pressure on the cultured follicles. Complexes with complete cumulus and adherent mural granulosa cells were selected and cultured in the presence of Activin A and FSH on membranes for a further 4 days (Step 3). At the end of Step 3, complexes containing oocytes >100 μm diameter were selected for IVM in SAGE medium (Step 4) then

Two New Rating Scales for Assessment of ADHD Symptoms in Italian Preschool Children: A Comparison between Parent and Teacher Ratings

Science.gov (United States)

Re, Anna Maria; Cornoldi, Cesare

2009-01-01

Objective: Two new rating scales are presented for the assessment of ADHD symptoms in Italian preschool children, and the agreement between parents and teachers on the presence of an ADHD profile is examined. Method: The scales were administered to parents and teachers of 180 children with a mean age of 5 years and 9 months, attending final year…

Feasibility of spirometry testing in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampschmidt, Jordan C; Brooks, Edward G; Cherry, Debra C; Guajardo, Jesus R; Wood, Pamela R

2016-03-01

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of obtaining acceptable and reproducible spirometry data in preschool aged children (3-5 years) by technicians without prior experience with spirometry. Two technicians were trained to perform spirometry testing (ndd Easy on-PC) and to administer standardized questionnaires. Preschool aged children were enrolled from two Head Start centers and a local primary care clinic. Subjects were trained in proper spirometry technique and tested until at least two acceptable efforts were obtained or the subject no longer produced acceptable efforts. 200 subjects were enrolled: mean age 4.0 years (± 0.7 SD); age distribution: 51 (25.5%) 3 years old, 103 (51.5%) 4 years old, and 46 (23%) 5 years old. Fifty-six percent male and 75% Hispanic. One hundred thirty (65%) subjects produced at least one acceptable effort on their first visit: 23 (45%) for 3 years old, 67 (65%) for 4 years old, and 40 (87%) for 5 years old. The number of acceptable efforts correlated with age (r = 0.29, P spirometry results from the preschool aged children; the number of acceptable efforts correlated significantly with age. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intrinsic reading motivation of Chinese preschoolers and its relationships with home literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Hui; Salili, Farideh

2008-10-01

The relationship between intrinsic motivation and home literacy of preschoolers was explored. One hundred and seventy-seven preschool children (3.8 to 6.6 years old) in Mainland China and one of the parents who primarily took care of each child participated in the study. Six indicators were considered as a measure of home literacy. Results showed that after controlling for parents' education level and children's age, three home literacy indicators-parental model of reading behaviour, number of books, and years of character teaching-could explain children's intrinsic reading motivation. Contrary to previous Western studies, Chinese children's freedom of book choice was not related to their intrinsic reading motivation. Results are discussed in the context of culture differences.

Assessment of Quality for Inclusive Programs in Greek Preschool Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Fyssa, Aristea; Vlachou, Anastasia

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the practices that Greek teachers use to support the inclusion of children with disabilities in general preschools. Fifty-two preschool units for children between 4 and 6 years of age participated in this study. Data were collected through systematic observation with the use of the Inclusive…

ICF-CY as a Framework for Understanding Child Engagement in Preschool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margareta Adolfsson

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Engagement in preschool predicts children's development, learning, and wellbeing in later school years. The time children engage in activities and social interactions is conditional for preschool inclusion. Engagement is part of the construct participation, which is determined by attendance and involvement. Two suggested underlying dimensions of engagement had been identified as essential when assessing children's participation in preschool activities. As engagement is a key question in inclusion of all children, and preschool becomes a common context for them, it is increasingly important to understand the concept of engagement in those settings. In Sweden most children attend preschool but children in need of special support tend not to receive enough support for their everyday functioning. This study aimed to conceptualize child engagement in preschool with ICF-CY as a framework to clarify core and developmental engagement dimensions included in Child Engagement Questionnaire (CEQ. The content of CEQ was identified through linking processes based on ICF linking rules with some exceptions. Specific challenges and solutions were acknowledged. To identify engagement dimensions in the ICF-CY, CEQ items related to ICF-CY chapters were integrated in the two-dimensional model of engagement. Findings showed that engagement measured for preschool ages was mostly related to Learning and Applying knowledge belonging to Activities and Participation but the linkage detected missing areas. Broader perspectives of children's everyday functioning require extended assessment with consideration to mutual influences between activities, participation, body functions, and contextual factors. Related to core and developmental engagement, findings highlight the importance for preschool staff to pay attention to how children do things, not only what they do. Activities related to core engagement include basic skills; those related to developmental engagement set

Generation and measurement of multi megagauss fields in inertial ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We present here the development of a facility to generate high (multi megagauss) magnetic field of 4 to 5 s rise time, using inertial magnets. The facility includes a low inductance, high current capacitor bank (280 kJ/40 kV) and an inertial magnet, which is a copper disk machined to have a keyhole in it. As the high current ...

Two New Multi-component BKP Hierarchies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Hongxia; Liu Xiaojun; Zeng Yunbo

2009-01-01

We firstly propose two kinds of new multi-component BKP (mcBKP) hierarchy based on the eigenfunction symmetry reduction and nonstandard reduction, respectively. The first one contains two types of BKP equation with self-consistent sources whose Lax representations are presented. The two mcBKP hierarchies both admit reductions to the k-constrained BKP hierarchy and to integrable (1+1)-dimensional hierarchy with self-consistent sources, which include two types of SK equation with self-consistent sources and of bi-directional SK equations with self-consistent sources.

Nature in Preschool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husted, Mia; Frøkjær, Thorleif

‘Nature and nature phenomena’ has formed a specific curriculum theme in Danish preschool since early childhood curriculum was prescribed by law in 2004. However, recent evaluations show that the implementation of an early childhood curriculum has not produced an increased pedagogical focus...... on ‘nature and nature phenomena’ in preschools (EVA 2012). This finding, along with an increased political interest in goals and measurable outcome of early childhood curriculum (Broström 2012), will be the starting point in our ambition to carry out a more thorough qualitative investigation into links...... between preschool teachers’ understanding and interest in teaching nature and the rather poor evaluation....

Preschool teachers’ reasoning about interactive whiteboard embedded in Swedish preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Bourbour

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate the ways in which teachers enact the interactive whiteboard (IWB in Swedish preschools in relation to preschool children’s mathematical learning. Data collected from interviews with four preschool teachers have provided the opportunity to consider the potential of IWB to facilitate a creative approach to young children’s mathematic education. The findings suggest that IWB use in preschool is mostly viewed as “Space for children to involve in problem-solving situations”, “Supporting collaborative learning and mutual negotiation”, “Goal-oriented mathematics learning facilitated by IWB” and “Retaining children’s interest in learning activities”. This study also highlights the importance of teachers’ technological knowledge and skills in mediating the interaction and facilitating the use of IWB in preschool pedagogical practices. Normal 0 21 false false false SV JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Television viewing and externalizing problems in preschool children: the Generation R Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Verlinden, Marina; Tiemeier, Henning; Hudziak, James J; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Raat, Hein; Guxens, Mònica; Hofman, Albert; Verhulst, Frank C; Jansen, Pauline W

2012-10-01

To determine whether the amount, type, and patterns of television viewing predict the onset or the persistence of externalizing problems in preschool children. Longitudinal study of a prospective population-based cohort in the Netherlands. Parents reported time of television exposure and type of programs watched by children. Externalizing problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist at 18 and 36 months. A population-based sample of 3913 children. Television viewing time, content, and patterns of exposure (at 24 and 36 months) in children with and without preexisting problems to assess the incidence and persistence of externalizing problems. Externalizing problems at 36 months. Program content and time of television exposure assessed at 24 months did not predict the incidence of externalizing problems at 36 months (odds ratio, 2.24; 95% CI, 0.97-5.18). However, the patterns of exposure over time reflecting high levels of television viewing were associated with the incidence of externalizing problems (odds ratio, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.07-3.75) and the persistence of the preexisting externalizing problems (2.59; 1.03-6.55). Our study showed that high television exposure increases the risk of the incidence and the persistence of externalizing problems in preschool children.

Pre-School Education in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Tessa

The extent and nature of preschool education in Europe is discussed, with reference to England and Wales, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Reports on preschool education in these countries give examples of both an early and a late start to compulsory education, very extensive and very limited preschool provision, and the effects of…

Physical Activity in Preschool Children: Comparison between Montessori and Traditional Preschools

Science.gov (United States)

Pate, Russell R.; O'Neill, Jennifer R.; Byun, Wonwoo; McIver, Kerry L.; Dowda, Marsha; Brown, William H.

2014-01-01

Background: Little is known about the influence of Montessori methods on children's physical activity (PA). This cross-sectional study compared PA of children attending Montessori and traditional preschools. Methods: We enrolled 301 children in 9 Montessori and 8 traditional preschools in Columbia, South Carolina. PA was measured by accelerometry…

Experiences of Adult Students in Multi-Generational Community College Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Clemente, Kathleen Ann

2010-01-01

This qualitative study is a basic interpretative inquiry studying the experiences of fourteen adult students 45 years of age or older in a multi-generational community college classroom. The study is informed by social constructivism, social constructionism and andragogy. It focused on how students viewed their experiences in the…

Science Education in Preschool: How to Assimilate the Reggio Emilia Pedagogy in a Turkish Preschool

Science.gov (United States)

Inan, Hatice Zeynep

2009-01-01

This commentary manuscript, which was part of a larger research project, aimed to show how teachers can help preschoolers construct their knowledge of science and meet preschool science standards successfully in a Reggio Emilia approach. The demonstrations for preschool teachers are summarized as follows: be inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach;…

Physiological improvement in the copepod Eurytemora affinis through thermal and multi-generational selection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Souissi, Anissa; Souissi, Sami; Hansen, Benni Winding

2016-01-01

As a major part of fish larval diet in nature, copepods constitute an appropriate live prey for aquaculture purposes. Considering the difficulty of mastering copepod mass production, studies on their growth performance at different environmental conditions are needed to improve their productivity....... In this study a new selective approach based on temperature control is proposed to improve the physiological (body size, fecundity and lipid storage) performance of copepods. The estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis known to have a high genetic variance in temperature tolerance was used as a biological model....... First two different copepod lines were obtained after long-term culture at constant cold (7°C) and warm (20°C) temperatures. Then both populations were transferred to a higher temperature of 24°C appropriate for aquaculture use and followed during five generations. During the first two generations (F1–F...

Language Proficiency and Cultural Identity as Two Facets of the Acculturation Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kmiotek Łukasz

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This article describes a cross-cultural study comparing bicultural identity of first generation Poles and high school students in the Rhône Alpes region (France, as well as French language university students in Poland. Studies show that two components, language and identity, are related. This article intends to answer questions regarding the relationship between the migrant’s bicultural identity and language proficiency. Bilingualism is operationalized as (i listening comprehension and (ii bidirectional translation. The results do not confirm that there is a relation between bilingual skills and identification with shared French and Polish values. Cultural identity appears to be inversely related to country of residence: Polish identity is strongest amongst immigrant youth in France and French identity is strongest amongst Polish students of French language and culture. These identities run in opposite direction to language competencies. The results suggest internalization of one of the cultures' negative stereotypes towards the other or towards itself.

Culture belief based multi-objective hybrid differential evolutionary algorithm in short term hydrothermal scheduling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Huifeng; Zhou Jianzhong; Zhang Yongchuan; Lu Youlin; Wang Yongqiang

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Culture belief is integrated into multi-objective differential evolution. ► Chaotic sequence is imported to improve evolutionary population diversity. ► The priority of convergence rate is proved in solving hydrothermal problem. ► The results show the quality and potential of proposed algorithm. - Abstract: A culture belief based multi-objective hybrid differential evolution (CB-MOHDE) is presented to solve short term hydrothermal optimal scheduling with economic emission (SHOSEE) problem. This problem is formulated for compromising thermal cost and emission issue while considering its complicated non-linear constraints with non-smooth and non-convex characteristics. The proposed algorithm integrates a modified multi-objective differential evolutionary algorithm into the computation model of culture algorithm (CA) as well as some communication protocols between population space and belief space, three knowledge structures in belief space are redefined according to these problem-solving characteristics, and in the differential evolution a chaotic factor is embedded into mutation operator for avoiding the premature convergence by enlarging the search scale when the search trajectory reaches local optima. Furthermore, a new heuristic constraint-handling technique is utilized to handle those complex equality and inequality constraints of SHOSEE problem. After the application on hydrothermal scheduling system, the efficiency and stability of the proposed CB-MOHDE is verified by its more desirable results in comparison to other method established recently, and the simulation results also reveal that CB-MOHDE can be a promising alternative for solving SHOSEE.

Sleep Differences by Race in Preschool Children: The Roles of Parenting Behaviors and Socioeconomic Status.

Science.gov (United States)

Patrick, Kristina E; Millet, Genevieve; Mindell, Jodi A

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine whether socioeconomic variables (SES) and parenting behaviors mediate differences in sleep problems between Black and White preschool-aged children. Parents of 191 preschool-aged children (53% male; 77% White) completed questionnaires regarding SES and sleep behaviors. Parenting behaviors and SES were analyzed as mediators of differences in sleep problems between Black and White children. Parent behaviors related to bedtime routine and independence mediated the relationship between race and parent-reported bedtime difficulty, parent confidence managing sleep, and sleep onset latency. SES mediated the relationship between race and sleep onset latency. Sleep differences between Black and White preschool children were primarily mediated by parent behaviors rather than socioeconomic variables. Results may reflect differences in cultural practices and provide important information for treatment and parent-directed intervention regarding improving sleep in young children.

Risperidone Versus Methylphenidate in Treatment of Preschool Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

OpenAIRE

Arabgol, Fariba; Panaghi, Leily; Nikzad, Vahid

2015-01-01

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric diagnosis among preschool children. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the Risperidone treatment compared to Methylphenidate (MPH) in preschool children with ADHD. Patients and Methods: Thirty three outpatient preschool children, aged 3-6 years, diagnosed with ADHD (The diagnosis of ADHD was established by two child and adolescent psychiatrists according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria), participated i...

Multi-period multi-objective electricity generation expansion planning problem with Monte-Carlo simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tekiner, Hatice [Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Sehir University, 2 Ahmet Bayman Rd, Istanbul (Turkey); Coit, David W. [Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Rutgers University, 96 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ (United States); Felder, Frank A. [Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (United States)

2010-12-15

A new approach to the electricity generation expansion problem is proposed to minimize simultaneously multiple objectives, such as cost and air emissions, including CO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}, over a long term planning horizon. In this problem, system expansion decisions are made to select the type of power generation, such as coal, nuclear, wind, etc., where the new generation asset should be located, and at which time period expansion should take place. We are able to find a Pareto front for the multi-objective generation expansion planning problem that explicitly considers availability of the system components over the planning horizon and operational dispatching decisions. Monte-Carlo simulation is used to generate numerous scenarios based on the component availabilities and anticipated demand for energy. The problem is then formulated as a mixed integer linear program, and optimal solutions are found based on the simulated scenarios with a combined objective function considering the multiple problem objectives. The different objectives are combined using dimensionless weights and a Pareto front can be determined by varying these weights. The mathematical model is demonstrated on an example problem with interesting results indicating how expansion decisions vary depending on whether minimizing cost or minimizing greenhouse gas emissions or pollutants is given higher priority. (author)

Gender Differences in Preschoolers' and Kindergartners' Artistic Production and Preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyatzis, Chris J.; Eades, Julie

1999-01-01

Examined sex differences in preschoolers' and kindergartners' art generation and preference. First, researchers assessed gender stereotypicality in their drawings and preferences for pictures. Both sexes drew somewhat gender stereotypical pictures. Next, when choosing coloring book pictures to color, boys chose masculine and girls chose feminine…

The two cultures and the scientific revolution

CERN Document Server

Snow, C P

2013-01-01

2013 Reprint of 1959 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This is the publication of the influential 1959 Rede Lecture by British scientist and novelist C. P. Snow. Its thesis was that "the intellectual life of the whole of western society" was split into the titular two cultures - namely the sciences and the humanities - and that this was a major hindrance to solving the world's problems. Published in book form, Snow's lecture was widely read and discussed on both sides of the Atlantic, leading him to write a 1963 follow-up, "The Two Cultures: And a Second Look: An Expanded Version of The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution."

Generation of Genetically Modified Organotypic Skin Cultures Using Devitalized Human Dermis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingting; Sen, George L

2015-12-14

Organotypic cultures allow the reconstitution of a 3D environment critical for cell-cell contact and cell-matrix interactions which mimics the function and physiology of their in vivo tissue counterparts. This is exemplified by organotypic skin cultures which faithfully recapitulates the epidermal differentiation and stratification program. Primary human epidermal keratinocytes are genetically manipulable through retroviruses where genes can be easily overexpressed or knocked down. These genetically modified keratinocytes can then be used to regenerate human epidermis in organotypic skin cultures providing a powerful model to study genetic pathways impacting epidermal growth, differentiation, and disease progression. The protocols presented here describe methods to prepare devitalized human dermis as well as to genetically manipulate primary human keratinocytes in order to generate organotypic skin cultures. Regenerated human skin can be used in downstream applications such as gene expression profiling, immunostaining, and chromatin immunoprecipitations followed by high throughput sequencing. Thus, generation of these genetically modified organotypic skin cultures will allow the determination of genes that are critical for maintaining skin homeostasis.

Preschool teacher's view on learning in preschool in Sweden and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broström professor m.so., Stig; Frøkjær, Thorleif; Johansson, Inge

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how preschool teachers in Sweden and Denmark perceive children’s learning in preschool. The study aimed to answer the following questions: What is ‘learning’? How do children learn? What are the best conditions for children’s learning? What is the role of part...

Sleep and Cognition in Preschool Years: Specific Links to Executive Functioning

Science.gov (United States)

Bernier, Annie; Beauchamp, Miriam H.; Bouvette-Turcot, Andrée-Anne; Carlson, Stephanie M.; Carrier, Julie

2013-01-01

This study investigated the prospective links between sleep in infancy and preschoolers' cognitive performance. Mothers of 65 infants completed a sleep diary when infants were aged 1 year, and children completed two subscales of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence at 4 years, indexing general cognitive ability and complex…

Application of cultural algorithm to generation scheduling of hydrothermal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Xiaohui; Yuan Yanbin

2006-01-01

The daily generation scheduling of hydrothermal power systems plays an important role in the operation of electric power systems for economics and security, which is a large scale dynamic non-linear constrained optimization problem. It is difficult to solve using traditional optimization methods. This paper proposes a new cultural algorithm to solve the optimal daily generation scheduling of hydrothermal power systems. The approach takes the water transport delay time between connected reservoirs into consideration and can conveniently deal with the complicated hydraulic coupling simultaneously. An example is used to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed cultural algorithm, comparing with both the Lagrange method and the genetic algorithm method. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has rapid convergence speed and higher solution precision. Thus, an effective method is provided to solve the optimal daily generation scheduling of hydrothermal systems

Graph Grammar-Based Multi-Frontal Parallel Direct Solver for Two-Dimensional Isogeometric Analysis

KAUST Repository

Kuźnik, Krzysztof

2012-06-02

This paper introduces the graph grammar based model for developing multi-thread multi-frontal parallel direct solver for two dimensional isogeometric finite element method. Execution of the solver algorithm has been expressed as the sequence of graph grammar productions. At the beginning productions construct the elimination tree with leaves corresponding to finite elements. Following sequence of graph grammar productions generates element frontal matri-ces at leaf nodes, merges matrices at parent nodes and eliminates rows corresponding to fully assembled degrees of freedom. Finally, there are graph grammar productions responsible for root problem solution and recursive backward substitutions. Expressing the solver algorithm by graph grammar productions allows us to explore the concurrency of the algorithm. The graph grammar productions are grouped into sets of independent tasks that can be executed concurrently. The resulting concurrent multi-frontal solver algorithm is implemented and tested on NVIDIA GPU, providing O(NlogN) execution time complexity where N is the number of degrees of freedom. We have confirmed this complexity by solving up to 1 million of degrees of freedom with 448 cores GPU.

A multi-function IEC 61850 packet generator based on FPGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Wei; Li, Hong-bin; Cheng, Han-miao

2016-01-01

An IEC 61850 packet generator is used to produce IEC 61850-9-2 packets by simulating the merging unit and testing the IEC 61850 digital device. While the existing IEC packet generator can produce ideal digital without any noise, it does not take into account the fact that the merging unit output signal packets will be inevitably superimposed with noise. Since the International Electrical Commission standard of the electronic current transformer specifies the minimum output signal-to-noise ratio of the merging unit to be 30 dB, and the signal superimposed with noise will influence the operation performance of the digital device, it is necessary to design a multi-function IEC 61850-9-2 packet generator for a digital device test. Therefore, in this paper, a multi-function IEC 61850 packet generator has been developed, which not only can output various IEC 61850-9-2 packets, but also can add white Gaussian noise to the signal for digital device testing. By testing three digital electricity meters from different manufacturers, we showed that the error of the digital electricity meter is significantly larger when the signal packet is superimposed with noise. Also when the signal-to-noise ration is 30 dB, the error of one of the meters exceeds the allowed range of the accuracy class. This indicates that the noise testing and the noise setting function of the system has an important role in the testing of a digital device. (paper)

Evaluating the Impact of Two Globalization Projects on College Students' Cultural Competence and Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes-Murphy, Solange A.

2013-01-01

Cultural competence and CQ involve awareness of cultural similarities and differences, knowledge of differences in cultural values, and intercultural encounters. To assess college students' cultural competence and cultural intelligence gains, this experimental study evaluated the impact of two globalization projects on these two constructs. The…

Broadband multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1500–1600 nm generated by four-wave mixing in a dual wavelength Brillouin fiber laser cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Q.; Jia, Z. X.; Weng, H. Z.; Li, Z. R.; Yang, Y. D.; Xiao, J. L.; Chen, S. W.; Huang, Y. Z.; Qin, W. P.; Qin, G. S.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate broadband multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1500–1600 nm and a frequency separation of ~9.28 GHz generated by four-wave mixing in a dual wavelength Brillouin fiber laser cavity. By using one continuous-wave laser as the pump source, multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1554–1574 nm were generated via cascaded Brillouin scattering and four-wave mixing. Interestingly, when pumped by two continuous-wave lasers with an appropriate frequency separation, the operating wavelength range of the multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers was increased to 1500–1600 nm due to cavity-enhanced cascaded four-wave mixing among the frequency components generated by two pump lasers in the dual wavelength Brillouin laser cavity.

Multi-Objective Sensitivity Analyses for Power Generation Mix: Malaysia Case Study

OpenAIRE

Siti Mariam Mohd Shokri; Nofri Yenita Dahlan; Hasmaini Mohamad

2017-01-01

This paper presents an optimization framework to determine long-term optimal generation mix for Malaysia Power Sector using Dynamic Programming (DP) technique. Several new candidate units with a pre-defined MW capacity were included in the model for generation expansion planning from coal, natural gas, hydro and renewable energy (RE). Four objective cases were considered, 1) economic cost, 2) environmental, 3) reliability and 4) multi-objectives that combining the three cases. Results show th...

Stochastic modeling of oligodendrocyte generation in cell culture: model validation with time-lapse data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noble Mark

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this paper is two-fold. The first objective is to validate the assumptions behind a stochastic model developed earlier by these authors to describe oligodendrocyte generation in cell culture. The second is to generate time-lapse data that may help biomathematicians to build stochastic models of cell proliferation and differentiation under other experimental scenarios. Results Using time-lapse video recording it is possible to follow the individual evolutions of different cells within each clone. This experimental technique is very laborious and cannot replace model-based quantitative inference from clonal data. However, it is unrivalled in validating the structure of a stochastic model intended to describe cell proliferation and differentiation at the clonal level. In this paper, such data are reported and analyzed for oligodendrocyte precursor cells cultured in vitro. Conclusion The results strongly support the validity of the most basic assumptions underpinning the previously proposed model of oligodendrocyte development in cell culture. However, there are some discrepancies; the most important is that the contribution of progenitor cell death to cell kinetics in this experimental system has been underestimated.

Reading use in preschool

OpenAIRE

Laísa Cristina dos Santos Guilherme; Rodrigo Ferreira Daverni

2016-01-01

Abstract: Reading in preschool is a time of awakening the taste and pleasure in reading, it is also a source of reflection, discovery and learn to listen. It is then necessary that the contact with the reading start from pre-school, with a variety of texts and the teacher also has the habit of reading in their daily lives. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the benefits of daily reading in the classroom pre-school life of a student, which the characteristics of a player and teacher re...

Motivations and Barriers in Promoting Preschool Education

Science.gov (United States)

Küçükturan, A. Güler; Akbaba Altun, Sadegül

2017-01-01

This study is designed to explore the reasons for sending and not sending preschool age children to preschools at an early age by exploring the motivations for and barriers towards promoting preschool education in Turkey. It aimed to determine various stakeholders' perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge related to preschool education in order to…

University-Preschool Partnership and Workplace-Based Learning: A Collaborative "Third Space" or No Space at All?

Science.gov (United States)

Jónsdóttir, Arna H.

2015-01-01

The article examines the aims of the workplace-based learning of prospective preschool teachers in Iceland and associated cooperative practices between the University of Iceland and preschools. A "third space" of collaboration between these two sites is considered necessary if the education of preschool student teachers is to be…

Preschool Children Differentiation According to the Lingua- Grammatical Categories Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. V. Polivara

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The parallel existence of languages and cultures brings forward the necessity of studying this linguistic phenomenon and designing special methods of speech development for the bilingual children. The particular attention should be given to the preschool age, for according to A. A. Leontyev’s study, the parallel acquiring of two languages often results in insufficient development of socio-linguistic speech standards. The research is devoted to the phenomenon of the two language systems coexistence in a bilingual person’s consciousness, both of them functioning and encoding the same subjects and phenomena. The peculiarities of language interference are described with the reference to the Russian-Tatar bilingual environment. The author believes that the bilingual interference problems are not caused by the phonetic and grammar system differences of the two languages. To find out the potential source of inter-language transition and interrelations between the native and non-native languages, it is necessary to identify the cognitive, neurolinguistic and psycho-linguistic aspects. Therefore, the regional phenomenon of mass bilingualism among the Tatar population is examined by the author in the framework of the psycho-linguistic and cognitive approaches. The paper presents the model of the lexical and grammar categories formation based on differentiated preschool teaching of the bilingual children. The proposed model makes it possible to overcome the limited viewpoint on the general speech dysfunctions, as well as the specifics of lexical and grammar categories development. It can be used for the further development of educational programs in psycho-linguistics, ethno-linguistics, onto-linguistics, cognitive linguistics, social-linguistics, contrastive linguistics and the language theory by means of extending the teaching course content. 

Parental state anxiety correlates with preoperative anxiety in Chinese preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Xulei; Zhu, Bo; Zhao, Jing; Huang, Yuguang; Luo, Ailun; Wei, Jing

2016-06-01

Preoperative anxiety in children is largely dependent on age and is influenced by anxiety level in parents. The current study compared the level of preoperative anxiety in preschool children versus school-aged children and its relationship with the state and trait anxiety of the parents. This study included 54 preschool children (2-5 years of age) and 48 school-age children (6-12 years) scheduled to receive ear, nose and throat, plastic or ophthalmologic surgeries. Preoperative anxiety of children was assessed in the holding area immediately prior to the surgery using a modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). Compliance with anaesthesia induction was assessed using an Induction Compliance Checklist (ICC). The state and trait anxiety of the parent who accompanied the child was assessed using a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. Both m-YPAS and ICC scores were higher in preschool children than in school-age children with significant correlation between the two measures. The STAI-S score of parents was higher in the preschool group than in the school-age group. No significant difference was found in STAI-T score between the two age groups. Children's m-YPAS score correlated with parental STAI-T score in both groups (rho = 0.297, P = 0.029 and rho = 0.338, P = 0.019, respectively) but only with STAI-S score in the preschool group (rho = 0.400, P = 0.003). Both preschool children and their parents are more anxious than school-age dyads prior to surgery. The anxiety level of the children correlates with state anxiety of the parents in preschool children but not in school-age children. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

The Effectiveness of an Additional Stretching Exercise Program in Improving Flexibility Level among Preschool Boys

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Wee Akina Sia Seng; Rengasamy, Shabeshan A/L; Raju, Subramaniam A/L

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of a two minutes' additional stretching exercise program in a 30 minutes games teaching lesson in improving the flexibility level of 6 year old preschool boys (M = 5.92, SD = 0.27) in a preschool in Malaysia. Fifty (50) preschool boys were selected for the study based on the intact sampling…

Play or hard work: unpacking well-being at preschool.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy-Behr, A; Rodger, S; Mickan, S

2015-03-01

Well-being or quality of life is thought to give a more accurate picture of the impact a condition has on day-to-day functioning than traditional outcome measures. This study sought to examine the relationship between engagement in play and well-being for preschool children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). A quasi-experimental design was used with two independent groups of preschool children aged 4-6 years with (n=32) and without (n=31) probable DCD. Play skills were assessed using the Play Observation Scale based on 30min of videotape of free-play at preschool. Well-being was assessed using a parent-proxy version of the Revised Children Quality of Life Questionnaire (KINDL(R)). Spearman rho correlations were performed to examine the relationship between play and well-being. Well-being at preschool was significantly lower for the children in the DCD group however overall well-being was not significantly different. Engagement in type of social play (solitary, parallel or group) was found to predict well-being for the typically developing children. For the children with DCD, engagement in group play was not associated with well-being. An explanation for this difference may be that children with DCD may not experience free-play at preschool as "play" but rather as hard work. Further research is needed to determine why children with DCD experience lower well-being at preschool than their peers and to investigate children's perceptions of free-play. This may enable teachers and therapists to better support children with DCD in the preschool environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leveraging multi-generational workforce values in interactive information societies

OpenAIRE

Sophie van der Walt; Tanya du Plessis

2010-01-01

Background: The success of organisations relies on various factors including the ability of its multi-generational workforce to collaborate within the interactive information society. By developing an awareness of the different values of a diverse workforce, organisations may benefit from diversity. Various diversity factors, such as ethnicity, age and gender, impact on the way people interact, especially in the interactive information society.Objectives: This article advocates the need for g...

Interpreting values in the daily practices of Nordic preschools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broström, Stig; Anna-Maija, Puriola; Johannesson, Eva Marianne

2016-01-01

Abstract This study explored how practitioners interpreted educational practices from the perspective of values in Nordic preschools. Drawing data from group interviews in five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), practitioners reflected on an observational episode about...... children dressing for outdoor play in a Swedish preschool. The research material consisted of extracts from group interviews in ten preschools (two from each Nordic country). The research questions included: How do values emerge in practitioners’ interpretations? What is the interpretive process like...... and the co-construction of interpretations in the group dialogues. The practitioners employed indirect means more often than direct means to express their values. The group interviews contained themes that were connected to caring, disciplinary, competence and democratic values. The study provided evidence...

Matrix Training of Preliteracy Skills with Preschoolers with Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Axe, Judah B.; Sainato, Diane M.

2010-01-01

Matrix training is a generative approach to instruction in which words are arranged in a matrix so that some multiword phrases are taught and others emerge without direct teaching. We taught 4 preschoolers with autism to follow instructions to perform action-picture combinations (e.g., circle the pepper, underline the deer). Each matrix contained…

The Development of a Scientific Motive: How Preschool Science and Home Play Reciprocally Contribute to Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Judith; Fleer, Marilyn

2017-07-01

There are a growing number of studies that have examined science learning for preschool children. Some research has looked into children's home experiences and some has focused on transition, practices, routines, and traditions in preschool contexts. However, little attention has been directed to the relationship between children's learning experiences at preschool and at home, and how this relationship can assist in the development of science concepts relevant to everyday life. In drawing upon Hedegaard's (Learning and child development, 2002) cultural-historical conception of motives and Vygotsky's (The collected works of L.S. Vygotsky: problems of general psychology, 1987) theory of everyday and scientific concept formation, the study reported in this paper examines one child, Jimmy (4.2 years), and his learning experiences at home and at preschool. Data gathering featured the video recording of 4 weeks of Jimmy's learning in play at home and at preschool (38.5 h), parent questionnaire and interviews, and researcher and family gathered video observations of home play with his parents (3.5 h). Findings show how a scientific motive develops through playful everyday learning moments at home and at preschool when scientific play narratives and resources are aligned. The study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the science learning of young children and a conception of pedagogy that takes into account the reciprocity of home and school contexts for learning science.

Will generation experience a culture clash in hotels : An exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groen, B.; Lub, X.D.; Nije Bijvank, M.

2009-01-01

This research explores how Baby Boomers (1945 -1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and Generation Y (1981-1995) perceive organisational culture in an international hotel chain, using Quinn's competing values model. The sample consisted of 181 employees (response 72%). The four orientations that

Nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Jennings, A

2011-06-01

Full-day-care pre-schools contribute significantly to the nutritional intake and acquisition of dietary habits of the pre-school child. The present study investigated nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools in Dublin, Ireland, aiming to determine the nutritional support that pre-school managers deem necessary, thereby facilitating the amelioration of existing pre-school nutritional training and practices.

Multi-Stage Admission Control for Load Balancing in Next Generation Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihovska, Albena D.; Anggorojati, Bayu; Luo, Jijun

2008-01-01

This paper describes a load-dependent multi-stage admission control suitable for next generation systems. The concept uses decision polling in entities located at different levels of the architecture hierarchy and based on the load to activate a sequence of actions related to the admission...

Two-level MOC calculation scheme in APOLLO2 for cross-section library generation for LWR hexagonal assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, Nikolay; Todorova, Galina; Kolev, Nikola; Damian, Frederic

2011-01-01

The accurate and efficient MOC calculation scheme in APOLLO2, developed by CEA for generating multi-parameterized cross-section libraries for PWR assemblies, has been adapted to hexagonal assemblies. The neutronic part of this scheme is based on a two-level calculation methodology. At the first level, a multi-cell method is used in 281 energy groups for cross-section definition and self-shielding. At the second level, precise MOC calculations are performed in a collapsed energy mesh (30-40 groups). In this paper, the application and validation of the two-level scheme for hexagonal assemblies is described. Solutions for a VVER assembly are compared with TRIPOLI4® calculations and direct 281g MOC solutions. The results show that the accuracy is close to that of the 281g MOC calculation while the CPU time is substantially reduced. Compared to the multi-cell method, the accuracy is markedly improved. (author)

Multi-Group Covariance Data Generation from Continuous-Energy Monte Carlo Transport Calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dong Hyuk; Shim, Hyung Jin

2015-01-01

The sensitivity and uncertainty (S/U) methodology in deterministic tools has been utilized for quantifying uncertainties of nuclear design parameters induced by those of nuclear data. The S/U analyses which are based on multi-group cross sections can be conducted by an simple error propagation formula with the sensitivities of nuclear design parameters to multi-group cross sections and the covariance of multi-group cross section. The multi-group covariance data required for S/U analysis have been produced by nuclear data processing codes such as ERRORJ or PUFF from the covariance data in evaluated nuclear data files. However in the existing nuclear data processing codes, an asymptotic neutron flux energy spectrum, not the exact one, has been applied to the multi-group covariance generation since the flux spectrum is unknown before the neutron transport calculation. It can cause an inconsistency between the sensitivity profiles and the covariance data of multi-group cross section especially in resolved resonance energy region, because the sensitivities we usually use are resonance self-shielded while the multi-group cross sections produced from an asymptotic flux spectrum are infinitely-diluted. In order to calculate the multi-group covariance estimation in the ongoing MC simulation, mathematical derivations for converting the double integration equation into a single one by utilizing sampling method have been introduced along with the procedure of multi-group covariance tally

Professional Identity and Burnout among Pre-School, Elementary, and Post-Elementary School Teachers in Israel

Science.gov (United States)

Fisherman, Shraga

2015-01-01

The novelty of the present study is its attempt to distinguish between pre-school, elementary, and post-elementary school teachers, regarding the relationship between professional identity and burnout. Two hundred and forty teachers responded to two questionnaires: professional identity and teacher burnout scales. Pre-school teachers were found to…

Ethics Programs and Ethical Cultures: A Next Step in Unraveling their Multi-Faceted Relationship

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.P. Kaptein (Muel)

2008-01-01

textabstractThe objective of an ethics program is to improve the ethical culture of an organization. To date, empirical research treats at least one of these concepts as a one-dimensional construct. This paper demonstrates that by conceptualizing both constructs as multi-dimensional, a better

Growth and development in Chinese pre-schoolers with picky eating behaviour: a cross-sectional study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Xue

Full Text Available To explore the associations between picky eating behaviour and pre-schoolers' growth and development. Corresponding potential mechanisms, such as nutrient and food subgroup intake, as well as micronutrients in the blood, will be considered.Picky eating behaviour was present if it was reported by parents. From various areas of China, 937 healthy children of 3-7 years old were recruited using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Children and their mothers' socio-demographic information and children's anthropometry, intelligence, blood samples, one 24-hour dietary intake record and food frequency questionnaire were collected. Z-scores and intelligence tests were used to evaluate growth and development (cognitive development. Multilevel models were employed to verify the associations between picky eating behaviour and growth and development.The prevalence of picky eating as reported by parents was 54% in pre-schoolers. Compared with the non-picky eaters, weight for age in picky eaters was 0.14 z-score (95% CI: -0.25, -0.02; p = 0.017 lower while no significant difference was found in intelligence (p > 0.05. Picky eating behaviour lasting over two years was associated with lower weight for age, as was nit-picking meat (the prevalence from parents' perception was 23% in picky eaters (p 0.05.Picky eating behaviour is reported by parents in half of the Chinese pre-schoolers, which is negatively associated with growth (weight for age. Lower protein and dietary fibre as well as lower iron and zinc intakes were associated with picky eating as were lower intakes of vegetables, fish and cereals.

Growth and development in Chinese pre-schoolers with picky eating behaviour: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Yong; Zhao, Ai; Cai, Li; Yang, Baoru; Szeto, Ignatius M Y; Ma, Defu; Zhang, Yumei; Wang, Peiyu

2015-01-01

To explore the associations between picky eating behaviour and pre-schoolers' growth and development. Corresponding potential mechanisms, such as nutrient and food subgroup intake, as well as micronutrients in the blood, will be considered. Picky eating behaviour was present if it was reported by parents. From various areas of China, 937 healthy children of 3-7 years old were recruited using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Children and their mothers' socio-demographic information and children's anthropometry, intelligence, blood samples, one 24-hour dietary intake record and food frequency questionnaire were collected. Z-scores and intelligence tests were used to evaluate growth and development (cognitive development). Multilevel models were employed to verify the associations between picky eating behaviour and growth and development. The prevalence of picky eating as reported by parents was 54% in pre-schoolers. Compared with the non-picky eaters, weight for age in picky eaters was 0.14 z-score (95% CI: -0.25, -0.02; p = 0.017) lower while no significant difference was found in intelligence (p > 0.05). Picky eating behaviour lasting over two years was associated with lower weight for age, as was nit-picking meat (the prevalence from parents' perception was 23% in picky eaters) (p 0.05). Picky eating behaviour is reported by parents in half of the Chinese pre-schoolers, which is negatively associated with growth (weight for age). Lower protein and dietary fibre as well as lower iron and zinc intakes were associated with picky eating as were lower intakes of vegetables, fish and cereals.

Permeating the Social Justice Ideals of Equality and Equity within the Context of Early Years: Challenges for Leadership in Multi-Cultural and Mono-Cultural Primary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Mistry, Malini; Sood, Krishan

2015-01-01

This paper explores the ideology of social justice through links between equality and equity within Early Years and what remain the challenges for leadership. Questionnaires and interviews in English multi-cultural and mono-cultural schools with Early Years age phases were conducted. The findings showed that the ideology of social justice,…

A GOAL QUESTION METRIC (GQM APPROACH FOR EVALUATING INTERACTION DESIGN PATTERNS IN DRAWING GAMES FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Sulistiyo Kusumo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there has been an increasing interest to use smart devices’ drawing games for educational benefit. In Indonesia, our government classifies children age four to six years old as preschool children. Not all preschool children can use drawing games easily. Further, drawing games may not fulfill all Indonesia's preschool children’s drawing competencies. This research proposes to use Goal-Question Metric (GQM to investigate and evaluate interaction design patterns of preschool children in order to achieve the drawing competencies for preschool children in two drawing Android-based games: Belajar Menggambar (in English: Learn to Draw and Coret: Belajar Menggambar (in English: Scratch: Learn to Draw. We collected data from nine students of a preschool children education in a user research. The results show that GQM can assist to evaluate interaction design patterns in achieving the drawing competencies. Our approach can also yield interaction design patterns by comparing interaction design patterns in two drawing games used.

Optimization of multi-color laser waveform for high-order harmonic generation

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Cheng; Lin, C. D.

2016-09-01

With the development of laser technologies, multi-color light-field synthesis with complete amplitude and phase control would make it possible to generate arbitrary optical waveforms. A practical optimization algorithm is needed to generate such a waveform in order to control strong-field processes. We review some recent theoretical works of the optimization of amplitudes and phases of multi-color lasers to modify the single-atom high-order harmonic generation based on genetic algorithm. By choosing different fitness criteria, we demonstrate that: (i) harmonic yields can be enhanced by 10 to 100 times, (ii) harmonic cutoff energy can be substantially extended, (iii) specific harmonic orders can be selectively enhanced, and (iv) single attosecond pulses can be efficiently generated. The possibility of optimizing macroscopic conditions for the improved phase matching and low divergence of high harmonics is also discussed. The waveform control and optimization are expected to be new drivers for the next wave of breakthrough in the strong-field physics in the coming years. Project supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. 30916011207), Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U. S. Department of Energy (Grant No. DE-FG02-86ER13491), and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, USA (Grant No. FA9550-14-1-0255).

Montessori Preschool Elevates and Equalizes Child Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lillard, Angeline S; Heise, Megan J; Richey, Eve M; Tong, Xin; Hart, Alyssa; Bray, Paige M

2017-01-01

Quality preschool programs that develop the whole child through age-appropriate socioemotional and cognitive skill-building hold promise for significantly improving child outcomes. However, preschool programs tend to either be teacher-led and didactic, or else to lack academic content. One preschool model that involves both child-directed, freely chosen activity and academic content is Montessori. Here we report a longitudinal study that took advantage of randomized lottery-based admission to two public Montessori magnet schools in a high-poverty American city. The final sample included 141 children, 70 in Montessori and 71 in other schools, most of whom were tested 4 times over 3 years, from the first semester to the end of preschool (ages 3-6), on a variety of cognitive and socio-emotional measures. Montessori preschool elevated children's outcomes in several ways. Although not different at the first test point, over time the Montessori children fared better on measures of academic achievement, social understanding, and mastery orientation, and they also reported relatively more liking of scholastic tasks. They also scored higher on executive function when they were 4. In addition to elevating overall performance on these measures, Montessori preschool also equalized outcomes among subgroups that typically have unequal outcomes. First, the difference in academic achievement between lower income Montessori and higher income conventionally schooled children was smaller at each time point, and was not (statistically speaking) significantly different at the end of the study. Second, defying the typical finding that executive function predicts academic achievement, in Montessori classrooms children with lower executive function scored as well on academic achievement as those with higher executive function. This suggests that Montessori preschool has potential to elevate and equalize important outcomes, and a larger study of public Montessori preschools is warranted.

Montessori Preschool Elevates and Equalizes Child Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angeline S. Lillard

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Quality preschool programs that develop the whole child through age-appropriate socioemotional and cognitive skill-building hold promise for significantly improving child outcomes. However, preschool programs tend to either be teacher-led and didactic, or else to lack academic content. One preschool model that involves both child-directed, freely chosen activity and academic content is Montessori. Here we report a longitudinal study that took advantage of randomized lottery-based admission to two public Montessori magnet schools in a high-poverty American city. The final sample included 141 children, 70 in Montessori and 71 in other schools, most of whom were tested 4 times over 3 years, from the first semester to the end of preschool (ages 3–6, on a variety of cognitive and socio-emotional measures. Montessori preschool elevated children’s outcomes in several ways. Although not different at the first test point, over time the Montessori children fared better on measures of academic achievement, social understanding, and mastery orientation, and they also reported relatively more liking of scholastic tasks. They also scored higher on executive function when they were 4. In addition to elevating overall performance on these measures, Montessori preschool also equalized outcomes among subgroups that typically have unequal outcomes. First, the difference in academic achievement between lower income Montessori and higher income conventionally schooled children was smaller at each time point, and was not (statistically speaking significantly different at the end of the study. Second, defying the typical finding that executive function predicts academic achievement, in Montessori classrooms children with lower executive function scored as well on academic achievement as those with higher executive function. This suggests that Montessori preschool has potential to elevate and equalize important outcomes, and a larger study of public Montessori

Sustainable Tourism Destinations: Cultural Sites Generated by Romanian People of Genius as a Potential Resource for Cultural Tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela NICOLAIE

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The progress of humankind brought forth the world nations’ assets. People of genius from different parts of the world, who showed interest in various areas of knowledge, increased over the centuries the cultural heritage of the people they came from. Thus, cultural tourism can put forward those works of science and art, architecture, sculpture and painting, literature and history, which became part of the world heritage through their unique features and role. Part of these works emerged from Romanian men of genius cluster. Public attitude towards cultural awareness is essential, both for the prestige of those working in this sector and for the whole system of values of Romanian cultural heritage. The aim of this article is to identify those places generated by the Romanian people of genius life activity as well as their areas of interest as potential resources for cultural tourism. The research is grounded on secondary data such as biographic method of inquiry. The results show that cultural sites generated by Romanian people of genius’s life and works represent a wide range of resources that can be integrated into a cultural tourism package for those interested in this type of journeys. Local authorities can get fully involved in rehabilitation, maintenance and protection of all these national assets as distinctive national elements that can support for an attractive tourism market.

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. for Latino preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Stolley, Melinda R; Schiffer, Linda; Van Horn, Linda; KauferChristoffel, Katherine; Dyer, Alan

2006-09-01

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. was a diet/physical activity intervention designed to reduce gains in BMI (kilograms per meter squared) in preschool minority children. Twelve predominantly Latino Head Start centers participated in a group-randomized trial conducted between Fall 2001 and Winter 2003. Six centers were randomized to a culturally proficient 14-week (three times weekly) diet/physical activity intervention. Parents participated by completing weekly homework assignments. The children in the other six centers received a general health intervention that did not address either diet or physical activity. The primary outcome was change in BMI, and secondary outcomes were changes in dietary intake and physical activity. Measures were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at Years 1 and 2 follow-up. There were no significant differences between intervention and control schools in either primary or secondary outcomes at post-intervention, Year 1, or Year 2 follow-ups. When Hip-Hop to Health Jr. was conducted in predominantly black Head Start centers, it was effective in reducing subsequent increases in BMI in preschool children. In contrast, when the program was conducted in Latino centers, it was not effective. Although the intervention did not prevent excessive weight gain in Latino children, it was very well received. Future interventions with this population may require further cultural tailoring and a more robust parent intervention.

Defining Nature-Based Preschools

Science.gov (United States)

Larimore, Rachel

2016-01-01

Nature-based early childhood education. Nature-based preschool. Nature preschool. Forest kindergarten. Nature kindergarten. Waldkindergarten. Forest school. These are a few of the program terms currently being discussed among early childhood environmental education professionals in the United States. Why is there so much discussion about the names…

Fish consumption in infancy and asthma-like symptoms at preschool age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.C. Kiefte-de Jong (Jessica); J.H. de Vries (Jeanne); O.H. Franco (Oscar); V.W.V. Jaddoe (Vincent); A. Hofman (Albert); H. Raat (Hein); J.C. de Jongste (Johan); H.A. Moll (Henriëtte)

2012-01-01

textabstractOBJECTIVE: To assess whether timing of introduction of fish and the amount of fish consumption in infancy were associated with asthmalike symptoms at preschool age. METHODS: This study was embedded in the Generation R study (a population-based birth cohort in Rotterdam, Netherlands). At

The Arts in Turkish Preschool Education

Science.gov (United States)

Acer, Dilek

2015-01-01

One of the most important factors determining a nation's level of development in the modern world is preschool education. When preschool education is perceived as an entity that affects every aspect of childhood development, this fact is undeniable. Several aspects of preschool education, including art education, play a significant role in a…

Measuring Implicit Attitudes of 4-Year-Olds: The Preschool Implicit Association Test

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Cvencek, Dario; Greenwald, Anthony G.; Meltzoff, Andrew N.

2011-01-01

The Preschool Implicit Association Test (PSIAT) is an adaptation of an established social cognition measure (IAT) for use with preschool children. Two studies with 4-year-olds found that the PSIAT was effective in evaluating (a) attitudes toward commonly liked objects ("flowers"="good") and (b) gender attitudes ("girl"="good" or "boy"="good"). The…

Generating Cultures for Mathematical Microworld Development in a Multi-Organizational Context.

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Kynigos, Chronis

2002-01-01

Discusses methodological issues of mathematical microworld development integrated with generating innovation in school settings. Includes experiences in developing a component architecture for educational software based on Logo as a scripting language and discusses problems of collaboration between organizations and people of differing expertise…

Culture Clash? Investigating constructions of sexual and reproductive health from the perspective of 1.5 generation migrants in Australia using Q methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Dune, T; Perz, J; Mengesha, Z; Ayika, D

2017-04-04

In Australia, those who migrate as children or adolescents (1.5 generation migrants) may have entered a new cultural environment at a crucial time in their psychosexual development. These migrants may have to contend with constructions of sexual and reproductive health from at least two cultures which may be at conflict on the matter. This study was designed to investigate the role of culture in constructions of sexual and reproductive health and health care seeking behaviour from the perspective of 1.5 generation migrants. Forty-two adults from various ethno-cultural backgrounds took part in this Q methodological study. Online, participants rank-ordered forty-two statements about constructions of sexual and reproductive health and health seeking behaviours based on the level to which they agreed or disagreed with them. Participants then answered a series of questions about the extent to which their ethnic/cultural affiliations influenced their identity. A by-person factor analysis was then conducted, with factors extracted using the centroid technique and a varimax rotation. A seven-factor solution provided the best conceptual fit for constructions of sexual and reproductive health and help-seeking. Factor A compared progressive and traditional sexual and reproductive health values. Factor B highlighted migrants' experiences through two cultural lenses. Factor C explored migrant understandings of sexual and reproductive health in the context of culture. Factor D explained the role of culture in migrants' intimate relationships, beliefs about migrant sexual and reproductive health and engagement of health care services. Factor E described the impact of culture on sexual and reproductive health related behaviour. Factor F presented the messages migrant youth are given about sexual and reproductive health. Lastly, Factor G compared constructions of sexual and reproductive health across cultures. This study has demonstrated that when the cultural norms of migrants

Healthy Start: a comprehensive health education program for preschool children.

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Williams, C L; Squillace, M M; Bollella, M C; Brotanek, J; Campanaro, L; D'Agostino, C; Pfau, J; Sprance, L; Strobino, B A; Spark, A; Boccio, L

1998-01-01

Healthy Start is a 3-year demonstration and education research project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidimensional cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction intervention in preschool centers over a 3-year period of time. Two primary interventions are employed. The first is the preschool food service intervention program designed to reduce the total fat in preschool meals and snacks to less than 30% of calories and reduce the saturated fat to less than 10% of calories. The second major intervention is a comprehensive preschool health education curriculum, focused heavily on nutrition. Effectiveness of the intervention will be determined through evaluation of changes in dietary intake of preschool children at school meals and snacks, especially with respect to intake of total and saturated fat. Evaluation of the education component will include assessment of program implementation by teachers, assessment of changes in nutrition knowledge by preschool children, and assessment of changes in home meals that children consume (total and saturated fat content). Blood cholesterol will be evaluated semiannually to evaluate changes that may be due to modification of dietary intake. Growth and body fatness will also be assessed. While substantial efforts have targeted CV risk reduction and health education for elementary school children, similar efforts aimed at preschool children have been lacking. The rationale for beginning CV risk reduction programs for preschool children is based upon the premise that risk factors for heart disease are prevalent by 3 years of age and tend to track over time, most commonly hypercholesterolemia and obesity, both related to nutrition. Since the behavioral antecedents for nutritional risk factors begin to be established very early in life, it is important to develop and evaluate new educational initiatives such as Healthy Start, aimed at the primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors in preschool children. The purpose of this

Study of multi-generational effects of a chronic exposure to ionizing radiations at a model organism: the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buisset-Goussen, Adeline

2014-01-01

The environmental risk assessment of chronic exposure to ionizing radiation (natural and ubiquitous phenomenon enhanced by human activities) has become a major concern. Few studies relating to chronic exposure over several generations - essential knowledge to better understand the disruption caused by ionizing radiation and its possible consequences on the population - exist. In addition, it has become necessary to understand the mechanisms of disturbances related to ionizing radiation at the molecular and cellular level. Without this mechanistic understanding, it is difficult to extrapolate the effects observed between the different levels of biological organization and between different species. The aim of this PhD was to study the multi-generational effects of chronic gamma radiation in an integrated manner (to the life history traits from the subcellular mechanisms) in a model organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. A two-step strategy was implemented. First, studying the effects of chronic gamma radiation on the life history traits of C. elegans was performed. The objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis of an increase of the sensitivity according generations. For that, three generations have been exposed to different dose rates. In parallel, two generations have been placed in 'control' environment after parental exposure to test a possible transmission of maternal effects. The second part of this thesis aimed to characterize the different subcellular mechanisms that could explain the observed effects on the life history traits after multi-generational exposure. The results showed that (i) the cumulative number of larvae was the most sensitive endpoint to gamma radiation, (ii) an increase in radiosensitivity was observed over three exposed generations and (iii) the effects of the parental generation were transmitted to the non-exposed generations. An increase in apoptosis, a reduction in the stock of sperm, and to a lesser

AUDITING INTERNAL CONTROLS IN FINANCING PRESCHOOL PUBLIC INSTITUTION: EVIDENCE FROM SLOVENIA

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Tatjana HORVAT

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Public preschool educational institutions in Slovenia are mostly financed by public money, it means bay state and municipalities. They are also financed by parents. So, it is important that preschool institutions are using public money transparent and responsible, for this reason public preschool institution should have internal controls in financing. The internal auditor as independent professional should verify if internal controls works. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how internal controls in financing public educational institution works it means which internal controls are important in financing the preschool institution - on the selected institution to show and check how internal controls work. For this reason we divide internal controls in the financing in two phases: (1 internal controls in the preparation of the annual financial plan and financial planning of financial resources for institution’s programs and activities, (2 internal controls in obtaining financial resources. We used methods of internal auditing and research approaches as sampling, unstructured interviews and analysis of documents. The results showed that selected preschool institution should work on rules of recovery and monitoring of claims. The findings provide useful academic insight to setting internal controls as well as practical guidance for preschool institutions.

Mixing in 3D Sparse Multi-Scale Grid Generated Turbulence

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Usama, Syed; Kopec, Jacek; Tellez, Jackson; Kwiatkowski, Kamil; Redondo, Jose; Malik, Nadeem

2017-04-01

Flat 2D fractal grids are known to alter turbulence characteristics downstream of the grid as compared to the regular grids with the same blockage ratio and the same mass inflow rates [1]. This has excited interest in the turbulence community for possible exploitation for enhanced mixing and related applications. Recently, a new 3D multi-scale grid design has been proposed [2] such that each generation of length scale of turbulence grid elements is held in its own frame, the overall effect is a 3D co-planar arrangement of grid elements. This produces a 'sparse' grid system whereby each generation of grid elements produces a turbulent wake pattern that interacts with the other wake patterns downstream. A critical motivation here is that the effective blockage ratio in the 3D Sparse Grid Turbulence (3DSGT) design is significantly lower than in the flat 2D counterpart - typically the blockage ratio could be reduced from say 20% in 2D down to 4% in the 3DSGT. If this idea can be realized in practice, it could potentially greatly enhance the efficiency of turbulent mixing and transfer processes clearly having many possible applications. Work has begun on the 3DSGT experimentally using Surface Flow Image Velocimetry (SFIV) [3] at the European facility in the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization located in Gottingen, Germany and also at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) in Spain, and numerically using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia and in University of Warsaw in Poland. DNS is the most useful method to compare the experimental results with, and we are studying different types of codes such as Imcompact3d, and OpenFoam. Many variables will eventually be investigated for optimal mixing conditions. For example, the number of scale generations, the spacing between frames, the size ratio of grid elements, inflow conditions, etc. We will report upon the first set of findings

Cultural Continuities: An Australian Perspective.

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Ebbeck, Marjory

2001-01-01

Examined school attitudes of 101 mothers of preschoolers who were immigrants to Australia from Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, mainland China, and the Philippines; also examined views of 100 early childhood teachers. Found differences in views regarding the importance of maintaining family culture and first language, and the importance of sharing…

Numerical approach of multi-field two-phase flow models in the OVAP code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anela Kumbaro

2005-01-01

Full text of publication follows: A significant progress has been made in modeling the complexity of vapor-liquid two-phase flow. Different three-dimensional models exist in order to simulate the evolution of parameters which characterize a two-phase model. These models can be classified into various groups depending on the inter-field coupling. A hierarchy of increasing physical complexity can be defined. The simplest group corresponds to the homogeneous mixture models where no interactions are taken into account. Another group is constituted by the two-fluid models employing physically important interfacial forces between two-phases, liquid, and water. The last group is multi-field modeling where inter-field couplings can be taken into account at different degrees, such as the MUltiple Size Group modeling [2], the consideration of separate equations for the transport and generation of mass and momentum for each field under the assumption of the same energy for all the fields of the same phase, and a full multi-field two-phase model [1]. The numerical approach of the general three-dimensional two-phase flow is by complexity of the phenomena a very challenging task; the ideal numerical method should be at the same time simple in order to apply to any model, from equilibrium to multi-field model and conservative in order to respect the fundamental conservation physical laws. The approximate Riemann solvers have the good properties of conservation of mass, momentum and energy balance and have been extended successfully to two-fluid models [3]- [5]. But, the up-winding of the flux is based on the Eigen-decomposition of the two-phase flow model and the computation of the Eigen-structure of a multi-field model can be a high cost procedure. Our contribution will present a short review of the above two-phase models, and show numerical results obtained for some of them with an approximate Riemann solver and with lower-complexity alternative numerical methods that do not

Distributed Generation Planning using Peer Enhanced Multi-objective Teaching-Learning based Optimization in Distribution Networks

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Selvam, Kayalvizhi; Vinod Kumar, D. M.; Siripuram, Ramakanth

2017-04-01

In this paper, an optimization technique called peer enhanced teaching learning based optimization (PeTLBO) algorithm is used in multi-objective problem domain. The PeTLBO algorithm is parameter less so it reduced the computational burden. The proposed peer enhanced multi-objective based TLBO (PeMOTLBO) algorithm has been utilized to find a set of non-dominated optimal solutions [distributed generation (DG) location and sizing in distribution network]. The objectives considered are: real power loss and the voltage deviation subjected to voltage limits and maximum penetration level of DG in distribution network. Since the DG considered is capable of injecting real and reactive power to the distribution network the power factor is considered as 0.85 lead. The proposed peer enhanced multi-objective optimization technique provides different trade-off solutions in order to find the best compromise solution a fuzzy set theory approach has been used. The effectiveness of this proposed PeMOTLBO is tested on IEEE 33-bus and Indian 85-bus distribution system. The performance is validated with Pareto fronts and two performance metrics (C-metric and S-metric) by comparing with robust multi-objective technique called non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II and also with the basic TLBO.

Systematic Observation: Relevance of This Approach in Preschool Executive Function Assessment and Association with Later Academic Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Escolano-Pérez, Elena; Herrero-Nivela, Maria Luisa; Blanco-Villaseñor, Angel; Anguera, M Teresa

2017-01-01

Executive functions (EFs) are high-level cognitive processes that allow us to coordinate our actions, thoughts, and emotions, enabling us to perform complex tasks. An increasing number of studies have highlighted the role of EFs in building a solid foundation for subsequent development and learning and shown that EFs are associated with good adjustment and academic skills. The main objective of this study was to analyze whether EF levels in 44 Spanish children in the last year of preschool were associated with levels of literacy and math skills the following year, that is, in the first year of compulsory education. We used a multi-method design, which consisted of systematic observation to observe preschool children during play and selective methodology to assess their reading, writing, and math skills in the first year of compulsory primary education. General linear modeling was used to estimate the percentage of variability in academic skills in the first year of primary school that was explained by preschool EF abilities. The results showed that preschool EF level, together with participants and the instrument used to assess academic skills, explained 99% of the variance of subsequent academic performance. Another objective was to determine whether our findings were generalizable to the reference population. To make this determination, we estimated the optimal sample size for assessing preschool EFs. To do this, we performed a generalizability analysis. The resulting generalizability coefficient showed that our sample of 44 students was sufficient for assessing preschool EFs. Therefore, our results are generalizable to the reference population. Our results are consistent with previous reports that preschool EF abilities may be associated with subsequent literacy and math skills. Early assessment of EFs may therefore contribute to identifying children who are likely to experience later learning difficulties and guide the design of suitable interventions for the

Emotion at Work: A Contribution to Third-Generation Cultural-Historical Activity Theory

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Roth, Wolff-Michael

2007-01-01

Second-generation cultural-historical activity theory, which drew its inspiration from Leont'ev's work, constituted an advance over Vygotsky's first-generation theory by explicitly articulating the dialectical relation between individual and collective. As part of an effort to develop third-generation-historical activity theory, I propose in this…

Sustainability Assessment of Electricity Generation Technologies in Egypt Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

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Mostafa Shaaban

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Future electricity planning necessitates a thorough multi-faceted analysis of the available technologies in order to secure the energy supply for coming generations. To cope with worldwide concerns over sustainable development and meet the growing demands of electricity we assess the future potential technologies in Egypt through covering their technical, economic, environmental and social aspects. In this study we fill the gap of a lacking sustainability assessment of energy systems in Egypt where most of the studies focus mainly on the economic and technical aspects of planning future installation of power plants in Egypt. Furthermore, we include the stakeholder preferences of the indicators in the energy sector into our assessment. Moreover, we perform a sensitivity analysis through single dimension assessment scenarios of the technologies as well as a sustainable scenario with equal preferences of all dimensions of the sustainability. We employ two multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA methodologies: the analytical hierarchy process for weighing the assessment criteria, and the weighted sum method for generating a general integrated sustainability index for each technology. The study investigates seven technologies: coal, natural gas, wind, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, biomass and nuclear. The results reveal a perfect matching between the ranking of the technologies by the stakeholders and the sustainable scenario showing the highest ranking for natural gas and the lowest for nuclear and coal. There is a strong potential for renewable energy technologies to invade the electricity market in Egypt where they achieve the second ranking after natural gas. The Monte-Carlo approach gives photovoltaics a higher ranking over concentrated solar power as compared to the sample data ranking. The study concludes the importance of a multi-dimensional evaluation of the technologies while considering the preferences of the stakeholders in

On-electrode autonomous current generator for multi-frequency EIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jivet, I; Dragoi, B

2008-01-01

The paper presents an autonomous programmable current generator module for multi-frequency EIT systems. The module incorporates all stages from the sine wave generation with frequency and amplitude tuning, D/A converter and filter, a high output resistance voltage-to-current converter to the associated digital communication and control. The paper presents in depth the original digital quadrature signal generator and the output current generator with a high resistance. The other main blocks of the design use current practice specifications, since recent technological solutions proposed in the literature were found appropriate. The proposed signal generator circuit, characterized by a very low complexity, is analyzed in its capacity to produce multiple accurate signals up to 1 MHz in frequency. The precision output current source uses a modified current conveyor of type CCII with a high output resistance and low distortion. The output current frequency spectrum and linearity parameters obtained in the simulations are also described. The simulation results indicate a good linearity and high output resistance with an acceptable output voltage swing. The calculated performance parameters are validated with simulations, and future work for the prototype fabrication of the IC is outlined

Multi-scale diffuse interface modeling of multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility

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Kou, Jisheng; Sun, Shuyu

2016-08-01

In this paper, we introduce a diffuse interface model to simulate multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility based on a realistic equation of state (e.g. Peng-Robinson equation of state). Because of partial miscibility, thermodynamic relations are used to model not only interfacial properties but also bulk properties, including density, composition, pressure, and realistic viscosity. As far as we know, this effort is the first time to use diffuse interface modeling based on equation of state for modeling of multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility. In numerical simulation, the key issue is to resolve the high contrast of scales from the microscopic interface composition to macroscale bulk fluid motion since the interface has a nanoscale thickness only. To efficiently solve this challenging problem, we develop a multi-scale simulation method. At the microscopic scale, we deduce a reduced interfacial equation under reasonable assumptions, and then we propose a formulation of capillary pressure, which is consistent with macroscale flow equations. Moreover, we show that Young-Laplace equation is an approximation of this capillarity formulation, and this formulation is also consistent with the concept of Tolman length, which is a correction of Young-Laplace equation. At the macroscopical scale, the interfaces are treated as discontinuous surfaces separating two phases of fluids. Our approach differs from conventional sharp-interface two-phase flow model in that we use the capillary pressure directly instead of a combination of surface tension and Young-Laplace equation because capillarity can be calculated from our proposed capillarity formulation. A compatible condition is also derived for the pressure in flow equations. Furthermore, based on the proposed capillarity formulation, we design an efficient numerical method for directly computing the capillary pressure between two fluids composed of multiple components. Finally, numerical tests

Multi-scale diffuse interface modeling of multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility

KAUST Repository

Kou, Jisheng

2016-05-10

In this paper, we introduce a diffuse interface model to simulate multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility based on a realistic equation of state (e.g. Peng-Robinson equation of state). Because of partial miscibility, thermodynamic relations are used to model not only interfacial properties but also bulk properties, including density, composition, pressure, and realistic viscosity. As far as we know, this effort is the first time to use diffuse interface modeling based on equation of state for modeling of multi-component two-phase flow with partial miscibility. In numerical simulation, the key issue is to resolve the high contrast of scales from the microscopic interface composition to macroscale bulk fluid motion since the interface has a nanoscale thickness only. To efficiently solve this challenging problem, we develop a multi-scale simulation method. At the microscopic scale, we deduce a reduced interfacial equation under reasonable assumptions, and then we propose a formulation of capillary pressure, which is consistent with macroscale flow equations. Moreover, we show that Young-Laplace equation is an approximation of this capillarity formulation, and this formulation is also consistent with the concept of Tolman length, which is a correction of Young-Laplace equation. At the macroscopical scale, the interfaces are treated as discontinuous surfaces separating two phases of fluids. Our approach differs from conventional sharp-interface two-phase flow model in that we use the capillary pressure directly instead of a combination of surface tension and Young-Laplace equation because capillarity can be calculated from our proposed capillarity formulation. A compatible condition is also derived for the pressure in flow equations. Furthermore, based on the proposed capillarity formulation, we design an efficient numerical method for directly computing the capillary pressure between two fluids composed of multiple components. Finally, numerical tests

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Singaporean and Taiwanese Eighth Graders' Science Learning Self-Efficacy from a Multi-Dimensional Perspective

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Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tan, Aik Ling; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2013-05-01

Due to the scarcity of cross-cultural comparative studies in exploring students' self-efficacy in science learning, this study attempted to develop a multi-dimensional science learning self-efficacy (SLSE) instrument to measure 316 Singaporean and 303 Taiwanese eighth graders' SLSE and further to examine the differences between the two student groups. Moreover, within-culture comparisons were made in terms of gender. The results showed that, first, the SLSE instrument was valid and reliable for measuring the Singaporean and Taiwanese students' SLSE. Second, through a two-way multivariate analysis of variance analysis (nationality by gender), the main result indicated that the SLSE held by the Singaporean eighth graders was significantly higher than that of their Taiwanese counterparts in all dimensions, including 'conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills', 'practical work (PW)', 'everyday application', and 'science communication'. In addition, the within-culture gender comparisons indicated that the male Singaporean students tended to possess higher SLSE than the female students did in all SLSE dimensions except for the 'PW' dimension. However, no gender differences were found in the Taiwanese sample. The findings unraveled in this study were interpreted from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of the curriculum differences, societal expectations of science education, and educational policies in Singapore and Taiwan.

Preferences for Learning and Skill Development at Work: Comparison of Two Generations

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Mariya Karaivanova

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The changing economic conditions of the current dynamic and insecure labour market make learning a constant preoccupation of the workforce with view of meeting the growing qualification demands. These demands are likely to influence the work preferences of both young people now entering the labour market and older people with established career paths. Research findings suggest that the younger generation exhibits a stronger orientation towards learning and skill development as compared to the older generations. Moreover, studies show that the younger people are more ready to leave the organization when they have better learning opportunities elsewhere. The present study aims at establishing how preferences for learning and skill development in the workplace relate to a number of job and organizational characteristics. Particular focus is placed on the predictive capacity of perceived learning opportunities towards the tendency to leave the organization for either of the two generations. The study addresses work preferences of two generations in the Bulgarian labour market. To this aim, 121 respondents answered a 55-item questionnaire consisting of newly developed scales as well as scales based on or adopted from standardized instruments such as the Extended Delft Measurement Kit (Roe et al., 2000. Contrary to findings from previous research done in countries with different cultural and socio-economic background, the older people in our sample were more eager to learn and more ready to leave their organization in pursuit of better opportunities, as compared to the younger generation. Another noteworthy conclusion is that the preferences for learning and development form different patterns in each of the two age groups and are expressed in a different way for each of the two generations.

Knowledge, attitude and practice on regional food among families of preschool children

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Marcela Lima Silveira

2014-04-01

Full Text Available We aimed to verify the knowledge, attitude and practice on the use of regional food of families of preschool children at a rural area. Descriptive-exploratory study with quantitative approach, conducted with 200 families of preschool children, residing in two rural districts of Maranguape-CE, Brazil. We applied a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice survey, focusing on the use of regional food. The districts presented similarities with regard to gender (p=1.000, marital status (p=0.603, education (p=0.349, number of preschool children (p=0.104, and workplace (p=0.632, but had different results regarding family income (p=0.033. As for the regional foods, there was no statistically significant association in knowledge (p=0.731, attitude (p=0.362, and practice (p=0.600 in the study locations, prevailing the inadequate level in the three axes. We verified that the people responsible for preschool children in the two locations were unaware of the regional foods terminology and presented inappropriate knowledge, attitude and practice regarding their use.

Children's Everyday Learning by Assuming Responsibility for Others: Indigenous Practices as a Cultural Heritage Across Generations.

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Fernández, David Lorente

2015-01-01

This chapter uses a comparative approach to examine the maintenance of Indigenous practices related with Learning by Observing and Pitching In in two generations--parent generation and current child generation--in a Central Mexican Nahua community. In spite of cultural changes and the increase of Western schooling experience, these practices persist, to different degrees, as a Nahua cultural heritage with close historical relations to the key value of cuidado (stewardship). The chapter explores how children learn the value of cuidado in a variety of everyday activities, which include assuming responsibility in many social situations, primarily in cultivating corn, raising and protecting domestic animals, health practices, and participating in family ceremonial life. The chapter focuses on three main points: (1) Cuidado (assuming responsibility for), in the Nahua socio-cultural context, refers to the concepts of protection and "raising" as well as fostering other beings, whether humans, plants, or animals, to reach their potential and fulfill their development. (2) Children learn cuidado by contributing to family endeavors: They develop attention and self-motivation; they are capable of responsible actions; and they are able to transform participation to achieve the status of a competent member of local society. (3) This collaborative participation allows children to continue the cultural tradition and to preserve a Nahua heritage at a deeper level in a community in which Nahuatl language and dress have disappeared, and people do not identify themselves as Indigenous. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of disposable reactors to generate inoculum cultures for E. coli production fermentations.

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Mahajan, Ekta; Matthews, Timothy; Hamilton, Ryan; Laird, Michael W

2010-01-01

Disposable technology is being used more each year in the biotechnology industry. Disposable bioreactors allow one to avoid expenses associated with cleaning, assembly and operations, as well as equipment validation. The WAVE bioreactor is well established for Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) production, however, it has not yet been thoroughly tested for E. coli production because of the high oxygen demand and temperature maintenance requirements of that platform. The objective of this study is to establish a robust process to generate inoculum for E. coli production fermentations in a WAVE bioreactor. We opted not to evaluate the WAVE system for production cultures because of the high cell densities required in our current E. coli production processes. Instead, the WAVE bioreactor 20/50 system was evaluated at laboratory scale (10-L) to generate inoculum with target optical densities (OD(550)) of 15 within 7-9 h (pre-established target for stainless steel fermentors). The maximum settings for rock rate (40 rpm) and angle (10.5) were used to maximize mass transfer. The gas feed was also supplemented with additional oxygen to meet the high respiratory demand of the culture. The results showed that the growth profiles for the inoculum cultures were similar to those obtained from conventional stainless steel fermentors. These inoculum cultures were subsequently inoculated into 10-L working volume stainless steel fermentors to evaluate the inocula performance of two different production systems during recombinant protein production. The results of these production cultures using WAVE inocula showed that the growth and recombinant protein production was comparable to the control data set. Furthermore, an economic analysis showed that the WAVE system would require less capital investment for installation and operating expenses would be less than traditional stainless steel systems. (c) 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Fish Consumption in Infancy and Asthma-like Symptoms at Preschool Age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kiefte-de Jong, J.C.; Vries, de J.H.M.; Franco, O.H.; Jaddoe, V.W.V.; Hofman, A.; Raat, H.; Jongste, de J.C.; Moll, H.A.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether timing of introduction of fish and the amount of fish consumption in infancy were associated with asthmalike symptoms at preschool age. METHODS: This study was embedded in the Generation R study (a population-based birth cohort in Rotterdam, Netherlands). At the age of

Motor fitness and preschooler children obesity status.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva-Santos, Sandra; Santos, Amanda; Vale, Susana; Mota, Jorge

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between motor fitness (MF) and obesity status in preschool children. The sample comprised 467 children aged 3-6 years. Preschool children body mass index was classified according to International Obesity Task Force and categorised into three levels, normal, overweight and obesity. Total physical activity was assessed by accelerometer and MF test was assessed through two MF tests 10 × 5m shuttle run test (SRT) and a 7 m jumping distance on 2 feet test (J2F). Low MF was considered for MF if SD above 1. A single variable with three categories was created: low MF medium MF and high MF. The prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obesity was 67.6%, 22.7% and 9.7%, respectively. The prevalence of SD > 1 for SRT was 13.7% and 14.4% for J2F, for single variable was 19.2%. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that obese preschoolers were more likely six times classified as having low MF level than their non-overweight counterparts (OR: 6.4; IC: 1.3-36.6). This study showed a considerable prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschoolers. Obesity has already been associated with lower MF. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this data.

Multi-generational effects of propranolol on Daphnia magna at different environmental concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Tae-Yong; Kim, Hyun Young; Kim, Sang Don

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effects of propranolol on Daphnia magna (D. magna), we employed a multi-generational exposure period for eight generations and an environmentally relevant low concentration with 1.5 ng/L, 0.2 μg/L and 26 μg/L to reflect a realistic exposure scenario. Physiological endpoints were checked, including growth, number of neonates, heart rate, frequency of abdominal appendage movement and malformation rate of neonates. In the results, growth and abdominal appendage movement were affected by environmental concentration during several generations, and the responses showed consistent tendencies of response increase with concentration increase. Heart rate was the only endpoint affected throughout all exposure generations. Inhibitory and acceleratory effects on heart rate, growth and abdominal appendage movement suggest that it is necessary to cover sub-lethal endpoints of non-targeted organisms in eco-toxicity study because the physiological responses were detected at much lower concentrations than the results of traditional toxicity tests, including environmental concentration. - Highlights: • Multi-generational exposure was conducted to evaluate the effect of propranolol on Daphnia magna. • Heart rate was the only endpoint affected throughout all exposure generations. • Growth and abdominal appendage movement were affected at environmental concentrations. • Time series fluctuations in responses appeared with no tendencies throughout all generations. • It is necessary to cover sub-organismal endpoints and long-term exposure in ecotoxicity test. - Heart rate, growth and abdominal appendage movement of D. magna were affected by the multigenerational exposure of propranolol at environmental levels.

Short Research Report: Exploring Resilience Development in a Taiwanese Preschooler's Narrative--An Emerging Theoretical Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Kuan-Ling Olivia

2016-01-01

It is important to foster resilience in early childhood as this quality is, according to this author, "an individual's progressing development to adjust to life difficulties." This narrative study provides a cultural perspective by investigating a Taiwanese context and shifts the attention to preschoolers' resilience development in both…

SUMMARY OF MONITORING SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL READINESS OF STUDENTS TO COMMUNICATIVELY-SPEECH DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOLERS BILINGUAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neonila Vyacheslavovna Ivanova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article describes the main provisions of the monitoring system of professional readiness of the future teachers of pre-school education.Methodology. Presented in the paper position monitoring system of professional readiness of students to develop communicative speech bilingual children in the profil «Preschool education» are analized based on the principles: compliance with the general content of the training and disciplinary purposes of vocational training; Unity of its substantive and procedural right; structural integrity of the contents; orientation of its content for the implementation of the system, the personal, the activity, polysubject (Dialogic, cultural approaches.Results. We studid and summarized some of the theoretical and practical aspects, given the scientific substantiation of organizational methods of monitoring of professional readiness of the future teachers to the communicative and language development of preschool children bilingual.Practical implications. Еducational system of higher education.

Short term hydroelectric power system scheduling with wind turbine generators using the multi-pass iteration particle swarm optimization approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, T.-Y.

2008-01-01

This paper uses multi-pass iteration particle swarm optimization (MIPSO) to solve short term hydroelectric generation scheduling of a power system with wind turbine generators. MIPSO is a new algorithm for solving nonlinear optimal scheduling problems. A new index called iteration best (IB) is incorporated into particle swarm optimization (PSO) to improve solution quality. The concept of multi-pass dynamic programming is applied to modify PSO further and improve computation efficiency. The feasible operational regions of the hydro units and pumped storage plants over the whole scheduling time range must be determined before applying MIPSO to the problem. Wind turbine power generation then shaves the power system load curves. Next, MIPSO calculates hydroelectric generation scheduling. It begins with a coarse time stage and searching space and refines the time interval between two time stages and the search spacing pass by pass (iteration). With the cooperation of agents called particles, the near optimal solution of the scheduling problem can be effectively reached. The effects of wind speed uncertainty were also considered in this paper. The feasibility of the new algorithm is demonstrated by a numerical example, and MIPSO solution quality and computation efficiency are compared to those of other algorithms

The Relationship of Preschool Experience and Socioeconomic Status to Kindergarten and First Grade Achievement. Technical Report #65.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Candace; Gallimore, Ronald

This study examines the effects of preschool attendance on school achievement. The achievement test scores of 50 children in two classes of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) who had attended preschool were compared to those of their classmates who had not attended preschool. Measures of kindergarten achievement used were the Wechsler…

Do children's health resources differ according to preschool physical activity programmes and parental behaviour? A mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterdt, Elena; Pape, Natalie; Kramer, Silke; Liersch, Sebastian; Urban, Michael; Werning, Rolf; Walter, Ulla

2014-02-26

Preschool can have positive effects on the development of a healthy lifestyle. The present study analysed to what extent different conditions, structures and behavioural models in preschool and family-children's central social microsystems-can lead to differences in children's health resources. Using a cross-sectional mixed methods approach, contrast analyses of "preschools with systematic physical activity programmes" versus "preschools without physical activity programmes" were conducted to assess the extent to which children's physical activity, quality of life and social behaviour differ between preschools with systematic and preschools without physical activity programmes. Differences in children's physical activity according to parental behaviour were likewise assessed. Data on child-related outcomes and parent-related factors were collected via parent questionnaires and child interviews. A qualitative focused ethnographic study was performed to obtain deeper insight into the quantitative survey data. Two hundred and twenty seven (227) children were interviewed at 21 preschools with systematic physical activity programmes, and 190 at 25 preschools without physical activity programmes. There was no significant difference in children's physical activity levels between the two preschool types (p = 0.709). However, the qualitative data showed differences in the design and quality of programmes to promote children's physical activity. Data triangulation revealed a strong influence of parental behaviour. The triangulation of methods provided comprehensive insight into the nature and extent of physical activity programmes in preschools and made it possible to capture the associations between systematic physical activity promotion and children's health resources in a differential manner.

Promoting preschool reading

OpenAIRE

Istenič, Vesna

2013-01-01

The thesis titled Promoting preschool reading consists of a theoretiral and an empirical part. In the theoretical part I wrote about reading, the importance of reading, types of reading, about reading motivation, promoting reading motivation, internal and external motivation, influence of reading motivation on the child's reading activity, reading and familial literacy, the role of adults in promotion reading literacy, reading to a child and promoting reading in pre-school years, where I ...

A Cross-Cultural Multi-agent Model of Opportunism in Trade

Science.gov (United States)

Hofstede, Gert Jan; Jonker, Catholijn M.; Verwaart, Tim

According to transaction cost economics, contracts are always incomplete and offer opportunities to defect. Some level of trust is a sine qua non for trade. If the seller is better informed about product quality than the buyer, the buyer has to rely on information the seller provides or has to check the information by testing the product or tracing the supply chain processes, thus incurring extra transaction cost. An opportunistic seller who assumes the buyer to trust, may deliver a lower quality product than agreed upon. In human decisions to deceive and to show trust or distrust, issues like mutual expectations, shame, self-esteem, personality, and reputation are involved. These factors depend in part on traders' cultural background. This paper proposes an agent model of deceit and trust and describes a multi-agent simulation where trading agents are differentiated according to Hofstede's dimensions of national culture. Simulations of USA and Dutch trading situations are compared.

45 CFR 605.38 - Preschool and adult education.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preschool and adult education. 605.38 Section 605... Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary Education § 605.38 Preschool and adult education. A recipient to which this subpart applies that provides preschool education or day care or adult education may not, on the...

Internal patterns of logical operations in Russian and Chinese preschool students: crosscultural analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina N. Pogozhina

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to establish relationships between the levels of operational system elements (classification, seriation, understanding of the conservation principle and the ability to decenter on the concrete operational thinking fledging period in preschool children from two different countries: Russia and China. Classic techniques of Piaget were used to diagnose development levels of subject’s operational system structural elements. Development stages of classification and seriation of logical operations, understanding the conservation principle, the ability to decenter were compared in the 40 Russian and 40 China preschool children (3.1-6.5 years. No statistically significant differences in terms of development of all the examined elements were revealed in children from Russia and China (Mann-Whitney U test. Statistically significant positive correlation relationship is found between the levels operational system elements in the Russian and Chinese samples (ρ Spearman; p < 0.01. It is concluded that the subjects of the Russian Federation and China do not surpass each other in terms of developing the classification, seriation, understanding the conservation principle and the ability to decenter. The subject’s operational system elements function and develop interdependently in Russian and China preschoolers, so if one level of the system elements rises it is accompanied by increasing of other elements. Summing up, the subjects of the Russian Federation and those of China do not surpass each other in terms of developing the classification, seriation, understanding the conservation principle and the ability to decenter. There are no statistically significant differences in configurations of operational system elements under the transfer from the pre-operational stage of thinking development to concrete operational one between the preschool children of different cultural-social conditions (Russia, China. This emphasizes the fact

Preschool Children's Control of Action Outcomes

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Freier, Livia; Cooper, Richard P.; Mareschal, Denis

2017-01-01

Naturalistic goal-directed behaviours require the engagement and maintenance of appropriate levels of cognitive control over relatively extended intervals of time. In two experiments, we examined preschool children's abilities to maintain top-down control throughout the course of a sequential task. Both 3- and 5-year-olds demonstrated good…

A simple hanging drop cell culture protocol for generation of 3D spheroids.

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Foty, Ramsey

2011-05-06

Studies of cell-cell cohesion and cell-substratum adhesion have historically been performed on monolayer cultures adherent to rigid substrates. Cells within a tissue, however, are typically encased within a closely packed tissue mass in which cells establish intimate connections with many near-neighbors and with extracellular matrix components. Accordingly, the chemical milieu and physical forces experienced by cells within a 3D tissue are fundamentally different than those experienced by cells grown in monolayer culture. This has been shown to markedly impact cellular morphology and signaling. Several methods have been devised to generate 3D cell cultures including encapsulation of cells in collagen gels or in biomaterial scaffolds. Such methods, while useful, do not recapitulate the intimate direct cell-cell adhesion architecture found in normal tissues. Rather, they more closely approximate culture systems in which single cells are loosely dispersed within a 3D meshwork of ECM products. Here, we describe a simple method in which cells are placed in hanging drop culture and incubated under physiological conditions until they form true 3D spheroids in which cells are in direct contact with each other and with extracellular matrix components. The method requires no specialized equipment and can be adapted to include addition of any biological agent in very small quantities that may be of interest in elucidating effects on cell-cell or cell-ECM interaction. The method can also be used to co-culture two (or more) different cell populations so as to elucidate the role of cell-cell or cell-ECM interactions in specifying spatial relationships between cells. Cell-cell cohesion and cell-ECM adhesion are the cornerstones of studies of embryonic development, tumor-stromal cell interaction in malignant invasion, wound healing, and for applications to tissue engineering. This simple method will provide a means of generating tissue-like cellular aggregates for measurement of

Culture medium type affects endocytosis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in BEAS-2B cells and subsequent biological response.

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Haniu, Hisao; Saito, Naoto; Matsuda, Yoshikazu; Tsukahara, Tamotsu; Maruyama, Kayo; Usui, Yuki; Aoki, Kaoru; Takanashi, Seiji; Kobayashi, Shinsuke; Nomura, Hiroki; Okamoto, Masanori; Shimizu, Masayuki; Kato, Hiroyuki

2013-09-01

We examined the cytotoxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the resulting cytokine secretion in BEAS-2B cells or normal human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEpCs) in two types of culture media (Ham's F12 containing 10% FBS [Ham's F12] and serum-free growth medium [SFGM]). Cellular uptake of MWCNT was observed by fluorescent microscopy and analyzed using flow cytometry. Moreover, we evaluated whether MWCNT uptake was suppressed by 2 types of endocytosis inhibitors. We found that BEAS-2B cells cultured in Ham's F12 and HBEpCs cultured in SFGM showed similar biological responses, but BEAS-2B cells cultured in SFGM did not internalize MWCNTs, and the 50% inhibitory concentration value, i.e., the cytotoxicity, was increased by more than 10-fold. MWCNT uptake was suppressed by a clathrin-mediated endocytosis inhibitor and a caveolae-mediated endocytosis inhibitor in BEAS-2B cells cultured in Ham's F12 and HBEpCs cultured in SFGM. In conclusion, we suggest that BEAS-2B cells cultured in a medium containing serum should be used for the safety evaluation of nanomaterials as a model of normal human bronchial epithelial cells. However, the culture medium composition may affect the proteins that are expressed on the cytoplasmic membrane, which may influence the biological response to MWCNTs. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Mediating Roles of Generative Cognition and Organizational Culture between Personality Traits and Student Imagination

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Liu, Yi-Lin; Liang, Chaoyun

2014-01-01

Using science majors as an example, we analyzed how generative cognition, organizational culture, and personality traits affect student imagination, and examined the mediating effects of generative cognition and organizational culture. A total of 473 undergraduates enrolled in physical, chemical, mathematical, and biological science programs…

Effects of triphenyltin on reproduction in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) across two generations.

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Yoshifumi; Watanabe, Haruna; Takanobu, Hitomi; Shigemoto, Yoshiko; Yamagishi, Takahiro; Iguchi, Taisen; Tatarazako, Norihisa

2017-11-01

Triphenyltin (TPT) is an organotin compound used in marine anti-fouling coatings to prevent the attachment and growth of marine organisms, and it has negative effects on aquatic organisms. TPT is still detected at low concentrations, although its use has been prohibited at least in the European Community and is restricted in Japan as well. Studies using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) indicate that TPT has the potential to inhibit reproduction. Although TPT is detected in many aquatic ecosystems, the multi-generational impact of TPT remains unknown. We investigated the two-generational effects of TPT on Japanese medaka and examined the relationships of several such effects between the F0 and F1 generations. Suppression of fecundity was observed in both generations, and fertility and growth were inhibited in the F1 generation. Moreover, delayed hatching and lower hatchability were observed in F1 embryos. Importantly, the value of the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for these influences in F1 was lower than that in F0: that is, the LOEC values of fecundity and mortality were 3.2μg/L in the F0 generation and 1.0μg/L in the F1 generation. Fertility was not affected by TPT in F0, whereas it was significantly suppressed in the 1.0μg/L-exposure group of the F1 generation. Our results provide the first evidence of the effects of TPT on reproduction in a teleost fish across two generations, highlighting the concern that TPT could affect reproduction and mortality at decreasing concentrations in temporally overlapping generations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predicting Preschoolers' Attachment Security from Fathers' Involvement, Internal Working Models, and Use of Social Support

Science.gov (United States)

Newland, Lisa A.; Coyl, Diana D.; Freeman, Harry

2008-01-01

Associations between preschoolers' attachment security, fathers' involvement (i.e. parenting behaviors and consistency) and fathering context (i.e. fathers' internal working models (IWMs) and use of social support) were examined in a subsample of 102 fathers, taken from a larger sample of 235 culturally diverse US families. The authors predicted…

Emotion knowledge and autobiographical memory across the preschool years: a cross-cultural longitudinal investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi

2008-07-01

Knowledge of emotion situations facilitates the interpretation, processing, and organization of significant personal event information and thus may be an important contributor to the development of autobiographical memory. This longitudinal study tested the hypothesis in a cross-cultural context. The participants were native Chinese children, Chinese children from first-generation Chinese immigrant families in the U.S., and European American children. Children's developing emotion knowledge and autobiographical memory were assessed three times at home, when children were 3, 3.5, and 4.5 years of age. Children's emotion knowledge uniquely predicted their autobiographical memory ability across groups and time points. Emotion knowledge further mediated culture effects on autobiographical memory. The findings provide important insight into early autobiographical memory development, and extend current theoretical understandings of the emotion-memory interplay. They further have implications for the phenomenon of infantile amnesia and cross-cultural differences in childhood recollections.

The technique of project activity: A new approach in Russian preschool.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veraksa N.E.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Project activity has a long history of implementation in education (Kilpatrick, 1918. This article describes the approach to project activity that became widespread in preschool education in Russia in the late 1990s. This approach is based on the cultural-historical theory of Vygotsky (1978, Venger’s (1988 understanding of intellectual giftedness, as well as an understanding of project activity proposed by Leontiev (2000. At the heart of project activity lies children’s exploration of the space of possibilities — that is, their search for action options that correspond to their personal motives and express their individuality. The main features of project activity are the problem situation to be presented to the child; the subjectivity of all its participants, including teachers; and its nature, which includes its social context. Three main types of project activity are presented: research, creative, and normative; each has its own structure and value for children’s development. Examples of their implementation in preschool settings are provided. The impact of project activity on all its participants in preschool — children, teachers, parents — is addressed. The article shows the effectiveness of project activity for educational work with both intellectually gifted and normally developing children.

Evolutionarily stable learning schedules and cumulative culture in discrete generation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Kenichi; Wakano, Joe Yuichiro; Lehmann, Laurent

2012-06-01

Individual learning (e.g., trial-and-error) and social learning (e.g., imitation) are alternative ways of acquiring and expressing the appropriate phenotype in an environment. The optimal choice between using individual learning and/or social learning may be dictated by the life-stage or age of an organism. Of special interest is a learning schedule in which social learning precedes individual learning, because such a schedule is apparently a necessary condition for cumulative culture. Assuming two obligatory learning stages per discrete generation, we obtain the evolutionarily stable learning schedules for the three situations where the environment is constant, fluctuates between generations, or fluctuates within generations. During each learning stage, we assume that an organism may target the optimal phenotype in the current environment by individual learning, and/or the mature phenotype of the previous generation by oblique social learning. In the absence of exogenous costs to learning, the evolutionarily stable learning schedules are predicted to be either pure social learning followed by pure individual learning ("bang-bang" control) or pure individual learning at both stages ("flat" control). Moreover, we find for each situation that the evolutionarily stable learning schedule is also the one that optimizes the learned phenotype at equilibrium. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preschool Teachers use of ICTs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Masoumi, Davoud

2015-01-01

; and as a communication and documentation tool. In addition, by addressing the teachers’ values and attitudes to the role of ICT in early childhood, the paper also unpacks the stances of teachers who consider ICT to be unsuitable for early childhood education. The findings of this study may bring some clarity......This study aimed to identify the ways in which information and communication technologies (ICT) are integrated in three preschools in south-western Sweden. The case study involved observations of and interviews with preschool teachers. The findings support claims that ICT can enhance preschool...

Two randomized trials provide no consistent evidence for nonmusical cognitive benefits of brief preschool music enrichment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel A Mehr

Full Text Available Young children regularly engage in musical activities, but the effects of early music education on children's cognitive development are unknown. While some studies have found associations between musical training in childhood and later nonmusical cognitive outcomes, few randomized controlled trials (RCTs have been employed to assess causal effects of music lessons on child cognition and no clear pattern of results has emerged. We conducted two RCTs with preschool children investigating the cognitive effects of a brief series of music classes, as compared to a similar but non-musical form of arts instruction (visual arts classes, Experiment 1 or to a no-treatment control (Experiment 2. Consistent with typical preschool arts enrichment programs, parents attended classes with their children, participating in a variety of developmentally appropriate arts activities. After six weeks of class, we assessed children's skills in four distinct cognitive areas in which older arts-trained students have been reported to excel: spatial-navigational reasoning, visual form analysis, numerical discrimination, and receptive vocabulary. We initially found that children from the music class showed greater spatial-navigational ability than did children from the visual arts class, while children from the visual arts class showed greater visual form analysis ability than children from the music class (Experiment 1. However, a partial replication attempt comparing music training to a no-treatment control failed to confirm these findings (Experiment 2, and the combined results of the two experiments were negative: overall, children provided with music classes performed no better than those with visual arts or no classes on any assessment. Our findings underscore the need for replication in RCTs, and suggest caution in interpreting the positive findings from past studies of cognitive effects of music instruction.

Two randomized trials provide no consistent evidence for nonmusical cognitive benefits of brief preschool music enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehr, Samuel A; Schachner, Adena; Katz, Rachel C; Spelke, Elizabeth S

2013-01-01

Young children regularly engage in musical activities, but the effects of early music education on children's cognitive development are unknown. While some studies have found associations between musical training in childhood and later nonmusical cognitive outcomes, few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been employed to assess causal effects of music lessons on child cognition and no clear pattern of results has emerged. We conducted two RCTs with preschool children investigating the cognitive effects of a brief series of music classes, as compared to a similar but non-musical form of arts instruction (visual arts classes, Experiment 1) or to a no-treatment control (Experiment 2). Consistent with typical preschool arts enrichment programs, parents attended classes with their children, participating in a variety of developmentally appropriate arts activities. After six weeks of class, we assessed children's skills in four distinct cognitive areas in which older arts-trained students have been reported to excel: spatial-navigational reasoning, visual form analysis, numerical discrimination, and receptive vocabulary. We initially found that children from the music class showed greater spatial-navigational ability than did children from the visual arts class, while children from the visual arts class showed greater visual form analysis ability than children from the music class (Experiment 1). However, a partial replication attempt comparing music training to a no-treatment control failed to confirm these findings (Experiment 2), and the combined results of the two experiments were negative: overall, children provided with music classes performed no better than those with visual arts or no classes on any assessment. Our findings underscore the need for replication in RCTs, and suggest caution in interpreting the positive findings from past studies of cognitive effects of music instruction.

Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does It Matter? Preschool Policy Brief. Issue 15

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, W. Steven; Yarosz, Donald J.

2007-01-01

In a world shaped by global competition, preschool education programs play an increasingly vital role in child development and school readiness. There is growing awareness that early learning's impacts persist across children's life spans, affecting educational achievement, adult earning and even crime and delinquency. Preschool education is…

Preschoolers' Performance on the Brazilian Adaptation of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument - Second Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindau, Tâmara Andrade; Rossi, Natalia Freitas; Giacheti, Celia Maria

2016-01-01

The objective was to test whether the Brazilian version of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument - Second Edition (PLAI-2) has the potential to assess and identify differences in typical language development of Portuguese-speaking preschoolers. The study included 354 children of both genders with typical language development who were between the ages of 3 years and 5 years 11 months. The version of the PLAI-2 previously translated into Brazilian Portuguese was used to assess the communication skills of these preschool-age children. Statistically significant differences were found between the age groups, and the raw score tended to increase as a function of age. With nonstandardized assessments, the performances of the younger groups revealed behavioral profiles (e.g., nonresponsive, impulsive behavior) that directly influenced the evaluation. The findings of this study show that the PLAI-2 is effective in identifying differences in language development among Brazilian children of preschool age. Future research should include studies validating and standardizing these findings. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ethnic Background and Television Viewing Time Among 4-Year-Old Preschool Children : The Generation R Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.I. Wijtzes (Anne); W. Jansen (Wilma); V.W.V. Jaddoe (Vincent); H.A. Moll (Henriëtte); H.W. Tiemeier (Henning); F.C. Verhulst (Frank); A. Hofman (Albert); J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); H. Raat (Hein)

2013-01-01

textabstractObjective: Children’s television viewing has been associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. This study aims to assess the associations of ethnic background and acculturation characteristics with television viewing time in 4-year-old preschool children. Method: The

Study of fast electron generation using multi beam of LFEX-class laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, M; Nagatomo, H; Sakagami, H; Johzaki, T; Sentoku, Y

2016-01-01

Fast Ignition Realization Experiment project phase-I (FIREX-I) is being performed at Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University. In this project, the four-beam bundled high-energy Petawatt laser (LFEX) is being operated. LFEX laser provides great multi-beam irradiation flexibility, with the possibility of arrange the pulses in temporal sequence, spatially separate them in distinct spots of focus them in a single spot. In this paper, we study the two- beam interference effects on high-intensity picosecond laser-plasma interaction (LPI) by twodimensional relativistic Particle-In-Cell simulations. The interference causes surface perturbation, which enhances laser absorption and underdense plasma generation, increasing the accelerated electron number and their slope temperature. The laser-to-electron energy conversion efficiency for two-beam interference case is suitable for Fast Ignition (FI) compared to the single beam case, but the increment of fast electron divergence leads to lower energy coupling. To optimize the target design for FI, these interference effects should be taken into consideration. (paper)

A priori data-driven multi-clustered reservoir generation algorithm for echo state network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiumin Li

Full Text Available Echo state networks (ESNs with multi-clustered reservoir topology perform better in reservoir computing and robustness than those with random reservoir topology. However, these ESNs have a complex reservoir topology, which leads to difficulties in reservoir generation. This study focuses on the reservoir generation problem when ESN is used in environments with sufficient priori data available. Accordingly, a priori data-driven multi-cluster reservoir generation algorithm is proposed. The priori data in the proposed algorithm are used to evaluate reservoirs by calculating the precision and standard deviation of ESNs. The reservoirs are produced using the clustering method; only the reservoir with a better evaluation performance takes the place of a previous one. The final reservoir is obtained when its evaluation score reaches the preset requirement. The prediction experiment results obtained using the Mackey-Glass chaotic time series show that the proposed reservoir generation algorithm provides ESNs with extra prediction precision and increases the structure complexity of the network. Further experiments also reveal the appropriate values of the number of clusters and time window size to obtain optimal performance. The information entropy of the reservoir reaches the maximum when ESN gains the greatest precision.

The Role of School Culture and Basic Psychological Needs on Iranian Adolescents' Academic Alienation: A Multi-Level Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoudi, Hojjat; Brown, Monica R.; Amani Saribagloo, Javad; Dadashzadeh, Shiva

2018-01-01

This aim of this current research was a multi-level analysis of the relationship between school culture, basic psychological needs, and adolescents' academic alienation. One thousand twenty-nine (N = 1,029) high school students from Qom City were randomly selected through a multi-phase cluster sampling method and answered questions regarding…

Parental autonomy support and ethnic culture identification among second-generation immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Abad, Neetu S; Sheldon, Kennon M

2008-08-01

Born and raised in the United States, children of immigrants often face conflict over whether to endorse the norms and traditions of the family's country of origin (the natal culture) or those of mainstream U.S. society (the host culture). The authors hypothesized that when immigrant parents allow children to make their own choices concerning their cultural identity, their children will be more likely to internalize the natal culture and will experience greater well-being. Ninety-nine college-aged 2nd-generation immigrants rated their well-being, perceptions of their mother's and father's autonomy support, and their endorsement of both natal and U.S. cultures. Results demonstrated that paternal, but not maternal, autonomy support predicted greater well-being and greater endorsement of the natal culture and that immersion in the natal culture predicted some indices of well-being. Several explanations for the possibly greater significance of paternal versus maternal autonomy support in the context of immigrant families are considered.

Multi-Objective Reservoir Optimization Balancing Energy Generation and Firm Power

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang-Fang Li

2015-07-01

Full Text Available To maximize annual power generation and to improve firm power are important but competing goals for hydropower stations. The firm power output is decisive for the installed capacity in design, and represents the reliability of the power generation when the power plant is put into operation. To improve the firm power, the whole generation process needs to be as stable as possible, while the maximization of power generation requires a rapid rise of the water level at the beginning of the storage period. Taking the minimal power output as the firm power, both the total amount and the reliability of the hydropower generation are considered simultaneously in this study. A multi-objective model to improve the comprehensive benefits of hydropower stations are established, which is optimized by Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II. The Three Gorges Cascade Hydropower System (TGCHS is taken as the study case, and the Pareto Fronts in different search spaces are obtained. The results not only prove the effectiveness of the proposed method, but also provide operational references for the TGCHS, indicating that there is room of improvement for both the annual power generation and the firm power.

Intimate partner violence and preschoolers' explicit memory functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Jouriles, Ernest N; Brown, Alan S; McDonald, Renee; Rosenfield, David; Leahy, Matthew M; Silver, Cheryl

2008-06-01

This research examines whether parents' intimate partner physical violence (IPV) relates to their preschoolers' explicit memory functioning, whether children's symptoms of hyperarousal mediate this relation, and whether mothers' positive parenting moderates this relation. Participants were 69 mothers and their 4- or 5-year-old child (34 girls). Mothers completed measures of IPV, children's hyperarousal symptoms, parent-child aggression, and positive parenting. Measures of explicit memory functioning were administered to preschoolers. As expected, IPV correlated negatively with preschoolers' performance on explicit memory tasks, even after controlling for parent-child aggression and demographic variables related to preschoolers' memory functioning. Preschoolers' hyperarousal symptoms did not mediate the relation between IPV and explicit memory functioning, but mothers' positive parenting moderated this relation. Specifically, the negative relation between IPV and preschoolers' performance on 2 of the 3 explicit memory tasks was weaker when mothers engaged in higher levels of positive parenting. These findings extend research on IPV and children's adjustment difficulties to explicit memory functioning in preschoolers and suggest that mothers can ameliorate the influence of IPV on preschoolers' memory functioning via their parenting. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

The Evolution of Culture-Climate Interplay in Temporary Multi-Organisations: The Case of Construction Alliancing Projects

OpenAIRE

Kusuma, I. C.

2016-01-01

Organisational culture has been a long-standing debate in management research. However, in the field of construction project management, it is relatively under-explored. This is mainly due to the different organisational context of Temporary Multi-Organisations (TMOs). This research re-explores the notion of organisational culture in construction projects. Based on Darwin’s theory of evolution this research goes back to the very beginning; illustrating the exact meaning and dynamics of organi...

The Chinese number naming system and its impact on the arithmetic performance of pre-schoolers in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Sharon Sui Ngan

2012-06-01

Asian children, including Chinese children, perform better than their English-speaking peers in cross-national mathematics studies. This superior Asian performance is attributed to several factors including cultural beliefs, educational systems and practices, and the Chinese number naming system. Given the limited empirical evidence on pre-school mathematics learning in Chinese societies, the outcomes of Western studies are often borrowed and adopted in curriculum planning in Asian schools. The study reported in this paper investigated the performance of Hong Kong Chinese pre-school children based on Western studies involving English-speaking children, and examined the relationship between the Chinese number naming system and children's performance in number and operation concepts. Data were collected from 299 pre-school children aged between 3 and 5 years. The learning sequence of the children in mastering number and operation concepts was established using the Rasch Model. This study provides empirical evidence for the feasibility of borrowing lists of mathematics concepts from studies of English-speaking children to serve as a reference for school-based curriculum planning in a Chinese-speaking context. However, it is not enough to establish the relationship between children's performance and the Chinese number naming system. Classroom instruction and cultural beliefs in mathematics learning are also important in explaining children's performance.

Generational Politics: Narratives of Power in Central Asia's Visual Culture

OpenAIRE

Khudonazar, Anaita

2011-01-01

This dissertation focuses on the visual representation of generational politics as it changed during Imperial, Soviet and Post Soviet periods. It argues that the most important shift in visual representation of power relations between generations in Central Asia took place in the late 1920s when a group of cultural producers, which this dissertation introduces as Transsoveticus, entered the Soviet art and film industries. This dissertation demonstrates ways in which these artists and filmmak...

Day care for pre-school children.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoritch, B; Roberts, I; Oakley, A

2000-01-01

The debate about how, where and by whom young children should be looked after is one which has occupied much social policy and media attention in recent years. Mothers undertake most of the care of young children. Internationally, out-of-home day-care provision ranges widely. These different levels of provision are not simply a response to different levels of demand for day-care, but reflect cultural and economic interests concerning the welfare of children, the need to promote mothers' participation in paid work, and the importance of socialising children into society's values. At a time when a decline in family values is held responsible for a range of social problems, the day-care debate has a special prominence. To quantify the effects of out-of-home day-care for preschool children on educational, health and welfare outcomes for children and their families. Randomised controlled trials of day-care for pre-school children were identified using electronic databases, hand searches of relevant literature, and contact with authors. Studies were included in the review if the intervention involved the provision of non-parental day care for children under 5 years of age, and the evaluation design was that of a randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trial. A total of eight trials were identified after examining 920 abstracts and 19 books. The trials were assessed for methodological quality. Day-care increases children's IQ, and has beneficial effects on behavioural development and school achievement. Long-term follow up demonstrates increased employment, lower teenage pregnancy rates, higher socio-economic status and decreased criminal behaviour. There are positive effects on mothers' education, employment and interaction with children. Effects on fathers have not been examined. Few studies look at a range of outcomes spanning the health, education and welfare domains. Most of the trials combined non-parental day-care with some element of parent training or education

METHOD OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN RUSSIA

OpenAIRE

Y. S. Rubinchik

2015-01-01

The article suggests a methodology of historical research of preschool education. The analysis of theoretical and methodical provisions for the education of preschool children. Discusses the importance of the achievements of the Soviet system of preschool upbringing and education. Shows the principles, directions, methods and conditions for their implementation when working with children of preschool age. Discusses the state of childhood in modern Russia, problems of development of preschool ...

Coordinated Multi-Objective Control of Regulating Resources in Multi-Area Power Systems with Large Penetration of Wind Power Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyeng, Preben; Yang, Bo; Ma, Jian

2008-01-01

This paper describes a control algorithm for a Wide Area Energy Storage and Management System (WAEMS). The WAEMS is designed to meet the demand for fast, accurate and reliable regulation services in multi-area power systems with a significant share of wind power and other intermittent generation...

Communication Patterns in Preschool Education Institutions ? Practical Examples

OpenAIRE

Radic-Hozo, Endica

2014-01-01

Introduction: Proper communication in pre-school institutions for education is undeniable importance to the development of the child, as evidenced by numerous studies. After the child's birth follows the most complex phase in its early phases - preschool education. Only high-quality, synergistic relationship triad: parent-child-educator and the modern postulates of preschool child education, warrants successful preschool child education. Methods and materials: Description, with examples from ...

Preschool Children's Perceptions of Overweight Peers

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Wei; Aurelia, Di Santo

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine if preschool children perceive overweight children to have more negative characteristics than non-overweight children. Children from 32 to 70 months old (N = 42) listened to four stories about an interaction between two children, in which one child demonstrated socially unacceptable behaviour and one child…

Using Narrative Intervention to Accelerate Canonical Story Grammar and Complex Language Growth in Culturally Diverse Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Douglas B.; Spencer, Trina D.

2016-01-01

Oral narratives are a commonly used, meaningful means of communication that reflects academic language. New state curriculum standards include narrative-related language expectations for young school-age children, including story grammar and complex language. This article provides a review of preschool narrative-based language intervention…

What is science in preschool and what do teachers have to know to empower children?

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Kristina; Gullberg, Annica

2014-06-01

In this article we problematize the purpose of teaching science in preschool and the competences preschool teachers need in order to conduct science activities in the classroom. The empirical data were collected through an action research project with five preschool and primary school teachers (K-6). In the first section of this paper we use one situation, a floating-sinking experiment, as an illustration of how two different epistemological perspectives generate different foci on which kind of science teaching competences can be fruitful in preschool settings. In the first perspective, the central goal of science teaching is the development of the children's conceptual understanding. With this perspective, we found that the science activities with children were unsuccessful, because their thoughts about concepts did not develop as expected, the situation even enhanced a "misconception" concerning density. Moreover, the teacher was unsuccessful in supporting the children's conceptual learning. The second perspective uses a feminist approach that scrutinizes science, where we investigate if the floating-sinking activity contributes to a feeling of participation in a scientific context for the children and if so how the teacher promotes this inclusion. This second perspective showed that the children's scientific proficiency benefited from the situation; they had a positive experience with density which was reinforced by the teacher. The children discovered that they had power over their own learning by using an experimental approach. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that there are competences other than subject matter knowledge that are also important when preschool teachers engage children in scientific activities. Through process-oriented work with the teacher group, we identified four concrete skills: paying attention to and using children's previous experiences; capturing unexpected things that happen at the moment they occur; asking questions that

Gendering in one Icelandic preschool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gudrun Alda Hardardottir

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to shed light on gendering in preschool. It analyzes the opinions and beliefs of preschool teachers with regard to boys and girls in one Icelandic preschool, and how gender performative acts are manifested in the preschool’s children. The preschool, which was observed for one school year, comprised 60 children, aged 18 months to five years, and 20 employees, of which eight were qualified teachers. The research material is analyzed in terms of Judith Butler’s gender constructivism. Butler contends that gender is constituted by, and is a product of, society, and that the individual’s empowerment is therefore limited in relation to society, with individuals typically seeking to identify themselves with the dominant norms concerning gender. The main conclusions suggest that “gendering” is prominent within the preschool. There is a strong tendency among the preschool teachers to classify the children into categories of boys/masculine and girls/feminine, and specific norms direct the children into the dominant feminine and masculine categories, thus maintaining and reinforcing their gender stereotypes. The children used symbols such as colors, locations and types of play as means to instantiate the “girling” and the “boying”. These findings are consistent with previous Nordic research and indicate a prevailing essentialist perspective towards both girls and boys. The originality of the research, however, lies in focusing on children’s gender from the individual’s perspective and how the individual child generally enacts gender performatively within the confines of society’s norms.

A multi-disciplinary approach for the structural monitoring of Cultural Heritages in a seismic area

Science.gov (United States)

Fabrizia Buongiorno, Maria; Musacchio, Massimo; Guerra, Ignazio; Porco, Giacinto; Stramondo, Salvatore; Casula, Giuseppe; Caserta, Arrigo; Speranza, Fabio; Doumaz, Fawzi; Giovanna Bianchi, Maria; Luzi, Guido; Ilaria Pannaccione Apa, Maria; Montuori, Antonio; Gaudiosi, Iolanda; Vecchio, Antonio; Gervasi, Anna; Bonali, Elena; Romano, Dolores; Falcone, Sergio; La Piana, Carmelo

2014-05-01

In the recent years, the concepts of seismic risk vulnerability and structural health monitoring have become very important topics in the field of both structural and civil engineering for the identification of appropriate risk indicators and risk assessment methodologies in Cultural Heritages monitoring. The latter, which includes objects, building and sites with historical, architectural and/or engineering relevance, concerns the management, the preservation and the maintenance of the heritages within their surrounding environmental context, in response to climate changes and natural hazards (e.g. seismic, volcanic, landslides and flooding hazards). Within such a framework, the complexity and the great number of variables to be considered require a multi-disciplinary approach including strategies, methodologies and tools able to provide an effective monitoring of Cultural Heritages form both scientific and operational viewpoints. Based on this rationale, in this study, an advanced, technological and operationally-oriented approach is presented and tested, which enables measuring and monitoring Cultural Heritage conservation state and geophysical/geological setting of the area, in order to mitigate the seismic risk of the historical public goods at different spatial scales*. The integration between classical geophysical methods with new emerging sensing techniques enables a multi-depth, multi-resolution, and multi-scale monitoring in both space and time. An integrated system of methodologies, instrumentation and data-processing approaches for non-destructive Cultural Heritage investigations is proposed, which concerns, in detail, the analysis of seismogenetic sources, the geological-geotechnical setting of the area and site seismic effects evaluation, proximal remote sensing techniques (e.g. terrestrial laser scanner, ground-based radar systems, thermal cameras), high-resolution aerial and satellite-based remote sensing methodologies (e.g. aeromagnetic surveys

Nutritional status of preschool children in informal settlement areas near Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Dannhauser, A; Bester, C; Joubert, G; Badenhorst, P; Slabber, M; Badenhorst, A; Du Toit, E; Barnard, H; Botha, P; Nogabe, L

2000-09-01

To determine the nutritional status and household resources of preschool children. A cross-sectional survey. : Two informal settlement areas, Joe Slovo (JS) and JB Mafora (JBM) in Mangaung, near Bloemfontein, South Africa. Preschool children (poor household situation of the participants. The generally poor nutritional status and environmental conditions emphasize the urgency of intervention for these children.

Two spelling programmes that promote understanding of the alphabetic principle in preschool children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margarida Alves Martins & Cristina Silva

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Our aim in this study was to test two programmes designed to lead preschool children to use conventional letters to spell the initial consonants of words. These programmes differed in terms of the characteristics of the vowels that followed those consonants. The participants were 45 five-year-old Portuguese children whose spelling was pre-syllabic - they used strings of random letters in their spelling, making no attempt to match the oral to the written language. They were divided into two experimental and a control group. Their age, level of intelligence, and phonological awareness were controlled. Their spelling was assessed in a pre- and a post-test. In-between, children from the experimental groups participated in two programmes where they had to think about the relationships between the initial consonant and the corresponding phoneme in different words: In Experimental Group 1, the initial consonants were followed by an open vowel, and in Experimental Group 2, these same consonants were followed by a closed vowel. The control group classified geometric shapes. Experimental Group 1 achieved better results than Experimental Group 2 following open vowels, being more able to generalize the phonological procedures to sounds that were not taught during the programmes. Both experimental groups used conventional letters to represent several phonemes in the post-test whereas the control group continued to produce pre-syllabic spellings.

Authoritative parenting among immigrant Chinese mothers of preschoolers.

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Cheah, Charissa S L; Leung, Christy Y Y; Tahseen, Madiha; Schultz, David

2009-06-01

The goals of this study were: (a) to examine authoritative parenting style among Chinese immigrant mothers of young children, (b) to test the mediational mechanism between authoritative parenting style and children's outcomes; and (c) to evaluate 3 predictors of authoritative parenting style (psychological well-being, perceived support in the parenting role, parenting stress). Participants included 85 Chinese immigrant mothers and their preschool children. Mothers reported on their parenting style, psychological well-being, perceived parenting support and stress, and children's hyperactivity/attention. Teacher ratings of child adjustment were also obtained. Results revealed that Chinese immigrant mothers of preschoolers strongly endorsed the authoritative parenting style. Moreover, authoritative parenting predicted increased children's behavioral/attention regulation abilities (lower hyperactivity/inattention), which then predicted decreased teacher rated child difficulties. Finally, mothers with greater psychological well-being or parenting support engaged in more authoritative parenting, but only under conditions of low parenting stress. Neither well-being nor parenting support predicted authoritative parenting when parenting hassles were high. Findings were discussed in light of cultural- and immigration-related issues facing immigrant Chinese mothers of young children. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Multi-objective generation scheduling with hybrid energy resources

Science.gov (United States)

Trivedi, Manas

In economic dispatch (ED) of electric power generation, the committed generating units are scheduled to meet the load demand at minimum operating cost with satisfying all unit and system equality and inequality constraints. Generation of electricity from the fossil fuel releases several contaminants into the atmosphere. So the economic dispatch objective can no longer be considered alone due to the environmental concerns that arise from the emissions produced by fossil fueled electric power plants. This research is proposing the concept of environmental/economic generation scheduling with traditional and renewable energy sources. Environmental/economic dispatch (EED) is a multi-objective problem with conflicting objectives since emission minimization is conflicting with fuel cost minimization. Production and consumption of fossil fuel and nuclear energy are closely related to environmental degradation. This causes negative effects to human health and the quality of life. Depletion of the fossil fuel resources will also be challenging for the presently employed energy systems to cope with future energy requirements. On the other hand, renewable energy sources such as hydro and wind are abundant, inexhaustible and widely available. These sources use native resources and have the capacity to meet the present and the future energy demands of the world with almost nil emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The costs of fossil fuel and renewable energy are also heading in opposite directions. The economic policies needed to support the widespread and sustainable markets for renewable energy sources are rapidly evolving. The contribution of this research centers on solving the economic dispatch problem of a system with hybrid energy resources under environmental restrictions. It suggests an effective solution of renewable energy to the existing fossil fueled and nuclear electric utilities for the cheaper and cleaner production of electricity with hourly

Executive Functioning Skills in Preschool-Age Children With Cochlear Implants

Science.gov (United States)

Beer, Jessica; Kronenberger, William G.; Castellanos, Irina; Colson, Bethany G.; Henning, Shirley C.; Pisoni, David B.

2014-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether deficits in executive functioning (EF) in children with cochlear implants (CIs) emerge as early as the preschool years. Method Two groups of children ages 3 to 6 years participated in this cross-sectional study: 24 preschoolers who had CIs prior to 36 months of age and 21 preschoolers with normal hearing (NH). All were tested on normed measures of working memory, inhibition-concentration, and organization-integration. Parents completed a normed rating scale of problem behaviors related to EF. Comparisons of EF skills of children with CIs were made to peers with NH and to published nationally representative norms. Results Preschoolers with CIs showed significantly poorer performance on inhibition-concentration and working memory compared with peers with NH and with national norms. No group differences were found in visual memory or organization-integration. When data were controlled for language, differences in performance measures of EF remained, whereas differences in parent-reported problems with EF were no longer significant. Hearing history was generally unrelated to EF. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that EF deficits found in older children with CIs begin to emerge as early as preschool years. The ability to detect these deficits early has important implications for early intervention and habilitation after cochlear implantation. PMID:24686747

Socioeconomic status and Oppositional Defiant Disorder in preschoolers: parenting practices and executive functioning as mediating variables

OpenAIRE

Roser eGranero; Roser eGranero; Leonie eLouwaars; Lourdes eEzpeleta; Lourdes eEzpeleta

2015-01-01

Objectives. To investigate the mediating mechanisms of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in preschoolers through pathways analysis, considering the family socioeconomic status (SES) as the independent variable and the parenting style and the children’s executive functioning (EF) as the mediating factors.Method. Sample included 622 three years-old children from the general population. Multi-informant reports from parents and teachers were analyzed.Results. Structural Equation Modeling showed...

Design and baseline characteristics of the Short bouTs of Exercise for Preschoolers (STEP) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhassan, Sofiya; Nwaokelemeh, Ogechi; Mendoza, Albert; Shitole, Sanyog; Whitt-Glover, Melicia C; Yancey, Antronette K

2012-08-01

Most preschool centers provide two 30-min sessions of gross-motor/outdoor playtime per preschool day. Within this time frame, children accumulate most of their activity within the first 10 min. This paper describes the design and baseline participant characteristics of the Short bouTs of Exercise for Preschoolers (STEP) study. The STEP study is a cluster randomized controlled study designed to examine the effects of short bouts of structured physical activity (SBS-PA) implemented within the classroom setting as part of designated gross-motor playtime on during-school physical activity (PA) in preschoolers. Ten preschool centers serving low-income families were randomized into SBS-PA versus unstructured PA (UPA). SBS-PA schools were asked to implement age-appropriate 10 min structured PA routines within the classroom setting, twice daily, followed by 20 min of usual unstructured playtime. UPA intervention consisted of 30 min of supervised unstructured free playtime twice daily. Interventions were implemented during the morning and afternoon designated gross-motor playtime for 30 min/session, five days/week for six months. Outcome measures were between group difference in during-preschool PA (accelerometers and direct observation) over six-months. Ten preschool centers, representing 34 classrooms and 315 children, enrolled in the study. The average age and BMI percentile for the participants was 4.1 ± 0.8 years and 69th percentile, respectively. Participants spent 74% and 6% of their preschool day engaged in sedentary and MVPA, respectively. Results from the STEP intervention could provide evidence that a PA policy that exposes preschoolers to shorter bouts of structured PA throughout the preschool day could potentially increase preschoolers' PA levels.

Concept for a solid-state multi-parameter sensor system for cell-culture monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baecker, M.; Beging, S.; Biselli, M.; Poghossian, A.; Wang, J.; Zang, W.; Wagner, P.; Schoening, M.J.

2009-01-01

In this study, a concept for a silicon-based modular solid-state sensor system for inline multi-parameter monitoring of cell-culture fermentation processes is presented. The envisaged multi-parameter sensor system consists of two identical sensor modules and is intended for continuous quantification of up to five (bio-)chemical and physical parameters, namely, glucose and glutamine concentration, pH value, electrolyte conductivity and temperature by applying different transducer principles and/or different operation modes. Experimental results for the field-effect electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sterilisable pH sensor and electrolyte conductivity sensor based on interdigitated electrodes are presented. The ongoing autoclaving does not have any significant impact on the pH-sensitive properties of a Ta 2 O 5 -gate EIS sensor. Even after 30 autoclaving cycles, the pH sensors show a clear pH response and nearly linear calibration curve with a slope of 57 ± 1 mV/pH. Additional scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometric investigations do not show any visible surface degradation or changes in the thickness of the pH-sensitive Ta 2 O 5 layer. The preliminary results demonstrate the suitability of the developed EIS sensor for an inline pH measurement during a fermentation process. In addition, interdigitated electrodes of different geometries serving as electrolyte conductivity sensor have been tested for measurements in relatively high ionic-strength solutions.

Advanced cell culture technology for generation of in vivo-like tissue models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Przyborski

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Human tissues are mostly composed of different cell types, that are often highly organised in relation to each other. Often cells are arranged in distinct layers that enable signalling and cell-to-cell interactions. Here we describe the application of scaffold-based technology, that can be used to create advanced organotypic 3D models of various tissue types that more closely resemble in vivo-like conditions (Knight et al., 2011. The scaffold comprises a highly porous polystyrene material, engineered into a 200 micron thick membrane that is presented in various ways including multi-welled plates and well inserts, for use with conventional culture plasticware and medium perfusion systems. This technology has been applied to generate numerous unique types of co-culture model. For example: 1 a full thickness human skin construct comprising dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes, raised to the air-liquid interface to induce cornification of the upper layers (Fig.1 (Hill et al., 2015; 2 a neuron-glial co-culture to enable the study of neurite outgrowth interacting with astroglial cells to model and investigate the glial scar found in spinal cord injury (Clarke et al., 2016; 3 formation of a sub-mucosa consisting of a polarised simple epithelium, layer of ECM proteins simulating the basement membrane, and underlying stromal tissues (e.g. intestinal mucosa. These organotypic models demonstrate the versatility of scaffold membranes and the creation of advanced in vivo-like tissue models. Creating a layered arrangement more closely simulates the true anatomy and organisation of cells within many tissue types. The addition of different cell types in a temporal and spatial fashion can be used to study inter-cellular relationships and create more physiologically relevant in vivo-like cell-based assays. Methods that are relatively straightforward to use and that recreate the organised structure of real tissues will become valuable research tools for use in

Multi-Functional Distributed Generation Unit for Power Quality Enhancement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Zheng; Yang, Huan; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

A multi-functional distributed generation unit (MFDGU) and its control strategy are proposed in this paper for the purpose of enhancing power quality in low-voltage networks. By using the 3H-bridge converter structure, an MFDGU can be applied in 3-phase 4-wire low-voltage distribution networks...... reference of the MFDGU, which can be easily implemented in three-phase networks. A 15kVA prototype consisting of three full bridge converters has been built and tested. Experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed topology and control strategy....

Coordination between Generation and Transmission Maintenance Scheduling by Means of Multi-agent Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Nagata, Takeshi; Tao, Yasuhiro; Utatani, Masahiro; Sasaki, Hiroshi; Fujita, Hideki

This paper proposes a multi-agent approach to maintenance scheduling in restructured power systems. The restructuring of electric power industry has resulted in market-based approaches for unbundling a multitude of service provided by self-interested entities such as power generating companies (GENCOs), transmission providers (TRANSCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs). The Independent System Operator (ISO) is responsible for the security of the system operation. The schedule submitted to ISO by GENCOs and TRANSCOs should satisfy security and reliability constraints. The proposed method consists of several GENCO Agents (GAGs), TARNSCO Agents (TAGs) and a ISO Agent(IAG). The IAG’s role in maintenance scheduling is limited to ensuring that the submitted schedules do not cause transmission congestion or endanger the system reliability. From the simulation results, it can be seen the proposed multi-agent approach could coordinate between generation and transmission maintenance schedules.

Do Children’s Health Resources Differ According to Preschool Physical Activity Programmes and Parental Behaviour? A Mixed Methods Study

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Elena Sterdt

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Preschool can have positive effects on the development of a healthy lifestyle. The present study analysed to what extent different conditions, structures and behavioural models in preschool and family—children’s central social microsystems—can lead to differences in children’s health resources. Using a cross-sectional mixed methods approach, contrast analyses of “preschools with systematic physical activity programmes” versus “preschools without physical activity programmes” were conducted to assess the extent to which children’s physical activity, quality of life and social behaviour differ between preschools with systematic and preschools without physical activity programmes. Differences in children’s physical activity according to parental behaviour were likewise assessed. Data on child-related outcomes and parent-related factors were collected via parent questionnaires and child interviews. A qualitative focused ethnographic study was performed to obtain deeper insight into the quantitative survey data. Two hundred and twenty seven (227 children were interviewed at 21 preschools with systematic physical activity programmes, and 190 at 25 preschools without physical activity programmes. There was no significant difference in children’s physical activity levels between the two preschool types (p = 0.709. However, the qualitative data showed differences in the design and quality of programmes to promote children’s physical activity. Data triangulation revealed a strong influence of parental behaviour. The triangulation of methods provided comprehensive insight into the nature and extent of physical activity programmes in preschools and made it possible to capture the associations between systematic physical activity promotion and children’s health resources in a differential manner.

Improvements and Future Challenges for the Research Infrastructure in the Field of “Preschool Education”

OpenAIRE

C. Katharina Spiess

2009-01-01

"Given the importance of the early stage of a child`s life and taking into account that there various initiatives underway to improve preschool programs in German, it is remarkable that there are only a few microdatasets covering the field of preschool education in Germany - even less if the focus is on nationally representative datasets. The majority of these at least provide information on attendance of preschool programs. In principle there are two main groups of data: data that comprise p...

Physical Activity and Health in Preschool Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Line Brinch

Physical activity is beneficial in relation to several life style diseases and the association between physical activity and early predictors of life style diseases seem to be present already in preschool age. Since physical activity and other health behaviours are established during childhood...... and track from childhood into adult life, it is relevant to address physical activity already in the preschool age. The research in preschool children’s physical activity is relatively new, and because of methodological inconsistencies, the associations between physical activity and health are less clear...... in this age group. The objective of this thesis was to contribute to the knowledge base regarding physical activity in preschoolers; How active are preschoolers? Are activity levels related to specific settings during a typical week? And are the activity levels related to a range of health outcomes...

PHYSICAL EDUCATION - PHYSICAL CULTURE. TWO MODELS, TWO DIDACTIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Vizuete Carrizosa

2014-11-01

The survival of these conflicting positions and their interests and different views on education, in a lengthy space of time, as a consequence threw two teaching approaches and two different educational models, in which the objectives and content of education differ , and with them the forms and methods of teaching. The need to define the cultural and educational approach, in every time and place, is now a pressing need and challenge the processes of teacher training, as responsible for shaping an advanced physical education, adjusted to the time and place, the interests and needs of citizens and the democratic values of modern society.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED. SUPPLEMENT III.

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Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY SUPPLEMENT LISTS MATERIAL ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED. APPROXIMATELY 220 UNANNOTATED REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED TO DOCUMENTS DATING FROM 1963 TO 1966. JOURNALS, BOOKS, AND REPORT MATERIALS ARE LISTED. SUBJECT AREAS INCLUDED ARE PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, SHORT-TERM GROUP COUNSELING,…

Moments of Meeting: Difficulties and Developments in Shared Attention, Interaction, and Communication with Children with Autism during Two Years of Music Therapy in a Public Preschool Class