Analysis of 100 high-coverage genomes from a pedigreed captive baboon colony.

Baboons (genus Papio) are broadly studied in the wild and in captivity. They are widely used as a nonhuman primate model for biomedical studies, and the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute has maintained a large captive baboon colony for more than 50 yr. Unlike other model organisms, however, the genomic resources for baboons are severely lacking. This has hindered the progress of studies using baboons as a model for basic biology or human disease. Here, we describe a data set of 100 high-coverage whole-genome sequences obtained from the mixed colony of olive (P. anubis) and yellow (P. cynocephalus) baboons housed at the SNPRC. These data provide a comprehensive catalog of common genetic variation in baboons, as well as a fine-scale genetic map. We show how the data can be used to learn about ancestry and admixture and to correct errors in the colony records. Finally, we investigated the consequences of inbreeding within the SNPRC colony and found clear evidence for increased rates of infant mortality and increased homozygosity of putatively deleterious alleles in inbred individuals

Calculator use on Stanford series mathematics tests

Abstract Calculator use has, over the years, become increasingly integrated into mathematics instruction and testing. At the same time, a curricular emphasis on mathematics problem solving over computation has increased. As it relates to standardized testing today, the question always asked is: "Do students who use calculators during testing have a differential advantage over those who do not use calculators?" In light of the trend in schools away from computation and toward richer mathematics problem solving activities, the potential advantages or disadvantages to using calculators for computation purposes in mathematics applications and problem solving situations become increasingly insignificant. Beginning in 1988, Harcourt began to study the use of calculators and its effect on test performance in grades 4 through 12. These studies were conducted concurrently with the standardization of three different editions of the Stanford Achievement Test Series and the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test For Stanford 8, small but significant differences were found in student performance when the results of calculator users were compared to those of non-users. For Stanford 9 and Stanford 10, no significant differences were found. The results confirm that performance differences between calculator users and non-users were not large enough to warrant the development of separate score conversion tables

Analysis of 100 high-coverage genomes from a pedigreed captive baboon colony.

Baboons (genus Papio) are broadly studied in the wild and in captivity. They are widely used as a nonhuman primate model for biomedical studies, and the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute has maintained a large captive baboon colony for more than 50 yr. Unlike other model organisms, however, the genomic resources for baboons are severely lacking. This has hindered the progress of studies using baboons as a model for basic biology or human disease. Here, we describe a data set of 100 high-coverage whole-genome sequences obtained from the mixed colony of olive (P. anubis) and yellow (P. cynocephalus) baboons housed at the SNPRC. These data provide a comprehensive catalog of common genetic variation in baboons, as well as a fine-scale genetic map. We show how the data can be used to learn about ancestry and admixture and to correct errors in the colony records. Finally, we investigated the consequences of inbreeding within the SNPRC colony and found clear evidence for increased rates of infant mortality and increased homozygosity of putatively deleterious alleles in inbred individuals