Examining Student Satisfaction Of Online Statistics Courses

This survey research of 55 participants was completed at a private university to determine students’ satisfaction of statistic online courses. The study explored the students’ satisfaction of course components: online statistics, online instruction, communication, assessment, and overall student satisfaction. The findings showed a positive satisfaction with overall means between 3.66 and 4.00 in a 5 point Likert-scale with a 5 meaning strong agreement with satisfaction of the course. The highest area of satisfaction was the category of assessment (M= 4.00) and the lowest area was the category of student overall satisfaction (M= 3.66). In addition, the study examined age, gender, teaching experience, and overall satisfaction of the course with the overall average of satisfaction

Perceptions Of Lakota Native American Students Taking Online Business Course At Oglala Lakota College (OLC)

This research examined the perceptions of Lakota Native American students taking a Business online course at the Oglala Lakota College on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The study was conducted in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011. The themes found in this study were flexibility, transportation, communication, and technical support. Furthermore, the study found some of the advantages for students taking online courses as well as some obstacles encountered by students on the reservation

Effect of Temperature and Sodium Chloride Addition on the Conductivity of Sodium (polystyrene sulfonate) Aqueous Solutions

The conductivity of sodium (polystyrene sulfonate) (NaPSS) aqueous solutions as a function of NaPSS concentration 0.15 g – 2.0 g NaPSS in 100 mL of distilled water, sodium chloride concentration (NaCl) in the range of 0.1 M - 0.4 M and in temperature range of 278 K – 328 K have been studied. The study found that conductivity increases with increasing NaPSS concentration both in pure water and in salt solution. It is also found that conductivity increases with increasing either NaCl concentration or temperature. The interesting finding here is that additivity rule, that the conductivity of the polyelectrolyte kps in the salt solution is the sum of its conductivity kp in pure water plus the conductivity of the salt ks only holds at low NaPSS concentration and deviates at high NaPSS concentration. This additivity rule holds better the higher the temperature and the higher the salt concentration. What is more interesting is that the contribution of NaPSS to the conductivity of the solution is more in pure water than in salt solution. This latter behaviour is only found at high NaPSS concentration while it is inverted at low NaPSS concentration. These findings will certainly contribute to the understanding of the complex behaviour of the conductivity of polyelectrolytes solutions

Preparation for College and University Leadership before the Age of 40

The purpose of this study was to investigate the skills and competencies needed for candidates to be hired as a college or university president before the age of 40. Using a phenomenological approach, participants who first obtained the position as a college or university president before 40 were interviewed. Using Clark’s model of professional competencies as a conceptual framework, four themes were identified from the results. The themes include little to no mentoring at all, learn by either sinking or swimming; being in the right place, at the right time, with the right credentials; having the right education and experience matter for candidates seeking a college or a university president position; and having the interpersonal skills and the ability to work with others. The results of this study will help those seeking to acquire a position as a college or university president while under the age of 40 and for all others to better prepare future leaders in higher education

Bioactive Lipids and Circulating Progenitor Cells in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

Bone marrow-derived progenitor cells are mobilized into the peripheral blood after acute myocardial injury and in chronic ischemic heart disease. However, the mechanisms responsible for this mobilization are poorly understood. We examined the relationship between plasma levels of bioactive lipids and number of circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) in patients (N = 437) undergoing elective or emergent cardiac catheterization. Plasma levels of sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) and ceramide-1 phosphate (C1P) were quantified using mass spectrometry. CPCs were assessed using flow cytometry. S1P levels correlated with the numbers of CD34+, CD34+/CD133+, and CD34+/CXCR4+ CPCs even after adjustment for potential confounding factors. However, no significant correlation was observed between C1P levels and CPC count. Plasma levels of S1P correlated with the number of CPCs in patients with coronary artery disease, suggesting an important mechanistic role for S1P in stem cell mobilization. The therapeutic effects of adjunctive S1P therapy to mobilize endogenous stem cells need to be investigated

Varespladib and cardiovascular events in patients with an acute coronary syndrome: the VISTA-16 randomized clinical trial

IMPORTANCE: Secretory phospholipase A2(sPLA2) generates bioactive phospholipid products implicated in atherosclerosis. The sPLA2inhibitor varespladib has favorable effects on lipid and inflammatory markers; however, its effect on cardiovascular outcomes is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of sPLA2inhibition with varespladib on cardiovascular outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A double-blind, randomized, multicenter trial at 362 academic and community hospitals in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, and North America of 5145 patients randomized within 96 hours of presentation of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to either varespladib (n = 2572) or placebo (n = 2573) with enrollment between June 1, 2010, and March 7, 2012 (study termination on March 9, 2012). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to receive varespladib (500 mg) or placebo daily for 16 weeks, in addition to atorvastatin and other established therapies. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary efficacy measurewas a composite of cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal stroke, or unstable angina with evidence of ischemia requiring hospitalization at 16 weeks. Six-month survival status was also evaluated. RESULTS: At a prespecified interim analysis, including 212 primary end point events, the independent data and safety monitoring board recommended termination of the trial for futility and possible harm. The primary end point occurred in 136 patients (6.1%) treated with varespladib compared with 109 patients (5.1%) treated with placebo (hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95%CI, 0.97-1.61; log-rank P = .08). Varespladib was associated with a greater risk of MI (78 [3.4%] vs 47 [2.2%]; HR, 1.66; 95%CI, 1.16-2.39; log-rank P = .005). The composite secondary end point of cardiovascular mortality, MI, and stroke was observed in 107 patients (4.6%) in the varespladib group and 79 patients (3.8%) in the placebo group (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.02-1.82; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In patients with recent ACS, varespladib did not reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events and significantly increased the risk of MI. The sPLA2inhibition with varespladib may be harmful and is not a useful strategy to reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes after ACS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01130246. Copyright 2014 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

PROTOCOLES DE COMMUNICATION MULTICAST FIABLES

PARIS-Télécom ParisTech (751132302) / SudocSudocFranceF

A linear optimization based controller method for real-time load shifting in industrial and commercial buildings

•A pragmatic hourly energy price volatility simulation model is presented.•Hour-ahead control of flexible loads for industrial and commercial buildings is achieved.•Linearization of control algorithm enables fast and responsive control action in real time.•Modest reductions in buildings’ energy costs are achieved. Effective demand responsiveness (DR) is crucial to the stability of the electrical grid. The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources demands higher load variation adaptability. Therefore, consumer-side flexibility is required for responding to abrupt DR signals. Real-time pricing (RTP) offer a direct approach for continually communicating DR signals. RTP has shown effectiveness in residential applications, however, its implications are impaired in industrial buildings which are less price-elastic due to stresses imposed by just in time (JIT) manufacturing and market competition. In this paper, we propose an instantaneous demand control methodology for industrial and commercial buildings, where the DR action is continually updated as new DR signals are received. We utilize the hour-ahead RTP (RTP-HA) tariffs and the demand shifting concept. The instantaneous approach is independent of price prediction uncertainty and scheduling approaches. The controller algorithm is converted to a linear optimization problem which is solved optimally and saves computational time, making it practical for real-time use. The method is robust and verified using MATLAB/SIMULINK with actual, 1 week, data from eight industrial and commercial buildings in Florida. Results show modest reductions in consumers’ electricity bills while maintaining required comfort standards. Results also address the load synchronization problem associated with RTP

Developing and Evaluating Training Programs on Energy Efficient Building Design: The IUG Experience, Palestine

nowadays, great research efforts are devoted to investigate energy efficiency practices in buildings as a response to the rapid consumption of the depleting fuels and the associated environmental challenges. This paper presents a systematic approach that was implemented in the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG), Palestine to develop and evaluate a training program on energy efficiency in buildings. The aim of the training program was to bring together engineers and architects from a variety of governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations to learn and discuss energy efficiency practices in buildings considering the local conditions of the Gaza Strip. This study reports the methods used to design, implement, and assess the program including a questionnaire, focus group, and reflection workshop. The study concluded that there is a great need in the Gaza Strip for such training courses. There is also a need to expand the scope of the training to cover further categories of people involved in the construction sector, and to use additional training formats such as on-job, and over-distance training