Family Trips and Academic Achievement in Reading during Early Childhood: Evidence from a National Study

This study investigates a popular belief: family trips provide educational benefits for children. Based on the theoretical background of experiential learning, we empirically examine the impact of family trips on academic achievement in early childhood using Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 (ECLS-K) data collected by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). The 3,224 children included in the study are a nationally representative sample. The results show that family trips–especially those to museums, art galleries, and historical sites–has positive impact on children’s academic achievement in reading. As the experiential learning requires reflection and experimentation and is enhanced with repetition, learning from family trips occurs not immediately but rather over time. This study provides rationale for the promotion of family trips for their educational benefits and endorses further examination of different types of trips and travel

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

Family Trips and Academic Achievement in Reading during Early Childhood: Evidence from a National Study

So Young Park, M.S., is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. Her research interests include data-driven analysis in tourism, information science and technology in tourism economics, and human rights issues in tourism. Jee Bin Ahn is a Ph.D. student in the Educational Theory and Policy program at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include educational inequality, policy analysis and program evaluation. Bing Pan, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. His research interests include data analytics, tourism big data, destination marketing, and benefits of travel.Oral PresentationThis study investigates a popular belief: family trips provide educational benefits for children. Based on the theoretical background of experiential learning, we empirically examine the impact of family trips on academic achievement in early childhood using Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 (ECLS-K) data collected by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). The 3,224 children included in the study are a nationally representative sample. The results show that family trips–especially those to museums, art galleries, and historical sites–has positive impact on children’s academic achievement in reading. As the experiential learning requires reflection and experimentation and is enhanced with repetition, learning from family trips occurs not immediately but rather over time. This study provides rationale for the promotion of family trips for their educational benefits and endorses further examination of different types of trips and travel

Multiplexed In Vivo Imaging Using Size-Controlled Quantum Dots in the Second Near-infrared Window

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Multiplexed In Vivo Imaging Using Size-Controlled Quantum Dots in the Second Near-Infrared Window

PbS/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) that emit at the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) window are synthesized. The PbS seed size and CdS shell thicknesses are carefully controlled to produce bright and narrow fluorescence that are suitable for multiplexing. A polymer encapsulation yields polymer-encapsulated NIR-II QDs (PQDs), which provides the QDs with long-term fluorescence stability over a week in biological media. Exploiting the simple bioconjugation capability of PQDs, folic acids are conjugated to PQDs that can efficiently label folate receptor overexpressing cell lines. The PQDs afford multiplexed and nearly real-time longitudinal whole-body in vivo imaging. Two NIR-II QD probes are prepared: folic acid-conjugated PQDs (FA-PQDs) emitting at 1280 nm and unconjugated PQDs emitting at 1080 nm. The two PQDs are engineered to have compact and similar hydrodynamic sizes. A mixture of the folic acid-conjugated PQD and unconjugated PQDs is injected intravenously into a tumor-xenografted mouse, and the signals from them are monitored. This NIR-II whole-body imaging with the two PQDs provides precise evaluation of the active ligand-assisted tumor-targeting capability of the FA-PQD probe because the hydrodynamic size control of the two PQDs effectively eliminates effects from the size-dependent accumulations by permeations and retentions in tumors.11sciescopu

Risk of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus Associated with Antirheumatic Drugs in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Population Study

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on diabetes mellitus (DM) development in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: This nested case–control study with a cohort of 69,779 DM-naïve adult patients with RA was conducted from 2011 to 2019 in South Korea. Cases with incident DM were identified and individually matched to randomly selected controls (1:4). DMARDs use was measured for 1 year before the index date and stratified by exposure duration. The association of each DMARD use with DM risk was estimated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for comorbidities and concomitant drug use. Results: Of the patients, 5.4% were newly diagnosed with DM. The use of statins and a higher cumulative dose of corticosteroids were associated with an increased DM risk. In a multivariable-adjusted analysis, cumulative duration of exposure (CDE) >270 days/year, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.76) and methotrexate (MTX; aOR, 0.81) were associated with a significant decrease in DM risk, and tacrolimus (TAC; aOR, 1.27) was associated with an increased risk. Conclusions: Long-term use of HCQ and MTX (>270 days/year) was associated with a reduction in DM incidence as opposed to TAC

Utility of Serum Albumin for Predicting Incident Metabolic Syndrome According to Hyperuricemia

BackgroundSerum albumin and uric acid have been positively linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the association of MetS incidence with the combination of uric acid and albumin levels has not been investigated. We explored the association of albumin and uric acid with the risk of incident MetS in populations divided according to the levels of these two parameters.MethodsIn this retrospective longitudinal study, 11,613 non-MetS participants were enrolled among 24,185 individuals who had undergone at least four annual check-ups between 2006 and 2012. The risk of incident MetS was analyzed according to four groups categorized by the sex-specific medians of serum albumin and uric acid.ResultsDuring 55,407 person-years of follow-up, 2,439 cases of MetS developed. The risk of incident MetS increased as the uric acid category advanced in individuals with lower or higher serum albumin categories with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.386 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.236 to 1.554) or 1.314 (95% CI, 1.167 to 1.480). However, the incidence of MetS increased with higher albumin levels only in participants in the lower uric acid category with a HR of 1.143 (95% CI, 1.010 to 1.294).ConclusionHigher levels of albumin were associated with an increased risk of incident MetS only in individuals with lower uric acid whereas higher levels of uric acid were positively linked to risk of incident MetS regardless of albumin level

Accuracy of low dose CT in the diagnosis of appendicitis in childhood and comparison with USG and standard dose CT

Objectives: Computed tomography should be performed after careful consideration due to radiation hazard, which is why interest in low dose CT has increased recently in acute appendicitis. Previous studies have been performed in adult and adolescents populations, but no studies have reported on the efficacy of using low‐dose CT in children younger than 10 years. Methods: Patients (n = 475) younger than 10 years who were examined for acute appendicitis were recruited. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the examinations performed: low‐dose CT, ultrasonography, and standard‐dose CT. Subjects were categorized according to age and body mass index (BMI). Results: Low‐dose CT was a contributive tool in diagnosing appendicitis, and it was an adequate method, when compared with ultrasonography and standard‐dose CT in terms of sensitivity (95.5% vs. 95.0% and 94.5%, p = 0.794), specificity (94.9% vs. 80.0% and 98.8%, p = 0.024), positive‐predictive value (96.4% vs. 92.7% and 97.2%, p = 0.019), and negative‐predictive value (93.7% vs. 85.7% and 91.3%, p = 0.890). Low‐dose CT accurately diagnosed patients with a perforated appendix. Acute appendicitis was effectively diagnosed using low‐dose CT in both early and middle childhood. BMI did not influence the accuracy of detecting acute appendicitis on low‐dose CT. Conclusion: Low‐dose CT is effective and accurate for diagnosing acute appendicitis in childhood, as well as in adolescents and young adults. Additionally, low‐dose CT was relatively accurate, irrespective of age or BMI, for detecting acute appendicitis. Therefore, low‐dose CT is recommended for assessing children with suspected acute appendicitis

Accuracy of low dose CT in the diagnosis of appendicitis in childhood and comparison with USG and standard dose CT

Abstract Objectives: Computed tomography should be performed after careful consideration due to radiation hazard, which is why interest in low dose CT has increased recently in acute appendicitis. Previous studies have been performed in adult and adolescents populations, but no studies have reported on the efficacy of using low-dose CT in children younger than 10 years. Methods: Patients (n = 475) younger than 10 years who were examined for acute appendicitis were recruited. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the examinations performed: low-dose CT, ultrasonography, and standard-dose CT. Subjects were categorized according to age and body mass index (BMI). Results: Low-dose CT was a contributive tool in diagnosing appendicitis, and it was an adequate method, when compared with ultrasonography and standard-dose CT in terms of sensitivity (95.5% vs. 95.0% and 94.5%, p = 0.794), specificity (94.9% vs. 80.0% and 98.8%, p = 0.024), positive-predictive value (96.4% vs. 92.7% and 97.2%, p = 0.019), and negative-predictive value (93.7% vs. 85.7% and 91.3%, p = 0.890). Low-dose CT accurately diagnosed patients with a perforated appendix. Acute appendicitis was effectively diagnosed using low-dose CT in both early and middle childhood. BMI did not influence the accuracy of detecting acute appendicitis on low-dose CT. Conclusion: Low-dose CT is effective and accurate for diagnosing acute appendicitis in childhood, as well as in adolescents and young adults. Additionally, low-dose CT was relatively accurate, irrespective of age or BMI, for detecting acute appendicitis. Therefore, low-dose CT is recommended for assessing children with suspected acute appendicitis

Towards expressive stream reasoning

Stream Data processing has become a popular topic in database research addressing the challenge of efficiently answering queries over continuous data streams. Meanwhile data streams have become more and more important as a basis for higher level decision processes that require complex reasoning over data streams and rich background knowledge. In previous work the foundation for complex reasoning over streams and background knowledge was laid by introducing technologies for wrapping and querying streams in the RDF data format and by supporting simple forms of reasoning in terms of incremental view maintenance. In this paper, we discuss how this existing technologies should be extended toward richer forms of reasoning using Sensor Networks as a motivating example