Development of the Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Skills Assessment for Medical Residents

This study developed the Biostatics and Clinical Epidemiology Skills (BACES) assessment, and established its preliminary item characteristics and validity evidence. Unlike previous instruments, the BACES assessment was developed and tested using an item response theory (IRT) approach to measurement to create a new, adaptive biostatistics and clinical epidemiology knowledge assessment for graduate medical professionals. Thirty multiple-choice questions were written to focus on interpreting relevant examples of clinical epidemiology and statistical methods. A four person expert panel reviewed these items for content validity. After this review, the BACES assessment was administered to 147 medical residents across three academic medical centers. Results of the IRT analysis produced a final instrument of 26 items with 13 devoted to statistical methods and 13 to clinical epidemiology, which successfully fit a 2-parameter IRT model. In contrast to previous assessment research, an IRT approach allowed for each BACES item’s difficulty, discrimination, and reliability to be estimated separately from the sample on which it was tested. As a result, this preliminary study has paved the road for a flexible yet psychometrically rigorous instrument for measuring the biostatistical and clinical epidemiologic knowledge of graduate medical students

Tart Cherries in the Garden

Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus), also known as sour cherry or pie cherry, is an excellent addition to home orchards that is often overlooked. Trees can easily be tucked into landscapes and can provide an abundant supply of cherries for freezing, drying, canning, juicing, and preserves. Several cultivars are available for selection and may be purchased on semi-dwarfing rootstocks to help trees maintain a manageable size. Trees generally grow well in Utah climates and conditions and are relatively easy to maintain and prune. Potential insect and disease problems are minimal and include Powdery Mildew and Western Cherry Fruit Fly. These potential problems can be well managed using integrated pest management techniques

The Grizzly, February 28, 1980

Craft Reports On College Concerns • Friedmann Reports On Ruby Progress • USGA Commission Pursues Energy Costs • Editor-in-Chief Applications Available • USGA Notes • Lindback Nominations Requested • Letters to the Editor • Sculpture Forum • Ursinus Grad\u27s Winning Positions • Gifford Takes Top MAC Honors • Interest Inventory • Baseball Season Preview • Gymnastics Concludes Season • Marathon Played For Special Olympicshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1035/thumbnail.jp

On the evolution of turbulent boundary layers during flame-wall interaction investigated by highly resolved laser diagnostics

The turbulent boundary layer behavior in the presence of flame-wall interactions (FWI) has an important role on the mass and energy transfer at the gas/solid interface. Detailed experiments resolving the turbulent boundary layer evolution in the presence of FWI are lacking, which impedes knowledge. This work presents a combination of particle image velocimetry (flow field), dual-pump coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (gas temperature), and OH laser induced fluorescence (flame topology) measurements to study the evolution of the boundary layer structure in the presence of FWI. Experiments are conducted in a side-wall quenching (SWQ) burner. Findings reveal that the reacting boundary layer flow adheres to the linear scaling law u+ = y+ in the viscous sublayer until y+ = 5. Beyond y+ = 5, the flame modifies the velocity and temperature field such that the uz+ streamwise velocity deviates from the viscous sublayer and the law-of-the-wall scaling in the log-layer with uz+ being smaller than that of the non-reacting flow (the subscript z refers to the streamwise coordinate and is used throughout this manuscript). As the fluid approaches the flame impingement location at the wall, the gas temperature increases significantly, causing a threefold increase in kinematic viscosity, ν. Although the near-wall streamwise velocity gradient d&lt;Uz&gt;/dy|y=0 decreases, the larger increase in ν reduces uz+ and leads to the deviation from the law-of-the-wall. Downstream the flame impingement location, ν is relatively constant and uz+ values begin to approach those of the law-of-the-wall. Trends are presented for SWQ and head-on quenching flame topologies, and are intended to help development of more accurate wall models.  </div

The Grizzly, October 26, 1979

J-Board Issues Warning • Graduate Aids NASA In Antimatter Finding • Campus Planning Group Looks At Student Life • Alumnus Honored for Middle East Peace Role • Letters to the Editor • Fashion Show In Wismer • Pianist to Perform at Ursinus Wins International Competition • College Bowl Update • Sports Profile: John Onopchenko • Rooters Lose, Rebound for Win • Videon Top Scorer On Third Team • Bear Pack Win Aided By Frosh • Hockey Aims For Berth • V-Ball Edges Swarthmorehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1025/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, March 21, 1980

Regulation in Business: UBEC Presents Symposium • Alumni to Speak at Career Seminar • Awards Available • Board Committees to Evaluate College • USGA Notes • Jazz Coffeehouse at the Union • Ride for Your Life • Letter to the Editor • Meistersingers Tour South • Pericles: The Bearpit\u27s Final Performance • Cub & Key Selected • Chemical Magic • Rating the Recordshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1036/thumbnail.jp

Law of the leading digits and the ideological struggle for numbers

Benford's law states that the occurrence of significant digits in many data sets is not uniform but tends to follow a logarithmic distribution such that the smaller digits appear as first significant digits more frequently than the larger ones. We investigate here numerical data on the country-wise adherent distribution of seven major world religions i.e. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Baha'ism to see if the proportion of the leading digits occurring in the distribution conforms to Benford's law. We find that the adherent data of all the religions, except Christianity, excellently does conform to Benford's law. Furthermore, unlike the adherent data on Christianity, the significant digit distribution of the three major Christian denominations i.e. Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy obeys the law. Thus in spite of their complexity general laws can be established for the evolution of the religious groups.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, title changed to "The law of the leading digits and the world religions" for journal version in publicatio

The Grizzly, April 25, 1980

Campus Intruder Apprehended • Spring Fling Slated Tomorrow • Art Piece Missing • Campus Survey Shows Strong Contrast With Pennsylvania Primary Results • UC in Judo Tournament • Fun Run for Charity • Appeal for Jail Visitors • Sun Shines on Parents\u27 Day • Art in the Afternoon • Ursinus Springs Into Springtime • Summer is not Far Behind • Student Art Exhibit Opens • Progress at Ritter Center • Dr. Parsons Speaks at UCC College Heritage Day • Superstars 1980 • Men\u27s Lacrosse Shoots for a Winning Season • Sports Profile: Ken West • Thinclads Up Slate to 6-2 • Softball Shows Great Improvement • Baseball Playoff Picture Looks Dim • Women\u27s Lacrosse Maintains Traditionhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1039/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 8, 1980

\u27Omega Tau\u27 Case Dismissed • Trouble With Townies? Ursinus\u27 Reputation • Workshop To Be Offered In Shakespeare TV • Letters to the Editor • Roving Reporter: Collegeville • Ruby Editor-in-Chief Applications • Tut & Agents Shoot For Title • W\u27s Basketball Splits • Hollstein Leads Splashers • Indoor Track Looks Like Early Springhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1032/thumbnail.jp