Analysis of existing mathematics textbooks for use in secondary schools.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Fractionating negative and positive affectivity in handedness: Insights from the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of personality

The Annett Hand Preference Questionnaire (AHPQ), as modified by Briggs and Nebes [(1975). Patterns of hand preference in a student population. Cortex, 11(3), 230-238. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(75)80005-0 ], was administered to a sample of 177 participants alongside the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire [RST-PQ; Corr, P. J., & Cooper, A. (2016). The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ): Development and validation. Psychological Assessment. doi: 10.1037/pas000 ], which measures two factors of defensive negative emotion, motivation and affectivity-the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) and the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS)-and one positive-approach dimension related to reward sensitivity, persistence and reactivity-the Behavioural Approach System. We sought to clarify the nature of negative, and positive, affectivity in relation to handedness. ANOVAs and multiple regression analyses converged on the following conclusions: left-handers were higher on the BIS, not the FFFS, than right-handers; in right-handers only, strength of hand preference was positively correlated with the FFFS, not the BIS. The original assessment method proposed by Annett was also used to assess handedness, but associations with RST-PQ factors were not found. These findings help us to clarify existing issues in the literature and raise new ones for future research

Handedness and behavioural inhibition system/behavioural activation system (BIS/BAS) scores: A replication and extension of Wright, Hardie, and Wilson (2009)

The Annett Hand Preference Questionnaire (AHPQ) as modified by Briggs and Nebes was administered along with Carver and White's behavioural inhibition system (BIS) and behavioural activation system (BAS) scale and a shortened form of the Big Five personality questionnaire to 92 university students. After eliminating the data from five respondents who reported having changed handedness and one outlier, there was a significant sex difference in mean BIS scores, with females (n = 43) scoring higher than males (n = 43). Replicating the results of Wright, Hardie and Wilson, non-right-handers (n = 36) had significantly higher mean BIS score than right-handers (n = 50). Controlling for sex of participant, neuroticism and BAS sub-scale scores in hierarchical regression analyses left this BIS effect substantially unaffected. There was no handedness or sex difference on any of the three BAS sub-scales. Further analyses revealed no association between strength, as distinct from direction, of handedness and BIS (or BAS) scores. The findings are discussed with reference to recent developments in reinforcement sensitivity theory on which BIS/BAS variables are based

Diagnosis and outcome of oesophageal Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Crohn's disease (CD) can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to characterize clinical, endoscopic, histologic features and treatment outcomes of CD patients with oesophageal involvement. METHODS: We collected cases through a retrospective multicentre European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation CONFER [COllaborative Network For Exceptionally Rare case reports] project. Clinical data were recorded in a standardized case report form. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were reported [22 males, mean (±SD, range) age at oesophageal CD diagnosis: 25 (±13.3, 10-71) years and mean time of follow-up: 67 (±68.1, 3-240) months]. Oesophageal involvement was established at CD diagnosis in 26 patients (65%) and during follow-up in 14. CD was exclusively located in the oesophagus in 2 patients. Thirteen patients (32.2%) were asymptomatic at oesophageal disease diagnosis. Oesophageal strictures were present in 5 patients and fistulizing oesophageal disease in one. Eight patients exhibited granulomas on biopsies. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) were administered in 37 patients (92.5%). Three patients underwent endoscopic dilation for symptomatic strictures and none oesophageal-related surgery. Diagnosis in pre-established CD resulted in treatment modifications in 9/14 patients. Clinical remission of oesophageal disease was seen in 33/40 patients (82.5%) after a mean time of 7 (±5.6, 1-18) months. Follow-up endoscopy was performed in 29/40 patients and 26/29 (89.7%) achieved mucosal healing. CONCLUSION: In this case series the endoscopic and histologic characteristics of isolated oesophageal CD were similar to those reported in other sites of involvement. Treatment was primarily conservative, with PPIs administered in the majority of patients and modifications in pre-existing IBD-related therapy occurring in two thirds of them. Clinical and endoscopic remission was achieved in more than 80% of the patients.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Empirical 2MASS-WFC3/IR filter transformations from synthetic photometry

Near-infrared bandpasses on spaceborne observatories diverge from their ground-based counterparts as they are free of atmospheric telluric absorption. Available transformations between respective filter systems in the literature rely on theoretical stellar atmospheres, which are known to have difficulties reproducing observed spectral energy distributions of cool giants. We present new transformations between the 2MASS $JHK_S$ and HST WFC3/IR F110W, F125W, & F160W photometric systems based on synthetic photometry of empirical stellar spectra from four spectral libraries. This sample comprises over 1000 individual stars, which together span nearly the full HR diagram and sample stellar populations from the solar neighborhood out to the Magellanic Clouds, covering a broad range of ages, metallicities, and other relevant stellar properties. In addition to global color-dependent transformations, we examine band-to-band differences for cool, luminous giant stars in particular, including multiple types of primary distance indicators.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, accepted to A

Welcome to the Twilight Zone: The Mid-Infrared Properties of Poststarburst Galaxies

We investigate the optical and Wide-field Survey Explorer (WISE) colors of "E+A" identified post-starburst galaxies, including a deep analysis on 190 post-starbursts detected in the 2{\mu}m All Sky Survey Extended Source Catalog. The post-starburst galaxies appear in both the optical green valley and the WISE Infrared Transition Zone (IRTZ). Furthermore, we find that post-starbursts occupy a distinct region [3.4]-[4.6] vs. [4.6]-[12] WISE colors, enabling the identification of this class of transitioning galaxies through the use of broad-band photometric criteria alone. We have investigated possible causes for the WISE colors of post-starbursts by constructing a composite spectral energy distribution (SED), finding that mid-infrared (4-12{\mu}m) properties of post-starbursts are consistent with either 11.3{\mu}m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission, or Thermally Pulsating Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB) and post-AGB stars. The composite SED of extended post- starburst galaxies with 22{\mu}m emission detected with signal to noise >3 requires a hot dust component to produce their observed rising mid-infrared SED between 12 and 22{\mu}m. The composite SED of WISE 22{\mu}m non-detections (S/N<3), created by stacking 22{\mu}m images, is also flat, requiring a hot dust component. The most likely source of this mid-infrared emission of these E+A galaxies is a buried active galactic nucleus. The inferred upper limit to the Eddington ratios of post-starbursts are 1e-2 to 1e-4, with an average of 1e-3. This suggests that AGNs are not radiatively dominant in these systems. This could mean that including selections able to identify active galactic nuclei as part of a search for transitioning and post-starburst galaxies would create a more complete census of the transition pathways taken as a galaxy quenches its star formation.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Integrability as a consequence of discrete holomorphicity: the Z_N model

It has recently been established that imposing the condition of discrete holomorphicity on a lattice parafermionic observable leads to the critical Boltzmann weights in a number of lattice models. Remarkably, the solutions of these linear equations also solve the Yang-Baxter equations. We extend this analysis for the Z_N model by explicitly considering the condition of discrete holomorphicity on two and three adjacent rhombi. For two rhombi this leads to a quadratic equation in the Boltzmann weights and for three rhombi a cubic equation. The two-rhombus equation implies the inversion relations. The star-triangle relation follows from the three-rhombus equation. We also show that these weights are self-dual as a consequence of discrete holomorphicity.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, some clarifications and a reference adde

Exploring Halo Substructure with Giant Stars. XV. Discovery of a Connection between the Monoceros Ring and the Triangulum-Andromeda Overdensity?

Thanks to modern sky surveys, over twenty stellar streams and overdensity structures have been discovered in the halo of the Milky Way. In this paper, we present an analysis of spectroscopic observations of individual stars from one such structure, "A13", first identified as an overdensity using the M giant catalog from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey. Our spectroscopic observations show that stars identified with A13 have a velocity dispersion of $\lesssim$ 40 $\mathrm{km~s^{-1}}$, implying that it is a genuine coherent structure rather than a chance super-position of random halo stars. From its position on the sky, distance ($\sim$15~kpc heliocentric), and kinematical properties, A13 is likely to be an extension of another low Galactic latitude substructure -- the Galactic Anticenter Stellar Structure (also known as the Monoceros Ring) -- towards smaller Galactic longitude and farther distance. Furthermore, the kinematics of A13 also connect it with another structure in the southern Galactic hemisphere -- the Triangulum-Andromeda overdensity. We discuss these three connected structures within the context of a previously proposed scenario that one or all of these features originate from the disk of the Milky Way.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap