Comparison of the skills tested on four standardized reading tests

Since the purpose of tests is to evaluate specific areas of learning, it is essential that tests be selectively and wisely chosen. The real value of tests is seen in the follow-up procedures after the test has been administered. It was the purpose of this paper to make a comparative study of the skills tested on four standardized reading tests

A Network Analysis

In the run-up to Paris, individual countries and multilateral banks made new promises to provide millions of dollars for adaptation (and mitigation) action in developing countries, with a view to reaching the usd 100 billion target announced in Copenhagen and confirmed in Paris. But where are all these funds going to? To what extent do they reach the poorest and most vulnerable, those most in need of support? The focus of this paper is on bilateral aid for adaptation to climate change. Using oecd data on adaptation aid, we examine how donors allocate this aid|and to what extent they indeed prioritise those `particularly' vulnerable to climate change. To understand donor behaviour, we build on the large literature on aid allocation in general, and on adaptation aid in particular. Yet, as opposed to traditional dyadic analyses, we conceptualise aid allocation as a network, in which the provision of adaptation aid is a network tie. This network approach, we argue, is better able to capture interactions between donors, for the allocation decisions of others likely in uence a donor's allocation decision. Donors on the one hand coordinate their allocation, but on the other hand also compete for political and economic influence through the provision of aid, including aid for adaptation. In order to capture these coordination dynamics in addition to the dyadic relationships between donors and recipients we employ Temporal Exponential Random Graph Models. Our analysis indicates that donors consider recipient need and recipient merit when deciding on how to allocate adaptation aid: more vulnerable and more democratic countries are more likely to receive adapation aid. More importantly, however, donors consider their own economic and political interests: trading partners and former colonies are much more likely to receive adaptation aid. Finally, we also found evidence for donor coordination: countries that already receive adaptation aid from other countries are less likely to form additional ties, that is, they are less likely to also receive adaptation aid from additional donors

Defect Characterization of a Multifrequency Eddy Current System

The important steps in eddy current testing for defects in test objects are: detection, classification and sizing. This paper concentrates especially on the last two items

A family practice breastfeeding education pilot program: an observational, descriptive study

BACKGROUND: The United States Preventive Services Task Force found that effective interventions for extending breastfeeding duration are generally begun during the prenatal period, provide ongoing support for patients and combine information with face-to-face guidance. A 2001 literature review had similar findings but also found that employing a lactation consultant in the clinical setting may increase breastfeeding duration rates. Thus, a program was developed at a family practice office that employed a lactation consultant and followed the American Academy of Pediatrics' "Ten Steps to Support Parents' Choice to Breastfeed Their Baby." METHODS: The program distributed handouts at each prenatal and well-child visit (up to one year). Using questionnaires, a small audit project evaluated the program's impact on breastfeeding goals, duration, in-hospital exclusivity and maternal perception of success. Mothers completed goal surveys at baseline and post-intervention, usually while waiting for prenatal clinic visits. Duration was assessed by surveys completed during well-infant visits, postal mailings or telephone interviews at breastfeeding cessation, 6 months and 1 year. The outcomes measured were increases in goals, maternal perception of success, duration and in-hospital exclusivity. RESULTS: Participants included 33 women: 48% had a bachelor's or master's degree, 61% were non-Hispanic white, and 67% reported incomes of US$75,000 or higher. At baseline 5/31 planned to exclusively breastfeed for 4–6 months and 5/33 planned to breastfeed for 6–12 months. Post-intervention there was a 200% increase (15/31) in the exclusively breastfeeding 4–6 month group and a 160% increase (13/33) in the 6–12 month duration group. Actual in-hospital exclusivity rates were 61%, 6-month duration rates were 73%, and 12-month rates were 33%. Over 75% of mothers reported feeling successful. CONCLUSION: This small pilot educational program may have significant impacts on breastfeeding goals. Setting and meeting goals may increase duration and in-hospital exclusivity rates as well as enhance maternal self-perception and empowerment due to succeeding at their breastfeeding goals and/or experiencing a fulfilling breastfeeding relationship

Spontaneous emission enhancement in strain-induced WSe2 monolayer based quantum light sources on metallic surfaces

Atomic monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides represent an emerging material platform for the implementation of ultra compact quantum light emitters via strain engineering. In this framework, we discuss experimental results on creation of strain induced single photon sources using a WSe2 monolayer on a silver substrate, coated with a very thin dielectric layer. We identify quantum emitters which are formed at various locations in the sample. The emission is highly linearly polarized, stable in linewidth and decay times down to 300 ps are observed. We provide numerical calculations of our monolayer-metal device platform to assess the strength of the radiative decay rate enhancement by the presence of the plasmonic structure. We believe, that our results represent a crucial step towards the ultra-compact integration of high performance single photon sources in nanoplasmonic devices and circuits

Exciton dynamics in solid-state green fluorescent protein

We study the decay characteristics of Frenkel excitons in solid-state enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) dried from solution. We further monitor the changes of the radiative exciton decay over time by crossing the phase transition from the solved to the solid state. Complex interactions between protonated and deprotonated states in solid-state eGFP can be identified from temperature-dependent and time-resolved fluorescence experiments that further allow the determination of activation energies for each identified process.PostprintPeer reviewe

Impact of ex-situ rapid thermal annealing on the magneto-optical properties and the oscillator strength of In(Ga)As quantum dots

The authors acknowledge financial support by the State of Bavaria and the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the project Q.com-HL.We discuss the influence of a rapid thermal annealing step on the magneto-optical emission properties of In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots. We map out a strong influence of the growth- and anneling parameters on the quantum excitons' effective Land\'e g-factors and in particular on their diamagnetic coefficients, which we directly correlate with the modification of the emitters shape and material composition. In addition, we study the excitons' spontaneous emission lifetime as a function of the annealing temperature and the dot height, and observe a strong increase of the emission rate with the quantum dot volume. The corresponding increase in oscillator strenth yields fully consistent results with the analysis of the diamagenic behavior. In particular, we demonstrate that a rapid thermal annealing step of 850ºC can be employed to increase the oscillator strength of as-grown InAs/GaAs QDs by more than a factor of 2.PostprintPeer reviewe

Prospectus. December 13, 1971

NELSON PREPARES PAPER FOR AMERICAN SOCIETY OF FARM MANAGERS AND RURAL APPRAISERS; Residence Policy Modified At Parkland; Gunji Named Campus Coordinator; Parkland Students Named to Post; Former P.C. Students Announces Candidacy; O Community Hast Thou Forsaken Me?; Watch Out Now; Merry Christmas; Parkland Students Second Class Citizens; Paul\u27s Page: I Bid Adieu to Ol\u27 P.C. , Mother Goosey; What\u27s going on: Susie Speaks, Registration Schedule, Registration Requirements, Banking Courses at Parkland, Conservation Course, T.A. Program Evaluated, LRC Notes, The Devils, Music Music Music, Loans, Chess Players Wanted; Orpheus Reborn: Duo-Enigmatic Quinaries, Magodev; Meet Your Counselor; New Guidelines For Formal Lounge; Parkland Holds Rebound Contest; Cobras Win Number Two; Hart Beat; The Seven Main Stayshttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1971/1000/thumbnail.jp