Kindergarten for all: Long-run effects of a universal intervention

Theory and evidence point towards particularly positive effects of high-quality child care for disadvantaged children. At the same time, disadvantaged families often sort out of existing programs. To counter differences in learning outcomes between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds, governments are pushing for universal child care. However, it is unclear how effective programs with universal participation may be at addressing the needs of disadvantaged children. We provide evidence on the long-run effect on schooling of mandating kindergarten at age 5-6. Our identifying variation comes from a reform that lowered school starting-age from 7 to 6 in Norway in 1997. The new program was designed as a low intensity kindergarten program, similar to voluntary child care programs available before mandating. Our precise DD estimates reveal hardly any effect, both overall, across subsamples, and over the grading distribution. A battery of specification checks support our empirical strategy

Parameterized lower bound and NP-completeness of some HH-free Edge Deletion problems

For a graph $H$, the $H$-free Edge Deletion problem asks whether there exist at most $k$ edges whose deletion from the input graph $G$ results in a graph without any induced copy of $H$. We prove that $H$-free Edge Deletion is NP-complete if $H$ is a graph with at least two edges and $H$ has a component with maximum number of vertices which is a tree or a regular graph. Furthermore, we obtain that these NP-complete problems cannot be solved in parameterized subexponential time, i.e., in time $2^{o(k)}\cdot |G|^{O(1)}$, unless Exponential Time Hypothesis fails.Comment: 15 pages, COCOA 15 accepted pape

PENGGUNAAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN INKUIRI TERBIMBING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR PESERTA DIDIK

Penelitian ini dilatar belakangi oleh rendahnya sikap rasa ingin tahu dan hasil belajar peserta didik pada Subtema Makananku Sehat dan Bergizi yang pencapaiannya hanya 35% peserta didik yang tuntas memenuhi nilai KKM. Selain itu pendidik masih menggunakan metode atau model pembelajaran yang bersifat teacher centered, yaitu model ceramah.Pelaksanaan yang dilakukan peneiti yaitu dua siklus dan setiap siklus terdiri dari 3 pembelajaran.Model Pembelajaran yang digunakan peneliti yaitu inkuiri terbimbing, pengertian dari inkuiri terbimbing merupakan model pembelajaran yang memberikan kesempatan kepada peserta didik untuk aktif terlibat dalam proses pembelajaran dengan melakukan penyelidikan dan pemecahan masalah secara mandiri namum tetap dengan bimbingan pendidik agar peserta didik lebih mudah dalam memahami konsep pelajaran. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswakelas IV D SDN Leuwipanjang dengan jumlah peserta didik sebanyak 35 orang. Instrument pembelajaran yang digunakan adalah berupa tes, lembar observasi (observasi pendidik dan observasi peserta didik), LKPD (Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik) dan lembar angket. Hasil penelitian dengan menggunakan model pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing ditunjukan dengan perencanaan setiap siklusnya yang mengalami perbaikan berdasarkan hasil refleksi di siklus sebelumnya. Pelaksanaan pembelajaran dengan menggunakan model pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing dapat dilihat dari aktivitas pendidik dan peserta didik pada setiap siklusnya yang mengalami peningkatan. Pencapaian hasil belajar afektif mencapai 44% pada siklus II mencapai 80% dan kognitif peserta didik pada siklus I mencapai rata-rata 35% Siklus II ketuntasan 80%. Adapun hasil belajar psikomotor peserta didik di siklus I mencapai ketuntasan 36%. Siklus II mencapai mencapai ketuntasan 88%. Ambatan yang dilami oleh peneiti yaitu alokasi waktu dan pengelolaan kelas, Upaya yang dilakukan peneliti adalah mengatur pelaksannaan pembelajaran sesuai dengan rencana yang kita persiapkan dengan baik dan mengatur suasana kelas dengan menyenangkan yaitu membuat media pembelajaran yang baik sehingga daapat menarik minat belajar peserta didik. Kata Kunci : Inkuiri Terbimbing, rasa ingin tahu, hasil belajar peserta didik, hambatan pelaksanaan, upaya peningkata

The Norwegian Earth System Model, NorESM1-M – Part 1: Description and basic evaluation of the physical climate

The core version of the Norwegian Climate Center's Earth System Model, named NorESM1-M, is presented. The NorESM family of models are based on the Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, but differs from the latter by, in particular, an isopycnic coordinate ocean model and advanced chemistry–aerosol–cloud–radiation interaction schemes. NorESM1-M has a horizontal resolution of approximately 2° for the atmosphere and land components and 1° for the ocean and ice components. NorESM is also available in a lower resolution version (NorESM1-L) and a version that includes prognostic biogeochemical cycling (NorESM1-ME). The latter two model configurations are not part of this paper. Here, a first-order assessment of the model stability, the mean model state and the internal variability based on the model experiments made available to CMIP5 are presented. Further analysis of the model performance is provided in an accompanying paper (Iversen et al., 2013), presenting the corresponding climate response and scenario projections made with NorESM1-M

Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction: natural history and effect of surgical treatment

The current follow-up study concerning the supraglottic type of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) was performed to reveal the natural history of supraglottic EILO and compare the symptoms, as well as the laryngeal function in conservatively versus surgically treated patients. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted 2–5 years after EILO was diagnosed by a continuous laryngoscopy exercise (CLE) test in 94 patients with a predominantly supraglottic obstruction. Seventy-one patients had been treated conservatively and 23 with laser supraglottoplasty. The questionnaire response rate was 70 and 100% in conservatively treated (CT) and surgically treated (ST) patients, respectively. A second CLE test was performed in 14 CT and 19 ST patients. A visual analogue scale on symptom severity indicated improvements in both the groups, i.e. mean values (± standard deviations) declined from 73 (20) to 53 (26) (P < 0.001) in the CT group and from 87 (26) to 25 (27) (P < 0.001) in the ST group. At follow-up, ST patients reported lower scores regarding current level of complaints, and higher ability to perform exercise, as well as to push themselves physically, all compared to CT patients (P < 0.001). CLE scores were normalized in 3 of 14 (21%) CT and 16 of 19 (84%) ST patients (Z = −3.6; P < 0.001). In conclusion, symptoms of EILO diagnosed in adolescents generally decreased during 2–5 years follow-up period but even more after the surgical treatment. Patients with supraglottic EILO may benefit from supraglottoplasty both as to laryngeal function and symptom relief

An assessment of the Arctic Ocean in a suite of interannual CORE-II simulations. Part III: Hydrography and fluxes

In this paper we compare the simulated Arctic Ocean in 15 global ocean–sea ice models in the framework of the Coordinated Ocean-ice Reference Experiments, phase II (CORE-II). Most of these models are the ocean and sea-ice components of the coupled climate models used in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) experiments. We mainly focus on the hydrography of the Arctic interior, the state of Atlantic Water layer and heat and volume transports at the gateways of the Davis Strait, the Bering Strait, the Fram Strait and the Barents Sea Opening. We found that there is a large spread in temperature in the Arctic Ocean between the models, and generally large differences compared to the observed temperature at intermediate depths. Warm bias models have a strong temperature anomaly of inflow of the Atlantic Water entering the Arctic Ocean through the Fram Strait. Another process that is not represented accurately in the CORE-II models is the formation of cold and dense water, originating on the eastern shelves. In the cold bias models, excessive cold water forms in the Barents Sea and spreads into the Arctic Ocean through the St. Anna Through. There is a large spread in the simulated mean heat and volume transports through the Fram Strait and the Barents Sea Opening. The models agree more on the decadal variability, to a large degree dictated by the common atmospheric forcing. We conclude that the CORE-II model study helps us to understand the crucial biases in the Arctic Ocean. The current coarse resolution state-of-the-art ocean models need to be improved in accurate representation of the Atlantic Water inflow into the Arctic and density currents coming from the shelves

North Atlantic simulations in Coordinated Ocean-ice Reference Experiments phase II (CORE-II). Part I: Mean states

Simulation characteristics from eighteen global ocean–sea-ice coupled models are presented with a focus on the mean Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and other related fields in the North Atlantic. These experiments use inter-annually varying atmospheric forcing data sets for the 60-year period from 1948 to 2007 and are performed as contributions to the second phase of the Coordinated Ocean-ice Reference Experiments (CORE-II). The protocol for conducting such CORE-II experiments is summarized. Despite using the same atmospheric forcing, the solutions show significant differences. As most models also differ from available observations, biases in the Labrador Sea region in upper-ocean potential temperature and salinity distributions, mixed layer depths, and sea-ice cover are identified as contributors to differences in AMOC. These differences in the solutions do not suggest an obvious grouping of the models based on their ocean model lineage, their vertical coordinate representations, or surface salinity restoring strengths. Thus, the solution differences among the models are attributed primarily to use of different subgrid scale parameterizations and parameter choices as well as to differences in vertical and horizontal grid resolutions in the ocean models. Use of a wide variety of sea-ice models with diverse snow and sea-ice albedo treatments also contributes to these differences. Based on the diagnostics considered, the majority of the models appear suitable for use in studies involving the North Atlantic, but some models require dedicated development effort

Clinical, quality of life, and economic value of acromegaly disease control

Although acromegaly is a rare disease, the clinical, economic and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) burden is considerable due to the broad spectrum of comorbidities as well as the need for lifelong management. We performed a comprehensive literature review of the past 12 years (1998–2010) to determine the benefit of disease control (defined as a growth hormone [GH] concentration <2.5 μg/l and insulin-like growth factor [IGF]-1 normal for age) on clinical, HRQoL, and economic outcomes. Increased GH and IGF-1 levels and low frequency of somatostatin analogue use directly predicted increased mortality risk. Clinical outcome measures that may improve with disease control include joint articular cartilage thickness, vertebral fractures, left ventricular function, exercise capacity and endurance, lipid profile, and obstructive apnea events. Some evidence suggests an association between controlled disease and improved HRQoL. Total direct treatment costs were higher for patients with uncontrolled compared to controlled disease. Costs incurred for management of comorbidities, and indirect cost could further add to treatment costs. Optimizing disease control in patients with acromegaly appears to improve outcomes. Future studies need to evaluate clinical outcomes, as well as HRQoL and comprehensive economic outcomes achieved with controlled disease