A study of the reactions of third grade pupils to the various types of children's literature that were available during three specific periods: 1900-1920; 1920-1940; 1940-1953

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Comparison of body fat measurement techniques in females

The main objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of the Tanita-TBF 305 foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analyzer for the estimation of body composition as compared to hydrostatic weighing. The secondary objective of this investigation was to access the impact of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) on the estimation of body composition by the Tanita foot-to-foot analyzer. Participants were 40 pre-menopausal, obese females (39.7 ± 7.8 yrs; 46.5 ± 1.0% BF). In addition, the subjects were sub-divided based on WHR: 1) ≤ 0.75 lower body obesity (LBO); 2) ≥ 0.85 upper body obesity (UBO); 3) between 0.75 and 0.85 overall obese group. The results showed no significant differences in anthropometric characteristics between the sub-groups except for WHR (p \u3c 0.0001). Estimation of body composition variables such as fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and % body fat (BF) were obtained with the Tanita TBF-305 and hydrostatic weighing (HW). There were no significant differences for the total sample (n=40) in FFM, FM, or %BF between methods. Further, there was a significant correlation between HW and foot-to-foot BIA for FFM (r = 0.70), FM (r = 0.93), and %BF (r = 0.55) (p \u3c 0.001). The standard error of the estimate for %BF was 5.6%. A repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant influence of body shape (i.e., WHR) on the prediction of %BF (p = 0.77). Correlation analysis revealed no relationship between WHR and the difference m %BF between methods (r = 0.03, p = 0.85) for the entire sample. In conclusion, the Tanita TBF-305 has the ability to accurately predict body composition m obese, pre-menopausal females. Furthermore, deviations in body shape (i.e., WHR) have no significant influence on the ability of the Tanita TBF-305 to estimate body composition

A new optimized rotor design for brushless doubly fed machines

The brushless doubly fed machine (BDFM) is an alternative to the doubly fed induction generator, widely used in wind turbines, without use of brush gears and slip rings. Rotor design is important for designing an optimal multi-MW BDFM. To date, nested-loop rotors have been extensively used in various BDFMs but they may not be suitable for larger machines. In this paper, different methods of BDFM rotor equivalent circuit parameters determination are presented and validated by experimental tests. Then, a design optimization of BDFM rotors is proposed based on equivalent circuit analysis with the aim of minimizing the rotor parameters. Two optimized rotors, one bar cage rotor and one nested-loop rotor were designed and built from the outcomes of the optimization method for a BDFM with frame size D180. The characteristics of the conventional and optimized rotors in terms of the rotor equivalent circuit parameters and iron saturation at rated operating conditions are compared using analytical and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) methods

Deep learning atmospheric prediction algorithm for enhanced Mars EDL guidance

Uncertainty in atmospheric density and wind is a major cause of suboptimal performance in the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) guidance at Mars. We improve the robustness of current EDL guidance algorithms to uncertain dynamic environments by proposing a reliable on-board atmospheric estimation algorithm. The algorithm consists of a deep, recurrent neural network using an efficient architecture for time-series predictions, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) cell. The LSTM network is trained on entry trajectories simulated with the Fully Numerical Predictor-corrector Guidance (FNPEG); in each trajectory the vehicle is subject to density and wind fields from instances of the Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (GRAM) 2010. Predictions of density and wind as a function of altitude expected along the trajectory are obtained from onboard acceleration measurements and state estimates. The algorithm achieves a RMS value over time for the relative density error in the order of 10 % for samples in the validation dataset, and significantly improves performance with respect to an exponential fit to the density

Associations between physical behaviour patterns and levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety and well-being in middle-aged adults: a cross-sectional study using isotemporal substitution models

Objective: To examine the compositional effects of physical behaviour on mental health. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: A population-representative random sample (Mitchelstown cohort) was recruited from a large primary care centre in Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland. Participants: In total 3807 potential participants were selected from the practice list. Following exclusion of duplicates, deaths and ineligibles, 3043 were invited to participate and of these, 2047 (49.2% men) completed the questionnaire and physical examination components of the baseline assessment during the study period (April 2010 and May 2011). Accelerometers were introduced into the study in January 2011. Of the 745 participants seen between January and May of 2011, 475 (44.6% men) subjects (response rate 64%) agreed to participate and of these 397 (46.1% men) had valid accelerometer data. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Participants wore the wrist GENEActiv accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Data were summarised into 60 s epochs and activity categorised as sedentary behaviour, light or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 well-being scale. Results: In adjusted isotemporal models, a 30 min increase in light activity per day was associated with a significant decrease in levels of anxiety symptoms (B=−0.34; 95% CI −0.64 to −0.04) and a significant increase in levels of well-being (B=0.58; 95% CI 0.05 to 1.11). No statistically significant associations were observed between any physical behaviour and depressive symptoms or when sedentary behaviour was substituted with MVPA (P>0.05). Conclusion: Although based on a cross-sectional study, the findings suggest that substituting light activity for sedentary behaviour may have positive associations with symptoms of anxiety and reported well-being among middle-aged adults

Genetic aspects of conservation and management of the Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata

Decades of decline have triggered an AEWA action plan and numerous conservation and management projects across the range of Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata. Several projects include DNA studies, but more have an untapped potential to collect and analyse DNA. This document intends to promote DNA studies in Eurasian Curlew projects, in particular through pointing out the broad array of useful DNA samples that projects can collect for current and future use, often at low costs and without negatively affecting the birds. The document also provides an overview of DNA analysis methods, and advice on how to fit DNA studies sustainably into socio-economical and ethical frameworks. Additionally, the document contains numerous hands-on practical advice and an extensive reference list. The result is a long text, but we hope its structure helps you to navigate smoothly to the parts of your interest, whatever role you have or plan to play in Eurasian Curlew conservation and management projects

Child sexual abuse and social identity loss: a qualitative analysis of survivors' public accounts

Emerging evidence suggests that social identities are an important determinant of adaptation following traumatic life experiences. In this paper we analyse accounts of people who experienced child sexual abuse. Using publicly available talk of people who waived their right to anonymity following successful conviction of perpetrators, we conducted a thematic analysis focusing on trauma related changes in their social identities. Analysis of these accounts highlighted two themes. The first highlights the acquisition in these accounts of unwanted and damaging identity labels. The second presents child sexual abuse as a key destructive force in terms of important identity work during childhood. Discussion of this analysis centres on the pathological consequences of social identity change. Both the loss of valued identities and the acquisition of aberrant and isolating identities are experienced and constructed as devastating by those affected by child sexual abuse. This has important implications, not only for those impacted by child sexual abuse, but for how abuse is discussed in society, and how it is approached by policy makers, educators and individuals working with survivors and their families

The effectiveness of a sustained nurse home visiting intervention for Aboriginal infants compared with non-Aboriginal infants and with Aboriginal infants receiving usual child health care : a quasi-experimental trial : the Bulundidi Gudaga study

Background: In Australia there is commitment to developing interventions that will 'Close the Gap' between the health and welfare of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and recognition that early childhood interventions offer the greatest potential for long term change. Nurse led sustained home visiting programs are considered an effective way to deliver a health and parenting service, however there is little international or Australian evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of these programs for Aboriginal infants. This protocol describes the Bulundidi Gudaga Study, a quasi-experimental design, comparing three cohorts of families from the Macarthur region in south western Sydney to explore the effectiveness of the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) program for Aboriginal families. Methods: Mothers were recruited when booking into the local hospital for perinatal care and families are followed up until child is age 4 years. Participants are from three distinct cohorts: Aboriginal MECSH intervention cohort (Group A), Non-Aboriginal MECSH intervention cohort (Group B) and Aboriginal non-intervention cohort (Group C). Eligible mothers were those identified as at risk during the Safe Start assessment conducted by antenatal clinic midwives. Mothers in Group A were eligible if they were pregnant with an Aboriginal infant. Mothers in Group B were eligible if they were pregnant with a non-Aboriginal infant. Mothers in Group C are part of the Gudaga descriptive cohort study and were recruited between October 2005 and May 2007. The difference in duration of breastfeeding, child body mass index, and child development outcomes at 18 months and 4 years of age will be measured as primary outcomes. We will also evaluate the intervention effect on secondary measures including: child dental health; the way the program is received; patterns of child health and illness; patterns of maternal health, health knowledge and behaviours; family and environmental conditions; and service usage for mothers and families. Discussion: Involving local Aboriginal research and intervention staff and investing in established relationships between the research team and the local Aboriginal community is enabling this study to generate evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions that are feasible to implement and sustainable in the context of Aboriginal communities and local service systems. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616001721493 Registered 14 Dec 2016. Retrospectively registered

Sexual violence and traumatic identity change: evidence of collective post-traumatic growth

Recent research indicates that social identities play a crucial role in the connection between adversity, post-traumatic stress, and overall psychological well-being. Understanding of how trauma influences collective dimensions of the self, positively or negatively, is limited. This study focuses on analysing publicly accessible narratives of four women who chose to waive their anonymity after the conviction of the men who had attacked and sexually assaulted them in Ireland. Thematic analysis highlighted two themes that signal (i) collective dimensions to this personal trauma, (ii) attempts to reconstruct social identities in the aftermath of trauma. Women presented their experiences as having the potential to amplify positive connections with others despite the wider embedded sociocultural understanding of sexual assault. These changes were associated with redefinition of social identities. Discussion highlights the potential for personal and intimate trauma to result in positive social identity change; a phenomenon that we label collective post-traumatic growth