Method for nonlinear exponential regression analysis

Two computer programs developed according to two general types of exponential models for conducting nonlinear exponential regression analysis are described. Least squares procedure is used in which the nonlinear problem is linearized by expanding in a Taylor series. Program is written in FORTRAN 5 for the Univac 1108 computer

Story as a Mathematics Instructional Strategy

Traditional mathematics curriculum does not always meet the student’s needs. Lecturing students does not engage, motivate, and activate their critical thinking skills. Essentially, the curriculum has become separated from the real-world context in which mathematical theorems are applied. Students don’t understand the purpose in their learning. STEM curriculum focuses on the content areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; however, the STEAM curriculum takes the STEM curriculum a step further by incorporating the arts into those content areas. By doing so, it reaches more students in an innovative approach of the creative process. The instructional strategy of story is the arts of STEAM curriculum. By incorporating story into mathematics curriculum, it is engaging and motivating students to learn the content from a student-centered approach. Students are become fully embraced within the story and use the mathematical content to apply and predict the story outcomes. It requires students to continuously reflect, communicate, and apply their mathematics ideas to the story

Lands of Brighter Destiny: The Future of the Public Lands

4 pages

Yoga and self-esteem : exploring change in middle-aged women

Of the numerous psychological constructs self-esteem is the most known. It is well documented that having high levels of self-esteem is associated with positive health implications. Self-esteem is theorized as a global and stable construct impacted by both academic and non-academic domains. The physical domain compartmentalized within the non-academic domain, is used to look at self-esteem related to physical self-perceptions. In the physical domain, the Exercise and Self-Esteem Model (EXSEM) (Sonstroem & Morgan, 1989) was developed to measure changes in self-esteem, physical competence, physical acceptance, and self-efficacy across an exercise intervention. Fox (2000b) suggested that middle-age marks a time where positive changes to self-esteem are possible. For women, middle-age can be accompanied by several challenges including a physical body that moves further from society’s ideal (i.e., young, beautiful, and thin). Hatha yoga is an exercise practice that has become popular in North America in recent years, especially with middle-aged adults, and may represent an ideal activity to be used within the EXSEM as it emphasizes both physical competence and acceptance. The purpose of the study was to utilize the EXSEM as a framework to examine self-esteem, physical competence, physical acceptance, and yoga self-efficacy constructs for middle-aged women participating in a 12-week Hatha yoga intervention. An additional exploratory objective of the study was to examine potential changes in mindfulness consisting of observing, describing, acting with awareness, and accepting without judgement for middle-aged women participating in a 12-week Hatha yoga intervention. Participants in the study were 51 women (M age 49.3 &#61617; 6.1; yoga group, n = 21; control group, n = 30) of predominantly White ethnicity (92%). Descriptive information about the sample via a demographics form and an Eastern philosophy familiarity open-ended question, and the following measures, Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ; Godin, & Shephard, 1985), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965), Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP; Fox & Corbin, 1989), Body Esteem Scale (BES; Franzoi, & Shields, 1984), Body Image Visual Analog Scale (BIVAS), Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale (YSES), and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS; Baer, Smith, & Allen, 2004) were collected at pre-test and post-test (YSES was administered an additional time for the yoga group only). Doubly multivariate analyses using SPSS (version 14.0) examined four statistical models to answer research questions and help negotiate several dependent variables in the research design. Model 1 looked at higher order constructs in the EXSEM (i.e., RSES, physical self-worth subscale of the PSPP, BES, BIVAS, and YSES). Model 2 was identical to model 1 with the exception of including lower order domain items for physical competence (i.e., PSPP subscales of sport competence, physical strength, physical condition, attractive body). Model 3 looked at subscales of YSES (i.e., standing poses, forward bends, back bends, twists, and seated/supine poses), whereas model 4 examined subscales of KIMS only (i.e., observe, describe, act with awareness, accept without judgement). Following the doubly multivariate analysis, PSPP subscales showed significant group by time interactions; follow-up univariate tests, p < .05, showed significance on PSW F(1, 49) = 12.22, conditioning subscale of PSPP F(1, 49) = 10.65, strength subscale on PSPP F(1, 49) = 13.11, BIVAS F(1, 49) = 6.45, YSE total score F(1, 49) = 9.84, and YSE subscales of forward bends F(1, 49) = 17.84, twists F(1, 49) = 8.18, and seated/supine poses F(1, 49) = 6.21, and observation subscale of KIMS F(1, 49) = 12.16, p < .05. In all cases, the yoga group improved more over time than the control group.General support for the use of the EXSEM for middle-aged women participating in Hatha yoga over 12-weeks was noted with changes in yoga self-efficacy for total score, twists, forward bends, and seated/supine poses; physical competence of physical self-worth, body conditioning, and physical strength; and physical acceptance (BIVAS). A major finding was that no overall change in self-esteem was found with a sample whose means for self-esteem were similar to previous research with middle-aged women. Similarly, partial support for mindfulness with changes in observing following the 12-week Hatha yoga intervention was found. Future research should focus on further developing appropriate measurement of physical acceptance; the appropriateness of EXSEM for examining Hatha yoga should be considered; qualitative methods should be used to gain additional insight into the process of Hatha yoga participation for middle-aged women

Lands of Brighter Destiny: The Future of the Public Lands

4 pages

Intention-Behavior Discrepancies for Alcohol Consumption Among College Students

Unplanned drinkers may experience elevated risk for drinking-related harm. Research examining unplanned drinking focuses on the unplanned nature of a drinking episode (i.e., did the student drink when no drinking was planned), yet this does not capture the importance of the unintended quantity consumed. For instance, a discrepancy between drinking intentions and actual consumption has the potential to differentially impact alcohol-related outcomes beyond what is accounted for by unplanned drinking episodes. Further, research has not investigated how college students’ unintended drinking is associated with alcohol-related consequences. Moreover, utilization of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) has been shown to decrease negative outcomes and is theorized to explain the disproportionate consequences experienced by unplanned versus planned drinkers, yet PBS have not been evaluated within the drinking discrepancy literature. Thus, the present study utilized data from a typical drinking occasion to (1) describe the occurrence of intention-inconsistent drinking, (2) determine the association between discrepancies and consequences, (3) and evaluate the impact of unplanned drinking, PBS use, and their combined effects on this relationship. Additionally, we (4) assessed the influence of social factors (i.e., active and passive peer influence) on quantity discrepancies. Participants were 44 (28 females; Mage = 21.91) heavy drinking college students who completed two surveys (one pre-weekend and post-weekend) on their drinking behaviors for Friday and Saturday. Results indicated that the majority of drinking episodes were not consistent with participants’ intended quantities, and drinking less than intended occurred most prevalently. Additionally, among planned drinkers with low PBS, larger discrepancies associated with lower alcohol-related consequences. Finally, social factors did not significantly predict discrepancy size. Overall, this study was among the first to assess discrepancy statistics for U.S. college students on typical drinking events. Additionally, we were the first to utilize discrepancy statistics as unique predictors of consequences, and our findings shed light on the influence of unintended drinking for a subset of drinkers. However, the present study’s analyses were severely influenced by low sample size and COVID-19-related factors, and results should be interpreted with caution. Additional research with adequate power is needed to replicate the present study under conditions outside of COVID-19

A procedure for extraction of disparate data from maps into computerized data bases

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Three-dimensional perspective software for representation of digital imagery data

A generalized three dimensional perspective software capability was developed within the framework of a low cost computer oriented geographically based information system using the Earth Resources Laboratory Applications Software (ELAS) operating subsystem. This perspective software capability, developed primarily to support data display requirements at the NASA/NSTL Earth Resources Laboratory, provides a means of displaying three dimensional feature space object data in two dimensional picture plane coordinates and makes it possible to overlay different types of information on perspective drawings to better understand the relationship of physical features. An example topographic data base is constructed and is used as the basic input to the plotting module. Examples are shown which illustrate oblique viewing angles that convey spatial concepts and relationships represented by the topographic data planes

Fortalecimiento de servicios para la gestión de empresas asociativas rurales. Guia 4

Esta es la cuarta de 4 guías desarrolladas por la Alianza de Aprendizaje; cada una de ellas correspondiente a uno de los cuatro módulos de capacitación aplicados durante el Ciclo de Aprendizaje 2008 – 2010 de la Alianza Nicaragua. Esta guía le brinda herramientas a las empresas asociativas de productores para identificar, caracterizar, evaluar, priorizar, diseñar y financiar una cartera de servicios para sus asociados, asociadas y otros clientes, tanto desde la propia empresa como en alianza con otras organizaciones u empresas