Personality factors and caste affiliation in the education of Indian adolescents

Abstract Facilitating human development through education is deemed as a major task of modern welfare states. In view of this, it is important to assess and evaluate predictors of academic performance with the aim of planning a suitable educational system, supporting and fostering known predictors. This is especially relevant for India’s unique context of the caste system, and regional-linguistic differences. The emphasis of this dissertation is two-fold. As personality is a known predictor of academic performances, we first set out to assess the psychometric relevance and applicability of the five-factor model of personality which is acclaimed as universally applicable. To achieve this, two independent studies were conducted with the aim of psychometric evaluation of two widely used measures (BFI-10 and NEO-FFI-3) and both studies examined two socio-culturally distinct linguistic groups of Indian adolescent school students (N=1117). Secondly, we set out to examine adolescent education in the context of India’s complex fabric of social stratification, especially the governmental ranking of class, viz., scheduled castes/tribes (SC-ST), other backward classes (OBC) and general class (GC). This was done through two studies: 1) a detailed review study on the role of social stratification on the education of Indian adolescents; and 2) a study on the impact of the three governmental classes on the academic performance of Indian adolescents (N=858) from the same school environment, while controlling for family income, age, and gender, as well as self-esteem and life satisfaction. The twin studies of psychometric evaluation provided very limited support for a five-factor solution for the two measures, pointing to the potential influence of socio-cultural factors on the personality consolidation of Indian adolescents. The review study found that social stratification, as well as caste-based reservation, is a severe impediment for education in India. The third study found a positive relationship between the governmental class and academic performance of adolescent students, wherein a higher level of class predicted better academic performance when controlled for family income, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. These findings point to the urgent need for further research on the predictors of education of Indian adolescents as well as a strategic action to eliminate the impact of caste affiliation on their education

Optimized Naive-Bayes Detection System

A Masquerader is a malicious user who tries to gain access or control of a system from a proper user. The objective of this thesis is to increase the accuracy of the existing Nave-Bayes Algorithm for detecting Masquerade attempts. We have an Online and an Offline classifier. The Classifier used in our experiments is the Nave-Bayes Classifier. Although the dataset is being learned by the Online and the Offline classifier simultaneously, the online classifier makes an instantaneous decision whereas the Offline makes it after a specified span of time. We try to increase the accuracy of the detection system by increasing the number of parameters within the dataset and also by the introduction of a Toggling factor between the Online and the Offline classifiers. The Nave-Bayes classifier builds a proper user model and an improper model from the training dataset. The Test sessions are classified against these models. The E-M Algorithm was used to generate a probabilistic score for the unidentified sessions in the testing phase. The dataset was prepared from the log files of different users that logged into the Computer Science Administrative Server (a.cs.okstate.edu) for Oklahoma State University. Experimental results demonstrate that the Online & Offline classifier with commands and the extra parameter namely the CPU time outperformed the Online & Offline classifier with commands in terms of both the false alarm rate and the hit rate.Computer Science Departmen

Performance Analysis of Authentication Protocols in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Traditionally traffic safety was addressed by traffic awareness and passive safety measures like solid chassis, seat belts, air bags etc. With the recent breakthroughs in the domain of mobile ad hoc networks, the concept of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) was realised. Safety messaging is the most important aspect of VANETs, where the passive safety (accident readiness) in vehicles was reinforced with the idea of active safety (accident prevention). In safety messaging vehicles will message each other over wireless media, updating each other on traffic conditions and hazards. Security is an important aspect of safety messaging, that aims to prevent participants spreading wrong information in the network that are likely to cause mishaps. Equally important is the fact that secure communication protocols should satisfy the communication constraints of VANETs. VANETs are delay intolerant. Features like high speeds, large network size, constant mobility etc. induce certain limitations in the way messaging can be carried out in VANETs. This thesis studies the impact of total message size on VANET messaging system performance, and conducts an analysis of secure communication protocols to measure how they perform in a VANET messaging system

Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondrial Dynamics to Combat Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a cancer that is aggressive with short survival rate. In comparison to other breast cancer subtypes, TNBC tumors are bigger, more chemo resistant, highly proliferative, and usually more abundant in stem and immune cells. These modifications are functionally dependent on a high-quality endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial pool. Endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial health are monitored and enhanced on a regular basis via endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial dynamics. The role of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial dynamics in tumor growth and metastasis has been highlighted by recent advances in understanding the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial dynamics in TNBC. This chapter examines the current knowledge of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial dynamics in TNBC

Psychometric Evaluation of the BFI-10 and the NEO-FFI-3 in Indian Adolescents

The Five-Factor Model (FFM) is one of the most commonly examined constructs of personality across cultures in recent times. However, there is a lacuna of evidence for the suitability of FFM measures for Indian adolescent school students below the age of 17 years. We carried out two independent studies for the psychometric evaluation of the measures BFI-10 and NEO-FFI-3 on Indian adolescent school students. Both studies examined two socio-culturally distinct linguistic groups of secondary and senior secondary school students with a total sample of N = 1117 students. There was very limited support for a five-factor solution in both cases. Model fit was poor when applying FFM measures to our samples, whether applying confirmatory factor analysis or exploratory structural equation models. The results provide evidence against using adult personality measures with adolescents without separate psychometric validation and applying the Western age norms to Indian students without considering that the process of personality consolidation during adolescence may not be identical across cultures

Patterns of Drug Use and Serum Sodium Concentrations in Older Hospitalized Patients : A Latent Class Analysis Approach

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Real-time smart multisensing wearable platform for monitoring sweat biomarkers during exercise

Sweat secreted by the human eccrine sweat glands can provide valuable biomarker information during exercise in hot and humid conditions. Real-time noninvasive biomarker recordings are therefore useful for evaluating the physiological conditions of an athlete such as their hydration status during endurance exercise. In this work, we describe a platform that in- cludes different sweat biomonitoring prototypes of cost-effective, smart wearable devices for continuous biomonitoring of sweat during exercise. One prototype is based on conformable and disposable soft sensing patches with an integrated multi-sensor array requiring the integration of different sensors and printed sensors with their corresponding functionalization protocols on the same substrate. The second is based on silicon based sensors and paper microfluidics. Both platforms integrate a multi-sensor array for measuring sodium, potassium, and pH in sweat. We show preliminary results obtained from the multi-sensor prototypes placed on two athletes during exercise. We also show that the machine learning algorithms can predict the percentage of body weight loss during exercise from biomarkers such as heart rate and sweat sodium concentration collected over multiple subjects

Multisensing wearables for real-time monitoring of sweat electrolyte biomarkers during exercise and analysis on their correlation with core body temperature

Sweat secreted by the human eccrine sweat glands can provide valuable biomarker information during exercise. Real-time non-invasive biomarker recordings are therefore useful for evaluating the physiological conditions of an athlete such as their hydration status during endurance exercise. This work describes a wearable sweat biomonitoring patch incorporating printed electrochemical sensors into a plastic microfluidic sweat collector and data analysis that shows the real-time recorded sweat biomarkers can be used to predict a physiological biomarker. The system was placed on subjects carrying out an hour-long exercise session and results were compared to a wearable system using potentiometric robust silicon-based sensors and to commercially available HORIBA-LAQUAtwin devices. Both prototypes were applied to the real-time monitoring of sweat during cycling sessions and showed stable readings for around an hour. Analysis of the sweat biomarkers collected from the printed patch prototype shows that their real-time measurements correlate well (correlation coefficient ≥0.65 ) with other physiological biomarkers such as heart rate and regional sweat rate collected in the same session. We show for the first time, that the real-time sweat sodium and potassium concentration biomarker measurements from the printed sensors can be used to predict the core body temperature with root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.02 °C which is 71% lower compared to the use of only the physiological biomarkers. These results show that these wearable patch technologies are promising for real-time portable sweat monitoring analytical platforms, especially for athletes performing endurance exercise

Reexamining age, race, site, and thermometer type as variables affecting temperature measurement in adults – A comparison study

BACKGROUND: As a result of the recent international vigilance regarding disease assessment, accurate measurement of body temperature has become increasingly important. Yet, trusted low-tech, portable mercury glass thermometers are no longer available. Thus, comparing accuracy of mercury-free thermometers with mercury devices is essential. Study purposes were 1) to examine age, race, site as variables affecting temperature measurement in adults, and 2) to compare clinical accuracy of low-tech Galinstan-in-glass device to mercury-in-glass at oral, axillary, groin, and rectal sites in adults. METHODS: Setting 176 bed accredited healthcare facility, rural northwest US Participants Convenience sample (N = 120) of hospitalized persons ≥ 18 years old. Instruments Temperatures (°F) measured at oral, skin (simultaneous), immediately followed by rectal sites with four each mercury-glass (BD) and Galinstan-glass (Geratherm) thermometers; 10 minute dwell times. RESULTS: Participants averaged 61.6 years (SD 17.9), 188 pounds (SD 55.3); 61% female; race: 85% White, 8.3% Native Am., 4.2% Hispanic, 1.7 % Asian, 0.8% Black. For both mercury and Galinstan-glass thermometers, within-subject temperature readings were highest rectally; followed by oral, then skin sites. Galinstan assessments demonstrated rectal sites 0.91°F > oral and ≅ 1.3°F > skin sites. Devices strongly correlated between and across sites. Site difference scores between devices showed greatest variability at skin sites; least at rectal site. 95% confidence intervals of difference scores by site (°F): oral (0.142 – 0.265), axilla (0.167 – 0.339), groin (0.037 – 0.321), and rectal (-0.111 – 0.111). Race correlated with age, temperature readings each site and device. CONCLUSION: Temperature readings varied by age, race. Mercury readings correlated with Galinstan thermometer readings at all sites. Site mean differences between devices were considered clinically insignificant. Still considered the gold standard, mercury-glass thermometers may no longer be available worldwide. Therefore, mercury-free, environmentally safe low-tech Galinstan-in-glass may be an appropriate replacement. This is especially important as we face new, internationally transmitted diseases