Fostering college and career readiness: how career development activities in schools impact on graduation rates and students' life success

This paper sets out the recent evidence around career development. This evidence is examined within the context of the college and career readiness agenda. The argument is made that in order for young people to be genuinely “ready” for both college and career they need to have attended to their academic achievement, their aspirations and plans for the future, their ability to make transitions and their ability to direct their own careers. It is argued that career development offers schools a body of practice that has been shown to have a positive impact on young people’s readiness for college and career. The report acknowledges that the provision of career development has been in decline in many North American schools despite evidence of its effectiveness. Given the current instability of the labor market, the increasing complexity of the education system and the need to grow the skills base of the workforce in a competitive global market, failing to attend to young people’s careers seems shortsighted. As this paper shows, there is a strong body of evidence which demonstrates that career development activity in schools can help young people to experience academic achievement, successfully transition to the labor market and live happier and more productive lives. It is hoped that setting out the evidence in this area of research will provide policy makers and school leaders with the resources required to make informed decisions and to support the development of the future generations of talent. The paper explores the impacts of career development in relation to four main questions: • Does career development engage young people in their schooling and help keep them attending school? • Does career development positively impact on young people’s academic achievement? • Does career development assist young people in making successful transitions to college or the labor market? • Does career development have a positive effect on people’s career and life success?Career Cruisin

Computational information geometry in statistics: foundations

This paper lays the foundations for a new framework for numerically and computationally applying information geometric methods to statistical modelling

The response of the growing pig to changes in energy intake achieved through changes in dietary energy concentration versus restriction of feed intake

This study was undertaken to compare the effects of changing energy intake, either by restricting feed intake or by altering dietary energy concentration, on the growth performance of pigs. The relative abilities of the DE, ME and NE systems to predict pig growth performance were also evaluated. A total of 72 barrows, having initial body-weights of 30 ± 2 kg, were randomly assigned to one of nine dietary treatments. These treatments were organized in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement consisting of three dietary energy concentrations (2.18, 2.29 and 2.40 Mcal NE/kg) and three levels of feed allowance (80, 90 and 100% of ad libitum). Actual feed allowances of 79, 91 and 100% of ad libitum were achieved. No interactive effects of feeding level and dietary energy concentration were observed (P > 0.10). Increases in feed allowance from 79 to 91 to 100% of ad libitum resulted in increases in daily intakes of feed (P 0.10) basis. The efficiency with which dietary energy was used for weight gain was unaffected by feeding level (P > 0.10). Increases in dietary energy concentration were accompanied by decreases in daily feed intakes (P = 0.0016); however, dietary energy concentration did not affect daily energy intakes (P > 0.10). Neither average daily gains nor feed conversion efficiencies were affected by changes in dietary energy concentration (P > 0.10). Additionally, there were no differences among energy concentration treatments in terms of the amount of dietary energy available for body-weight gain (P > 0.10) or the efficiency with which it was used (P > 0.10). No differences were observed between the DE, ME and NE systems in terms of their abilities to predict the growth performance of pigs. The present study demonstrates that the energy intake of pigs can be effectively manipulated via adjustments in feeding level and that changes in dietary energy density, over the range studied here, are unable to affect changes in energy intake. This finding indicates that extreme caution should be used when extrapolating data obtained from studies in which feed allowance was manipulated to scenarios (e.g. commercial practice) in which energy density is to be altered, and vice versa

Molecular structure retention relationships in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) offers new opportunities to develop relationships between molecular structure and retentions in the two dimensional (2D) separation space defined by the GC x GC retention in each dimension. Whereas single dimension GC provides only one retention property for a solute, and hence the specific relationship between retention and chemical property is not readily apparent or derivable, the 2D presentation of compounds in GC x GC provides a subtle and exquisite correlation of chemical property and retention unlike any other GC experiment. The 'orthogonality' of the two separation dimensions is intimately related to the manner in which different separation mechanisms, available through use of two dissimilar phases, are accessible to the different chemical compounds or classes in a sample mixture, and indeed the specific chemical classes present in the sample. The GC x GC experiment now permits various processes such as chemical decompositions, molecular interconversions, various non-linear chromatography effects, and processes such as slow reversible interactions that may arise with stationary phases or in the injector or column couplings, to be identified and further investigated. Here, we briefly review implementation of the GC x GC method, consider the molecular selectivity of GC x GC, and highlight a selection of molecular processes that can be probed by using GC x GC

Mapping EORTC-QLQ-C30 to EQ-5D-3L in patients with colorectal cancer

AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to perform a mapping of the EORTC-QLQ-C30 scores to EQ-5D-3L for the SIRFLOX study; a large dataset of patients with previously untreated liver-only or liver-dominant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A secondary aim was to compare the predictive validity of existing mappings from EORTC-QLQ-C30 to EQ-5D-3L conducted in other cancers. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Questionnaires (completed within 529 patients) were used in a linear mixed regression to model EQ-5D-3L utility values (scored using the UK tariff) as a function of the five function scores, nine symptom scores and the global score from the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire. A Tobit regression was also performed. The mean EQ-5D-3L values for the SIRFLOX trial were calculated and compared with predicted EQ-5D-3L values derived using published. RESULTS: The linear mixed regression model provided a satisfactory mapping between the EORTC-QLQ-C30 and the EQ-5D-3L, whilst the Tobit model did not perform as well. When utilities from the SIRFLOX data were calculated with previously published mapping studies, three out of five studies performed well (<10% mean difference). LIMITATIONS: The main limitation of the study was the lack of meaningful observations post-progression (67 paired observations). For this reason, we were unable to test whether the mapping holds by disease stage. Additionally, although the study adds to the literature of mappings to the EQ-5D-3L, it is not known how results would differ using the EQ-5D-5L. CONCLUSION: This study is the first of its kind in liver-only or liver-dominant mCRC, and mCRC in general. The mapping constructed showed a good fit to the data and provides practitioners with an additional mapping between EORTC-QLQ-C30 to EQ-5D-3L using a large dataset (529 patients, 707 paired observations). The study also confirmed the generalisability of mappings published by Proskorovsky, Kontodimopoulos and Longworth to liver-only or liver-dominant mCRC

Dioxin-like compounds in Australian sewage sludge - Review and national survey

An Australian survey of dioxin-like compounds in sewage sludge was conducted in two parts (a) a national survey, and (b) a time-study. All sewage sludge samples analysed as part of these studies had low overall concentrations of dioxin-like compounds. Out of 37 samples, all except one, were within the reported concentration range of soil within the Australian environment. The mean concentration of dioxin-like compounds in the Australian sewage sludge survey of 2006 was found to be 5.6 (s.d. 4.5) ng WHO05 TEQ kg-1 (n = 14) and were within the range of 1.2-15.3 ng WHO05 TEQ kg-1. All the Australian sewage sludge samples cited in these studies were below the Victorian EPA &#039;&#039;investigation limit&#039;&#039; of 50 ng WHO98 TEQ kg-1, and well below the European proposed guidelines of 100 ng I-TEQ kg-1. The burden of dioxin-like compounds in Australian sewage sludge is low and its land application as biosolids is not likely to pose a problem. A general positive relationship was found between population of the town producing the waste and both dioxin-like PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs. The one exception to this trend was sludge from a town that had a history of smelting and had a relatively high burden of dioxin-like compounds. Sludge from one rural WWTP also had a higher burden of dioxin-like compounds. The treatment plant services a geographically isolated town with a low population and no known emitters of dioxin-like compounds. However, this sample also had a relatively high burden of dioxin-like PCBs, which could be the source of the dioxin-like PCDD/Fs found in this sludge. The time study analyzing sludges from three WWTP from the same city between the years 2002 and 2006 found no apparent difference between WWTPs, but a statistically significant decline of 1.49 ng WHO05 TEQ kg-1 per year. Also, a comprehensive review of the scientific literature, presents typical levels and sources of dioxin-like compounds in international sewage sludges

Demographic characteristics of exploited tropical lutjanids: a comparative analysis

Demographic parameters from seven exploited coral reef lutjanid species were compared as a case study of the implications of intrafamily variation in life histories for multispecies harvest management. Modal lengths varied by 4 cm among four species (Lutjanus fulviflamma, L. vitta, L. carponotatus, L. adetii), which were at least 6 cm smaller than the modal lengths of the largest species (L. gibbus, Symphorus nematophorus, Aprion virescens). Modal ages, indicating ages of full selection to fishing gear, were 10 years or less for all species, but maximum ages ranged from 12 (L. gibbus) to 36 years (S. nematophorus). Each species had a unique growth pattern, with differences in length-at-age and mean asymptotic fork length (L∞), but smaller species generally grew fast during the first 1–2 years of life and larger species grew more slowly over a longer period. Total mortality rates varied among species; L. gibbus had the highest mortality and L. fulviflamma, the lowest mortality. The variability in life history strategies of these tropical lutjanids makes generalizations about lutjanid life histories difficult, but the fact that all seven had characteristics that would make them particularly vulnerable to fishing indicates that harvest of tropical lutjanids should be managed with caution

Interpretation of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography data using advanced chemometrics

The power of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) for the study of complex mixtures has been indisputably proved in the past several decades. This review encompasses the whole of GC × GC-related data processing and summarizes relevant applications. We include theoretical introduction to some specific methods and studies to aid readers&#039; understanding of chemometrics strategies for advanced data interpretation