Study of the marking systems of selected junior high schools in New England

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University, 1944. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

The Neuroscience of Preferences

The expression of preference reflects the influence of two broad modes of judgment—intuition and deliberation (Kahneman and Frederick 2002). The intuitive mode includes emotional reactions (e.g. Loewenstein 1996), but it also includes heuristic process which are largely perceptual or cognitive in nature. Intuitive processes occur early in a judgment process; they are fast and largely automatic. This is in contrast with deliberative processes which tend to occur later in a judgement process, are slower, and are more controlled. Intuitive and deliberative processes interact with each other, although they are often in conflict, and there is some evidence that they are anatomically separated in the brain

High pressure phase transistions in the lanthanide sesquioxides

Crystallizing into 5 known polymorphic forms, the rare-Earth sesquioxides RE 2 O 3 represent a family of 4-f electron compounds that have been the subject of study for many years. Aspects of the systematics in the structural phase transitions for RE 2 O 3 (RE=La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Y, Er, Yb, Lu) under pressure were studied using diamond anvil cells (DACs). As a part of this study, detailed equation of state (EOS) data for all these compounds were obtained through the use of angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction (XRD) where anomalies in compression data led to the detailed investigation into one particular rare-Earth sesquioxide, La 2 O 3 . I show evidence that a long established sequence of high pressure phase transformations in rare-Earth sesquioxides involve more than the five currently known phases. In XRD patterns acquired by imaging detectors at pressures above 7.5 GPa, new reflections appear at low 2[straight theta] angle, implying that a super lattice forms. High resolution XRD scans reveal peak splittings consistent with a monoclinic distortion of the A-type structure. A model of the distorted A-type structure is derived using group-subgroup relations to predict peak splittings and unit cells refined based on the observed XRD patterns. Super lattice formation is further supported by Raman spectra acquired for separate samples which show a doubling of the A 1g stretching mode of the A-type phase above 4 GPa. IR absorption and Raman scattering data are used together in a normal coordinate analysis where calculated mode frequencies model the observed spectra up to 18 GPa with reasonable refined values for all force constants. Until this study, there have been no reported pressure induced structural phase transitions outside the 5 known rare earth sesquioxide polymorphs

Instituting an Educational Module to Improve Knowledge of Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity Among Anesthesia Providers

Local anesthetic use in the perioperative period is increasing in the United States as healthcare providers seek alternatives to opioid-based pain management. While increased use of local anesthetics has many benefits, their use also increases the risk of Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity (LAST), which is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication. A search of the literature indicates there is a considerable gap in knowledge of LAST among healthcare providers, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and anesthesia residents. This knowledge gap is combined with a lack of standardized approaches to identifying and treating this complication. Identifying and treating LAST is also complicated by the varying presentations of LAST, including presenting as a stroke mimic. To mitigate this knowledge deficit, we identified a surgical center that has recently increased its use of local anesthetics without increasing education on LAST recognition and management. We developed an online module to educate CRNAs and anesthesia residents about LAST and evaluated changes in their knowledge of LAST with a pre- and post-survey. Statistical analysis of pre- and post-surveys indicated a significant increase in knowledge of LAST

MAE 4344 senior design: MAE 3723 lab project - Final report

MAE 3723 Systems I has just added a Lab Section where students can have a hands on experience with concepts of system design. The objective of our project is to develop a set of physical systems that can be used in the MAE 3723 Lab Section. The physical systems need to demonstrate important concepts from MAE 3723 Theory Section and have the ability to be concealed from view if desired. Instructors and Lab personnel will also need to be able to reproduce the physical systems

The Host Galaxy of GRB 031203: Implications of its low metallicity, low redshift, and starburst nature

We present Keck/NIRSPEC near-IR images and Magellan/IMACS optical spectroscopy of the host galaxy of GRB 031203. The host is an actively star-forming galaxy at z=0.1055 +/- 0.0001. This is the lowest redshift GRB to-date, aside from GRB 980425. From the hydrogen Balmer lines, we infer an extinction of A_V = 3.62 +/- 0.25 or a total reddening E_T(B-V) = 1.17 +/- 0.1 toward the sightline to the nebular regions. After correcting for reddening, we perform an emission-line analysis and derive an ISM temperature of T=13400+/-2000K and electron density of n_e = 300 cm^(-3). These imply a metallicity [O/H]=-0.72+/-0.15 dex and a roughly solar abundance pattern for N, Ne, S, and Ar. Integrating Ha, we infer a dust-corrected star formation rate (SFR) of > 11 Msol/yr. These observations have the following implications: (1) the galaxy has a low K'-band luminosity L ~ L^*/5, typical of GRB host galaxies; (2) the low redshift indicates GRB 031203 had an isotropic-equivalent gamma-ray energy release smaller than all previous confirmed GRB events. The burst discovery raises the likelihood of identifying many additional low z, low flux events with Swift; (3) the large SFR, low metallicity, and the inferred hard radiation field is suggestive of massive star formation, supporting the collapsar model; (4) several lines of evidence argue against the identification of GRB 031203 as an X-ray flash event.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Uses emulateapj5.sty. Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal on April 20, 200

Phenology Effects on Productivity and Hatching-Asynchrony of American Kestrels (\u3cem\u3eFalco sparverius\u3c/em\u3e) Across a Continent

Optimal reproductive performance occurs when birds time reproduction to coincide with peak food availability. Deviation from optimal timing, or mismatch, can affect productivity, though birds may mediate some mismatch effects by altering their incubation behavior. We studied the consequences of nesting timing (i.e., clutch initiation relative to an index of spring start) on productivity across the breeding range of American kestrels (Falco sparverius) in the United States and southern Canada, and associations between nesting timing, incubation behavior, and hatching asynchrony. We used observations from long-term nest box monitoring, remote trail cameras, and community-scientist-based programs to obtain data on clutch initiation, productivity, incubation, and hatching synchrony. Kestrels that initiated clutches after the extended spring index (SI-x, start of spring estimate) had higher rates of nest failure and fewer nestlings than earlier nesters, and effects of nesting timing on productivity were strongest in the Northeast. In contrast, kestrels in the Southwest experienced a more gradual decline in productivity across the season. Spatial effects may be the result of regional differences in growing seasons and temporal nesting windows (duration of nesting season). Specifically, resource availability in the Northeast was highly peaked during the breeding season, potentially resulting in shorter nesting windows. Conversely, resource curves were more prolonged in the Southwest, and growing seasons are becoming longer with climate change, potentially resulting in longer nesting windows. We found an inverse relationship between nesting timing and the onset of male incubation. Males from breeding pairs that initiated clutches after SI-x began incubation sooner than males from breeding pairs that initiated clutches before SI-x. Early-onset of male incubation was positively associated with hatching asynchrony, creating increased age variation in developing young. In sum, nesting phenology relative to the SI-x has consequences for American kestrels’ productivity, and these consequences vary across space. The early onset of incubation may act as a potential adaptive behavior to advance the average hatch date and spread out energetic demands. Given the effects of nesting timing on productivity, kestrels are likely to be sensitive to climate-driven advances in growing seasons and vulnerable to phenological mismatch, particularly in the Northeast

Four different study designs to evaluate vaccine safety were equally validated with contrasting limitations

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a simulation study to empirically compare four study designs [cohort, case-control, risk-interval, self-controlled case series (SCCS)] used to assess vaccine safety. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Using Vaccine Safety Datalink data (a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded project), we simulated 250 case sets of an acute illness within a cohort of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. We constructed the other three study designs from the cohort at three different incident rate ratios (IRRs, 2.00, 3.00, and 4.00), 15 levels of decreasing disease incidence, and two confounding levels (20%, 40%) for both fixed and seasonal confounding. Each of the design-specific study samples was analyzed with a regression model. The design-specific beta; estimates were compared. RESULTS: The beta; estimates of the case-control, risk-interval, and SCCS designs were within 5% of the true risk parameters or cohort estimates. However, the case-control\u27s estimates were less precise, less powerful, and biased by fixed confounding. The estimates of SCCS and risk-interval designs were biased by unadjusted seasonal confounding. CONCLUSIONS: All the methods were valid designs, with contrasting strengths and weaknesses. In particular, the SCCS method proved to be an efficient and valid alternative to the cohort method