Reducing high attrition rate in a business statistics course using an interpretive approach encompassing diverse teaching and learning styles: Working paper series--03-11

An interpretive-learner-centered approach is implemented to improve students learning and address the issue of high attrition rate for a business statistics course. It focuses on the interpretation and implications of statistical results through real business problems and data while the mechanical steps of computation via formulae are relegated to the background. The philosophy that "students are responsible for their education" is embraced; thus, a mastery approach to learning was adopted utilizing pre-lecture, post-lecture and lab web quizzes all with multiple attempts allowed. Cooperative learning serves as a common thread in the design through the use of teams in lectures, labs and on two team projects. The projects result in business reports where all statistical jargon is translated into everyday language. Results from data collected on students learning style, pre and post assessments indicate a significant reduction in attrition rate and improved student learning

What do regressions estimate? Working paper series--08-04

Along with the readily available computer software that performs least squares regressions, comes the proliferation of misuse and misinterpretation of the regression results. We illustrate in the paper that the solutions to the intercept and slope coefficients in a simple linear regression model are dependent on the definition of the loss function used in the optimization problem. Likewise, there is not a universal population linear regression line. If a squared error loss function is used, the population regression line turns out to be the conditional mean function while an absolute loss function yields the conditional median. When the asymmetric loss function defined in Koenker and Bassett (1978) is used, the population regression line becomes the conditional quantile function. Therefore, what the sample regression is estimating and how the estimated intercept and slope coefficients should be interpreted are dependent upon what loss function is being used in the optimization problem. We illustrated a few mistakes commonly made in interpreting the least squares regression results and discuss some potential misuses of the least square regressions. By pointing out these specific mistakes, we hope that practitioners and educators will have a better understanding of what exactly we are estimating when we perform a least squares regression or any regression for that matter

An interpretive business statistics course encompassing diverse teaching and learning styles: Working paper series--05-04

An interpretive-learner-centered approach attempting to match diverse learning and teaching styles is implemented to improve student learning and reduce high attrition for an undergraduate business statistics course. The redesigned course focuses on the interpretation and implications of statistical results through real business problems and data while relegating the mechanical steps of computation via formulae to the background. The philosophy that "students are responsible for their education" is embraced; thus, a mastery approach to learning was adopted utilizing pre-lecture, post-lecture and lab web quizzes all with multiple attempts allowed. Cooperative learning serves as a common thread in the course through the use of student teams in lectures, labs and two project assignments. Team projects require students to create business reports in which all statistical jargon is translated into everyday language. Results from assessment data collected on student learning styles, pre and post assessments and the various course components indicate a significant reduction in course attrition and improved student learning

The effect of learning styles on course performance: A quantile regression analysis: Working paper series--08-02

In this study, we investigated the relationship between student performance and learning styles for students enrolled in a basic business statistics course. This course used a learner-centered approach that incorporated multiple teaching styles. To assess our success in designing a course that facilitates learning for all learning styles, we evaluated the impact of students' learning style on their performance in the course. To accomplish this analysis, we utilized quantile regression, a statistical technique from the economics literature developed by Koenker and Bassett (1978) that is an alternative to the classical ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Quantile regression allowed investigation of a more complete picture of student performance over the entire population as opposed to the mean effect from OLS regression. Learning style was not significant in determining a student's overall course score for the entire cohort of students. For small cohorts of students, learning styles were significant for exam average. That is, some students experienced either a disadvantage or advantage due to their learning style for the exam course component. However, for the overall course performance, a student with a particular learning style was neither advantaged nor disadvantaged

Logical extremes, beta, and the power of the test: Working paper series--02-03

There is a potential misuse of the power function under the logical extreme when the null hypothesis is true. The power function is defined to measure the probability of rejecting the null given any value of the parameter being tested. It can be used to obtain the power and the ? values only under the alternative hypothesis. When the null is true, the power function can be used to obtain the size of the test. The power and the probability of committing a type II error are, however, undefined and, hence, the power function should not be used to obtain these values

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a stroke masquerade case: Case report

Background: The first Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) outbreak was in 1996 in the UK, where 10 cases of a new rare neurological disease were reported. CJD continues to be an unclear neurodegenerative disease. The disease is usually higher in the retina and the brain, which in the majority of cases results in neurological symptoms, including rapidly progressing dementia, extrapyramidal signs, myoclonus, and visual symptoms with a mean age of 67. There are 3 groups of human prion disease, sporadic CJD accounts for about 85% of the cases. Case presentation: A 66-year-old woman who presented with slurred speech and forgetfulness started in March 2020, in September the patient presented right leg limping and gait difficulties which progressed to right arm weakness and stiffness. MRI was read as a stroke. A month later, she lost vision in her right eye and progressive deterioration of her left eye. Later, the patient reported multiple jolts of electricity and sporadic jerking movements that worsened in 3 months. In January, an MRI was repeated and compared to the previous image, it showed patterns more consistent with an autoimmune disease. Lumbar Puncture with CSF analysis was negative for infection, but due to continued deterioration, a third lumbar puncture was performed, with a positive 14-3-3 protein in CSF, but with an EEG showing no clear triphasic waveforms of CJD. Conclusions: CJD is the most frequent of the human prion diseases, new sporadic CJD cases are found 1 in 1,000,000 individuals every year. No treatment has been identified at the moment, making the course of this disease fatal, with a survival time around the year. It is important to educate the worldwide population in order to attempt an early identification of its different presentations, avoiding unnecessary testing, and mostly focusing on the quality of life in this patient\u27s population

Presence of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase in intimal cells of the hog aorta

Cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidase activity is present in vascular tissue; however, as far as we could determine, the distribution of monooxygenase activity across the blood vessel wall has not previously been assessed. The aryl-hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was examined by metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene in microsomes prepared from intimal and smooth muscle cell scrapings of the hog thoracic aorta. Microsomes of intimal cells comprising 95% endothelial cells showed an approximately 2.5-fold increase in aryl-hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity compared with that in microsomes prepared from medial smooth muscle cells. Michaelis-Mentin kinetics for the intimal enzyme yielded an apparent Km value of 11.11 microM and an apparent Vmax of 3-OH benzo[a]pyrene of 40 pmol/mg protein/10 min. Aryl-hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was dependent on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and was inhibited by 7,8 benzoflavone, SKF 525A, and carbon monoxide. The localization of cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidase primarily to the intimal surface of the aorta may indicate a role for this enzyme system in vasoregulation and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

An inverse method to interpret colour-magnitude diagrams

An inverse method is developed to determine the star formation history, the age-metallicity relation, and the IMF slope from a colour-magnitude diagram. The method is applied to the Hipparcos HR diagram. We found that the thin disk of our Galaxy shows a peak of stellar formation 1.6 Gyr ago. The stars close to the Sun have a solar metallicity and a mean IMF index equal to 3.2. However, the model and the evolutionary tracks do not correctly reproduce the horizontal giant branch.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures. To be published in Astronomy & Astrophysic

What knowledge is needed? Teaching undergraduate medical students to “go upstream” and advocate on social determinants of health

Background: We rarely teach medical students the skills required to engage in policy change to address the structural factors that underpin the social determinants of health, which are driven by the unequal distribution of power and resources in society. Acquiring the knowledge and skills to influence policy can empower students to act on healthcare inequities rather than simply be aware of them. Methods: Using Metzl and Hansen’s structural competency framework, we designed and piloted an intervention for medical students. Participants attended a workshop, presented to a hypothetical political stakeholder, and wrote an opinion editorial piece. Students participated in a focus group that was audio-recorded and transcribed. We coded and analyzed presentations, editorials, and transcripts to develop a thematic analysis. Results: Nine students participated in the workshop. They chose structural interventions and presented potential solutions to structural barriers in written and oral outputs. Students identified a lack of knowledge about health and political systems as a potential barrier to future advocacy work. Conclusion: Medical trainees require training in specific advocacy skills such as oral and written communication, however this alone may be insufficient. As future advocates, trainees must also acquire a specific skill set and associated knowledge about health systems and policy to navigate the systems in which they will practice.   &nbsp

Comparison of ibuprofen release from minitablets and capsules containing ibuprofen: β-Cyclodextrin complex

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2011 May;78(1):58-66. Epub 2010 Dec 30.Mixtures containing ibuprofen (IB) complexed with b-cyclodextrin (bCD) obtained by two complexation methods [suspension/solution (with water removed by air stream, spray- and freeze-drying) and kneading technique] were processed into pharmaceutical dosage forms (minitablets and capsules). Powders (IB, bCD and IBbCD) were characterized for moisture content, densities (true and bulk), angle of repose and Carr’s index, X-ray and NMR. From physical mixtures and IBbCD complexes without other excipients were prepared 2.5-mm-diameter minitablets and capsules. Minitablets were characterized for the energy of compaction, tensile strength, friability, density and IB release (at pH 1.0 and 7.2), whereby capsules were characterized for IB release. The results from the release of IB were analyzed using different parameters, namely, the similarity factor (f2), the dissolution efficiency (DE) and the amounts released at a certain time (30, 60 and 180 min) and compared statistically (a = 0.05). The release of IB from the minitablets showed no dependency on the amount of water used in the formation of the complexes. Differences were due to the compaction force used or the presence of a shell for the capsules. The differences observed were mostly due to the characteristics of the particles (dependent on the method considered on the formation of the complexes) and neither to the dosage form nor to the complex of the IB