The Brown dwarf Atmosphere Monitoring (BAM) Project I: The largest near-IR monitoring survey of L- & T-dwarfs

Using SofI on the 3.5m New Technology Telescope, we have conducted an extensive near-infrared monitoring survey of an unbiased sample of 69 brown dwarfs spanning the L0 and T8 spectral range, with at least one example of each spectral type. Each target was observed for a 2-4 hour period in the Js-band, and the median photometric precision of the data is ~0.7%. A total of 14 brown dwarfs were identified as variables with min-to-max amplitudes ranging from 1.7% to 10.8% over the observed duration. All variables satisfy a statistical significance threshold with a p-value <5% based on comparison with the median reference star light curve. Approximately half of the variables show sinusoidal amplitude variations similar to 2M2139, and the remainder shows short timescale evolving light curves similar to SIMP0136. The L/T transition has been suggested to be a region of a higher degree of variability if patchy clouds are present and this survey was designed to test the patchy cloud model with photometric monitoring of both the L/T transition and non-transition brown dwarfs. Considering the targets identified as variable with the same statistical threshold, the measured variability frequency of 13^{+10}_{-4}% for the L7 -- T4 transition region is indistinguishable from that of the earlier spectral types (32^{+11}_{-8}%), the later spectral types (13^{+10}_{-4}%), or the combination of all non-transition region brown dwarfs (21^{+7}_{-5}%). The variables are not concentrated at the transition, in a specific colour, or with binaries. We note that of the systems previously monitored for variability only ~60% maintained the state of variability (variable or constant), with the remaining switching states. The 14 variables include nine newly identified variables that will provide important systems for follow-up multi-wavelength monitoring to further investigate brown dwarf atmosphere physics.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomy & Astrophysics. 15 pages, 13 figure

Global estimates and projections of mortality by cause, 1970-2015

The authors report estimates and projections of deaths by cause for major world regions, based on data from country reports to the World Health Organization and regression models. They report mortality rates for seven major causes: infectious and parasitic diseases, neoplasms, circulatory system diseases, complications of pregnancy, certain perinatal conditions, injury and poisoning, and other causes. Some more specific causes are reported on. They give estimates for six age groups by sex for four years (1970, 1985, 2000, and 2015) and six country groups: industrial market economies, industrial nonmarket economies, Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia and the Pacific. Among their findings: The population over 45 in developing countries is projected to more than double between 1985 and 2015, rising from 17 to 24 percent of the population. Causes of death, which are closely related to age at death, must change accordingly. Infant mortality in developing countries is projected to fall from 78 per thousand in 1985 to 43 per thousand in 2015 and life expectancy at birth in developing countries is projected to rise by five years. The leading causes of death for the world as a whole for both 1970 and 1985 were infectious and parasitic diseases and circulatory system diseases - with the first more important in developing countries, and the second more important in developed countries. Certain perinatal conditions were also more important for developing countries, but accounted for only a fourth or a fifth as many deaths in 1985. Neoplasms were more important in developed than in developing countries. Deaths from infectious diseases are expected to decline as a percentage of deaths; proportionate deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are expected to rise. The greatest number of deaths will continue to be in Asia, where almost half of all deaths in the world take place. This proportion is not projected to change. Better data on causes of death are essential. The World Health Organization is working with countries to strengthen their cause-of-death information systems as an essential support for health monitoring.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Health Indicators,Early Child and Children's Health,Adolescent Health,Demographics

Alien Registration- Kierstead, Patience A. (Portland, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/21739/thumbnail.jp

Literacy in our Lives, Past, Present and Future: Exploring Digital Stories by UAE Pre-service Teachers

The purpose of this research study was to examine how pre-service teachers in a college of education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used multimodal digital storytelling to explore their language and literacy learning experiences in Arabic and English. Twenty-one pre-service teachers participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on the digital stories, reflection papers and open-ended surveys as data, the study explored the pre-service teachers’ bilingual literacy language experiences and how they created their digital stories. Emerging themes included early experiences in language and literacy learning at home and at school, and expanded notions of literacy. The memoirs offered a glimpse into the cultures, linguistic development and schooling of the participants and importance of using multimodal digital storytelling to support literacy and language learning in ESL/EFL contexts

The Application of Configural Frequency Analysis Using Stirling’s Formula to Single Case Designs

Single case experimental designs (SCEDs) have found their place among a range of fields including psychology, education, and medicine. SCEDs provide rigorous experimental evaluation of treatment effects. Currently, SCED evaluation methods, such as visual analysis and effect size estimation statistics, provide evidence for determining treatment effects. Although useful, best practices for SCED data analysis are debated. Configural frequency analysis (CFA) is introduced as a statistical method for the analysis of data from SCEDs. This research compared CFA statistical significance results to non-overlap SCED analysis methods that do and do not provide for statistical significance, as well as visual analysis methods. As there are currently no agreed upon best methods for the analysis of data obtained by SCEDs, it was important to explore additional statistical methods to aid researchers choosing to utilize SCEDs. CFA was compared to 5 non-overlap treatment effect evaluation methods that provide statistical significance and effect size values, 5 methods that only provide for effect size values, and visual analysis performed by 6 doctoral (PhD) students trained in SCEDs. A review of 23 years of The Journal of Behavior Therapy and The Journal of Behavior Modification resulted in 168 SCED data sets for comparison methods. Graphs were analyzed using each non-overlap effect size procedure as well as CFA. Results suggest that CFA aligned well with existing statistical significance calculations. Visual analysis appeared to align with simple non-overlap effect size methods rather than with CFA calculations, hinting at the importance of including statistical significance when evaluating treatment effects. Overall, this research found that CFA performed well when compared to other SCED data analysis techniques

Asia region population projections : 1989-90 edition

Of the 90 million people added to world population this year, half live in the Asia region. Asia's contribution to world population growth is proportional to its size and dwarfs the contribution of every other region. The scale of this contribution may be illustrated by the fact that India is adding to its population every year as many people as live in Australia. This paper studies population projections, covering almost two centuries from 1985 to 2150. The length of the projection period was chosen to allow populations to approach stability, which for several takes essentially the entire period. The paper begins with an introduction which explains what projection results are provided in the detailed tables, describes the projection methodology, and summarizes and interprets the main results.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Health Indicators,Health Information&Communications Technologies,,Demographics

Europe, Middle East, and North Africa (EMN) region population projections : 1989-90 edition

The population of the region is growing at 2.4 percent a year, second only to the Africa region, and should double in size in about 30 years. Regional growth would appear even more rapid were growth not offset by slow and even negative growth in the Eastern and Southern European countries included in the region. The projections of fertility and mortality are modeled on recent trends worldwide,and therefore incorporate the effects of deliberate efforts to reduce vital rates in various countries. Although altering projected trends is possible, it would require at least as much demographic interventions as in the recent past. The projections in the report cover almost two centuries, from 1985 to 2150. The length of the projection period was chosen to allow populations to approach stability, which for several takes essentially the entire period. The report begins with an introduction which explains what projection results are provided in the detailed tables, describes the projection methodology, and summarizes and interprets the main results.Demographics,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Health Indicators,Health Information&Communications Technologies,