Pupil mobility, attainment and progress in secondary school

This paper is the second of two articles arising from a study of the association between pupil mobility and attainment in national tests and examinations in an inner London borough. The first article (Strand & Demie, 2006) examined the association of pupil mobility with attainment and progress during primary school. It concluded that pupil mobility had little impact on performance in national tests at age 11, once pupils’ prior attainment at age 7 and other pupil background factors such as age, sex, special educational needs, stage of fluency in English and socio-economic disadvantage were taken into account. The present article reports the results for secondary schools (age 11-16). The results indicate that pupil mobility continues to have a significant negative association with performance in public examinations at age 16, even after including statistical controls for prior attainment at age 11 and other pupil background factors. Possible reasons for the contrasting results across school phases are explored. The implications for policy and further research are discussed

The limits of social class in explaining ethnic gaps in educational attainment

This paper reports an analysis of the educational attainment and progress between age 11 and age 14 of over 14,500 students from the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). The mean attainment gap in national tests at age 14 between White British and several ethnic minority groups were large, more than three times the size of the gender gap, but at the same time only about one-third of the size of the social class gap. Socio-economic variables could account for the attainment gaps for Black African, Pakistani and Bangladeshi students, but not for Black Caribbean students. Further controls for parental and student attitudes, expectations and behaviours indicated minority ethnic groups were on average more advantaged on these measures than White British students, but this was not reflected proportionately in their levels of attainment. Black Caribbean students were distinctive as the only group making less progress than White British students between age 11 and 14 and this could not be accounted for by any of the measured contextual variables. Possible explanations for the White British-Black Caribbean gap are considered

Extensive spontaneous plasticity of corticospinal projections after primate spinal cord injury.

Although axonal regeneration after CNS injury is limited, partial injury is frequently accompanied by extensive functional recovery. To investigate mechanisms underlying spontaneous recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury, we administered C7 spinal cord hemisections to adult rhesus monkeys and analyzed behavioral, electrophysiological and anatomical adaptations. We found marked spontaneous plasticity of corticospinal projections, with reconstitution of fully 60% of pre-lesion axon density arising from sprouting of spinal cord midline-crossing axons. This extensive anatomical recovery was associated with improvement in coordinated muscle recruitment, hand function and locomotion. These findings identify what may be the most extensive natural recovery of mammalian axonal projections after nervous system injury observed to date, highlighting an important role for primate models in translational disease research

Sleep Disturbances and Glucose Metabolism in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

ObjectiveWe examined the associations of symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which was defined as loud snoring, stopping breathing for a while during sleep, and daytime sleepiness, and insomnia with glucose metabolism and incident type 2 diabetes in older adults.Research design and methodsBetween 1989 and 1993, the Cardiovascular Health Study recruited 5,888 participants ≥65 years of age from four U.S. communities. Participants reported SDB and insomnia symptoms yearly through 1989-1994. In 1989-1990, participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, from which insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity were estimated. Fasting glucose levels were measured in 1989-1990 and again in 1992-1993, 1994-1995, 1996-1997, and 1998-1999, and medication use was ascertained yearly. We determined the cross-sectional associations of sleep symptoms with fasting glucose levels, 2-h glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion using generalized estimated equations and linear regression models. We determined the associations of updated and averaged sleep symptoms with incident diabetes in Cox proportional hazards models. We adjusted for sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, and medical history.ResultsObserved apnea, snoring, and daytime sleepiness were associated with higher fasting glucose levels, higher 2-h glucose levels, lower insulin sensitivity, and higher insulin secretion. The risk of the development of type 2 diabetes was positively associated with observed apnea (hazard ratio [HR] 1.84 [95% CI 1.19-2.86]), snoring (HR 1.27 [95% CI 0.95-1.71]), and daytime sleepiness (HR 1.54 [95% CI 1.13-2.12]). In contrast, we did not find consistent associations between insomnia symptoms and glucose metabolism or incident type 2 diabetes.ConclusionsEasily collected symptoms of SDB are strongly associated with insulin resistance and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in older adults. Monitoring glucose metabolism in such patients may prove useful in identifying candidates for lifestyle or pharmacological therapy. Further studies are needed to determine whether insomnia symptoms affect the risk of diabetes in younger adults

Very Low Temperature Tunnelling Spectroscopy in the heavy fermion superconductor PrOs4_4Sb12_{12}

We present scanning tunnelling spectroscopy measurements on the heavy fermion superconductor PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$. Our results show that the superconducting gap opens over a large part of the Fermi surface. The deviations from isotropic BCS s-wave behavior are discussed in terms of a finite distribution of values of the superconducting gap.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Measurement of Direct Photon Emission in K^+ -> pi^+ pi^0 gamma Decay

We have performed a measurement of the K^+ -> pi^+ pi^0 gamma decay and have observed 2 X 10^4 events. The best fit to the decay spectrum gives a branching ratio for direct photon emission of (4.7\pm0.8\pm0.3) X 10^{-6} in the pi^+ kinetic energy region of 55 to 90 MeV and requires no component due to interference with inner bremsstrahlung.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. To be submitted to PR

Quantum Computation with Quantum Dots and Terahertz Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics

A quantum computer is proposed in which information is stored in the two lowest electronic states of doped quantum dots (QDs). Many QDs are located in a microcavity. A pair of gates controls the energy levels in each QD. A Controlled Not (CNOT) operation involving any pair of QDs can be effected by a sequence of gate-voltage pulses which tune the QD energy levels into resonance with frequencies of the cavity or a laser. The duration of a CNOT operation is estimated to be much shorter than the time for an electron to decohere by emitting an acoustic phonon.Comment: Revtex 6 pages, 3 postscript figures, minor typos correcte

Short-term changes on MRI predict long-term changes on radiography in rheumatoid arthritis: an analysis by an OMERACT Task Force of pooled data from four randomised controlled trials

Objective: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), MRI provides earlier detection of structural damage than radiography (X-ray) and more sensitive detection of intra-articular inflammation than clinical examination. This analysis was designed to evaluate the ability of early MRI findings to predict subsequent structural damage by X-ray. Methods: Pooled data from four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1022 RA hands and wrists in early and established RA were analysed. X-rays were scored using van der Heijde-modified or Genant-modified Sharp methods. MRIs were scored using Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) RA MRI Score (RAMRIS). Data were analysed at the patient level using multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Results: Progression of MRI erosion scores at Weeks 12 and 24 predicted progression of X-ray erosions at Weeks 24 and 52, with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.64 and 0.74, respectively. 12-week and 24-week changes in MRI osteitis scores were similarly predictive of 24-week and 52-week X-ray erosion progressions; pooled AUCs were 0.78 and 0.77, respectively. MRI changes in synovitis at Weeks 12 and 24 also predicted progression of X-ray joint damage (erosion and joint-space narrowing) at Weeks 24 and 52 (AUCs=0.72 and 0.65, respectively). Conclusions: Early changes in joint damage and inflammation detected with MRI predict changes in joint damage evident on subsequent X-rays. These findings support the use of MRI as a valid method for monitoring structural damage in short-duration RCTs

Personalised service? Changing the role of the government librarian

Investigates the feasibility of personalised information service in a government department. A qualitative methodology explored stakeholder opinions on the remit, marketing, resourcing and measurement of the service. A questionnaire and interviews gathered experiences of personalised provision across the government sector. Potential users were similarly surveyed to discuss how the service could meet their needs. Data were analysed using coding techniques to identify emerging theory. Lessons learned from government librarians centred on clarifying requirements, balancing workloads and selective marketing. The user survey showed low usage and awareness of existing specialist services, but high levels of need and interest in services repackaged as a tailored offering. Fieldwork confirmed findings from the literature on the scope for adding value through information management advice, information skills training and substantive research assistance and the need to understand business processes and develop effective partnerships. Concluding recommendations focus on service definition, strategic marketing, resource utilisation and performance measurement