Not seeing the forest for the trees: Novice programmers and the SOLO taxonomy

This paper reports on the authors use of the SOLO taxonomy to describe differences in the way students and educators solve small code reading exercises. SOLO is a general educational taxonomy, and has not previously been applied to the study of how novice programmers manifest their understanding of code. Data was collected in the form of written and think-aloud responses from students (novices) and educators (experts), using exam questions. During analysis, the responses were mapped to the different levels of the SOLO taxonomy. From think-aloud responses, the authors found that educators tended to manifest a SOLO relational response on small reading problems, whereas students tended to manifest a multistructural response. These results are consistent with the literature on the psychology of programming, but the work in this paper extends on these findings by analyzing the design of exam questions. Copyright 2006 ACM

Derivation and Improvements of the Quantum Canonical Ensemble from a Regularized Microcanonical Ensemble

We develop a regularization of the quantum microcanonical ensemble, called a Gaussian ensemble, which can be used for derivation of the canonical ensemble from microcanonical principles. The derivation differs from the usual methods by giving an explanation for the, at the first sight unreasonable, effectiveness of the canonical ensemble when applied to certain small, isolated, systems. This method also allows a direct identification between the parameters of the microcanonical and the canonical ensemble and it yields simple indicators and rigorous bounds for the effectiveness of the approximation. Finally, we derive an asymptotic expansion of the microcanonical corrections to the canonical ensemble for those systems, which are near, but not quite, at the thermodynamical limit and show how and why the canonical ensemble can be applied also for systems with exponentially increasing density of states. The aim throughout the paper is to keep mathematical rigour intact while attempting to produce results both physically and practically interesting.Comment: 17 pages, latex2e with iopar

A review of published analyses of case-cohort studies and recommendations for future reporting.

The case-cohort study design combines the advantages of a cohort study with the efficiency of a nested case-control study. However, unlike more standard observational study designs, there are currently no guidelines for reporting results from case-cohort studies. Our aim was to review recent practice in reporting these studies, and develop recommendations for the future. By searching papers published in 24 major medical and epidemiological journals between January 2010 and March 2013 using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Knowledge, we identified 32 papers reporting case-cohort studies. The median subcohort sampling fraction was 4.1% (interquartile range 3.7% to 9.1%). The papers varied in their approaches to describing the numbers of individuals in the original cohort and the subcohort, presenting descriptive data, and in the level of detail provided about the statistical methods used, so it was not always possible to be sure that appropriate analyses had been conducted. Based on the findings of our review, we make recommendations about reporting of the study design, subcohort definition, numbers of participants, descriptive information and statistical methods, which could be used alongside existing STROBE guidelines for reporting observational studies.SJS was supported by the Medical Research Council www.mrc.ac.uk [Unit Programme number MC_UU_12015/1]. IRW was supported by the Medical Research Council www.mrc.ac.uk [Unit Programme number U105260558]. MP, SGT and AMW were supported by the British Heart Foundation www.bhf.org.uk [grant number CH/12/2/29428].This is the final published version distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0, which can also be viewed on the publisher's website at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.010117

Enabling Hospital Staff to Care for People with Dementia

This is the fourth and final article in a short series that presents case study examples of the positive work achieved by trusts who participated in the Royal College of Nursing’s development programme to improve dementia care in acute hospitals. Dementia training in hospitals is often inadequate and staff do not always have sufficient knowledge of dementia to provide appropriate care. It can also be difficult for them to identify when patients with dementia are in pain, especially when their communication skills deteriorate. The case studies presented illustrate how two NHS trusts have worked to ensure that their staff are fully equipped to care for people with dementia in hospital. Basildon and Thurrock University hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Essex made dementia training a priority by including dementia awareness in staff induction across a range of roles and providing additional training activities tailored to meet staff needs. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust focused on pain assessment, aiming to standardise its approach for patients with dementia. The pain assessment in advanced dementia tool was chosen and piloted, and is being implemented across the trust after a positive response

Improving Activity and Engagement for Patients with Dementia

This is the second in a short series that presents case study examples of the positive work achieved by trusts that participated in the Royal College of Nursing’s development programme to improve dementia care in acute hospitals. Staff often think that there is insufficient time to get to know patients and carers, especially with large and challenging workloads. Combined with a lack of activities and stimulation for patients with dementia in hospital, this can result in poor engagement and a disconnect between staff and patients. To improve these relationships and give staff more time with patients, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has introduced bay nursing for patients with dementia, where one nurse is responsible for monitoring a bay alongside a healthcare assistant for an entire shift. Part of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Glan Clwyd Hospital in North Wales has focused on improving stimulation by creating an activity room with a specially trained activity worker, providing a relaxed and friendly setting where patients with dementia can take part in a range of activities and have lunch together

Knockout of ERK5 causes multiple defects in placental and embryonic development

BACKGROUD: ERK5 is a member of the mitogen activated protein kinase family activated by certain mitogenic or stressful stimuli in cells, but whose physiological role is largely unclear. RESULTS: To help determine the function of ERK5 we have used gene targeting to inactivate this gene in mice. Here we report that ERK5 knockout mice die at approximately E10.5. In situ hybridisation for ERK5, and its upstream activator MKK5, showed strong expression in the head and trunk of the embryo at this stage of development. Between E9.5 and E10.5, multiple developmental problems are seen in the ERK5-/- embryos, including an increase in apoptosis in the cephalic mesenchyme tissue, abnormalities in the hind gut, as well as problems in vascular remodelling, cardiac development and placental defects. CONCLUSION: Erk5 is essential for early embryonic development, and is required for normal development of the vascular system and cell survival

Associations between children's social functioning and physical activity participation are not mediated by social acceptance: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical activity (PA) during childhood often occurs in social contexts. As such, children's ability to develop and maintain friendship groups may be important in understanding their PA. This paper investigates the associations among children's social functioning, and physical activity and whether perceptions of social acceptance mediate any social functioning-PA association.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross sectional survey in which 652 10-11 year olds self-reported their peer (e.g. difficulties with friends) and conduct (e.g. anger/aggression) problems, prosocial behaviours (e.g. being kind to others) and perceptions of social acceptance. Physical activity was objectively assessed by Actigraph GT1M accelerometers to estimate counts per minute, (CPM) and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate associations between social functioning and PA. Indirect effects were analysed to explore mediation by social acceptance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among boys, peer problems were negatively associated with CPM and MVPA and conduct problems were positively associated with CPM and MVPA. Prosocial behaviour was unrelated to PA in boys. Social functioning was not associated with PA among girls. Social acceptance did not mediate the social functioning-PA relationship.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Boys' conduct and peer problems were associated positively and negatively respectively with their PA but this relationship was not mediated by perceptions of social acceptance. Future research should study alternative mediators to understand the processes underpinning this relationship.</p

Long-term surgical and patient-reported outcomes of Hirschsprung Disease

Background: Information is needed regarding the complex relationships between long-term functional outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Hirschsprung's Disease (HSCR). We describe longterm outcomes across multiple domains, completing a core outcome set through to adulthood. Methods: HSCR patients operated at a single center over a 35-year period (1978-2013) were studied. Patients completed detailed questionnaires on bowel and urologic function, and HRQOL. Patients with learning disability (LD) were excluded. Outcomes were compared to normative data. Data are reported as median [IQR] or mean (SD). Results: 186 patients (median age 28 [18-32] years; 135 males) completed surveys. Bowel function was reduced (BFS 17 [14-19] vs. 19 [19-20], p < 0.0001;eta(2) = 0.22). Prevalence and severity of fecal soiling and fecal awareness improved with age ( p < 0.05 for both). Urinary incontinence was more frequent than controls, most of all in 13-26y females (65% vs. 31%, p = 0.003). In adults, this correlated independently with constipation symptoms (OR 3.18 [1.4-7.5], p = 0.008). HRQoL outcomes strongly correlated with functional outcome: 42% of children demonstrated clinically significant reductions in overall PedsQL score, and poor bowel outcome was strongly associated with impaired QOL (B = 22.7 [12.7- 32.7], p < 0.001). In adults, GIQLI scores were more often impacted in patients with extended segment disease. SF-36 scores were reduced relative to population level data in most domains, with large effect sizes noted for females in General Health (g = 1.19) and Social Wellbeing (g = 0.8). Conclusion: Functional impairment is common after pull-through, but bowel function improves with age. Clustering of poor functional outcomes across multiple domains identifies a need for early recognition and long-term support for these patients. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Chemical Signatures of the First Supernovae in the Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of five of the most metal-poor stars in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We analyze new and archival high resolution spectroscopy from Magellan/MIKE and VLT/UVES and determine stellar parameters and abundances in a consistent way for each star. Two of the stars in our sample, at [Fe/H] = -3.5 and [Fe/H] = -3.8, are new discoveries from our Ca K survey of Sculptor, while the other three were known in the literature. We confirm that Scl 07-50 is the lowest metallicity star identified in an external galaxy, at [Fe/H] = -4.1. The two most metal-poor stars both have very unusual abundance patterns, with striking deficiencies of the alpha elements, while the other three stars resemble typical extremely metal-poor Milky Way halo stars. We show that the star-to-star scatter for several elements in Sculptor is larger than that for halo stars in the same metallicity range. This scatter and the uncommon abundance patterns of the lowest metallicity stars indicate that the oldest surviving Sculptor stars were enriched by a small number of earlier supernovae, perhaps weighted toward high-mass progenitors from the first generation of stars the galaxy formed.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables (2 landscape tables are at the end; for full tables, contact first author or wait for published version). Accepted for publication in Ap