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Using Online Surveys for Evaluating School-based Drug Prevention Programs

Background: The primary context for providing substance abuse prevention education to adolescents in the United States has been through schools and other local educational agencies. Federal and state spending for such programs is increasingly being tied to school commitments to monitor such prevention programs and evaluate their effectiveness.   Purpose: Over the past decade, access to computers and the Internet has become almost universal in U.S. elementary and middle schools. Our purpose is to outline the potential of Web-based surveys as a data collection tool that can significantly lower program evaluation and monitoring costs and to present preliminary evidence on the feasibility of online survey administration in school settings.   Setting: The empirical part of the article draws on input from teachers, administrators, and practitioners responsible for youth drug prevention and evaluation efforts in schools and communities.   Subjects: Sixteen focus group participants were recruited from counties in and around the San Francisco Bay area in Northern California. Eight of the participants were district-level prevention coordinators and county-level health administrators who administered State and Federal grants to schools within their counties. The remaining subjects were recipients of prevention funding: school teachers, health educators, and practitioners in youth drug prevention and treatment centers. In addition, telephone interviews were conducted with twenty-five Title IV coordinators and drug prevention specialists from various state education and health departments.   Intervention: The article focuses on efforts undertaken in schools to implement and evaluate drug prevention programs, how the use of online surveys can facilitate these efforts, and the feasibility of such methods in school settings. Research Design: Our research design adopted a qualitative approach and included nationwide telephone interviews and in-house focus group discussions over a six-month period.   Data Collection and Analysis: Data collection included structured, in-person forty-five-minute interviews and discussion notes. In addition, a short, closed-ended survey was administered to focus group participants for collecting information on their school characteristics (population served, school size, Internet, and computer facilities). Survey data were analyzed with simple descriptive statistics.   Findings: The focus group discussions and telephone interviews indicated a high degree of interest in using Web-based surveys for data collection and evaluation of youth drug prevention programs. Access to computers was not viewed as an impediment. Some schools in the Bay area were already using online surveys for assessing teacher performance. Further, states like Kentucky, California, and Wisconsin have already moved to Web-based uniform reporting system that required uploading survey data online. This suggests that Web-based data collection in schools is likely to become widespread.   Conclusions: The use of online surveys in classrooms can significantly enhance the evaluation and monitoring capabilities of schools and communities by minimizing the time required for creating and administering surveys and reducing the time required for data processing. As more states move towards a central reporting database, schools and communities are likely to adopt Web-based mechanisms for collecting and reporting program outcomes

Elastic-plastic behaviour of AISiC metal matrix composite rod under combined tension and torsion loading

Most machine components and structural members are subjected to complex loading conditions during service. Typical complex loading conditions can be observed in the case of a bolt When a bolt is tightened to bring machine components together, stresses such as tensile stress (clamp load/area), and torsional or shear stresses (proportional to applied torque) are developed in the shank and bolt threads. To simplify the complex relationship between tightening torque, friction co-efficient and the preload in the fastener, a circular rod is chosen to represent the problem. Investigations were carried out to determine 1) how the external tensile load affects the magnitude of the initially applied torque, and 11) how application of torque affects the initially applied axial load or preload in a specimen in elastic-plastic range. A preliminary study on copper specimens was undertaken to gain knowledge about elastic-plastic behaviour under combined tension and tors ion loading. Various combinations of combined tension and tors ion loading conditions were applied on the specimens to establish the proper functioning of a recommissioned tension- torsion machine and a dedicated Lab VIEW program. Experimental investigations on AlSiC MMC rod specimens reveal that the rod can sustain combined axial load and torque well beyond the combined initial yield curve When the specimen is subjected to an ini tial axial load or torque followed by torque or axial load respectively, the subsequent load or torque becomes dominant in describing the elastic-plastic behaviour of the specimen. The initial load or torque in the specimen does not af fect the subsequent torque or load car rying capaci ty of the specimen. A specimen subjected to a constant relative extension and angle of twist can sustain the combined axial load and torque well beyond the combined initial yield curve. It is apparent that the specimen carries relatively higher axial load when the load-torque path is closer to the axial load axis Similarly, the specimen carries relatively higher torque when the load- torque path is closer to the torque axis. In addition to the experimental investigation, a comprehensive finite element modelling of combined tension and torsion loading of a model was under taken that includes both geometric as well as large deformation effects for capturing axial and shear stresses. A methodology for the finite element analysis of solid rods under combined tension and torsion loads was developed. The numerical models have success fully captured the basic features of the elastic-plastic response of the AlSiC metal matrix composite and demonstrated the effect of particle inclusion in the overall flow properties of the composite, while demonstrating some limitations

Spray freeze-drying of zirconia nanopowder

Industrial exploitation of ceramic nanopowders is inhibited by their poor flowability and strong tendency to agglomerate. To achieve good flowability and die-filling characteristics, controlled agglomeration is required whilst the strength of the agglomerates is minimised so that they crush into primary particles when die pressed. Yttria stabilised zirconia nanopowders with a primary particle size of ~16 nm were obtained through different drying routes from an aqueous suspension and characterised in terms of flowability and agglomerate strength. [Continues.

Knowledge, attitude, practice, and generation of electronic waste (e-waste) among students of health sciences in a private college in Pune

Background: In "the era of information," e-waste is a major threat to solid waste management and public health. E-waste contains dangerous and destructive compounds that may affect the environment and human health if not properly handled. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, practice on e-waste and to determine e-waste generation rates for two electronic products: computers and cell (mobile) phones among health science students of the Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Pune. Methodology: A web-based and institution-based cross-sectional study of students pursuing different health science courses was conducted. Out of 680 students, 405 were randomly selected, dispersed in six strata, and the Google questionnaire was disseminated using a proportionate probability to size ratio, with 188 participants responding at a 46.41% response rate. Results: Out of 188 respondents, 95 (50.6%) and 77 (41.2%) study subjects knew about the health and environmental risks associated with e-waste. Physical damage caused 126 (67%) of the research participants to replace their electronics. 67% would learn about e-waste management if it were on the course. 66% purchase 1-3 electronics devices every year, while 23% purchase 4-6. Overall e-waste generation rates among the participants were 0.223 units/capita/year for computers and 0.42 units/capita/year for mobile phones. Conclusion: This research reveals a lack of understanding and behaviours related to e-waste among students of health sciences, highlighting the need for health education on e-waste for public health and awareness on safe e-waste disposal, both of which are critical for a risk-free future

A colour preference technique to evaluate acrylamide-induced toxicity in zebrafish

The zebrafish has become a commonly used vertebrate model for toxicity assessment, of particular relevance to the study of toxic effects on the visual system because of the structural similarities shared by zebrafish and human retinae. In this article we present a colour preference-based technique that, by assessing the functionality of photoreceptors, can be used to evaluate the effects of toxicity on behaviour. A digital camera was used to record the locomotor behaviour of individual zebrafish swimming in a water tank consisting of two compartments separated by an opaque perforated wall through which the fish could pass. The colour of the lighting in each compartment could be altered independently (producing distinct but connected environments of white, red or blue) to allow association of the zebrafish's swimming behaviour with its colour preference. The functionality of the photoreceptors was evaluated based on the ability of the zebrafish to sense the different colours and to swim between the compartments. The zebrafish tracking was carried out using our algorithm developed with MATLAB. We found that zebrafish preferred blue illumination to white, and white illumination to red. Acute treatment with acrylamide (2 mM for 36 h) resulted in a marked reduction in locomotion and a concomitant loss of colour-preferential swimming behaviour. Histopathological examination of acrylamide-treated zebrafish eyes showed that acrylamide exposure had caused retinal damage. The colour preference tracking technique has applications in the assessment of neurodegenerative disorders, as a method for preclinical appraisal of drug efficacy and for behavioural evaluation of toxicity

A Bayesian mixture model for the analysis of allelic expression in single cells.

Allele-specific expression (ASE) at single-cell resolution is a critical tool for understanding the stochastic and dynamic features of gene expression. However, low read coverage and high biological variability present challenges for analyzing ASE. We demonstrate that discarding multi-mapping reads leads to higher variability in estimates of allelic proportions, an increased frequency of sampling zeros, and can lead to spurious findings of dynamic and monoallelic gene expression. Here, we report a method for ASE analysis from single-cell RNA-Seq data that accurately classifies allelic expression states and improves estimation of allelic proportions by pooling information across cells. We further demonstrate that combining information across cells using a hierarchical mixture model reduces sampling variability without sacrificing cell-to-cell heterogeneity. We applied our approach to re-evaluate the statistical independence of allelic bursting and track changes in the allele-specific expression patterns of cells sampled over a developmental time course

The accuracy of free-hand cup positioning: a CT based measurement in a South Indian hospital

Background: In total hip arthroplasty, the restoration of normal hip center in acetabular reconstruction encourages the normal bio mechanics. The impingement, dislocation, and implant wear have increased the interest in accurate component placement in arthroplasty. This study is to determine the accuracy of the free hand technique in the acetabular cup placement in relation to native acetabulam using CT scan images.Methods: This study was done in the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital from June 2015 to March 2016. Twenty patients who have undergone total hip replacements were subjected to CT scan of pelvis preoperatively and postoperatively. The acetabular cup version and the inclination were measured and analyzed statistically.Results: The mean acetabular version was 17.5◦±6.5◦ and the inclination was 46.6◦±9.3◦ pre operatively. Post operatively the mean acetabular version was 26.3◦±17.3◦ and the inclination was 41.7◦±10.9◦. With reference to the component version it ranged from 12.5˚ of retroversion to 62.5˚ anteversion with a mean of 26.3◦±17.3◦. The component inclination ranged from 15.6◦ to 58.4◦ with a mean of 41.7◦±10.9◦. On combining component version and inclination, only (50%) was within the safe zone.Conclusions: Based on the CT finding acetabular version and inclination differs from individual to individual. During acetabular cup placement in total hip arthroplasty using free hand technique, our study shows that that inclination is better achieved and the anteversion is over targeted in most of the cases