Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

A creel survey, consisting of two independent surveys, was conducted on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota from May, 1973, through May, 1974. An aerial fisherman count was used to estimate fishing pressure and an angler interview survey was used to estimate catch rates, mean party size, mean fisherman day, and residence of the anglers. The results of the two surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The separate surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The separate surveys allowed optimum stratification and allocation of sampling effort for each. Estimated fishing pressure was 32,643 fisherman-hours, ±9.60% at the 95% confidence level, and the total estimated harvest was 113,800 fish, ±12.46%, weighing 7.36 x 104 kg (81.05 tons). The mean catch rate for the entire survey was 0.33 fish per fisherman-hour. The survey produced final estimates of catch statistics with a relatively small amount of manpower well within the range of accuracy needed for management decisions. The methods used may prove to be applicable to many other large, open reservoirs with numerous access points

Bayesian estimation applied to multiple species

Observed data are often contaminated by undiscovered interlopers, leading to biased parameter estimation. Here we present BEAMS (Bayesian estimation applied to multiple species) which significantly improves on the standard maximum likelihood approach in the case where the probability for each data point being “pure” is known. We discuss the application of BEAMS to future type-Ia supernovae (SNIa) surveys, such as LSST, which are projected to deliver over a million supernovae light curves without spectra. The multiband light curves for each candidate will provide a probability of being Ia (pure) but the full sample will be significantly contaminated with other types of supernovae and transients. Given a sample of N supernovae with mean probability, ⟨P⟩, of being Ia, BEAMS delivers parameter constraints equal to N⟨P⟩ spectroscopically confirmed SNIa. In addition BEAMS can be simultaneously used to tease apart different families of data and to recover properties of the underlying distributions of those families (e.g. the type-Ibc and II distributions). Hence BEAMS provides a unified classification and parameter estimation methodology which may be useful in a diverse range of problems such as photometric redshift estimation or, indeed, any parameter estimation problem where contamination is an issue

Remote sensing for hurricane Andrew impact assessment

Stennis Space Center personnel flew a Learjet equipped with instrumentation designed to acquire imagery in many spectral bands into areas most damaged by Hurricane Andrew. The calibrated airborne multispectral scanner (CAMS), a NASA-developed sensor, and a Zeiss camera acquired images of these areas. The information derived from the imagery was used to assist Florida officials in assessing the devastation caused by the hurricane. The imagery provided the relief teams with an assessment of the debris covering roads and highways so cleanup plans could be prioritized. The imagery also mapped the level of damage in residential and commercial areas of southern Florida and provided maps of beaches and land cover for determination of beach loss and vegetation damage, particularly the mangrove population. Stennis Space Center personnel demonstrated the ability to respond quickly and the value of such response in an emergency situation. The digital imagery from the CAMS can be processed, analyzed, and developed into products for field crews faster than conventional photography. The resulting information is versatile and allows for rapid updating and editing. Stennis Space Center and state officials worked diligently to compile information to complete analyses of the hurricane's impact

Utilizing Online Exams: A Case Study

Technology has opened a wide range of possibilities for the college classroom.  Thus, the classroom has changed in a variety of ways.  Some courses have been converted to fully online courses.  Students and instructors do not have any face-to-face contact in these courses.  Other courses have converted a portion of their courses to online.  These classes are generally referred to as Hybrid classes.  Students and instructors meet face-to-face for a portion of the course and complete online assignments for the remainder of the course.  Some other courses have maintained their face-to-face course but have integrated technology into those courses.   Instructors have utilized a variety of technologies that include but are not limited to:  Live Chats, Threaded Discussions – Forums, Powerpoint Presentations, Email, Videos, Software, Spreadsheets, Word Processors, Online Portals, Electronic Portfolios/Projects, Online Exams. This is a case study of the implementation of online exams in a traditional classroom.  Students are given a paper and pencil exam that has been utilized previously in other courses as the midterm.  Then an online exam was utilized in the courses.  The case study looks at the success of the exam from the point of view of the students and instructors.  Students overwhelmingly indicated that the online exam was superior to the paper exam. Students indicated that the online exams provided an opportunity for students to complete the exam at a time that was best for them.  They were able to pick a time that reduced anxiety.  The online exam also provided immediate feedback on how they did.  Faculty indicated that although the online exam does have a few glitches and there are concerns about cheating, it was effective and proved useful.  Further studies need to be done regarding the online exam to assure that it is an accurate evaluation of student learning

Global, regional, and national burden of diseases and injuries for adults 70 years and older : systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study

Objectives To use data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) to estimate mortality and disability trends for the population aged ≥70 and evaluate patterns in causes of death, disability, and risk factors. Design Systematic analysis. Setting Participants were aged ≥70 from 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019. Main outcomes measures Years of life lost, years lived with disability, disability adjusted life years, life expectancy at age 70 (LE70), healthy life expectancy at age 70 (HALE-70), proportion of years in ill health at age 70 (PYIH-70), risk factors, and data coverage index were estimated based on standardised GBD methods. Results Globally the population of older adults has increased since 1990 and all cause death rates have decreased for men and women. However, mortality rates due to falls increased between 1990 and 2019. The probability of death among people aged 70-90 decreased, mainly because of reductions in noncommunicable diseases. Globally disability burden was largely driven by functional decline, vision and hearing loss, and symptoms of pain. LE-70 and HALE70 showed continuous increases since 1990 globally, with certain regional disparities. Globally higher LE-70 resulted in higher HALE-70 and slightly increased PYIH-70. Sociodemographic and healthcare access and quality indices were positively correlated with HALE-70 and LE-70. For high exposure risk factors, data coverage was moderate, while limited data were available for various dietary, environmental or occupational, and metabolic risks. Co nclusions Life expectancy at age 70 has continued to rise globally, mostly because of decreases in chronic diseases. Adults aged ≥70 living in high income countries and regions with better healthcare access and quality were found to experience the highest life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. Disability burden, however, remained constant, suggesting the need to enhance public health and intervention programmes to improve wellbeing among older adults

Equivalence of students\u27 scores on timed and untimed anatomy practical examinations.

Untimed examinations are popular with students because there is a perception that first impressions may be incorrect, and that difficult questions require more time for reflection. In this report, we tested the hypothesis that timed anatomy practical examinations are inherently more difficult than untimed examinations. Students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Thomas Jefferson University were assessed on their understanding of anatomic relationships using multiple-choice questions. For the class of 2012 (n = 46), students were allowed to circulate freely among 40 testing stations during the 40-minute testing session. For the class of 2013 (n = 46), students were required to move sequentially through the 40 testing stations (one minute per item). Students in both years were given three practical examinations covering the back/upper limb, lower limb, and trunk. An identical set of questions was used for both groups of students (untimed and timed examinations). Our results indicate that there is no significant difference between student performance on untimed and timed examinations (final percent scores of 87.3 and 88.9, respectively). This result also held true for students in the top and bottom 20th percentiles of the class. Moreover, time limits did not lead to errors on even the most difficult, higher-order questions (i.e., items with P-values \u3c 0.70). Thus, limiting time at testing stations during an anatomy practical examination does not adversely affect student performance

The Impact of Microenterprise Development Training on Low-Income Clients

The study reported here examined the impact of microenterprise development (MED) programs on low-income individuals using a case study of 140 clients of the Vermont Micro Business Development Program who participated in a statewide telephone survey. The study also examined variables that are associated with change in client reliance on public assistance. Outcomes achieved include: access to capital, positive attitude changes, business start up and growth, job creation, increased household income, decreased reliance on public assistance, and satisfaction with services. Significant relationships were found between certain client characteristics and outcomes and decreased reliance on public assistance

The Role Of Marketing In Making The Transition From State Of The Art Technology To Advanced Technology Products

This paper reviews the Technological Life Cycle with emphasis place on the shift between the State of the Art stage of Technology and the Advanced Stage of Technology.  Difficulties are discussed and recommendations are made to overcome technological stage shift difficulties

Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020

Background The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. Methods For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose–response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to estimate the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL) and non-drinker equivalence (NDE), the consumption level at which the health risk is equivalent to that of a non-drinker, using disease rates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020 for 21 regions, including 204 countries and territories, by 5-year age group, sex, and year for individuals aged 15–95 years and older from 1990 to 2020. Based on the NDE, we quantified the population consuming harmful amounts of alcohol. Findings The burden-weighted relative risk curves for alcohol use varied by region and age. Among individuals aged 15–39 years in 2020, the TMREL varied between 0 (95% uncertainty interval 0–0) and 0·603 (0·400–1·00) standard drinks per day, and the NDE varied between 0·002 (0–0) and 1·75 (0·698–4·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals aged 40 years and older, the burden-weighted relative risk curve was J-shaped for all regions, with a 2020 TMREL that ranged from 0·114 (0–0·403) to 1·87 (0·500–3·30) standard drinks per day and an NDE that ranged between 0·193 (0–0·900) and 6·94 (3·40–8·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals consuming harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020, 59·1% (54·3–65·4) were aged 15–39 years and 76·9% (73·0–81·3) were male. Interpretation There is strong evidence to support recommendations on alcohol consumption varying by age and location. Stronger interventions, particularly those tailored towards younger individuals, are needed to reduce the substantial global health loss attributable to alcohol