The influence of surface and deep cues on primary and secondary school students’ assessment of relevance in Web menus

International audience

Effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone status, glucose homeostasis and immune function in children with vitamin D deficiency

Background: Between 1961-1971 vitamin D deficiency was recognized as a public health issue in the UK, because of the lack of effective sunlight and the population mix [1, 2]. In recent years, health care professionals have cited evidence suggesting a re-emergence of the vitamin D deficiency linked to a number of health consequences as a concern [3-6]. Evidence from observational studies has linked low vitamin D status with impairment in glucose homeostasis and immune dysfunction [7-9]. However, interventional studies, particularly those focused on paediatric populations, have been limited and inconsistent. There is a need for detailed studies, to clarify the therapeutic benefits of vitamin D in these important clinical areas. Objective: The aims of this PhD thesis were two-fold. Firstly, to perform preliminary work assessing the association between vitamin D deficiency and bone status, glucose homeostasis and immune function, and to explore any changes in these parameters following short term vitamin D3 replacement therapy. Secondly, to assess the effectiveness of an electronic surveillance system (ScotPSU) as a tool to determine the current incidence of hospital-based presentation of childhood vitamin D deficiency in Scotland. Methods: Active surveillance was performed for a period of two years as a part of an electronic web-based surveillance programme performed by the Scottish Paediatric Surveillance Unit (ScotPSU). The validity of the system was assessed by identifying cases with profound vitamin D deficiency (in Glasgow and Edinburgh) from the regional laboratory. All clinical details were checked against those identified using the surveillance system. Thirty-seven children aged 3 months to 10 years, who had been diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, were recruited for the bone, glucose and immunity studies over a period of 24 months. Twenty-five samples were analysed for the glucose and bone studies; of these, 18 samples were further analysed for immune study. Treatment consisted of six weeks taking 5000 IU units cholecalciferol orally once a day. At baseline and after completion of treatment, 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX), osteocalcin (OCN), calcium, phosphate, insulin, glucose, homeostasis model assessment index, estimated insulin resistance (HOMA IR), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), lipids profiles, T helper 1 (Th1) cytokines (interleukin-2 ( IL-2), tumor necrosis factors-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (INF-γ)), T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines (interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), interleukin-6 (IL-6)), T helper 17 (Th17) cytokine (interleukin-17 (IL-17)), Regulatory T (Treg) cytokine (interleukin-10 (IL-10)) and chemokines/cytokines, linked with Th1/Th2 subset balance and/or differentiation (interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-12 (IL-12), eosinophil chemotactic protein ( EOTAXIN), macrophage inflammatory proteins-1beta (MIP-1β), interferon-gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)) were measured. Leukoocyte subset analysis was performed for T cells, B cells and T regulatory cells and a luminex assay was used to measure the cytokiens. Results: Between September 2009 and August 2011, 163 cases of vitamin D deficiency were brought to the attention of the ScotPSU, and the majority of cases (n = 82) were reported in Glasgow. The cross-validation checking in Glasgow and Edinburgh over a one-year period revealed only 3 (11%) cases of clearly symptomatic vitamin D deficiency, which had been missed by the ScotPSU survey in Glasgow. While 16 (67%) symptomatic cases had failed to be reported through the ScotPSU survey in Edinburgh. For the 23 children who are included in bone and glucose studies, 22 (96%) children had basal serum 25(OH)D in the deficiency range (< 50 nmol/l) and one (4%) child had serum 25(OH)D in the insufficiency range (51-75 nmol/l). Following vitamin D3 treatment, 2 (9%) children had final serum 25(OH)D lower than 50 nmol/l, 6 (26%) children had final serum 25(OH)D between >50-75 nmol/l, 12 (52%) children reached a final serum 25(OH)D >75-150 nmol/l and finally 3 (13%) exceeded the normal reference range with a final 25(OH)D >150 nmol/l. Markers for remodelling ALP and PTH had significantly decreased (p = 0.001 and <0.0001 for ALP and PTH respectively). In 17 patients for whom insulin and HOMA IR data were available and enrolled in glucose study, significant improvements in insulin resistance (p = 0.04) with a trend toward a reduction in serum insulin (p = 0.05) was observed. Of those 14 children who had their cytokines profile data analysed and enrolled in the immunity study, insulin and HOMA IR data were missed in one child. A significant increase in the main Th2 secreted cytokine IL-4 (p = 0.001) and a tendency for significant increases in other Th2 secreted cytokines IL-5 (p = 0.05) and IL-6 (p = 0.05) was observed following vitamin D3 supplementation. Conclusion: An electronic surveillance system can provide data for studying the epidemiology of vitamin D deficiency. However, it may underestimate the number of positive cases. Improving vitamin D status in vitamin D deficient otherwise healthy children significantly improved their vitamin D deficient status, and was associated with an improvement in bone profile, improvements in insulin resistance and an alteration in main Th2 secreting cytokines.

Aplicación web para enseñanza/aprendizaje de cálculo y álgebra

El principal objetivo de este trabajo fin de grado es la implementación de una aplicación web que permita realizar actividades de enseñanza/aprendizaje en las ramas de cálculo y álgebra de las matemáticas, enfocada principalmente en los contenidos impartidos en las asignaturas de matemáticas en Bachillerato, concretamente de la unidad de realización de derivadas. Se han desarrollado dos modelos: Uno para el profesor, que permite la generación de los ejercicios, así como la consulta de las posibles soluciones. Esta aplicación ofrece al docente la posibilidad de mediante una serie de ajustes, generar de forma dinámica las actividades deseadas. Otro para el alumno, que permite la realización de las actividades y la inclusión de respuestas paso a paso, además de la visualización de las correcciones a sus procedimientos. Para el desarrollo de estas aplicaciones se ha usado el lenguaje Java con ayuda de JSON para el intercambio de datos. También se ha utilizado el motor de respuestas Wolfram Alpha para realizar las correcciones paso a paso de las respuestas de los alumnos.

Una herramienta web para la planificación de horarios y de asignaciones de aulas.

Este proyecto ha consistido en la realización de una aplicación web para cubrir una necesidad del centro universitario; la necesidad de gestionar los horarios y la asignación de aulas cada inicio de curso de una forma más automática de la que se usa en la actualidad. El objetivo principal ha sido que la aplicación fuera lo más intuitiva posible y que tenga una facilidad de uso que motivase su utilización. Para ello nos hemos decantado por una serie de características tanto visuales (distribución de la información, códigos de colores), como de uso (sistema de Drag&Drop). La aplicación tiene tres módulos principales: Un primer módulo para el manejo de los horarios, el cual nos permite la construcción de un horario para un grupo determinado evitando cualquier tipo de conflicto.El segundo módulo para la asignación de grupo a aulas, de forma que nos permite tener un control de los espacios del centro. El tercero y último, con una fuerte relación con el segundo, que en este caso se utiliza para asignar asignaturas optativas a aulas. Todo esto va acompañado por una variedad de páginas de información y de una vista administrativa para gestionar los datos necesarios para usar la aplicación. Una de las ventajas más importantes que tiene esta aplicación es la automatización a la hora de realizar todas las comprobaciones necesarias para hacer cualquier asignación. Debido a la envergadura del proyecto, optamos por realizar este proyecto conjuntamente entre tres personas para ser capaces de ofrecer un producto lo más completo posible sin salirnos de los límites de este trabajo de fin de grado.

Representativeness, legitimacy and power in public involvement in health-care management

Public participation in health-service management is an increasingly prominent policy internationally. Frequently, though, academic studies have found it marginalized by health professionals who, keen to retain control over decision-making, undermine the legitimacy of involved members of the public, in particular by questioning their representativeness. This paper examines this negotiation of representative legitimacy between staff and involved users by drawing on a qualitative study of service-user involvement in pilot cancer-genetics services recently introduced in England, using interviews, participant observation and documentary analysis. In contrast to the findings of much of the literature, health professionals identified some degree of representative legitimacy in the contributions made by users. However, the ways in which staff and users constructed representativeness diverged significantly. Where staff valued the identities of users as biomedical and lay subjects, users themselves described the legitimacy of their contribution in more expansive terms of knowledge and citizenship. My analysis seeks to show how disputes over representativeness relate not just to a struggle for power according to contrasting group interests, but also to a substantive divergence in understanding of the nature of representativeness in the context of state-orchestrated efforts to increase public participation. This divergence might suggest problems with the enactment of such aspirations in practice; alternatively, however, contestation of representative legitimacy might be understood as reflecting ambiguities in policy-level objectives for participation, which secure implementation by accommodating the divergent constructions of those charged with putting initiatives into practice.

THE ASSOCIATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AND DIETARY HABITS ON BODY MASS INDEX OF FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN SOUTH KOREA

The Republic of Korea (Korea) has been composed of a single ethnic group and, until very recently, has had little or no experience with large-volume of immigrants. The country, once known for its large-scale emigration, has emerged as a popular destination. As the foreign-born populations continue to grow, they experience dietary pattern changes. Dietary changes of immigrants are often associated with weight increase and consequently the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes. This study examined the association of demographic variables and dietary habits on Body Mass Index (BMI) of foreign nationals living in Korea, based on a cross-sectional sample of 193 foreign-born men (120) and women (73). A web-based survey program, Zoho survey, was used to capture self-reported region of origin, socio-demographic variables, weight, height, frequency of physical activity, and food frequencies. For the entire sample (n=193), the World Health Organization (WHO) classification and the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity cut-off points of BMI were used. The average BMI was 24.6 (SD=3.6) kg/m2. Significant associations were observed between BMI and age (χ² (8, N=193) =26.22, p<.01), gender (χ² (2, N=193) =11.45, p<.01), and religious affiliation (χ² (4, N=191) =9.53, p<.05). On average, participants had meat and carbonated drinks 2.2 times a week; high calorie foods 1.5 times a week; and, dairy products 2.4 times a week. A significant correlation (r=.14, p<.05) between BMI and eating meat was also observed. This study showed that the BMI varied with age, gender and religion. Frequent consumption of meat was associated with a significant increase in BMI. This increase in BMI could be associated with the dietary changes experienced by the newcomers or absence of more familiar products. Consequently, as the volume of immigrants continues to increase in Korea, it is imperative to consider designing and implementing public health policies specifically in relation to a healthy diet that can impact the prevalence of preventable chronic diseases. Thus, health education among foreign-born population in Korea should focus on reducing the intake of meat and high energy foods.

Principal Effectiveness: Middle School Leaders' Perceptions Of Principal Practices To Improve Middle School Reading Achievement

ABSTRACT Title of Document: PRINCIPAL EFFECTIVENESS: MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PRINCIPAL PRACTICES TO IMPROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL READING ACHIEVEMENT Kathleen R. Brady, Doctor of Education, 2016 Directed By: Dr. John Norris, Department of Education The purpose of this exploratory and descriptive study was to examine school leaders’ perceptions of leadership practices that contribute to principal effectiveness in improving reading achievement in middle schools in a large public school district. The data was gathered through the use of a Web-based survey that was emailed to 97 school based leaders including 20 principals, 40 assistant principals, 17 reading department chairpersons, and 20 professional development lead teachers in middle schools with grade 6-8 and 7-8 configurations. Data were collected and analyzed in order to make inferences about principal practices at middle school. The findings of this study indicated few differences between middle school principals’, assistant principals’, reading department chairpersons’, and professional development lead teachers’ perceptions of principal leadership practices that are most important to and have the greatest impact on student reading achievement success. Furthermore, the findings indicated that participants’ three top ranked resources needed to increase the effectiveness of principals in order to improve reading achievement at middle schools include implementing a collaborative planning protocol to support literacy instruction, adding a reading coach to the middle school staff, and providing professional development activities focused on literacy instruction across the content areas. The results were used to make recommendations that may contribute to middle school principal effectiveness.

Estudio y optimización de las infraestructuras de los carriles para bicicletas

La necesidad cotidiana de los ciudadanos de desplazarse para realizar diferentes actividades, sea cual fuere su naturaleza, se ha visto afectada en gran medida por los cambios producidos. Las ventajas generadas por la inclusión de la bicicleta como modo de transporte y la proliferación de su uso entre la ciudadanía son innumerables y se extienden tanto en el ámbito de la movilidad urbana como del desarrollo sostenible. En la actualidad, hay multitud de programas para la implantación, fomento o aumento de la participación ciudadana relacionado con la bicicleta en las ciudades. Pero en definitiva, todos y cada uno de estas iniciativas tienen la misma finalidad, crear una malla de vías cicladles eficaz y útil. Capaces de permitir el uso de la bicicleta en vías preferentes con unas garantías de seguridad altas, incorporando la bicicleta en el modelo de intermodalidad del transporte urbano. Con la progresiva implantación del carril bici, muchas personas han empezado a utilizarlas para moverse por la ciudad. Pero todo lo nuevo necesita un periodo de adaptación. Y, la realidad es que la red de viales destinados para estos vehículos está repleta de obstáculos para el ciclista. La actual situación ha llevado a cuestionar qué cantidad de kilómetros de carriles bici son necesarios para abastecer la demanda existente de este modo de transporte y, si las obras ejecutadas y proyectadas son las correctas y suficientes. En este trabajo se presenta una herramienta, basada en un modelo de programación matemática, para el diseño óptimo de una red destinada a los ciclistas. En concreto, el sistema determina una infraestructura para la bicicleta adaptada a las características de la red de carreteras existentes, con base en criterios de teoría de grafos ponderados. Como una aplicación del modelo propuesto, se ofrece el resultado de estos experimentos, obteniéndose un número de conclusiones útiles para la planificación y el diseño de redes de carriles bici desde una perspectiva social. Se realiza una aplicación de la metodología desarrollada para el caso real del municipio de Málaga (España). Por último se produce la validación del modelo de optimización presentado y la repercusión que tiene éste sobre el resultado final y la importancia o el peso del total de variables capaces de condicionar el resultado final de la red ciclista. Se obtiene, por tanto, una herramienta destinada a la mejora de la planificación, diseño y gestión de las diferentes infraestructuras para la bicicleta, con capacidad de interactuar con el modelo de red vial actual y con el resto de los modos de transportes existentes en el entramado urbano de las ciudades.

Observational research on golf-related injuries

The determination of aetiological factors in sports injuries is challenging. Recently, investigators have devoted significant attention to this topic. A reasonable amount of studies provides information on the occurrence, aetiology, and severity of golf-related injuries. However, gaps of evidence still limit the understanding of the injury problem in golf and the comparability of epidemiological findings. Observational studies using surveys and medical records were reviewed. Surveys are suited to find precise occurrence patterns of golf-related injuries, but fail to adequately ascertain the levels of exposure and aetiological factors. Due to the proximity to the injury event, medical records are able to clearly identify the aetiology and severity of golf-related injuries. While reviewing observational studies using surveys a comment was provided on the methodological quality and risk of bias. Overall, these studies seem to be disturbed on their ability to produce generalizations and comparison of study findings. With the information obtained from reviewing observational studies and the collaboration of a panel of internationally recognised experts on golf science and sports injury research, a web-based bilingual questionnaire was developed and tested for one of the provided languages. The bilingual nature of the questionnaire is also expected to facilitate the acceptance of the scientific community and enable the translation to different languages. A standardised questionnaire applied in different cultural contexts is expected to help and further improve the comparability of epidemiological findings. The questionnaire was proficient in capturing information on golf-related injuries and participation habits of golfers. While using a wider outcome definition focusing on any type of physical complaints, episodes of injury could be recognized despite onset and level of severity. Questions on the need for medical attention, time loss, and impact on performance also enabled additional categorisation of severity.

La participation en amont de grands projets d'aménagement : les effets sur le projet et ses acteurs.

Depuis plus de trente ans, nos pratiques démocratiques évoluent au rythme de liens grandissants entre les instances décisionnelles et la société civile. Les exemples de démarches participatives s’accumulent et leurs formes sont de plus en plus diverses. Au cours des dernières années, les démarches en amont sont de plus en plus présentes dans le paysage participatif et les organisations sont plus nombreuses que jamais à faire le pari de l’amont. C’est le cas d’Hydro-Québec avec ses les tables d’information et d’échange (TIE). Ces tables, existantes depuis la fin des années 1990 et dirigées par le maître d’ouvrage, regroupent plusieurs acteurs du milieu. Elles se tiennent dès le début du processus de planification. L’Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) a elle aussi faut le saut en amont en adaptant ses méthodes pour intervenir plus tôt dans le processus pour certains mandats. À travers deux études de cas, une portant sur les TIE du complexe hydroélectrique de la Romaine, et l’autre sur la consultation de l’OCPM sur la planification détaillée du secteur de Griffintown, ce mémoire explore les effets de la participation en amont sur les projets et sur ces acteurs.

Geospatial Data Indexing Analysis and Visualization via Web Services with Autonomic Resource Management

With the exponential growth of the usage of web-based map services, the web GIS application has become more and more popular. Spatial data index, search, analysis, visualization and the resource management of such services are becoming increasingly important to deliver user-desired Quality of Service. First, spatial indexing is typically time-consuming and is not available to end-users. To address this, we introduce TerraFly sksOpen, an open-sourced an Online Indexing and Querying System for Big Geospatial Data. Integrated with the TerraFly Geospatial database [1-9], sksOpen is an efficient indexing and query engine for processing Top-k Spatial Boolean Queries. Further, we provide ergonomic visualization of query results on interactive maps to facilitate the user’s data analysis. Second, due to the highly complex and dynamic nature of GIS systems, it is quite challenging for the end users to quickly understand and analyze the spatial data, and to efficiently share their own data and analysis results with others. Built on the TerraFly Geo spatial database, TerraFly GeoCloud is an extra layer running upon the TerraFly map and can efficiently support many different visualization functions and spatial data analysis models. Furthermore, users can create unique URLs to visualize and share the analysis results. TerraFly GeoCloud also enables the MapQL technology to customize map visualization using SQL-like statements [10]. Third, map systems often serve dynamic web workloads and involve multiple CPU and I/O intensive tiers, which make it challenging to meet the response time targets of map requests while using the resources efficiently. Virtualization facilitates the deployment of web map services and improves their resource utilization through encapsulation and consolidation. Autonomic resource management allows resources to be automatically provisioned to a map service and its internal tiers on demand. v-TerraFly are techniques to predict the demand of map workloads online and optimize resource allocations, considering both response time and data freshness as the QoS target. The proposed v-TerraFly system is prototyped on TerraFly, a production web map service, and evaluated using real TerraFly workloads. The results show that v-TerraFly can accurately predict the workload demands: 18.91% more accurate; and efficiently allocate resources to meet the QoS target: improves the QoS by 26.19% and saves resource usages by 20.83% compared to traditional peak load-based resource allocation.

Standardised tobacco packaging:a health policy case study of corporate conflict expansion and adaptation

Objectives: To investigate opposition to standardised tobacco packaging in the UK. To increase understanding of how transnational corporations are adapting to changes in their access to policymakers precipitated by Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Design: Case study web-based documentary analysis, using NVivo V.10. Examination of relationships between opponents of standardised packaging and transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) and of the volume, nature, transparency and timing of their activities. Setting: UK standardised packaging policy debate 2011-2013. Participants: Organisations selected on basis of opposition to, or facilitation thereof, standardised tobacco packaging in the UK; 422 associated documents. Results: Excluding tobacco manufacturing and packaging companies (n=12), 109 organisations were involved in opposing standardised packaging, 82 (75%) of which had a financial relationship with 1 or more TTC. These 82 organisations (43 actively opposing the measure, 39 facilitating opposition) were responsible for 60% of the 404 activities identified, including the majority of public communications and research production. TTCs were directly responsible for 28% of total activities, predominantly direct lobbying, but also financially underwrote third party research, communication, mass recruitment and lobbying. Active organisations rarely reported any financial relationship with TTCs when undertaking opposition activities. Conclusions: The multifaceted opposition to standardised packaging was primarily undertaken by third parties with financial relationships with major tobacco manufacturers. Low levels of transparency regarding these links created a misleading impression of diverse and widespread opposition. Countries should strengthen implementation of Article 5.3 of the FCTC by systematically requiring conflict of interest declarations from all organisations participating in political or media debates on tobacco control.

La participation en amont de grands projets d'aménagement : les effets sur le projet et ses acteurs

Depuis plus de trente ans, nos pratiques démocratiques évoluent au rythme de liens grandissants entre les instances décisionnelles et la société civile. Les exemples de démarches participatives s’accumulent et leurs formes sont de plus en plus diverses. Au cours des dernières années, les démarches en amont sont de plus en plus présentes dans le paysage participatif et les organisations sont plus nombreuses que jamais à faire le pari de l’amont. C’est le cas d’Hydro-Québec avec ses les tables d’information et d’échange (TIE). Ces tables, existantes depuis la fin des années 1990 et dirigées par le maître d’ouvrage, regroupent plusieurs acteurs du milieu. Elles se tiennent dès le début du processus de planification. L’Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) a elle aussi faut le saut en amont en adaptant ses méthodes pour intervenir plus tôt dans le processus pour certains mandats. À travers deux études de cas, une portant sur les TIE du complexe hydroélectrique de la Romaine, et l’autre sur la consultation de l’OCPM sur la planification détaillée du secteur de Griffintown, ce mémoire explore les effets de la participation en amont sur les projets et sur ces acteurs.

Health professionals’ and patients’ perspectives on pelvic floor muscle training adherence : 2011 ICS State-of-the-Science Seminar research paper IV of IV

Aims There is scant information on pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) adherence barriers and facilitators. A web-based survey was conducted (1) to investigate whether responses from health professionals and the public broadly reflected findings in the literature, (2) if responses differed between the two groups, and (3) to identify new research directions. Methods Health professional and public surveys were posted on the ICS website. PFMT adherence barriers and facilitators were divided into four categories: physical/condition, patient, therapy, and social-economic. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics from quantitative data and thematic data analysis for qualitative data. Results Five hundred and fifteen health professionals and 51 public respondents participated. Both cohorts felt “patient-related factors” constituted the most important adherence barrier, but differed in their rankings of short- and long-term barriers. Health professionals rated “patient-related” and the public “therapy-related” factors as the most important adherence facilitator. Both ranked “perception of PFMT benefit” as the most important long-term facilitator. Contrary to published findings, symptom severity was not ranked highly. Neither cohort felt the barriers nor facilitators differed according to PFM condition (urinary/faecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain); however, a large number of health professionals felt differences existed across age, gender, and ethnicity. Half of respondents in both cohorts felt research barriers and facilitators differed from those in clinical practice. Conclusions An emphasis on “patient-related” factors, ahead of “condition-specific” and “therapy-related,” affecting PFMT adherence barriers was evident. Health professionals need to be aware of the importance of long-term patient perception of PFMT benefits and consider enabling strategies.

From client's dreams to achievable projects: An expert system for determining web site feasibility

This paper presents a web based expert system application that carries out an initial assessment of the feasibility of a web project. The system allows detection of inconsistency problems before design starts, and suggests correcting actions to solve them. The developed system presents important advantages not only for determining the feasibility of a web project but also by acting as a means of communication between the client company and the web development team, making the requirements specification clearer.