Prediction of Learning Disabilities in School Age Children using SVM and Decision Tree

This paper highlights the prediction of Learning Disabilities (LD) in school-age children using two classification methods, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Decision Tree (DT), with an emphasis on applications of data mining. About 10% of children enrolled in school have a learning disability. Learning disability prediction in school age children is a very complicated task because it tends to be identified in elementary school where there is no one sign to be identified. By using any of the two classification methods, SVM and DT, we can easily and accurately predict LD in any child. Also, we can determine the merits and demerits of these two classifiers and the best one can be selected for the use in the relevant field. In this study, Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) algorithm is used in performing SVM and J48 algorithm is used in constructing decision trees.

Performance Improvement of Fuzzy and Neuro Fuzzy Systems: Prediction of Learning Disabilities in School-age Children

Learning Disability (LD) is a classification including several disorders in which a child has difficulty in learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors. LD affects about 15% of children enrolled in schools. The prediction of learning disability is a complicated task since the identification of LD from diverse features or signs is a complicated problem. There is no cure for learning disabilities and they are life-long. The problems of children with specific learning disabilities have been a cause of concern to parents and teachers for some time. The aim of this paper is to develop a new algorithm for imputing missing values and to determine the significance of the missing value imputation method and dimensionality reduction method in the performance of fuzzy and neuro fuzzy classifiers with specific emphasis on prediction of learning disabilities in school age children. In the basic assessment method for prediction of LD, checklists are generally used and the data cases thus collected fully depends on the mood of children and may have also contain redundant as well as missing values. Therefore, in this study, we are proposing a new algorithm, viz. the correlation based new algorithm for imputing the missing values and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for reducing the irrelevant attributes. After the study, it is found that, the preprocessing methods applied by us improves the quality of data and thereby increases the accuracy of the classifiers. The system is implemented in Math works Software Mat Lab 7.10. The results obtained from this study have illustrated that the developed missing value imputation method is very good contribution in prediction system and is capable of improving the performance of a classifier.

Age and growth of Gerres filamentosus (Cuvier, 1829) from Kodungallur, Azhikode Estuary, Kerala

The age and growth, length – weight relationship and relative condition factor of Gerres filamentosus (Cuvier, 1829) from Kodungallur, Azhikode Estuary were studied by examination of 396 specimens collected between May 2008 to October 2008. Here, length frequency method was used to study age and growth in fishes. L∞, K and t 0 obtained from seasonal and non - seasonal growth curves. Gerres filamentosus showed a low mortality rate (Z) 3.702 y-1. G. filamentosus has moderately low K value and long life span. The relation between the total length and weight of G. filamentosus was described as Log W = 1.321+2.5868 log L for males, Log W = 1.467 + 2.7227 log L for females and Log W = 1.481 + 2.7316 log L for sexes combined. The mean relative condition factor (Kn) values ranged from 0.9 to 1.14 for males, 0.89 to 1.11 for females and 0.73 to 1.08 for sexes combined. The length weight relationship and relative condition factor showed that the wellbeing of G. filamentosus were good. The morphometric measurements of various body parts were recorded. The morphometric measurements were found to be nonlinear and there is no significant difference observed between the two sexes.

DWIVEDIYUGIN KAVYA MEN RASHTRIYATA EVAM GANDHIVAD KA SWAROOP (NATIONALISM AND GANDHISM AS REFLECTED IN THE POETRY OF DWIVEDI-AGE)

HINDI

Morningness-eveningness and sleep habits among adolescents : Age and gender differences.

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Evaluación de la psicopatología del preescolar mediante el Early Childhood Inventory-4 (ECI-4): concordancia entre padres y maestros.= Assessment of psychopathology in preschool age children through the Early Childhood Inventory-4 (ECI-4): Agreement among parents and teachers

El objetivo principal de este estudio es conocer la concordancia entre informantes, padres y maestros, en cada una de las dimensiones o categorías diagnósticas del Early Childhood Inventory-4 (ECI-4). Además, se pretende analizar la influencia de la presencia de problemas de salud en los padres en la descripción y valoración de la conducta de una muestra de 204 alumnos de preescolar (3 a 6 años) de perfiles socioeconómicos diferentes. Los resultados indican que los padres tienden a valorar con mayor severidad los síntomas, observándose una mayor concordancia entre informantes en los relativos a los trastornos del desarrollo

Age Continuum essay podcast

Participators Trevor Kettle and Yvonne Middlewick

Age continuum presentation podcast

Participators Trevor Kettle and Yvonne Middlewick

The Age of Social Machines

Many of the most successful and important systems that impact our lives combine humans, data, and algorithms at Web Scale. These social machines are amalgamations of human and machine intelligence. This seminar will provide an update on SOCIAM, a five year EPSRC Programme Grant that seeks to gain a better understanding of social machines; how they are observed and constituted, how they can be designed and their fate determined. We will review how social machines can be of value to society, organisations and individuals. We will consider the challenges they present to our various disciplines.

How Does Age at Onset Influence the Outcome of Autoimmune Diseases?

The age at onset refers to the time period at which an individual experiences the first symptoms of a disease. In autoimmune diseases (ADs), these symptoms can be subtle but are very relevant for diagnosis. They can appear during childhood, adulthood or late in life and may vary depending on the age at onset. Variables like mortality and morbidity and the role of genes will be reviewed with a focus on the major autoimmune disorders, namely, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), Sjögren's syndrome, and autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD). Early age at onset is a worst prognostic factor for some ADs (i.e., SLE and T1D), while for others it does not have a significant influence on the course of disease (i.e., SS) or no unanimous consensus exists (i.e., RA and MS).

Executive functions in school-aged children: age and socioeconomic status effects

Lately, the study of prefrontal executive functions in grade scholars has noticeably increased. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of age and socioeconomic status (sEs) on executive tasks performance and to analyze those socioeconomic variables that predict a better execution. A sample of 254 children aged between 7 and 12 years from the city of santa Fe, Argentina and belonging to different socioeconomic status were tested. A bat- tery of executive functions sensitive to prefrontal function was used to obtain the results. These in- dicate a significant influence of age and SES on executive functions. The cognitive patterns follow a different path according to the development and sEs effect. Besides, it is revealed a pattern of low cognitive functioning in low-sEs children in all executive functions. Finally, from the variables included in this study, it was found that only the educational level of the mother and the housing conditions are associated to the children’s executive function. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of the cerebral maturation and the envi- ronmental variables in the executive functioning.

Interrater reliability of Alberta Infant Motor Scale in term and preterm born infants between 10 to 16 months age from Talca province - Chile

Purpose: To examine the ‘interrater reliability’ of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) in term and preterm born infants between 10 to 16 months age from Talca province, Maule Region - Chile. Subjects: 115 infants between 10 to 16 months age were incorporated to the study; 95 term born infants were attended in the local Health Centre in Talca City, and 20 preterm infants belonged to the Premature Infants Follow-Up Programme of Talca Regional Hospital. Methods: The motor behaviour of each infant was recorded and later it was assessed by two trained assessors using AIMS. It was obtained the total AIMS’ score and also from prone, supine, seated, and stand subscales. For ‘interrater reliability’ analysis it was used the Intraclass Coefficient of Correlation (ICC), the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and 95% limits of agreement. Results: The obtained ICC for the total scores AIMS were major than 0.94 (p<0.0002) for term and preterm born infants. The SEM of total scores was less than 3.1 points, higher than what was found in other similar studies. The 95% limits of agreement were +5.3 to -4.1 points and +7.7 to – 3.9 points in term and preterm born, respectively, revealing ‘interrater agreement’. Conclusion: The AIMS showed adequate ‘interrater reliable’ levels when was applied in Chilean term and preterm born from 10 to 16 month’s age.

The impact of a minimum pension on old age poverty and its budgetary cost. Evidence from Latin America

This paper examines the impact on old age poverty and the fiscal cost of universal minimum oldage pensions in Latin America using recent household survey data for 18 countries. Alleviatingold age poverty requires different approach from other age groups and a minimum pension islikely to be the only alternative available. First we measure old age poverty rates for all countries.Second we discuss the design of minimum pensions schemes, means-tested or not, as wellas the disincentive effects that they are expected to have on the economic and social behavior ofhouseholds including labor supply, saving and family solidarity. Third we use the household surveysto simulate the fiscal cost and the impact on poverty rates of alternative minimum pensionschemes in the 18 countries. We show that a universal minimum pension would substantiallyreduce poverty among the elderly except in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay where minimumpension systems already exist and poverty rates are low. Such schemes have much tobe commended in terms of incentives, spillover effects and administrative simplicity but have ahigh fiscal cost. The latter is a function of the age at which benefits are awarded, the prevailinglongevity, the generosity of benefits, the efficacy of means testing, and naturally the fiscal capacityof the country.

Escala de ajuste a la pérdida visual relacionada con la edad : adaptación española de la Age-related Vision Loss Scale (AVL Scale) de A. Horowitz y J. P. Reinhardt.

Resumen tomado de la publicación