المؤلفون: Sarah Roberts, Paul Alexander Tiffin, Jenny Harris, Alison Callwood, Lee Gillam, Angelos Christidis, Angela Kubacki

المصدر: BMJ Open, Vol 13, Iss 10 (2023)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Medicine

الوصف: Objectives We aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the first known online asynchronous multiple mini-interview (MMI) designed for fairness with subgroup analyses by key characteristics, usability and acceptability.Design Cross-discipline multimethod evaluation.Setting One UK University.Participants Applicants to nursing, midwifery and paramedic science undergraduate programmes during 2021–2022.Primary, secondary outcome measures Psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct validity, dimensionality) were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α), parallel analysis (PA), Schmid-Leiman transformation and ordinal confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Usability and acceptability were evaluated using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis.Methods The system was configured in a seven question 4 min MMI. Applicants’ videorecorded their answers which were later assessed by interviewers and scores summed. Applicants and interviewers completed online evaluation questionnaires.Results Performance data from 712 applicants determined good-excellent reliability for the asynchronous MMI (mean α 0.72) with similar results across subgroups (gender, age, disability/support needs, UK/non-UK). PA and factor analysis results suggested there were seven factors relating to the MMI questions with an underlying general factor that explained the variance in observed candidate responses. A CFA testing a seven-factor hierarchical model showed an excellent fit to the data (Confirmatory Fit Index=0.99), Tucker Lewis Index=0.99, root mean square error (RMSE) =0.034). Applicants (n=210) viewed the flexibility, relaxed environment and cost savings advantageous. Interviewers (n=65) reported the system to be intuitive, flexible with >70% time saved compared with face-to-face interviews. Reduced personal communication was cited as the principal disadvantage.Conclusions We found that the asynchronous MMI was reliable, time-efficient, fair and acceptable and building fairness in was lost-cost. These novel, insights are applicable across health professions selection internationally informing the future configuration of online interviews to ensure workforces represent the societies they serve.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/10/e074440.fullTest; https://doaj.org/toc/2044-6055Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/1989158386cf440e9363b6ef73d33a1fTest

المؤلفون: Sonia Newman, Paul Alexander, Neil Bragg, Graham Howell

المصدر: Horticulturae, Vol 9, Iss 12, p 1258 (2023)

مصطلحات موضوعية: growing media, soilless culture, stability, microbial activity, wood fibre, Plant culture, SB1-1110

الوصف: Materials used to replace peat in growing media include wood fibre (WF), often used in combination with composted bark (BC), coir (CR), green compost (GC), and anaerobic digestate fibre (AD). The physical and chemical properties of these materials are relatively well characterised; however, biological properties are less well understood. Biological stability of growing media is an important factor in plant performance. The aim of this research was to identify whether dynamic respirometry methods are suitable for measuring growing media stability and to assess the effect of blending two raw materials in a mix. Raw materials were run for 42 days in aerated conditions at 35 °C. Except for AD, individually run samples were considered stable, with CO2 production over 7 days ranked BC < CR < WF < GC << AD in the early stages of the test. The AD was run at two moisture levels, with greater biological activity at lower moisture content. In the most active mixture, AD and WF, there was an increase of activity when nutrients were added at 28 days, indicating major elements were limiting microbial activity. There were interaction effects in sample mixtures, with the CO2 production of WF + GC, WF + CR greater than the sum of the CO2 production from the separate components.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/12/1258Test; https://doaj.org/toc/2311-7524Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/57f0a323999345cf9cdb5f4d6175fd0cTest

المؤلفون: Paul Alexander Carrillo Maldonado, María Isabel García, Emanuel Yaselga

المصدر: Cuadernos de Economía, Vol 42, Iss 89 (2023)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Mercado Laboral, Interpolación, Quiebres estructurales, Oferta, Demanda, Ecuador, Social Sciences, Economic history and conditions, HC10-1085

الوصف: Se propone un método de interpolación para ajustar datos agregados sin representatividad nacional de la encuesta de empleo del Ecuador. Para ello, se usa una corrección econométrica mediante la detección de quiebres estructurales. Los resultados muestran que los datos así ajustados concuerdan con la dinámica agregada del mercado laboral entre 2007 y 2019, de modo que mantienen los datos oficiales sin necesidad de incluir variables auxiliares. Dichos datos ajustados se incluyen en un modelo econométrico de oferta y demanda agregadas para mostrar que el método propuesto logra resultados similares a los de la literatura.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/ceconomia/article/view/92989Test; https://doaj.org/toc/0121-4772Test; https://doaj.org/toc/2248-4337Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/6a5ec250f73d4f90a9b0829bd5a7fe0dTest

المؤلفون: Paul Alexander, Hana M. Dobrovolny

المصدر: Epidemiologia, Vol 3, Iss 1, Pp 81-96 (2022)

مصطلحات موضوعية: mathematical modeling, antiviral, drug efficacy, coinfection, Internal medicine, RC31-1245

الوصف: With the advent of rapid multiplex PCR, physicians have been able to test for multiple viral pathogens when a patient presents with influenza-like illness. This has led to the discovery that many respiratory infections are caused by more than one virus. Antiviral treatment of viral coinfections can be complex because treatment of one virus will affect the time course of the other virus. Since effective antivirals are only available for some respiratory viruses, careful consideration needs to be given on the effect treating one virus will have on the dynamics of the other virus, which might not have available antiviral treatment. In this study, we use mathematical models of viral coinfections to assess the effect of antiviral treatment on coinfections. We examine the effect of the mechanism of action, relative growth rates of the viruses, and the assumptions underlying the interaction of the viruses. We find that high antiviral efficacy is needed to suppress both infections. If high doses of both antivirals are not achieved, then we run the risk of lengthening the duration of coinfection or even of allowing a suppressed virus to replicate to higher viral titers.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/3/1/8Test; https://doaj.org/toc/2673-3986Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/3c8188cdc2994032b938e13cbbbb5df5Test

المؤلفون: Carmen Soto, Jessica Elizabeth Morgan, Paul Crampton, Paul Alexander Tiffin, Gabrielle M Finn, Amelia Kehoe, Ellie Taylor, John AG Buchanan, Abisola Olatokunbo Balogun

المصدر: BMJ Open, Vol 12, Iss 6 (2022)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Medicine

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e057655.fullTest; https://doaj.org/toc/2044-6055Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/385d4d7528834a1f8a563bf005929edeTest

المؤلفون: The HERA Collaboration: Zara Abdurashidova, Tyrone Adams, James E. Aguirre, Paul Alexander, Zaki S. Ali, Rushelle Baartman, Yanga Balfour, Rennan Barkana, Adam P. Beardsley, Gianni Bernardi, Tashalee S. Billings, Judd D. Bowman, Richard F. Bradley, Daniela Breitman, Philip Bull, Jacob Burba, Steve Carey, Chris L. Carilli, Carina Cheng, Samir Choudhuri, David R. DeBoer, Eloy de Lera Acedo, Matt Dexter, Joshua S. Dillon, John Ely, Aaron Ewall-Wice, Nicolas Fagnoni, Anastasia Fialkov, Randall Fritz, Steven R. Furlanetto, Kingsley Gale-Sides, Hugh Garsden, Brian Glendenning, Adélie Gorce, Deepthi Gorthi, Bradley Greig, Jasper Grobbelaar, Ziyaad Halday, Bryna J. Hazelton, Stefan Heimersheim, Jacqueline N. Hewitt, Jack Hickish, Daniel C. Jacobs, Austin Julius, Nicholas S. Kern, Joshua Kerrigan, Piyanat Kittiwisit, Saul A. Kohn, Matthew Kolopanis, Adam Lanman, Paul La Plante, David Lewis, Adrian Liu, Anita Loots, Yin-Zhe Ma, David H. E. MacMahon, Lourence Malan, Keith Malgas, Cresshim Malgas, Matthys Maree, Bradley Marero, Zachary E. Martinot, Lisa McBride, Andrei Mesinger, Jordan Mirocha, Mathakane Molewa, Miguel F. Morales, Tshegofalang Mosiane, Julian B. Muñoz, Steven G. Murray, Vighnesh Nagpal, Abraham R. Neben, Bojan Nikolic, Chuneeta D. Nunhokee, Hans Nuwegeld, Aaron R. Parsons, Robert Pascua, Nipanjana Patra, Samantha Pieterse, Yuxiang Qin, Nima Razavi-Ghods, James Robnett, Kathryn Rosie, Mario G. Santos, Peter Sims, Saurabh Singh, Craig Smith, Hilton Swarts, Jianrong Tan, Nithyanandan Thyagarajan, Michael J. Wilensky, Peter K. G. Williams, Pieter van Wyngaarden, Haoxuan Zheng

المصدر: The Astrophysical Journal, Vol 945, Iss 2, p 124 (2023)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Astronomy data analysis, Radio interferometers, Intergalactic medium, Reionization, Galaxy formation, Cosmology, Astrophysics, QB460-466

الوصف: We report the most sensitive upper limits to date on the 21 cm epoch of reionization power spectrum using 94 nights of observing with Phase I of the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA). Using similar analysis techniques as in previously reported limits, we find at 95% confidence that Δ ^2 ( k = 0.34 h Mpc ^−1 ) ≤ 457 mK ^2 at z = 7.9 and that Δ ^2 ( k = 0.36 h Mpc ^−1 ) ≤ 3496 mK ^2 at z = 10.4, an improvement by a factor of 2.1 and 2.6, respectively. These limits are mostly consistent with thermal noise over a wide range of k after our data quality cuts, despite performing a relatively conservative analysis designed to minimize signal loss. Our results are validated with both statistical tests on the data and end-to-end pipeline simulations. We also report updated constraints on the astrophysics of reionization and the cosmic dawn. Using multiple independent modeling and inference techniques previously employed by HERA Collaboration, we find that the intergalactic medium must have been heated above the adiabatic cooling limit at least as early as z = 10.4, ruling out a broad set of so-called “cold reionization” scenarios. If this heating is due to high-mass X-ray binaries during the cosmic dawn, as is generally believed, our result’s 99% credible interval excludes the local relationship between soft X-ray luminosity and star formation and thus requires heating driven by evolved low-metallicity stars.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://doaj.org/toc/1538-4357Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/ccbac6f812eb4a529df00c97b35f91cdTest

المؤلفون: Edmund Qian-Long Shen, David Friedman, Paul Alexander Bloom, Janet Metcalfe

المصدر: Journal of Intelligence, Vol 10, Iss 4, p 121 (2022)

مصطلحات موضوعية: tip-of-the-tongue (TOT), curiosity, alpha, alpha suppression, spectral analysis, ERP, Social sciences (General), H1-99

الوصف: The tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) state is a spontaneously occurring metacognitive state that indicates that the answer to a query is almost, but not quite, at hand, i.e., that resolution is imminent. Since the time of William James, a distinctive feeling of nagging frustration has been observed to be associated with TOT states. On a more positive note, TOT states are also associated with intense goal-directed curiosity and with a strong desire to know that translates into successful mental action. The present study showed that prior to the presentation of resolving feedback to verbal queries—if the individual was in a TOT state—alpha suppression was in evidence in the EEG. This alpha suppression appears to be a marker of a spontaneously occurring, conscious, and highly motivating goal-directed internal metacognitive state. At the same time, alpha expression in the same time period was associated with the feeling of not knowing, indicating a more discursive state. Both alpha and alpha suppression were observed broadly across centro-parietal scalp electrodes and disappeared immediately upon presentation of the resolving feedback. Analyses indicated that the occurrence of alpha suppression was associated with participants’ verbal affirmations of being in a TOT state, which is also related to subsequent expression of a late positivity when feedback is provided, and to enhanced memory.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/10/4/121Test; https://doaj.org/toc/2079-3200Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/4003d47d1171471089f01a74b0ef7ff5Test

المؤلفون: Karla Arias, Jeaneth Torres-Olmedo, Paul Alexander Carrillo-Maldonado

المصدر: Estudios Económicos, Vol 39, Iss 78 (2022)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Empleo, Reformas laborales, Proyecciones locales, Ecuador, Política de empleo, Economic history and conditions, HC10-1085, Economic theory. Demography, HB1-3840

الوصف: El objetivo del presente documento es determinar el efecto de las políticas implementadas entre 2007 y 2018 para incentivar el empleo formal en el Ecuador. Para aquello, se utiliza un modelo de proyecciones locales con los datos administrativos de empleo registrado. Los resultados muestran que el empleo formal aumenta un 4% en el mediano plazo, debido a las reformas laborales. Además, se evidencia que el comportamiento agregado está guiado por el efecto en las empresas grandes. Estos resultados positivos se evidencian después del año de implementación, sugiriendo un grado de rigidez al momento de impulsar el empleo formal.

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: https://revistas.uns.edu.ar/ee/article/view/2672Test; https://doaj.org/toc/0425-368XTest; https://doaj.org/toc/2525-1295Test

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/d8de30f446e043e2a9d37b1011363754Test

المؤلفون: Paul Alexander Bloom, PhD, Monica Kim Ngan Thieu, PhD, Niall Bolger, PhD

المصدر: Current Research in Neurobiology, Vol 3, Iss , Pp 100041- (2022)

مصطلحات موضوعية: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry, RC321-571

وصف الملف: electronic resource

العلاقة: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665945X22000146Test; https://doaj.org/toc/2665-945XTest

الوصول الحر: https://doaj.org/article/fa2836cf27ec45cebd27b2b477e36543Test

المؤلفون: Helminck, Paul Alexander

مصطلحات موضوعية: Mathematics - Number Theory, Mathematics - Algebraic Geometry

الوصف: Let $p\neq{2,3}$ be a prime number and let $\Gamma \subset \mathrm{SL}_{2}(\mathbb{Z})$ be a congruence subgroup with modular curve $X_{\Gamma}/K$ and Jacobian $J(X_{\Gamma})$. In this paper we give an explicit group-theoretic description of the semistable toric rank and component group of $J(X_{\Gamma})$ at the finite places of $K$ lying over $p$. We first produce a suitable deformation retract of the minimal Berkovich skeleton of $X_{\Gamma}$ in terms of Hecke-Iwahori double coset spaces. We call this deformation retract the pruned skeleton of the curve. Our description of this skeleton includes a group-theoretic formula for the edge lengths, allowing us to give the component group of the modular curve as the quotient of a lattice using the monodromy pairing. For $X_{0}(N)$, $X_{1}(N)$, $X_{sp}(N)$ and $X_{sp}^{+}(N)$, we explicitly determine the pruned skeleta using a set of coset schemes over $\mathbb{Z}$. This in particular recovers results by Deligne-Rapoport, Edixhoven, Coleman-McMurdy and Tsushima on the semistable reduction type of $X_{0}(p^{n})$ for $n\leq{4}$. Finally, we determine the geometric Tamagawa number and the prime-to-$2$ structure of the component group of $X_{0}(N)$ over the extension given by Krir's theorem.
Comment: 53 pages, 3 figures. Moved a figure to arXiv:2306.03879, added details for the calculations of the edge lengths, slightly changed the title

الوصول الحر: http://arxiv.org/abs/2403.09995Test