The teaching of the gifted has been a core part of education itself sice it was first formalised, however despite these years of experience the academic community are no closer to understanding or recommending best practice to the thousands of teachers who deal with the challenges associated with gifted and talented education on a daily basis. This study hopes to understand teachers attitudes towards these types of children as well as those children who fall into the doubly exceptional category through qualitative semi structured interviews and focus groups. The resuls showed that while participants held positives attitudes to both types of students under study they were largly unsure as to effectively educate these children and felt that proper government and global guidelines as well as teacher training could overcome these issues.

The thesis investigates the formal semantics of temporal indexical expressions in English. Examples of such expressions include now, tomorrow and last year. In the past, research has concentrated on instances of such expressions which have two major properties. These indexicals are sensitive to extralinguistic context, and while they do possess descriptive meaning, that meaning does not appear within the propositions which correspond to utterances of the sentences which contain the indexicals. The thesis argues that this line of research has neglected a significant body of natural language evidence in which indexicals display rather different behaviour. We term indexicals from the first group unbound, and indexicals from the second group bound. Given these two domains of indexical evidence, the thesis sets out to achieve three primary aims. The first aim is to provide a formal semantic representation of both bound and unbound indexicals which systematically relates them, while distinguishing them from non-indexical expressions. To establish this aim, we informally investigate the relationship between the two types of indexical, and propose a unifying generalisation. This generalisation is then embedded within an existing but novel semantic system, due to Richards, called IQ. IQ is an interval-based semantics for tenses and temporal quantifiers in English which makes use of double-indexing. IQ must be modified so as to properly accommodate indexicals. With a new representation in hand, we demonstrate that the thesis can adequately treat both types of indexical occurrence. The second aim of the thesis is to assess the effects of the incorporation of the two types of indexical on the semantic entities of IQ. The propositions of IQ already include two major types: value free and value specific. Using the new representation of indexicals, the thesis shows that there are further varieties of the value free proposition. These propositions are then compared with Kaplan's contents, Frege's thoughts and Russell's propositions. The final aim is to establish a rigorous formulation of a fragment of the version of IQ derived in the thesis. Given this formulation, it is possible to assess its position relative to a landmark in the logic of indexicals. Using mathematical techniques, the thesis proves that the tense operators and indexical operators of the final version of IQ have particular properties which distinguish them from those in other indexical logics also based on double-indexing.

[Formulae and special characters can only be approximated here. Please see the pdf version of the abstract for an accurate reproduction.] In In-phase/Quadrature (IQ) modulator generating Continuous-Phase-Frequency-Shift-Keying (CPFSK) signals, shortcomings in the implementation of the analogue reconstruction filters result in the loss of the constant envelope property of the output signal. Ripples in the envelope function cause undesirable spreading of the transmitted signal spectrum into adjacent channels when the signal passes through non-linear elements in the transmission path. This results in the failure of the transmitted signal in meeting transmission standards requirements. Therefore, digital techniques compensating for these shortcomings play an important role in enhancing the performance of the IQ modulator. In this thesis, several techniques to compensate for the irregularities in the I and Q channels are presented. The main emphasis is on preserving a constant magnitude and linear phase characteristics in the pass-band of the analogue filters as well as compensating for the imbalances between the I and Q channels. A generic digital pre-compensation model is used, and based on this model, the digital compensation schemes are formulated using control and signal processing techniques. Four digital compensation techniques are proposed and analysed. The first method is based on H2 norm minimization while the second method solves for the pre-compensation filters by posing the problem as one of H∞ optimisation. The third method stems from the well-known principle of Wiener filtering. Note that the digital compensation filters found using these methods are computed off-line. We then proceed by designing adaptive compensation filters that runs on-line and uses the “live” modulator input data to make the necessary measurements and compensations. These adaptive filters are computed based on the well-known Least-Mean-Square (LMS) algorithm. The advantage of using this approach is that the modulator does not require to be taken off-line in the process of calculating the pre-compensation filters and thus will not disrupt the normal operation of the modulator. The compensation performance of all methods is studied analytically using computer simulations and practical experiments. The results indicate that the proposed methods are effective and are able to provide substantial compensation for the shortcomings of the analogue reconstruction filters in the I and Q channels. In addition, the adaptive compensation scheme, implemented on a DSP platform shows that there is significant reduction in side-lobe levels for the compensated signal spectrum.

This thesis uses a combination of cognitive-neurophysiological and genetically-sensitive longitudinal designs to study the associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with bipolar disorder (BD) and preterm birth, as well as with the risk or protective factors IQ and physical activity. Previous research on preterm-born individuals and individuals with BD suggests ADHD-like symptoms and cognitive impairments, but direct comparisons are limited. Here, we first examine how cortical activity patterns differ between women with adult ADHD and women with BD during rest and task conditions to identify impairments that are specific to or shared between the disorders. The findings provide evidence for commonalities in brain dysfunction between ADHD and BD: frontal theta power may play a role as a marker of neurobiological processes in both disorders. Second, we investigate whether the ADHD-like symptoms and cognitive-neurophysiological impairments seen in preterm-born adolescents are identical to those in ADHD by directly comparing ADHD symptom scores and performance on a cognitive-neurophysiological test battery sensitive to impairments in ADHD across preterm-born adolescents, term-born adolescents with ADHD and term-born controls. We find that ADHD symptoms are increased in the preterm group compared to controls. The analyses further indicate similarities in brain function between ADHD and preterm birth, as well as unique impairments in the preterm group. Taken together, these results suggest that preterm birth may present a risk factor for both ADHD and additional impairments. Third, using twin data we carry out a developmental-genetic analysis of the association between ADHD and IQ, showing that ADHD symptoms and IQ scores significantly predict each other over time. Finally, we explore a putative protective factor for ADHD by investigating the effect of physical activity on ADHD symptoms. Using a population-based sample of twins, we show that physical activity is inversely associated with ADHD symptoms, even after adjusting for unmeasured confounding. Overall, we demonstrate certain commonalities in brain dysfunction between ADHD and BD. Whereas preterm birth and lower IQ present risk factors for ADHD, physical activity emerges as a potential protective factor.

This Master’s thesis subject is communication link modeling, what means exploring and subsequent connect of blocks QPSK modulator – raised cosine filter – quadrature modulator – nonlinear amplifier – quadrature demodulator – raised cosine filter – QPSK detector. All work proceeded in simulation world VisSim 6.0, manual of this software is opened in this thesis. Individual blocks are analyzed in this scheme including description and configuration. Main theme was exploring error rate of transmission in modulator imbalance, using nonlinear amplifier TWTA or in calculations in fixed and floating point. Theoretically is examined and practically implanted method of modulator imbalance compensation. Circuits with QPSK and 16QAM modulator were analyzed. Circuits are filled in with transparent tables and graphs. In the end of this thesis is applied to generating of source codes in C language by the help of upgrade C-Code, which can be useful in practical realization on DSP.

Family, twin, and adoption studies have indicated that human intelligence quotient (IQ) has significant genetic components. We performed a low-density genome-wide association analysis with a family-based association test to identify genetic variants influencing IQ, as measured by Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale full-score IQ (FSIQ). We examined 11,120 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Affymetrix GeneChips 10K mapping array genotyped in 292 nuclear families from Genetic Analysis Workshop 14, a subset from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). A replication analysis was performed using part of International Multi-Center ADHD Genetics Project (IMAGE) dataset. Twenty-two SNPs were identified as having suggestive associations with IQ (p<10-3) in the COGA sample and eleven of the SNPs were located within known genes. In particular, NTM at 11q25 (rs411280, p=0.000764) and NR3C2 at 4q31.1 (rs3846329, p=0.000675) were two novel genes which have not been associated with IQ in other studies. It has been reported that NTM might play a role in late-onset Alzheimer disease while NR3C2 may be associated with cognitive function and major depression. The associations of these two genes were well-replicated by single-marker and haplotype analyses in the IMAGE sample. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence that chromosome regions of 11q25 and 4q31.1 contain genes affecting IQ. This study will serve as a resource for replication in other populations.

Relationen mellan ekonomisk framgång (inkomst), personlighetsdragetsamvetsgrannhet och begåvning undersöktes för könsuppdelade grupper medbegåvning i fjärde kvartilen. Syftet var att se om hög samvetsgrannhet och IKkunde predicera ekonomisk framgång bland personer med hög begåvning.Datainsamlingen skedde genom att extrahera relevanta individer urWisconsin Longitudinal Study. I den ursprungliga datainsamlingen deltogtotalt 10 317 personer. T-test genomfördes för att jämföra inkomster för högtbegåvade kvinnor och män. Multipla regressionsanalyser genomfördes föratt undersöka begåvningens och samvetsgrannhetens effekt på årsinkomstenför de högt begåvade männen och kvinnorna. Studien visade att högbegåvadekvinnor och män hade signifikanta löneskillnader samt att samvetsgrannhetoch hög begåvning med signifikans kunde användas för att predicera inkomstför såväl gruppen kvinnor som för gruppen män. / The relationship between economic success (income), the personality traitconscientiousness and IQ were examined for gender-segregated groups withIQ in the fourth quartile. The purpose was to see if high conscientiousnessand IQ could predict financial success in the subgroups. Data collection wascarried out by extracting relevant individuals from the WisconsinLongitudinal Study. A total of 10,317 people participated in the original datacollection. A t-test was performed to compare incomes for women and menwith high IQ. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine theeffect of IK and conscientiousness on the income of the high IQ group of menas well as for the high IQ group of women. The study showed that highlygifted women and men had significant pay differences as well as thatconscientiousness and IQ were significant predictors of income for both thegroup of women and the group of men.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of IQ on subtypes of sociable and withdrawn behaviors in children with language impairment (LI). Research has suggested that children with LI are more likely to experience difficulty with social interaction than their typically developing peers (Brinton & Fujiki, 1999; Rice, 1991). The Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (Hart & Robinson, 1996) was used to compare sociable and withdrawn behaviors in 19 children with LI and 19 children with typically developing language. IQ scores for each participant were obtained by administering the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (Bracken & McCallum, 2003). These scores were used as a covariate in group comparisons of sociable and withdrawn behaviors. Comparisons indicated that classroom teachers rated children with LI as displaying more withdrawal and less sociable behaviors than typically developing children even when IQ was controlled.

University of the Pacific 2023 This study was an attempt to better understand important mechanisms that may moderate the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and negative outcomes such as anxiety and depression in females as they are diagnosed at a much lower rate and represent an underserved population. Using archival data from the National Institute of Mental Health this study investigated whether parental warmth and social competence were associated with decreased levels of anxiety and depression in 8-year-old females with ASD with average cognitive abilities. It was found that social competence was a significant factor in decreasing anxiety and depression. Surprisingly, parental warmth was not found to be significant. This research adds to the paucity of data relevant to autistic females with average and higher cognitive functioning. Potential interventions, as well as implications for future research are discussed.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) must be extracted from the cell before it can be amplified using the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) to generate an STR (Short Tandem Repeat) profile. Although extraction methods such as binding DNA to silica remove PCR inhibitors, they have complex procedures that can lead to partial DNA loss. Evaluating the efficiency of an extraction method can be difficult, as the original amount of input DNA may be unknown. Knowledge of the amount of DNA expected to be present in a sample can provide quantitative information on an extraction method’s efficiency, as the recovery of DNA from a DNA extraction process can be calculated using the expected DNA value. Theoretically, while using a direct lysis extraction method, all the cells in the sample are lysed and present in that single tube, so quantitative PCR (qPCR) values of samples extracted using a direct lysis method such as forensicGEMTM can be used as an expected yield value. Validation studies determine if a method is reliable, reproducible, and robust. An internal validation study, following the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for Forensic DNA Analysis Methods, was performed for the Maxwell® FSC instrument, a robotic DNA extraction instrument designed to remove PCR inhibitors from forensic samples. Results from this study were compared to results obtained on a previously validated Maxwell® 16 instrument. The validation study was successful, as the study demonstrated the instrument could process known/non-probative evidentiary samples, is sensitive, precise, accurate, can process mixture samples, and had no detectable contamination in the process. An added study, done post validation, compared the amount of DNA obtained using a “direct lysis method” with the amount of DNA obtained using samples equivalent to those used in the instrument validation. However, upon comparing the amount of DNA recovered using the Maxwell® FSC instrument to the amount of DNA obtained using a direct lysis method, which in theory would recover 100% of the DNA, the percent yield for serially diluted blood samples was low. Only 10.79% of the DNA was recovered for the 1:10 dilution, 14.44% was recovered for the 1:100 dilution, and 8.00% was recovered for the 1:1000 dilution. The DNA IQTM System – Small Sample Casework kit uses the same chemistry and the same reagents as the Maxwell® FSC DNA IQTM Casework Kit. To provide additional data on DNA recovery, the Maxwell® FSC Study was replicated using the DNA IQTM System – Small Sample Casework Kit, following the manufacturer’s instructions for manual extractions. The study showed that about 77.71% of the DNA is lost when using neat samples, 96.88% is lost for the 1:10 dilution samples, 95.22% is lost for 1:100, and 99.00% for 1:1000. Steps from the DNA IQTM System – Small Sample Casework Protocol were identified where, potentially, the DNA loss could have occurred. These included DNA left in the waste products, DNA left on the swatch, and DNA left on the Resin after elution. Study data identify experimentally two major sources of DNA loss: the waste and the swatch. When quantifying the “waste,” for almost every individual sample, more DNA remained in the waste than was found in the initial extract using the DNA IQTM System – Small Sample Casework Kit. The high amounts of DNA in the waste indicates that the DNA IQ™ Resin does not bind to all the available nucleic acid in the solution. The data and other data characterizing DNA loss at particular steps of the protocol are described in this study. Modifications to the protocol are described, which were made, in an attempt, to increase the amount of DNA bound to the Resin that could subsequently be recovered. Laboratories that use DNA IQTM reagents need to be aware that a significant amount of the sample may be lost when following the procedure. Preliminary results indicate that yield can be improved by modifying the procedure to either increase the Resin volume, increase the incubation temperature, or recapture DNA from the first waste.