Background: Since an objective description is essential to determine infant’s postnatal condition and efficacy of interventions, two scores were suggested in the past but weren’t tested yet: The Specified-Apgar uses the 5 items of the conventional Apgar score; however describes the condition regardless of gestational age (GA) or resuscitative interventions. The Expanded-Apgar measures interventions needed to achieve this condition. We hypothesized that the combination of both (Combined-Apgar) describes postnatal condition of preterm infants better than either of the scores alone. Methods: Scores were assessed in preterm infants below 32 completed weeks of gestation. Data were prospectively collected in 20 NICU in 12 countries. Prediction of poor outcome (death, severe/moderate BPD, IVH, CPL and ROP) was used as a surrogate parameter to compare the scores. To compare predictive value the AUC for the ROC was calculated. Results: Of 2150 eligible newborns, data on 1855 infants with a mean GA of 286/7± 23/7 weeks were analyzed. At 1 minute, the Combined-Apgar was significantly better in predicting poor outcome than the Specified- or Expanded-Apgar alone. Of infants with a very low score at 5 or 10 minutes 81% or 100% had a poor outcome, respectively. In these infants the relative risk (RR) for perinatal mortality was 24.93 (13.16-47.20) and 31.34 (15.91-61.71), respectively. Conclusion: The Combined-Apgar allows a more appropriate description of infant’s condition under conditions of modern neonatal care. It should be used as a tool for better comparison of group of infants and postnatal interventions.

Traditional tests for large-scale assessment of mathematics learning have been criticized for several reasons, such as their mismatch between the vision of mathematical competence and the content covered by the test, and their failure to provide relevant information for guiding further learning and instruction. To achieve that large-scale assessments can function as tools for monitoring and improving learning and teaching, one has to move away from the rationale, the constraints, and the practices of traditional tests. As an illustration this paper presents an alternative approach to largescale assessment of elementary school mathematics developed in Flanders, Belgium Using models of item response theory, 14 measurement scales were constructed, each representing a cluster of curriculum standards and covering as a whole the mathematics curriculum relating to numbers, measurement and geometry. A representative sample of 5,763 sixth-graders (12-year-olds) belonging to 184 schools participated in the study. Based on expert judgments a cut-off score was set that determines the minimum level that students must achieve on each scale to master the standards. Overall, the more innovative curriculum standards were mastered less well than the more traditional ones. Few gender differences in performance were observed. The advantages of this approach and its further development are discussed.

No description available.

Studiens overordnede hensikt er å bidra til økt forståelse omkring sammenhengen mellom vurdering og skriving i fremmedspråkundervisningen. Det er særlig vurdering som læringsfremmende verktøy i forhold til elevenes utvikling av skrivekompetanse som er fokus i studien. Denne studien har både et elev- og lærerperspektiv, men særlig kommer lærerens vurderingskompetanse og betydningen av denne i elevenes læringsprosess til syne.   Skriveopplæringen i fremmedspråk i Norge foregår i all hovedsak i en skolekontekst, i et klasserom med én lærer og mange elever. Når læreren skal gi tilbakemeldinger på elevtekster, står hun overfor mange valg. Hvordan hun velger å respondere på tekstene, har betydning for hvordan eleven opplever sitt eget arbeid med å skape mening på et fremmedspråk og for hvordan forholdet mellom elev og lærer oppfattes. Denne konteksten er gjenstand for denne studien. Materialet, som består av observasjon, intervjuer, elevtekster og spørreskjemaer, har jeg hentet i en ungdomsskole, der en lærer gav meg tilgang til å observere hennes arbeid i klasserommet og med vurdering av elevtekster. Datainnsamlingen foregikk i en periode på halvannet år.   Et av hovedfunnene i studien er at formativ vurdering som medierende artefakt har betydning for elevenes skriveprosess. Så lenge elevene har forståelse for målet med skrivingen og hensikten med de tilbakemeldingene de får i skriveprosessen, vil de også arbeide grundigere med teksten på alle nivå i neste skrivefase. Samtidig bidrar en felles forståelse av målene for skrivingen til at læringsprosessen blir mer transparent og åpner opp for et bedre samarbeid mellom elevene i skriveprosessen.   Et annet viktig funn i denne studien er at det synes som lærerens vurderingskompetanse er svært sentral for elevenes utvikling av skrivekompetanse i tysk. Hele vurderingskulturen i klasserommet synes å utvikles når tolkningsfellesskap mellom lærer og elever oppstår, der prosessen, hensikten og konteksten er tydelig og forståelig for alle deltakerne i kunnskapskonstruksjonen. / The overriding aim of the study is to contribute to an increased understanding of the link between assessment and writing in foreign language teaching. There is a particular focus on assessment as a learning enhancing tool in relation to the students’ development of their writing skills. This study has been conducted from both student and teacher perspectives, but the teacher’s assessment skills and the significance of this in the student’s learning process is particularly prominent. The teaching of writing in foreign languages in Norway principally occurs in the school context. When the teacher has to give feedback on students’ texts, she is faced with many choices. How she chooses to respond to the texts has implications for how the students experience their own work in order to create meaning in a foreign language and for how the relationship between the students and the teacher is perceived. This context is the subject of this study. I obtained the data material, which consists of observations, interviews, students’ texts and questionnaires, in a junior secondary school observing one teacher and her students. The data was collected over a period of 18 months. One of the principal findings of the study is that formative assessment as a mediating artefact is significant to the students’ writing process. Provided that the students have an understanding of the purpose of the writing and the aim of the feedback they receive during the writing process, they will also work on the text more thoroughly on all levels in the next phase of writing. A shared understanding of the aims of the writing also contributes to the learning process becoming more transparent, opening up for a better collaboration on the writing process among the students. Another important finding of this study is that it appears that the teacher’s assessment ability plays a central role in the students’ development of writing skills in German. The whole assessment culture in the classroom appears to develop when teacher and students have a common reference of assessment and when the process, purpose and context is clear and understandable to all the participants while building knowledge. / Der übergeordnete Zweck der Studie besteht darin, zu einem besseren Verständnis für den Zusammenhang zwischen der Beurteilung und dem Erbringen von schriftlichen Leistungen im Fremdsprachenunterricht beizutragen. Im Mittelpunkt steht vor allem die Beurteilung als lernförderndes Mittel für die Entwicklung der Schreibkompetenz der Schüler. Die Studie besitzt sowohl eine Schüler- als auch eine Lehrerperspektive, zeigt aber vor allem die Wichtigkeit der Beurteilungskompetenz der Lehrkraft und deren Bedeutung für den Lernprozess der Schüler auf. Fremdsprachlicher Schreibunterricht findet in Norwegen hauptsächlich in einem schulischen Kontext statt, wobei eine Lehrkraft viele Schüler im fremdsprachlichen Klassenzimmer betreut. Wenn die Lehrkraft Rückmeldungen zu Schülertexten gibt, hat sie zahlreiche Wahlmöglichkeiten. Die gewählte Art der Rückmeldung zu schriftlichen Leistungen hat zweierlei Auswirkungen, zum einen darauf, wie die Schüler ihre eigenes Arbeiten und somit ihr Bemühen etwas Sinnvolles in der Fremdsprache auszudrücken erleben, und zum anderen wie das Verhältnis zwischen den Schülern und der Lehrkraft aufgefasst wird. Dieser Kontext ist Gegenstand der Studie. Das Material, bestehend aus Beobachtungen, Interviews, Schülertexten und Fragebögen, stammt aus einer norwegischen "ungdomssskole" (entspricht in etwa der Sekundarstufe I in Deutschland), wo mir eine Lehrkraft Gelegenheit gab, ihre Vorgehensweise während des Unterrichtens und bei der Beurteilung von schriftlichen Leistungen der Schüler zu beobachten. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte in einem Zeitraum von eineinhalb Jahren. Eines der Hauptergebnisse der Studie besteht darin, dass eine formative Beurteilung als mediierendes Artefakt für die Schreibprozesse der Schüler von Bedeutung ist. Solange die Schüler Verständnis für das Ziel des Schreibens und den Zweck der Rückmeldungen haben, die sie während des Schreibprozesses erhalten, arbeiten sie auch in der nächsten Schreibphase auf allen Ebenen gründlicher mit dem Text. Gleichzeitig trägt ein gemeinsames Verständnis für die Ziele des Schreibens dazu bei, den Lernprozess transparenter zu machen und eine bessere Zusammenarbeit der Schüler untereinander während des Schreibprozesses zu fördern. Ein weiteres wichtiges Ergebnis dieser Studie ist, dass die Beurteilungskompetenz der Lehrkraft sehr wichtig für die Entwicklung der Schreibkompetenz der Schüler im Fach Deutsch zu sein scheint. Die gesamte Beurteilungskultur im Unterricht wird weiterentwickelt, wenn eine Deutungsgemeinschaft zwischen Lehrkraft und Schüler entsteht, in der der Prozess, der Zweck und der Kontext für alle an der Wissenskonstruktion Beteiligten deutlich und verständlich werden.

Background: Since an objective description is essential to determine infant’s postnatal condition and efficacy of interventions, two scores were suggested in the past but weren’t tested yet: The Specified-Apgar uses the 5 items of the conventional Apgar score; however describes the condition regardless of gestational age (GA) or resuscitative interventions. The Expanded-Apgar measures interventions needed to achieve this condition. We hypothesized that the combination of both (Combined-Apgar) describes postnatal condition of preterm infants better than either of the scores alone. Methods: Scores were assessed in preterm infants below 32 completed weeks of gestation. Data were prospectively collected in 20 NICU in 12 countries. Prediction of poor outcome (death, severe/moderate BPD, IVH, CPL and ROP) was used as a surrogate parameter to compare the scores. To compare predictive value the AUC for the ROC was calculated. Results: Of 2150 eligible newborns, data on 1855 infants with a mean GA of 286/7± 23/7 weeks were analyzed. At 1 minute, the Combined-Apgar was significantly better in predicting poor outcome than the Specified- or Expanded-Apgar alone. Of infants with a very low score at 5 or 10 minutes 81% or 100% had a poor outcome, respectively. In these infants the relative risk (RR) for perinatal mortality was 24.93 (13.16-47.20) and 31.34 (15.91-61.71), respectively. Conclusion: The Combined-Apgar allows a more appropriate description of infant’s condition under conditions of modern neonatal care. It should be used as a tool for better comparison of group of infants and postnatal interventions.

The vasomotor axon reflex can be evoked in peripheral epidermal nociceptive C-fibers to induce local vasodilation. This neurogenic flare response is a measure of C-fiber functional integrity and therefore shows impairment in patients with small fiber neuropathy. Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and laser Doppler imaging (LDI) are both techniques to analyze vasomotor small fiber function by quantifying the integrity of the vasomotor-mediated axon reflex. While LDF assesses the flare response following acetylcholine iontophoresis with temporal resolution at a single defined skin point, LDI records flare responses with spatial and temporal resolution, generating a two-dimensional map of superficial blood flow. LDF is characterized by a high intra- and interindividual measurement variability, which is smaller in LDI due to its spatial resolution. Nevertheless, LDI still lacks standardized methods for image analysis. Consequently, use of the technique currently remains on an experimental level. Here, we sought to review the current literature on laser Doppler assessment of vasomotor function and discuss potential future applications of established techniques as well as those that are still experimental.

Präsenzbewertung im Kommunikationsraum der Telefonie ist ein zunehmend wichtiges Gebiet der Forschung. Ziel der Dissertation ist es, sich dem natürlichen Kommunikationsraum der verbalen und nonverbalen Kommunikation anzunähern. Im Kommunikationsraum Telefonie existieren noch keine Verfahren, die unterschiedliche Dringlichkeiten von Anrufen wiedergeben. Momentan ist die Signalart ausschließlich davon abhängig, wie der Angerufene sein Mobiltelefon eingestellt hat. In der Arbeit wurde ein Verfahren entwickelt, das unmittelbar vor der Signalisierung eines Anrufes die Signalart abhängig vom Kontext des Angerufenen individuell ermittelt und automatisch einstellt. Dabei werden Algorithmen aus dem Bereich der KI verwendet. Mit Hilfe von Lernalgorithmen werden die Ergebnisse der Präsenzbewertung kontinuierlich verbessert. Im Rahmen eines Experimentes konnten Präzisionen bei sechs verschiedenen Signalarten von bis zu 73 % erreicht werden. Dieses Verfahren ermöglicht eine deutliche Annäherung an den natürlichen Kommunikationsraum.

Background: Maintaining independence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is crucial for older adults. This study explored the association between cognitive and functional performance in general and in single IADL domains. Also, risk factors for developing IADL impairment were assessed. Methods: Here, 3,215 patients aged 75–98 years were included. Data were collected during home visits. Results: Cognitive functioning was associated with IADL both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Regarding the single IADL domains cross-sectionally, executive functioning was especially associated with shopping, while episodic memory was associated with responsibility for own medication. Conclusion: Reduced performance in neuropsychological tests is associated with a greater risk of current and subsequent functional impairment.

The underwater mining has increased in the recent years and the growing awareness of the potential impacts on the environment, as results of increasing the encroachment on the marine environment. Therefore, the debate has increased about how to protect this environment by using the scientific research that\'s relevant to the various environmental effects and developing the equipment used in dredging. There is a wide diversity of underwater mining equipments, such as continuous and non-continuous dredging which used for production of sand, gravel, alluvial deposits and raw material. There are a relation between increasingly dredging activities in the recent years and their impacts on the aquatic environment. These impacts are causes by changes in the topography of the sea floor such as turbidity, noise and other environmental impacts. Today, there is an international framework of legislation which has been developed for dredging projects. This contains rules and regulations which must be followed by mining companies and have to implemented by national authorities. The European countries also develop their legislation to control on the dredged material which deposit on land and sea. This legislation is constantly changing related to scientific knowledge and increasing the implementation frameworks. Also, the people become more sensitive to emissions that have a negative attitude towards dredging in the neighborhood. In addition, dredging techniques give rise to objections, which eventually led to think in more environmentally-friendly production methods. After that, the use of dredger is the only alternative in some project. The question is what are the true benefits of these techniques and what is the relation between possible improvements and technological potential as well as the costs. Therefore, it is intended to assess mining techniques in the context of their environmental impact and the costs. There are many systematic approaches which have been used for evaluation and determination of the environmental performances of different dredging equipment, techniques and procedures. Moreover, the new future developments and latest proposals in the dredging industry have been presented. Also, the new proposal to reduce the turbidity and suspended material effect which is the most important environmental impacts during dredging operations has presented. This research work gives a description of underwater mining techniques and different way of evaluating the dredging equipment’s in term of environmental, economic and social aspects. Also, this work presents two different methods of evaluation. The first approach is the statistical analyses method by using the modern Fuzzy evaluation concept. The second slant is a mathematical accounting method by using the information from the Egyptian case study, in order to reach the most environmental-friendly dredging techniques by taking into account the economic and social point of views. The final evaluation showed that the suction and bucket ladder dredger are the best choices. The assessment was made after comparing many parameters such as performance, characteristics, working depth, soil types and project area. Also, this work presents two different new practices for extraction of the underwater placer deposits which occur on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. The first technique uses floating processing unit in the in situ area, which gets the extracted material and treated it to reduce the transportation costs. The second technique has divided the working area to many stages which make the suction dredger used also for transporting the material into the beach. The pipeline will be the best method of transportation by using the power of suction, which reduce also the transportation costs and also avoid the environmental effects.

No description available.