Who succeeds in STEM studies? An analysis of Binghamton University undergraduate students

Using student level data, the characteristics of STEM and Non-STEM students are examined for attributes associated with academic success. We use fixed effects models to analyze the variables’ role in attaining graduation and college GPA and find preparation and ability, as evidenced by Advanced Placement course work, mathematical ability, gender, ethnicity, high school GPA and college experience are all statistically significant indicators of success. These attributes may confer a comparative advantage to STEM students. The engineers have statistically significant differing response elasticities than the non-engineers, and show evidence of persistence that may arise from learning-by-doing. A successful engineering STEM major at Binghamton has good mathematics preparation, and disproportionately is of Asian ethnicity. Women are few in numbers as engineers. Other STEM fields see less emphasis on mathematics preparation, but more emphasis on the presence of AP course work. Women have the same presence in these other STEM fields as in the whole university.     

Comparison of Methods for Analyzing Global Positioning System and Accelerometer Data during School Recess

Several geospatial approaches have been used to characterize physical activity during recess using global positioning system (GPS) data. GPS and accelerometer data from 23 children collected during recess were analyzed using four previously used approaches: (1) dot map, (2) fishnet grid, (3) hot spot analysis, which determines clusters of high/low intensity values, and (4) zonal approach wherein the schoolyard was divided into zones to determine the time and intensity in each zone. Results from each method were compared to each other and to video observation. Hot spot analysis revealed clusters of high-intensity values, which were supported by dot and grid maps and video. However, the zonal approach revealedpatterns in where children play that were not always comparable tovideo, potentially due to missing GPS data. Recommendations for the use of these methods in future research are discussed.     

Role of Common Biochemical Markers for the Assessment of Fracture Union

The progress of fracture union requires close monitoring. Whereas, clinical examination and radiographic studies assess the outcome, biochemical markers like serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline reflect the actual status of bone resorption and bone formation over a short time frame. 36 patients of long bone fracture were randomly allocated for the study. When the patient reported to the Department of Orthopedics after fracture, serum and urinary samples were collected and X-ray of the affected part were taken. Subsequent samples were collected and X-ray taken just after management (either operative or conservative), after 3rd, 5th, 8th and 12th week, respectively after onset of fracture. According to the course of callus formation the patients were divided into two groups that progressed to proper union or malunion. The levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, urinary total and free hydroxyproline levels were measured and statistically analysed and compared. A statistically significant positive correlation between total urinary hydroxyproline excretion and serum alkaline phosphatase indicate progress towards satisfactory union. Thus, serial monitoring of biochemical markers of bone turnover can be used as an adjunct to clinical and radiological evidence of fracture healing.     

A study of readability of texts in Bangla through machine learning approaches

In this work, we have investigated text readability in Bangla language. Text readability is an indicator of the suitability of a given document with respect to a target reader group. Therefore, text readability has huge impact on educational content preparation. The advances in the field of natural language processing have enabled the automatic identification of reading difficulty of texts and contributed in the design and development of suitable educational materials. In spite of the fact that, Bangla is one of the major languages in India and the official language of Bangladesh, the research of text readability in Bangla is still in its nascent stage. In this paper, we have presented computational models to determine the readability of Bangla text documents based on syntactic properties. Since Bangla is a digital resource poor language, therefore, we were required to develop a novel dataset suitable for automatic identification of text properties. Our initial experiments have shown that existing English readability metrics are inapplicable for Bangla. Accordingly, we have proceeded towards new models for analyzing text readability in Bangla. We have considered language specific syntactic features of Bangla text in this work. We have identified major structural contributors responsible for text comprehensibility and subsequently developed readability models for Bangla texts. We have used different machine-learning methods such as regression, support vector machines (SVM) and support vector regression (SVR) to achieve our aim. The performance of the individual models has been compared against one another. We have conducted detailed user survey for data preparation, identification of important structural parameters of texts and validation of our proposed models. The work posses further implications in the field of educational research and in matching text to readers.     

Globalization: "Making Geography Irrelevant"

Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore, in 1967, declared the advent of a "new audio-visual age of global Gemeinschaft":1 "Electric circuitry has overthrown the regime of 'time' and 'space' and pours upon us incessantly and continually the concerns of all other men… .     

On stability of a class of discrete systems

The problem of stability properties for the solutions of nonlinear difference equations is considered. The approach used is to study the behavior of the solutions of nonlinear difference equations with respect to solutions of a nonlinear difference equation. This is a more general setting than the comparison principle in which the comparison equation is a linear difference equation.The principal technique employed is an extension of Liapunov's direct method. A series of theorems is obtained yielding criteria for the behavior of solutions in terms of existence of the Liapunov-type function with appropriate properties.     

A preliminary study of protein thiols and serum cholinesterase in assisted reproduction

In this study we sought to investigate the levels of serum protein thiols and cholinesterase levels before and after intrauterine insemination (IUI).We observed 68% patients showed a decrease in protein thiols and 63% showed a decrease in serum cholinesterase levels after insemination as compared to their respective pre procedure levels. The fall in thiols was statistically significant (p=0.021) indicating there is increased oxidative stress after the procedure. However, we could not comment on any reason for the fall in cholinesterase. Whether the changes in above parameters may have some implication on the overall success rate of IUI is yet to be ascertained.     

E-readers: new opportunities for hospital patients and staff

E-readers provide an opportunity for hospital librarians to reach out to staff and patients with new approaches to library lending. Librarians in four Veterans Health Administration medical centers are using e-readers to enlarge their scope of service in unique ways. The libraries of VA hospitals in Minneapolis, Des Moines, Tampa, and Philadelphia have developed several ways to reach out to new library users.