WOMBAT A tool for mixed model analyses in quantitative genetics by restricted maximum likelihood （REML）

WOMBAT is a software package for quantitative genetic analyses of continuous traits, fitting a linear, mixed model; estimates of covariance components and the resulting genetic parameters are obtained by restricted maximum likelihood. A wide range of models, comprising numerous traits, multiple fixed and random effects, selected genetic covariance structures, random regression models and reduced rank estimation are accommodated. WOMBAT employs up-to-date numerical and computational methods. Together with the use of efficient compilers, this generates fast executable programs, suitable for large scale analyses. Use of WOMBAT is illustrated for a bivariate analysis. The package consists of the executable program, available for LINUX and WINDOWS environments, manual and a set of worked example, and can be downloaded free of charge from http://agbu. une.edu.au/~kmeyer/wombat.html     

The dyadic nature of bullying and victimization: testing a dual-perspective theory

For this study, information on Who Bullies Who was collected from 54 school classes with 918 children (M age = 11) and 13,606 dyadic relations. Bullying and victimization were viewed separately from the point of view of the bully and the victim. The two perspectives were highly complementary. The probability of a bully-victim relationship was higher if the bully was more dominant than the victim, and if the victim was more vulnerable than the bully and more rejected by the class. In a bully-victim dyad, boys were more often the bullies. There was no finding of sex effect for victimization. Liking reduced and disliking increased the probability of a bully-victim relationship.     

Infant joint attention, temperament, and social competence in preschool children

Infant joint attention has been observed to be related to social-emotional outcomes in at-risk children. To address whether this relation is also evident in typically developing children, 52 children were tested at 12, 15, 24, and 30 months to examine associations between infant joint attention and social outcomes. Twelve-month initiating and responding to joint attention were related to 30-month social competence and externalizing behavior, even when accounting for 15-month temperament ratings, 24-month cognition and language, and demographic variables. These results suggest that, in addition to associations with language and cognition, infant joint attention reflects robust aspects of development that are related to individual differences in the emergence of social and behavioral competence in childhood.     

Barriers to prisoner participation in educational courses: Insights from a remand prison in Belgium

International Review of Education - This article examines the profile of prisoners who do not take part in formal education while being incarcerated (e.g. language or ICT courses) and the barriers...     

Refining Students’ Explanations of an Unfamiliar Physical Phenomenon-Microscopic Friction

Research in Science Education - The first phase of this multiphase study involves modeling of college students’ thinking of friction at the microscopic level. Diagnostic interviews were...     

Effects of blood flow restriction without additional exercise on strength reductions and muscular atrophy following immobilization:A systematic review

Purpose:To investigate whether blood flow restriction(BFR) without concomitant exercise mitigated strength reduction and atrophy of thigh muscles in subjects under immobilization for lower limbs.Methods:The following databases were searched:PubMed,CINAHL,PEDro,Web of Science,Central,and Scopus.Results:The search identified 3 eligible studies,and the total sample in the identified studies consisted of 38 participants.Isokinetic and isometric torque of the knee flexors and extensors was examined in 2 studies.Cross-sectional area of thigh muscles was evaluated in 1 study,and thigh girth was measured in 2 studies.The BFR protocol was 5 sets of 5 min of occlusion and 3 min of free flow,twice daily for approximately 2 weeks.As a whole,the included studies indicate that BFR without exercise is able to minimize strength reduction and muscular atrophy after immobilization.It is crucial to emphasize,however,that the included studies showed a high risk of bias,especially regarding allocation concealment,blinding of outcome assessment,intention-to-treat analyses,and group similarity at baseline.Conclusion:Although potentially useful,the high risk of bias presented by original stodies limits the indication of BFR without concomitant exercise as an effective countermeasure against strength reduction and atrophy mediated by immobilization.     

中国区域经济与环境协调度预测分析

经济发展与环境之间的关系已经成为全世界特别是发展中国家关心的问题，但有关的定量研究比较缺乏。该文首先解释了经济与环境协调度基本概念与模型内涵，并介绍了灰色系统在贫信息系统中进行预测的基本原理。通过灰色系统GM(1,1)模型对90年代我国省级区域的经济与环境协调度进行了计算，经过检验，模型模拟精度较高。因此运用此模型对2005年与2010年的区域协调度进行了预测。结果表明，我国大部分地区的经济与环境关系基本处于调和状态，即经济的增长是以牺牲环境为代价的。未来10a的协调度空间分布仍然呈现“U”型特征。处于转折点附近的省区协调度波动比较大，包括广大的中部地区。尽量减少波动并尽快实现协调度的转折是这些地区在经济发展过程中要注意的问题；西部大部分地区如果继续沿用90年代的发展策略，对经济发展政策和手段不作宏观的调控，在西部开发过程中出现的环境问题将会越来越严重。     

劳动力市场分割与大学毕业生失业

具有大学以上学历者占我国全部劳动者的比例非常低 ,但最近几年大学毕业生找工作却有越来越难的趋势。这种看似矛盾的现象是转型过程中劳动力市场分割这一制度背景下 ,大学毕业生与用人单位相互搜寻的结果。过大的城乡收入差距和过高的工作转换成本 ,使大学毕业生“宁要城里一张床 ,不要农村一幢房”,但城里的用人单位却因过高的解聘成本和户口成本而不能吸收更多的大学毕业生。因此 ,大学毕业生就业难的缓解和解决 ,要依赖经济发展 ,也离不开体制改革