How Digital Content Resellers are Impacting Trade Book Publishing

Some key questions for publishers in today’s market are: Could Amazon’s recent merger and acquisitions strategy create a disruptive or paradigm shifting business model in the publishing industry? Do their recent actions post mergers and acquisitions illustrate a predicable pattern of behaviour that publishers can strategize around? This paper will explore these questions and look at some of the possible reasons behind Amazon’s business practices and the possible consequences to publishers.     

Dielectrophoresis based discrimination of human embryonic stem cells from differentiating derivatives

Assessment of the dielectrophoresis (DEP) cross-over frequency (f_xo), cell diameter, and derivative membrane capacitance (C_m) values for a group of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines (H1, H9, RCM1, RH1), and for a transgenic subclone of H1 (T8) revealed that hESC lines could not be discriminated on their mean f_xo and C_m values, the latter of which ranged from 14 to 20 mF/m². Differentiation of H1 and H9 to a mesenchymal stem cell-like phenotype resulted in similar significant increases in mean C_m values to 41–49 mF/m² in both lines (p < 0.0001). BMP4-induced differentiation of RCM1 to a trophoblast cell-like phenotype also resulted in a distinct and significant increase in mean C_m value to 28 mF/m² (p < 0.0001). The progressive transition to a higher membrane capacitance was also evident after each passage of cell culture as H9 cells transitioned to a mesenchymal stem cell-like state induced by growth on a substrate of hyaluronan. These findings confirm the existence of distinctive parameters between undifferentiated and differentiating cells on which future application of dielectrophoresis in the context of hESC manufacturing can be based.     

Bipolar queries in textual information retrieval: A new perspective

A new concept of a bipolar query against collections of textual documents, i.e. in the context of information retrieval (IR), is introduced using recent developments in bipolar information modeling and bipolar database queries. Specifically, a particular approach to bipolar queries with an explicit “and possibly” type of an aggregation operator is used. An effective and efficient processing of such bipolar queries using standard IR data structures is briefly discussed. The bipolar queries proposed combine a flexibility provided by fuzzy logic with a more sophisticated representation of user preferences and intentions. This combination can make the search of vast resources of textual document, notably those available via the Internet, more intelligent.     

第19届世界杯足球赛各队技战术能力的综合评价

对第19届世界杯足球赛决赛阶段32强、64场比赛的11项技战术指标进行统计,并运用Q型聚类、等级相关分析法、单因素方差分析和多重比较等统计学方法对所得数据进行了分析和检验.结果表明:运用Q型聚类对足球队的技战术指标进行量化评价具有较高的可靠性.能够客观反映各队的技战术能力.在揭示世界足球技战术发展趋势的同时,探索出一种较合理有效的量化评价球队技战术质量的方法.     

Impact of Diagnosticity on the Adequacy of Models for Cognitive Diagnosis under a Linear Attribute Structure: A Simulation Study

Compared to unidimensional item response models (IRMs), cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) based on latent classes represent examinees' knowledge and item requirements using discrete structures. This study systematically examines the viability of retrofitting CDMs to IRM‐based data with a linear attribute structure. The study utilizes a procedure to make the IRM and CDM frameworks comparable and investigates how estimation accuracy is affected by test diagnosticity and the match between the true and fitted models. The study shows that comparable results can be obtained when highly diagnostic IRM data are retrofitted with CDM, and vice versa, retrofitting CDMs to IRM‐based data in some conditions can result in considerable examinee misclassification, and model fit indices provide limited indication of the accuracy of item parameter estimation and attribute classification.     

Attitudes towards school self-evaluation

Research reveals that a positive attitude towards self-evaluation is a pre-condition which favours successful school self-evaluation. This article describes how self-evaluation is regarded in schools and investigates whether school characteristics can explain differences in the attitude of individuals. We report on a survey study conducted among 2716 school principals and teachers in 96 schools. Our research shows that respondents expressed themselves more positively with regard to the possible results of self-evaluation than with regard to the self-evaluation process itself. We also found that school principals exhibit a more positive attitude than teachers. Multi-level analyses demonstrate that the attitude towards self-evaluation is related to the characteristics of the broader functioning of the school where the respondent works (such as school culture and whether or not the school concerned meets the criteria of a professional learning community).     

Development of the self-regulated learning teacher belief scale

The present study describes the development and psychometric properties of the Self-Regulated Learning Teacher Belief Scale (SRLTB). The SRLTB is a self-report teacher scale with 10 items assessing teachers' beliefs about introducing self-regulated learning (SRL) in primary education. The process of item and scale development as well as testing and scale refinement procedure is presented. An explorative study (n=399) revealed a one-factor structure representing adherence of teachers for SRL in primary school. Next, Rasch analysis revealed good fit of the scale to the unidimensional continuum model. In a following study (n=553), construct validity of the SRLTB was confirmed. Finally, implications and limitations of the SRLTB for studying SRL are discussed. In general, the SRLTB appears to be a useful instrument for examining teacher beliefs about self-regulated learning practices in primary schools.     

Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy

The present study investigated the effects of different intensities of resistance training (RT) on elbow flexion and leg press one-repetition maximum (1RM) and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). Thirty men volunteered to participate in an RT programme, performed twice a week for 12 weeks. The study employed a within-subject design, in which one leg and arm trained at 20% 1RM (G20) and the contralateral limb was randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: 40% (G40); 60% (G60), and 80% 1RM (G80). The G20 started RT session with three sets to failure. After G20 training, the number of sets was adjusted for the other contralateral limb conditions with volume-matched. CSA and 1RM were assessed at pre, post-6 weeks, and post-12 weeks. There was time effect for CSA for the vastus lateralis (VL) (8.9%, 20.5%, 20.4%, and 19.5%) and elbow flexors (EF) (11.4%, 25.3%, 25.1%, and 25%) in G20, G40, G60, and G80, respectively (p?>?.05). G80 showed higher CSA than G20 for VL (19.5% vs. 8.9%) and EF (25% vs. 11.4%) at post-12 weeks (p?p?相似文献   

An audit of injuries in six english professional soccer academies

Regulations now state that professional academies in the United Kingdom are required to substantially increase the volume of soccer training. This study assessed the current injury occurrence, providing an update to reports published prior to the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). 608 soccer players aged 11–18 years from six professional soccer clubs were prospectively monitored, recording injuries during the 2014–2015 season. An injury rate of 1.32 injuries per player/season was indicated with a mean time loss of 21.9 days per injury. The greatest time loss per injury was in the U14s-U15s, and the highest rate of severe injuries in the U15s. Strains and sprains were the most common injury type, with the knee and ankle the most frequently injured anatomical sites. Seasonal variation indicated two peaks in injury incidence, occurring in September and January. In comparison to a published audit prior to the inception of the EPPP, this study indicates that academy soccer players are three-times more likely to experience an injury. Given that time loss and injury severity also increased during periods that typically follow rapid growth, these players should be considered an important group for training load monitoring and injury prevention strategies.     

Social inequality in education and the use of extramural support services: access and parental experiences in disadvantaged families

European Journal of Psychology of Education - As low socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic minority students often experience barriers during their school career, increased levels of referral of...