Validity and repeatability of a depth camera-based surface imaging system for thigh volume measurement

Complex anthropometrics such as area and volume, can identify changes in body size and shape that are not detectable with traditional anthropometrics of lengths, breadths, skinfolds and girths. However, taking these complex with manual techniques (tape measurement and water displacement) is often unsuitable. Three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging systems are quick and accurate alternatives to manual techniques but their use is restricted by cost, complexity and limited access. We have developed a novel low-cost, accessible and portable 3D surface imaging system based on consumer depth cameras. The aim of this study was to determine the validity and repeatability of the system in the measurement of thigh volume. The thigh volumes of 36 participants were measured with the depth camera system and a high precision commercially available 3D surface imaging system (3dMD). The depth camera system used within this study is highly repeatable (technical error of measurement (TEM) of <1.0% intra-calibration and ~2.0% inter-calibration) but systematically overestimates (~6%) thigh volume when compared to the 3dMD system. This suggests poor agreement yet a close relationship, which once corrected can yield a usable thigh volume measurement.     

The effectiveness of a life story program on stress reduction among chinese american family caregivers of older adults

The study aims to examine the effectiveness of a life story program on reducing Chinese American family caregivers’ stress due to the burden of caregiving. This study conducted a quasi-experimental pre-posttest research design. A simple one-way ANOVA was performed to test the significance of the intervention on caregivers’ burden. The life story was not found to be directly statistically significant on reducing burden. However, through the life story intervention, it was discovered that among Chinese American family caregivers their perceived lower dependency of the care receiver, fewer needs of the care receiver and unknown time frame of continuation of care were statistically significant on the burden scale. The life story intervention improved family caregivers’ insight and judgment on the effect that care receivers’ needs and demands had on their continuation of caregiving.     

Promoting science motivation in American Indian middle school students: an intervention

U.S. national data show that American Indians earn lower math and science scores than other ethnic/racial groups. In the current study, a brief, self-affirmation intervention was aimed at increasing science motivational beliefs in American Indian middle school students (n?=?212, M_age?=?12.7 years). Students, each read a biography of a successful scientist who was matched to them on both ethnicity and gender; ethnicity but not gender; gender but not ethnicity; or no match. Students then wrote a short essay describing traits they shared with the scientist. Pre- and post-intervention science self-efficacy, individual interest, and goal orientations were measured to assess intervention efficacy immediately following the intervention and one week later. Results revealed no benefits of the intervention in increasing motivational beliefs for students in any experimental condition. We discuss the fragile fidelity of self-affirmation interventions and conditions that might be necessary for intervention success.     

Music teaches children about themselves and others

Young children can learn about their own feelings and moods through listening to music, by singing songs, and by expressively moving to music. Music and song provide an enjoyable way to introduce young children to the songs and tales of other cultures as well as familiarizing children with words in other languages. A listing of folk songs suitable for early childhood classrooms is provided to support teachers' use of music with children's singing and moving.     

Handling Missing Data in the Modeling of Intensive Longitudinal Data

Myriad approaches for handling missing data exist in the literature. However, few studies have investigated the tenability and utility of these approaches when used with intensive longitudinal data. In this study, we compare and illustrate two multiple imputation (MI) approaches for coping with missingness in fitting multivariate time-series models under different missing data mechanisms. They include a full MI approach, in which all dependent variables and covariates are imputed simultaneously, and a partial MI approach, in which missing covariates are imputed with MI, whereas missingness in the dependent variables is handled via full information maximum likelihood estimation. We found that under correctly specified models, partial MI produces the best overall estimation results. We discuss the strengths and limitations of the two MI approaches, and demonstrate their use with an empirical data set in which children’s influences on parental conflicts are modeled as covariates over the course of 15 days (Schermerhorn, Chow, & Cummings, 2010).     

How does the ecological foraging behavior of desert kangaroo rats (Dipodomys deserti) relate to their behavior on radial mazes?

Experiment 1 showed that laboratory-reared desert kangaroo rats, like domestic Norway rats, efficiently search for food on a radial arm maze (RAM) by avoiding revisiting arms within a trial. By placing an RAM on the floor so the animals could approach food from any direction, Experiment 2 tested whether efficient search by kangaroo rats was based on tactics of distance minimizing, central-place foraging, trail following, or meandering. In contrast to the dominant trail-following tactic of domestic Norway rats (Hoffman, Timberlake, Leffel, & Gont, 1999), kangaroo rats tended to distance minimize, whether maze arms were present or not. Experiment 3 indicated that kangaroo rats treated a floor configuration of eight food cups as twopatches of four, based on beeline travel between patches and meandering within them. We conclude that similar performance in an elevated RAM by different species can be based on different tactics, and we suggest that a laboratory apparatus can be used to cast light on niche-related mechanisms.     

What has <Emphasis Type="Italic">Harry Potter</Emphasis> Done for Me? Children’s Reflections on their ‘<Emphasis Type="Italic">Potter</Emphasis> Experience’

This article reports findings from a small-scale focus-group study funded by the British Academy. Drawing on Herbert Marsh and Richard Shavelson’s notion of “Academic Self-Concept” and David Barton and Mary Hamilton’s view of literacy as context-specific social practices, the authors examine what young British Harry Potter enthusiasts perceive as the influence of the novels on their subsequent reading behaviour and academic development. Specifically, they consider whether these children feel that Harry Potter has helped improve their literacy skills and whether they think the books have changed their attitudes to reading. Moreover, the article sheds light on the role of the films and the possible effect of gender. The authors conclude that the Potter enthusiasts they have interviewed see the series as formative in terms of their literacy. However, regarding gender, intra-group variation (differences among individual readers in a group of either boys or girls) is far more significant than inter-group variation (differences between single-sex groups of boys and girls).     

教你洗脸

Beauty consultants might recommend a facial treatment trifecta(三连胜式)-cleanse,tone andmoisturize-but dermatologists(皮肤学者)saythat comfortable-for-you cleansing is key, and moisturizing may help some skin types.First and Foremost: The Cleanser Itself Use a gentle, water-soluble cleanser to avoid     

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