scholarly journals Assessment of Two Engineering Courses in Architectural Engineering Program in UAE University Based on the Comparison of the Students Results with the Students and the Instructors Opinions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Maatouk Khoukhi

The present study examined the level of outcome satisfaction of two main engineering courses taken by students in the Architectural Engineering department (AE) by evaluating the students’ satisfaction result (SR), the attained level of the students’ opinions (SO), and the instructors’ opinions (IO). The AE program in United Arab Emirates University is one of the departments in the College of Engineering accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET which provides assurance that a College or University program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates. The AE program offers a wide range of engineering courses at different levels from sophomore level to senior level. All the engineering courses are mainly prerequisites to the Capstone Engineering Design Project which builds on the outcomes of all courses to perform detailed design and cost estimates of the selected alternative solutions to a well-defined engineering problem. The two courses considered in this study are Building Electrical Circuits and Building Acoustics and Lighting. New assessment parameters which are the student course outcome satisfaction coefficient (SCOSC) and the mean absolute deviation around a central point (AMD) have been introduced in this paper. These two parameters are calculated based on the comparison of the students’ satisfaction results with both students’ opinions and insructors’ opinions, and compare the mean absolute deviations of the students’ direct results with the students’ opinions and the instructors’ opinions, respectively. Indeed, the course learning outcomes (CLOs) of the SR of some sections for both courses show higher attainment compared with the SO and IO.

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1530-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinsuke Koyama

We propose a statistical method for modeling the non-Poisson variability of spike trains observed in a wide range of brain regions. Central to our approach is the assumption that the variance and the mean of interspike intervals are related by a power function characterized by two parameters: the scale factor and exponent. It is shown that this single assumption allows the variability of spike trains to have an arbitrary scale and various dependencies on the firing rate in the spike count statistics, as well as in the interval statistics, depending on the two parameters of the power function. We also propose a statistical model for spike trains that exhibits the variance-to-mean power relationship. Based on this, a maximum likelihood method is developed for inferring the parameters from rate-modulated spike trains. The proposed method is illustrated on simulated and experimental spike trains.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 197-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Lieske

Conventional astronomical standards are applied to a wide range of applications, many of which do not require state-of-the-art precision. Stability of the standards is of great importance, although there is a trend by some in the astronomical community to promote frequent revision of the values of astronomical constants. It is possible to employ stable standards and to differentially correct them by use of the IERS formulation when very precise observations require such action.The IERS formulation for the transformation from a fixed frame to an of-date frame involves precession and nutation along with two parameters δψ and δ which can represent modifications to the standard precession and nutation formulation. The transformation from the mean-of-date frame to the true-of-date frame in the IERS formulation using rotation matrices is rtrue = NrMean whereN = R1(−εm − Δε − δε) R3 (−ΔΨ − δΨ) R1(ε)mwhere εm is the mean obliquity, ΔΨ and Δε are the nutations in longitude and obliquity, and where δψ and δε are IERS parameters which allow for changes to the IAU system. They are tabulated in the IERS reports and are generally thought of as observationally-determined values, but the IERS formulation can be used to introduce corrections of an arbitrary nature.


1966 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 170-180
Author(s):  
D. L. Crawford

Early in the 1950's Strömgren (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) introduced medium to narrow-band interference filter photometry at the McDonald Observatory. He used six interference filters to obtain two parameters of astrophysical interest. These parameters he calledlandc, for line and continuum hydrogen absorption. The first measured empirically the absorption line strength of Hβby means of a filter of half width 35Å centered on Hβand compared to the mean of two filters situated in the continuum near Hβ. The second index measured empirically the Balmer discontinuity by means of a filter situated below the Balmer discontinuity and two above it. He showed that these two indices could accurately predict the spectral type and luminosity of both B stars and A and F stars. He later derived (6) an indexmfrom the same filters. This index was a measure of the relative line blanketing near 4100Å compared to two filters above 4500Å. These three indices confirmed earlier work by many people, including Lindblad and Becker. References to this earlier work and to the systems discussed today can be found in Strömgren's article inBasic Astronomical Data(7).


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
Todd Backes ◽  
Charlene Takacs

There are a wide range of options for individuals to choose from in order to engage in aerobic exercise; from outdoor running to computer controlled and self-propelled treadmills. Recently, self-propelled treadmills have increased in popularity and provide an alternative to a motorized treadmill. Twenty subjects (10 men, 10 women) ranging in age from 19-23 with a mean of 20.4 ± 0.8 SD were participants in this study. The subjects visited the laboratory on three occasions. The purpose of the first visit was to familiarize the subject with the self-propelled treadmill (Woodway Curve 3.0). The second visit, subjects were instructed to run on the self-propelled treadmill for 3km at a self-determined pace. Speed data were collected directly from the self-propelled treadmill. The third visit used speed data collected during the self-propelled treadmill run to create an identically paced 3km run for the subjects to perform on a motorized treadmill (COSMED T150). During both the second and third visit, oxygen consumption (VO2) and respiratory exchange ratio (R) data were collected with COSMED’s Quark cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) metabolic mixing chamber system. The VO2 mean value for the self-propelled treadmill (44.90 ± 1.65 SE ml/kg/min) was significantly greater than the motorized treadmill (34.38 ± 1.39 SE ml/kg/min). The mean R value for the self-propelled treadmill (0.91 ± 0.01 SE) was significantly greater than the motorized treadmill (0.86 ± 0.01 SE). Our study demonstrated that a 3km run on a self-propelled treadmill does elicit a greater physiological response than a 3km run at on a standard motorized treadmill. Self-propelled treadmills provide a mode of exercise that offers increased training loads and should be considered as an alternative to motorized treadmills.


Author(s):  
V. Dodokhov ◽  
N. Pavlova ◽  
T. Rumyantseva ◽  
L. Kalashnikova

The article presents the genetic characteristic of the Chukchi reindeer breed. The object of the study was of the Chukchi reindeer. In recent years, the number of reindeer of the Chukchi breed has declined sharply. Reduced reindeer numbers could lead to biodiversity loss. The Chukchi breed of deer has good meat qualities, has high germination viability and is adapted in adverse tundra conditions of Yakutia. Herding of the Chukchi breed of deer in Yakutia are engaged only in the Nizhnekolymsky district. There are four generic communities and the largest of which is the agricultural production cooperative of nomadic tribal community «Turvaurgin», which was chosen to assess the genetic processes of breed using microsatellite markers: Rt6, BMS1788, Rt 30, Rt1, Rt9, FCB193, Rt7, BMS745, C 143, Rt24, OheQ, C217, C32, NVHRT16, T40, C276. It was found that microsatellite markers have a wide range of alleles and generally have a high informative value for identifying of genetic differences between animals and groups of animal. The number of identified alleles is one of the indicators of the genetic diversity of the population. The total number of detected alleles was 127. The Chukchi breed of deer is characterized by a high level of heterozygosity, and the random crossing system prevails over inbreeding in the population. On average, there were 7.9 alleles (Na) per locus, and the mean number of effective alleles (Ne) was 4.1. The index of fixation averaged 0.001. The polymorphism index (PIC) ranged from 0.217 to 0.946, with an average of 0.695.


2000 ◽  
Vol 151 (10) ◽  
pp. 385-397
Author(s):  
Bernard Primault

Many years ago, a model was elaborated to calculate the«beginning of the vegetation's period», based on temperatures only (7 days with +5 °C temperature or more). The results were correlated with phenological data: the beginning of shoots with regard to spruce and larch. The results were not satisfying, therefore, the value of the two parameters of the first model were modified without changing the second one. The result, however, was again not satisfying. Research then focused on the influence of cumulated temperatures over thermal thresholds. Nevertheless, the results were still not satisfying. The blossoming of fruit trees is influenced by the mean temperature of a given period before the winter solstice. Based on this knowledge, the study evaluated whether forest trees could also be influenced by temperature or sunshine duration of a given period in the rear autumn. The investigation was carried through from the first of January on as well as from the date of snow melt of the following year. In agricultural meteorology, the temperature sums are often interrelated with the sunshine duration, precipitation or both. However,the results were disappointing. All these calculations were made for three stations situated between 570 and 1560 m above sea-level. This allowed to draw curves of variation of the two first parameters (number of days and temperature) separately for each species observed. It was finally possible to specify the thus determined curves with data of three other stations situated between the first ones. This allows to calculate the flushing of the two tree species, if direct phenological observation is lacking. This method, however, is only applicable for the northern part of the Swiss Alps.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-247
Author(s):  
Atifete Ramosaj-Morina ◽  
Alije Keka-Sylaj ◽  
Arbana Baloku Zejnullahu ◽  
Lidvana Spahiu ◽  
Virgjina Hasbahta ◽  
...  

Background: Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by variable clinical manifestations, specific antibodies, HLA-DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes, and enteropathy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to present the clinical spectrum and patterns of celiac disease in Kosovar Albanian children. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed with Albanian children aged 0-18 years, treated for celiac disease in the Pediatric Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo from 2005 to 2016. Results: During the study period, 63 children were treated for celiac disease. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.5 years (SD ± 3.31). The mean age at celiac disease onset was 3.3 years (SD ± 2.02), while the mean delay from the first symptoms indicative of celiac disease to diagnosis was 2.2 years (SD ± 2.09). More than 70% of the patients were diagnosed in the first 7 years of life, mainly presented with gastrointestinal symptoms, while primary school children and adolescents mostly showed atypical symptoms (p<0.001). The classical form of celiac disease occurred in 78% of the cases. Sixty (95%) patients carried HLA-DQ2.5, DQ2.2 and/or HLA-DQ8 heterodimers, and only three of them tested negative. Conclusions: Kosovo, as the majority of developing countries, is still facing the classical form of celiac disease as the dominant mode of presentation; as a result, most children with other forms of the celiac disease remain undiagnosed. : Physicians should be aware of the wide range of clinical presentations and utilize low testing thresholds in order to prevent potential long-term problems associated with untreated celiac disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Shehab ◽  
Asim Ahmed Elnour ◽  
Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula ◽  
Joseph Pulavelil Kurian ◽  
Gazi Hassan ◽  
...  

Aims: We aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of pitavastatin 4 mg in a population of people living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Background: Pitavastatin is a member of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors family which was approved for use in adult subjects with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia. To date, no published studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of pitavastatin in the United Arab Emirates. Objective: The main objective of the current study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of pitavastatin in subjects with dyslipidemia for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases based on total cardiovascular risk. Methods: This was a multicentre (four private hospitals) prospective cohort study to analyze data on the use of pitavastatin for dyslipidemia in adult outpatients in Abu Dhabi and Dubai emirates, United Arab Emirates. We have followed-up the clinical profiles of subjects in four hospitals for six-weeks during the period from June 2015 to June 2017. Efficacy was based on the evaluation of the mean (± standard deviation) change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol between baseline and week six after the initiation of pitavastatin therapy. Safety was reported as the incidence of adverse events occurred with the use of pitavastatin and the development of new-onset diabetes. Results: A total of 400 subjects who were receiving pitavastatin 4 mg were included. The mean age of subjects was 50.7 ±10.8 years, of these 79.0% were males. At the baseline, the mean level of total cholesterol was 185.4 ±41.5 mg/dL, low density lipoprotein was 154.9 ±48.55 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 40.5 ±11.23 mg/dL and fasting blood glucose was 115.0 (±16.63) mg/dl. At the end of six weeks, low density lipoprotein levels significantly decreased to 112.09 ±41.90 mg/dl (standard mean difference [SMD] (-42.8%), 95% CI: -42.88 [-49.17 to -36.58] mg/dl, P <0.001), while high density lipoprotein levels improved (SMD, 95% CI: 1.77% [0.25 to 3.28] mg/dl, P <0.022). There were 55 subjects (13.7%) reported various adverse events such as myalgia (7.5%), sleep disorders (2.5%), and myopathy (2.2%). Furthermore, 4 (1.0%) have had developed new-onset diabetes post six-weeks of initiation of pitavastatin therapy. Conclusion: Pitavastatin 4 mg had howed robust efficacy in reducing LDL-C levels and improving HDL-C levels in subjects with dyslipidemias. The use of pitavastatin was associated with a low discontinuation rate, fewer adverse events, and very limited cases of new-onset diabetes.


1997 ◽  
Vol 180 ◽  
pp. 475-476
Author(s):  
M. G. Richer ◽  
G. Stasińska ◽  
M. L. McCall

We have obtained spectra of 28 planetary nebulae in the bulge of M31 using the MOS spectrograph at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Typically, we observed the [O II] λ3727 to He I λ5876 wavelength region at a resolution of approximately 1.6 å/pixel. For 19 of the 21 planetary nebulae whose [OIII]λ5007 luminosities are within 1 mag of the peak of the planetary nebula luminosity function, our oxygen abundances are based upon a measured [OIII]λ4363 intensity, so they are based upon a measured electron temperature. The oxygen abundances cover a wide range, 7.85 dex < 12 + log(O/H) < 9.09 dex, but the mean abundance is surprisingly low, 12 + log(O/H)–8.64 ± 0.32 dex, i.e., roughly half the solar value (Anders & Grevesse 1989). The distribution of oxygen abundances is shown in Figure 1, where the ordinate indicates the number of planetary nebulae with abundances within ±0.1 dex of any point on the x-axis. The dashed line indicates the mean abundance, and the dotted lines indicate the ±1 σ points. The shape of this abundance distribution seems to indicate that the bulge of M31 does not contain a large population of bright, oxygen-rich planetary nebulae. This is a surprising result, for various population synthesis studies (e.g., Bica et al. 1990) have found a mean stellar metallicity approximately 0.2 dex above solar. This 0.5 dex discrepancy leads one to question whether the mean stellar metallicity is as high as the population synthesis results indicate or if such metal-rich stars produce bright planetary nebulae at all. This could be a clue concerning the mechanism responsible for the variation in the number of bright planetary nebulae observed per unit luminosity in different galaxies (e.g., Hui et al. 1993).


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xiong ◽  
Claudia Stolle ◽  
Patrick Alken ◽  
Jan Rauberg

Abstract In this study, we have derived field-aligned currents (FACs) from magnetometers onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Project (DMSP) satellites. The magnetic latitude versus local time distribution of FACs from DMSP shows comparable dependences with previous findings on the intensity and orientation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By and Bz components, which confirms the reliability of DMSP FAC data set. With simultaneous measurements of precipitating particles from DMSP, we further investigate the relation between large-scale FACs and precipitating particles. Our result shows that precipitation electron and ion fluxes both increase in magnitude and extend to lower latitude for enhanced southward IMF Bz, which is similar to the behavior of FACs. Under weak northward and southward Bz conditions, the locations of the R2 current maxima, at both dusk and dawn sides and in both hemispheres, are found to be close to the maxima of the particle energy fluxes; while for the same IMF conditions, R1 currents are displaced further to the respective particle flux peaks. Largest displacement (about 3.5°) is found between the downward R1 current and ion flux peak at the dawn side. Our results suggest that there exists systematic differences in locations of electron/ion precipitation and large-scale upward/downward FACs. As outlined by the statistical mean of these two parameters, the FAC peaks enclose the particle energy flux peaks in an auroral band at both dusk and dawn sides. Our comparisons also found that particle precipitation at dawn and dusk and in both hemispheres maximizes near the mean R2 current peaks. The particle precipitation flux maxima closer to the R1 current peaks are lower in magnitude. This is opposite to the known feature that R1 currents are on average stronger than R2 currents.


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