Search

Since it is impossible in practice to create a sampling frame for the population of forest trees, forest inventories have relied on indirect sampling methods. This indirect sampling uses two populations: the discrete populations of trees and the continuous population of points, from which trees are being sampled. Important works such as Mandallaz, Eriksson, and Stevens and Urquhart brought the fundamental elements in the formalization of the sampling of trees, by defining the duality principle that relates both populations. They led to the so-called continuous population approach where trees attributes are transformed into attribute density values. However, in these approaches, the trees quickly fade away despite being the target population, while their weight is calculated as the inverse of their inclusion probability. We explain how the generalized weight share method (GWSM) can be used to formalize the link between the two populations. GWSM allows to revisit previous concepts proposed to solve the question of how to produce estimations from tree-level attributes, under uniform random or more complex sampling designs. The principles of the method are explained, and its functioning is illustrated under a variety of points and trees sampling designs, including fixed-area, Bitterlich, and cluster sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of continuous assessment on the learning outcomes of two chemical engineering courses is studied over a several-year period. Average grades and passing percentages of courses after the final examination are reported and also student feedback on the courses is collected. The results indicate significantly better learning results after the adoption of continuous assessment in the courses. Also student feedback suggests higher quality in teaching after the adoption of more activating teaching methods which compel students to study effectively throughout the course.

Background: The prevalence of sleep problems among pregnant women is over 50%, and daytime sleepiness is among the most common sleep problems. Previous studies have associated antenatal sleep problems with adverse maternal health and neonatal outcomes, but the consequences of antenatal sleep problems and particularly daytime sleepiness on child psychological development have not been assessed prospectively. Methods: In this prospective cohort study including 111 mother-child dyads, we examined the associations of maternal daytime sleepiness during pregnancy, assessed at 17 and 28 weeks of gestation using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, with child neuropsychiatric problems and neuropsychological development, assessed with mother-rated questionnaires and individually administered neuropsychological tests, at child age 2.6–5.7 years (mean = 4.3 years). Results: Independently of sociodemographic and perinatal covariates and maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms during and/or after pregnancy, maternal antenatal daytime sleepiness was associated with increased total [unstandardized regression coefficient (B) = 0.25 standard deviation (s.d.) units; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01–0.48] and internalizing (B = 0.25 s.d. s: 95% CI 0.01–0.49) psychiatric problems and ADHD symptoms (B = 0.27 s.d. s: 95% CI 0.04–0.50) in children, and with poorer executive function, particularly in the areas of attention, working memory and inhibitory control (B = −0.39 s.d. s: 95% CI −0.69 to −0.10). Conclusions: Maternal antenatal daytime sleepiness carries adverse consequences for offspring psychological development. The assessment of sleep problems may be an important addition to standard antenatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. The intra-uterine volume of 10 obstetrically normal nulliparous midtrimester patients was increased by the intra-amniotic instillation of 350 ml Macrodex. There were 2 treatment failures due to the rupturing of the fetal membranes within 2 hours of the instillation. In all the remaining 8 patients the intra-uterine pressure increased gradually, following volume increase. However, it only reached the magnitude demanded for clinical abortion in 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum ceruloplasmin, α1-antitrypsin, α2-macro-globulin and the iron and T3 binding proteins were studied in six women during abortion induced by hypertonic saline. After correction of the results for total serum protein changes (15%), no significant variations in the concentrations of the proteins studied could be observed within 48 hours following saline treatment. The insensibility of specific serum proteins as indicators of the welfare of the fetoplacental unit is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 30% increase in uterine volume during the initial 3 hours after intra-amniotic saline injection has been calculated from 53 amniograms in 8 midtrimester patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]