Search results for " performance."
showing 10 items of 2429 documents
Altered postural control and stability in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy correlate with cognitive deficits
2017
Background & Aims: Cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is associated with falls. Alterations in postural control and stability could contribute to increase falls risk in these patients. We aimed to assess whether postural control and direction-specific limits of stability are altered in cirrhotic patients with MHE compared to patients without MHE and controls. We also assessed if alterations in postural control correlate with neurological impairment and/or blood biomarkers. Methods: Posturography analysis, attention Stroop test and bimanual and visuo-motor coordination tests were performed in 18 controls, 19 patients with cirrhosis without M…
The PHES battery does not detect all cirrhotic patients with early neurological deficits, which are different in different patients.
2017
Background and aims The psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) is the “gold standard” for minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) diagnosis. Some reports suggest that some cirrhotic patients “without” MHE according to PHES show neurological deficits and other reports that neurological alterations are not homogeneous in all cirrhotic patients. This work aimed to assess whether: 1) a relevant proportion of cirrhotic patients show neurological deficits not detected by PHES; 2) cirrhotic patients with mild neurological deficits are a homogeneous population or may be classified in sub-groups according to specific deficits. Methods Cirrhotic patients “without” (n = 56) or “with” MHE (n = 4…
Economic performance of biogas plants using giant reed silage biomass feedstock
2015
Abstract With regard to energy crops for the production of raw materials to biomass for biogas plants, has developed a study to determine the optimal minimum size of a biogas plant powered by giant reed (Arundo donax L.) and utilizing livestock waste. In particular, all costs items relating to biomass supply, plant installation and transport costs were analyzed, by changing progressively two main variables: the electrical power capacity and the feedstock utilized (in the range from 100 to 999 kW) and the feedstock utilized, by substituting livestock waste with giant reed silage so as to determine the more economically advantageous option for the entrepreneur in proportion to power capacity …
Determining the Environmental Benefits of Ultra High Performance Concrete as a Bridge Construction Material
2017
Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a material that is attracting attention in the construction industry due to the high mechanical strength and durability, leading to structures having low maintenance requirements. The production of UHPC, however, has generally higher environmental impact than normal strength concrete due to the increased demand of cement required in the concrete mix. What is still not sufficiently investigated, is if the longer lifetime, slimmer construction and lower maintenance requirements lead to a net environmental benefit compared to standard concrete bridge design. This study utilizes life cycle assessment (LCA) to determine the lifetime impacts of two compar…
How does job insecurity relate to self-reported job performance? Analysing curvilinear associations in a longitudinal sample
2013
The study focuses on the relationship between job insecurity and self-reported job performance. Based on theoretical, empirical, and statistical arguments, we propose that this relationship is U-shaped and mediated by vigour at work. This assumption was tested cross-sectionally and across two measurement points, and against two alternative explanations, namely that the U-shaped relationship might be due to the influence of the moderators optimism and supervisory support. The findings of a study among a large group of job-insecure employees of two Finish universities ( n = 2,095) confirm the U-shaped effect of job insecurity on self-reported job performance. This effect was shown to be robus…
Motivation and Mathematics Performance: A Longitudinal Study in Early Educational Stages
2017
Abstract This longitudinal study analyses the predictive value of a set of motivational variables on academic performance in the mathematics area. Analyses were performed on a sample of 180 children, with the data evaluated in two stages in formal educational settings (from kindergarten until 2nd year of Primary School). Likewise, differences between three groups (with low, average, and high mathematical performance at the end of second year of Primary School) in motivational and attributional variables assessed initially are also studied. The results show a significant predictive power on later mathematics achievement for self-perceived competence. Also persistence, attitude, and positive …
Funcionamiento ejecutivo y rendimiento matemático: un estudio longitudinal
2016
El objetivo del presente estudio longitudinal consistió en examinar el poder predictivo de las funciones ejecutivas de inhibición y memoria de trabajo (MT) evaluadas en Educación Infantil (T1) sobre los aspectos formales e informales del rendimiento matemático en 2º de Educación Primaria (T2). La muestra inicial estuvo conformada por 209 preescolares de 5 a 6 años, de los que un 86.12 % de los sujetos volvieron a ser evaluados en el T2 (7-8 años). En el T1, se administraron seis tareas neuropsicológicas relacionadas con las funciones ejecutivas de inhibición y MT verbal y visoespacial. En el T2, se aplicó la batería TEMA-3 (Gingsburg y Baroody, 2003) para evaluar diferentes aspectos relacio…
Contributions of Motivation, Early Numeracy Skills, and Executive Functioning to Mathematical Performance. A Longitudinal Study
2018
The main goal of this longitudinal study is to examine the power of different variables and its dynamic interactions in predicting mathematical performance. The model proposed in this study includes indicators of motivational constructs (learning motivation and attributions), executive functioning (inhibition and working memory), and early numeracy skills (logical operations, counting, and magnitude comparison abilities), assessed during kindergarten, and mathematical performance in the second year of Primary Education. The sample consisted of 180 subjects assessed in two moments (5–6 and 7–8 years old). The results showed an indirect effect of initial motivation on later mathematical perfo…
Mathematical performance predicts progress in reading comprehension among 7-year olds
2005
The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate cross-lagged relationships between mathematical performance and reading comprehension during the first and second years of primary school. 114 Finnish-speaking children were examined six times on mathematics and reading comprehension during Years 1 and 2. At the beginning of Year 1, they were also tested on initial mathematics and reading skill, general concept ability and visual-motor skills. The results showed, firstly, that mathematics and reading comprehension were highly associated with each other across both years. Secondly, mathematical performance predicted subsequent reading comprehension during the first year rather than vice v…
Preschool Children’s Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity, Subitizing, and Counting Skills as Predictors of Their Mathematical Performance Seven Years …
2015
This seven-year longitudinal study examined how children’s spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON), subitizing based enumeration, and counting skills assessed at five or six years predict their school mathematics achievement at 12 years. The participants were 36 Finnish children without diagnosed neurological disorders. The results, based on partial least squares modeling, demonstrate that SFON and verbal counting skills before school age predict mathematical performance on a standardized test for typical school mathematics in Grade 5. After controlling for nonverbal IQ, only SFON predict school mathematics. Subitizing-based enumeration skills have an indirect effect via number sequence s…