Exploring user behavioral data for adaptive cybersecurity

User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction - This paper describes an exploratory investigation into the feasibility of predictive analytics of user behavioral data as a possible aid in developing...     

Entrance qualifications and student performance in a hybrid problem based and traditional medical programme

A hybrid problem based learning (PBL) and traditional medical programme was started at the Trinidad campus of the University of the West Indies in 1989. Analyses were carried out to determine the extent to which the entrance qualifications of the students were related to their performances at the examinations in the Phase I (preclinical and paraclinical) and Phase II (clinical) programmes. Students who were admitted on the basis of their results in the secondary school General Certificate of Examination (GCE), 'A' level scored higher at the Phase I, but not at the Phase II, level than those who already had university education. Among the 'A' level students, there was positive correlation between the total 'A' level scores and the examination marks in the medical programme, particularly at the Phase I level. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses indicated that the grades in 'A' level Chemistry and, to a lesser extent in Biology, had the most influence on performances at the Phase I examinations, with much less influence on performances at the Phase II examinations. These results suggest that good grades at 'A' level examinations are significant factors, but not the only important ones, that favour high achievement in the initial stages of this type of PBL/traditional medical programme.     

Evaluation of trace metals in vegetables sampled from farm and market sites of Accra Metropolis,Ghana

This is the first reported study of long term monitoring of heavy metal contamination of vegetables from Ghana. This study monitored heavy metals namely Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) in consumable vegetables during 2013–2014. A total of 479 vegetables including cabbage (Brassica oleracea), carrot (Daucus carota), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), green pepper (Capsicum annuum) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were purchased from both farm and market sites within Accra Metropolis, Ghana. Samples were subjected to acid digestion and then analysed with Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). All the vegetables studied contained at least two or more metals; 18.99% of the samples had metal detections below the European Union (EU) guideline values, whereas 81% were above the limits. Vegetables from Mallam Attah market and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) sites registered the highest percentage exceedances (100%) with the largest value occurring in lettuce (97.41%). The data from Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed higher metal contaminations in leafy and fleshy vegetables than root vegetables. The results demonstrate the need for continuous monitoring of heavy metals in vegetables at various farm and market sites in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.     

Stress at work: Linear and curvilinear effects of psychological-, job-, and organization-related factors: An exploratory study of trinidad and tobago.

In this study, the authors operationalized job stress as a two-dimensional construct consisting of time pressure and anxiety. The authors hypothesized that the relationship between job stress and job-related attitudes such as job involvement and job satisfaction would be curvilinear but would be linear with psychosomatic problems. In addition, the authors proposed that attitudinal factors would mediate the relationship between job stress and organizational commitment. Data were obtained from 241 respondents in Trinidad and Tobago. Our findings revealed that curvilinear relationships were supported for anxiety and the outcome variables but not for time pressure. The results also provided full support for our mediation hypotheses in the case of anxiety. However, partial support for mediation was obtained for time pressure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)