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The Future of Enrichment: Math Contests or Math Circles?

by Doug O’Roark Executive Director, Math Circles of Chicago The New York Times recently published an article entitled “The Right Answer? 8,186,699,633,530,061 (An Abacus Makes It Look Almost Easy)”. Its lead photograph features over 100 children seated at desks, facing … Continue reading




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Elevated Liver Function Tests in Type 2 Diabetes

Elizabeth H. Harris
Jul 1, 2005; 23:115-119
Feature Articles




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FDA approves first at-home saliva test for COVID-19

The first COVID-19 test using saliva samples that patients collect at home has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.




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Report: South Korea tested new ballistic missile with larger warhead

South Korea's military tested a ballistic missile capable of carrying a 2-ton warhead in March, according to local reports on Thursday.




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Navy breaks ground on laser weapons test lab in California

Navy leaders and private contractors broke ground this week on what will become the fleet's only dedicated facility to test, fire and evaluate complete laser weapon systems in a maritime environment.




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USCIS Fee Increase Proposed Rule Could Represent the Latest Step in Reshaping Immigration to United States

While much attention has been given to the move by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to raise its application fees—including an 83 percent hike to apply for U.S. citizenship—the policy changes embedded in the proposed rule have been less scrutinized. The changes, including the elimination of most fee waivers for lower-income applicants, would likely reduce the number and shift the profile of those getting a green card or other immigration status.




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As COVID-19 Slows Human Mobility, Can the Global Compact for Migration Meet the Test for a Changed Era?

The coronavirus pandemic dramatically reshaped how human mobility is managed just as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was beginning to move from paper to implementation. As governments face pressing public-health, economic, and other concerns in responding to COVID-19, this MPI Europe commentary explores whether the first comprehensive global agreement on migration can adjust to a changed reality.




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Rutherford Test 2020_0226




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Harvard dental student recipient of health literacy essay contest

An essay on community water fluoridation yielded a Harvard University dental student a first-place win in the annual American Dental Association’s Health Literacy in Dentistry essay contest.




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ADA urges HHS to federally recognize licensed dentists to administer point of service COVID-19 tests

The ADA sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services April 17 asking the agency to “issue federal recognition that licensed dentists may administer point of service tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration” during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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ADA advises dentists to follow science-backed guidance regarding COVID-19 testing, avoid 'gray market'

The ADA is urging dentists to be cautious about using novel coronavirus diagnostic tests before they have been properly evaluated and made available for dentists.




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Dental groups seek federal approval to administer COVID-19 tests

The Organized Dentistry Coalition is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to “extend federal authorization for licensed dentists to conduct Food and Drug Administration-authorized, point-of-care testing” during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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Blood test may effectively spot multiple cancers

A new blood-test approach for cancer screening was able to identify 26 previously undetected cases of the disease, according to the findings of a new study published Friday by the journal Science.




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15-minute COVID-19 test proves accurate at confirming infection

A new, point-of-care testing kit for COVID-19 that can deliver results in 15 minutes accurately diagnoses people more than 80 percent of time, an analysis has found.




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Strict Preanalytical Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Blood Sample Handling Is Essential for Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE

Preanalytical processing of blood samples can affect plasma glucose measurement because on-going glycolysis by cells prior to centrifugation can lower its concentration. In June 2017, ACT Pathology changed the processing of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) blood samples for pregnant women from a delayed to an early centrifugation protocol. The effect of this change on the rate of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis was determined.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

All pregnant women in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) are recommended for GDM testing with a 75-g OGTT using the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria. From January 2015 to May 2017, OGTT samples were collected into sodium fluoride (NaF) tubes and kept at room temperature until completion of the test (delayed centrifugation). From June 2017 to October 2018, OGTT samples in NaF tubes were centrifuged within 10 min (early centrifugation).

RESULTS

A total of 7,509 women were tested with the delayed centrifugation protocol and 4,808 with the early centrifugation protocol. The mean glucose concentrations for the fasting, 1-h and 2-h OGTT samples were, respectively, 0.24 mmol/L (5.4%), 0.34 mmol/L (4.9%), and 0.16 mmol/L (2.3%) higher using the early centrifugation protocol (P < 0.0001 for all), increasing the GDM diagnosis rate from 11.6% (n = 869/7,509) to 20.6% (n = 1,007/4,887).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study highlight the critical importance of the preanalytical processing protocol of OGTT blood samples used for diagnosing GDM. Delay in centrifuging of blood collected into NaF tubes will result in substantially lower rates of diagnosis than if blood is centrifuged early.




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Do You Understand Test Scores?

Do you understand the scores from cognitive assessments, academic assessments, and behavior rating scales? Understanding the basics of these assessments and what the test scores mean is extremely important when your child has been evaluated for special education. If you are like most parents and have lots of questions, I've written up the basics and compiled them onto one page. Read all about Understanding Test Scores at School Psychologist Files.



  • Special Education Assessment

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Artificial tongue with gold taste buds to test maple syrup

Scientists in Quebec have developed an artificial tongue that can taste the flavor profiles of maple syrup, researchers revealed in a paper published on Tuesday.




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Tests show heating is the best way to disinfect N95 masks for reuse

Test results suggest N95 masks can be safely disinfected through heating 50 times before their filtration efficiency begins to decline.




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Andrew Cuomo says N.Y. has COVID-19 'on the run'; Mike Pence aide tests positive

Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary has tested positive for the coronavirus disease, the White House said Friday. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state is finally getting ahead of the virus.




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Google brings back 'Pac-Man' game in latest Doodle

Google's homepage features arcade classic "Pac-Man" in the latest Doodle.




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High-Status Criminals Face Greatest Public Wrath

Let's say the FBI hears a senior elected official on a tapped telephone line demanding kickbacks in exchange for favors and shaking down donors for campaign contributions in exchange for plum contracts.




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Association of BMI, Fitness, and Mortality in Patients With Diabetes: Evaluating the Obesity Paradox in the Henry Ford Exercise Testing Project (FIT Project) Cohort

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of fitness on the association between BMI and mortality among patients with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We identified 8,528 patients with diabetes (self-report, medication use, or electronic medical record diagnosis) from the Henry Ford Exercise Testing Project (FIT Project). Patients with a BMI <18.5 kg/m2 or cancer were excluded. Fitness was measured as the METs achieved during a physician-referred treadmill stress test and categorized as low (<6), moderate (6–9.9), or high (≥10). Adjusted hazard ratios for mortality were calculated using standard BMI (kilograms per meter squared) cutoffs of normal (18.5–24.9), overweight (25–29.9), and obese (≥30). Adjusted splines centered at 22.5 kg/m2 were used to examine BMI as a continuous variable.

RESULTS

Patients had a mean age of 58 ± 11 years (49% women) with 1,319 deaths over a mean follow-up of 10.0 ± 4.1 years. Overall, obese patients had a 30% lower mortality hazard (P < 0.001) compared with normal-weight patients. In adjusted spline modeling, higher BMI as a continuous variable was predominantly associated with a lower mortality risk in the lowest fitness group and among patients with moderate fitness and BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Compared with the lowest fitness group, patients with higher fitness had an ~50% (6–9.9 METs) and 70% (≥10 METs) lower mortality hazard regardless of BMI (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with diabetes, the obesity paradox was less pronounced for patients with the highest fitness level, and these patients also had the lowest risk of mortality.




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Health Insurance Test for Green-Card Applicants Could Sharply Cut Future U.S. Legal Immigration

A new Trump administration action requiring intending immigrants to prove they can purchase eligible health insurance within 30 days of arrival has the potential to block fully 65 percent of those who apply for a green card from abroad, MPI estimates.




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Barriers to COVID-19 Testing and Treatment: Immigrants without Health Coverage in the United States

As millions of U.S. workers lose jobs and the health insurance associated with them, Medicaid and similar programs are increasingly important for people seeking COVID-19 testing and treatment. Yet many low-income uninsured noncitizens, including green-card holders, are excluded from such programs because of their immigration status, as this fact sheet explores.




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COVID-19: Study Reveals A More Accurate Test

A better method for COVID-19 testing than nasal swabs.

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North Carolina Teachers Turn Out in Droves for Daylong Protest

A sea of red-clad teachers took to the streets around North Carolina's legislative building in Raleigh to fight for higher pay and more school funding. See photos from the event.




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The Latest in a Season of Protests: N.C. Teachers Will Rally on Wednesday

Thousands of teachers will head to the state capital on Wednesday to call for a nearly $10,000 raise over four years and an increase to per-pupil spending.




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A RedForEd Wave: Teachers in North and South Carolina Leave Classrooms in Protest

A sea of red swept the capitals of North and South Carolina on Wednesday, as thousands of teachers turned out to demand higher pay and more school funding.




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Two More Statewide Teacher Protests Are on the Horizon

Teachers in North Carolina and Oregon plan to walk out of their classrooms in protest in May.




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Oklahoma Lawmakers Ramp Up Security at Capitol After Teacher Protests

The increase in security was imposed by majority Republicans as a new session of the legislature opened last week.




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Civics Tests as a Graduation Requirement: Coming Soon to a State Near You?

Eight states have passed laws requiring students to pass some version of a civics test so far in 2015.




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Montana Lets Schools Cancel Smarter Balanced Testing After Technical Woes

Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau said it would be "in the best interest of our students" to let districts cancel Smarter Balanced testing if necessary.




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Measuring the Impact of Common-Core Test Disruptions in Three States

A Smarter Balanced testing vendor has released completion rates in three states that had serious challenges giving the common-core aligned exam.




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Eight States Add Citizenship Test as Graduation Requirement

Advocates have plans to push more state legislatures to pass laws requiring high schoolers to pass a citizenship test in order to graduate in coming years.




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Feds: No Penalties for Nevada After Smarter Balanced Testing Woes Last Year

The state requested a waiver from the federal requirement in January. Failure to meet the 95-percent requirement can lead to funding penalties for states.




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North Dakota, Wyoming Move Away From Smarter Balanced Tests

North Dakota and Wyoming state superintendents said this week that they will soon hire new testing vendors.




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North Dakota the Latest State to Win ESSA-Plan Approval

With the plan's approval, North Dakota's educators will experience some of the nation's most dramatic changes under the Every Student Succeeds Act this fall.




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Kentucky Ed. Dept. Asks for Names of Protesting Teachers Who Called Out Sick

Commissioner Wayne Lewis requested a list of the teachers who had taken sick days in the 10 districts where teacher absences caused work stoppages.




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Civics-Test Bills Hit State Legislatures Again in 2016

A bill in Nebraska would require high school students to take a civics examination before graduating.




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New York Plans to Seek ESSA Waivers on Testing

New York, which has had a politically contentious history assessing its students, will seek three waivers from how the Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to test students.




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New York Denied ESSA Waiver to Test Students With Disabilities Off Grade Level

The state will be required to test all students using grade level tests, except for those with significant cognitive disabilities.




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New York Takes Final Step to Separate State Test Scores From Teacher Evaluations

The New York state legislature passed a bill that would make the use of state test scores in these evaluations optional, leaving the decision up to districts and making it subject to collective bargaining.




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Tennessee Teachers Have Warmed to Evaluation System, But Not State Tests

Tennessee improved its teacher evaluation and training systems by integrating data and teacher voice, according to a new report. But value-added measures that evaluate teachers based on student test scores remain controversial.




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Colorado to Downsize PARCC Testing

Colorado will no longer administer the full PARCC exam to students.




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Colorado Ballot Measure Tests Voter Appetite for More K-12 Funding

Teachers and other education advocates hope that tax-wary voters will be willing to approve an amendment that would pour more than $1.6 billion more into schools each year.




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Colorado Teachers Are the Latest to Rally for Better Pay, More School Funding

Teachers in Colorado forced at least one school district to close as they rallied at the capitol to call for more education funding.




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The California Testing-Funding Paradox

As the number of charter schools continues to grow, voters in California will be forced to examine their largess.




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Hawaii Teachers Latest to Join Wave of Protests Over Funding

Hawaii teachers have joined the Red for Ed movement: Last week, dozens of teachers across the state staged a "walk-in" protest to spread awareness about what they see as a lack of funding for public schools.




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Testing Encroaches on Arts Time, New Jersey Educators Report

Most New Jersey students get schooled in the arts, but time devoted to the subject has been dwindling.




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In Response to Federal Feedback, N.J. Seeks Testing Waiver From ESSA

The state wants to test its middle school students in the mathematics courses in which they're enrolled, rather than with the state tests created for that each student's particular grade.