Bridgewater State University

About: Bridgewater State University is a education organization based out in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 625 authors who have published 1223 publications receiving 21820 citations. The organization is also known as: BSU & Bridgewater State.

Publish your Excel grade book on the Web

Abstract: I have created an Excel spreadsheet to use as my course grade book. I will begin with an overview of such a sample grade book that I use in a course, teaching students about Microsoft Office. I will then tell you how I use the grade book, the equations that make it work, how to download it from the web, and finally how to modify it.

Increasing Contrast Improves Object Perception in Parkinson's Disease with Visual Hallucinations.

Abstract: Background Deficits in basic vision are associated with visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease. Of particular interest is contrast sensitivity loss in this disorder and its effect on object identification. Objectives Evaluate whether increased contrast improves object perception in persons with Parkinson's disease and visual hallucinations, without dementia. Methods We assessed 26 individuals with mild to moderate idiopathic Parkinson's disease, half of whom reported one or more episodes of hallucinations/unusual perceptual experiences in the past month, with a letter-identification task that determined the contrast level required to achieve 80% accuracy. Contrast sensitivity was further assessed with a chart that presented stimuli at multiple spatial frequencies. The groups were closely matched for demographic and clinical characteristics except for experience of hallucinations. Results Relative to participants without visual hallucinations, those with hallucinations had poorer spatial frequency contrast sensitivity and required significantly greater contrast to correctly identify the letters on the identification task. Specifically, participants with hallucinations required a mean contrast of 52.8%, whereas participants without hallucinations required 35.0%. When given sufficient contrast, the groups with and without hallucinations were equally accurate in letter identification. Conclusions Compared to those without hallucinations, individuals with Parkinson's disease and hallucinations without dementia showed poorer contrast sensitivity. Once contrast was individually enhanced, the groups were equally accurate at object identification. These findings suggest the potential of visual perception tests to predict, and perception-based interventions to reduce, hallucinations in Parkinson's disease.

Probation Officer Assessments of Risk when the Youth Look Different: Contributions of Structured Professional Judgment to Concerns About Racial Bias:

Abstract: Various groups have expressed considerable concern about the potential for actuarial risk assessments to exacerbate racial disparities in justice settings. This study examined that potential when u...