International Baccalaureate

About: International Baccalaureate is a education organization based out in Geneva, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: International education & Higher education. The organization has 76 authors who have published 95 publications receiving 1510 citations. The organization is also known as: IB.

Belonging, Identity and Third Culture Kids: Life Histories of former International School Students

Abstract: This article is based on a multiple case study which examines the lives of a group of 11 former international school students who all attended an international school between 20 and 50 years ago. T...

A Review on Predicting Ground PM2.5 Concentration Using Satellite Aerosol Optical Depth

Abstract: This study reviewed the prediction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) and summarized the advantages and limitations of these predicting models. A total of 116 articles were included from 1436 records retrieved. The number of such studies has been increasing since 2003. Among these studies, four predicting models were widely used: Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) (25 articles), Mixed-Effect Model (MEM) (23 articles), Chemical Transport Model (CTM) (16 articles) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) (10 articles). We found that there is no so-called best model among them and each has both advantages and limitations. Regarding the prediction accuracy, MEM performs the best, while MLR performs worst. CTM predicts PM2.5 better on a global scale, while GWR tends to perform well on a regional level. Moreover, prediction performance can be significantly improved by combining meteorological variables with land use factors of each region, instead of only considering meteorological variables. In addition, MEM has advantages in dealing with the AOD data with missing values. We recommend that with the help of higher resolution AOD data, future works could be focused on developing satellite-based predicting models for the prediction of historical PM2.5 and other air pollutants.

Student types, school types and their combined influence on the development of intercultural understanding:

Abstract: EnglishThe article focuses on students' exposure to intercultural understanding in a number of educational settings. The effect of that exposure depends very much on the nature of the schools, the programmes they offer, and their location. It also depends on the ‘nature’ of the students and how that affects their interaction with the school and its cultural context both within and without. The variables are many, the lines of influence are complex, and the whole process is full of nuances. Typologies of schools and students are used in an attempt to overcome these difficulties and arrive at some conclusions, including the need for an improved nomenclature of school types, which may form the basis for testing through future empirical research.FrenchCet article s'interesse a l'exposition des eleves a la comprehension interculturelle dans differents contextes educatifs. L'impact de cette exposition depend en grande partie de la nature des etablissements scolaires ainsi que des programmes qu'ils offrent et du...

Meta‐analysis: Anticholinergics, but not β‐agonists, Reduce Severe Exacerbations and Respiratory Mortality in COPD

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Anticholinergics and β2-agonists have generally been considered equivalent choices for bronchodilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of anticholinergics and β2-agonists in COPD. DESIGN: We comprehensively searched electronic databases from 1966 to December 2005, clinical trial websites, and references from selected reviews. We included randomized controlled trials of at least 3 months duration that evaluated anticholinergic or β2-agonist use compared with placebo or each other in patients with COPD. MEASUREMENTS: We evaluated the relative risk (RR) of exacerbations requiring withdrawal from the trial, severe exacerbations requiring hospitalization, and deaths attributed to a lower respiratory event. RESULTS: Pooled results from 22 trials with 15,276 participants found that anticholinergic use significantly reduced severe exacerbations (RR 0.67, confidence interval [CI] 0.53 to 0.86) and respiratory deaths (RR 0.27, CI 0.09 to 0.81) compared with placebo. β2-Agonist use did not affect severe exacerbations (RR 1.08, CI 0.61 to 1.95) but resulted in a significantly increased rate of respiratory deaths (RR 2.47, CI 1.12 to 5.45) compared with placebo. There was a 2-fold increased risk for severe exacerbations associated with β2-agonists compared with anticholinergics (RR 1.95, CI 1.39 to 2.93). The addition of β2-agonist to anticholinergic use did not improve any clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Inhaled anticholinergics significantly reduced severe exacerbations and respiratory deaths in patients with COPD, while β2-agonists were associated with an increased risk for respiratory deaths. This suggests that anticholinergics should be the bronchodilator of choice in patients with COPD, and β2-agonists may be associated with worsening of disease control.