A/H1N1 Vaccine Intentions in College Students: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Vinita

2014-01-01

Objective: To test the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in college students who have not previously received the A/H1N1 vaccine. Participants: Undergraduate communication students at a metropolitan southern university. Methods: In January-March 2010, students from voluntarily participating communication classes completed a…

Sexual Violence Among College Students Attending a Nonresidential Campus.

Science.gov (United States)

Solinas-Saunders, Monica

2018-03-01

Using the empirical powers of theories of intersectionality, the study investigates the association between students' demographics (such as gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status) and sexual violence victimization. An anonymous survey was employed to collect data from a cluster random sample of 966 students attending face-to-face courses at a midsize urban nonresidential campus. The empirical findings suggest that being older and female are the only statistically significant factors in the analysis. As the first attempt to focus on students attending nonresidential programs in the United States, the study presents implications for policy and program implementation to include issues pertinent to students' diversity to better respond to students' risk of victimization.

Student nurse absenteeism in higher education: An argument against enforced attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipscomb, Martin; Snelling, Paul C

2010-08-01

Unauthorised student nurse absenteeism in higher education troubles many university lecturers. Anecdotally, absenteeism is occasionally raised as an issue by attending students who resent others "getting away" with non-attendance and some policy documents appear to suggest that attendance should be mandated. This paper argues against enforced attendance in higher education and challenges those who would mandate attendance to explain and justify their position. Drawing on a range of nursing and non-nursing material we here discuss some of the literature on attendance, absenteeism, effort or time spent in study and grade attainment. Informed by this admittedly partial review we maintain that the evidence linking grade attainment with attendance and study effort is less conclusive than intuition might initially suggest. We note that enforcing attendance apparently runs counter to important pedagogic (humanistic and androgogic) principles. We propose that responses to absenteeism cannot be separated from questions of 'harm' and we suggest that lecturers should refrain from associating non-attendance with unprofessional behaviour and poor professionalization. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) outbreak among a group of medical students who traveled to the Dominican Republic.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilella, Anna; Serrano, Beatriz; Marcos, Maria A; Serradesanferm, Anna; Mensa, Josep; Hayes, Edward; Anton, Andres; Rios, Jose; Pumarola, Tomas; Trilla, Antoni

2012-01-01

From the beginning of the influenza pandemic until the time the outbreak described here was detected, 77,201 cases of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) with 332 deaths had been reported worldwide, mostly in the United States and Mexico. All of the cases reported in Spain until then had a recent history of travel to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or Chile. We describe an outbreak of influenza among medical students who traveled from Spain to the Dominican Republic in June 2009. We collected diagnostic samples and clinical histories from consenting medical students who had traveled to the Dominican Republic and from their household contacts after their return to Spain. Of 113 students on the trip, 62 (55%) developed symptoms; 39 (45%) of 86 students tested had laboratory evidence of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Most students developed symptoms either just before departure from the Dominican Republic or within days of returning to Spain. The estimated secondary attack rate of influenza-like illness among residential contacts of ill students after return to Spain was 2.1%. The attack rate of influenza A(H1N1) can vary widely depending on the circumstances of exposure. We report a high attack rate among a group of traveling medical students but a much lower secondary attack rate among their contacts after return from the trip. These findings may aid the development of recommendations to prevent influenza. © 2011 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Relationship Among Dental Students' Class Lecture Attendance, Use of Online Resources, and Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Azab, Ehab; Saksena, Yun; Alghanem, Tofool; Midle, Jennifer Bassett; Molgaard, Kathleen; Albright, Susan; Karimbux, Nadeem

2016-04-01

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship among dental students' attendance at class lectures, use of online lecture materials, and performance in didactic courses. The study was conducted with second-year predoctoral students at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine during the fall semester of 2014. Three basic science and three preclinical dental courses were selected for evaluation. Online usage for each participant was collected, and a survey with questions about attendance and online behavior was conducted. The final grade for each participant in each selected course was obtained and matched with his or her online usage and attendance. Out of a total 190 students, 146 (77%) participated. The results showed no significant relationship between students' grades and their class attendance or online usage except for a weak negative relationship between class attendance and online usage for the Epidemiology course (pattendance, online usage, and course grades, most of the students reported that having the online resources in addition to the lectures was helpful.

Design and Implementation of an Rfid Based Automated Students Attendance System R BASAS

OpenAIRE

Shoewu, O

2015-01-01

Most educational institutions’ administrators are concerned about student irregular attendance. Truancies can affect student overall academic performance. The conventional method of taking attendance by calling names or signing on paper is very time consuming and insecure, hence inefficient. Therefore, RFID-based student attendance system is required to assist the faculty and the lecturer for this time-consuming process. The R-BASAS device is designed to collect and manage student’s attendanc...

Attendance and Student Performance in Undergraduate Chemistry Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Lyubartseva, Ganna; Mallik, Uma Prasad

2012-01-01

Numerous studies suggest that attendance may be one of the key factors which influence student performance. Although there have been many studies in introductory science courses, there have been virtually no studies which analyze and compare students' performance from different types of institutions as well as different level of classes. Our study…

Student and staff experiences of attendance monitoring in undergraduate obstetrics and gynecology: a cross-sectional survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deane RP

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Richard P Deane, Deirdre J Murphy Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Republic of Ireland  Background: Despite the widespread introduction of active learning strategies to engage students across modern medical curricula, student attendance and attendance monitoring remain a challenging issue for medical educators. In addition, there is little published evidence available to medical educators regarding the use of attendance monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions of students and staff about the use of a paper-based student logbook to record student attendance across all clinical and classroom-based learning activities within an undergraduate clinical rotation in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN. Methods: Each student undertaking the clinical rotation in OBGYN was required to complete a paper-based logbook in a booklet format that listed every clinical and classroom-based activity that the student was expected to attend. A cross-sectional survey evaluating the acceptability, practicality, and effect on access to learning opportunities of using the logbook was undertaken. The survey was conducted among all medical students who completed their OBGYN rotation over a full academic year and staff who taught on the program. Results: The response rate was 87% (n=128/147 among students and 80% (n=8/10 among staff. Monitoring attendance was widely acceptable to students (n=107/128, 84% and staff (n=8/8, 100%. Most students (n=95/128, 74% and staff (n=7/8, 88% recommended that attendance should be mandatory during rotations. Almost all staff felt that attendance should contribute toward academic credit (n=7/8, 88%, but students were divided (n=73/128, 57%. Students (n=94/128, 73% and staff (n=6/8, 75% reported that the use of the logbook to record attendance with tutor signatures was a satisfactory system, although

Student and Teacher Attendance: The Role of Shared Goods in Reducing Absenteeism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Banerjee, Ritwik; King, Elizabeth; Orazem, Peter

2012-01-01

. Controlling for the endogeneity of teacher and student attendance, the most powerful factor raising teacher attendance is the attendance of the children in the school, and the most important factor influencing child attendance is the presence of the teacher. The results suggest that one important avenue...

A Policy Analysis of Student Attendance Standards Related to State Education Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Guilliams, Mary Elizabeth

2014-01-01

This paper is a project report of a policy analysis of state attendance information available to public schools. Current state attendance information rarely expands beyond compulsory attendance law. It is vague, non-existent or difficult to find. Research provides strong links between student attendance and achievement. Informed school leaders…

Development of Attendance Database System Using Bar-coded Student Card

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Fadlil

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The calculation of the level of attendance is very important, because one indicator of a person's credibility can be seen from the level of attendance. For example, at a university, data about the level of attendance of a student in a lecture is very important as one of components in the assessment. The manual presence system is considered less effective. This research presents the draft of presence system using bar codes (barcodes as input data representing the attendance. The presence system is supported by three main components, those are a bar code found on the student card (KTM, a CCD barcode scanner series and a CD-108E computer. Management of attendance list using this system allows for optimization of functions of KTM. The presence system has been tested with several KTM through a variety of distances and positions of the barcode scanner barcode. The test results is obtained at ideal position for reading a barcode when a barcode scanner is at 2 cm from the object with 90 degree. At this position the level of accuracy reach 100%.

Student and staff experiences of attendance monitoring in undergraduate obstetrics and gynecology: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Deane, Richard P; Murphy, Deirdre J

2016-01-01

Despite the widespread introduction of active learning strategies to engage students across modern medical curricula, student attendance and attendance monitoring remain a challenging issue for medical educators. In addition, there is little published evidence available to medical educators regarding the use of attendance monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions of students and staff about the use of a paper-based student logbook to record student attendance across all clinical and classroom-based learning activities within an undergraduate clinical rotation in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). Each student undertaking the clinical rotation in OBGYN was required to complete a paper-based logbook in a booklet format that listed every clinical and classroom-based activity that the student was expected to attend. A cross-sectional survey evaluating the acceptability, practicality, and effect on access to learning opportunities of using the logbook was undertaken. The survey was conducted among all medical students who completed their OBGYN rotation over a full academic year and staff who taught on the program. The response rate was 87% (n=128/147) among students and 80% (n=8/10) among staff. Monitoring attendance was widely acceptable to students (n=107/128, 84%) and staff (n=8/8, 100%). Most students (n=95/128, 74%) and staff (n=7/8, 88%) recommended that attendance should be mandatory during rotations. Almost all staff felt that attendance should contribute toward academic credit (n=7/8, 88%), but students were divided (n=73/128, 57%). Students (n=94/128, 73%) and staff (n=6/8, 75%) reported that the use of the logbook to record attendance with tutor signatures was a satisfactory system, although students questioned the need for recording attendance at every classroom-based activity. Most students felt that the logbook facilitated access to learning experiences during the rotation (n=90/128, 71%). Staff felt that the process of signing

Favouring New Indigenous Leadership: Indigenous Students Attending Higher Education in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado, Manuel Lopez

2016-01-01

The opportunities to attend higher education in Mexico have traditionally been offered to the middle class population since around 30% of students who finish high school are able to attend higher education. The main reason for this low attendance is the poverty in which much of the population lives and the lack of higher education institutions in…

Increasing Student Attendance: A Study Comparing Superintendents' Knowledge of Best Practices to Enacted Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Isom, Dena K.

2014-01-01

This report describes a problem-based learning project focused on the information available to superintendents related to improving student attendance. This information has the potential to assist school districts in improving the attendance of each student as is required by attendance standards such as those of the fifth version of the Missouri…

Student behavior during a school closure caused by pandemic influenza A/H1N1.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Joel C; Danon, Leon; O'Hagan, Justin J; Goldstein, Edward; Lajous, Martin; Lipsitch, Marc

2010-05-05

Many schools were temporarily closed in response to outbreaks of the recently emerged pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus. The effectiveness of closing schools to reduce transmission depends largely on student/family behavior during the closure. We sought to improve our understanding of these behaviors. To characterize this behavior, we surveyed students in grades 9-12 and parents of students in grades 5-8 about student activities during a week long closure of a school during the first months after the disease emerged. We found significant interaction with the community and other students-though less interaction with other students than during school-with the level of interaction increasing with grade. Our results are useful for the future design of social distancing policies and to improving the ability of modeling studies to accurately predict their impact.

Associations between classroom CO2 concentrations and student attendance in Washington and Idaho.

Science.gov (United States)

Shendell, D G; Prill, R; Fisk, W J; Apte, M G; Blake, D; Faulkner, D

2004-10-01

Student attendance in American public schools is a critical factor in securing limited operational funding. Student and teacher attendance influence academic performance. Limited data exist on indoor air and environmental quality (IEQ) in schools, and how IEQ affects attendance, health, or performance. This study explored the association of student absence with measures of indoor minus outdoor carbon dioxide concentration (dCO(2)). Absence and dCO(2) data were collected from 409 traditional and 25 portable classrooms from 22 schools located in six school districts in the states of Washington and Idaho. Study classrooms had individual heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, except two classrooms without mechanical ventilation. Classroom attributes, student attendance and school-level ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) were included in multivariate modeling. Forty-five percent of classrooms studied had short-term indoor CO(2) concentrations above 1000 p.p.m. A 1000 p.p.m. increase in dCO(2) was associated (P student absence. Annual ADA was 2% higher (P student attendance, and occupant health and student performance, with longer term indoor minus outdoor CO(2) concentrations and more accurately measured ventilation rates. If our findings are confirmed, improving classroom ventilation should be considered a practical means of reducing student absence. Adequate or enhanced ventilation may be achieved, for example, with educational training programs for teachers and facilities staff on ventilation system operation and maintenance. Also, technological interventions such as improved automated control systems could provide continuous ventilation during occupied times, regardless of occupant thermal comfort demands.

Truth telling in medical practice: students' opinions versus their observations of attending physicians' clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Woung-Ru; Fang, Ji-Tseng; Fang, Chun-Kai; Fujimori, Maiko

2013-07-01

Truth telling or transmitting bad news is a problem that all doctors must frequently face. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate if medical students' opinions of truth telling differed from their observations of attending physicians' actual clinical practice. The subjects were 275 medical clerks/interns at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Data were collected on medical students' opinions of truth telling, their observations of physicians' clinical practice, students' level of satisfaction with truth telling practiced by attending physicians, and cancer patients' distress level when they were told the truth. Students' truth-telling awareness was significantly higher than the clinical truth-telling practice of attending physicians (pmedical students' opinions on truth telling and attending physicians' actual clinical practice. More research is needed to objectively assess physicians' truth telling in clinical practice and to study the factors affecting the method of truth telling used by attending physicians in clinical practice. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Student behavior during a school closure caused by pandemic influenza A/H1N1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joel C Miller

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many schools were temporarily closed in response to outbreaks of the recently emerged pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus. The effectiveness of closing schools to reduce transmission depends largely on student/family behavior during the closure. We sought to improve our understanding of these behaviors. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To characterize this behavior, we surveyed students in grades 9-12 and parents of students in grades 5-8 about student activities during a week long closure of a school during the first months after the disease emerged. We found significant interaction with the community and other students-though less interaction with other students than during school-with the level of interaction increasing with grade. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are useful for the future design of social distancing policies and to improving the ability of modeling studies to accurately predict their impact.

Alcohol and drug use in students attending a student health centre.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Cahill, E

2010-09-01

Alcohol and drug use amongst 3rd level students in Ireland is a concern and has been reported previously in the CLAN Survey. The aim of our study was to determine the alcohol and drug use and any alcohol associated adverse consequences amongst students attending the health centre of University College Cork (UCC). 178 (98.3%) of the 181 students who replied reported having ever drunk alcohol. 157 (91.3%) students drank spirits in the past year v 148 (86.5%) who drank beer\\/cider v 135 (78.5%) who drank wine. 81 (44.8%) students reported binge drinking at least once weekly. 48 (26.5%) students used cannabis in the past year v 12 (6.9%) who used cocaine and 7 (4%) who used ecstasy. All students who drink reported at least one adverse consequence. 114 (63%) of students report adverse consequences of other peoples drinking. The changing drinking behaviour of female students is of particular concern.

Options for Educating Students Attending Department of Defense Schools in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

student engagement , which has a detrimental effect on student achievement. School Inputs Teacher quality is an important determinant of student learning...Poor attendance can also indicate low student engagement , which has a detrimental effect on student achievement. Students who are chronically

The Relationship between Attendance Policies and Student Grades

Science.gov (United States)

Aaron, Michael D.

2012-01-01

The relationship between attendance policies and student grades in college courses was investigated. Specifically, a calculated grade point average was determined for all academic classes taught at Shelton State Community College between 2000 and 2008. These grade point averages were compared descriptively and statistically in an effort to…

Sleep habits of students attending elementary schools, and junior and senior high schools in Akita prefecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, Takaubu; Funaki, Kensaku; Kanbayashi, Takashi; Kawamoto, Kentaro; Tsutsui, Kou; Saito, Yasushi; Aizawa, Rika; Inomata, Shoko; Shimizu, Tetsuo

2002-06-01

It is widely accepted that students in Japan sleep fewer hours than what they actually need. However, epidemiological data on sleep habits among students are scarce. The sleep habits and related problems among 1650 students in Akita prefecture were studied. The results revealed that schoolchildren attending elementary schools seemed to sleep for a sufficient number of hours, whereas students attending junior or senior high schools were not sleeping enough. In particular, approximately half of the students attending senior high schools answered that they slept 6 h or less on weekdays and nodded off during classes more than twice a week.

Determination of preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 based on protection motivation theory among female high school students in Isfahan, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Yarmohammadi, Parastoo; Sharifabad, Mohammad Ali Morowati; Rahaei, Zohreh

2014-01-01

Influenza A/H1N1 pandemic has recently threatened the health of world's population more than ever. Non-pharmaceutical measures are important to prevent the spread of influenza A/H1N1 and to prevent a pandemic. Effective influenza pandemic management requires understanding of the factors influencing preventive behavioral. This study reports on predictors of students' preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 using variables based on the protection motivation theory (PMT). In a cross-sectional study, multiple-stage randomized sampling was used to select 300 female students in Isfahan who completed a questionnaire in December 2009. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire based on PMT. The statistical analysis of the data included bivariate correlations, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and linear regression. The mean age of participants was 15.62 (SE = 1.1) years old. Majority of participants were aware regarding pandemic influenza A/H1N1 (87.3%, 262 out of 300). Results showed that, protection motivation was highly significant relationship with preventive behavior and predicted 34% of its variance. We found all of the variables with the exception of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and response cost were related with protection motivation and explained 22% of its variance. Promotion of students' self-efficacy, and intention to protect themselves from a health threat should be priorities of any programs aimed at promoting preventive behaviors among students. It is also concluded that the protection motivation theory may be used in developing countries, like Iran, as a framework for prevention interventions in an attempt to improve the preventive behaviors of students.

The ties that bind: bonding versus bridging social capital and college student party attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Buettner, Cynthia K; Debies-Carl, Jeffrey S

2012-07-01

This study explored the relationship between bonding and bridging social capital and college student attendance at alcohol-present parties, a common method for building informal social networks. A random sample of students (n = 6,291; 52% female) from a large public midwestern university completed a survey regarding their alcohol use and party-related behaviors on targeted weekends. The survey also included questions regarding students' living arrangements, romantic relationships, and membership in student and community organizations. Based on a dichotomous logistic regression analysis, we concluded that the act of attending parties largely serves as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, more conventional and formal social capital. Membership in bonding groups is associated with increased odds of party attendance, and bridging exerts no direct effect on party attendance. However, bridging capital does mitigate the effect of bonding capital, reducing its apparent tendency to promote or contribute to partying. Off-campus parties may offer an informal supplement to more conventional social capital as students establish themselves in their new context. These findings may have implications for structural decisions (e.g., number of roommates) as well as the design of context-based prevention programs that address students' need to quickly build social capital without exposing both themselves and the students around them to the harms associated with high-risk drinking.

Monitoring student attendance, participation, and performance improvement: an instrument and forms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosta, Joanne

2012-01-01

When students receive consistent and fair feedback about their behavior, program liability decreases. To help students to have a clearer understanding of minimum program standards and the consequences of substandard performance, the author developed attendance and participation monitoring and performance improvement instruments. The author discusses the tools that address absenteeism, tardiness, unprofessional, and unsafe clinical behaviors among students.

The European I-MOVE Multicentre 2013-2014 Case-Control Study. Homogeneous moderate influenza vaccine effectiveness against A(H1N1)pdm09 and heterogenous results by country against A(H3N2).

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Valenciano, Marta

2015-06-04

In the first five I-MOVE (Influenza Monitoring Vaccine Effectiveness in Europe) influenza seasons vaccine effectiveness (VE) results were relatively homogenous among participating study sites. In 2013-2014, we undertook a multicentre case-control study based on sentinel practitioner surveillance networks in six European Union (EU) countries to measure 2013-2014 influenza VE against medically-attended influenza-like illness (ILI) laboratory-confirmed as influenza. Influenza A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses co-circulated during the season.

The impact of lecture attendance and other variables on how medical students evaluate faculty in a preclinical program.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Stanley I; Way, David P; Verbeck, Nicole; Nagel, Rollin; Davis, John A; Vandre, Dale D

2013-07-01

High-quality audiovisual recording technology enables medical students to listen to didactic lectures without actually attending them. The authors wondered whether in-person attendance affects how students evaluate lecturers. This is a retrospective review of faculty evaluations completed by first- and second-year medical students at the Ohio State University College of Medicine during 2009-2010. Lecture-capture technology was used to record all lectures. Attendance at lectures was optional; however, all students were required to complete lecturer evaluation forms. Students rated overall instruction using a five-option response scale. They also reported their attendance. The authors used analysis of variance to compare the lecturer ratings of attendees versus nonattendees. The authors included additional independent variables-year of student, student grade/rank in class, and lecturer degree-in the analysis. The authors analyzed 12,092 evaluations of 220 lecturers received from 358 students. The average number of evaluations per lecturer was 55. Seventy-four percent (n = 8,968 evaluations) of students attended the lectures they evaluated, whereas 26% (n = 3,124 evaluations) viewed them online. Mean lecturer ratings from attendees was 3.85 compared with 3.80 by nonattendees (P ≤ .05; effect size: 0.055). Student's class grade and year, plus lecturer degree, also affected students' evaluations of lecturers (effect sizes: 0.055-0.3). Students' attendance at lectures, year, and class grade, as well as lecturer degree, affect students' evaluation of lecturers. This finding has ramifications on how student evaluations should be collected, interpreted, and used in promotion and tenure decisions in this evolving medical education environment.

Motivation to Attend College in American and Chinese Students: Correlates with ADHD Symptomatology and Personality

Science.gov (United States)

Norvilitis, Jill M.; Reid, Howard M.; Ling, Sun; Chen, Sisi

2013-01-01

Data were analyzed from 178 American and 153 Chinese college students who participated in a study examining motivation to attend college. Students in the two countries reported similar motivations for attending college, with career and personal reasons being most important and helping family least important. Also, the study assessed the influence…

Lecture Attendance and Web Based Lecture Technologies: A Comparison of Student Perceptions and Usage Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

von Konsky, Brian R.; Ivins, Jim; Gribble, Susan J.

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of web based lecture recordings on learning and attendance at lectures. Student opinions regarding the perceived value of the recordings were evaluated in the context of usage patterns and final marks, and compared with attendance data and student perceptions regarding the usefulness of lectures. The availability…

In-group and role identity influences on the initiation and maintenance of students' voluntary attendance at peer study sessions for statistics.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Katherine M; O'Connor, Erin L; Hamilton, Kyra

2011-06-01

Although class attendance is linked to academic performance, questions remain about what determines students' decisions to attend or miss class. In addition to the constructs of a common decision-making model, the theory of planned behaviour, the present study examined the influence of student role identity and university student (in-group) identification for predicting both the initiation and maintenance of students' attendance at voluntary peer-assisted study sessions in a statistics subject. University students enrolled in a statistics subject were invited to complete a questionnaire at two time points across the academic semester. A total of 79 university students completed questionnaires at the first data collection point, with 46 students completing the questionnaire at the second data collection point. Twice during the semester, students' attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, student role identity, in-group identification, and intention to attend study sessions were assessed via on-line questionnaires. Objective measures of class attendance records for each half-semester (or 'term') were obtained. Across both terms, students' attitudes predicted their attendance intentions, with intentions predicting class attendance. Earlier in the semester, in addition to perceived behavioural control, both student role identity and in-group identification predicted students' attendance intentions, with only role identity influencing intentions later in the semester. These findings highlight the possible chronology that different identity influences have in determining students' initial and maintained attendance at voluntary sessions designed to facilitate their learning. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Does a Link Exist Between Examination Performance and Lecture Attendance for First Year Engineering Students ?

OpenAIRE

O'Dwyer, Aidan

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine if a link exists between lecture attendance and examination performance of Level 7, Year 1, Electrical Engineering students at Dublin Institute of Technology in the Electrical Systems subject. Lecture attendance was monitored and analysed over four academic years (2007-8, 2008-9, 2009-10 and 2010-11). The average lecture attendance for students in the three academic years from 2007-10 was 55%, increasing noticeably in the 2009-10 academic year. A stat...

Caring Teacher Qualities that Affect School Participation and Attendance: Student Portraits

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Helen M.

2009-01-01

This study explores the perspectives of four high school students focusing on the identification of caring teacher qualities and the influence those characteristics have on school participation and attendance. Data was collected using interviews rather than survey in order to hear the often-unheard voices of students. Portraits of each student…

Parental Involvement in Middle School Predicting College Attendance for First-Generation Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Khanh; Rush, Ryan A.

2016-01-01

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, this report examined the relationship between parental involvement in eighth grade and college attendance by eight years after high school for students whose parents have no college education (i.e., first-generation students; n = 1,358) in comparison to students whose parents have some…

AIDS risk among students attending Seventh-day Adventist school, in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, G L; Hopp, J W; Marshak, H P; Neish, C; Rhoads, G

1998-04-01

In 1995, a survey was conducted among students attending 69 Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) high schools within the United States and Canada. The survey assessed the extent that these students practiced sexual and drug-use behaviors which place them at risk for contracting or transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A total of 1,748 respondents enrolled in grades 9 through 12 completed questionnaires similar to the instrument used in the 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Data were collected and compared to results from the 1993 YRBS. Students who attended SDA parochial schools reported lower rates of sexual intercourse compared to YRBS school counterparts (16.3% vs. 53.1%) and lower rates of all substances measured. Furthermore, respondents were more likely to engage in substance use and sexual intercourse if they had at least one parent who used tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana, as reported by the students.

Access and Perceived ICT Usability among Students with Disabilities Attending Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Heiman, Tali; Fichten, Catherine S.; Olenik-Shemesh, Dorit; Keshet, Noam S.; Jorgensen, Mary

2017-01-01

An increasing number of students with disabilities are attending higher education. These students might face various difficulties coping with academic skills and with learning methods compared to students without disabilities. Integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) in academic studies may be effective and constructive for…

The Effects of the Classroom Performance System on Student Participation, Attendance, and Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Termos, Mohamad Hani

2013-01-01

The Classroom Performance System (CPS) is an instructional technology that increases student performance and promotes active learning. This study assessed the effect of the CPS on student participation, attendance, and achievement in multicultural college-level anatomy and physiology classes, where students' first spoken language is not English.…

Assessment of basic behavioural risks concerning health of students attending Medical University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.N. Govyazina

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We chose students from all the six years attending Medical and Prevention Faculty of Perm State Medical University named after academician E.A. Vagner as our research object. Our research goal was to examine and to assess basic behavioral risks which could cause health risks for students attending medical higher educational establishment. We applied a set of techniques in our work: information-bibliographic one (15 literature sources were studied, both periodicals and monographs, sociological one (467 students of Medical and Prevention Faculty were included into a one-time questioning, them all being an entire assembly, statistic one (we calculated relative values and mean values, as well as correlation coefficients. The research was performed in two steps; the first one was based on analyzing subjective evidence, namely, sociologic questioning results; in our second step we focused on examining pathologic damages as per medical examinations data as well as data on morbidity obtained from register of visits to a students' polyclinic.

Visible School Security Measures and Student Academic Performance, Attendance, and Postsecondary Aspirations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner-Smith, Emily E; Fisher, Benjamin W

2016-01-01

Many U.S. schools use visible security measures (security cameras, metal detectors, security personnel) in an effort to keep schools safe and promote adolescents' academic success. This study examined how different patterns of visible security utilization were associated with U.S. middle and high school students' academic performance, attendance, and postsecondary educational aspirations. The data for this study came from two large national surveys--the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (N = 38,707 students; 51% male, 77% White, MAge = 14.72) and the School Survey on Crime and Safety (N = 10,340 schools; average student composition of 50% male, 57% White). The results provided no evidence that visible security measures had consistent beneficial effects on adolescents' academic outcomes; some security utilization patterns had modest detrimental effects on adolescents' academic outcomes, particularly the heavy surveillance patterns observed in a small subset of high schools serving predominantly low socioeconomic students. The findings of this study provide no evidence that visible security measures have any sizeable effects on academic performance, attendance, or postsecondary aspirations among U.S. middle and high school students.

Attendance as control

OpenAIRE

Beckton, Julian

2013-01-01

Student attendance in higher education, particularly at lectures, is a topic that researchers have largely neglected, other than in relatively small scale studies. This paper reviews university attendance policies based on documentary research in university web sites. While there are acknowledged methodological limitations to this approach, some universities are beginning to implement automated recording of student attendance in UK higher education and others are debating the merits of doing ...

An evaluation of an attendance monitoring system for undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Louise; O'Brien, Frances; Timmins, Fiona; Tobin, Gerard; O'Rourke, Frank; Doherty, Lena

2008-03-01

Internationally the preparation and ongoing education of nurses continues to evolve in response the changing nature of both nursing and health care. The move into third level structures that has taken place in countries such as the UK and the Republic of Ireland, results in new challenges to the historical fabric of nurse education. One such challenge is monitoring of nursing students' attendance. Viewed by students as a patriarchal and draconian measure, the nursing profession historically value their ability to ensure the public and professional bodies that nursing students fully engage with educational programmes. University class sizes and the increased perception of student autonomy can negate against formalised monitoring systems. This paper reports on an evaluation of one such monitoring system. The findings revealed that attendance was recognised implicitly by nurse educators as an important learning activity within these programmes results and that current methods employed were less than reliable and so did little to appropriately control the phenomenon. Subsequent to the evaluation; a standardised approach to the measurement of absenteeism was employed. Deliberate short-term absence was a feature of this group. Reasons cited included travelling long distances, dissatisfaction with programme timetables and personal reasons. Preventative measures employed included improvement in student timetable delivery.

Investigating Level of Mathematics Knowledge for Students Attending Vocational Schools in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Colakoglu, Nurdan

2013-01-01

Students attend mathematics courses in Turkey for totally 11 years, throughout education life ranging from primary school to university, including eight years in primary education and three years in secondary education (four years based on new arrangement); however, level of mathematic knowledge of students is upsetting when they reach university…

Smoking habits of pharmacy students attending the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Targu Mures.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemes-Nagy, Enikő; Fazakas, Zita; Preg, Zoltán; László, Mihály; Fogarasi, Erzsébet; Germán-Salló, Márta; Bálint-Szentendrey, Dalma; Ianosi, Edith Simona; Ábrám, Zoltán; Balázs, Péter; Kristie, Foley; Pái, István Kikeli

2016-01-01

Smoking is common among health professional students. The aim of this study was to assess the smoking habits of the pharmacy students attending the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Târgu Mureș (UMPh TM), Romania. Smoking habits and attitudes toward smoking among 414 pharmacy students attending UMPh TM (86% female) were evaluated using a self-completed questionnaire. The rate of smoking increases during the time students attend the university (24.1% to 33.3% from 1st to 5th year) and males are significantly are more likely to smoke than females (41.4% vs. 27.3%, p=0.042). 36.9% of the smoking pharmacy students are tobacco-dependent, and 40.4% of smokers started daily smoking at the age of 16-19. We found significant differences between smoker and non-smoker pharmacy students regarding their attitudes toward smoking and tobacco control policies, with non-smokers being more supportive of smoke-free policies. Prevention programs and education have a very important role in decreasing the percentage of smokers and support for smokefree policies, but it is critical to begin such programs early in their university training.

AIDS Risk Among Students Attending Seventh-day Adventist Schools in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Gary L.; Hopp, Joyce W.; Marshak, Helen P. Hopp; Neish, Christine; Rhoads, Gayle

1998-01-01

Surveys of students attending Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) high schools assessed sexual and drug-use behaviors that placed them at risk for contracting or transmitting HIV. Comparison of the results with data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated that SDA students had lower rates of sexual intercourse and substance use. Parental…

Support for Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Trainees to Attend Radiochemistry-­Related Symposia at Pacifichem 2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilbur, Daniel Scott [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology

2016-02-06

This project was undertaken to meet the growing need for training personnel who will be involved in professional careers requiring knowledge of radiochemistry, such as those working in radionuclide production, and in biological, industrial, medical and environmental fields that use radionuclides in their work. The goal of the project was to provide financial assistance to students and trainees from academic and government institutions (US preferred) to attend selected radiochemistry-­related symposia at the Pacifichem 2015 meeting held in Honolulu, Hawaii in December 2015. The funding, meant to provide a portion of an awardee’s travel cost, was specifically directed at attendance to the following symposia: #363, Isotope production-­ Providing Important Materials for Research and Applications; #215, Chemistry of Molecular Imaging, and #11, Chemistry for Development of Theranostic Radiopharmaceuticals. Those symposia were held December 16th (am & pm: #11, #363), December 17th (am: #11, #363; pm: #275) and December 18th (am & pm: #275). Pacifichem meetings are held every 5 years in Honolulu, Hawaii. The meetings are joint sponsored by a number of Chemistry Societies from Pacific Rim countries. The meetings are composed of a large number of symposia (>300) on a wide variety of topics, which make them similar to small meetings within the larger overall meeting. Therefore, attendance at the three symposia within Pacifichem 2015 was similar to attending a meeting focused entirely on radiochemistry-­related topics. To obtain the financial assistance, the student/trainee: (a) had to be an undergraduate student, graduate student or Postdoctoral Fellow in a physical science department or National Laboratory; (b) had to submit a letter from their supervisor indicating that he/she will be enrolled as a student/trainee at the time of the meeting, and were committed to attending the meeting; and (c) had to submit a resume or curriculum vitae along with a brief statement of

Video Lecture Capture Technology Helps Students Study without Affecting Attendance in Large Microbiology Lecture Courses

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Jennifer Lynn McLean

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Recording lectures using video lecture capture software and making them available for students to watch anytime, from anywhere, has become a common practice in many universities across many disciplines. The software has become increasingly easy to use and is commonly provided and maintained by higher education institutions. Several studies have reported that students use lecture capture to enhance their learning and study for assessments, as well as to catch up on material they miss when they cannot attend class due to extenuating circumstances. Furthermore, students with disabilities and students from non-English Speaking Backgrounds (NESB may benefit from being able to watch the video lecture captures at their own pace. Yet, the effect of this technology on class attendance remains a controversial topic and largely unexplored in undergraduate microbiology education. Here, we show that when video lecture captures were available in our large enrollment general microbiology courses, attendance did not decrease. In fact, the majority of students reported that having the videos available did not encourage them to skip class, but rather they used them as a study tool. When we surveyed NESB students and nontraditional students about their attitudes toward this technology, they found it helpful for their learning and for keeping up with the material.

Simulation studies for wells AH-4bis/AH-17 and AH-18, Ahuachapan Geothermal Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monterrosa, Manuel Ernesto

1996-01-24

Well AH-4_bis, at the Ahuachapan Geothermal Field is planned to be drilled on the same pad as the former AH-4. A simulation study was carried out for two casing dameters 13 5/8 and 9 5/8” in order to estimate its production and to know its economic feasibility. The simulation results indcate a high probability of production in the range of 7 Mwe, equivalent to 120 kg/s total mass flow rate, 1250 kJ/kg at 6 bar-a for the new well AH-4_bis. Well AH- 17 is good producer, during 1991 after ten years of production, the well was shut-in due to silica scaling problems. A wellbore simulation was carried out in order to predict the new production conditions after the work-over, mainly to estimate the water flow rate in order to reduce the silica scaling. The results indicate a very low water flow rate. The match between the simulated and measured production curves after the work-over was successful. The well AH-18 is located at the southern part of the actual bore field. CEL is planning to expand the borefield at this area and it is neccessary to estimate the possible production condtions at that zone. The results indicate a high probabilty of production at that area. The power potential is estimated at 3.5 Mwe per well at WHP 6 bar-a and the wells will not require induction.

Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance among Chronic Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2012:10

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard, Brandy R.; McCrea, Katherine Tyson; Pigott, Terri D.; Kelly, Michael S.

2012-01-01

The main objective of this systematic review was to examine the effects of interventions on school attendance to inform policy, practice, and research. The questions guiding this study were: (1) Do truancy programs with a goal of increasing student attendance for truant youth affect school attendance behaviors of elementary and secondary students…

The Impact of Attending Religious Schools on the Moral Competencies of Accounting Students

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Umaru Mustapha Zubairu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available For over a century, scholars have argued that religious education is crucial for the developed of students' moral competencies. This study sought to empirically test this assertion by comparing the moral competencies of two sets of Muslim accounting students: those who had attended a religious secondary school and those who attended a public (secular secondary school in Malaysia. The focus on accounting students is quite important in an era where the moral competencies of accountants has been in the public eye due to their complicity in the rash of financial scandals that have plagued the business world over the last two decades. The Muslim Accountant Moral Competency Test (MAMOC was developed by a collaboration with Islamic accounting scholars and was used to measure the students' moral competencies. Although the results revealed that there was no difference in the moral competencies of both sets of students, they both displayed satisfactory levels of moral competency which vindicates the Malaysian government's policy of mandating Islamic education in all secondary schools, whether religious or secular. 

Characterizing Parents’ and School Staff’s Involvement with Student Attendance from the Perspective of School Staff in Japan

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Norimasa Itakura

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the relations between parents and various school staff involvement, and student attendance across time from the viewpoint of school staff in Japan. In addition, student attendance characteristics were classified to investigate potential differences among students related to time and involvement of parents and staff. The research participants were Japanese elementary, junior, and senior high school staff (N = 206 who consented to participate in the survey. All participants were sampled from various areas of Japan and recruited through a web-based survey. Data were collected by the polling organization Internet Research Service MELLINKS (Tokyo, Japan, through their web panel (see www.mellinks.co.jp. The results indicated that during the early period of support, there was no positive correlation between class teachers’ involvement and students’ attendance. However, during the late period of support, it had a positive correlation. Surprisingly, the school nurses’ involvement was critical even in the early periods. Furthermore, in the late period, the results of ANOVAs assessing difference among the student attendance categories showed that maintaining and recovery types had higher scores of parents’ and class teachers’ involvement than non-maintaining and declining types. This study suggests that flexibility of collaboration among parents and various school staff across time is an important component to support student attendance.

The students attending the physical education degrees: a study of the Faculdades Integradas Einstein of Limeira

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Flávia Baccin Fiorante

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This work aims to evaluate the learning path of the students attending belong to low-income segment in Physical Education teacher degrees in Faculdades Integradas Einstein of Limeira through bibliography and field researches, using a semi structured interview. The results showed that, four of them students show similar answers related to habitus, cultural knowledge deficit, attendance at sporting events, empathy to Physical Education subject during academic life, sport activities during their childhood. We concluded that facts may help understand the professional choice made by the interviewed students.

Attendance Control System based on RFID technology

OpenAIRE

Nurbek Saparkhojayev; Selim Guvercin

2012-01-01

In Kazakhstan, checking students' attendance is one of the important issues for universities, because many universities evaluate students attendance and while giving the final grade, professors consider their total number of appearances on classes during the whole semester. This brings to the idea of having some tool to control students attendance. Some universities prefer to use paper sheet for controlling attendance, whereas some universities prefer to use paper sheet for checking students'...

Factors Impacting Openness to Christianity among Chinese Graduate Students Who Attended a Christian University in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, Michael A.

2017-01-01

More than 300,000 Chinese students attend U.S. universities annually (USDHS, 2017), many of whom reportedly "Leave China, Study in America, Find Jesus" (H. Zhang, 2016). However, research on this phenomenon of worldview change is thin, especially experiences of atheist or nonreligious Chinese graduate students attending Christian…

A Case Study On Media Literacy Levels Of Secondary Students Who Attend Media Literacy Course

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Erhan GÖRMEZ

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine the media literacy levels of secondary school students who attend media literacy courses. In this qualitative study, interview method was used to gather required data. In this qualitative study, interview method was used to gather required data. The interviews were conducted with 10 secondary school students of grade 8 attending media literacy courses by using semi-structured interview forms developed by the researcher. The questions used in semi-structured interview forms were prepared considering the outcomes of Media Literacy program related to units in Media Literacy Lesson Teacher Guide Book such as What is Communication?, Mass Communication, Media, Television, Newspaper and the Internet. The data gathered through the student's interviews were analyzed by applying content analysis method. Having evaluated the research results, it was concluded that the students who attend Media Literacy courses have a bit data and skills as knowing what communication is, using media and knowing its functions, telling the difference between TV program sorts in terms of their functions, knowing smart signs and explanations and obeying them, knowing basic concepts about newspaper and knowing and applying basic concepts concerning internet usage.

A Study on Attendance and Academic Achievement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sund, Kristian J.; Bignoux, Stephane

In this study we attempt to answer Romer’s (1993) question: “Should attendance be mandatory?” Contrary to many existing studies, we conclude that in the case of business and management programs the answer is ‘no’. In a study of over 900 undergraduate strategy students, spanning four academic years......, we examine the link between attendance and exam results. Unlike prior research on this topic, our findings show that attendance is not the best determinant of student performance. We find instead that the best determinant of student performance for third year bachelor students is their over......-all degree classification, which we see as a proxy for academic ability. We suggest that attendance may simply be a reflection of student conscientiousness, engagement and motivation. We also challenge the assumptions about gender differences found in prior research on student attendance and student...

The efficacy of incentives to motivate continued fitness-center attendance in college first-year students: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Lizzy; Harvey, Jean

2014-01-01

To determine whether fitness-center attendance established with the provision of weekly monetary incentives persisted after the discontinuation, or decreased frequency, of incentives. One hundred seventeen first-year college students participated during the 2011-2012 academic year. A randomized controlled trial with control, discontinued-incentive, and continued-incentive conditions was conducted. During fall semester, students in incentive conditions received weekly monetary payments for meeting fitness-center attendance goals. During spring semester, discontinued-incentive condition participants no longer received incentives, whereas continued-incentive condition participants received payments on a variable-interval schedule. ID-card attendance records tracked fitness-center attendance. Goal completion decreased from 63% in the incentive groups during the fall semester to 3% in the discontinued-incentive condition, and 39% in the continued-incentive condition during the spring semester. There was not a significant interaction between condition and body mass index change, F(6, 332) = 0.67, p = .68. Incentive discontinuation resulted in students no longer meeting fitness-center attendance goals. A variable-interval reward schedule better maintained attendance.

Mind the Gap: How Students Differentially Perceive Their School's Attendance Policies in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Saelzer, Christine; Lenski, Anna Eva

2016-01-01

Truant student behavior can be due to various reasons. Some of these reasons are located in schools. So far, little is known about how student perception of school rules is related to truancy. This study aims to identify types of school attendance policies and how these policies are associated with individual truancy. Self-reports from the German…

Reductions in Negative Automatic Thoughts in Students Attending Mindfulness Tutorials Predicts Increased Life Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Ritvo, Paul; Vora, Khushboo; Irvine, Jane; Mongrain, Myriam; Azargive, Saam; Azam, Muhammad Abid; Pirbaglou, Meysam; Guglietti, Crissa; Wayne, Noah; Perez, Daniel Felipe; Cribbie, Rob

2013-01-01

University education confronts students with stressful developmental challenges that can lead to mental health problems. Innovative programs must address an increasing prevalence of these problems but are impeded by the high costs involved. In this study, thirty-nine undergraduate students attended weekly one hour mindfulness meditation tutorials…

The Relationship of School Uniforms to Student Attendance, Achievement, and Discipline

Science.gov (United States)

Sowell, Russell Edward

2012-01-01

This causal-comparative study examined the relationship of school uniforms to attendance, academic achievement, and discipline referral rates, using data collected from two high schools in rural southwest Georgia county school systems, one with a uniforms program and one without a uniforms program. After accounting for race and students with…

Reasons for Attending, Expected Obstacles, and Degree Aspirations of Asian Pacific American Community College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Winnie W.; Chang, June C.; Lew, Jonathan W.

2009-01-01

This study examined how the academic aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) attending community colleges are influenced by their demographic and educational background, reasons for attending, and obstacles they expect to encounter. The sample consisted of 846 APAs out of a total student sample of 5,000 in an urban community college…

Aspects of acculturation stress among international students attending a university in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Chavajay, Pablo; Skowronek, Jeffrey

2008-12-01

Acculturation stress reported by 130 international students attending a university in Utah for about 2 yr. was examined. On the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students, few students reported experiencing acculturation stress, but responses to four open-ended questions indicated many students perceived experience of acculturation stresses related to discrimination, feelings of loneliness, and academic concerns. The contrast of findings for the scale scores and the open-ended questions indicate the complexity of assessing international students' acculturation experiences of living and studying in the USA and suggest the usefulness of complementary methodologies for assessing such experience.

Promiscuous ligand-dependent activation of the Ah receptor: chemicals in crude extracts from commercial and consumer products bind to and activate the Ah receptor and Ah receptor-dependent gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denison, M.; Rogers, W.; Bohonowych, J.; Zhao, B. [Dept. of Environmental Toxicology, Univ. of California, Davis (United States)

2004-09-15

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related halogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs and PAHs) produce a variety of toxic and biological effects, the majority of which are mediated by their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. While previous studies suggested that the physiochemical characteristics of AhR ligands (i.e. HAH and PAH agonists) must meet a defined set of criteria, it has recently become abundantly clear that the AhR can be bound and activated by structurally diverse range of synthetic and naturally occurring chemicals. Based on the spectrum of AhR ligands identified to date, the structural promiscuity of AhR ligands is significantly more diverse than that observed for other liganddependent nuclear receptors. However, a detailed understanding of the structural diversity of AhR ligands and their respective biological and toxicological activities remains to be established and could provide insights into the identity of endogenous ligands. Over the past several years we have developed and utilized several AhR-based in vitro and cell-based bioassay systems to screen pure chemicals and chemical libraries as well as mixtures of chemicals with the goal of defining the spectrum of chemicals that can bind to and activate/inhibit the AhR and AhR-dependent gene expression. In addition, demonstration of the presence of AhR agonists/antagonists in extracts containing complex mixtures of chemicals from a variety of biological and environmental samples, coupled with AhR bioassay-based fractionation procedures, provides an avenue in which to identify novel AhR ligands. In previous preliminary screening studies we demonstrated the presence of AhR agonists in extracts of commercial and consumer products using an in vitro guinea pig hepatic AhR DNA binding and mouse gene induction assays. Here we have extended these studies and have examined the ability of crude DMSO and ethanol extracts

American Housing Survey (AHS)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — The AHS is the largest, regular national housing sample survey in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the AHS to obtain up-to-date housing statistics...

AL-KAFA’AH FI AL-NIKAH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najmah Sayuti

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Kafa'ah in marriage is basically equality, suitability and proportionality between the prospective couples getting married. Humans are required to kafa'ah in religion and religiosity. Non-Muslims can't kafa'ah with Muslims because of inequalities in beliefe. Some kafa'ah that should be considered in marriage is nasab, religion, belief or religiosity, profession, liberty and property.

Shari’ah Auditing: A Review of Shari’ah Audit Practices in Islamic Financial Institution (IFIs

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Abdul Rashid Azwan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With its increasing number of Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs in the country, Malaysia has emerged as a leading hub when benchmarked against the other Islamic countries of the world. Unlike its conventional counterpart, the Islamic financial system focuses on the achievement of societal justice as evaluated within its own framework and uses its own criteria in order to achieve the objective of the Maqasid Ash-Shari’ah. To help achieve this objective, the Islamic finance industry is in need of Shari’ah auditors who are not only knowledgeable and competent in ensuring that the IFIs operate in accordance with Shari’ah principles, but also adequate in supply, in order to cater for the increasing number of IFIs in the country. Therefore, a major aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of the auditing process performed by Shari’ah auditors in determining the achievement of the Maqasid Ash-Shari’ah by the IFIs. Another aim of this study is to assess the existing Shari’ah auditing framework and standards practiced by IFIs in Malaysia. The results of this study could serve as a reference point for the regulatory and professional bodies in assessing the implementation of a comprehensive Shari’ah auditing framework.

The crystal structure of the AhRR-ARNT heterodimer reveals the structural basis of the repression of AhR-mediated transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Shunya; Shimizu, Toshiyuki; Ohto, Umeharu

2017-10-27

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin and related compounds are extraordinarily potent environmental toxic pollutants. Most of the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin toxicities are mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor belonging to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) family. Upon ligand binding, AhR forms a heterodimer with AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and induces the expression of genes involved in various biological responses. One of the genes induced by AhR encodes AhR repressor (AhRR), which also forms a heterodimer with ARNT and represses the activation of AhR-dependent transcription. The control of AhR activation is critical for managing AhR-mediated diseases, but the mechanisms by which AhRR represses AhR activation remain poorly understood, because of the lack of structural information. Here, we determined the structure of the AhRR-ARNT heterodimer by X-ray crystallography, which revealed an asymmetric intertwined domain organization presenting structural features that are both conserved and distinct among bHLH-PAS family members. The structures of AhRR-ARNT and AhR-ARNT were similar in the bHLH-PAS-A region, whereas the PAS-B of ARNT in the AhRR-ARNT complex exhibited a different domain arrangement in this family reported so far. The structure clearly disclosed that AhRR competitively represses AhR binding to ARNT and target DNA and further suggested the existence of an AhRR-ARNT-specific repression mechanism. This study provides a structural basis for understanding the mechanism by which AhRR represses AhR-mediated gene transcription. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

RESPON PERBANKAN SYARI’AH DAN LEMBAGA KEUANGAN SYARIAH DI PAMEKASAN TERHADAP PEMBUKAAN PROGRAM STUDI PERBANKAN SYARI’AH DI STAIN PAMEKASAN

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Rudy Haryanto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available There are three focuses becoming study in this research that is: a Response ( appresiation Syari'ah Bangking and Financial Institution of Syari'ah in Pamekasan, b Expectation of Syari'ah Bangking and Financial Institution of Syari'Ah in Pamekasan to grad, c Elementary compentence which must be had by grad. This research uses the approach qualitative trying to watch closely the response of the head Syari'ah Bangking and Financial Institution of Moslem law in Pamekasan to opening of Study Program of Syari’ah Banking in STAIN Pamekasan. Result of this research showing that: Response of Financial Institution and Syari’ah Banking in Pamekasan to opening the Study Program of Syari’ah Banking in STAIN Pamekasan is very good, and they are also ready for cooperating in powering the Study Program of Syari’ah Banking in STAIN Pamekasan. Expectation of Syari’ah Banking and Financial Institution of Syari'ah in Pamekasan to grad of Study Program of Syari’ah Banking in STAIN Pamekasan, that is; the grad of Study Program of Syari’ah Banking STAIN Pamekasan next, absolute mastering the conception of Syari’ah Banking supported with knowledge of conventional banking concept and domination of information Technology Skill. Elementary compentence which must be had by the grad of Study Program of Syari’ah Banking in STAIN Pamekasan, that is; some of responders assess is competent, and some of other assess still many conventional banking payload, less payload of syari’ah banking, and still less subjects which uplift the skill and practice because the next grad have to ready to work in banking area.

Automated attendance management and alert system | Rahim ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automated attendance management and alert system. ... Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences ... AAMAS provides various functions, from managing and recording students' attendance record, to sending automatic alerts to students ...

Successful Attendance Policies and Programs. Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Education Partnerships, Inc., 2012

2012-01-01

What steps can be taken to assure that High School students have the best attendance possible? It is commonly believed and well supported by research that students who attend school regularly are more successful than those who do not. The challenge for high schools is to design and implement attendance policies and programs that monitor,…

Effects of Text Messaged Self-Monitoring on Class Attendance and Punctuality of At-Risk College Student Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

Bicard, David F.; Lott, Valorie; Mills, Jessica; Bicard, Sara; Baylot-Casey, Laura

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of text messaging class arrival to an academic counselor on the attendance and punctuality of 4 college student athletes. Each participant had a history of class tardiness and was considered to be at risk for academic failure. Class attendance and punctuality improved for all participants. (Contains 1 figure.)

Natural co-infection of influenza A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09 viruses resulting in a reassortant A/H3N2 virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rith, Sareth; Chin, Savuth; Sar, Borann; Y, Phalla; Horm, Srey Viseth; Ly, Sovann; Buchy, Philippe; Dussart, Philippe; Horwood, Paul F

2015-12-01

Despite annual co-circulation of different subtypes of seasonal influenza, co-infections between different viruses are rarely detected. These co-infections can result in the emergence of reassortant progeny. We document the detection of an influenza co-infection, between influenza A/H3N2 with A/H1N1pdm09 viruses, which occurred in a 3 year old male in Cambodia during April 2014. Both viruses were detected in the patient at relatively high viral loads (as determined by real-time RT-PCR CT values), which is unusual for influenza co-infections. As reassortment can occur between co-infected influenza A strains we isolated plaque purified clonal viral populations from the clinical material of the patient infected with A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09. Complete genome sequences were completed for 7 clonal viruses to determine if any reassorted viruses were generated during the influenza virus co-infection. Although most of the viral sequences were consistent with wild-type A/H3N2 or A/H1N1pdm09, one reassortant A/H3N2 virus was isolated which contained an A/H1N1pdm09 NS1 gene fragment. The reassortant virus was viable and able to infect cells, as judged by successful passage in MDCK cells, achieving a TCID50 of 10(4)/ml at passage number two. There is no evidence that the reassortant virus was transmitted further. The co-infection occurred during a period when co-circulation of A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09 was detected in Cambodia. It is unclear how often influenza co-infections occur, but laboratories should consider influenza co-infections during routine surveillance activities. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Student Motivation for Learning in Ghana: Relationships with Caregivers' Values toward Education, Attendance, and Academic Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Dana Charles; Wolf, Sharon; Godfrey, Erin B.

2014-01-01

This study examined the role that Ghanaian caregivers' values toward education play in shaping students' intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation for learning, and the ways these values and motivational orientations predict school attendance and achievement. Study participants included 88 students (M?=?11.63 years; 48% female) from two primary…

American Housing Survey (AHS) 2011

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — The AHS is the largest, regular national housing sample survey in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the AHS to obtain up-to-date housing statistics...

Factors Affecting Intention among Students to Be Vaccinated against A/H1N1 Influenza: A Health Belief Model Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharon Teitler-Regev

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza (henceforth, swine flu in 2009 was characterized mainly by morbidity rates among young people. This study examined the factors affecting the intention to be vaccinated against the swine flu among students in Israel. Questionnaires were distributed in December 2009 among 387 students at higher-education institutions. The research questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and Health Belief Model principles. The results show that the factors positively affecting the intention to take the swine flu vaccine were past experience with seasonal flu shot and three HBM categories: higher levels of perceived susceptibility for catching the illness, perceived seriousness of illness, and lower levels of barriers. We conclude that offering the vaccine at workplaces may raise the intention to take the vaccine among young people in Israel.

Underrepresented minority students' experiences at Baylor College of Dentistry: perceptions of cultural climate and reasons for choosing to attend.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Ann L; Lacy, Ernestine S; Miller, Barbara H

2014-03-01

A study was conducted at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry (TAMBCD) in fall 2011 to identify the reasons underrepresented minority (URM) students chose to attend TAMBCD, the factors that supported their success as enrolled students, and their perceptions of the institution's cultural climate. A survey distributed online to all URM students received a 79 percent response rate (129/164). The respondents were primarily Hispanic (62 percent Mexican American and other Hispanic) and African American (33 percent) and had attended a college pipeline program (53 percent). The top reasons these students chose TAMBCD were reputation, location, and automatic acceptance or familiarity from being in a predental program. Alumni had most influenced them to attend. Regarding support services, the largest percentage reported not using any (44 percent); personal advising and tutoring were reported to be the most commonly used. In terms of climate, discrimination was reported by 22 percent (n=29), mostly from classmates and clinical faculty. The majority (87 percent) reported their cultural competence program was "effective" and agreed that faculty (83 percent), staff (85 percent), and students (75 percent) were culturally competent. Overall, the students were "satisfied" with how they were treated (88 percent), their education (91 percent), and the services/resources (92 percent). This information is being used to continue to improve the school's cultural climate and to conduct a broader assessment of all students.

Online Lecture Recordings and Lecture Attendance: Investigating Student Preferences in a Large First Year Psychology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, Alexandra; Raju, Sadhana; Sharma, Manjula D.

2016-01-01

While blended learning has been around for some time, the interplay between lecture recordings, lecture attendance and grades needs further examination particularly for large cohorts of over 1,000 students in 500 seat lecture theatres. This paper reports on such an investigation with a cohort of 1,450 first year psychology students' who indicated…

An Evaluation of the Attendance Policy and Program and Its Perceived Effects on High School Attendance in Newport News Public Schools

OpenAIRE

Smith, Wayne Keith

1998-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the effects of the attendance policy and attendance program after one year of implementation in Newport News Public Schools with a total high school population of approximately 5,820 students. The school district recently implemented a new attendance policy and program to address high school student absenteeism. This multi-faceted study examined the effects of this new policy by conducting statistical analyses of attendance data, pro...

Effect of Peer Attendance on College Students' Learning Outcomes in a Microeconomics Course

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jennjou; Lin, Tsui-Fang

2015-01-01

The authors' main purpose in this article is to examine whether peer presence, measured by overall class attendance rate, has any significant effect on college students' academic performance. They use a rich dataset from an intermediate microeconomics course from the fall of 2008 to the spring of 2013 at a public university in Taiwan. The…

Konversi Agama dan Pemahaman Nilai Islam Santri Pondok Itikaf Jama’ah Ngaji Lelaku Lawang

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Ahmad Redhani

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Pondok Itikaf Jama'ah Ngaji Lelaku, Lawang is one of the containers to learn and understand Islam, the background of santri like people who have a black background, such as ex-thugs, gamblers, drunkards, people who have problems of life and people who want to learn religion But have limitations in Arabic. The way santri learn religion, that is by trying to understand the holy verses of the Qur'an and hadith, one of his understanding that is belief in performing the congregational prayer accompanied by the language translation of his people, this is contrary to the prevailing Islamic law. The purpose of the research is to find out 1 why the subject is interested to join the Pondok Itikaf Jama'ah Ngaji Lelaku, Lawang, 2 the psychological factors that cause the students of Pondok Itikaf Jama'ah Ngaji Lelaku, Lawang change beliefs bergama, 3 how the process of belief change students santri Itikaf Jama'ah Ngaji Lelaku, Lawang, and 4 how the understanding of Islamic values of Santri Pondok Itikaf Jam'ah Ngaji Lelaku, Lawang. The research method used is single case study method. Data collection is done through interview, observation, and documentation. Data analysis is done by using descriptive analysis, that is using words to describe what the purpose of this research. The results showed that 1 subjects interested in joining and believing to implement the teachings received in the cottage because the subject is acceptable as it is by the manager of the cottage, the manager also patient and painstaking provide guidance on the subject, the subjects at least get the peace of mind and can change the attitude of the subject, At least get the peace of mind and can change the attitude of the subject to a better direction, there is a common background between students who are with each other. 2 psychological factors causing the subject to change beliefs, subjects experiencing symptoms of inner pressure caused by the emotional attitudes of the subject, it

First- and Second-Generation Design and Engineering Students: Experience, Attainment and Factors Influencing Them to Attend University

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Clive; Collins, Bethan; Wardrop, Alex; Hutchings, Maggie; Heaslip, Vanessa; Pritchard, Colin

2018-01-01

Challenges for students who are "first-in-family" to attend university have been discussed within widening participation discourse. However, in the UK, "first-in-family" or first-generation students have frequently been conflated with those experiencing poverty or from lower socio-economic groups. This research integrated…

INDONESIA SHARI'AH COMPLIANCE STOCK RETURN BEHAVIOUR

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Helma Malini

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study aims to measures the behaviour of Indonesia Shari'ah compliance stock return. The measurement of return behaviour toward volatility will proved the capability of Indonesia Shari'ah compliance toward volatility that happened in Indonesia during the period of observation. Investing in Shari'ah compliance is quite different than investing in conventional stock which followed the capital market set of rules and law, Shari'ah compliance follows not only the capital market set of laws and but also the Islamic principles of principles. Most of the previous studies examine issues related to the conventional stocks and market. The present study take one step further by investigating issue related to Shari'ah compliance instrument. In the case of Shari'ah stock price in Indonesia, the dynamics volatility of the stock price can be minimized by taking an integrated screening process to the listed company, as precautions steps toward volatility

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccination coverage, adverse reactions, and reasons for vaccine refusal among medical students in Brazil

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Eduardo Pernambuco de Souza

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine, among medical students at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the acceptance of the pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccine during the 2010 mass immunization campaign and the vaccine safety in this group and, among unvaccinated students, the reasons for refusing vaccination. Of a total of 858 students, 678 (79% participated in the study. Vaccination coverage was 60.4% among students aged 20 to 39 years (an age group targeted for vaccination and 43.8% among those who did not belong to this age group. The most frequent adverse reactions to the vaccine were pain at the injection site (8.7% and fever (7.9%. There were no serious adverse reactions. Among students aged 20 to 39 years, the most common reasons for refusing the vaccine were "lack of time" (42.4%, "fear of adverse reactions" (41.9%, and "difficult access to the vaccine" (11.5%. Other reasons for vaccine refusal were "uncertainties about vaccine safety and efficacy" and "vaccination was not needed". To increase the acceptance of the influenza vaccine, a comprehensive immunization program should be offered to these students.

"But They Won't Come to Lectures..." The Impact of Audio Recorded Lectures on Student Experience and Attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Helen E.

2010-01-01

The move to increasingly flexible platforms for student learning and experience through provision of online lecture recordings is often interpreted by educators as students viewing attendance at lectures as optional. The trend toward the use of this technology is often met with resistance from some academic staff who argue that student attendance…

BAY‘ AL-MURABAHAH: Mendudukkan Kembali Posisinya dalam Perbankan Syari’ah

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Luhur Prasetiyo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available BAY‘ AL-MURAbah}ah transaction becomes the most popular product which shari>’ah banking uses to sell its assets for amount of reasons. Total amount of shari>’ah banks store and transact their assets (fund in mura>bah}ah system. The reason is that this product has not only small risk but also ease to manage related to muz}a>rabah and musha>rakah system. In the other hand, Many people don’t understand mura>bah}ah mechanism precisely. They often think that mura>bah}ah mechanism is as credit as well. It is, in fact, that mura>bah}ah system is a cash transaction which shari>’ah banks have. This paper is to elaborate mura>bah}ah system as a product of shari>’ah banking.   Keywords: Perbankan Syariah, mura>bah}ah, margin keuntungan, kredit

Should Attendance Be Required in Lecture Classrooms in Dental Education? Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint 1: Attendance in the Lecture Classroom Should Be Required and Viewpoint 2: Attendance Should Not Be Required in the Lecture Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutler, Christopher W; Parise, Mary; Seminario, Ana Lucia; Mendez, Maria Jose Cervantes; Piskorowski, Wilhelm; Silva, Renato

2016-12-01

This Point/Counterpoint discusses the long-argued debate over whether lecture attendance in dental school at the predoctoral level should be required. Current educational practice relies heavily on the delivery of content in a traditional lecture style. Viewpoint 1 asserts that attendance should be required for many reasons, including the positive impact that direct contact of students with faculty members and with each other has on learning outcomes. In lectures, students can more easily focus on subject matter that is often difficult to understand. A counter viewpoint argues that required attendance is not necessary and that student engagement is more important than physical classroom attendance. This viewpoint notes that recent technologies support active learning strategies that better engage student participation, fostering independent learning that is not supported in the traditional large lecture classroom and argues that dental education requires assimilation of complex concepts and applying them to patient care, which passing a test does not ensure. The two positions agree that attendance does not guarantee learning and that, with the surge of information technologies, it is more important than ever to teach students how to learn. At this time, research does not show conclusively if attendance in any type of setting equals improved learning or ability to apply knowledge.

A Self-Instructional Course in Student Financial Aid Administration. Module 7: Calculating Cost of Attendance. Second Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Washington Consulting Group, Inc., Washington, DC.

The seventh module in a 17-module self-instructional course on student financial aid administration (designed for novice student financial aid administrators and other personnel) teaches how to calculate the cost of attendance. It provides a systematic introduction to the management of federal financial aid programs authorized by the Higher…

The Salience of Selected Variables on Choice for Movie Attendance among High School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Bruce A.

A questionnaire was designed for a study assessing both the importance of 28 variables in movie attendance and the importance of movie-going as a leisure-time activity. Respondents were 130 ninth and twelfth grade students. The 28 variables were broadly organized into eight categories: movie production personnel, production elements, advertising,…

EPOS Thematic Core Service ANTHROPOGENIC HAZARDS (TCS AH) - development of e-research platform

Science.gov (United States)

Orlecka-Sikora, Beata

2017-04-01

TCS AH is based on IS-EPOS Platform. The Platform facilitates research on anthropogenic hazards and is available online, free of charge https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/. The Platform is a final product of the IS-EPOS project, founded by the national programme - POIG - which was implemented in 2013-2015 (POIG.02.03.00-14-090/13-00). The platform is a result of a joint work of scientific community and industrial partners. Currently, the development of TCS AH is carried under EPOS IP project (H2020-INFRADEV-1-2015-1, INFRADEV-3-2015). Platform is an open virtual access point for researchers and Ph. D. students interested in anthropogenic seismicity and related hazards. This environment is designed to ensure a researcher the maximum possible liberty for experimentation by providing a virtual laboratory, in which the researcher can design own processing streams and process the data integrated on the platform. TCS AH integrates: data and specific high-level services. Data gathered in the so-called "episodes", comprehensively describing a geophysical process, induced or triggered by human technological activity, which, under certain circumstances can become hazardous for people, infrastructure and the environment. 7 sets of seismic, geological and technological data were made available on the Platform. The data come from Poland, Germany, UK and Vietnam, and refer to underground mining, reservoir impoundment, shale gas exploitation and geothermal energy production. The next at least 19 new episodes related to conventional hydrocarbon extraction, reservoir treatment, underground mining and geothermal energy production are being integrated within the framework of EPOS IP project. The heterogeneous multi-disciplinary data (seismic, displacement, geomechanical data, production data etc.) are transformed to unified structures to form integrated and validated datasets. To deal with this various data the problem-oriented services were designed and implemented. The particular attention

LAA~Ah

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

411<0 = 1000 dalton, 1 dalton = 1.66024 x 10-24 g. ______ LAA~Ah ... energy use. These changes led to a reduction in food intake and the percentage of body fat, along with an ... of the brain called the hypothalamus may be important in ...

Contraceptive behavior as risk factor for reproductive health of junior students attending a medical university

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T.N. Govyazina

2017-06-01

Full Text Available 1–3 year students attending medical and preventive faculty of a medical university were our research object. Our research had many stages, and at the first one our goal was to examine and to assess basic behavioral risks for reproductive health of students attending medical and preventive faculty of a medical university. We conducted a sociological examination via questioning. 428 students were questioned as per materials collecting program which included 74 parameters; they accounted for 91.6 % out of the overall official number of students, 45.0 % male students and 40.0 % female students combined work and studies. We detected that, as per questioning results, the specific weight of students who took care of their health amounted to 79.2 % boys and 95.2 % girls. However, the students tended to have bad habits, i.e. constant alcohol intake or smoking. And although information on diseases prevention and on how to pursue healthy lifestyle was perfectly available to them, students didn't try to use it and preserve their health. All the respondents said they were against abortion. Girls were likely to adopt a complex approach when choosing a contraceptive, they resorted to hormonal agents, and, with their partners' consent, to condoms. But they often took hormonal agents without any consultations with a gynecologist or an endocrinologist. Contraceptives were rather rarely applied, and students appeared to have no knowledge on risk factors causing reproductive health deterioration. They also tended to be negligent and too self-confident when it came to reproductive health protection. A risk of abortions was very high for girls who didn't use contraceptives, and also all students ran rather high risk of catching sexual diseases. Sexual education is needed to correct contraceptive behavior; medical workers are a main source of information on reproductive health of young people in 7–10 % cases only. We need to create interactive educational programs

Towards Improving Students' Attendance and Quality of Undergraduate Tutorials: A Case Study on Law

Science.gov (United States)

Baderin, Mashood A.

2005-01-01

As part of continual efforts towards improving learning and teaching in the faculty, lecturers in the law faculty of the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol debated the question of students' attendance and quality of tutorials in a recent email discussion amongst themselves. At the end of the debate the need for further research on…

AH Cancri: a contact binary in M67

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whelan, J.A.J.; Worden, S.P.; Rucinski, S.M.

1979-01-01

The W UMa-type contact binary system AH Cnc, which is a member of the old galactic cluster M67, has been studied spectroscopically and photometrically. Estimates of masses, radii, effective temperature and luminosity of AH Cnc have been derived from these data and from cluster membership considerations. The results suggest that AH Cnc is a typical evolved W-type W UMa contact system, although whether the system has evolved as a contact system or has recently become so, could not be determined. The properties of AH Cnc are similar to those of TX Cnc in Praesepe. Information provided by the existence of a gap in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for M67 has been coupled with the AH Cnc results to provide further estimates of the chemical composition of M67. (author)

Class Attendance and Performance in Principles of Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Elchanan; Johnson, Eric

2006-01-01

A sample of 347 students, enrolled in principles of economics classes during the period 1997-2001, is used to examine the relation between class attendance and student performance on examinations. Among the questions examined are: Is attendance related to performance, with and without controls for other factors? Do only substantial levels of…

RASIONALITAS KONVERSI BANK KONVENSIONAL KE BANK SYARI’AH

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Aji Damanuri

2016-02-01

Aji Damanuri   Abstract: Shari>’ah banking, for the last ten years, has increased in prosperity not only at the quantity of conventional banks but also at the count of assets and customers. This economical opportunity drives amount of conventional banks both to convert their institutions to be shari>’ah banks and to open officially shari>’ah platform units with their own assets. This system takes a significant question, is the conversion effected by both banker ideological factor and capitalists or pure economical rational calculation? Is a religious consideration linked to economical rationality? This paper is to elaborate the conversion using not only ‘choice theory’ (teori pilihan but also ‘rational action’ (tindakan rasional to seek religious action possibility in a reasonable way of shari>’ah banking.   Keywords: shari>’ah bank, conversion, rational action, religiosity.

NIKAH WISATA; PENDEKATAN MAQASHID AL-SYARI’AH

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Bakhtiar Bakhtiar

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The tour marriage as is done in a certain time basically it seems nothing wrong and there is no terms of harmonious violated from the fulfillment side of harmonious and requirements. However, in terms of the purpose of marriage, the law and maqasid al-syari'ah contain marriage problem. In addition, there can also be equated with  mut'ah marriage that is allowed by syi'i. The type of this marriage is not appropriate with the maqasid al-syariah, not only ashliyah but also tabi'iyah. Then the impact could be on the implications of the worst  neglect.Keywords : The tour marriage, maqasid al-Syari'ah and mudharatCopyright © 2012 by Kafa`ah All right reservedDOI : 10.15548/jk.v2i2.56

Attendance Policies, Instructor Communication, Student Attendance, and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jason; Frank, Lisa A. C.

2016-01-01

The authors utilized a quasiexperimental design across five sections of a managerial communication course (N = 150) to test the role of course policies and student perceptions of the instructor in influencing student absenteeism and three indicators of student learning: grades, affective learning, and cognitive learning. The experimental group…

Rural/Nonrural Differences in College Attendance Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Soo-Yong; Irvin, Matthew J; Meece, Judith L

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, this study documented college attendance patterns of rural youth in terms of the selectivity of first postsecondary institution of attendance, the timing of transition to postsecondary education, and the continuity of enrollment. The study also examined how these college attendance patterns among rural students differed from those among their non-rural counterparts and which factors explained these rural/nonrural differences. Results showed that rural youth were less likely than their nonrural counterparts to attend a selective institution. In addition, rural youth were more likely to delay entry to postsecondary education, compared to their urban counterparts. Finally, rural students were less likely than their urban counterparts to be continuously enrolled in college. Much of these rural/nonrural disparities in college attendance patterns were explained by rural/nonrural differences in socioeconomic status and high school preparation. Policy implications, limitations of the study, and future research directions are also discussed.

Characterization of the transgenic CA-AhR mouse - cell specific expression of the CA-AhR using CYP1A1 as a marker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brunnberg, S.; Lindstam, M.; Andersson, P.; Hanberg, A. [Institute of Environmental Medicine, Stockholm (Sweden); Poellinger, L. [Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2004-09-15

The risk assessments of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs performed by WHO and EU lead to major concerns. The tolerable daily intake for humans has been assessed to be within the range of human exposures occurring in the general population today. Dioxins are known to adversely impair reproduction and affect development of reproductive organs, as well as the early development of the immune and the nervous systems. The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) mediates most toxic effects of dioxins, such as 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and PCBs. In order to study the mechanisms of toxicity of ligands of the Ah receptor we have created a transgenic mouse model expressing a constitutively active Ah receptor (CA-AhR). The mutant Ah receptor is expressed and functionally active in most (or all) organs. Consequently, the CA-AhR mice show several of the well-known effects of dioxin exposure. Since the CA-AhR is continuously active at a relatively low level and from early development, this model resembles the human exposure scenario and is thus suitable for studies on mechanisms of action of Ah receptor ligands.

The Classroom Performance System (CPS): Effects on student participation, attendance, and achievement in multicultural anatomy and physiology classes at South Texas College

Science.gov (United States)

Termos, Mohamad Hani

2011-12-01

The Classroom Performance System (CPS) is an instructional technology tool that increases student performance and addresses different learning styles. Instructional technologies are used to promote active learning; however, student embarrassment issue in a multicultural setting is not addressed. This study assessed the effect of the CPS on student participation, attendance, and achievement in multicultural college-level anatomy and physiology classes at South Texas College, where the first spoken language is not English. Quantitative method and quasi-experimental design were employed and comparative statistic methods and pre-post tests were used to collect the data. Participants were college students and sections of study were selected by convenient sampling. Participation was 100% during most of the lectures held and participation rate did not strike above 68% in control group. Attendance was significantly higher in CPS sections than the control group as shown by t-tests. Experimental sections had a higher increase in the pre-post test scores and student averages on lecture exams increased at a higher rate as compared to the control group. Therefore, the CPS increased student participation, attendance, and achievement in multicultural anatomy and physiology classes. The CPS can be studied in other settings where the first spoken language is English or in other programs, such as special education programs. Additionally, other variables can be studied and other methodologies can be employed.

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of the AH of FRW Universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi-Huan, Wei

2010-01-01

We calculate the work made out by the apparent horizon (AH) of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) universe and the heat flux through the AH from the first law of thermodynamics. We discuss the mechanical properties of the AH and analyze the universe model for which the mechanical properties can change. Finally, the thermal properties of the AH of FRW universe are discussed

An Analysis of Florida's School Districts' Attendance Policies and their Relationship to High School Attendance Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Reardon, Ryan Turner

2008-01-01

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to determine the relationship between the type of attendance policies in the high schools of the 67 Florida school districts, the size of the school district (number of high school students), the socioeconomic status SES) of the school district, and the average daily attendance rate of…

Speech-based Class Attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Faizel Amri, Umar; Nur Wahidah Nik Hashim, Nik; Hazrin Hany Mohamad Hanif, Noor

2017-11-01

In the department of engineering, students are required to fulfil at least 80 percent of class attendance. Conventional method requires student to sign his/her initial on the attendance sheet. However, this method is prone to cheating by having another student signing for their fellow classmate that is absent. We develop our hypothesis according to a verse in the Holy Qur’an (95:4), “We have created men in the best of mould”. Based on the verse, we believe each psychological characteristic of human being is unique and thus, their speech characteristic should be unique. In this paper we present the development of speech biometric-based attendance system. The system requires user’s voice to be installed in the system as trained data and it is saved in the system for registration of the user. The following voice of the user will be the test data in order to verify with the trained data stored in the system. The system uses PSD (Power Spectral Density) and Transition Parameter as the method for feature extraction of the voices. Euclidean and Mahalanobis distances are used in order to verified the user’s voice. For this research, ten subjects of five females and five males were chosen to be tested for the performance of the system. The system performance in term of recognition rate is found to be 60% correct identification of individuals.

Community College Attendance and Socioeconomic Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sueuk; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2010-01-01

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, 1988 (NELS: 88), this paper documents differences in the socioeconomic plans of students in two-year and four-year colleges. We found attendance at a two-year college led to a modest but statistically significant disadvantage in socioeconomic plans. However, the impact of attending a…

Ah receptor mediated suppression of the antibody response in mice is primarily dependent on the Ah phenotype of lymphoid tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silkworth, J.B.; Antrim, L.A.; Sack, G.

1986-01-01

Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons act through the aromatic hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor in mice to produce a series of toxic effects of the immune system. The receptor protein is a product of the Ah gene locus. Ah responsive (Ahb/Ahb) mice express a high affinity receptor in both lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues whereas nonresponsive Ahd/Ahd mice express a poor affinity receptor. To determine the role of the Ah receptor of lymphoid tissue relative to that of nonlymphoid tissue in the induction of immune impairment, bone marrow was used to reconstitute lethally irradiated mice of the same or opposite Ah phenotype. All mice were given 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (35 and 350 mumol/kg) ip 2 days before immunization with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). The immune response to this T dependent antigen and organ weights were determined 5 or 7 days later in normal or chimeric mice, respectively. Monoclonal Lyt 1.1 and Lyt 1.2 antibodies were used to establish the origin of the cells which repopulated the chimeric thymuses. The immune responses of both BALB/cBy (Ahb/Ahb) and the BALB/cBy X DBA/2 hybrid, CByD2F1 (Ahb/Ahd), were significantly suppressed but DBA/2 mice were unaffected. The immune responses of chimeric BALB/cBy----BALB/cBy and BALB/cBy----DBA/2 (donor----recipient) mice were also significantly suppressed and thymic atrophy was observed in both cases. The serum anti-SRBC antibody titers of DBA/2----BALB/cBy chimeras were also significantly decreased although not to the same extent as in BALB/cBy----DBA/2 mice. Chimeric DBA/2----DBA/2 mice were not affected. These results indicate that the sensitivity to Ah receptor mediated suppression of the antibody response is primarily determined by the Ah phenotype of the lymphoid tissue

Bullying and School Attendance: A Case Study of Senior High School Students in Ghana. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 41

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Mairead; Bosumtwi-Sam, Cynthia; Sabates, Ricardo; Owusu, Andrew

2010-01-01

This monograph analyses the effects of bullying on school attendance among senior high school students in Ghana. A strong correlation is found between being bullied and having poor attendance. The effects of emotional problems and of peer friendships on this correlation are then examined. For both boys and girls, having emotional problems is…

PEMIKIRAN ISLAM DALAM PERSPEKTIF SUNNI DAN SYI’AH

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Muh. Shohibul Itmam

2013-09-01

Full Text Available THE ISLAMIC THINKING IN SUNNI AND SYI’AH PERSPECTIVES. This paper attempts to describe the problems associated with Islam in particular with regard to Sunni and Syi’ah teachings. The number of  streams that developed in Islam today has resulted Islam got claims from various clerical community, such as terrorism and others, resulting in the ruination image of  Islam in the constellation of  the religions of  man. As the flow and the teachings of  the most dominating civilization of  the world religions, Sunni and Syiah, including the Wahhabi, are necessary to clarify the existence or clarified the diversity in the constellation of  Islam, considering the number of streams that are currently claiming truth on themselves. Iran as the country becoming a reference in the world of  developing Syi’ah should be used as a reference in the study of  understanding associated with Sunni and Syi’ah. From this country, the world of  Islam knows the concept ofgoverning “Wilayatul Faqih”. The concept was pioneered by the government of Imam Khomeini who became known after Islamic Revolution in Iran 1979 and continues to be developed up to now. Every year Iran is celebrated with a huge demonstration with the slogan in Persian, “Islam Pyruz ast, ast Nabud Istikbar”, Islam is victorious, crushed the vanity of the islam enemy. keywords: Islam, Sunni, Syi’ah, Perspective, Differences, Similarities. Tulisan ini mencoba mengurai persoalan yang berhubungan dengan Islam secara khusus yang berkaitan dengan ajaran Sunni dan Syi’ah. Banyaknya aliran yang berkembang dalam Islam dewasa ini telah mengakibatkan Islam mendapat klaim dari berbagai komunitas agamawan, seperti teroris dan lainnya, yang mengakibatkan redupnya citra Islam dalam percaturan agama-agama manusia. Sebagai aliran dan ajaran yang paling mendominasi peradaban agama dunia, Sunni dan  Syi’ah,  termasuk  Wahabi,  perlu  memperjelas  eksistensinya atau diperjelas

Aminoflavone, a ligand of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), inhibits HIF-1α expression in an AhR-independent fashion

Science.gov (United States)

Terzuoli, Erika; Puppo, Maura; Rapisarda, Annamaria; Uranchimeg, Badarch; Cao, Liang; Burger, Angelika M.; Ziche, Marina; Melillo, Giovanni

2010-01-01

Aminoflavone (AF), the active component of a novel anticancer agent (AFP464) in phase I clinical trials, is a ligand of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). AhR dimerizes with HIF-1β/ARNT, which is shared with HIF-1α, a transcription factor critical for the response of cells to oxygen deprivation. To address whether pharmacological activation of the AhR pathway might be a potential mechanism for inhibition of HIF-1, we tested the effects of AF on HIF-1 expression. AF inhibited HIF-1α transcriptional activity and protein accumulation in MCF-7 cells. However, inhibition of HIF-1α by AF was independent from a functional AhR pathway. Indeed, AF inhibited HIF-1α expression in AhR100 cells, in which the AhR pathway is functionally impaired, yet did not induce cytotoxicity, providing evidence that these effects are mediated by distinct signaling pathways. Moreover, AF was inactive in MDA-MB-231 cells, yet inhibited HIF-1α in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with the SULT1A1 gene. AF inhibited HIF-1α mRNA expression by approximately 50%. Notably, actinomycin-D completely abrogated the ability of AF to down-regulate HIF-1α mRNA, indicating that active transcription was required for the inhibition of HIF-1α expression. Finally, AF inhibited HIF-1α protein accumulation and the expression of HIF-1-target genes in MCF-7 xenografts. These results demonstrate that AF inhibits HIF-1α in an AhR-independent fashion and they unveil additional activities of AF that may be relevant for its further clinical development. PMID:20736373

What Is the Influence of a Compulsory Attendance Policy on Absenteeism and Performance?

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Snyder, Jason L.; Lee-Partridge, Joo Eng; Jarmoszko, A. Tomasz; Petkova, Olga; D'Onofrio, Marianne J.

2014-01-01

The authors utilized a quasiexperimental design across sections of managerial communication and management information systems classes (N = 212) to test the impact of compulsory attendance policies on student absenteeism and performance. Students in the compulsory attendance policy condition received an attendance policy that punished excessive…

The Community College Effect Revisited: The Importance of Attending to Heterogeneity and Complex Counterfactuals*

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Jennie E.; Pfeffer, Fabian T.; Goldrick-Rab, Sara

2015-01-01

Community colleges are controversial educational institutions, often said to simultaneously expand college opportunities and diminish baccalaureate attainment. We assess the seemingly contradictory functions of community colleges by attending to effect heterogeneity and to alternative counterfactual conditions. Using data on postsecondary outcomes of high school graduates of Chicago Public Schools, we find that enrolling at a community college penalizes more advantaged students who otherwise would have attended four-year colleges, particularly highly selective schools; however, these students represent a relatively small portion of the community college population, and these estimates are almost certainly biased. On the other hand, enrolling at a community college has a modest positive effect on bachelor's degree completion for disadvantaged students who otherwise would not have attended college; these students represent the majority of community college goers. We conclude that discussions among scholars, policymakers, and practitioners should move beyond considering the pros and cons of community college attendance for students in general to attending to the implications of community college attendance for targeted groups of students. PMID:25825705

Deciphering Dimerization Modes of PAS Domains: Computational and Experimental Analyses of the AhR:ARNT Complex Reveal New Insights Into the Mechanisms of AhR Transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Corrada, Dario; Soshilov, Anatoly A; Denison, Michael S; Bonati, Laura

2016-06-01

The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that mediates the biochemical response to xenobiotics and the toxic effects of a number of environmental contaminants, including dioxins. Recently, endogenous regulatory roles for the AhR in normal physiology and development have also been reported, thus extending the interest in understanding its molecular mechanisms of activation. Since dimerization with the AhR Nuclear Translocator (ARNT) protein, occurring through the Helix-Loop-Helix (HLH) and PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) domains, is needed to convert the AhR into its transcriptionally active form, deciphering the AhR:ARNT dimerization mode would provide insights into the mechanisms of AhR transformation. Here we present homology models of the murine AhR:ARNT PAS domain dimer developed using recently available X-ray structures of other bHLH-PAS protein dimers. Due to the different reciprocal orientation and interaction surfaces in the different template dimers, two alternative models were developed for both the PAS-A and PAS-B dimers and they were characterized by combining a number of computational evaluations. Both well-established hot spot prediction methods and new approaches to analyze individual residue and residue-pairwise contributions to the MM-GBSA binding free energies were adopted to predict residues critical for dimer stabilization. On this basis, a mutagenesis strategy for both the murine AhR and ARNT proteins was designed and ligand-dependent DNA binding ability of the AhR:ARNT heterodimer mutants was evaluated. While functional analysis disfavored the HIF2α:ARNT heterodimer-based PAS-B model, most mutants derived from the CLOCK:BMAL1-based AhR:ARNT dimer models of both the PAS-A and the PAS-B dramatically decreased the levels of DNA binding, suggesting this latter model as the most suitable for describing AhR:ARNT dimerization. These novel results open new research directions focused at elucidating basic molecular mechanisms underlying the

Deciphering Dimerization Modes of PAS Domains: Computational and Experimental Analyses of the AhR:ARNT Complex Reveal New Insights Into the Mechanisms of AhR Transformation.

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Dario Corrada

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR is a transcription factor that mediates the biochemical response to xenobiotics and the toxic effects of a number of environmental contaminants, including dioxins. Recently, endogenous regulatory roles for the AhR in normal physiology and development have also been reported, thus extending the interest in understanding its molecular mechanisms of activation. Since dimerization with the AhR Nuclear Translocator (ARNT protein, occurring through the Helix-Loop-Helix (HLH and PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS domains, is needed to convert the AhR into its transcriptionally active form, deciphering the AhR:ARNT dimerization mode would provide insights into the mechanisms of AhR transformation. Here we present homology models of the murine AhR:ARNT PAS domain dimer developed using recently available X-ray structures of other bHLH-PAS protein dimers. Due to the different reciprocal orientation and interaction surfaces in the different template dimers, two alternative models were developed for both the PAS-A and PAS-B dimers and they were characterized by combining a number of computational evaluations. Both well-established hot spot prediction methods and new approaches to analyze individual residue and residue-pairwise contributions to the MM-GBSA binding free energies were adopted to predict residues critical for dimer stabilization. On this basis, a mutagenesis strategy for both the murine AhR and ARNT proteins was designed and ligand-dependent DNA binding ability of the AhR:ARNT heterodimer mutants was evaluated. While functional analysis disfavored the HIF2α:ARNT heterodimer-based PAS-B model, most mutants derived from the CLOCK:BMAL1-based AhR:ARNT dimer models of both the PAS-A and the PAS-B dramatically decreased the levels of DNA binding, suggesting this latter model as the most suitable for describing AhR:ARNT dimerization. These novel results open new research directions focused at elucidating basic molecular mechanisms

Impact of Students’ Class Attendance on Recalling Previously Acquired Information

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Camellia Hemyari

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: In recent years, availability of class material including typed lectures, the professor’s Power Point slides, sound recordings, and even videos made a group of students feel that it is unnecessary to attend the classes. These students usually read and memorize typed lectures within two or three days prior to the exams and usually pass the tests even with low attendance rate. Thus, the question is how effective is this learning system and how long the one-night memorized lessons may last.Methods: A group of medical students (62 out of 106 students, with their class attendance and educational achievements in the Medical Mycology and Parasitology course being recorded since two years ago, was selected and their knowledge about this course was tested by multiple choice questions (MCQ designed based on the previous lectures.Results: Although the mean re-exam score of the students at the end of the externship was lower than the corresponding final score, a significant association was found between the scores of the students in these two exams (r=0.48, P=0.01. Moreover, a significant negative association was predicted between the number of absences and re-exam scores (r=-0.26, P=0.037.Conclusion: As our findings show, the phenomenon of recalling the acquired lessons is preserved for a long period of time and it is associated with the students’ attendance. Many factors including generation effect (by taking notes and cued-recall (via slide picture might play a significant role in the better recalling of the learned information in students with good class attendance.Keywords: STUDENT, MEMORY, LONG-TERM, RECALL, ABSENTEEISM, LEARNING

2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12). Price Estimates for Attending Postsecondary Education Institutions. First Look. NCES 2014-166

Science.gov (United States)

Simone, Sean; Radwin, David; Wine, Jennifer; Siegel, Peter; Bryan, Michael

2013-01-01

This First Look publication provides price estimates for attending postsecondary education institutions using data from the 2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), the most comprehensive, nationally representative survey of student financing of postsecondary education in the United States. The survey includes about 95,000…

Functional conservation and divergence of four ginger AP1/AGL9 MADS-box genes revealed by analysis of their expression and protein-protein interaction, and ectopic expression of AhFUL gene in Arabidopsis.

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Xiumei Li

Full Text Available Alpinia genus are known generally as ginger-lilies for showy flowers in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, and their floral morphology diverges from typical monocotyledon flowers. However, little is known about the functions of ginger MADS-box genes in floral identity. In this study, four AP1/AGL9 MADS-box genes were cloned from Alpinia hainanensis, and protein-protein interactions (PPIs and roles of the four genes in floral homeotic conversion and in floral evolution are surveyed for the first time. AhFUL is clustered to the AP1 lineage, AhSEP4 and AhSEP3b to the SEP lineage, and AhAGL6-like to the AGL6 lineage. The four genes showed conserved and divergent expression patterns, and their encoded proteins were localized in the nucleus. Seven combinations of PPI (AhFUL-AhSEP4, AhFUL-AhAGL6-like, AhFUL-AhSEP3b, AhSEP4-AhAGL6-like, AhSEP4-AhSEP3b, AhAGL6-like-AhSEP3b, and AhSEP3b-AhSEP3b were detected, and the PPI patterns in the AP1/AGL9 lineage revealed that five of the 10 possible combinations are conserved and three are variable, while conclusions cannot yet be made regarding the other two. Ectopic expression of AhFUL in Arabidopsis thaliana led to early flowering and floral organ homeotic conversion to sepal-like or leaf-like. Therefore, we conclude that the four A. hainanensis AP1/AGL9 genes show functional conservation and divergence in the floral identity from other MADS-box genes.

Aa Ah Nak

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Tha, Na Gya; Wus, Thay

2017-01-01

In this article, Aa Ah Nak, the authors' methodology presents not only various reflections but also diverse contradictions about the Aa Nii language as well as language revitalization. This article explores language foundation and how the Aa Nii language revitalization is inextricably linked to the genocide and resulting historic trauma pervasive…

Grades and Attendance: Is There a Link between Them with Respect to First Year Undergraduate Criminology Students?

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Chamberlain, John Martyn

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the findings of research concerned with analysing the relationship between student attendance to core first year undergraduate criminology and criminal justice modules and the grades they receive in their first summative assessed coursework task for these modules. The research took place against the background of a concern…

Interaction of Diuron and Related Substituted Phenylureas with the Ah Receptor Pathway

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Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S.; Hammock, Bruce; Denison, Michael S.

2011-01-01

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological actions of structurally diverse chemicals, including the ubiquitous environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Here, we have examined the ability of diuron, a widely used herbicide, and several structurally related substituted phenylureas to bind to and activate/inhibit the AhR and AhR signal transduction. Diuron induced CYP1A1 mRNA levels in mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells and AhR-dependent luciferase reporter gene expression in stably transfected mouse, rat, guinea pig, and human cell lines. In addition, ligand binding and gel retardation analysis demonstrated the ability of diuron to competitively bind to and stimulate AhR transformation and DNA binding in vitro and in intact cells. Several structurally related substituted phenylureas competitively bound to the guinea pig hepatic cytosolic AhR, inhibited 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced AhR-dependent luciferase reporter gene expression in a species-specific manner and stimulated AhR transformation and DNA binding, consistent with their role as partial AhR agonists. These results demonstrate not only that diuron and related substituted phenylureas are AhR ligands but also that exposure to these chemicals could induce/inhibit AhR-dependent biological effects. PMID:16788953

Characterization of MCF mammary epithelial cells overexpressing the Arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, Patrick S; Li, Wen; Vogel, Christoph F; Matsumura, Fumio

2009-01-01

Recent reports indicate the existence of breast cancer cells expressing very high levels of the Arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ubiquitous intracellular receptor best known for mediating toxic action of dioxin and related pollutants. Positive correlation between the degree of AhR overexpression and states of increasing transformation of mammary epithelial cells appears to occur in the absence of any exogenous AhR ligands. These observations have raised many questions such as why and how AhR is overexpressed in breast cancer and its physiological roles in the progression to advanced carcinogenic transformation. To address those questions, we hypothesized that AhR overexpression occurs in cells experiencing deficiencies in normally required estrogen receptor (ER) signaling, and the basic role of AhR in such cases is to guide the affected cells to develop orchestrated cellular changes aimed at substituting the normal functions of ER. At the same time, the AhR serves as the mediator of the cell survival program in the absence of ER signaling. We subjected two lines of Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF) mammary epithelial cells to 3 different types ER interacting agents for a number of passages and followed the changes in the expression of AhR mRNA. The resulting sublines were analyzed for phenotypical changes and unique molecular characteristics. MCF10AT1 cells continuously exposed to 17-beta-estradiol (E2) developed sub-lines that show AhR overexpression with the characteristic phenotype of increased proliferation, and distinct resistance to apoptosis. When these chemically selected cell lines were treated with a specific AhR antagonist, 3-methoxy-4-nitroflavone (MNF), both of the above abnormal cellular characteristics disappeared, indicating the pivotal role of AhR in expressing those cellular phenotypes. The most prominent molecular characteristics of these AhR overexpressing MCF cells were found to be overexpression of ErbB2 and COX-2. Furthermore, we could

Development of a platoon driving AHS; AHS jikkensha ni okeru gunsoko seigyo no kaihatsu

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Seto, Y; Inoue, H [Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-10-01

Nissan and the Public Work Research Institute of the Ministry of Construction are developing an Automated Highway System. We are investigating a longitudinal control system in AHS. In this paper, a vehicle control method using two actuators an engine and a brake, is described. Experimental and simulated results are shown. A Platoon driving control method using road-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-vehicle communication is described. And the influence of the communication on the control performance is shown by experiments and simulation. The effects of the communication device and control device mentioned above are verified by experimental results in an AHS field test conducted in September 1996 on a dosed highway. 5 refs., 8 figs.

Chronotype, Light Exposure, Sleep, and Daytime Functioning in High School Students Attending Morning or Afternoon School Shifts: An Actigraphic Study.

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Martin, Jeanne Sophie; Gaudreault, Michael M; Perron, Michel; Laberge, Luc

2016-04-01

Adolescent maturation is associated with delays of the endogenous circadian phase. Consequently, early school schedules may lead to a mismatch between internal and external time, which can be detrimental to adolescent sleep and health. In parallel, chronotype is known to play a role in adolescent health; evening chronotype adolescents are at higher risk for sleep problems and lower academic achievement. In the summer of 2008, Kénogami High School (Saguenay, Canada) was destroyed by fire. Kénogami students were subsequently relocated to Arvida High School (situated 5.3 km away) for the 2008-2009 academic year. A dual school schedule was implemented, with Arvida students attending a morning schedule (0740-1305 h) and Kénogami students an afternoon schedule (1325-1845 h). This study aimed to investigate the effects of such school schedules and chronotype on sleep, light exposure, and daytime functioning. Twenty-four morning and 33 afternoon schedule students wore an actigraph during 7 days to measure sleep and light exposure. Academic achievement was obtained from school. Subjects completed validated questionnaires on daytime sleepiness, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, alcohol, and chronotype. Overall, afternoon schedule students had longer sleep duration, lower sleepiness, and lower light exposure than morning schedule students. Evening chronotypes (E-types) reported higher levels of sleepiness than morning chronotypes (M-types) in both morning and afternoon schedules. Furthermore, M-types attending the morning schedule reported higher sleepiness than M-types attending the afternoon schedule. No difference was found between morning and afternoon schedule students with regard to academic achievement, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, and alcohol consumption. However, in both schedules, M-type had more regular social rhythms and lower alcohol consumption. In summary, this study emphasizes that an early school

The use of information technologies and communication assistive technology as applied in the construction of knowledge of students with visual disabilities who attend rooms multifunction resources

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Raquel Rosan Christino Gitahy

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to investigate the contribution brought by the use of information and communication technologies applied to assistive technology in the construction of knowledge of students with visual impairment who attended the multifunction capabilities room. Research subjects were two students with visual impairment in different school years attending the multifunctional room features two educational institutions. In addition to students, the research subjects were also the teachers of the respective multi-functional resources they attend and the teachers who attended the in mainstream education. To achieve the goal, initially, the theoretical framework and was later carried out the field study procedure through the interview collection was consulted. The results found that two educational institutions surveyed are still building their pedagogical regarding the use and appropriation of ICT when used in multifunctional resource room as assistive technology. It is of fundamental importance to teacher training for the appropriation of ICT especially in relation to work with assistive technology in educational environments. Therefore, that it develops skills and abilities that allow building pedagogical practices in congruence with these technologies.

Comparing introduction to Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses A(H5N8) in 2014 and A(H5N1) in 2005.

Science.gov (United States)

Adlhoch, C; Gossner, C; Koch, G; Brown, I; Bouwstra, R; Verdonck, F; Penttinen, P; Harder, T

2014-12-18

Since the beginning of November 2014, nine outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) A(H5N8) in poultry have been detected in four European countries. In this report, similarities and differences between the modes of introduction of HPAIV A(H5N1) and A(H5N8) into Europe are described. Experiences from outbreaks of A(H5N1) in Europe demonstrated that early detection to control HPAIV in poultry has proven pivotal to minimise the risk of zoonotic transmission and prevention of human cases.

The Argument Is Not Compulsory Law, but How Attendance Is Recorded

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Watson, Michael; Hemmer, Lynn

2015-01-01

This paper examines attendance accounting policies and practices for students enrolled in public schools in Texas and in alternative schools of choice (ASC) in particular. Technology advancement allows students to complete their coursework virtually anywhere they have internet access; however, conventional state attendance policies still require…

A historical perspective of influenza A(H1N2) virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Komadina, Naomi; McVernon, Jodie; Hall, Robert; Leder, Karin

2014-01-01

The emergence and transition to pandemic status of the influenza A(H1N1)A(H1N1)pdm09) virus in 2009 illustrated the potential for previously circulating human viruses to re-emerge in humans and cause a pandemic after decades of circulating among animals. Within a short time of the initial emergence of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, novel reassortants were isolated from swine. In late 2011, a variant (v) H3N2 subtype was isolated from humans, and by 2012, the number of persons infected began to increase with limited person-to-person transmission. During 2012 in the United States, an A(H1N2)v virus was transmitted to humans from swine. During the same year, Australia recorded its first H1N2 subtype infection among swine. The A(H3N2)v and A(H1N2)v viruses contained the matrix protein from the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, raising the possibility of increased transmissibility among humans and underscoring the potential for influenza pandemics of novel swine-origin viruses. We report on the differing histories of A(H1N2) viruses among humans and animals.

A study of analysis PB1-F2 protein of Influenza Viruses A/H1N1pdm09, A/ H3N2, and A/H5N1

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Hana Apsari Pawestri

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Tujuan. Protein PB1-F2 (polymerase basic 1-frame 2 adalah protein terbaru yang ditemukan pada virus Influenza dan telah terbukti berperan dalam induksi kematian sel dan patogenitas. Tujuan dari tulisan ini adalah untuk menganalisis protein PB1-F2 pada virus Influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09. Metode. Kami melakukan pencarian data yang relevan yaitu sekuens gen virus Influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09 dari Gen Bank National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI selama tahun 1997-2015. Data yang digunakan adalah data sekuens nukleotida gen PB1 (polymerase basic1 virus influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09. Kemudian dilakukan analisis alignment untuk mengetahui variasi protein dan mutasi yang berhubungan dengan patogenitas dan virulensi. Hasil. Kami melakukan penelitian terhadap sekuens PB1-F2 sebanyak 3262 influenza A/H5N1 dan 2472 Influenza A/H1N1pdm09. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa semua sekuens A/H5N1 memiliki panjang yang penuh sebanyak 90 asam amino, kecuali influenza pandemi 2009 hanya memiliki panjang 87 asam amino. Kemudian, ditemukan mutasi yang berhubungan dengan virulensi yang ditunjukan dengan perubahan asam amino Asparagin (N menjadi Serin (S. Mutasi tersebut terjadi pada Influenza A/H5N1 sebanyak 8.5% dan Influenza A/H1N1pdm09 sebanyak 0.5%. Kesimpulan. Ditemukan beberapa variasi panjang asam amino dan mutasi penting pada sekuens PB1-F2 dari subtipe yang berbeda yaitu influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09  yang mengindikasikan seleksi spesifik karena introduksi dan adaptasi terhadap inang yang berbeda. Diperlukan penelitian lanjutan untuk lebih memahami variasi dan kontribusi protein PB1-F2 tersebut terhadap virulensi dan patogenitas virus Influenza. Kata kunci : Patogenesis, Virus Influenza, Protein  PB1-F2 Abstract Aim. Influenza virus PB1-F2 (polymerase basic 1-frame 2 protein is a novel protein previously shown to be involved in cell death induction and pathogenesis. Here we analysis the PB1-F2 protein of Influenza virus A/H

A study of analysis PB1-F2 protein of Influenza Viruses A/H1N1pdm09, A/ H3N2, and A/H5N1

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Hana Apsari Pawestri

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Tujuan. Protein PB1-F2 (polymerase basic 1-frame 2 adalah protein terbaru yang ditemukan pada virus Influenza dan telah terbukti berperan dalam induksi kematian sel dan patogenitas. Tujuan dari tulisan ini adalah untuk menganalisis protein PB1-F2 pada virus Influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09. Metode. Kami melakukan pencarian data yang relevan yaitu sekuens gen virus Influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09 dari Gen Bank National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI selama tahun 1997-2015. Data yang digunakan adalah data sekuens nukleotida gen PB1 (polymerase basic1 virus influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09. Kemudian dilakukan analisis alignment untuk mengetahui variasi protein dan mutasi yang berhubungan dengan patogenitas dan virulensi. Hasil. Kami melakukan penelitian terhadap sekuens PB1-F2 sebanyak 3262 influenza A/H5N1 dan 2472 Influenza A/H1N1pdm09. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa semua sekuens A/H5N1 memiliki panjang yang penuh sebanyak 90 asam amino, kecuali influenza pandemi 2009 hanya memiliki panjang 87 asam amino. Kemudian, ditemukan mutasi yang berhubungan dengan virulensi yang ditunjukan dengan perubahan asam amino Asparagin (N menjadi Serin (S. Mutasi tersebut terjadi pada Influenza A/H5N1 sebanyak 8.5% dan Influenza A/H1N1pdm09 sebanyak 0.5%. Kesimpulan. Ditemukan beberapa variasi panjang asam amino dan mutasi penting pada sekuens PB1-F2 dari subtipe yang berbeda yaitu influenza A/H5N1 dan A/H1N1pdm09  yang mengindikasikan seleksi spesifik karena introduksi dan adaptasi terhadap inang yang berbeda. Diperlukan penelitian lanjutan untuk lebih memahami variasi dan kontribusi protein PB1-F2 tersebut terhadap virulensi dan patogenitas virus Influenza. Kata kunci : Patogenesis, Virus Influenza, Protein  PB1-F2 Abstract Aim. Influenza virus PB1-F2 (polymerase basic 1-frame 2 protein is a novel protein previously shown to be involved in cell death induction and pathogenesis. Here we analysis the PB1-F2 protein of Influenza virus A/H

Comparing introduction to Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses A(H5N8) in 2014 and A(H5N1) in 2005

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adlhoch, C.; Gossner, C.; Koch, G.; Brown, I.; Bouwstra, R.J.; Verdonck, F.; Penttinen, P.; Harder, T.

2014-01-01

Since the beginning of November 2014, nine outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) A(H5N8) in poultry have been detected in four European countries. In this report, similarities and differences between the modes of introduction of HPAIV A(H5N1) and A(H5N8) into Europe are

A Large-Scale Investigation into the Relationship between Attendance and Attainment: A Study Using an Innovative, Electronic Attendance Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Newman-Ford, Loretta; Fitzgibbon, Karen; Lloyd, Stephen; Thomas, Stephen

2008-01-01

The literature available on the relationship between student attendance and attainment is inconsistent. Nevertheless, there is some empirical evidence to suggest that attendance is a determinant of academic performance and progression. Colby published results of a study which examined the relationship within a single year 1 undergraduate module,…

English faculty' s perception of their role in ICT-Oriented classroom at Majma'ah University

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El-Sadig Yahya Ezza

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The teacher was once considered “an educational authority”, “a dispenser of knowledge”, “someone in charge of telling”, etc. However, with the integration of information and communication technology (ICT in the classroom, knowledge resources have become accessible to the student in ways that are beyond teacher’s control. This fact has led to a new perception of teachers' roles among educational researchers. In other words, teachers have come to be conceived as facilitators, learners, collaborators, etc. In the light of these developments, the present study attempts to investigate English faculty’s view on the possible impact that ICT could have on their role at Majma’ah University. A questionnaire comprising sixteen traditional and ICT-oriented roles was administered to thirty participants in different campuses of Majma’ah University to collect data to verify two research hypotheses: (1 Most EFL faculty at Majma'ah University (MU favour ICT-oriented roles over traditional roles. (2 All ICT-oriented roles are equally valuable to EFL faculty at MU in enhancing teaching practices. Statistical analysis of the study data confirmed the first hypothesis but rejected second one.

RFID and IOT for Attendance Monitoring System

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Dedy Irawan Joseph

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, RFID technology has been widely used in various sectors, such as in-education, transportation, agriculture, animal husbandry, store sales and other sectors. RFID utilization in education is student attendance monitoring system, by using Internet of Things (IoT and Cloud technology, it will produce a real time attendance monitoring system that can be accessed by various parties, such as lecturer, campus administration and parents. With this monitoring system if there are students who are not present can be immediately discovered and can be taken immediate action and the learning process can run smoothly.

PEMBARUAN MASLAḤAH DALAM MAQĀṢID AL- SHARĪ‘AH: TELAAH HUMANISTIS TENTANG AL-KULLIYYĀT AL-KHAMSAH

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Zaenuddin Mansyur

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract:   In order to answer a variety of issues faced by human being in the current era, such as human rights abuses, social disintegration, and terrorism, the renewal of Islamic law in the level of theoretical and practical aspects is very urgent. This paper aims to examine one of the Islamic legal reform efforts, namely to build a more technical understanding of the concept of maṣlaḥah contained in the maqāṣīd sharī‘ah, called the al-kulliyat al-khamsah. Therefore, the concept of maṣlaḥah in ḥifẓ al-dīn is technically defined as al-ḥurriyah al-i‘tiqād (freedom of religion and schools; in ḥifẓ al-nafs as al-karamat al-insān (human being breeding; in ḥifẓ al-nasl as ḥifẓ al-usrah (wholeness and harmony of the family; in ḥifẓ al-māl as al-taḍammun al-insān (social solidarity , and in ḥifẓ al-‘aql as al-ḥuqūq as al-tarbiyāt (increasing human resources quality.Abstrak: Demi menjawab aneka persoalan zaman yang dihadapi manusia era sekarang, seperti penyelewengan terhadap HAM, disintegrasi sosial, dan terorisme, maka pembaharuan hukum Islam dalam tataran teoretis dan praktis urgen dilakukan. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji salah satu upaya pembaruan hukum Islam, yaitu membangun pemahaman yang lebih teknis terhadap konsep maṣlaḥah yang terkandung dalam maqāṣīd sharī‘ah, yang disebut dengan al-kulliyāt al-khamsah. Oleh karena itu, konsep maṣlaḥah dalam ḥifẓu al-dīn secara teknis dimaknai sebagai ḥurriyah al-i‘tiqād (kebebasan untuk beragama dan beraliran; dalam ḥifẓu al-nafs sebagai al-karāmāt al-insān (pemuliaan kemanusiaan; dalam ḥifẓu al-nasl sebagai ḥifẓu al-usrah (keutuhan dan keharmonisan keluarga; dalam ḥifẓu al-māl sebagai al-taḍammun al-insān (solidaritas sosial; dan dalam ḥifẓu al-‘aql sebagai al-ḥuqūq al-tarbiyāt (peningkatan sumber daya manusia.

Class attendance and academic performance of second year ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the impact of classroom attendance on academic performance of university students in an Organic Chemistry course. It also looked into the moderating effect of gender on attendance and academic performance. Data was collected through expo-facto survey involving real time documentation of ...

Knowledge of students attending a high school in Pretoria, South Africa, on diet, nutrition and exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Letlape, S V; Mokwena, K; Oguntibeju, O O

2010-12-01

The objective of this study was to ascertain the knowledge of students on the composition of a healthy diet, daily nutritional requirements and the importance of regular exercise. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions to assess students 'knowledge on diet, nutrition and exercise was conducted. The study group were students of Tswaing High School in Pretoria, South Africa, who were in attendance on a particular day when the study was conducted and who consented to participate in the study Only 500 students of the school participated in the study Results showed that 77% of the students do not have adequate knowledge on diet, nutrition and exercise while 23% of the students showed satisfactory knowledge. Approximately 26% and 16% of the students reported that they participated in rigorous and moderate exercise respectively The study also showed that the majority of the students were however not engaged in physical activities. Students at Tswaing High School do not have adequate knowledge on nutrition, diet and exercise. Their views on what exercise entails were found not to be satisfactory. Programmes/ information or seminars that could assist to inform students on the importance of diet and exercise are therefore suggested.

Prevalence and Mental Health Treatment of Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Among College Students Aged 18-25 Years and Their Non-College-Attending Peers in the United States.

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Han, Beth; Compton, Wilson M; Eisenberg, Daniel; Milazzo-Sayre, Laura; McKeon, Richard; Hughes, Art

2016-06-01

College students have been the focus of many studies on suicidal ideation with or without suicidal behavior. Little attention has been given to their non-college-attending peers on these issues. We examined the 12-month prevalence and mental health treatment of suicidal ideation with or without suicidal behavior among college students aged 18-25 years and their non-college-attending peers in the United States. We assessed data from 135,300 persons aged 18-25 years who participated in the 2008-2013 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Descriptive analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were applied. Compared with full-time college students, high school students, those not enrolled in a school or college, and part-time college students were more likely to attempt suicide with a plan (model-adjusted prevalence = 0.67% vs 1.09%, 1.06%, and 1.07%, respectively). The mental health treatment rate among full-time college students with suicidal ideation with or without suicidal behavior was similar to the rates among the other 3 counterparts. The effects of race/ethnicity and serious mental illness on receipt of mental health treatment were significantly larger among those who did not perceive unmet treatment need than among those who perceived unmet treatment need (P = .019 and P = .001, respectively). Compared to full-time college students, non-college-attending young adults and part-time college students were at higher risk for attempting suicide with a plan. Suicide prevention and intervention strategies should emphasize increasing access to mental health treatment among both college students with suicidal ideation with or without suicidal behavior and their non-college-attending peers (particularly among minorities and those who seem to be at low risk because they are without serious mental illness and report no need for mental health treatment). © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Correlation of self-assessment with attendance in an evidence-based medicine course.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Beatriz U

2015-12-01

In previous studies, correlations between attendance and grades in lectures have given variable results and, when statistically significant, the correlation has been weak. In some studies, a sex effect has been reported. Lectures are a teacher-centered learning activity. Therefore, it appeared interesting to evaluate if a stronger correlation between attendance and grades would occur in a face-to-face "evidence-based medicine" course with few lectures and more time dedicated to active learning methods. Small-group work and peer learning were used to foster deep learning and to engage students in their own learning process. Most of the time, students worked in small groups solving contextualized problems and critically analyzing the quality of published medical literature. Peer learning was also developed in collaborative evaluations, and constant feedback was provided. Therefore, it was hypothesized that high attenders would develop a higher self-perception of learning and obtain higher marks than low attenders. Student self-perceptions of their capacity to apply evidence-based medicine were measured by the application of an online self-assessment survey, and objective learning was measured as the grades obtained in a final accumulative individual test. It was found that male students obtained higher grades and were more confident in their achievements than their female peers, despite male and female student attendance being similar. In addition, attendance was correlated with the perceived capacity to apply evidence-based medicine only in male students and was not correlated with academic outcome. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Preschool Attendance: How Researchers and Practitioners Are Working Together to Understand and Address Absenteeism among Our Youngest Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrlich, Stacy B.; Gwynne, Julia; Allensworth, Elaine M.; Fatani, Serah

2016-01-01

Consistent school attendance is a key foundation of student learning. While missing one or two school days each year is not likely to have serious consequences, chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of enrolled school days) can seriously undermine the learning process (Allensworth & Easton, 2007). Given national efforts to increase the…

Shadow Education in Malaysia: Identifying the Determinants of Spending and Amount of Time Attending Private Supplementary Tutoring of Upper Secondary School Students

OpenAIRE

Chang Da Wan; Benedict Weerasena

2017-01-01

This paper examines the determinants of spending and the amount of time attending private supplementary tutoring, or commonly known as private tuition, in Malaysia. Based on 343 self-reported questionnaires with upper secondary students across three states in Malaysia and using multiple regression analysis, we identified ethnicity, father’s level of education and past academic performance as significant determinants of spending and amount of time attending private tuition. However, interestin...

The Role of Attendance in Lecture Classes: You Can Lead a Horse to Water...

Science.gov (United States)

Golding, Jonathan M.

2011-01-01

A review of prior research on the role of attendance policies in large lecture classes (including psychology) is presented. This research showed that although students often did not attend class, various policies were effective in getting students to the classroom. Moreover, some research showed that an attendance policy did not lower instructor…

TABUNGAN: IMPLEMENTASI AKAD WADI’AH ATAU QARD? (Kajian Praktik Wadi’ah di Perbankan Indonesia

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Mufti Afif

2016-02-01

Full Text Available There are no discussion about banking usury in classic Fikh books, because there were no banks, which nowadays they are needed by society to save their worth. As the research of classic Fiqh, there are differences in ulamas’ instructions, based on their understanding. However, they agree to state that bank interest is a usury or forbidden in Islam. Qardul Hasan is another term of qard, that is interpreted by the most of Indonesian people as social engagement, or bequest. Financial department must be careful in understanding the instructions, related to the implementation in the real life. Banks and financial departments claim that money saving is as akad wadi’ah yad dhamanah, whereas the meaning of dhomanah is responsibility. Fiqh ulamas decide that actually, wadi’ah is responsible. Yad dhamanah is irresponsible.

Mobile Attendance Checking System on Android Platform for Kazakhstani University

Science.gov (United States)

Saparkhojayev, N.; Shakhov, E.; Mailybayev, Y.

2016-04-01

In the 21st century-the century of Information Technology, it is difficult to imagine life without any gadgets: phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and so on. Today, smartphones and tablets are becoming popular, and thus their operating systems become popular too. Android is designed for low-power devices that run on battery power at full capacity, using all of its services, such as cameras, lights, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi, etc. In Kazakhstani universities, the process of checking students’ attendance is one of the important issues, because final grade evaluation of students is based on their total number of appearances and their grades during the whole semester. This raises the question of having some tool to control students’ attendance. There are many possible ways of controlling attendance: there are many examples when universities prefer to control attendance by the use of paper sheet, and some universities prefer to use two-stage way of controlling attendance: firstly, teachers and professors use paper sheet for checking students’ attendance and after this, they fill out these information into a system manually. However, this is not an efficient way since there will be spent much of time for calling students names and putting marks like “presence” or “absence” if the class is a lecture class, and in this class at least 5 groups are presented. Furthermore, some students may call his/her friend as “presence” nevertheless to the fact that this student is currently absent. After taking into consideration all these issues and the fact that many gadgets use Android platform, authors of the following research paper decided to create a mobile system that makes easier to check students’ attendance automatically, and this system is implemented in Almaty Management University, Kazakhstan. The system is based on Android platform, and in this paper, details of this system are presented.

Influence of Peer Victimization on School Attendance among Senior ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nneka Umera-Okeke

Senior Secondary School Students in Uromi Metropolis. Ojugo ... Key words: Peer victimization, Bullying, School Attendance, Students, Counselling ... challenges children face at school; as a growing number of students perceive their .... record in Secondary Schools in. Uromi Metropolis. Score Range. Grade. Interpretation.

Determination of preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 based on protection motivation theory among female high school students in Isfahan, Iran

OpenAIRE

Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Yarmohammadi, Parastoo; Sharifabad, Mohammad Ali Morowati; Rahaei, Zohreh

2014-01-01

Introduction: Influenza A/H1N1 pandemic has recently threatened the health of world's population more than ever. Non-pharmaceutical measures are important to prevent the spread of influenza A/H1N1 and to prevent a pandemic. Effective influenza pandemic management requires understanding of the factors influencing preventive behavioral. This study reports on predictors of students’ preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 using variables based on the protection motivation theory (PMT)...

CHARACTERIZATION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN A CITY OF SÃO PAULO STATE

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Adriana Garcia Gonçalves

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to characterize the educational services offered to students with physical disabilities in a Municipal Education of a midsize city of São Paulo state. We gathered the data through document analysis and application of semi-structured interviews. We recorded the data on audio, transcribed and analyzed them. We categorized them into two categories, the first of which referred to the attendance policies and second, the organization of care for students with physical disabilities. The results showed that the system investigated showed accessibility policies supporting the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities enrolled in regular education, despite not indicate the need for specialized educational services when the student has no associated cognitive impairment. We concluded that there are myriad factors to contemplate the school inclusion of students with physical disabilities and that many actions are needed to ensure education and social participation of this target audience. Keywords: Special Education. Physical Disabilities. Specialized Educational Services. Assistive Technology.

An examination of the identity development of African American undergraduate engineering students attending an HBCU

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Kenneth J.

This study examined the identity development for a sample of 90 African American undergraduate engineering male and female students attending an HBCU. Using the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA), which is based on Chickering and Reisser's identity development theory, differences in identity development were examined with respect to gender, academic classification, and grade point average. Previous research has shown the need to look beyond academic factors to understand and influence the persistence of African American engineering students. Non-cognitive factors, including identity development have proven to be influential in predicting persistence, especially for African American engineering students. Results from the analysis revealed significant means for academic classification and five of the dependent variables to include career planning peer relations, emotional autonomy, educational involvement, and establishing and clarifying purpose. Post hoc analysis confirmed significant differences for four of those dependent variables. However, the analysis failed to confirm statistical significant differences in peer relations due to academic classification. The significant decline in the mean scores for development in these four areas, as students progressed from sophomore to senior year revealed strong implications for the need to provide programming and guidance for those students. Institutions of higher education should provide more attention to the non-cognitive areas of development as a means of understanding identity development and working toward creating support systems for students.

The impact of incentives on intrinsic and extrinsic motives for fitness-center attendance in college first-year students.

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Lizzy; Harvey, Jean

2015-01-01

A criticism of incentives for health behaviors is that incentives undermine intrinsic motivation. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of monetary incentive provision on participation motives for exercise in first-year college students at a northeastern public university. Randomized-controlled trial. Public university in the Northeastern United States. One hundred seventeen first-year college students. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: a control condition receiving no incentives for meeting fitness-center attendance goals; a discontinued-incentive condition receiving weekly incentives during fall semester 2011, and no incentives during spring semester 2012; or a continued-incentive condition receiving weekly incentives during fall semester, and incentives on a variable-interval schedule during spring semester. The Exercise Motivation Inventory 2 measured exercise participation motives at baseline, end of fall semester, and end of spring semester. Fitness-center attendance was monitored by using ID-card check-in/check-out records. Repeated-measures analyses using linear mixed models with first-order autoregressive covariance structures were run to compare motive changes in the three conditions. Participation motives of Enjoyment and Revitalization associated with intrinsic motivation did not decrease significantly over time in any of the conditions, F(4, 218) = 2.25, p = .065 and F(4, 220) = 1.67, p = .16, respectively. Intrinsically associated participation motives for exercise did not decrease with incentive provision. Therefore, incentives may encourage fitness-center attendance without negatively impacting participation motives for exercise.

DESAKAN SOSIOPOLITIK MUNCULNYA GAGASAN EVOLUSI SYARÎ'AH OLEH AN-NA’IM

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Mohammad Hefni

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Semenjak abad ke-19 M, telah tumbuh perjumpaan intensifantara dunia Muslim dengan peradaban Barat, yangmelahirkan implikasi yang cukup mencengangkan bagiperubahan struktur sosial dunia Muslim. Ketika dunia Muslimmeraih kembali independensinya secara politik daricengkeraman imperialisme dan hegemoni Barat pada abad ke-20 M, salah satu persoalan yang muncul kemudian adalahbagaimana memosisikan syarî'ah dan menjabarkannya kedalam sebuah formulasi yang ideal dan aktual agar mampumengakomodasikan seluruh warga negara dengan latarbelakang suku dan agama yang heterogen. Karenanya, iamenawarkan gagasan evolusi syarî'ah yang meniscayakansyarî'ah dapat menyahuti isu-isu penting bagi masa depankemanusiaan. Dalam membangun gagasannya tentang evolusisyarî’ah, An-Na’im menggunakan teori naskh. Naskh, menurutAn-Na’im, adalah menghapus ayat-ayat Madâniyah denganayat-ayat Makkiyah. Gagasan evolusi syarî’ah dilatarbelakangioleh setting sosiopolitik Sudan sebelum pecah menjadi SudanUtara dan Sudan Selatan.

Examining Master Schedule Practices in Rio Grande Valley Schools: Effects on Student Attendance, Discipline, and Grade Point Averages

Science.gov (United States)

Carriaga, Benito T.

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the impact of the master schedule design on student attendance, discipline, and grade point averages. Unexcused and excused absences, minor and major infraction, and grade point averages in three high schools during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 school years were included in the study. The purpose was to examine if any difference…

Anti-Restriction Protein, KlcAHS, Promotes Dissemination of Carbapenem Resistance

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Xiaofei Jiang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC has emerged and spread throughout the world. A retrospective analysis was performed on carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolated at our teaching hospital during the period 2009–2010, when the initial outbreak occurred. To determine the mechanism(s that underlies the increased infectivity exhibited by KPC, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST was conducted. A series of plasmids was also extracted, sequenced and analyzed. Concurrently, the complete sequences of blaKPC−2-harboring plasmids deposited in GenBank were summarized and aligned. The blaKPC−2 and KlcAHS genes in the carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates were examined. E. coli strains, carrying different Type I Restriction and Modification (RM systems, were selected to study the interaction between RM systems, anti-RM systems and horizontal gene transfer (HGT. The ST11 clone predominated among 102 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates, all harbored the blaKPC−2 gene; 98% contained the KlcAHS gene. KlcAHS was one of the core genes in the backbone region of most blaKPC−2 carrying plasmids. Type I RM systems in the host bacteria reduced the rate of pHS10842 plasmid transformation by 30- to 40-fold. Presence of the anti-restriction protein, KlcAHS, on the other hand, increased transformation efficiency by 3- to 6-fold. These results indicate that RM systems can significantly restrict HGT. In contrast, KlcAHS can disrupt the RM systems and promote HGT by transformation. These findings suggest that the anti-restriction protein, KlcAHS, represents a novel mechanism that facilitates the increased transfer of blaKPC-2 and KlcAHS-carrying plasmids among K. pneumoniae strains.

Methylphenidate use and poly-substance use among undergraduate students attending a South African university

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Francois Steyn

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. The non-medical use of MPH by learners and students has been reported by numerous studies from abroad. The practice stems from beliefs about the benefits of MPH in achieving academic success. Little is known about the use of MPH in South African student populations. Objectives: The study set out to determine (1 the extent and dynamics associated with MPH use and (2 poly-substance use among undergraduate students attending a South African university. Methods: 818 students took part in a written, group-administered survey. Data analysis resulted in descriptive results regarding MPH use and tests of association identified differences in MPH and poly-substance use among respondents. Results: One in six respondents (17.2% has used MPH in the past, although only 2.9% have been diagnosed with ADHD. Nearly a third (31.7% of users obtained MPH products illegally. The majority (69.1% used MPH only during periods of academic stress. A significant association ( p < 0.001 was found between MPH use and the frequency of using alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, hard drugs (e.g. cocaine and prescription medication. Conclusion: MPH use among students appears similar to experiences abroad, especially in the absence of clinical diagnosis for ADHD. Institutions of higher education should inform parents and students about the health risks associated with the illicit use of MPH. Prescribers and dispensers of MPH products should pay close attention to practices of stockpiling medication and poly-substance use among students who use MPH.

Virginia Standards of Learning (Grades 6 through 12) That Are Covered When Students Attend Live Performances of Shakespeare's Plays.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookshire, Cathy A.

This paper outlines Standards of Learning for grades 6-12 students in Virginia that are covered when they attend live performances of William Shakespeare's plays. The paper details separate standards for each grade in English, subdivided into standards which fulfill requirements in Oral Language, Reading/Literature, Writing, and Research, along…

Infection of mice with a human influenza A/H3N2 virus induces protective immunity against lethal infection with influenza A/H5N1 virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreijtz, J H C M; Bodewes, R; van den Brand, J M A; de Mutsert, G; Baas, C; van Amerongen, G; Fouchier, R A M; Osterhaus, A D M E; Rimmelzwaan, G F

2009-08-06

The transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A viruses of the H5N1 subtype from poultry to man and the high case fatality rate fuels the fear for a pandemic outbreak caused by these viruses. However, prior infections with seasonal influenza A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 viruses induce heterosubtypic immunity that could afford a certain degree of protection against infection with the HPAI A/H5N1 viruses, which are distantly related to the human influenza A viruses. To assess the protective efficacy of such heterosubtypic immunity mice were infected with human influenza virus A/Hong Kong/2/68 (H3N2) 4 weeks prior to a lethal infection with HPAI virus A/Indonesia/5/05 (H5N1). Prior infection with influenza virus A/Hong Kong/2/68 reduced clinical signs, body weight loss, mortality and virus replication in the lungs as compared to naive mice infected with HPAI virus A/Indonesia/5/05. Priming by infection with respiratory syncytial virus, a non-related virus did not have a beneficial effect on the outcome of A/H5N1 infections, indicating that adaptive immune responses were responsible for the protective effect. In mice primed by infection with influenza A/H3N2 virus cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for NP(366-374) epitope ASNENMDAM and PA(224-232) SCLENFRAYV were observed. A small proportion of these CTL was cross-reactive with the peptide variant derived from the influenza A/H5N1 virus (ASNENMEVM and SSLENFRAYV respectively) and upon challenge infection with the influenza A/H5N1 virus cross-reactive CTL were selectively expanded. These CTL, in addition to those directed to conserved epitopes, shared by the influenza A/H3N2 and A/H5N1 viruses, most likely contributed to accelerated clearance of the influenza A/H5N1 virus infection. Although also other arms of the adaptive immune response may contribute to heterosubtypic immunity, the induction of virus-specific CTL may be an attractive target for development of broad protective vaccines. Furthermore the

The Effect of E-Learning on Learning and Interest in School Attendance among Elementary School Students

OpenAIRE

Seyedehsahar Shafieiosgouei; Nava Nourdad; Robab Hassantofighi; Seyyedreza Shafieioskouei

2018-01-01

The technological advances of the 21st century have impacted all spheres of life, including education. The world of books and pens is being replaced by computers at young ages. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of technology on Iranian elementary school students’ learning and interest in school attendance. The participants were 47 sixth grade students selected from two schools with and without technological support. The results of the study revealed a higher level of interes...

Effects of Class Size and Attendance Policy on University Classroom Interaction in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Yin; Chang, Te-Sheng

2016-01-01

Classroom interaction experience is one of the main parts of students' learning lives. However, surprisingly little research has investigated students' perceptions of classroom interaction with different attendance policies across different class sizes in the higher education system. To elucidate the effects of class size and attendance policy on…

Shari’ah-Compliant E-Commerce Models and Consumer Trust

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Muhammad Kholifatul I Ardiansyah

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed at finding out the real picture of Shari’ah-compliant E-commerce model and consumer trust in e-commerce today, analyzing its drawbacks, and finding out how they influence each other. Shari'ah-compliant E-commerce model is a model that describes how e-commerce should run in accordance with the provisions of the Shari’ah. Broadly speaking, e-commerce in the perspective of Shari’ah must comply with some rules, namely: 1. the form of the offer and transaction agreement; 2. the transacting parties (buyers and sellers; 3. Objects and prices in the transaction; 4. Free from major prohibitions in transactions. The sample in this study is Indonesian citizen who are consumers of e-commerce. This research uses descriptive and statistical methods with multiple linear regression model. This model is considered relevant and good to be studied in order to enlighten how e-commerce is currently in the perspective of IslamDOI: 10.15408/aiq.v8i2.2913

Computer program for the automated attendance accounting system

Science.gov (United States)

Poulson, P.; Rasmusson, C.

1971-01-01

The automated attendance accounting system (AAAS) was developed under the auspices of the Space Technology Applications Program. The task is basically the adaptation of a small digital computer, coupled with specially developed pushbutton terminals located in school classrooms and offices for the purpose of taking daily attendance, maintaining complete attendance records, and producing partial and summary reports. Especially developed for high schools, the system is intended to relieve both teachers and office personnel from the time-consuming and dreary task of recording and analyzing the myriad classroom attendance data collected throughout the semester. In addition, since many school district budgets are related to student attendance, the increase in accounting accuracy is expected to augment district income. A major component of this system is the real-time AAAS software system, which is described.

The effect of attending tutoring on course grades in Calculus I

Science.gov (United States)

Rickard, Brian; Mills, Melissa

2018-04-01

Tutoring centres are common in universities in the United States, but there are few published studies that statistically examine the effects of tutoring on student success. This study utilizes multiple regression analysis to model the effect of tutoring attendance on final course grades in Calculus I. Our model predicted that every three visits to the tutoring centre is correlated with an increase of a students' course grade by one per cent, after controlling for prior academic ability. We also found that for lower-achieving students, attending tutoring had a greater impact on final grades.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Availability and Need of a Support Program for Students with Learning Difficulties Attending Elementary Schools in the Atlantic Union Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Lileth Althea

2013-01-01

Purpose of the Study. Support programs have been known to be very effective in helping students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the availability and need of a support program for students with learning difficulties who attend elementary schools…

Association between attendance and overall academic performance on a module within a professional pharmacy degree.

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Nigel; Burnett, Kathryn M; McCarron, Paul A

2018-03-01

As the higher education (HE) classroom begins to adopt newer internet-based technologies, the relationship between attendance and performance needs to be re-evaluated, particularly for professional degree courses such as pharmacy. In the present study, we aimed to establish if an association exists between attendance at all timetabled classes and academic performance, in a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) module, as part of the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree course at Ulster University. Data on attendance, final examination and coursework performance were collected over two academic years (2013-14 and 2014-15) of the CPT module at Ulster. In total 67 students were analysed. The MPharm degree at Ulster University implements an attendance policy, both as a pastoral support tool and to reinforce the need for professional conduct as a pharmacist. Student (2013-14 and 2014-15, n = 35 and 32, respectively) attendance on the module across both year groups was approximately 80%. We observed positive, and statistically significant relationships between attendance and performance on the examination, and especially in the coursework elements of the module. Student failure (below 40%) in the final examination was linked to attendance below an 80% threshold in nine of 12 cases. Reasons for not attending class varied, but illness was unquestionably the most commonly cited extenuation. Taken together, these data confirm a convincing association between student attendance and academic achievement. Our studies promote the use of attendance monitoring policies for professional degree courses such as pharmacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vitro evaluation of the contact angle formed between AH Plus, Hybrid Root Seal and mineral trioxide aggregate Plus sealer with dentin and gutta-percha.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikhil, Vineeta; Jaiswal, Shikha; Bajpai, Gauravi

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was evaluation and comparison of the contact angle of new root canal sealers - Hybrid Root Seal, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Plus, and the conventional AH Plus sealer with dentin and gutta-percha. Two groups (Group D - dentin and Group G - gutta-percha) of 18 samples each were further randomly divided into 3 subgroups based on the type of sealer used, that is, AH Plus, Hybrid Root Seal, and MTA Plus. Contact angle measurement device (Phoenix 300) was used to measure the contact angle of the sealers on both dentin and gutta-percha. The results thus obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Student's t -test. MTA Plus recorded significantly higher values of contact angle on both the substrates, that is, dentin and gutta-percha when compared to AH Plus and Hybrid root canal sealer. The lowest value of contact angle in gutta-percha and dentin was shown by Hybrid root canal sealer and AH Plus, respectively. Both AH Plus and Hybrid Root Seal exhibited lower contact angle values, and hence, better wettability on both dentin and gutta-percha as compared to MTA Plus.

PENILAIAN KINERJA FISIK (MATERI KOPERASI SYARI’AH MENURUT PERSPEKTIF SHARI’ATE ENTERPRISE THEORY DENGAN NILAI TAMBAH SYARI’AH DAN ZAKAT SEBAGAI INDIKATOR

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Elvyra Handayani Soedarso

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The results of the assessment on the performance of sharia cooperatives are strongly influenced by the analytical tools used. Analyzes that have been there only focused on a mere financial perspective with the meaning of finances limited to property or material. Whereas should the assessment of Sharia cooperative performance should be more comprehensive and comprehensive considering the role and function of Shari'ah cooperative which is not only limited to profit oriented but also non profit oriented. Assessment of Shari'ah cooperative performance according to shari'ate enterprise theory perspective assesses the performance of three forms of reality: physical reality, psychic reality and spiritual reality. Performance appraisal of physical reality is viewed from the perspective of financial piety, mental and social reality seen from the perspective of mental and social piety and spiritual reality seen from the perspective of spiritual piety. In this study, the discussion is limited only to the assessment of the physical performance of Shari'ah cooperatives by using the added value of Shariah and Zakat as an indicator of its assessment. The results showed that Sharia Added Value as the first indicator used to assess the physical performance of Shari'ah cooperatives assessed performance based on economic added value, mental added value and spiritual added value. While zakat as the second indicator of physical performance of Shari'ah cooperative is the transformation from the achievement of net profit to the achievement of zalcat, by using the object of zakat appraisal that is optimum.

Improving the Quantity and Quality of Attendance Data to Enhance Student Retention

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Eleri; Price, Trevor; Lloyd, Steve; Thomas, Steve

2005-01-01

This article draws attention to local and global attendance monitoring in higher education. The paper outlines benefits of attendance monitoring for both the individual learner and university, and compares traditional paper-based attendance monitoring systems with an electronic system piloted in the Business School and School of Technology at the…

OPTIMALISASI BANK SYARI’AH MENUJU GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

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Fahrur Ulum Fahrur Ulum

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Syarî’ah banking must be optimized earnestly to fulfill the stakeholders interest. The effective implementation of cooporate governance would realize the goal of fairness, accountability, and transparancy.  There are several prior focus of this system manager: basic concept and problems of cooperate governance in syarî’ah banking, the pillars of implementation, and the mechanism.  As a result, to create an effective  cooperate governance of syariah banking, the following aspects must be urgently required: a contract clarity, market discipline, moral dimension, socio-political atmosphere,  law enforcement, and institution. Board of directors, senior management, stockholders, and depositors have important roles to establish the  harmony of syariah banking development. The stakeholders  are directly connected to the mechanism of cooperate governance of syariah banking. Key Words: corporate governance, bank syari’ah, stakeholders, dan mudlârabah

Evolutionary trends of A(H1N1 influenza virus hemagglutinin since 1918.

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Jun Shen

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The Pandemic (H1N1 2009 is spreading to numerous countries and causing many human deaths. Although the symptoms in humans are mild at present, fears are that further mutations in the virus could lead to a potentially more dangerous outbreak in subsequent months. As the primary immunity-eliciting antigen, hemagglutinin (HA is the major agent for host-driven antigenic drift in A(H3N2 virus. However, whether and how the evolution of HA is influenced by existing immunity is poorly understood for A(H1N1. Here, by analyzing hundreds of A(H1N1 HA sequences since 1918, we show the first evidence that host selections are indeed present in A(H1N1 HAs. Among a subgroup of human A(H1N1 HAs between 1918 approximately 2008, we found strong diversifying (positive selection at HA(1 156 and 190. We also analyzed the evolutionary trends at HA(1 190 and 225 that are critical determinants for receptor-binding specificity of A(H1N1 HA. Different A(H1N1 viruses appeared to favor one of these two sites in host-driven antigenic drift: epidemic A(H1N1 HAs favor HA(1 190 while the 1918 pandemic and swine HAs favor HA(1 225. Thus, our results highlight the urgency to understand the interplay between antigenic drift and receptor binding in HA evolution, and provide molecular signatures for monitoring future antigenically drifted 2009 pandemic and seasonal A(H1N1 influenza viruses.

Dental attendance, perceptions of cost and self-care of school year 12 and 13 students: A focus on Southland, New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Colleen; Densie, Ian Kenneth; Morgan, Christian

2015-12-01

Adolescents and emerging adults can provide dentists with many challenges. Little information is available on their perceptions of dental costs once they turn 18 and dentistry is no longer State-funded. The aim of this study was to explore the use of dental care by Southland students in years 12 and 13, their perceptions of the cost of four common dental procedures, self-related oral health and dental self-care habits, time off school related to dental problems, and knowledge and views regarding fluoride. After ethical approval, a 26-question survey was conducted of all Southland students in years 12 and 13. Data were statistically analysed in SPSS version 20 with the alpha value set at 0.05. The participation rate was 49.6%. Regular attendance for examinations was reported by 77.5% with non-attendance mainly related to attitudes around lack of importance or necessity. Reported dental attendance varied according to gender, ethnicity and decile rating of school attended. Although some were accurate in their estimations of dental costs, the standard deviation for all procedures was large. The majority thought that costs put people off going to the dentist. While 74.8% brushed their teeth at least twice daily, only 26.6% flossed regularly. Knowledge regarding fluoride was lacking. It may be advantageous to include education regarding costs of dental care with patients of this age. This may motivate them to improve their self-care and ensure that their oral health is of a high standard before their dental needs are no longer State-funded.

Impact of Attendance Policy on Adult College Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Tracinal S.

2014-01-01

This qualitative evaluation focused on the problem of student attrition at a northern California college, its attendance policy, the policy's impact on previous students' decisions to persist in school, and on administrators' attempts to increase retention. The purpose for this study was to evaluate the participants' perceptions about their…

Attendroid : An Android Application in Attendance Management System

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Lorissa Joana E. Buenas

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This research involves an android application in attendance management system. The study sought to provide an alternative solution to the increasing demand for time management in the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences in Batangas State University ARASOF. Through the said Android application the attendance checking will be much easier, for it will reduce the roll call that takes a lot of time. It was developed to help the lecturers have sufficient time for teaching and the students for learning. The researchers used research design, development process, and programming procedures in their study. The “Attendroid”, was designed and develop using Eclipse, Java Script, Php and HTML. This application is for android phones and tablet which has portable hotspot. The android application for the students will run on 2.2versions of android and higher. The android application has gone through an evaluation to test whether the system is acceptable in terms of security, accuracy, reliability, maintainability and user-friendliness against the manual checking of attendance. The result shows that the respondents are more favorable in the Attendroid because it can be gleaned that they gave an excellent feedback to the application compared to the manual process of attendance checking. After thorough study of the old ways of attendance checking against the newly developed application, a necessity to improve the manual checking was observed, and therefore, strengthen the advantages of implementing Attendroid. Based on the result of the proposed users’ acceptability, Attendroid could become the formal attendance checking system of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

RESPON MAHASISWA PERBANKAN SYARI’AH TERHADAP PENDIRIAN GALERI INVESTASI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA SEKOLAH TINGGI AGAMA ISLAM NEGERI PAMEKASAN

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Lely Shofa Imama

2015-12-01

Full Text Available BEI Investment gallery STAIN Pamekasan as a realization of capital market laboratory will always engage academician, especially Perbankan Syari’ah students, as the object of the investment gallery. This research is field research employing descriptive quantitative method. Its objective is to identify the level of knowledge and response toward the existence of BEI Investment gallery in STAIN Pamekasan. The result shows that students of Syariah Banking Program just simply know, whereas they absolutely agree with the urgency of laboratory capital market and the founding of BEI investment gallery STAIN Pamekasan.

AhR transcription serum activity of Inuit´s across Greenlandic districts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Long, Manhai; Deutch, Bente; Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva Cecilie

2007-01-01

. The individual is exposed to a complex mixture of POPs being life-long beginning during critical developmental windows. Exposure to POPs elicits a number of species- and tissue-specific toxic responses, many of which involve the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The aim of this study was to compare the actual...... was similar in the different districts. For the combined data the order of the median AhR-TEQ was Tasiilaq > Nuuk > Sisimiut > Qaanaaq possibly being related to the different composition of POPs. In overall, the AhR transactivity was inversely correlated to the levels of sum POPs, age and /or intake of marine......-PCBs; ii) The inverse association between the integrated serum AhR transactivity and sum of POPs might be explained by the higher level of compounds antagonizing the AhR function probably due to selective POP bioaccumulation in the food chain....

Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism in Indiana: The Impact on Student Achievement. Education Policy Brief, Volume 10, Number 3, Summer 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Spradlin, Terry; Cierniak, Katherine; Shi, Dingjing; Chen, Minge

2012-01-01

This Education Policy Brief summarizes the research and data analysis completed by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) on Indiana's student attendance and absenteeism data. The study was initiated by The Indiana Partnerships Center and conducted by CEEP with funding from USA Funds and State Farm. Additional partners in the study…

Trivalent influenza vaccine in patients on haemodialysis: impaired seroresponse with differences for A-H3N2 and A-H1N1 vaccine components

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.E.Ph. Beyer (Walter); D.J. Versluis; P. Kramer; P.P.N.M. Diderich (Philip); W. Weimar (Willem); N. Masurel (Nic)

1987-01-01

textabstractOne hundred and one patients on haemodialysis, 21 patients on peritoneal dialysis and 30 healthy controls received a trivalent split vaccine containing 15 micrograms haemagglutinin of a recent influenza A-H3N2, influenza A-H1N1 and influenza B strain, respectively. Antibody production

Cyber-Truancy: Addressing Issues of Attendance in the Digital Age

Science.gov (United States)

Archambault, Leanna; Kennedy, Kathryn; Bender, Stacy

2013-01-01

Although mandatory attendance is easily determined in a traditional, brick-and-mortar school, monitoring and enforcing attendance and truancy in an online environment is less obvious. Despite this challenge, virtual schools, especially those that are publicly funded, have a requirement to ensure that students who are enrolled are actually logging…

Genetic structure of human A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 influenza virus on Corsica Island: phylogenetic analysis and vaccine strain match, 2006-2010.

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Alessandra Falchi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the genetic patterns of Hemagglutinin (HA genes of influenza A strains circulating on Corsica Island during the 2006-2009 epidemic seasons and the 2009-2010 pandemic season. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples from 371 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI were collected by General Practitioners (GPs of the Sentinelles Network through a randomised selection routine. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis of HA revealed that A/H3N2 strains circulating on Corsica were closely related to the WHO recommended vaccine strains in each analyzed season (2006-2007 to 2008-2009. Seasonal Corsican influenza A/H1N1 isolated during the 2007-2008 season had drifted towards the A/Brisbane/59/2007 lineage, the A/H1N1 vaccine strain for the 2008-2009 season. The A/H1N1 2009 (A/H1N1pdm strains isolated on Corsica Island were characterized by the S220T mutation specific to clade 7 isolates. It should be noted that Corsican isolates formed a separate sub-clade of clade 7 as a consequence of the presence of the fixed substitution D222E. The percentages of the perfect match vaccine efficacy, estimated by using the p(epitope model, against influenza viruses circulating on Corsica Island varied substantially across the four seasons analyzed, and tend to be highest for A/H1N1 compared with A/H3N2 vaccines, suggesting that cross-immunity seems to be stronger for the H1 HA gene. CONCLUSION: The molecular analysis of the HA gene of influenza viruses that circulated on Corsica Island between 2006-2010 showed for each season the presence of a dominant lineage characterized by at least one fixed mutation. The A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm isolates were characterized by multiples fixation at antigenic sites. The fixation of specific mutations at each outbreak could be explained by the combination of a neutral phenomenon and a founder effect, favoring the presence of a dominant lineage in a closed environment such as Corsica Island.

Relative Efficacy of AS03-Adjuvanted Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) Vaccine in Children: Results of a Controlled, Randomized Efficacy Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, Terry; Roy-Ghanta, Sumita; Montellano, May; Weckx, Lily; Ulloa-Gutierrez, Rolando; Lazcano-Ponce, Eduardo; Kerdpanich, Angkool; Safadi, Marco Aurélio Palazzi; Cruz-Valdez, Aurelio; Litao, Sandra; Lim, Fong Seng; de Los Santos, Abiel Mascareñas; Weber, Miguel Angel Rodriguez; Tinoco, Juan-Carlos; Mezerville, Marcela Hernandez-de; Faingezicht, Idis; Kosuwon, Pensri; Lopez, Pio; Borja-Tabora, Charissa; Li, Ping; Durviaux, Serge; Fries, Louis; Dubin, Gary; Breuer, Thomas; Innis, Bruce L.; Vaughn, David W.

2014-01-01

Background. The vaccine efficacy (VE) of 1 or 2 doses of AS03-adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccine relative to that of 2 doses of nonadjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccine in children 6 months to <10 years of age in a multinational study conducted during 2010–2011. Methods. A total of 6145 children were randomly assigned at a ratio of 1:1:1 to receive 2 injections 21 days apart of A/California/7/2009(H1N1)-AS03 vaccine at dose 1 and saline placebo at dose 2, 2 doses 21 days apart of A/California/7/2009(H1N1)-AS03 vaccine (the Ad2 group), or 2 doses 21 days apart of nonadjuvanted A/California/7/2009(H1N1) vaccine (the NAd2 group). Active surveillance for influenza-like illnesses continued from days 14 to 385. Nose and throat samples obtained during influenza-like illnesses were tested for A/California/7/2009(H1N1), using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety were assessed. Results. There were 23 cases of confirmed 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (A[H1N1]pdm09) infection for the primary relative VE analysis. The VE in the Ad2 group relative to that in the NAd2 group was 76.8% (95% confidence interval, 18.5%–93.4%). The benefit of the AS03 adjuvant was demonstrated in terms of the greater immunogenicity observed in the Ad2 group, compared with the NAd2 group. Conclusion. The 4–8-fold antigen-sparing adjuvanted pandemic influenza vaccine demonstrated superior and clinically important prevention of A(H1N1)pdm09 infection, compared with nonadjuvanted vaccine, with no observed increase in medically attended or serious adverse events. These data support the use of adjuvanted influenza vaccines during influenza pandemics. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT01051661. PMID:24652494

RELEVANSI KAFĀ’AH TERHADAP KEHARMONISAN RUMAH TANGGA PERSPEKTIF NORMATIF DAN YURIDIS

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Asrizal Saiin

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Kafā’ah is a concept of equivalence between the couples who want to get married to create family which is sakinah, mawaddah and rahmah. Religious elements is the main and most important in equality while the others just as a supporting factor, such as: education, offspring, position and economic degree. In determining the partner, every one should understand the kafa’ah concepts and criteria in integrated, inductive and comprehensive, what intended to avoid mistakes in choosing a good couple. This article examine the equality relevance on household harmony in terms of normative and juridical value. [Kafā’ah merupakan suatu konsep kesepadanan antara calon suami dan isteri yang ingin menikah untuk membentuk keluarga sakinah, mawaddah dan rahmah. Unsur agama merupakan unsur utama dan terpenting dalam kafā’ah sedangkan unsur yang lain hanya sebagai pendukung, seperti pendidikan, keturunan, kedudukan dan ekonomi. Dalam menentukan pasangan hidup, perlu dipahami konsep kafā’ah dan kriteria-kriteria yang ada di dalamnya secara integratif, induktif dan konprehensif, yang ditujukan agar tidak terjadi kesalahan dalam memilih jodoh yang baik. Artikel ini mencoba mengkaji relevansi kafā’ah terhadap keharmonisan rumah tangga ditinjau dari nilai normatif dan yuridis.

Assessing Outgroup Prejudice among 13-15-Year-Old Students Attending Catholic and Protestant Secondary Schools in Northern Ireland: An Empirical Enquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Leslie J.; Village, Andrew

2015-01-01

Northern Ireland has been and remains a religiously divided community. This study sets out to examine outgroup prejudice among a sample of 1799 13-15-year-old students attending Catholic or Protestant schools and employs both bivariate analyses and hierarchical modelling to chart the associations between outgroup prejudice and personal factors…

Economic Motives to Attend University: A Cross-Country Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bartram, Brendan

2016-01-01

This paper considers students' economic motives to attend university. Drawing on selected results from a tri-national survey involving online questionnaires and interviews with students at English, German and Portuguese universities, it examines and compares this particular extrinsic motivational dimension, alongside the influence of the national…

Identification of TMPRSS2 as a Susceptibility Gene for Severe 2009 Pandemic A(H1N1) Influenza and A(H7N9) Influenza

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cheng, Zhongshan; Zhou, Jie; To, Kelvin Kai-Wang; Chu, Hin; Li, Cun; Wang, Dong; Yang, Dong; Zheng, Shufa; Hao, Ke; Bosse, Yohan; Obeidat, Ma'en; Brandsma, Corry-Anke; Song, You-Qiang; Chen, Yu; Zheng, Bo-Jian; Li, Lanjuan; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2015-01-01

The genetic predisposition to severe A(H1N1) 2009 (A[H1N1]pdm09) influenza was evaluated in 409 patients, including 162 cases with severe infection and 247 controls with mild infection. We prioritized candidate variants based on the result of a pilot genome-wide association study and a lung

Towards locating the Nigerian Shari'ah Penal Codes' provisions for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

However, relatives of the murdered are at liberty to waive this and accept compensation money (diyah) or pardon the culprit absolutely. These provisions of the Sharī'ah were not in force in Nigeria until1999 when Zamfara State adopted Sharī'ah as its legal system and eleven other states later followed suit. With the creation ...

PENGEMBANGAN BAHAN AJAR (BMK DENGAN MODEL METODE QIRO’AH

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Abdul Muis

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Islamic education learning is a learning that has many a role in knowledge. It caused religion is becoming guide for all of human being Islamic in the world. Besides, Islamic religion is able to guarantee a requirement life all mankind either in the world or the hereafter. Therefore, presumably in teaching and learning Islamic religion education, a teacher should have many a matter learning that variously and be able to implement it. One of it is the development of material with Qiro’ati model which is teacher guidance student as well. The material before need to be renovating in order that the material can be running well and appropriate with next era it will be felt by student. The alteration cannot be avoided again, in order that it become requirement human being Islam, but the alteration who doesn’t come out from regulation Islamic precept who has been teaching it. So that, the material lesson is possible give opportunity to the teacher Islamic religion education always actively do learning process that agree with institution of Islamic education requirement. The focus this research is how the effectively of material Islamic religion education with Qiro’ah model?

Detection and characterization of Ah receptor in tissue and cells from human tonsils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorenzen, A.; Okey, A.B.

1991-01-01

Ah receptor was identified and characterized in cytosol and nuclear extracts from human tonsils obtained at surgery from children 2 to 6 years of age. Ah receptor was found in cytosol prepared from whole-tonsil homogenates as well as in cytosol and nuclear fractions prepared from tonsil lymphocytes or tonsil fibroblasts grown in primary culture. Cytosolic Ah receptor was detectable in tonsillar tissue with either halogenated (2,3,7,8-[3H]tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)) or nonhalogenated (3-[3H]methylcholanthrene and [3H]benzo[a]pyrene) aromatic hydrocarbons and sedimented at approximately 9 S after velocity sedimentation on sucrose gradients. The apparent binding affinity (Kd) of [3H]TCDD for Ah receptor ranged from 3 to 12 nM in cytosols from seven different donors. The same analyses indicated a concentration of Ah receptor in human tonsils of approximately 100-300 fmol/mg cytosolic protein. Incubation of either tonsil lymphocytes or tonsil fibroblasts with [3H]TCDD resulted in transformation of cytosolic Ah receptor to a nuclear binding form which could be detected as a specifically labeled peak sedimenting at approximately 6 S on sucrose gradients. These data demonstrate the existence of Ah receptor in human tonsils and suggest that this immune organ may be an appropriate model for further studies on the mechanism and manifestation of aromatic hydrocarbon-induced immunotoxicity in man

Anti-phase synchronization of influenza A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 in Hong Kong and countries in the North Temperate Zone

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Alice P.Y. Chiu

2018-01-01

Conclusions: These results are novel in identifying anti-phase synchronization in influenza A subtypes in Hong Kong and the NTZ. These findings should inform public health preparedness for future epidemics of A/H3N2, which are typically more severe than those of A/H1N1.

Predicting University Preference and Attendance: Applied Marketing in Higher Education Administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Robert W.; Zallocco, Ronald L.

1983-01-01

A multi-attribute attitude model was used to determine whether a multicriteria scale can be used to predict student preferences for and attendance at universities. Data were gathered from freshmen attending five state universities in Ohio. The results indicate a high level of predictability. (Author/MLW)

Retinoids repress Ah receptor CYP1A1 induction pathway through the SMRT corepressor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fallone, Frederique; Villard, Pierre-Henri; Seree, Eric; Rimet, Odile; Nguyen, Quock Binh; Bourgarel-Rey, Veronique; Fouchier, Francis; Barra, Yves; Durand, Alain; Lacarelle, Bruno

2004-01-01

CYP1A1 isoform is mainly regulated by the transcription factor AhR and to a lesser extent by the nuclear receptor RAR. The effect of a coexposure with 3MC, a AhR ligand, and RA, a RAR ligand, which are, respectively, strong and weak CYP1A1 inducers, is poorly known. We showed in Caco-2 cells that addition of RA significantly decreased 3MC-induced CYP1A1 expression by -55% for mRNA level and -30% for promoter and enzymatic activities. We further showed that RA decreased AhR protein level. Moreover, a physical interaction between AhR and the RAR-corepressor SMRT has been described in vitro. Using the corepressor inhibitor TSA, transfected-cells with SMRT cDNA, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments, we demonstrated that RA addition repressed AhR function through a marked AhR/SMRT physical interaction. This interaction explains the decrease of 3MC-induced CYP1A1 expression. This new mechanism involving the repression of AhR-induced CYP1A1 expression by retinoids allows better knowledge of the CYP1A1 regulation

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR Modulates Cockroach Allergen-Induced Immune Responses through Active TGFβ1 Release

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Yufeng Zhou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR, a multifunctional regulator that senses and responds to environmental stimuli, plays a role in normal cell development and immune regulation. Recent evidence supports a significant link between environmental exposure and AhR in the development of allergic diseases. We sought to investigate whether AhR plays a role in mediating cockroach allergen-induced allergic immune responses. Methods. AhR expression in human lung fibroblasts from asthmatic and healthy individuals and in cockroach extract (CRE treated human lung fibroblasts (WI-38 was examined. The role of AhR in modulating CRE induced TGFβ1 production was investigated by using AhR agonist, TCDD, antagonist CH122319, and knockdown of AhR. The role of latent TGFβ1 binding protein-1 (LTBP1 in mediating TCDD induced active TGFβ1 release was also examined. Results. AhR expression was higher in airway fibroblasts from asthmatic subjects as compared to healthy controls. AhR in fibroblasts was activated by TCDD with an increased expression of cyp1a1 and cyp1b1. Increased AhR expression was observed in CRE-treated fibroblasts. Importantly, CRE induced TGFβ1 production in fibroblasts was significantly enhanced by TCDD but inhibited by CH122319. Reduced TGFβ1 production was further confirmed in fibroblasts with AhR knockdown. Moreover, AhR knockdown inhibited CRE induced fibroblast differentiation. Furthermore, TCDD induced active TGFβ1 release was significantly inhibited by LTBP1 knockdown. Conclusion. These results provide evidence for the role of AhR in modulating cockroach allergen-induced immune responses through controlling the active TGFβ1 release, suggesting a possible synergistic effect between exposure to allergens and environmental chemicals on the development of allergic diseases.

A Historical Perspective of Influenza A(H1N2) Virus

OpenAIRE

Komadina, Naomi; McVernon, Jodie; Hall, Robert; Leder, Karin

2014-01-01

The emergence and transition to pandemic status of the influenza A(H1N1)A(H1N1)pdm09) virus in 2009 illustrated the potential for previously circulating human viruses to re-emerge in humans and cause a pandemic after decades of circulating among animals. Within a short time of the initial emergence of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, novel reassortants were isolated from swine. In late 2011, a variant (v) H3N2 subtype was isolated from humans, and by 2012, the number of persons infected began to increase ...

Development of the system for checking attendance of the lecture at the university using the card reader

OpenAIRE

田中,武; 大村,道郎; 楠,茂之; 安井,良親; 山田,明宏

2003-01-01

Development of the system for checking attendance of the lecture at the university using the card reader was demonstrated. The rate of checking attendance of the lecture was about 4 to 12 students per minute. The break time of lecture at the Hiroshima Institute of Technology was 10 minute. Therefore, it is possible to check about 40 students' attendance of the lecture for the break time. Also, the probability that check exactly attendance was about 50%. The real time system for checking atten...

SwyftTapp: An NFC based attendance system using fingerprint ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The conventional method for recording attendance in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), is the manual system, where sheets are passed round for students to write their names, student ID numbers and then append their signatures. The current manual system was observed to be both ...

A human intervention study with foods containing natural Ah-receptor agonists does not significantly show AhR-mediated effects as measured in blood cells and urine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waard, de W.J.; Peijnenburg, A.A.C.M.; Baykus, H.; Aarts, H.J.M.; Hoogenboom, L.A.P.; Schooten, van F.J.; Kok, E.J.

2008-01-01

Binding and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is thought to be an essential step in the toxicity of the environmental pollutants dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. However, also a number of natural compounds, referred to as NAhRAs (natural Ah-receptor agonists), which are present in, for

TCDD-induced transcriptional profiles in different mouse strains that have an identical AhR genotype

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Qing; Suzuki, Junko S.; Tohyama, Chiharu; Ohsako, Seiichiroh [Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa, Tsukuba (Japan); Takei, Teiji [Environmental Health and Safety Division, Ministry of the Environment, Kasumigaseki, Tokyo (Japan); Lin, Tinmin; Peterson, R.E. [Wisconsin Univ., Wisconsin, MA (United States). School of Pharmacy and Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center

2004-09-15

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an environmental contaminant that is known to cause hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity and carcinogenicity. A characteristic feature in the toxicity of TCDD is exceptionally large differences in susceptibility among animal species or even strains belonging to the same species. These strain differences in susceptibility to TCDD have now been elucidated to be due to the difference in ligand binding affinity or transcriptional activity of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Actually the C57BL/6 type AhR (AhR{sup b}) showed 6-fold higher ligand binding affinity than the DBA/2 type AhR (AhR{sup d}). The H/W rat AhR has a C-terminal truncation of the transactivating domain compared to the L-E rat AhR. On the other hand, there is considerable species variability in response sensitivity to TCDD that cannot be ascribed simply to polymorphisms of the AhR gene. A non-AhR gene susceptibility loci for hepatic porphyria has been observed in mice treated with iron compounds prior to TCDD injection by using a quantitative trait locus analysis of an F2 intercross between susceptible C57BL/6 and resistant DBA/2 stains. In the rat, a gene B with Han/Wistar type AhR is likely to be involved in resistance to TCDD lethality. These observations suggest that other modulating genes, so-called ''modifier genes'', have profound effects on the AhR-mediated gene expression phenotype. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the AhR coding region, the BALB/c, CBA/J, and C3H/He mouse strains are clustered together on a single branch. In the present study, we try to confirm the existence of modifiers by using microarray analysis to examine hepatic gene expression after TCDD exposure in BALB/c, CBA/J, and C3H/He mice. To recognize the existence of a modifier besides the AhR, it is a prerequisite experimental condition that the analyzed strains have an identical AhR genotype. Therefore, we selected BALB/c, CBA/J, and C3H/He mice as the model

class attendance and academic performance of second year

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Temechegn

Data was collected through expo-facto survey involving real time ... still a major concern for educators and educational researchers all over the world ..... attendance on students' academic performance using association rule mining technique.

Teacher-Provided Positive Attending to Improve Student Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Perle, Jonathan G.

2016-01-01

A teacher serves many important roles within a classroom, including an educator and a manager of child behavior. Inattention, overactivity, and noncompliance have long been cited as some of the most common areas of reported difficulty for schools (Axelrod & Zank, 2012; Goldstein, 1995). The evidence-based practice of positive attending (i.e.,…

Role of the Ah locus in suppression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity by halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PCBs and TCDD): Structure-activity relationships and effects in C57Bl/6 mice congenic at the Ah locus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerkvliet, N.I.; Baecher-Steppan, L.; Smith, B.B.; Youngberg, J.A.; Henderson, M.C.; Buhler, D.R.

1990-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) following allogeneic tumor challenge is suppressed in Ah-responsive C57Bl/6 mice treated with a single oral dose of the toxic, Ah receptor-binding 3,4,5,3',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HxCB). The present studies have examined the specific role of the Ah receptor in this immunotoxic response by utilizing HxCB isomers of known, varied affinity for the Ah receptor as well as by comparing effects of high-affinity Ah receptor ligands (3,4,5,3',4',5'-HxCB and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin [TCDD]) on the CTL response of mice that differ only at the Ah locus, that is, Ah-responsive (Ahbb) and Ah-nonresponsive (Ahdd) congenic C57Bl/6 mice. Correlative changes in thymic weight, serum corticosterone (CS) levels, and spleen cellularity were also measured. The potency of HxCB congeners (3,4,5,3',4',5'-; 2,3,4,5,3',4'-; 2,4,5,2',4',5'-) and 2,3,7,8-TCDD to suppress the CTL response, to reduce spleen cellularity, to cause thymic atrophy, and to elevate serum CS levels was directly correlated with the binding affinity of the congener for the Ah receptor. Furthermore, these parameters of immunotoxicity in Ahdd C57Bl/6 mice were significantly more resistant to alterations induced by either 3,4,5,3',4',5'-HxCB or 2,3,7,8-TCDD as compared to Ahbb C57Bl/6 mice. These results strongly support an Ah receptor-dependent immunotoxic mechanism in suppression of the CTL response following acute exposure to halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons

Class attendance, peer similarity, and academic performance in a large field study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kassarnig, Valentin; Bjerre-Nielsen, Andreas; Mones, Enys

2017-01-01

Identifying the factors that determine academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Existing research indicates that class attendance is a useful predictor of subsequent course achievements. The majority of the literature is, however, based on surveys and self-reports, methods....... Based on measured attendance data of nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, we demonstrate that early and consistent class attendance strongly correlates with academic performance. In addition, our novel dataset allows us to determine that attendance among social peers was substantially correlated (>0...

Effects of currently used pesticides in the AhR-CALUX assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Long, Manhai; Laier, Peter; Vinggaard, Anne Marie

2003-01-01

101L hepatoma cell lines. In comparison the results indicated that the rat H4IIE cell line is more sensitive than the human TV101L for detection of TCDD inducing AhR-CALUX activity. The pesticides iprodione, chlorpyrifos and prochloraz showed dose-dependent AhR agonistic effects in both cell lines...

Human Infection with Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus - China

Science.gov (United States)

... response operations Diseases Biorisk reduction Disease outbreak news Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China ... Region (SAR) notified WHO of a laboratory-confirmed human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus and ...

Biological role of Trichoderma harzianum-derived platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) on stress response and antagonism.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chuanjin; Fan, Lili; Wu, Qiong; Fu, Kehe; Gao, Shigang; Wang, Meng; Gao, Jinxin; Li, Yaqian; Chen, Jie

2014-01-01

We investigated the properties of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) derived from Trichoderma harzianum. The enzyme, comprised of 572 amino acids, shares high homology with PAF-AH proteins from T. koningii and other microbial species. The optimum enzymatic activity of PAF-AH occurred at pH 6 in the absence of Ca2+ and it localized in the cytoplasm, and we observed the upregulation of PAF-AH expression in response to carbon starvation and strong heat shock. Furthermore, PAF-AH knockout transformant growth occurred more slowly than wild type cells and over-expression strains grown in SM medium at 37°C and 42°C. In addition, PAF-AH expression significantly increased under a series of maize root induction assay. Eicosanoic acid and ergosterol levels decreased in the PAF-AH knockouts compared to wild type cells, as revealed by GC/MS analysis. We also determined stress responses mediated by PAF-AH were related to proteins HEX1, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, and cytochrome c. Finally, PAF-AH exhibited antagonistic activity against Rhizoctonia solani in plate confrontation assays. Our results indicate PAF-AH may play an important role in T. harzianum stress response and antagonism under diverse environmental conditions.

Exploring the school attendance of children with epilepsy

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Karina Piccin Zanni

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The childhood epilepsy is a chronic disease that can have an impact in various spheres of life of the child, including academic performance and school attendance. This study aimed to describe and compare the school attendance of children with epilepsy who attend mainstream and special schools. Participants were 56 children aged between 7 and 14 years who attended regular or special schools located in two Brazilian cities of medium size. To collect the information we used two instruments: Data sheet of identification and characterization of the child and Data sheet to record the attendance school. The results showed that children in special schools had higher rates of absenteeism compared to students in regular schools. Additionally, we observed that these children use more drugs and have implications on health more severe than children in regular schools. Thus, it is the childhood epilepsy as a disease complex that brings substantial effects on various areas of children’s lives by reinforcing the need for studies that might expand the knowledge to and the experiences associated with the education of these children.

School absenteeism among school-aged children with medically attended acute viral respiratory illness during three influenza seasons, 2012-2013 through 2014-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, Huong Q; Peterson, Siri H; King, Jennifer P; Meece, Jennifer K; Belongia, Edward A

2017-05-01

Acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) are common in school-aged children, but few studies have assessed school absenteeism due to specific respiratory viruses. To evaluate school absenteeism among children with medically attended ARI due to common viruses. We analyzed follow-up surveys from children seeking care for acute respiratory illness who were enrolled in the influenza vaccine effectiveness study at Marshfield Clinic during the 2012-2013 through 2014-2015 influenza seasons. Archived influenza-negative respiratory swabs were retested using multiplex RT-PCR to detect 16 respiratory virus targets. Negative binomial and logistic regression models were used to examine the association between school absence and type of respiratory viruses; endpoints included mean days absent from school and prolonged (>2 days) absence. We examined the association between influenza vaccination and school absence among children with RT-PCR-confirmed influenza. Among 1027 children, 2295 days of school were missed due to medically attended ARIs; influenza accounted for 39% of illness episodes and 47% of days missed. Mean days absent were highest for influenza (0.96-1.19) and lowest for coronavirus (0.62). Children with B/Yamagata infection were more likely to report prolonged absence than children with A/H1N1 or A/H3N2 infection [OR (95% CI): 2.1 (1.0, 4.5) and 1.7 (1.0, 2.9), respectively]. Among children with influenza, vaccination status was not associated with prolonged absence. School absenteeism due to medically attended ARIs varies by viral infection. Influenza B infections accounted for the greatest burden of absenteeism. © 2016 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Counseling Services for Asian, Latino/a, and White American Students: Initial Severity, Session Attendance, and Outcome

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin E.; Park, Samuel S.; La, Amy; Chang, Jenss; Zane, Nolan

2015-01-01

Objective The current study examined racial/ethnic differences in initial severity, session attendance, and counseling outcomes in a large and diverse sample of Asian American, Latino/a, and White student clients who utilized university counseling services between 2008 and 2012. Method We used archival data of 5,472 clients (62% female; M age = 23.1, SD = 4.3) who self-identified their race/ethnicity as being Asian American (38.9%), Latino/a (14.9%), or White (46.2%). Treatment engagement was measured by the number of counseling sessions attended; initial severity and treatment outcome were measured using the Outcome Questionnaire-45. Results Asian American clients, particularly Chinese, Filipino/a, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans, had greater initial severity compared to White clients. Asian Indian, Korean, and Vietnamese American clients used significantly fewer sessions of counseling than White clients after controlling for initial severity. All racial/ethnic minority groups continued to have clinically significant distress in certain areas (e.g., social role functioning) at counseling termination. Conclusions These findings highlight the need to devote greater attention to the counseling experiences of racial/ethnic minority clients, especially certain Asian American groups. Further research directions are provided. PMID:26390372

Normal mast cell numbers in the tissues of AhR-deficient mice.

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Pilz, Caroline; Feyerabend, Thorsten; Sonner, Jana; Redaelli, Chiara; Peter, Katharina; Kunze, Anja; Haas, Katharina; Esser, Charlotte; Schäkel, Knut; Wick, Wolfgang; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer; Lanz, Tobias V; Platten, Michael

2016-01-01

The transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) acts as an immunomodulatory molecule in several immune cell lineages. Recently, it has been implicated in development and maintenance of immune cells in barrier tissues such as skin and mucosa. To investigate its role on mast cell development and maintenance in skin, peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) and lymph nodes, we studied in depth their phenotype in AhR-deficient mice. Our findings do not provide any evidence for a suspected role of the AhR in mast cell homeostasis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Shadow Education in Malaysia: Identifying the Determinants of Spending and Amount of Time Attending Private Supplementary Tutoring of Upper Secondary School Students

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Chang Da Wan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the determinants of spending and the amount of time attending private supplementary tutoring, or commonly known as private tuition, in Malaysia. Based on 343 self-reported questionnaires with upper secondary students across three states in Malaysia and using multiple regression analysis, we identified ethnicity, father’s level of education and past academic performance as significant determinants of spending and amount of time attending private tuition. However, interestingly, we found that while geographical location and participation in internal tuition in schools were also determinants of spending, these two were not significant in determining the amount of time attending private supplementary tutoring. The identification of determinants of spending and amount of time, and in addition, the differences between these two illustrates the economic and educational dimensions of shadow education. More importantly, the insight also contributes to the formulation of possible interventions that can improve quality and reduce inequality in the mainstream education system.

Flavonoids and resveratrol as regulators of Ah-receptor activity: protection from dioxin toxicity.

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Tutel'yan, V A; Gapparov, M M; Telegin, L Yu; Devichenskii, V M; Pevnitskii, L A

2003-12-01

In 2002 FAO and WHO published a joint appeal to state and public organizations and scientific community to take every effort to control the contents of dioxin and related biphenyls in the environment and food products. The toxic effects of dioxin are realized via its interaction with the Ah-receptor. Here we reviewed modern notions about the structure and functions of Ah-receptor. Particular attention was given to antagonists and agonists of the Ah-receptor, including various flavonoids and resveratrol.

An Exploratory Study of the Rhetoric in CSR Reports: A Comparison of Shari’ah Compliant Company and Non –Shari’ah Compliant Company in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Abdul Razak Rafizan

2017-01-01

This paper advances previous research in corporate social reporting (CSR) by using a taxonomy of five distinct rhetorical strategies to examine any differences in term of type of ethical categories and to identify moral attitudes towards different societal activities between Shari’ah compliant company Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB) and Non-Shari’ah compliant company Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank). The data is analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that there are different...

A human intervention study with foods containing natural Ah-receptor agonists does not significantly show AhR-mediated effects as measured in blood cells and urine.

Science.gov (United States)

de Waard, Pim W J; Peijnenburg, Ad A C M; Baykus, Hakan; Aarts, Jac M M J G; Hoogenboom, Ron L A P; van Schooten, Frederik J; de Kok, Theo M C M

2008-10-22

Binding and activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is thought to be an essential step in the toxicity of the environmental pollutants dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. However, also a number of natural compounds, referred to as NAhRAs (natural Ah-receptor agonists), which are present in, for example, fruits and vegetables, can bind and activate this receptor. To study their potential effects in humans, we first investigated the effect of the prototypical AhR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on gene expression in ex vivo exposed freshly isolated human lymphocytes, and compared the resulting gene expression profile with those caused by the well-known NAhRA indolo[3,2-b]carbazole (ICZ), originating from cruciferous vegetables, and by a hexane extract of NAhRA-containing grapefruit juice (GJE). Only ICZ induced a gene expression profile similar to TCDD in the lymphocytes, and both significantly up-regulated CYP1B1 and TIPARP (TCDD-inducible poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase) mRNA. Next, we performed a human intervention study with NAhRA-containing cruciferous vegetables and grapefruit juice. The expression of the prototypical AhR-responsive genes CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and NQO1 in whole blood cells and in freshly isolated lymphocytes was not significantly affected. Also enzyme activities of CYP1A2, CYP2A6, N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and xanthine oxidase (XO), as judged by caffeine metabolites in urine, were unaffected, except for a small down-regulation of NAT2 activity by grapefruit juice. Examination of blood plasma with DR CALUX showed a 12% increased AhR agonist activity 3 and 24 h after consumption of cruciferous vegetables, but did not show a significant effect of grapefruit juice consumption. We conclude that intake of NAhRAs from food may result in minor AhR-related effects measurable in human blood and urine.

IEEE 802.11ah: A Technology to Face the IoT Challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Baños-Gonzalez, Victor; Afaqui, M Shahwaiz; Lopez-Aguilera, Elena; Garcia-Villegas, Eduard

2016-11-22

Since the conception of the Internet of things (IoT), a large number of promising applications and technologies have been developed, which will change different aspects in our daily life. This paper explores the key characteristics of the forthcoming IEEE 802.11ah specification. This future IEEE 802.11 standard aims to amend the IEEE 802.11 legacy specification to support IoT requirements. We present a thorough evaluation of the foregoing amendment in comparison to the most notable IEEE 802.11 standards. In addition, we expose the capabilities of future IEEE 802.11ah in supporting different IoT applications. Also, we provide a brief overview of the technology contenders that are competing to cover the IoT communications framework. Numerical results are presented showing how the future IEEE 802.11ah specification offers the features required by IoT communications, thus putting forward IEEE 802.11ah as a technology to cater the needs of the Internet of Things paradigm.

ITE Suppresses Angiogenic Responses in Human Artery and Vein Endothelial Cells: Differential Roles of AhR.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Wang, Kai; Zou, Qing-Yun; Jiang, Yi-Zhou; Zhou, Chi; Zheng, Jing

2017-12-01

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor is involved in regulation of many essential biological processes including vascular development and angiogenesis. 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) is an AhR ligand, which regulates immune responses and cancer cell growth. However, the roles of the ITE/AhR pathway in mediating placental angiogenesis remains elusive. Here, we determined if ITE affected placental angiogenic responses via AhR in human umbilical vein (HUVECs) and artery endothelial (HUAECs) cells in vitro. We observed that ITE dose- and time-dependently inhibited proliferation and viability of HUAECs and HUVECs, whereas it inhibited migration of HUAECs, but not HUVECs. While AhR siRNA significantly suppressed AhR protein expression in HUVECs and HUAECs, it attenuated the ITE-inhibited angiogenic responses of HUAECs, but not HUVECs. Collectively, ITE suppressed angiogenic responses of HUAECs and HUVECs, dependent and independent of AhR, respectively. These data suggest that ITE may regulate placental angiogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discharge of 1400 AH lithium thionyl chloride cells into voltage reversal

Science.gov (United States)

Zolla, A. E.

1982-03-01

The development of a high energy density battery is discussed. Tests were conducted on a 1400 AH cell and they include: drop tests, crush tests, vibration and shock tests, hydrostatic pressure effects, charge current tests, and discharge tests. None of these tests led to a venting or explosion of the cell. Criteria are presented for extending RV safety of a 1400 AH cell.

The Volatility of Indonesia Shari’ah Capital Market Stock Price Toward Macro Economics Variable

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Helma Malini

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Shari’ah stock market is also affected by many highly interrelated economic, social, political andother factor, same as the conventional stock market, the interaction between macroeconomic variablesand Shari’ah stock market creating volatility in the stock price as a response towards severalshocks. The sensitivity of Shari’ah stock market towards shocks happened related with the futureexpectation of micro and macro factor in one country which can be predict or unpredictable.There are six macroeconomic variables that used in this research; inflation, exchange rate, interestrate, dow jones index, crude oil palm price, and FED rate. Using vector error correction model(VECM, the result shows that domestic macroeconomic variables that significantly affect IndonesiaShari’ah compliance for long term, while for international macroeconomic variables the selectedvariable such as FED rate and Dow Jones Index are not significantly affected Indonesia Shari’ahcompliance both in short term and long term. Keywords: Indonesia Shari’ah compliance, Macro Economic Indicators, Impulse Response Function,Stock Price Volatility

75 Ah and 10 boilerplate nickel-hydrogen battery designs and test results

Science.gov (United States)

Daman, M. E.; Manzo, Michelle A.; Chang, R.; Cruz, E.

1992-01-01

The results of initial characterization testing of 75 Ah actively cooled bipolar battery designs and 10 boilerplate nickel-hydrogen battery designs are presented. The results demonstrate the extended cycle life capability of the Ah batteries and the high capacity utilizations at various discharge rates of the nickel-hydrogen batteries.

ANALISIS POTENSI PENERIMAAN KUALITAS ALUMNI PROGRAM STUDI EKONOMI SYARI’AH STAIN KUDUS DITINJAU DARI PERSPEKTIF STAKEHOLDER

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Ekawati Rahayu Ningsih

2015-03-01

Full Text Available GRADUATES RECEPTION QUALITYANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC STUDIES SYARI’AH IN STAIN KUDUS VIEWED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE STAKEHOLDER. The first aim of  this study was to determine the potential reception of  graduates quality in Shariah Economic Studiesof  STAINKudus in the world of  work. Second, to determine the motivations and needs of  stakeholders on the acceptance of  the quality of  graduates in Economics   Shariah STAIN Kudus.And third, to determine what factors which are supporting and inhibiting the absorption of graduates of the Department of Shariah Economics STAIN Kudus in working world. The theory that was developed as a basis for the analysis is the pyramid theory of  motivation and needs of  Abraham Maslow. By using qualitative research approach, the analysis and discussion of this study are:First, the potential acceptance of  Shariah Economy graduates in the working world, especially in the banking and financial institutions Shari’ah is still very large and potentially growing along with the rapid growth in the number of  banking and financial institutions Shari’ah in Indonesia. Second, motivation and needs of  stakeholders for the graduates reception of Shariah Economic STAIN Kudus is because it is the only college in the state of  religion around the Pantura area having Shariah Economic Studies Program and easily accessible. In addition, in order to establish a more synergistic relationship with the STAIN kudus then either the shari’a banking and financial institutions are willing to accept graduates of  Shariah Economic Studies Program as employees, of course, with the various criteria established in the job requirements. Keywords:Potential,  Quality  Admissions,  Graduates, Economic Shariah, Stakeholder. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah: Pertama, untuk mengetahui potensi penerimaan kualitas alumni Program Studi Ekonomi Syari’ah STAIN Kudus di dunia kerja. Kedua, untuk mengetahui motivasi dan

Evolution and adaptation of the pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza virus

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Ducatez MF

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Mariette F Ducatez, Thomas P Fabrizio, Richard J WebbyDepartment of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USAAbstract: The emergence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus [A(H1N1pdm09] has provided the public health community with many challenges, but also the scientific community with an opportunity to monitor closely its evolution through the processes of drift and shift. To date, and despite having circulated in humans for nearly two years, little antigenic variation has been observed in the A(H1N1pdm09 viruses. However, as the A(H1N1pdm09 virus continues to circulate and the immunologic pressure within the human population increases, future antigenic change is almost a certainty. Several coinfections of A(H1N1pdm09 and seasonal A(H1N1 or A(H3N2 viruses have been observed, but no reassortant viruses have been described in humans, suggesting a lack of fitness of reassortant viruses or a lack of opportunities for interaction of different viral lineages. In contrast, multiple reassortment events have been detected in swine populations between A(H1N1 pdm09 and other endemic swine viruses. Somewhat surprisingly, many of the well characterized influenza virus virulence markers appear to have limited impact on the phenotype of the A(H1N1pdm09 viruses when they have been introduced into mutant viruses in laboratory settings. As such, it is unclear what the evolutionary path of the pandemic virus will be, but the monitoring of any changes in the circulating viruses will remain a global public and animal health priority.Keywords: influenza, pandemic, evolution, adaptation

An Empirical Study of Personal Response Technology for Improving Attendance and Learning in a Large Class

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Amy

2009-01-01

Student evaluations of a large General Psychology course indicate that students enjoy the class a great deal, yet attendance is low. An experiment was conducted to evaluate a personal response system as a solution. Attendance rose by 30% as compared to extra credit as an inducement, but was equivalent to offering pop quizzes. Performance on test…

Identification and analysis of novel flavonoid agonists and antagonists for the AH and estrogen receptor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, B.; Nagy, S.; Rogers, J.; Denison, M. [Dept. of Environmental Toxicology, Univ. of California, Davis (United States); Nantz, M.; Kurth, M.; Springsteel, M. [Dept. of Chemistry, Univ. of California, Davis (United States)

2004-09-15

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological effects in a diverse range of species, tissues, and cell types. The most studied effect is induction of gene expression, and, the majority of AhR responsive genes, such as cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1), utilize AhR dependent mechanism of action. While halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the prototypical ligands of the Ah receptor, it has recently identified that the AhR is activated by a structurally diverse array of hydrophobic natural and synthetic chemicals. Given the structural diversity in AhR ligands, the physiochemical characteristics for high and low affinity ligands seems to be established. Environmental contaminants that can disrupt the endocrine homeostasis of an organism have also gained widespread attention in recent years and numerous chemicals have been identified as having either hormone or anti-hormone properties. However, like the AhR, the structural diversity and characteristics of endocrine disrupters that exert their action via nuclear receptors also seems to be depended on the estrogen receptor (ER). The flavonoids are a diverse family of chemicals commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Members of this family exert cytostatic, apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities. In addition, several flavonoids are potent modulators of both the expression and activities of specific cytochrome P450 genes/proteins and somel others have estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity. Accordingly flavonoids have attracted attention as possible chemoprotective or chemotherapeutic agents. We have previously developed and analyzed a novel chemical library of flavonoids which contained {proportional_to}200 compounds. The ability of these compounds to activate and/or inhibit AhR- and ER- dependent gene expression was examined by using our recently developed AhR- and ER

Emergence in China of human disease due to avian influenza A(H10N8)--cause for concern?

Science.gov (United States)

To, Kelvin K W; Tsang, Alan K L; Chan, Jasper F W; Cheng, Vincent C C; Chen, Honglin; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2014-03-01

In December 2013, China reported the first human case of avian influenza A(H10N8). A 73-year-old female with chronic diseases who had visited a live poultry market succumbed with community-acquired pneumonia. While human infections with avian influenza viruses are usually associated with subtypes prevalent in poultries, A(H10N8) isolates were mostly found in migratory birds and only recently in poultries. Although not possible to predict whether this single intrusion by A(H10N8) is an accident or the start of another epidemic like the preceding A(H7N9) and A(H5N1), several features suggest that A(H10N8) is a potential threat to humans. Recombinant H10 could attach to human respiratory epithelium, and A(H10N4) virus could cause severe infections in minks and chickens. A(H10N8) viruses contain genetic markers for mammalian adaptation and virulence in the haemagglutinin (A135T, S138A[H3 numbering]), M1(N30D, T215A), NS1(P42S) and PB2(E627K) protein. Studies on this human A(H10N8) isolate will reveal its adaptability to humans. Clinicians should alert the laboratory to test for A(H5,6,7,9,10) viruses in patients with epidemiological exposure in endemic geographical areas especially when human influenza A(H1,3) and B are negative. Vigilant virological and serological surveillance for A(H10N8) in human, poultry and wild bird is important for following the trajectory of this emerging influenza virus. Copyright © 2014 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HOW SHOULD SHARI’AH PRINCIPLES BE APPLIED IN MODERN COMPANY?

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Burhanuddin Susamto

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to show why the modern business institution (company should be Islamized, and to suggest ways in which shari’ah principles can be applied in the company. To achieve this purpose, we should understand how company be islamized in comprehensive and integrated  manner through the Islamic law perspective, with the contemporary issues like underlying contract of company,  legal entity, and the concept of liability. The resolution of these issues is important to assert that shari’ah principles could be applied in the modern company by integrating approach. An integrating approach in the treating of these issues has, however, been lacking, nor has it been subjected to a thorough legal analysis through the principles of Islamic business law.   Tujuan dari pembahasan ini adalah untuk menunjukkan bahwa institusi bisnis modern (perusahaan harus diislamisasi, dan member masukan cara-cara bagimana prinsip- prinsip shari’ah dapat ditetapkan dalam perusahaan. Untuk mencapai tujuan ini, kita perlu memahami bagaimana perusahaan diislamisasi secara menyeluruh dan terintegrasi melalui perspektif hukum Islam terhadap persoalan kontemporer, seperti landasan kontrak perusahaan, badan hukum, dan konsep liabilitas. Solusi dari persoalan ini sangat penting untuk   menegaskan bahwa prinsip-prinsip shari’ah dapat ditetapkan pada perusahaan modern melalui pendekatan integrasi. Bagaimanapun, pendekatan integrasi dalam menyikapi persoalan ini jarang dilakukan, disamping tidak menjadi tema analisis melalui prinsip-prinsip hukum bisnis Islami.

Content Analysis of Student Essays after Attending a Problem-Based Learning Course: Facilitating the Development of Critical Thinking and Communication Skills in Japanese Nursing Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Itatani, Tomoya; Nagata, Kyoko; Yanagihara, Kiyoko; Tabuchi, Noriko

2017-08-22

The importance of active learning has continued to increase in Japan. The authors conducted classes for first-year students who entered the nursing program using the problem-based learning method which is a kind of active learning. Students discussed social topics in classes. The purposes of this study were to analyze the post-class essay, describe logical and critical thinking after attended a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) course. The authors used Mayring's methodology for qualitative content analysis and text mining. In the description about the skills required to resolve social issues, seven categories were extracted: (recognition of diverse social issues), (attitudes about resolving social issues), (discerning the root cause), (multi-lateral information processing skills), (making a path to resolve issues), (processivity in dealing with issues), and (reflecting). In the description about communication, five categories were extracted: (simple statement), (robust theories), (respecting the opponent), (communication skills), and (attractive presentations). As the result of text mining, the words extracted more than 100 times included "issue," "society," "resolve," "myself," "ability," "opinion," and "information." Education using PBL could be an effective means of improving skills that students described, and communication in general. Some students felt difficulty of communication resulting from characteristics of Japanese.

Estimating the disease burden of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1 from surveillance and household surveys in Greece.

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Vana Sypsa

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the disease burden of the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1 in Greece.Data on influenza-like illness (ILI, collected through cross-sectional nationwide telephone surveys of 1,000 households in Greece repeated for 25 consecutive weeks, were combined with data from H1N1 virologic surveillance to estimate the incidence and the clinical attack rate (CAR of influenza A(H1N1. Alternative definitions of ILI (cough or sore throat and fever>38°C [ILI-38] or fever 37.1-38°C [ILI-37] were used to estimate the number of symptomatic infections. The infection attack rate (IAR was approximated using estimates from published studies on the frequency of fever in infected individuals. Data on H1N1 morbidity and mortality were used to estimate ICU admission and case fatality (CFR rates. The epidemic peaked on week 48/2009 with approximately 750-1,500 new cases/100,000 population per week, depending on ILI-38 or ILI-37 case definition, respectively. By week 6/2010, 7.1%-15.6% of the population in Greece was estimated to be symptomatically infected with H1N1. Children 5-19 years represented the most affected population group (CAR:27%-54%, whereas individuals older than 64 years were the least affected (CAR:0.6%-2.2%. The IAR (95% CI of influenza A(H1N1 was estimated to be 19.7% (13.3%, 26.1%. Per 1,000 symptomatic cases, based on ILI-38 case definition, 416 attended health services, 108 visited hospital emergency departments and 15 were admitted to hospitals. ICU admission rate and CFR were 37 and 17.5 per 100,000 symptomatic cases or 13.4 and 6.3 per 100,000 infections, respectively.Influenza A(H1N1 infected one fifth and caused symptomatic infection in up to 15% of the Greek population. Although individuals older than 65 years were the least affected age group in terms of attack rate, they had 55 and 185 times higher risk of ICU admission and CFR, respectively.

Human Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Changwen; Mok, Chris Ka Pun; Zhu, Wenfei; Zhou, Haibo; He, Jianfeng; Guan, Wenda; Wu, Jie; Song, Wenjun; Wang, Dayan; Liu, Jiexiong; Lin, Qinhan; Chu, Daniel Ka Wing; Yang, Lei; Zhong, Nanshan; Yang, Zifeng; Shu, Yuelong; Peiris, Joseph Sriyal Malik

2017-07-01

The recent increase in zoonotic avian influenza A(H7N9) disease in China is a cause of public health concern. Most of the A(H7N9) viruses previously reported have been of low pathogenicity. We report the fatal case of a patient in China who was infected with an A(H7N9) virus having a polybasic amino acid sequence at its hemagglutinin cleavage site (PEVPKRKRTAR/GL), a sequence suggestive of high pathogenicity in birds. Its neuraminidase also had R292K, an amino acid change known to be associated with neuraminidase inhibitor resistance. Both of these molecular features might have contributed to the patient's adverse clinical outcome. The patient had a history of exposure to sick and dying poultry, and his close contacts had no evidence of A(H7N9) disease, suggesting human-to-human transmission did not occur. Enhanced surveillance is needed to determine whether this highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) virus will continue to spread.

A comparison of 802.11ah and 802.15.4 for IoT

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N. Ahmed

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The emerging IEEE 802.11ah is a promising communication standard that supports a massive number of heterogeneous devices in the Internet of Things (IoT. It provides attractive features like improved scalability, low energy consumption, and coverage of large area. In this paper, we analyze the performance of IEEE 802.11ah, and compare it with a prominent alternative, the IEEE 802.15.4. The simulation results show that the new 802.11ah standard performs better than the 802.15.4 in terms of association time, throughput, delay, and coverage range.

Syari’ah, Fiqih dan Sebuah Perspektif tentang Tarjîh

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Miftahul Huda

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper takes into account the very fact that Syari’ah has been a subject of controversy over centuries. Its interpretation in the form of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence is a strong indication that Syari’ah is not immune from personal subjectivication. Fiqh is quite personal whereby a jurist would read the message of Syari’ah and attempt to give his personal and subjective interpretation of it. Nonetheless, the paper is also of the argument that this controversy is in itself a source of the dynamics of Syari’ah. It is due to this controversy–otherwise known as the legal dispute- that fiqh is capable of being developed over times. Some substances of fiqh are responses to the opposing views on some issues. Not less important than this is to delve into the factors that triggered such controversy and dispute. The paper speaks of three factors, namely the nature of subject-matter, the way the jurists interpret it, and the social circumstances that surround the jurists and help shape their way of thinking. The first is epistemological, the second methodological, whereas the third to sociological. The three factors are inter-related and form as it were the comprehensive legal products which the Muslims currently inherited. The Tarjih in the meantime, is a form of a legal product, which serves both as a social and intellectual modality for the Muslims in their daily lives.

PEMBELAJARAN METODE KOOPERATIF TIPE JIGSAW DALAM MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR BAHASA ARAB (QOWA’ID MAHASISWA PERBANKAN SYARI’AH IAIM NU METRO LAMPUNG TAHUN 2017

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Muhammad Syaifullah

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Learning Arabic qowa'id student Syari'ah Banking Second semester Ma'arif Institute of Islamic NU Metro Lampung still not maximized. Students have difficulties to understand Arabic qowa'id material. Student learning motivation is also low. This is what makes researchers want to do research in that class. Problems to be expressed in this research are: (1 How is the application of Arabic qowa'id learning with cooperative model of jigsaw method in class A, second semester of Syari'ah Banking, (2 How to improve learning qowa'id after getting learning with cooperative learning model of jigsaw method, (3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing cooperative Arabic qawaid in class A with jigsaw method. This research is a classroom action research conducted in two cycles. Each cycle is done in a cycle consisting of four stages: planning, execution, observation and reflection. The results of this study indicate an increase from cycle I of cycle II. The average class cycle I is 60.83 and the average of cycle II is 71. The students also show behavior change in the positive direction. Student activity is increasing. The improvement of test result is also followed by behavioral and motivational change based on research which has been done by the researcher that through cooperative learning with jigsaw method, Arabic qowa'id learning becomes more fun and easier for students in learning qowa'id. Suggestions that can be given is a lecturer of Arabic language should be more creative in using techniques and learning methods that involve the active role of student learning so that the learning process to get the maximum value. One alternative of learning Arabic qowa'id is by using cooperative learning jigsaw model.

Introducing the "TCDD-inducible AhR-Nrf2 gene battery".

Science.gov (United States)

Yeager, Ronnie L; Reisman, Scott A; Aleksunes, Lauren M; Klaassen, Curtis D

2009-10-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces genes via the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), including Cyp1a1, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (Nqo1), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1a6 (Ugt1a6), and glutathione S-transferase a1 (Gsta1). These genes are referred to as the "AhR gene battery." However, Nqo1 is also considered a prototypical target gene of the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In mice, TCDD induction of Nrf2 and Nrf2 target, Nqo1, is dependent on AhR, and thus TCDD induction of drug-processing genes may be routed through an AhR-Nrf2 sequence. There has been speculation that Nrf2 may be involved in the TCDD induction of drug-processing genes; however, the data are not definitive. Therefore, to address whether TCDD induction of Nqo1, Ugts, and Gsts is dependent on Nrf2, we conducted the definitive experiment by administering TCDD (50 mug/kg, ip) to Nrf2-null and wild-type (WT) mice and collecting livers 24 h later to quantify the mRNA of drug-processing genes. TCDD induction of Cyp1a1 and Ugt1a1 was similar in WT and Nrf2-null mice, whereas TCDD induction of Ugt1a5 and 1a9 was blunted in Nrf2-null mice. TCDD induced Nqo1, Ugt1a6, 2b34, 2b35, 2b36, UDP-glucuronic acid-synthesizing gene UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, and Gsta1, m1, m2, m3, m6, p2, t2, and microsomal Gst1 in WT mice but not in Nrf2-null mice. Therefore, the present study demonstrates the novel finding that Nrf2 is required for TCDD induction of classical AhR battery genes Nqo1, Ugt1a6, and Gsta1, as well as most Ugt and Gst isoforms in livers of mice.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR-mediated perturbations in gene expression during early stages of CD4+ T-cell differentiation

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Diana eRohlman

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR by its prototypic ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, mediates potent suppression of T-cell dependent immune responses. The suppressive effects of TCDD occur early during CD4+ T-cell differentiation in the absence of effects on proliferation and have recently been associated with the induction of AhR-dependent regulatory T-cells (Treg. Since AhR functions as a ligand-activated transcription factor, changes in gene expression induced by TCDD during the early stages of CD4+ T-cell differentiation are likely to reflect fundamental mechanisms of AhR action. A custom panel of genes associated with T-cell differentiation was used to query changes in gene expression induced by exposure to 1 nM TCDD. CD4+ T-cells from AhR+/+ and AhR-/- mice were cultured with cytokines known to polarize the differentiation of T-cells to various effector lineages. Treatment with TCDD induced expression of Cyp1a1, Cyp1b1 and Ahrr in CD4+ T-cells from AhR+/+ mice under all culture conditions, validating the presence and activation of AhR in these cells. The highest levels of AhR activation occurred under Th17 conditions at 24 hours and Tr1 conditions at 48 hours. Unexpectedly, expression levels of most genes associated with early T-cell differentiation were unaltered by AhR activation, including lineage-specific genes that drive CD4+ T-cell polarization. The major exception was AhR-dependent up-regulation of Il22 that was seen under all culture conditions. Independent of TCDD, AhR down-regulated the expression of Il17a and Rorc based on increased expression of these genes in AhR-deficient cells across culture conditions. These findings are consistent with a role for AhR in down-regulation of inflammatory immune responses and implicate IL-22 as a potential contributor to the immunosuppressive effects of TCDD.

The Educational Benefits of Attending Higher Performing Schools: Evidence from Chicago High Schools

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Allensworth, Elaine M.; Moore, Paul T.; Sartain, Lauren; de la Torre, Marisa

2017-01-01

Policymakers are implementing reforms with the assumption that students do better when attending high-achieving schools. In this article, we use longitudinal data from Chicago Public Schools to test that assumption. We find that the effects of attending a higher performing school depend on the school's performance level. At elite public schools…

Application of Sharī‘ah contracts in contemporary Islamic finance: A maqāṣid perspective

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Younes Soualhi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This research exposes the underlying maqāṣid embedded in Sharī‘ah contracts as applied in Islamic banking and finance. It addresses the problem of not observing maqāṣid in nominated and combined Sharī‘ah contracts as well as the problem of not sufficiently imbuing maqāṣid in products developed by Islamic financial institutions. As a benchmark of the maqāṣid of wealth, the research adopts Ibn ‘Āshūr’s classification of maqāṣid to evaluate the conformity of Sharī‘ah contracts to Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah namely, justice, circulation, transparency, and firmness. The study focuses on three markets related to the application of Sharī‘ah contracts, namely, banking, Islamic capital market, and takāful. The study concludes that, by and large, the application of Sharī‘ah contracts has observed Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah during its development and initial application stages of Islamic finance products; however, offering such products in the market has raised economic questions as to their viability and economic values. In addition, the malpractice of some Sharī‘ah contracts has long raised concerns as to the maqāṣid compliance of such products. The research recommends a de-sophistication of Islamic financial engineering to minimise the possibility of convergence with conventional finance. The research also emphasises product differentiation based on less complicated combined Sharī‘ah contracts.

Obesity and associated factors in young adults attending tertiary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Obesity and associated factors in young adults attending tertiary institutions ... and associated factors in a group of university undergraduates in south-east Nigeria. ... being a female (X2 = 47.91), first year student (X2 = 41.82), and having high ...

The influence of social-cognitive factors on personal hygiene practices to protect against influenzas: using modelling to compare avian A/H5N1 and 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenzas in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Qiuyan; Cowling, Benjamin J; Lam, Wendy Wing Tak; Fielding, Richard

2011-06-01

Understanding population responses to influenza helps optimize public health interventions. Relevant theoretical frameworks remain nascent. To model associations between trust in information, perceived hygiene effectiveness, knowledge about the causes of influenza, perceived susceptibility and worry, and personal hygiene practices (PHPs) associated with influenza. Cross-sectional household telephone surveys on avian influenza A/H5N1 (2006) and pandemic influenza A/H1N1 (2009) gathered comparable data on trust in formal and informal sources of influenza information, influenza-related knowledge, perceived hygiene effectiveness, worry, perceived susceptibility, and PHPs. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed domain content while confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the extracted factors. The hypothesized model, compiled from different theoretical frameworks, was optimized with structural equation modelling using the A/H5N1 data. The optimized model was then tested against the A/H1N1 dataset. The model was robust across datasets though corresponding path weights differed. Trust in formal information was positively associated with perceived hygiene effectiveness which was positively associated with PHPs in both datasets. Trust in formal information was positively associated with influenza worry in A/H5N1 data, and with knowledge of influenza cause in A/H1N1 data, both variables being positively associated with PHPs. Trust in informal information was positively associated with influenza worry in both datasets. Independent of information trust, perceived influenza susceptibility associated with influenza worry. Worry associated with PHPs in A/H5N1 data only. Knowledge of influenza cause and perceived PHP effectiveness were associated with PHPs. Improving trust in formal information should increase PHPs. Worry was significantly associated with PHPs in A/H5N1.

Class attendance, peer similarity, and academic performance in a large field study

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Bjerre-Nielsen, Andreas; Mones, Enys; Lehmann, Sune; Lassen, David Dreyer

2017-01-01

Identifying the factors that determine academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Existing research indicates that class attendance is a useful predictor of subsequent course achievements. The majority of the literature is, however, based on surveys and self-reports, methods which have well-known systematic biases that lead to limitations on conclusions and generalizability as well as being costly to implement. Here we propose a novel method for measuring class attendance that overcomes these limitations by using location and bluetooth data collected from smartphone sensors. Based on measured attendance data of nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, we demonstrate that early and consistent class attendance strongly correlates with academic performance. In addition, our novel dataset allows us to determine that attendance among social peers was substantially correlated (>0.5), suggesting either an important peer effect or homophily with respect to attendance. PMID:29117190

Preschool Attendance in Chicago Public Schools: Relationships with Learning Outcomes and Reasons for Absences

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Ehrlich, Stacy B.; Gwynne, Julia A.; Stitziel Pareja, Amber; Allensworth, Elaine M.; Moore, Paul; Jagesic, Sanja; Sorice, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Significant attention is currently focused on ensuring that children are enrolled in preschool. However, regular attendance is also critically important. Children with better preschool attendance have higher kindergarten readiness scores, this is especially true for students entering with low skills. Unfortunately, many preschool-aged children are…

BAGI HASIL DAN BANK SYARI’AH (Solusi terhadap Bunga Bank

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Rudy Haryanto Rudy Haryanto

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract: To save money in terms of investation is one of bank’s functions. Interest and production sharing are kinds of investation in banking system. Interest is a marketable entry in conventional banking, however production sharing is known in syari’ah banking system. Some people argue that interest cannot be seperated from the banking activity, in fact Islam recommends the followers to avoid it; hence it could be substituted with term of production sharing. It matches the priciple of musyarakah and mudharabah as being taught by Rasûlullâh SAW. Bank interest is considered ribâ (excessive interest and it is forbidden in Islam. Moreover, production sharing is more useful and beneficial for people. Unfortunately, the value of production sharing (syarî’ah banking product is lower than the value of banking interest (conventional banking product due to the fact that the ralationship established by syari’ah banking and its customer is based on the principle of gotong royong (mutual coorporation and production sharing partnership. Key Words: ribâ, musyarakah, mudharabah, dan bagi-hasil  

Segregation of virulent influenza A(H1N1 variants in the lower respiratory tract of critically ill patients during the 2010-2011 seasonal epidemic.

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Antonio Piralla

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Since its appearance in 2009, the pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus circulated worldwide causing several severe infections. METHODS: Respiratory samples from patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1 and acute respiratory distress attending 24 intensive care units (ICUs as well as from patients with lower respiratory tract infections not requiring ICU admission and community upper respiratory tract infections in the Lombardy region (10 million inhabitants of Italy during the 2010-2011 winter-spring season, were analyzed. RESULTS: In patients with severe ILI, the viral load was higher in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL with respect to nasal swab (NS, (p<0.001 suggesting a higher virus replication in the lower respiratory tract. Four distinct virus clusters (referred to as cluster A to D circulated simultaneously. Most (72.7%, n = 48 of the 66 patients infected with viruses belonging to cluster A had a severe (n = 26 or moderate ILI (n = 22. Amino acid mutations (V26I, I116M, A186T, D187Y, D222G/N, M257I, S263F, I286L/M, and N473D were observed only in patients with severe ILI. D222G/N variants were detected exclusively in BAL samples. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple virus clusters co-circulated during the 2010-2011 winter-spring season. Severe or moderate ILI were associated with specific 2009 influenza A(H1N1 variants, which replicated preferentially in the lower respiratory tract.

Students attendance monitoring using near field communication technology

OpenAIRE

Stakėnas, Tautvydas

2017-01-01

Today, near field communication technology (NFC) is one of the most popular automatic identification technologies. There is a lot of research and development in this area trying to make as much use of this technology as possible, and in coming years many new applications and research areas will continue to appear. In this paper the author examines NFC technology application for student’s attendance monitoring. In the first part of the thesis NFC uses, application methods and security levels a...

Divan Şairinin Sessiz ve Gizli Anlatımı: Muvaşşah The Secret and Silent Expression of Divan Poet: Muvaşşah

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Hakan YEKBAŞ

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Surface and deep structure of the elements that form the poembring new meaning to poetry. Determination of these elements is veryimportant in Ottoman poem studies. In this respect, many poets ofOttoman poem resorted to create a secret language through sounds andletters. From this point of view, letters gain great many peculiarity withregard to its shape and contents and therefore we see that differentkinds of literary arts reconstituted.These different experiments which have the aim of benefittingfrom the letters’ symbolic value or with the help of letters they try toconstitute concept are characterized as the not suitable line for ourtopic. For this reason, these applications whose examples are rarelyencountered in our literature according to the other literary arts reshown between the talents included the rhetoric. In our literature, oneof the talents which bases on the letters’ types, union, way of reading iscalled muvaşşah and muvaşşah is the method which bases on visualthings.Today, muvaşşah is expressed as the acrostic. Because of thatmuvaşşah is perceived as the art which finds the first letter of verse andcreates the name from these letters. But examples of muvaşşah inclassical Ottoman poetry benefit from not only the first letter of versebut also middle and last letter of verse. Our poets use muvaşşah toform the title, prayer, moreover while constituting verse or couplet, itcan be seen that they use muvaşşah to compose a chronogram tocommemorate the date. In this respect we can express that muvaşşahhas different contents.In our study, with the help of different examples of muvaşşahdifferent peculiarity of this art found place for itself. Different kinds ofmuvaşşah such as kasida, lyric poem, müseddes, stanza, masnavi,müstezad will show us the secret language and silent expression whichis used by the poet in the poem. Divan şiiri incelemelerinde, o şiirin yüzey ve derin yapısını oluşturan unsurların ve

Case of seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus infection, the Netherlands, March 2018.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, A.; Swaan, C.M.; Voerknecht, M.; Jusic, E.; Brink, S. van den; Wijsman, L.A.; Voordouw, B.C.G.; Donker, G.A.; Sleven, J.; Dorigo-Zetsma, W.W.; Svraka, S.; Boven, M. van; Haverkate, M.R.; Timen, A.; Dissel, J.T. van; Koopmans, M.P.G.; Besteboer, T.M.; Fouchier, R.A.M.

2018-01-01

A seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus harbouring genome segments from seasonal influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09 (HA and NS) and A(H3N2) (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, NA and M) was identified in March 2018 in a 19-months-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) who presented to a general

Case of seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus infection, the Netherlands, March 2018.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, Adam; Swaan, Corien M; Voerknecht, Martin; Jusic, Edin; van den Brink, Sharon; Wijsman, Lisa A; Voordouw, Bettie Cg; Donker, Gé A; Sleven, Jacqueline; Dorigo-Zetsma, Wendelien W; Svraka, Sanela; van Boven, Michiel; Haverkate, Manon R; Timen, Aura; van Dissel, Jaap T; Koopmans, Marion Pg; Bestebroer, Theo M; Fouchier, Ron Am

A seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus harbouring genome segments from seasonal influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09 (HA and NS) and A(H3N2) (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, NA and M) was identified in March 2018 in a 19-months-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) who presented to a general

Survey of low vision among students attending schools for the blind in Nigeria: a descriptive and interventional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosuro, Adedamola L; Ajaiyeoba, Ayotunde I; Bekibele, Charles O; Eniola, Michael S; Adedokun, Babatunde A

2012-10-01

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of low vision among students attending all the schools for the blind in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study set out to determine the proportion of students with low vision/severe visual impairment after best correction, to determine the causes of the low vision, to document the associated pathologies, to determine the types of treatment and visual aid devices required, and to provide the visual aids needed to the students in the schools. All schools students for the blind in Oyo State were evaluated between August 2007 and January 2008. All the students underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination that included measurement of visual acuity, retinoscopy and subjective refraction, tests for visual aids where indicated, and a structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 86 students were included in the study and the mean age was 19.4 ± 8.19 years. Twenty six (30%) were under 16 years of age. The most common cause of blindness was bilateral measles keratopathy/vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in 25 students (29.1%). The most common site affected was the cornea in 25 students (29.1%), the lens in 23 (26.7%), and the retina/optic nerve in 16 (18.6%). Preventable blindness was mainly from measles keratopathy/VAD (29.1%). Eleven students benefited from refraction and correction with visual aids; two having severe visual impairment (SVI), and nine having visual impairment (VI) after correction. The prevalence of low vision in the schools for the blind in Oyo State is 2.3%, while the prevalence of visual impairment is 10.5%. These results suggest that preventable and treatable ocular conditions are the source of significant childhood blindness in Oyo State.

Subclinical avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in human, Vietnam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Le, Mai Quynh; Horby, Peter; Fox, Annette; Nguyen, Hien Tran; Le Nguyen, Hang Khanh; Hoang, Phuong Mai Vu; Nguyen, Khanh Cong; de Jong, Menno D.; Jeeninga, Rienk E.; Rogier van Doorn, H.; Farrar, Jeremy; Wertheim, Heiman F. L.

2013-01-01

Laboratory-confirmed cases of subclinical infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in humans are rare, and the true number of these cases is unknown. We describe the identification of a laboratory-confirmed subclinical case in a woman during an influenza A(H5N1) contact investigation in northern

Causal Effects of Single-Sex Schools on College Entrance Exams and College Attendance: Random Assignment in Seoul High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyunjoon; Behrman, Jere R.; Choi, Jaesung

2012-01-01

Despite the voluminous literature on the potentials of single-sex schools, there is no consensus on the effects of single-sex schools because of student selection of school types. We exploit a unique feature of schooling in Seoul—the random assignment of students into single-sex versus coeducational high schools—to assess causal effects of single-sex schools on college entrance exam scores and college attendance. Our validation of the random assignment shows comparable socioeconomic backgrounds and prior academic achievement of students attending single-sex schools and coeducational schools, which increases the credibility of our causal estimates of single-sex school effects. The three-level hierarchical model shows that attending all-boys schools or all-girls schools, rather than coeducational schools, is significantly associated with higher average scores on Korean and English test scores. Applying the school district fixed-effects models, we find that single-sex schools produce a higher percentage of graduates who attended four-year colleges and a lower percentage of graduates who attended two-year junior colleges than do coeducational schools. The positive effects of single-sex schools remain substantial, even after we take into account various school-level variables, such as teacher quality, the student-teacher ratio, the proportion of students receiving lunch support, and whether the schools are public or private. PMID:23073751

Causal effects of single-sex schools on college entrance exams and college attendance: random assignment in Seoul high schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyunjoon; Behrman, Jere R; Choi, Jaesung

2013-04-01

Despite the voluminous literature on the potentials of single-sex schools, there is no consensus on the effects of single-sex schools because of student selection of school types. We exploit a unique feature of schooling in Seoul-the random assignment of students into single-sex versus coeducational high schools-to assess causal effects of single-sex schools on college entrance exam scores and college attendance. Our validation of the random assignment shows comparable socioeconomic backgrounds and prior academic achievement of students attending single-sex schools and coeducational schools, which increases the credibility of our causal estimates of single-sex school effects. The three-level hierarchical model shows that attending all-boys schools or all-girls schools, rather than coeducational schools, is significantly associated with higher average scores on Korean and English test scores. Applying the school district fixed-effects models, we find that single-sex schools produce a higher percentage of graduates who attended four-year colleges and a lower percentage of graduates who attended two-year junior colleges than do coeducational schools. The positive effects of single-sex schools remain substantial, even after we take into account various school-level variables, such as teacher quality, the student-teacher ratio, the proportion of students receiving lunch support, and whether the schools are public or private.

Comparison of Portfolio Selection and Performance: Shari’ah-Compliant and Socially Responsible Investment Portfolios

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Mehmet Asutay

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study examines the effect of Islamic screening criteria on Shari’ah-compliant portfolio selection and performance compared to Socially Responsible Investment (SRI portfolio. Each portfolio constructed from 15 stocks based on FTSE 100 using data from year 1997. Mean-variance portfolio optimization is employed with some financial ratios added as constraints for the Shari’ah portfolio. Annual expected return of each portfolio from 2008 to 2013 is used to calculate Sharpe’s ratio, Treynor ratio and Jensen’s alpha as the performance measurement tools. Macroeconomic variables are assessed using ordinary least square to examine whether they influence the portfolios’ expected returns or not. The result finds that Shari’ah portfolio has a better performance than SRI from year 2008 to 2010 shown by higher value of the measurement tools. However, from 2011 to 2013, SRI portfolio has better performance than Shari’ah portfolio. 

Case of seasonal reassortant a(H1N2) influenza virus infection, the Netherlands, March 2018

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, A. (Adam); C. Swaan (Corien); Voerknecht, M. (Martin); E. Jusic (Edin); van den Brink, S. (Sharon); Wijsman, L.A. (Lisa A.); A.C.G. Voordouw (Bettie); G.A. Donker (Gé); Sleven, J. (Jacqueline); Dorigo-Zetsma, W.W. (Wendelien W.); S. Svraka-Latifovic (Sanela); M. van Boven (Michiel); Haverkate, M.R. (Manon R.); A. Timen (Aura); J.T. van Dissel (Jaap); M.P.G. Koopmans D.V.M. (Marion); T.M. Bestebroer (Theo); R.A.M. Fouchier (Ron)

2018-01-01

textabstractA seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus harbouring genome segments from seasonal influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09 (HA and NS) and A(H3N2) (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, NA and M) was identified in March 2018 in a 19-months-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) who presented to a general

Outreach at Washington State University: a case study in costs and attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhardt, Elizabeth A.; Bollen, Viktor; Bersano, Thomas M.; Mossman, Sean M.

2016-09-01

Making effective and efficient use of outreach resources can be difficult for student groups in smaller rural communities. Washington State University's OSA/SPIE student chapter desires well attended yet cost-effective ways to educate and inform the public. We designed outreach activities focused on three different funding levels: low upfront cost, moderate continuing costs, and high upfront cost with low continuing costs. By featuring our activities at well attended events, such as a pre-football game event, or by advertising a headlining activity, such as a laser maze, we take advantage of large crowds to create a relaxed learning atmosphere. Moreover, participants enjoy casual learning while waiting for a main event. Choosing a particular funding level and associating with well-attended events makes outreach easier. While there are still many challenges to outreach, such as motivating volunteers or designing outreach programs, we hope overcoming two large obstacles will lead to future outreach success.

Novel cellular targets of AhR underlie alterations in neutrophilic inflammation and iNOS expression during influenza virus infection

Science.gov (United States)

Head Wheeler, Jennifer L.; Martin, Kyle C.; Lawrence, B. Paige

2012-01-01

The underlying reasons for variable clinical outcomes from respiratory viral infections remain uncertain. Several studies suggest that environmental factors contribute to this variation, but limited knowledge of cellular and molecular targets of these agents hampers our ability to quantify or modify their contribution to disease and improve public health. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an environment sensing transcription factor that binds many anthropogenic and natural chemicals. The immunomodulatory properties of AhR ligands are best characterized with extensive studies of changes in CD4+ T cell responses. Yet, AhR modulates other aspects of immune function. We previously showed that during influenza virus infection, AhR activation modulates neutrophil accumulation in the lung, and this contributes to increased mortality in mice. Enhanced levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in infected lungs are observed during the same timeframe as AhR-mediated increased pulmonary neutrophilia. In this study, we evaluated whether these two consequences of AhR activation are causally linked. Reciprocal inhibition of AhR-mediated elevations in iNOS and pulmonary neutrophilia reveal that, although they are contemporaneous, they are not causally related. We show using Cre/loxP technology that elevated iNOS levels and neutrophil number in the infected lung result from separate, AhR-dependent signaling in endothelial and respiratory epithelial cells, respectively. Studies using mutant mice further reveal that AhR-mediated alterations in these innate responses to infection require a functional nuclear localization signal and DNA binding domain. Thus, gene targets of AhR in non-hematopoietic cells are important new considerations for understanding AhR-mediated changes in innate anti-viral immunity. PMID:23233726

AhV_aPA-induced vasoconstriction involves the IP₃Rs-mediated Ca²⁺ releasing.

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Zeng, Fuxing; Zou, Zhisong; Niu, Liwen; Li, Xu; Teng, Maikun

2013-08-01

AhV_aPA, the acidic PLA₂ purified from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom, was previously reported to possess a strong enzymatic activity and can remarkably induce a further contractile response on the 60 mM K⁺-induced contraction with an EC₅₀ in 369 nM on mouse thoracic aorta rings. In the present study, we found that the p-bromo-phenacyl-bromide (pBPB), which can completely inhibit the enzymatic activity of AhV_aPA, did not significantly reduce the contractile response on vessel rings induced by AhV_aPA, indicating that the vasoconstrictor effects of AhV_aPA are independent of the enzymatic activity. The inhibitor experiments showed that the contractile response induced by AhV_aPA is mainly attributed to the Ca²⁺ releasing from Ca²⁺ store, especially sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Detailed studies showed that the Ca²⁺ release from SR is related to the activation of inositol trisphosphate receptors (IP₃Rs) rather than ryanodine receptors (RyRs). Furthermore, the vasoconstrictor effect could be strongly reduced by pre-incubation with heparin, indicating that the basic amino acid residues on the surface of AhV_aPA may be involved in the interaction between AhV_aPA and the molecular receptors. These findings offer new insights into the functions of snake PLA₂ and provide a novel pathogenesis of A. halys pallas venom. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TRANSFORMATION OF MAQÂSHID Al-SYARÎ’AH (An Overview of the Development of Islamic Law in Indonesia

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Absori .

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract:This study is part of an effort to systematize the basic conception of the values of the sharia as the foundation in the life of nation and state life, where the orientation is to embody the essence of the religious life through the maqâshid al-syarî`ah. Islam as al-dîn has been providing the basics of life of Muslims through the al-Qur’an and as-Sunnah. Both of these contain guidance values of human life, including in running the sharia for Muslims. Sharia (syarî`ah in perspective of terminology is "street". In an isthilâhî perspective, it is a way to get to God. The basic meaning of sharia itself should be realized in the basic understanding maqâshid al-syarî`ah, which can be interpreted within the scope of statehood, because the meaning contained are the values of universality of maqâshid al-syarî`ah. In the context of Indonesian, then maqâshid al-syarî`ah is part of the basic conception air Almighty God with the aim of creating prosperity for the people of Indonesia. In this study, the approach used is the doctrinal bases to study literature. This study is the strengthening of the maqâshid al-syarî`ah as the basis for the development of Islamic law.Abstrak:Kajian ini merupakan bagian dari upaya untuk sistematisasi konsep dasar dari nilai-nilai syari’ah sebagai pondasi dalam kehidupan berbangsa dan kehidupan bernegara, dimana orientasi tersebut adalah untuk mewujudkan hakikat kehidupan dalam beragama melalui maqâshid al-syarî`ah. Islam sebagai al-dîn telah memberikan dasar-dasar kehidupan umat Muslim melalui al-Qur’an dan al-Sunnah. Kedua hal tersebut mengandung nilai-nilai tuntunan kehidupan umat manusia termasuk dalam menjalankan syariah bagi umat Muslim. Syari’ah dalam perspektif terminologi merupakan “jalan”. Sedangkan secara isthilâhî, ia dimaknai sebagai jalan untuk sampai kepada Allah SWT. Makna dasar dari syari’ah itu sendiri harus diwujudkan dalam pemahaman dasar maqâshid al-syarî’ah, di

Month of the Year and Pre- Holiday Effects In Indonesia and Malaysia Shari’ah Compliance

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Helma Malini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} This paper investigates the existence of two anomalies in Indonesia and Malaysia Shari’ah compliance; the month of the year and pre-holiday effect, and their implication for stock market efficiency. Investing in Shari’ah compliant is different from investing in conventional stock. Conventional stock market followed the capital market set of rules and law, while Shari’ah follows not only followed the capital market set of laws but also the Islamic principles. Most of the previous studies investigated issues related to the conventional stock market, this study take one step further by investigating issue related to Shari’ah compliant instrument and make comparison between both Shari’ah compliance stock market in Indonesia and Malaysia. We document high and significant returns in month and pre-holiday in Indonesia and Malaysia stock market that represent by the Shari’ah compliance. Our result indicate that the month of the year effect is prevalent in Indonesia and Malaysia Shari’ah compliance.   Keywords: Calendar effects, Indonesia and Malaysia Shari’ah compliance, Month of the year and pre-holiday effects

Substance use and dietary practices among students attending alternative high schools: results from a pilot study

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Hannan Peter J

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Substance use and poor dietary practices are prevalent among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine frequency of substance use and associations between cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use and selected dietary practices, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, fruits and vegetables, and frequency of fast food restaurant use among alternative high school students. Associations between multi-substance use and the same dietary practices were also examined. Methods A convenience sample of adolescents (n = 145; 61% minority, 52% male attending six alternative high schools in the St Paul/Minneapolis metropolitan area completed baseline surveys. Students were participants in the Team COOL (Controlling Overweight and Obesity for Life pilot study, a group randomized obesity prevention pilot trial. Mixed model multivariate analyses procedures were used to assess associations of interest. Results Daily cigarette smoking was reported by 36% of students. Cigarette smoking was positively associated with consumption of regular soda (p = 0.019, high-fat foods (p = 0.037, and fast food restaurant use (p = 0.002. Alcohol (p = 0.005 and marijuana use (p = 0.035 were positively associated with high-fat food intake. With increasing numbers of substances, a positive trend was observed in high-fat food intake (p = 0.0003. There were no significant associations between substance use and fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusions Alternative high school students who use individual substances as well as multiple substances may be at high risk of unhealthful dietary practices. Comprehensive health interventions in alternative high schools have the potential of reducing health-compromising behaviors that are prevalent among this group of students. This study adds to the limited research examining substance use and diet among at-risk youth. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01315743

A smart technique for attendance system to recognize faces through parallelism

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Prabhavathi, B.; Tanuja, V.; Madhu Viswanatham, V.; Rajashekhara Babu, M.

2017-11-01

Major part of recognising a person is face with the help of image processing techniques we can exploit the physical features of a person. In the old approach method that is used in schools and colleges it is there that the professor calls the student name and then the attendance for the students marked. Here in paper want to deviate from the old approach and go with the new approach by using techniques that are there in image processing. In this paper we presenting spontaneous presence for students in classroom. At first classroom image has been in use and after that image is kept in data record. For the images that are stored in the database we apply system algorithm which includes steps such as, histogram classification, noise removal, face detection and face recognition methods. So by using these steps we detect the faces and then compare it with the database. The attendance gets marked automatically if the system recognizes the faces.

Outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in Nepal.

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Adhikari, Bal Ram; Shakya, Geeta; Upadhyay, Bishnu Prasad; Prakash Kc, Khagendra; Shrestha, Sirjana Devi; Dhungana, Guna Raj

2011-03-23

The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. Nepal has started Laboratory diagnosis of Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 from mid June 2009 though active screening of febrile travellers with respiratory symptoms was started from April 27, 2009. Out of 609 collected samples, 302 (49.6%) were Universal Influenza A positive. Among the influenza A positive samples, 172(28.3%) were positive for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and 130 (21.3%) were Seasonal influenza A. Most of the pandemic cases (53%) were found among young people with ≤ 20 years. Case Fatality Ratio for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in Nepal was 1.74%. Upon Molecular characterization, all the isolated pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel influenza A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type. The Pandemic 2009 influenza virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type.

Outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in Nepal

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Shrestha Sirjana

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. Nepal has started Laboratory diagnosis of Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 from mid June 2009 though active screening of febrile travellers with respiratory symptoms was started from April 27, 2009. Results Out of 609 collected samples, 302 (49.6% were Universal Influenza A positive. Among the influenza A positive samples, 172(28.3% were positive for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and 130 (21.3% were Seasonal influenza A. Most of the pandemic cases (53% were found among young people with ≤ 20 years. Case Fatality Ratio for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in Nepal was 1.74%. Upon Molecular characterization, all the isolated pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel influenza A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1v type. Conclusion The Pandemic 2009 influenza virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1v type.

The Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. Gene AhLPAT2 Increases the Lipid Content of Transgenic Arabidopsis Seeds.

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Silong Chen

Full Text Available Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAT, which converts lysophosphatidic acid (LPA to phosphatidic acid (PA, catalyzes the addition of fatty acyl moieties to the sn-2 position of the LPA glycerol backbone in triacylglycerol (TAG biosynthesis. We recently reported the cloning and temporal-spatial expression of a peanut (Arachis hypogaea AhLPAT2gene, showing that an increase in AhLPAT2 transcript levels was closely correlated with an increase in seed oil levels. However, the function of the enzyme encoded by the AhLPAT2 gene remains unclear. Here, we report that AhLPAT2 transcript levels were consistently higher in the seeds of a high-oil cultivar than in those of a low-oil cultivar across different seed developmental stages. Seed-specific overexpression of AhLPAT2 in Arabidopsis results in a higher percentage of oil in the seeds and greater-than-average seed weight in the transgenic plants compared with the wild-type plants, leading to a significant increase in total oil yield per plant. The total fatty acid (FA content and the proportion of unsaturated FAs also increased. In the developing siliques of AhLPAT2-overexpressing plants, the expression levels of genes encoding crucial enzymes involved in de novo FA synthesis, acetyl-CoA subunit (AtBCCP2 and acyl carrier protein 1 (AtACP1 were elevated. AhLPAT2 overexpression also promoted the expression of several key genes related to TAG assembly, sucrose metabolism, and glycolysis. These results demonstrate that the expression of AhLPAT2 plays an important role in glycerolipid production in peanuts.

Comparative Resistance of AH26 and a New Sealer Prototype to a Bacterial Challenge

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Derek Duggan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. This study compared the leakage resistance of a New Sealer Prototype (NSP with a traditional sealer (AH 26 in Resilon-filled roots subjected to a bacterial challenge. Study Design. 41 roots were instrumented to ISO size 50 apically. Group 1 (=20 contained Resilon and AH 26 sealer and roots in group 2 (=21 contained Resilon and NSP. Roots were embedded in a dual-chamber model with the upper chamber containing Streptococcus mutans inoculum. Evidence of bacterial penetration was observed for 1 month. Fisher's Test was used to analyze the data. Results. 8 of 20 roots (40% in the AH 26 group demonstrated leakage whereas 3 of 21 roots (14% in the NSP group leaked. The difference in leakage rates was not statistically significant (=0.053. Conclusion. The traditional sealer (AH 26 demonstrated increased leakage rates compared to the New Sealer Prototype (NSP, but the difference did not reach statistical significance in this study.

Global patterns in seasonal activity of influenza A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and B from 1997 to 2005: viral coexistence and latitudinal gradients.

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Brian S Finkelman

Full Text Available Despite a mass of research on the epidemiology of seasonal influenza, overall patterns of infection have not been fully described on broad geographic scales and for specific types and subtypes of the influenza virus. Here we provide a descriptive analysis of laboratory-confirmed influenza surveillance data by type and subtype (A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and B for 19 temperate countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres from 1997 to 2005, compiled from a public database maintained by WHO (FluNet. Key findings include patterns of large scale co-occurrence of influenza type A and B, interhemispheric synchrony for subtype A/H3N2, and latitudinal gradients in epidemic timing for type A. These findings highlight the need for more countries to conduct year-round viral surveillance and report reliable incidence data at the type and subtype level, especially in the Tropics.

Epidemiology of frequent attenders: a 3-year historic cohort study comparing attendance, morbidity and prescriptions of one-year and persistent frequent attenders

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ter Riet Gerben

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General Practitioners spend a disproportionate amount of time on frequent attenders. So far, trials on the effect of interventions on frequent attenders have shown negative results. However, these trials were conducted in short-term frequent attenders. It would be more reasonable to target intervention at persistent frequent attenders. Typical characteristics of persistent frequent attenders, as opposed to 1-year frequent attenders and non-frequent attenders, may generate hypotheses regarding modifiable factors on which new randomized trials may be designed. Methods We used the data of all 28,860 adult patients from 5 primary healthcare centers. Frequent attenders were patients whose attendance rate ranked in the (age and sex adjusted top 10 percent during 1 year (1-year frequent attenders or 3 years (persistent frequent attenders. All other patients on the register over the 3-year period were referred to as non-frequent attenders. The lists of medical problems coded by the GP using the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC were used to assess morbidity. First, we determined which proportion of 1-year frequent attenders was still a frequent attender during the next two consecutive years and calculated the GPs' workload for these patients. Second, we compared morbidity and number of prescriptions for non-frequent attenders, 1-year frequent attenders and persistent frequent attenders. Results Of all 1-year frequent attenders, 15.4% became a persistent frequent attender equal to 1.6% of all patients. The 1-year frequent attenders (3,045; 10.6% were responsible for 39% of the face-to-face consultations; the 470 patients who would become persistent frequent attenders (1.6% were responsible for 8% of all consultations in 2003. Persistent frequent attenders presented more social problems, more psychiatric problems and medically unexplained physical symptoms, but also more chronic somatic diseases (especially diabetes

Binding Mode and Structure-Activity Relationships of ITE as an Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) Agonist.

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Dolciami, Daniela; Gargaro, Marco; Cerra, Bruno; Scalisi, Giulia; Bagnoli, Luana; Servillo, Giuseppe; Fazia, Maria Agnese Della; Puccetti, Paolo; Quintana, Francisco J; Fallarino, Francesca; Macchiarulo, Antonio

2018-02-06

Discovered as a modulator of the toxic response to environmental pollutants, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has recently gained attention for its involvement in various physiological and pathological pathways. AhR is a ligand-dependent transcription factor activated by a large array of chemical compounds, which include metabolites of l-tryptophan (l-Trp) catabolism as endogenous ligands of the receptor. Among these, 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) has attracted interest in the scientific community, being endowed with nontoxic, immunomodulatory, and anticancer AhR-mediated functions. So far, no information about the binding mode and interactions of ITE with AhR is available. In this study, we used docking and molecular dynamics to propose a putative binding mode of ITE into the ligand binding pocket of AhR. Mutagenesis studies were then instrumental in validating the proposed binding mode, identifying His 285 and Tyr 316 as important key residues for ligand-dependent receptor activation. Finally, a set of ITE analogues was synthesized and tested to further probe molecular interactions of ITE to AhR and characterize the relevance of specific functional groups in the chemical structure for receptor activity. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY: DISCUSSING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGH SKILLS/GIFTEDNESS

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Renata Gomes Camargo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Thinking about educational accessibility in academic research constitutes a necessity in view of the reality of education today and investigations unexplored, such as the relation between the high skills/giftedness -AH/SD-, researchin university and educational accessibility. This paper aims to discuss the dialogue between school and university research regarding the accessibility of students with AH/SD, seeking to highlight some actions related to a research project of theUniversidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS. The discussion in this article is guided in a qualitative perspective, is the main theoretical support studies of Manzini (2005 and Freitas and Pérez (2010. Among the main considerations, it follows that: shared responsibility between school and university, through action research projects, contributes significantly to the establishment of educational accessibility for students with AH/SD.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection and sexual behaviour among female students attending higher education in the Republic of Ireland.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Connell, Emer

2009-10-29

BACKGROUND: There are no prevalence data on Chlamydia trachomatis relating to female students attending higher education available for the Republic of Ireland. This information is required to guide on the necessity for Chlamydia screening programmes in higher education settings. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of and predictive risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection among female higher education students in Ireland. METHODS: All females presenting during one-day periods at Student Health Units in three higher education institutions in two cities in the Republic of Ireland were invited to participate. Participants completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and socio-demographic factors and provided a urine sample. Samples were tested for C. trachomatis DNA by a PCR based technique (Cobas Amplicor, Roche). To examine possible associations between a positive test and demographic and lifestyle risk factors, a univariate analysis was performed. All associations with a p value < 0.05 were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 460 sexually active participants 22 tested positive (prevalence 4.8%; 95% CI 3.0 to 7.1%). Variables associated with significantly increased risk were current suggestive symptoms, two or more one-night stands and three or more lifetime sexual partners. The students displayed high-risk sexual behaviour. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection and the lack of awareness of the significance of suggestive symptoms among sexually experienced female students demonstrate the need for a programme to test asymptomatic or non-presenting higher education students. The risk factors identified by multivariate analysis may be useful in identifying those who are most likely to benefit from screening. Alcohol abuse, condom use, sexual behaviour (at home and abroad) and, knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (including asymptomatic nature or relevant symptoms) were

Chlamydia trachomatis infection and sexual behaviour among female students attending higher education in the Republic of Ireland

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Vellinga Akke

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are no prevalence data on Chlamydia trachomatis relating to female students attending higher education available for the Republic of Ireland. This information is required to guide on the necessity for Chlamydia screening programmes in higher education settings. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of and predictive risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection among female higher education students in Ireland. Methods All females presenting during one-day periods at Student Health Units in three higher education institutions in two cities in the Republic of Ireland were invited to participate. Participants completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and socio-demographic factors and provided a urine sample. Samples were tested for C. trachomatis DNA by a PCR based technique (Cobas Amplicor, Roche. To examine possible associations between a positive test and demographic and lifestyle risk factors, a univariate analysis was performed. All associations with a p value Results Of the 460 sexually active participants 22 tested positive (prevalence 4.8%; 95% CI 3.0 to 7.1%. Variables associated with significantly increased risk were current suggestive symptoms, two or more one-night stands and three or more lifetime sexual partners. The students displayed high-risk sexual behaviour. Conclusion The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection and the lack of awareness of the significance of suggestive symptoms among sexually experienced female students demonstrate the need for a programme to test asymptomatic or non-presenting higher education students. The risk factors identified by multivariate analysis may be useful in identifying those who are most likely to benefit from screening. Alcohol abuse, condom use, sexual behaviour (at home and abroad and, knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs (including asymptomatic nature or relevant symptoms were identified as target areas for health promotion strategies

Attendance and alcohol use at parties and bars in college: a national survey of current drinkers.

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Harford, Thomas C; Wechsler, Henry; Seibring, Mark

2002-11-01

This study examines attendance and alcohol use at parties and bars among college students by gender, residence, year in school and legal drinking age. The study participants were respondents in the 1997 and 1999 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS). The combined sample consisted of 12,830 students (61% women) who reported use of alcohol in the past 30 days prior to interview. Their responses provided information on attendance and alcohol use at parties (dormitory, fraternity, off campus) and off-campus bars. Logistic regression analyses examined the influence of gender, residence, year in school and legal drinking age related to attendance, drinking/non-drinking and heavy drinking (5 or more drinks) at each select setting. Consistent with the literature, fraternity/ sorority parties were occasions of heavy drinking (49%) among drinkers in those settings, yet they drew upon smaller proportions of students (36%) when compared to off-campus parties (75%) and off-campus bars (68%). Off-campus parties (45%) and bars (37%) were also occasions for heavy drinking among drinkers in these settings. College residence was shown to relate to differential exposure to drinking settings, but residence had less impact on the decision to drink and the level of heavy drinking. Attendance at parties decreased with advance in school years, but attendance at off-campus bars increased. Although heavy drinking at off-campus bars decreased with advancing grade year in school, slightly higher proportions of under-age students (41%) compared to students of legal drinking age (35%) exhibited heavy drinking at off-campus bars. The identification of high-risk settings and their correlates serves to better understand the development of heavy drinking on college campuses. Off-campus parties, as compared to campus parties and bars, may pose greater difficulties related to successful intervention.

Contra trading in Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad: a Sharīʿah and legal appraisal

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Noor Suhaida Kasri

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the practice of contra trading in Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. Through a critical examination of the practice, it aims to discuss the issues from the angles of Sharīʿah and Malaysian common law. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses a qualitative research methodology. The information on the practice of contra trading is obtained through the Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad’s website and literature as well as series of meetings and discussions held with Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. In comprehending and dissecting the Sharīʿah and legal issues, classical along with contemporary Sharīʿah literature including local and international Sharīʿah advisory bodies’ resolutions and standards have been referred to. The Sharīʿah analysis of these issues is further supported by reference to the statute and by-laws of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad as well as other related legal literature. Findings - This paper finds that contra trading involves a real sale and purchase of shares; the shares are not taken into the possession of the contra trader, neither physically nor constructively; the liability of shares is not transferred to the contra trader; though the practice of profiting in contra trading may contradict the prohibition on profiting without bearing liability, the permissibility of contra trading could still be argued from the contextual approach of public interest (maṣlaḥah and needs (hājah; and contra trading is not gambling. Research limitations/implications - This paper is limited in its analysis to only Sharīʿah and legal perspectives. It does not cover a thorough empirical and quantitative investigation that would measure the extent of the public needs for contra trading and the real benefits that contra trading brings about to the society in the long run. Such studies will further demonstrate whether contra trading deserves a relaxation from the strict Sharīʿah

Estrogenic and AhR activities in dissolved phase and suspended solids from wastewater treatment plants.

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Dagnino, Sonia; Gomez, Elena; Picot, Bernadette; Cavaillès, Vincent; Casellas, Claude; Balaguer, Patrick; Fenet, Hélène

2010-05-15

The distribution of estrogen receptor (ERalpha) and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) activities between the dissolved phase and suspended solids were investigated during wastewater treatment. Three wastewater treatment plants with different treatment technologies (waste stabilization ponds (WSPs), trickling filters (TFs) and activated sludge supplemented with a biofilter system (ASB)) were sampled. Estrogenic and AhR activities were detected in both phases in influents and effluents. Estrogenic and AhR activities in wastewater influents ranged from 41.8 to 79 ng/L E(2) Eq. and from 37.9 to 115.5 ng/L TCDD Eq. in the dissolved phase and from 5.5 to 88.6 ng/g E(2) Eq. and from 15 to 700 ng/g TCDD Eq. in the suspended solids. For both activities, WSP showed greater or similar removal efficiency than ASB and both were much more efficient than TF which had the lowest removal efficiency. Moreover, our data indicate that the efficiency of removal of ER and AhR activities from the suspended solid phase was mainly due to removal of suspended solids. Indeed, ER and AhR activities were detected in the effluent suspended solid phase indicating that suspended solids, which are usually not considered in these types of studies, contribute to environmental contamination by endocrine disrupting compounds and should therefore be routinely assessed for a better estimation of the ER and AhR activities released in the environment. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing evidence for avian-to-human transmission of influenza A/H9N2 virus in rural farming communities in northern Vietnam.

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Hoa, Le Nguyen Minh; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; My, Pham Ha; Huong, Tran Thi Kieu; Chi, Nguyen Thi Yen; Hau Thu, Trang Thi; Carrique-Mas, Juan; Duong, Mai Thuy; Tho, Nguyen Dang; Hoang, Nguyen Dang; Thanh, To Long; Diep, Nguyen Thi; Duong, Nguyen van; Toan, Tran Khanh; Tung, Trinh Son; Mai, Le Quynh; Iqbal, Munir; Wertheim, Heiman; van Doorn, H Rogier; Bryant, Juliet E; The Vizions Consortium

2017-08-01

Rural farming communities in northern Vietnam do not routinely practice vaccination for influenza A viruses (IAV) for either humans or poultry, which enables us to study transmission intensity via seroepidemiology. Using samples from a longitudinal cohort of farming households, we determined the number of symptomatic and asymptomatic human infections for seasonal IAV and avian A/H9 over 2 years. As expected, we detected virologically confirmed acute cases of seasonal IAV in humans, as well as large numbers of subclinical seroconversions to A/H1pdm [55/265 (21 %)], A/H3 [95/265 (36 %)] and A/H9 [24/265 (9 %)]. Five of the A/H9 human seroconverters likely represented true infections rather than heterosubtypic immunity, because the individuals seroconverted solely to A/H9. Among co-located poultry, we found significantly higher seroprevalance for A/H5 compared to A/H9 in both chickens and ducks [for northern study sites overall, 337/1105 (30.5 %) seropositive for A/H5 and 123/1105 (11.1 %) seropositive for A/H9].

Disruption of contact inhibition in rat liver epithelial cells by various types of AhR ligands

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Vondracek, J.; Chramostova, K.; Kozubik, A. [Institute of Biophysics, Brno (Czech Republic); Krcmar, P.; Machala, M. [Veterinary Research Institute, Brno (Czech Republic)

2004-09-15

The maintenance of a balance between cell gain and cell loss is essential for proper liver function. The exact role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis of liver cells remains unclear, since ligand-dependent activation of AhR has been shown to induce cell cycle arrest, proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis, depending on the cellular model used. AhR can directly interact with retinoblastoma protein in hepatic cells, forming protein complexes that can efficiently block cell cycle progression by inducing G1 arrest, or to induce the expression of inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases, such as p271. On the other hand, it has been suggested that AhR could play a stimulatory role in cell proliferation, either directly or by mediating a release from contact inhibition. It is now generally accepted that progenitor cells exist in the liver, are activated in various liver diseases and can form a potential target cell population for both tumor initiating and tumor promoting chemicals4. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin (TCDD) has been found to release rat liver epithelial cells from contact inhibition by upregulating cyclin A expression and cyclin A/cdk2 activity. Our previous studies have shown that a number of AhR ligands5,6 can stimulate proliferation of confluent of rat liver epithelial ''stem-like'' WB-F344 cells. Such mechanism could play a role in liver tumor promotion. In the present study, we used flavonoid compounds that have been reported to act either as pure agonists, such as beta-naphthoflavone (BNF), or as partial/complete antagonists of AhR - alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF) and 3'-methoxy-4'-nitroflavone (3'M4'NF), in order to investigate effects of AhR agonists/antagonists on confluent rat liver epithelial cells. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of model flavonoids on the release of rat liver epithelial cells from contact inhibition, and on inducibility of

A Modified AH-FDTD Unconditionally Stable Method Based on High-Order Algorithm

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Zheng Pan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The unconditionally stable method, Associated-Hermite FDTD, has attracted more and more attentions in computational electromagnetic for its time-frequency compact property. Because of the fewer orders of AH basis needed in signal reconstruction, the computational efficiency can be improved further. In order to further improve the accuracy of the traditional AH-FDTD, a high-order algorithm is introduced. Using this method, the dispersion error induced by the space grid can be reduced, which makes it possible to set coarser grid. The simulation results show that, on the condition of coarse grid, the waveforms obtained from the proposed method are matched well with the analytic result, and the accuracy of the proposed method is higher than the traditional AH-FDTD. And the efficiency of the proposed method is higher than the traditional FDTD method in analysing 2D waveguide problems with fine-structure.

Identification and simulation evaluation of an AH-64 helicopter hover math model

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, J. A.; Watson, D. C.; Tischler, M. B.; Eshow, M. M.

1991-01-01

Frequency-domain parameter-identification techniques were used to develop a hover mathematical model of the AH-64 Apache helicopter from flight data. The unstable AH-64 bare-airframe characteristics without a stability-augmentation system were parameterized in the convectional stability-derivative form. To improve the model's vertical response, a simple transfer-function model approximating the effects of dynamic inflow was developed. Additional subcomponents of the vehicle were also modeled and simulated, such as a basic engine response for hover and the vehicle stick dynamic characteristics. The model, with and without stability augmentation, was then evaluated by AH-64 pilots in a moving-base simulation. It was the opinion of the pilots that the simulation was a satisfactory representation of the aircraft for the tasks of interest. The principal negative comment was that height control was more difficult in the simulation than in the aircraft.

A Randomized Experiment Using Absenteeism Information to "Nudge" Attendance. REL 2017-252

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Todd; Duncan, Teresa; Wolford, Tonya; Ternovski, John; Subramanyam, Shruthi; Reitano, Adrienne

2017-01-01

Reducing student absenteeism is a key part of the School District of Philadelphia's plan to boost graduation rates. One of the district's goals is to increase guardians' awareness of absenteeism, with the hope that greater awareness will lead to guardians' taking a more active role in improving their student's attendance and academic performance.…

The Impact of Location Alteration on School Attendance of Chicano Gang Members.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunsaker, Alan C.

The study examined whether a change in school site affected the school attendance of 13 male Chicano gang members, 13 to 18 years of age, admitted to a community-based delinquency and gang violence prevention project. Since an active Alternative Studies Program, designed for students with special learning problems or for working students, already…

Detection of extensive cross-neutralization between pandemic and seasonal A/H1N1 Influenza Viruses using a pseudotype neutralization assay.

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Béatrice Labrosse

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cross-immunity between seasonal and pandemic A/H1N1 influenza viruses remains uncertain. In particular, the extent that previous infection or vaccination by seasonal A/H1N1 viruses can elicit protective immunity against pandemic A/H1N1 is unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Neutralizing titers against seasonal A/H1N1 (A/Brisbane/59/2007 and against pandemic A/H1N1 (A/California/04/2009 were measured using an HIV-1-based pseudovirus neutralization assay. Using this highly sensitive assay, we found that a large fraction of subjects who had never been exposed to pandemic A/H1N1 express high levels of pandemic A/H1N1 neutralizing titers. A significant correlation was seen between neutralization of pandemic A/H1N1 and neutralization of a standard seasonal A/H1N1 strain. Significantly higher pandemic A/H1N1 neutralizing titers were measured in subjects who had received vaccination against seasonal influenza in 2008-2009. Higher pandemic neutralizing titers were also measured in subjects over 60 years of age. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings reveal that the extent of protective cross-immunity between seasonal and pandemic A/H1N1 influenza viruses may be more important than previously estimated. This cross-immunity could provide a possible explanation of the relatively mild profile of the recent influenza pandemic.

Novel avian-origin human influenza A(H7N9) can be transmitted between ferrets via respiratory droplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lili; Bao, Linlin; Deng, Wei; Dong, Libo; Zhu, Hua; Chen, Ting; Lv, Qi; Li, Fengdi; Yuan, Jing; Xiang, Zhiguang; Gao, Kai; Xu, Yanfeng; Huang, Lan; Li, Yanhong; Liu, Jiangning; Yao, Yanfeng; Yu, Pin; Li, Xiyan; Huang, Weijuan; Zhao, Xiang; Lan, Yu; Guo, Junfeng; Yong, Weidong; Wei, Qiang; Chen, Honglin; Zhang, Lianfeng; Qin, Chuan

2014-02-15

The outbreak of human infections caused by novel avian-origin influenza A(H7N9) in China since March 2013 underscores the need to better understand the pathogenicity and transmissibility of these viruses in mammals. In a ferret model, the pathogenicity of influenza A(H7N9) was found to be less than that of an influenza A(H5N1) strain but comparable to that of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1), based on the clinical signs, mortality, virus dissemination, and results of histopathologic analyses. Influenza A(H7N9) could replicate in the upper and lower respiratory tract, the heart, the liver, and the olfactory bulb. It is worth noting that influenza A(H7N9) exhibited a low level of transmission between ferrets via respiratory droplets. There were 4 mutations in the virus isolated from the contact ferret: D678Y in the gene encoding PB2, R157K in the gene encoding hemagglutinin (H3 numbering), I109T in the gene encoding nucleoprotein, and T10I in the gene encoding neuraminidase. These data emphasized that avian-origin influenza A(H7N9) can be transmitted between mammals, highlighting its potential for human-to-human transmissibility.

Atividade da enzima acetil-hidrolase do fator ativador de plaquetas (PAF-AH em pacientes com diabete melito tipo 1 Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH activity in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

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Simone Henriques de Castro

2007-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a atividade da acetil-hidrolase do fator ativador de plaquetas (PAF-AH e sua relação com variáveis clinicodemográficas, com o controle metabólico, os níveis de apolipoproteínas A e B e a suscetibilidade da lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL à oxidação in vitro em pacientes com DM tipo 1 (DM 1. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 42 pacientes com DM1 (27 mulheres e 48 não-diabéticos (16 mulheres, pareados por sexo, idade e índice de massa corporal (IMC. Os exames realizados foram: glicemia de jejum (GJ e pós-prandial (GPP, lipidograma, ácido úrico (AU, hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c e coeficiente de oxidação da lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL por espectrofotometria. A análise da atividade da PAF-AH foi realizada por espectrofotometria (Cayman Chemical. RESULTADOS: A análise da atividade da PAF-AH mostrou haver maior atividade enzimática nos pacientes com DM 1 do que nos não-diabéticos (0,0150 ± 0,0051 versus 0,0116 ± 0,0041; p OBJECTIVE: To evaluate platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH activity and its relationship with clinical and demographic variables, metabolic control, apolipoprotein A and B levels and the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL to in vitro oxidation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM 1. METHODS: Forty two patients with DM 1 (27 females and 48 control subjects (16 females matched for gender, age and body mass index (BMI were evaluated. The following tests were performed: fast plasma glucose (FG and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG, lipid profile, uric acid (UA, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL oxidation rate using colorimetric assay. The PAF-AH activity was analyzed using colorimetric assay (Cayman Chemical. RESULTS: The analysis of PAF-AH activity showed a higher enzyme activity in patients with DM 1 than in control subjects (0.0150 ± 0.0051 vs. 0.0116 ± 0.0041; p < 0.001. In patients with DM 1, a direct correlation

Binding of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin to the AhR from various species is essentially irreversible

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohonowych, J.; Denison, M. [California Univ., Davis, CA (United States)

2004-09-15

Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) are a diverse group of widespread, persistent and toxic environmental contaminants that includes the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and related chemicals. Exposure to these compounds results in a variety of biochemical and toxic effects, the majority of which are mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). 2,3,7,8- Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most potent activator of the AhR and AhR-dependent effects. Interestingly, while a related class of compounds, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), can bind to and activate the AhR, and produce many of the same biological effects as HAHs, they do not cause HAH-like toxicity. This can be due to differences between these two classes of compounds with respect to their AhR binding affinity, metabolic stability, and/or gene expression. PAHs have a lower affinity for the AhR5 and, unlike TCDD, can be readily metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes. In addition to its high affinity for the AhR, TCDD has been shown to stabilize the rat AhR receptor against thermal inactivation and to persistently bind the rat receptor. This persistent occupancy may also contribute to the differential toxicity of HAHs and PAHs. In addition to its biological and toxicological implications, the apparent lack of significant dissociation of TCDD from the AhR also impacts the design and interpretation of competitive binding experiments which assume traditional receptor-ligand equilibrium binding kinetics where binding is reversible and equilibrium of ligand:receptor complex is reached when rates of association and dissociation are equal. In this study we have further examined whether this persistent occupancy is a characteristic of the AhR among different species.

Cholera Toxin Induces Sustained Hyperexcitability in Myenteric, but Not Submucosal, AH Neurons in Guinea Pig Jejunum

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Joel C. Bornstein

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Cholera toxin (CT-induced hypersecretion requires activation of secretomotor pathways in the enteric nervous system (ENS. AH neurons, which have been identified as a population of intrinsic sensory neurons (ISNs, are a source of excitatory input to the secretomotor pathways. We therefore examined effects of CT in the intestinal lumen on myenteric and submucosal AH neurons.Methods: Isolated segments of guinea pig jejunum were incubated for 90 min with saline plus CT (12.5 μg/ml or CT + neurotransmitter antagonist, or CT + tetrodotoxin (TTX in their lumen. After washing CT away, submucosal or myenteric plexus preparations were dissected keeping circumferentially adjacent mucosa intact. Submucosal AH neurons were impaled adjacent to intact mucosa and myenteric AH neurons were impaled adjacent to, more than 5 mm from, and in the absence of intact mucosa. Neuronal excitability was monitored by injecting 500 ms current pulses through the recording electrode.Results: After CT pre-treatment, excitability of myenteric AH neurons adjacent to intact mucosa (n = 29 was greater than that of control neurons (n = 24, but submucosal AH neurons (n = 33, control n = 27 were unaffected. CT also induced excitability increases in myenteric AH neurons impaled distant from the mucosa (n = 6 or in its absence (n = 5. Coincubation with tetrodotoxin or SR142801 (NK3 receptor antagonist, but not SR140333 (NK1 antagonist or granisetron (5-HT3 receptor antagonist prevented the increased excitability induced by CT. Increased excitability was associated with a reduction in the characteristic AHP and an increase in the ADP of these neurons, but not a change in the hyperpolarization-activated inward current, Ih.Conclusions: CT increases excitability of myenteric, but not submucosal, AH neurons. This is neurally mediated and depends on NK3, but not 5-HT3 receptors. Therefore, CT may act to amplify the secretomotor response to CT via an increase in the

Novel archaeal plasmid pAH1 and its interactions with the lipothrixvirus AFV1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Basta, Tamara; Smyth, John; Forterre, Patrick

2009-01-01

. Although nucleotide sequence comparisons revealed extensive intergenomic exchange during the evolution of archaeal conjugative plasmids, pAH1 was shown to be stably maintained suggesting that the host system is suitable for studying plasmid-virus interactions. AFV1 infection and propagation leads to a loss...... of the circular form of pAH1 and this effect correlates positively with the increase in the intracellular quantity of AFV1 DNA. We infer that the virus inhibits plasmid replication since no pAH1 degradation was observed. This mechanism of archaeal viral inhibition of plasmid propagation is not observed...... in bacteria where relevant bacteriophages either are dependent on a conjugative plasmid for successful infection or are excluded by a resident plasmid....

Essential oils of culinary herbs and spices display agonist and antagonist activities at human aryl hydrocarbon receptor AhR.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartoňková, Iveta; Dvořák, Zdeněk

2018-01-01

Essential oils (EOs) of culinary herbs and spices are used to flavor, color and preserve foods and drinks. Dietary intake of EOs is significant, deserving an attention of toxicologists. We examined the effects of 31 EOs of culinary herbs and spices on the transcriptional activity of human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which is a pivotal xenobiotic sensor, having also multiple roles in human physiology. Tested EOs were sorted out into AhR-inactive ones (14 EOs) and AhR-active ones, including full agonists (cumin, jasmine, vanilla, bay leaf), partial agonists (cloves, dill, thyme, nutmeg, oregano) and antagonists (tarragon, caraway, turmeric, lovage, fennel, spearmint, star anise, anise). Major constituents (>10%) of AhR-active EOs were studied in more detail. We identified AhR partial agonists (carvacrol, ligustilide, eugenol, eugenyl acetate, thymol, ar-turmerone) and antagonists (trans-anethole, butylidine phtalide, R/S-carvones, p-cymene), which account for AhR-mediated activities of EOs of fennel, anise, star anise, caraway, spearmint, tarragon, cloves, dill, turmeric, lovage, thyme and oregano. We also show that AhR-mediated effects of some individual constituents of EOs differ from those manifested in mixtures. In conclusion, EOs of culinary herbs and spices are agonists and antagonists of human AhR, implying a potential for food-drug interactions and interference with endocrine pathways. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A purely infinite AH-algebra and an application to AF-embeddability

OpenAIRE

Rordam, Mikael

2002-01-01

We show that there exists a purely infinite AH-algebra. The AH-algebra arises as an inductive limit of C*-algebras of the form C_0([0,1),M_k) and it absorbs the Cuntz algebra O_\\infty tensorially. Thus one can reach an O_\\infty-absorbing C*-algebra as an inductive limit of the finite and elementary C*-algebras C_0([0,1),M_k). As an application we give a new proof of a recent theorem of Ozawa that the cone over any separable exact C*-algebra is AF-embeddable, and we exhibit a concrete AF-algeb...

Mortality burden of the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic in France: comparison to seasonal influenza and the A/H3N2 pandemic.

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Magali Lemaitre

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The mortality burden of the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic remains unclear in many countries due to delays in reporting of death statistics. We estimate the age- and cause-specific excess mortality impact of the pandemic in France, relative to that of other countries and past epidemic and pandemic seasons. METHODS: We applied Serfling and Poisson excess mortality approaches to model weekly age- and cause-specific mortality rates from June 1969 through May 2010 in France. Indicators of influenza activity, time trends, and seasonal terms were included in the models. We also reviewed the literature for country-specific estimates of 2009 pandemic excess mortality rates to characterize geographical differences in the burden of this pandemic. RESULTS: The 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic was associated with 1.0 (95% Confidence Intervals (CI 0.2-1.9 excess respiratory deaths per 100,000 population in France, compared to rates per 100,000 of 44 (95% CI 43-45 for the A/H3N2 pandemic and 2.9 (95% CI 2.3-3.7 for average inter-pandemic seasons. The 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic had a 10.6-fold higher impact than inter-pandemic seasons in people aged 5-24 years and 3.8-fold lower impact among people over 65 years. CONCLUSIONS: The 2009 pandemic in France had low mortality impact in most age groups, relative to past influenza seasons, except in school-age children and young adults. The historical A/H3N2 pandemic was associated with much larger mortality impact than the 2009 pandemic, across all age groups and outcomes. Our 2009 pandemic excess mortality estimates for France fall within the range of previous estimates for high-income regions. Based on the analysis of several mortality outcomes and comparison with laboratory-confirmed 2009/H1N1 deaths, we conclude that cardio-respiratory and all-cause mortality lack precision to accurately measure the impact of this pandemic in high-income settings and that use of more specific mortality outcomes is important to obtain reliable

Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and alcoholic hepatitis (AH): cascade of events, clinical aspects, and pharmacotherapy options.

Science.gov (United States)

Teschke, Rolf

2018-06-01

Clinicians caring for patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH) are often confronted with the question of the best pharmacotherapy to be used. Areas covered: This article covers metabolic aspects of alcohol as the basis of understanding pharmacotherapy and to facilitate choosing the drug therapeutic options for patients with severe AH. Expert opinion: Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and alcoholic hepatitis (AH) as terms are often used interchangeably in scientific literature but a stringent differentiation is recommended for proper clarity. As opposed to ASH, the clinical course of AH is often severe and requires an effective drug treatment strategy, in addition to absolute alcohol abstinence and nutritional support. Drug options include corticosteroids as a first choice and pentoxifylline, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, as a second line therapy, especially in patients with contraindications for a corticosteroid therapy such as infections or sepsis. At seven days under corticosteroids, treatment should be terminated in non-responders, and patients must then be evaluated for liver transplantation. Pentoxifylline is not effective as a rescue therapy for these patients. Other treatments such as infliximab, propylthiouracil, N-acetylcysteine, silymarin, colchicine, insulin and glucagon, oxandrolone, testosterone, and polyunsaturated lecithin are not effective in severe AH. For liver transplantation, few patients will be eligible.

Chinese graduate students and U.S. scientific productivity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Gaulé, Patrick; Piacentini, M.

2013-01-01

Roč. 95, č. 2 (2013), s. 698-701 ISSN 0034-6535 Institutional support: RVO:67985998 Keywords : graduate students * Chinese immigrants * scientific output Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 2.718, year: 2013

Inhibition of Vibrio anguillarum by Pseudomonas fluorescens AH2, a possible probiotic treatment of fish

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, Lone; Melchiorsen, Jette; Spanggaard, Bettina

1999-01-01

To study the possible use of probiotics in fish farming, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antagonism of antibacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens strain AH2 against the fish- pathogenic bacterium Vibrio anguillarum. As iron is important in virulence and bacterial interactions, the effect....... fluorescens AH2 inhibited the growth of V. anguillarum during coculture, independently of the iron concentration, when the initial count of the antagonist was 100 to 1,000 times greater that of the fish pathogen. These in vitro results were successfully repeated in vivo. A probiotic effect in vivo was tested...... by exposing rainbow trout (Oncorynchus mykiss Walbaum) to P. fluorescens AH2 at a density of 10(5) CFU/ml for 5 days before a challenge with V. anguillarum at 10(4) to 10(5) CFU/ml for 1 h. Some fish were also exposed to P. fluorescens AH2 at 10(7) CFU/ml during the 1-h infection. The combined probiotic...

The Development of a Web-Based Attendance System with RFID for Higher Education Institution in Binus University

Science.gov (United States)

Kurniali, S.; Mayliana

2014-03-01

This study focuses on the development of a web-based attendance system with RFID in a Indonesian higher education institution. The development of this system is motivated due to the fact that the students' attendance records are one of the important elements that reflect their academic achievements. However, the current manual practice implemented is causing such a hassle. Empowering the usage of the new RFID based student card, a new web based-attendance system has been built to cater the recording and reporting of not just the student's' attendances, but also the lecturer's and taught topics in the class. The development of this system is inspired by the senior management. And the system can be easily accessed through the learning management system and can generate a report in real time, This paper will discuss in details the development until the maintaining phase of the system. Result achieved is the innovation of developing the system proved reliable to support related business processes and empowered the intention to maximize the usage of the RFID card. Considered as a successful implementation, this paper will give an input for others who want to implement a similar system.

Service Station Attendant and Light Automotive Maintenance, Course Description.

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Jack W.; And Others

Prepared by instructors and curriculum specialists, this course of study was designed to meet the individual needs of the dropout and/or hard-core unemployed youth by providing training as a service station attendant and light automotive maintenance mechanic. The achievement level of each student is determined at entry, and small instructional…

Barriers to School Attendance and Gender Inequality: Empirical Evidence from a Sample of Ghanaian Schoolchildren

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Sharon; McCoy, Dana C.; Godfrey, Erin B.

2016-01-01

Governments in sub-Saharan Africa have made marked efforts to increase school enrollment. Yet attendance and completion rates remain low, particularly for girls. This study examines the reasons that school children do not attend school in a sample of Ghanaian students. Girls were more likely to miss school because a family member was sick, whereas…

Enhanced genetic characterization of influenza A(H3N2) viruses and vaccine effectiveness by genetic group, 2014–2015

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, Brendan; Zimmerman, Richard K.; Gubareva, Larisa V.; Garten, Rebecca J.; Chung, Jessie R.; Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Jackson, Michael L.; Jackson, Lisa A.; Monto, Arnold S.; Ohmit, Suzanne E.; Belongia, Edward A.; McLean, Huong Q.; Gaglani, Manjusha; Piedra, Pedro A.; Mishin, Vasiliy P.; Chesnokov, Anton P.; Spencer, Sarah; Thaker, Swathi N.; Barnes, John R.; Foust, Angie; Sessions, Wendy; Xu, Xiyan; Katz, Jacqueline; Fry, Alicia M.

2018-01-01

Background During the 2014–15 US influenza season, expanded genetic characterization of circulating influenza A(H3N2) viruses was used to assess the impact of genetic variability of influenza A(H3N2) viruses on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). Methods A novel pyrosequencing assay was used to determine genetic group based on hemagglutinin (HA) gene sequences of influenza A(H3N2) viruses from patients enrolled US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness network sites. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated using a test-negative design comparing vaccination among patients infected with influenza A(H3N2) viruses and uninfected patients. Results Among 9710 enrollees, 1868 (19%) tested positive for influenza A(H3N2); genetic characterization of 1397 viruses showed 1134 (81%) belonged to one HA genetic group (3C.2a) of antigenically drifted H3N2 viruses. Effectiveness of 2014–15 influenza vaccination varied by A(H3N2) genetic group from 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], −14% to 14%) against illness caused by antigenically drifted A(H3N2) group 3C.2a viruses versus 44% (95% CI, 16% to 63%) against illness caused by vaccine-like A(H3N2) group 3C.3b viruses. Conclusion Effectiveness of 2014–15 influenza vaccination varied by genetic group of influenza A(H3N2) virus. Changes in hemagglutinin genes related to antigenic drift were associated with reduced vaccine effectiveness. PMID:27190176

Spinal Pain and Occupational Disability: A Cohort Study of British Apache AH Mk1 Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

British RW community. 33 References Apache AH Mk1. 2012. Agusta Westland. http://www.agustawestland.com/ product /apache-ah- mk1-0. Ang, B., and...muscles Physical ex and stretching Continued pt and stretching exercises Use pt session included pumpkin bobs to stretch the neck. No effects noticed

Developing a national computerised absence monitoring and management system to reduce nursing student attrition: evaluation of staff and student perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Currie, Kay; McCallum, Jacqueline; Murray, John; Scott, Janine; Strachan, Evelyn; Yates, Lynda; Wright, Marty

2014-05-01

Reducing avoidable nursing student attrition is an international challenge. A pattern of falling attendance is recognised as a frequent precursor to withdrawal from nursing programmes. To address concerns regarding nursing student attrition, the Scottish Government implemented a pilot project for a centralised Computerised Absence Management and Monitoring System (CAMMS). The CAMMS adopted an 'assertive outreach' approach, contacting students every two weeks via colour coded letters to tell them whether their attendance was 'excellent', 'good, but potentially causing concern'; or 'warning; attendance concerns/contact academic staff for support'. This article reports key findings from an evaluation of CAMMS. To explore the perceived impact of CAMMS on student support and attrition, from the perspectives of academic and administrative staff and students. Mixed methods evaluation design. Three large geographically dispersed Schools of Nursing in Scotland. 83 students; 20 academic staff; and 3 lead administrators. On-line cohort survey of academic staff and students; structured interviews with lead administrators. Findings reflected a spectrum of negative and positive views of CAMMS. Students who are attending regularly seem pleased that their commitment is recognised. Lecturers who teach larger groups report greater difficulty getting to know students individually and acknowledge the benefit of identifying potential attendance concerns at an early stage. Conversely, some students who received a 'warning' letter were frequently annoyed or irritated, rather than feeling supported. Increased staff workload resulted in negative perceptions and a consequent reluctance to use CAMMS. However, students who were causing concern reported subsequent improvement in attendance. CAMMS has the potential to identify 'at-risk' students at an early stage; however, the system should have flexibility to tailor automatically generated letters in response to individual circumstances, to

Case of seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus infection, the Netherlands, March 2018.

Science.gov (United States)

Meijer, Adam; Swaan, Corien M; Voerknecht, Martin; Jusic, Edin; van den Brink, Sharon; Wijsman, Lisa A; Voordouw, Bettie Cg; Donker, Gé A; Sleven, Jacqueline; Dorigo-Zetsma, Wendelien W; Svraka, Sanela; van Boven, Michiel; Haverkate, Manon R; Timen, Aura; van Dissel, Jaap T; Koopmans, Marion Pg; Bestebroer, Theo M; Fouchier, Ron Am

2018-04-01

A seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus harbouring genome segments from seasonal influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09 (HA and NS) and A(H3N2) (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, NA and M) was identified in March 2018 in a 19-months-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) who presented to a general practitioner participating in the routine sentinel surveillance of ILI in the Netherlands. The patient recovered fully. Further epidemiological and virological investigation did not reveal additional cases.

Insights into the Indian peanut genotypes for ahFAD2 gene polymorphism regulating its oleic and linoleic acid fluxes

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Bhagwat Nawade

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In peanut (Arachis hypogaea L., the customization of fatty acid profile is an evolving area to fulfil the nutritional needs in the modern market. A total of 174 peanut genotypes, including 167 Indian cultivars, 6 advanced breeding lines and ‘SunOleic’‒ a double mutant line, were investigated using AS-PCRs, CAPS and gene sequencing for the ahFAD2 allele polymorphism, along with its fatty acid compositions. Of these, 80 genotypes were found having substitution (448G>A mutation only in ahFAD2A gene, while none recorded 1-bp insertion (441_442insA mutation in ahFAD2B gene. Moreover, 22 wild peanut accessions found lacking both the mutations. Among botanical types, the ahFAD2A mutation was more frequent in ssp. hypogaea (89% than in ssp. fastigiata (17%. This single allele mutation, found affecting not only oleic to linoleic acid fluxes, but also the composition of other fatty acids in the genotypes studied. Repeated use of a few selected genotypes in the Indian varietal development programs were also eminently reflected in its ahFAD2 allele polymorphism. Absence of known mutations in the wild-relatives indicated the possible origin of these mutations, after the allotetraploidization of cultivated peanut. The SNP analysis of both ahFAD2A and ahFAD2B genes, revealed haplotype diversity of 1.05% and 0.95%, while Ka/Ks ratio of 0.36 and 0.39 respectively, indicating strong purifying selection pressure on these genes. Cluster analysis, using ahFAD2 gene SNPs, showed presence of both mutant and non-mutant genotypes in the same cluster, which might be due the presence of ahFAD2 gene families. This investigation provided insights into the large number of Indian peanut genotypes, covering various aspects related to O/L flux regulation and ahFAD2 gene polymorphism.

Detection of avian influenza A(H7N9 virus from live poultry markets in Guangzhou, China: a surveillance report.

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Zongqiu Chen

Full Text Available A virologic surveillance program for A(H7N9 virus was conducted from April 15, 2013 to February 14, 2014 in Guangzhou, aiming to clarify the geographical distribution of A(H7N9 viruses among live poultry markets (LPMs and poultry farms in Guangzhou. Virological and serological surveys of poultry workers were also conducted to evaluate the risk of poultry-to-human transmission of the A(H7N9 virus.36 retail LPMs, 6 wholesale LPMs and 8 poultry farms were involved in our surveillance program. About 20 live poultry and environmental samples were obtained from each surveillance site at every sampling time. Different environmental samples were collected to represent different poultry-related work activities. RT-PCR and virus culture were performed to identify the A(H7N9 virus. Hemagglutinin inhibition assay and RT-PCR were conducted to detect possible A(H7N9 infection among poultry workers.A total of 8900 live poultry and environmental samples were collected, of which 131(1.5% were tested positive for A(H7N9 virus. 44.4% (16/36 of retail LPMs and 50.0% (3/6 of wholesale LPMs were confirmed to be contaminated. No positive samples was detected from poultry farms. A significant higher positive sample rate was found in environmental samples related to poultry selling (2.6% and slaughtering (2.4%, compared to poultry holding (0.9%. Correspondingly, A(H7N9 viruses were isolated most frequently from slaughter zone. In addition, 316 poultry workers associated with the 19 contaminated-LPMs were recruited and a low seroprevalence (1.6% of antibody against A(H7N9 virus was detected. An asymptomatic A(H7N9 infection was also identified by RT-PCR.Our study highlights the importance of conducting effective surveillance for A(H7N9 virus and provides evidence to support the assumption that slaughtering is the key process for the propagation of A(H7N9 virus in retail LPMs. Moreover, the ability of A(H7N9 virus to cross species barrier is proved to be still limited.

Preliminary Epidemiology of Human Infections with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus, China, 2017.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lei; Tan, Yi; Kang, Min; Liu, Fuqiang; Ren, Ruiqi; Wang, Yali; Chen, Tao; Yang, Yiping; Li, Chao; Wu, Jie; Zhang, Hengjiao; Li, Dan; Greene, Carolyn M; Zhou, Suizan; Iuliano, A Danielle; Havers, Fiona; Ni, Daxin; Wang, Dayan; Feng, Zijian; Uyeki, Timothy M; Li, Qun

2017-08-01

We compared the characteristics of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H7N9) virus infections in China. HPAI A(H7N9) case-patients were more likely to have had exposure to sick and dead poultry in rural areas and were hospitalized earlier than were LPAI A(H7N9) case-patients.

Influence of Shari'ah on Socio-Cultural and Economic Development ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the socio-economic influence of Shari'ah marketing practices in Northwestern ... production, societal marketing, marketing orientation and selling practices were correlated with ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

Quantitative autoradiography of brain binding sites for the vesicular acetylcholine transport blocker 2-(4-phenylpiperidino)cyclohexanol (AH5183)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marien, M.R.; Parsons, S.M.; Altar, C.A.

1987-01-01

2-(4-Phenylpiperidino)cyclohexanol (AH5183) is a noncompetitive and potent inhibitor of high-affinity acetylcholine transport into cholinergic vesicles. It is reported here that [ 3 H]AH5183 binds specifically and saturably to slide-mounted sections of the rat forebrain (Kd = 1.1 to 2.2 X 10(-8) M; Bmax = 286 to 399 fmol/mg of protein). The association and dissociation rate constants for [ 3 H]AH5183 binding are 8.6 X 10(6) M-1 X min-1 and 0.18 min-1, respectively. Bound [ 3 H]AH5183 can be displaced by nonradioactive AH5183 and by the structural analog (2 alpha,3 beta,4A beta,8A alpha)-decahydro-3-(4-phenyl-1-piperidinyl)-2- naphthalenol but not by 10 microM concentrations of the cholinergic drugs acetylcholine, choline, atropine, hexamethonium, eserine, or hemicholinium-3 or by the structurally related compounds 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine, (+/-)-N-allylnormetazocine (SKF 10,047), levoxadrol, or dexoxadrol. Quantitative autoradiography reveals that [ 3 H]AH5183 binding sites are distributed heterogenously throughout the rat forebrain and are highly localized to cholinergic nerve terminal regions. At the level of the caudate nucleus-putamen, the highest concentrations of saturable [ 3 H]AH5183 binding (713-751 fmol/mg of protein) are found in the vertical limb of the diagonal band and the olfactory tubercle, with lesser amounts (334-516 fmol/mg of protein) in the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, superficial layers of the cerebral cortex, and the primary olfactory cortex. At day 7 after transsection of the left fimbria, [ 3 H]AH5183 binding and choline acetyltransferase activity in the left hippocampus were reduced by 33 +/- 6% and 61 +/- 7%, respectively. These findings indicate that [ 3 H]AH5183 binds to a unique recognition site in rat brain that is topographically associated with cholinergic nerve terminals

The Relationship between Teacher Regard and College Attendance Expectations: Socioeconomic and Racial-Ethnic Disparities

Science.gov (United States)

Pinchak, Nicolo P.

2018-01-01

This study uses data from wave one of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health to analyze the relationship between middle and secondary school students' perceptions of their teachers, or "teacher regard," and students' expectations for college attendance. Variation in this relationship is further examined by…

TEACHING, COEXISTENCE AND ATTENDANCE AT A TECHNOLOGICAL HIGH SCHOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leticia Carranza-Peña

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article, which stems from ethnographic research, shows the importance of faculty intervention in the classroom setting in encouraging student attendance. Our findings indicate that the habitus the educator establishes can either encourage youth to continue their studies, or lead them to drop out, thus placing them at risk of addictions, illegal activities, unemployment or low-paid jobs. The Pedagogy of Hope therefore provides an option for effecting large-scale changes in personal, school, family, community and socio-economic conditions. The paper’s conclusions include providing training to teaching faculties on coexistence issues; ensuring coordination between school and family, and emphasizing an integral approach to education as means of promoting school attendance.

The AhR Ligand, TCDD, Regulates Androgen Receptor Activity Differently in Androgen-Sensitive versus Castration-Resistant Human Prostate Cancer Cells

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Maryam Ghotbaddini

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The reported biological effects of TCDD include induction of drug metabolizing enzymes, wasting syndrome and tumor promotion. TCDD elicits most of its effects through binding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR. TCDD induced degradation of AhR has been widely reported and requires ubiquitination of the protein. The rapid depletion of AhR following TCDD activation serves as a mechanism to modulate AhR mediated gene induction. In addition to inducing AhR degradation, TCDD has been reported to induce degradation of hormone receptors. The studies reported here, evaluate the effect of TCDD exposure on androgen receptor (AR expression and activity in androgen-sensitive LNCaP and castration-resistant C4-2 prostate cancer cells. Our results show that TCDD exposure does not induce AhR or AR degradation in C4-2 cells. However, both AhR and AR are degraded in LNCaP cells following TCDD exposure. In addition, TCDD enhances AR phosphorylation and induces expression of AR responsive genes in LNCaP cells. Our data reveals that TCDD effect on AR expression and activity differs in androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cell models.

Penyelesaian Sengketa antara Bank Sharî‘ah dengan Nasabah Bermasalah melalui Badan Arbitrase Sharî‘ah Nasional (BASYARNAS menurut UU No. 30 tahun 1999

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Sulistyowati Sulistyowati

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study deals with dispute settlement between Bank Syari’ah and its customers through the National Shari’ah Arbitration Board (BASYARNAS. It focuses to elaborate the procedures of dispute settlement between Bank Syari’ah and its customers of financing from the perspective of Islamic law according to Bill No. 30/1999 above law No. 30 year 1999. Based on procedures as mentioned in the bill with regard to arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, Basyarnas, in proofing and resolving cases, has fulfilled the procedures and satisfied the conflicting parties with justice, so there is no need to appeal and reconsideration. This means that Basyarnas has conducted dispute resolution according to the existing procedures. The dispute settlement has also been in accordance with the Qur’ân and other Islamic legal rules which consist of the principles of power and mandate applied by the arbitrator in deciding and resolving the dispute. The board—as an independent institution—has setttled the disputes on the basis of justice for all parties, rejected the act of bribery since the cost is measurable. In addition, Basyarnas also gives strong emphasis on the principle of equality, friendship, consistence and response-bility in resolving disputes.

ISMB Conference Funding to Support Attendance of Early Researchers and Students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaasterland, Terry

2014-06-30

ISMB Conference Funding for Students and Young Scientists Historical Description The Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference has provided a general forum for disseminating the latest developments in bioinformatics on an annual basis for the past 22 years. ISMB is a multidisciplinary conference that brings together scientists from computer science, molecular biology, mathematics and statistics. The goal of the ISMB meeting is to bring together biologists and computational scientists in a focus on actual biological problems, i.e., not simply theoretical calculations. The combined focus on “intelligent systems” and actual biological data makes ISMB a unique and highly important meeting. 21 years of experience in holding the conference has resulted in a consistently well-organized, well attended, and highly respected annual conference. "Intelligent systems" include any software which goes beyond straightforward, closed-form algorithms or standard database technologies, and encompasses those that view data in a symbolic fashion, learn from examples, consolidate multiple levels of abstraction, or synthesize results to be cognitively tractable to a human, including the development and application of advanced computational methods for biological problems. Relevant computational techniques include, but are not limited to: machine learning, pattern recognition, knowledge representation, databases, combinatorics, stochastic modeling, string and graph algorithms, linguistic methods, robotics, constraint satisfaction, and parallel computation. Biological areas of interest include molecular structure, genomics, molecular sequence analysis, evolution and phylogenetics, molecular interactions, metabolic pathways, regulatory networks, developmental control, and molecular biology generally. Emphasis is placed on the validation of methods using real data sets, on practical applications in the biological sciences, and on development of novel computational

Motivation for and Benefits from Attending the AP Statistics Reading

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobbe, Tim; Hartlaub, Bradley A.; Whitaker, Douglas

2013-01-01

This study explores the Advanced Placement® Statistics reading as a source of professional development for teachers. The study was conducted to capture the motivation for and benefits from attending the collective grading. Research has shown that examining student work during professional development has implications for teaching. The premise of…

Students fall for Fall Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Smedley, Kara

2012-02-01

From Boston to Beijing, thousands of students traveled to San Francisco for the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting. Of those who participated, 183 students were able to attend thanks to AGU's student travel grant program, which assists students with travel costs and seeks to enrich the meeting through ethnic and gender diversity. Students at Fall Meeting enjoyed a variety of programs and activities designed to help them better network with their peers, learn about new fields, and disseminate their research to the interested public. More than 800 students attended AGU's first annual student mixer, sharing drinks and ideas with fellow student members and future colleagues as well as forging new friendships and intellectual relationships.

Corporate Governance in Shareholding Companies: Comparing Legal Perspective and Position of Shari’ah

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Aznan, H.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study examines the concept of corporate governance in shareholding companies and the legal perspective in comparison with the position of Shari’ah. The purpose of governance is to instil confidence among the stakeholders that the Boards of Directors are applying a diligent legal and administrative framework, to avoid potential administrative and financial failures and corruption. The study has proceeded by defining the concept of governance from linguistics, accounting, administrative, and legal perspectives. The study also discusses the stands of international organisations on the issue of corporate governance. Then, it is proceeded by discussing the concept of corporate governance from Shari’ah point of view. The study found that even with the absence of the term “company governance” in Islamic Law, the concept of corporate governance is in line with the Shari’ah and that their scholars have clearly referred to it in their literature. The study has used the descriptive, analytical, inductive and comparative methodology in analyzing the subject matter.

The Airbag as a Supplement to Standard Restraint Systems in the AH-1 and AH-64 Attack Helicopters and Its Role in Reducing Head Strikes of the Copilot/ Gunner. Volume 1

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

shelf and locally available automotive airbag system was selected for the tests. The system was a driver’s side airbag designed by Honda Motor Company...allowance for hardware redesign or modifi- cation. Despite these limitations, the study succeeded in demonstrating a problem exists and a supplemental airbag ...JSAARL Repqrt No. 91-8 AD-A233 349 Volume’ I(3 The Airbag as a Supplement to Standard Restraint Systems in the AH-1 and AH-64 Attack Helicopters and

Influenza A(H10N7) Virus in Dead Harbor Seals, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krog, Jesper Schak; Hansen, Mette Sif; Holm, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Since April 2014, an outbreak of influenza in harbor seals has been ongoing in northern Europe. In Denmark during June-August, 152 harbor seals on the island of Anholt were found dead from severe pneumonia. We detected influenza A(H10N7) virus in 2 of 4 seals examined.......Since April 2014, an outbreak of influenza in harbor seals has been ongoing in northern Europe. In Denmark during June-August, 152 harbor seals on the island of Anholt were found dead from severe pneumonia. We detected influenza A(H10N7) virus in 2 of 4 seals examined....

The Surveillance of Learning: A Critical Analysis of University Attendance Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Macfarlane, Bruce

2013-01-01

Universities have recently strengthened their class attendance policies along with associated practices that intensify the surveillance of learning: a series of administrative and pedagogic strategies that monitor the extent to which students conform with behavioural expectations associated with learning. Drawing on university policy statements,…

Overexpression of Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) AhERF or AhDOF Transcription Factors in Arabidopsis thaliana Increases Water Deficit- and Salt-Stress Tolerance, Respectively, via Contrasting Stress-Amelioration Mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Massange-Sánchez, Julio A.; Palmeros-Suárez, Paola A.; Espitia-Rangel, Eduardo; Rodríguez-Arévalo, Isaac; Sánchez-Segura, Lino; Martínez-Gallardo, Norma A.; Alatorre-Cobos, Fulgencio; Tiessen, Axel; Délano-Frier, John P.

2016-01-01

Two grain amaranth transcription factor (TF) genes were overexpressed in Arabidopsis plants. The first, coding for a group VII ethylene response factor TF (i.e., AhERF-VII) conferred tolerance to water-deficit stress (WS) in transgenic Arabidopsis without affecting vegetative or reproductive growth. A significantly lower water-loss rate in detached leaves coupled to a reduced stomatal opening in leaves of plants subjected to WS was associated with this trait. WS tolerance was also associated with an increased antioxidant enzyme activity and the accumulation of putative stress-related secondary metabolites. However, microarray and GO data did not indicate an obvious correlation between WS tolerance, stomatal closure, and abscisic acid (ABA)-related signaling. This scenario suggested that stomatal closure during WS in these plants involved ABA-independent mechanisms, possibly involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). WS tolerance may have also involved other protective processes, such as those employed for methyl glyoxal detoxification. The second, coding for a class A and cluster I DNA binding with one finger TF (i.e., AhDof-AI) provided salt-stress (SS) tolerance with no evident fitness penalties. The lack of an obvious development-related phenotype contrasted with microarray and GO data showing an enrichment of categories and genes related to developmental processes, particularly flowering. SS tolerance also correlated with increased superoxide dismutase activity but not with augmented stomatal closure. Additionally, microarray and GO data indicated that, contrary to AhERF-VII, SS tolerance conferred by AhDof-AI in Arabidopsis involved ABA-dependent and ABA-independent stress amelioration mechanisms. PMID:27749893

Overexpression of Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus AhERF or AhDOF Transcription Factors in Arabidopsis thaliana Increases Water Deficit- and Salt-Stress Tolerance, Respectively, via Contrasting Stress-Amelioration Mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio A Massange-Sánchez

Full Text Available Two grain amaranth transcription factor (TF genes were overexpressed in Arabidopsis plants. The first, coding for a group VII ethylene response factor TF (i.e., AhERF-VII conferred tolerance to water-deficit stress (WS in transgenic Arabidopsis without affecting vegetative or reproductive growth. A significantly lower water-loss rate in detached leaves coupled to a reduced stomatal opening in leaves of plants subjected to WS was associated with this trait. WS tolerance was also associated with an increased antioxidant enzyme activity and the accumulation of putative stress-related secondary metabolites. However, microarray and GO data did not indicate an obvious correlation between WS tolerance, stomatal closure, and abscisic acid (ABA-related signaling. This scenario suggested that stomatal closure during WS in these plants involved ABA-independent mechanisms, possibly involving reactive oxygen species (ROS. WS tolerance may have also involved other protective processes, such as those employed for methyl glyoxal detoxification. The second, coding for a class A and cluster I DNA binding with one finger TF (i.e., AhDof-AI provided salt-stress (SS tolerance with no evident fitness penalties. The lack of an obvious development-related phenotype contrasted with microarray and GO data showing an enrichment of categories and genes related to developmental processes, particularly flowering. SS tolerance also correlated with increased superoxide dismutase activity but not with augmented stomatal closure. Additionally, microarray and GO data indicated that, contrary to AhERF-VII, SS tolerance conferred by AhDof-AI in Arabidopsis involved ABA-dependent and ABA-independent stress amelioration mechanisms.

Pengaruh Sistem Waralaba Terhadap Retail Kecil Di Ponorogo Tinjauan Maṣlaḥah

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Siti Wulandari

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract: One of the indications of the acceleration of economic progress in Ponorogo is the rapid development of the real sectors, especially the proliferation of modern businesses using the franchise system. Therefore, small retail businesses today are facing new competitors with huge capital and reliability of modern management. This study tries to find out the impact of the franchise system invasion to the existence of small retails, and how it affects the maṣlaḥah (safety of small retails in Ponorogo. This study uses the theory of maqāṣid al-sharīah in the aspects of ḥifẓ al-māl to analyze the sustainability of small retail businesses amid the proliferation of franchise businesses. Maṣlāḥah is thinking about the advantages and disadvantages on the basis of religious teachings by thinking about priorities and side with the community (al-maṣlaḥah al-'āmah. The results of this study found out the threat of franchise trading system to the existence of small retails. Therefore, the maṣlaḥah for small retail of businesses means the realization of the safety from the expansion of large investors, such as monopoly. Abstrak: Salah satu indikator meningkatnya laju perekonomian Kabupaten Ponorogo ditandai dengan pesatnya perkembangan sektor riil terutama dengan menjamurnya berbagai jenis toko-roko modern (khususnya dengan sistem waralaba yang terus bertambah jumlahnya. Lalu bagaimana dengan para pebisnis retail kecil yang kebanyakan mereka memiliki usaha dengan modal yang tidak terlalu besar. Penelitian ini berupaya mengetahui adakah  pengaruh yang terjadi akibat adanya toko-toko dengan sistem waralaba terhadap eksistensi retail kecil, serta adakah pengaruhnya terhadap kemaslahatan retail kecil yang ada di Ponorogo. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori keberlangsungan usaha yang dikaitkan dengan maqāsid al-shar’īah  aspek kemaslahatan hifz al-māl untuk menguji pengaruh kemaslahatan retail kecil dengan adanya bisnis

A prospective study of methamphetamine use as a predictor of high school non-attendance in Cape Town, South Africa

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Parry Charles D

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This prospective study investigated the association between life-long methamphetamine and other drug use and high school non-attendance, in a sample of high school students in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods A random sample of 1535 high school students completed a baseline questionnaire in 2006, and were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire 12 months later. The questionnaire included questions on substance use, including tobacco, alcohol, methamphetamine and cannabis use, demographic factors, and questions relating to school attendance and performance. Results Forty-three percent of the students surveyed at baseline did not complete a follow-up questionnaire after 12 months. Compared with students who were not using selected substances, an adjusted logistic regression model showed that life-time methamphetamine use in addition to other substances was significantly associated with non-attendance (OR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.24 - 5.36 when other non-substance use factors (repeating a year at school and being older than the norm for current grade were taken into account. Conclusions Early identification of students with methamphetamine and other substance use problems, and a supportive rather than punitive school policy, may be valuable in improving high school completion and student retention rates.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: ENJOYABLE AND EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO ELT FOR FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanik Rianandita Sari,S.S.,M.A.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Young people today are more exposed to popular culture than any other age group. Television, movies, music, magazines, fashion, and internet form a major psychological part of the lives and life styles of youngsters. Since there has been increasing interest in the use of popular culture as aids in learning English. This research will investigate the ways in which popular culture might be used in teaching English. Learning language through pop culture, which comes from the West. Music, songs, and movies are highly popular with youngster. The movie ‘View From The Top‘, in particular, was a popular movie, where it entered the fantasy world of most young girl who want to be a flight attendant class of 2011. Many of flight attendant watch this movie for several times, remembering the lines spoken by the actress, and reciting the lyrics of the theme songs. All of which seems to suggest that flight attendant student can learn English through their encounters with popular culture. A movie is one interesting way to learn English. Movie is one of popular culture which is part of oral literature which enhances ELT through elements such as authentic material, language in use and aesthetic representation of the spoken language, as well as language and cultural enrichment. Literature appeals to flight attendant students, it motivates them to become responsive and active learners.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Children Attending Special and Typical Education Greek Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulou, D.; Malliou, P.; Kofotolis, N.; Vlachopoulos, S. P.; Kellis, E.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine parental perceptions about Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of typical education and special education students in Greece. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was administered to the parents of 251 children from typical schools, 46 students attending integration classes (IC) within a…

Divergent Urban-Rural Trends in College Attendance: State Policy Bias and Structural Exclusion in China

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Tony; Jiang, Jin

2015-01-01

Despite the massive expansion of higher education in China since 1998, the cohort trends of urban and rural "hukou" holders in college attendance have widened sharply. Prevailing explanations emphasize the advantages of urban students over rural students in school quality and household financial resources. We propose the structural…

Alcohol Use and Mental Health Conditions Among Black College Males: Do Those Attending Postsecondary Minority Institutions Fare Better Than Those at Primarily White Institutions?

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Adam E; Jackson, Zachary; Watkins, Daphne C; Goodwill, Janelle R; Hunte, Haslyn E R

2017-07-01

While there is a sizeable body of research examining the association between alcohol use and mental health conditions among college students, there are sparse investigations specifically focusing on these associations among Black college students. This is concerning given Black college students face different stressors compared with their non-Black peers. Black males appear especially at risk, exhibiting increased susceptibility to mental health issues and drinking in greater quantities and more frequently than Black females. This investigation examined the association between alcohol consumption and mental health conditions among Black men attending institutions of higher education in the United States and sought to determine differences between Black men attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) compared with those attending postsecondary minority institutions. Final sample included 416 Black men, 323 of which attended a PWI. Data were from the National College Health Assessment. Black men attending a PWI reported significantly greater levels of alcohol consumption and significantly more mental health conditions. Attendance at a minority-serving institution was associated with fewer mental health conditions among Black men. Future studies should seek to replicate these findings and conduct culturally sensitive and gender-specific research examining why Black men at PWIs report greater alcohol consumption and more mental health conditions than their peers attending postsecondary minority institutions.

Health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics in Western Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Perumal, Nandita; Cole, Donald C; Ouédraogo, Hermann Z; Sindi, Kirimi; Loechl, Cornelia; Low, Jan; Levin, Carol; Kiria, Christine; Kurji, Jaameeta; Oyunga, Mary

2013-07-11

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to decreasing maternal mortality in low-resource settings. ANC clinics provide resources to improve nutrition and health knowledge and promote preventive health practices. We sought to compare the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) among women seeking and not-seeking ANC in rural Kenya. Data from a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in Western Province, Kenya were used. Nutrition knowledge (NKS), health knowledge (HKS), attitude score (AS), and dietary diversity score (DDS) were constructed indices. χ2 test and Student's t-test were used to compare proportions and means, respectively, to assess the difference in KAP among pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the impact of the number of ANC visits (none, ANC clinics while 39% had not. The mean (±SD) NKS was 4.6 (1.9) out of 11, HKS was 6.2 (1.7) out of 12, DDS was 4.9 (1.4) out of 12, and AS was 7.4 (2.2) out of 10. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and DDS were not significantly different between ANC clinic attending and non-attending women. Among women who attended ANC clinics, 82.6% received malaria and/or antihelmintic treatment, compared to 29.6% of ANC clinic non-attendees. Higher number of ANC clinic visits and higher maternal education level were significantly positively associated with maternal health knowledge. Substantial opportunities exist for antenatal KAP improvement among women in Western Kenya, some of which could occur with greater ANC attendance. Further research is needed to understand multi-level factors that may affect maternal knowledge and practices.

Prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium species in dog park attending dogs compared to non-dog park attending dogs in one region of Colorado.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Andrea; Ruch-Gallie, Rebecca; Scorza, Valeria; Lin, Philip; Lappin, Michael R

2012-03-23

Dog parks are very popular in urban areas, but there are no current studies attempting to correlate visits to dog parks and risk of colonization by enteric parasites. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dog park visitation is associated with an increased prevalence of enteric parasites or an increase in prevalence of gastrointestinal signs in dogs in northern Colorado. Feces from dogs owned by veterinary students or Veterinary Teaching Hospital staff members were submitted with a completed survey form detailing dog park attendance rates, fecal character scores, and other clinical information. Feces were examined microscopically for parasites after sugar centrifugation, for Giardia spp. cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by a commercially available immunofluorescence assay (FA) and the FA positive samples were genotyped after PCR amplification. The Giardia assemblages were determined using the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) β-giardin and triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) genes and the Cryptosporidium species were determined using the heat shock protein-70 gene. A total of 129 fecal samples were assayed; 66 were from dog park attending dogs and 63 were from non-dog park-attending dogs. The overall parasite prevalence rate was 7.0% (9 of 129 samples). Dog park attending dogs were more likely to be positive for Giardia or Cryptosporidium than non-dog park-attending dogs (p=0.0279), but there was no association of gastrointestinal signs with dog park attendance or with fecal flotation or FA results. The five Giardia isolates were assemblage C and/or D and the one Cryptosporidium isolate was Ctenocephalides canis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissociation of nucleosomal particles by chemical modification. Equivalence of the two binding sites for H2A.H2B dimers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordano, J.; Nieto, M.A.; Palacian, E.

1985-01-01

Treatment of nucleosomal particles with dimethylmaleic anhydride, a reagent for protein amino groups, is accompanied by a biphasic release of histones H2A plus H2B; one H2A.H2B dimer is more easily released than the other. This behavior allows the preparation of nucleosomal particles containing only one H2A.H2B dimer, which were complemented with 125 I-labeled H2A.H2B. These reconstituted particles, which contain one labeled and one unlabeled H2A.H2B dimer, were treated with the amount of reagent needed to release one of the two H2A.H2B dimers. Radioactivity was equally distributed between residual particles and released proteins, which is consistent with equivalent binding sites in the nucleosomal particle for H2A.H2B dimers, rather than with intrinsically different sites. The asymmetric release of H2A.H2B dimers would be caused by a change in the binding site of one dimer following the release of the other. This behavior might be related to the structural dynamics of nucleosomes

Contextual generalized trust and immunization against the 2009 A(H1N1 pandemic in the American states: A multilevel approach

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Björn Rönnerstrand

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to investigate the association between contextual generalized trust and individual-level 2009 A(H1N1 pandemic immunization acceptance. A second aim was to investigate whether knowledge about the A(H1N1 pandemic mediated the association between contextual generalized trust and A(H1N1 immunization acceptance. Data from the National 2009 H1N1 Flu Survey was used. To capture contextual generalized trust, data comes from an aggregation of surveys measuring generalized trust in the American states. To investigate the association between contextual generalized trust and immunization acceptance, while taking potential individual-level confounders into account, multilevel logistic regression was used. The investigation showed contextual generalized trust to be significantly associated with immunization acceptance. However, controlling for knowledge about the A(H1N1 pandemic did not substantially affect the association between contextual generalized trust and immunization acceptance. In conclusion, contextual state-level generalized trust was associated with A(H1N1 immunization, but knowledge about A(H1N1 was not mediating this association. Keywords: Generalized trust, Social capital, Immunization, A(H1N1 pandemic, American states

Design and Implementation of Smart Attendance System Based On Raspberry pi

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Hayder Fadhil Abdulsada

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The attendance system proposed is used to manage attendance system in large and branched factory or university from central unit. It consists of terminal units and a central unit. Each terminal unit consists of Raspberry pi, screen GUI, RFID, transponder card with each user (like student and GSM board. The central unit consists of Arduino, GSM board and a computer. Each unit has a special program to achieve its purpose. The terminal unit is responsible of making a connection with a transponder card to bring its ID's and make a comparison with the names listed in the database of SQL server to get the names of the absent students and send their serial numbers by using GSM message. The central unit is considered as a heart of system where it is responsible of collecting all the information from the terminal units, displaying them and making special processing to take a decision about persons whose absence exceed the threshold line.

Novel cell-based assay reveals associations of circulating serum AhR-ligands with metabolic syndrome and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Wook-Ha; Jun, Dae Won; Kim, Jin Taek; Jeong, Jae Hoon; Park, Hyokeun; Chang, Yoon-Seok; Park, Kyong Soo; Lee, Hong Kyu; Pak, Youngmi Kim

2013-01-01

Serum concentrations of environmental pollutants have been positively correlated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome in epidemiologic studies. In turn, abnormal mitochondrial function has been associated with the diseases. The relationships between these variables, however, have not been studied. We developed novel cell-based aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist bioassay system without solvent extraction process and analyzed whether low-dose circulating AhR ligands in human serum are associated with parameters of metabolic syndrome and mitochondrial function. Serum AhR ligand activities were measured as serum 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent (sTCDDeq) in pM using 10 μL human sera from 97 Korean participants (47 with glucose intolerance and 50 matched controls, average age of 46.6 ± 9.9 years, 53 male and 45 female). sTCDDeq were higher in participants with glucose intolerance than normal controls and were positively associated (P fasting glucose, but not with HDL-cholesterol. Body mass index was in a positive linear relationship with serum AhR ligands in healthy participants. When myoblast cells were incubated with human sera, ATP generating power of mitochondria became impaired in an AhR ligand concentration-dependent manner. Our results support that circulating AhR ligands may directly reduce mitochondrial function in tissues, leading to weight gain, glucose intolerance, and metabolic syndrome. Our rapid cell-based assay using minute volume of human serum may provide one of the best monitoring systems for circulating AhR ligands, good clinical biomarkers for the progress of disease and therapeutic efficacy. Copyright © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Do Gains in Secondary Teachers’ Content Knowledge Provide an ASSET to Student Learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Hites, Travis

2015-01-01

During the Summer of 2013, a group of East Texas middle and high school science teachers attended the first year of the Astronomy Summer School of East Texas (ASSET), a two-week NASA funded workshop. This workshop focused on providing area teachers with a rigorous two-week experience loaded with interactive content lessons combined with hands-on activities, all relating to the universal laws of astronomy as well as solar system concepts.The effectiveness of this workshop was gauged in part through a series of content surveys given to each participating educator at the beginning and end of the workshop. Similar content surveys were also administered to each teacher's students as pre/post-content surveys in an effort to determine the extent to which teacher gains were transferred into student gains, as well as to judge the effectiveness of the teachers' lessons in conveying these concepts to the students.Overall, students performed best on concepts where teachers exhibited the highest gains in their learning and focused most of their emphasis. A question-by-question analysis, though, suggests that a broad analysis paints an incomplete picture of student learning. We will present an item analysis of student gains by topic along with a comparison of content coverage and teacher gains. Looking beyond these numbers will present results that demonstrate that giving secondary teachers professional development opportunities to increase content knowledge, and tools to present such knowledge to their students, can improve student learning and performance, but is dependent on teacher confidence and level of coverage.This project is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach for Earth and Space Science (EPOESS), which is part of the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), Grant Number NNX12AH11G.

[Quality of sleep and academic performance in high school students].

Science.gov (United States)

Bugueño, Maithe; Curihual, Carolina; Olivares, Paulina; Wallace, Josefa; López-AlegrÍa, Fanny; Rivera-López, Gonzalo; Oyanedel, Juan Carlos

2017-09-01

Sleeping and studying are the day-to-day activities of a teenager attending school. To determine the quality of sleep and its relationship to the academic performance among students attending morning and afternoon shifts in a public high school. Students of the first and second year of high school answered an interview about socio-demographic background, academic performance, student activities and subjective sleep quality; they were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The interview was answered by 322 first year students aged 15 ± 5 years attending the morning shift and 364 second year students, aged 16 ± 0.5 years, attending the afternoon shift. The components: sleep latency, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, drug use and daytime dysfunction were similar and classified as good in both school shifts. The components subjective sleep quality and duration of sleep had higher scores among students of the morning shift. The mean grades during the first semester of the students attending morning and afternoon shifts were 5.9 and 5.8, respectively (of a scale from 1 to 7). Among students of both shifts, the PSQI scale was associated inversely and significantly with academic performance. A bad sleep quality influences academic performance in these students.

Learning Strategies of Students Attending a "Second Chance" School

Science.gov (United States)

Cartier, Sylvie C.; Langevin, Louise; Robert, Josianne

2011-01-01

This study was conducted in Quebec with 608 students (aged 16-19) in four "second chance" schools of the greater Montreal area. The objectives were twofold: (a) to identify the strategies of these students in the context of five learning activities; and (b) to compare the strategies of students who had withdrawn from school after their…

Seroprevalence survey of avian influenza A(H5N1) among live poultry market workers in northern Viet Nam, 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Dung, Tham Chi; Dinh, Pham Ngoc; Nam, Vu Sinh; Tan, Luong Minh; Hang, Nguyen Le Khanh; Thanh, Le Thi; Mai, Le Quynh

2014-01-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) is endemic in poultry in Viet Nam. The country has experienced the third highest number of human infections with influenza A(H5N1) in the world. A study in Hanoi in 2001, before the epizootic that was identified in 2003, found influenza A(H5N1) specific antibodies in 4% of poultry market workers (PMWs). We conducted a seroprevalence survey to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A(H5N1) among PMWs in Hanoi, Thaibinh and Thanhhoa provinces. We selected PMWs from five markets, interviewed them and collected blood samples. These were then tested using a horse haemagglutination inhibition assay and a microneutralization assay with all three clades of influenza A(H5N1) viruses that have circulated in Viet Nam since 2004. The overall seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% confidence interval: 4.6-8.3). The highest proportion (7.2%) was found in PMWs in Hanoi, and the majority of seropositive subjects (70.3%) were slaughterers or sellers of poultry. The continued circulation and evolution of influenza A(H5N1) requires comprehensive surveillance of both human and animal sites throughout the country with follow-up studies on PMWs to estimate the risk of avian-human transmission of influenza A(H5N1) in Viet Nam.

REINTERPRETASI PRINSIP KAFĀ’AH SEBAGAI NILAI DASAR DALAM POLA RELASI SUAMI ISTRI

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Siti Jahroh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Symptoms of domestic violence that occurs in marriage is due to the absence of equality or what is often called kafa>’ah in the fiqh al-muna>kah}ah between the prospective husband and wife. In this case the position of husband to wife is not equal, either in economic, social, education, culture, race/ethnicity, ancestry or religious level. Husband’s position which is not equivalent (as kufu>’ with his wife or vice versa, often triggers dispute between the two. Ongoing dispute, then followed by hurting words, beatings or physical abuse, irresponsible behavior, don’t meet the economic or biological needs, marry again, and even can also lead to a sadistic action or killing. In this perspective the author considers that if the value embodied in the kafa>‘ah concept is understood correctly and properly, it’ll actually give a positive chance to prevent domestic violence crime especially in the context of the relationship between husband and wife. [Gejala Kekerasan Dalam Rumah Tangga (KDRT yang terjadi dalam perkawinan, salah satunya disebabkan tidak adanya kesetaraan atau yang sering disebut dalam fiqh al-munâkahah dengan istilah kafa>’ah antara calon suami dengan calon istri. Dalam hal ini posisi suami dengan istri yang tidak setara, baik setara secara ekonomi, sosial, pendidikan, kultur, ras/suku, keturunan maupun tingkat keberagamaan. Posisi suami yang tidak setara (se-kufu’ dengan istrinya ataupun sebaliknya, sering kali memicu perselisihan di antara keduanya. Perselisihan yang terus-menerus, kemudian diiringi dengan kata-kata yang menyakitkan, tindak pemukulan atau penganiayaan fisik, perilaku yang tidak bertanggung jawab, tidak memenuhi kebutuhan ekonomis atau biologis, kawin lagi, bahkan dapat pula menjurus pada tindakan sadisme dengan menyengsarakan atau menghilangkan nyawa. Dalam perspektif inilah penulis memandang bahwa nilai yang terkandung dalam konsep kafa>’ah jika dipahami dengan tepat dan benar sebenarnya berpeluang

Realistic Measurement of Student Attendance in LMS Using Biometrics

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Elisardo Gonzalez-Agulla

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we propose a solution to obtain useful and reliable student session logs in a Learning Management System (LMS combining current logs with biometrics-based logs that show the student behaviour during the whole learning session. The aims of our solution are to guarantee that the online student is who he/she claims to be, and also to know exactly how much time he/she spends in front of the computer reading each LMS content. Even when the proposed solution does not completely avoid cheating, the use of biometric data during authentication and face tracking provides additional help to validate student performance during learning sessions. In this way it is possible to improve security for specific contents, to gain feedback of the student effort and to check the actual time spent in learning.

Asia-Pacific Journal for Student Affairs (AJSA)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) serves as a global network of student affairs and services workers that encourages sharing, cooperation, research, exchanges, and attendance at each other's conferences. The Vice President and. General Secretary of IASAS attended the 2016 Asia ...

Birth defects and aplastic anemia: differences in polycyclic hydrocarbon toxicity associated with the Ah locus. [Mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nebert, D.W.; Levitt, R.C.; Jensen, N.M.; Lambert, G.H.; Felton, J.S.

1977-01-01

The balance between cytochrome(s) P/sub 1/-450 and other forms of P-450 in the liver, and probably many nonhepatic tissues as well, appears to be important in the toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and teratogenicity of numerous compounds. Thus, allelic differences in a single gene--the Ah locus-- can have profound effects on the susceptibility of mice to drug toxicity and cancer. There is evidence for the Ah lous in the human. Striking increases in the incidence of stillborns, reorptions,and malformations caused by 3-methylcholanthrene or 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene were observed in the aromatic hydrocarbon responsive C57BL/6N,C3H/HeN, and BALB/cAnN inbred strains, compared with the genetically nonresponsive AKR/N. These data suggest that an association exists between the Ah locus and teratogenesis. Although numerous teratogenic differences among inbred mouse strains have been previously reported, this study is unique in that the genetic differences in teratogenicity observed were predicted in advance, on the basis of known differences in polycyclic hydrocarbon metabolism regulated by the Ah locus.

Effect of Live Poultry Market Interventions on Influenza A(H7N9) Virus, Guangdong, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jie; Lu, Jing; Faria, Nuno R.; Zeng, Xianqiao; Song, Yingchao; Zou, Lirong; Yi, Lina; Liang, Lijun; Ni, Hanzhong; Kang, Min; Zhang, Xin; Huang, Guofeng; Zhong, Haojie; Bowden, Thomas A.; Raghwani, Jayna; He, Jianfeng; He, Xiang; Lin, Jinyan; Koopmans, Marion; Pybus, Oliver G.

2016-01-01

Since March 2013, three waves of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus have been detected in China. To investigate virus transmission within and across epidemic waves, we used surveillance data and whole-genome analysis of viruses sampled in Guangdong during 2013–2015. We observed a geographic shift of human A(H7N9) infections from the second to the third waves. Live poultry market interventions were undertaken in epicenter cities; however, spatial phylogenetic analysis indicated that the third-wave outbreaks in central Guangdong most likely resulted from local virus persistence rather than introduction from elsewhere. Although the number of clinical cases in humans declined by 35% from the second to the third waves, the genetic diversity of third-wave viruses in Guangdong increased. Our results highlight the epidemic risk to a region reporting comparatively few A(H7N9) cases. Moreover, our results suggest that live-poultry market interventions cannot completely halt A(H7N9) virus persistence and dissemination. PMID:27869613

Dietary habits and physical activity levels in Jordanian adolescents attending private versus public schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Tayyem, R F; Al-Hazzaa, H M; Abu-Mweis, S S; Bawadi, H A; Hammad, S S; Musaiger, A O

2014-07-08

The present study examined differences in dietary habits and physical activity levels between students attending private and public high schools in Jordan. A total of 386 secondary-school males and 349 females aged 14-18 years were randomly recruited using a multistage, stratified, cluster sampling technique. Dietary habits and physical activity level were self-reported in a validated questionnaire. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among adolescents in private (26.0%) than in public schools (16.7%). The frequency of breakfast intake was significantly higher among adolescents in private schools, whereas French fries and sweets intake was significantly higher in public schools. Television viewing showed a significant interaction with school type by sex. A higher rate of inactivity was found among students attending private schools. Despite a slightly better overall dietary profile for students in private schools, they had a higher rate of overweight and obesity compared with those in public schools.

Compulsory Attendance Policies: About Age or Intervention? SREB Focus Report

Science.gov (United States)

Grove, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, SREB state policy-makers have focused on actions to reduce dropout rates and increase high school graduation rates. Some policy-makers have suggested that raising their state's compulsory attendance age (often called the dropout age) to require students to stay in school until age 17 or 18 is an important step. However,…

Understanding the Effects of Rurality and Socioeconomic Status on College Attendance and Institutional Choice in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Koricich, Andrew; Chen, Xi; Hughes, Rodney P.

2018-01-01

This study seeks to update past studies of rural youth by examining college attendance and choice decisions for students who graduated from rural high schools, while also conducting an examination of how the effects of socioeconomic status manifest differently by locale. Logistic regression is used to study the postsecondary attendance and…

development of a food knowledge test for first-year students at a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

barriers to maintaining or adopting a healthy lifestyle (Von Ah et al, ... The most common barriers facing students, aged 18 to 23 ..... knowledgeable about the topic. The students also completed a questionnaire to determine their demographic and biographic characteris- tics. The Pearson‟s chi-square statistic was used to ...

Characterizing the role of endothelin-1 in the progression of cardiac hypertrophy in aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) null mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lund, Amie K.; Goens, M. Beth; Nunez, Bethany A.; Walker, Mary K.

2006-01-01

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor characterized to play a role in detection and adaptation to environmental stimuli. Genetic deletion of AhR results in hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, associated with elevated plasma angiotensin II (Ang II) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), thus AhR appears to contribute to cardiovascular homeostasis. In these studies, we tested the hypothesis that ET-1 mediates cardiovascular pathology in AhR null mice via ET A receptor activation. First, we determine the time courses of cardiac hypertrophy, and of plasma and tissue ET-1 expression in AhR wildtype and null mice. AhR null mice exhibited increases in heart-to-body weight ratio and age-related expression of cardiac hypertrophy markers, β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which were significant at 2 months. Similarly, plasma and tissue ET-1 expression was significantly elevated at 2 months and increased further with age. Second, AhR null mice were treated with ET A receptor antagonist, BQ-123 (100 nmol/kg/day), for 7, 28, or 58 days and blood pressure, cardiac fibrosis, and cardiac hypertrophy assessed, respectively. BQ-123 for 7 days significantly reduced mean arterial pressure in conscious, catheterized mice. BQ-123 for 28 days significantly reduced the histological appearance of cardiac fibrosis. Treatment for 58 days significantly reduced cardiac mass, assessed by heart weight, echocardiography, and β-MHC and ANF expression; and reduced cardiac fibrosis as determined by osteopontin and collagen I mRNA expression. These findings establish ET-1 and the ET A receptor as primary determinants of hypertension and cardiac pathology in AhR null mice

Epidemiology of human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in Guangdong, 2016 to 2017.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Min; Lau, Eric H Y; Guan, Wenda; Yang, Yuwei; Song, Tie; Cowling, Benjamin J; Wu, Jie; Peiris, Malik; He, Jianfeng; Mok, Chris Ka Pun

2017-07-06

We describe the epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H7N9) based on poultry market environmental surveillance and laboratory-confirmed human cases (n = 9) in Guangdong, China. We also compare the epidemiology between human cases of high- and low-pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) (n = 51) in Guangdong. Case fatality and severity were similar. Touching sick or dead poultry was the most important risk factor for HPAI A(H7N9) infections and should be highlighted for the control of future influenza A(H7N9) epidemics. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

Biocompatibility of RealSeal, its primer and AH Plus implanted in subcutaneous connective tissue of rats

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Fabiana Soares Grecca

2011-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study tested rat connective tissue response to RealSeal, RealSeal primer or AH Plus after 7, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days of implantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty Wistar rats had subcutaneous sockets created on their back and received four implants each of polyethylene tubes containing one of the materials tested according to the groups: AH (AH Plus Sealer; RS (RealSeal Sealer; RP (RealSeal Primer; CG (control group - empty tube. After histological processing, sections were analyzed to identify the presence of neutrophils, lymphocytes and plasma cells, eosinophils, macrophages and giant cells, as well as fibrous capsule and abscesses, by an examiner using light microscope. Kruskal-Wallis and multiple-comparisons test were used for statistical analysis. Significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate scores significantly higher than those of the control group were observed at 14 and 60 days in AH group, and at 90 days in RS group (p<0.05. There were no differences in terms of presence of macrophages, giant cells, eosinophils, neutrophils or fibrosis. AH Plus group scored higher for abscesses at 7 days than after any other period (p=0.031. RP group scored higher for lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate at 14 days than at 90 days (p=0.04. CONCLUSION: The main contribution of this study was to demonstrate that issues involved with tissue tolerance of a Resilon-containing sealer, RealSeal Sealer, cannot be attributed to its primer content.

Novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses are potently inhibited by DAS181, a sialidase fusion protein.

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Gallen B Triana-Baltzer

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The recent emergence of a novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strain in humans exemplifies the rapid and unpredictable nature of influenza virus evolution and the need for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control such outbreaks. However, resistance to antivirals can be a formidable problem as evidenced by the currently widespread oseltamivir- and adamantane-resistant seasonal influenza A viruses (IFV. Additional antiviral approaches with novel mechanisms of action are needed to combat novel and resistant influenza strains. DAS181 (Fludase is a sialidase fusion protein in early clinical development with in vitro and in vivo preclinical activity against a variety of seasonal influenza strains and highly pathogenic avian influenza strains (A/H5N1. Here, we use in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models to evaluate the activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses.The activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus isolates was examined in MDCK cells, differentiated primary human respiratory tract culture, ex-vivo human bronchi tissue and mice. DAS181 efficiently inhibited viral replication in each of these models and against all tested pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strains. DAS181 treatment also protected mice from pandemic influenza A(H1N1-induced pathogenesis. Furthermore, DAS181 antiviral activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strains was comparable to that observed against seasonal influenza virus including the H274Y oseltamivir-resistant influenza virus.The sialidase fusion protein DAS181 exhibits potent inhibitory activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses. As inhibition was also observed with oseltamivir-resistant IFV (H274Y, DAS181 may be active against the antigenically novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus should it acquire the H274Y mutation. Based on these and previous results demonstrating DAS181 broad-spectrum anti-IFV activity, DAS181 represents a potential therapeutic agent for

PENGUNGKAPAN SYARI’AH COMPLIANCE DAN KEPATUHAN BANK SYARIAH TERHADAP PRINSIP SYARIAH

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Asrori -

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan mengukur niat para akuntan dan manager bank Islam untuk menerapkan praktek pengungkapan kepatuhan shariah sebagai tanggung jawab kepatuhan terhadap prinsip-prinsip bank Islam dilihat dari perspektif teori tindakan. Populasi untuk penelitian ini adalah para akuntan dan manager cabang bank Islam di kota Semarang dimana untuk respondennya berjumlah 36. Data dianalisis dengan menggunakan linear regression. Hasil dari penelitian ini untuk memberikan dukungan empiris terhadap teori tindakan dan juga untuk memprediksi niat para akuntan dan manager bank Islam untuk menerapkan praktek pengungkapan kepatuhan shariah. Praktek pengungkapan kepatuhan shariah disarankan untuk diterapkan pada pelaporan keuangan sebagai tanggung jawab kepatuhan bank Islam. This study aims to assess the intentions of accountants and managers of Islamic banks to apply the disclosure practices of syari’ah compliance as accountability for adherence to the principles of syari’ah Islamic banks in the perspective of the theory of reasoned action. The study population include accountants and managers of Islamic bank branches in the city of Semarang in which there are 36 respondents. Linear regression was implemented for analyzing the data to test the hypothesis used. The results of this study provide empirical support for the theory of reasoned action. Then, it can also be used to predict the intentions of accountants and managers of Islamic banks to apply the disclosure practices of syari’ah compliance. Syari’ah compliance disclosure practices is suggested to be applied in financial report as a compliance responsibility of Islamic banks.

Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) 21 is a novel target gene of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Xingguo, E-mail: chengx@stjohns.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John' s University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY 11439 (United States); Vispute, Saurabh G. [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John' s University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY 11439 (United States); Liu, Jie [Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States); Cheng, Christine; Kharitonenkov, Alexei [Lilly Research Laboratories, Division of Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN 46285 (United States); Klaassen, Curtis D., E-mail: curtisklaassenphd@gmail.com [Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160 (United States)

2014-07-01

The toxic effects of dioxins, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), mainly through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) are well documented. Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) 21 plays critical roles in metabolic adaptation to fasting by increasing lipid oxidation and ketogenesis in the liver. The present study was performed to determine whether activation of the AhR induces Fgf21 expression. In mouse liver, TCDD increased Fgf21 mRNA in both dose- and time-dependent manners. In addition, TCDD markedly increased Fgf21 mRNA expression in cultured mouse and human hepatocytes. Moreover, TCDD increased mRNA (in liver) and protein levels (in both liver and serum) of Fgf21 in wild-type mice, but not in AhR-null mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that TCDD increased AhR protein binding to the Fgf21 promoter (− 105/+ 1 base pair). Fgf21-null mice administered 200 μg/kg of TCDD died within 20 days, whereas wild-type mice receiving the same treatment were still alive at one month after administration. This indicates that TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression protects against TCDD toxicity. Diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) pretreatment attenuated TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression in mouse liver and white adipose tissue, which may explain a previous report that DEHP pretreatment decreases TCDD-induced wasting. In conclusion, Fgf21 appears to be a target gene of AhR-signaling pathway in mouse and human liver. - Highlights: • TCDD induced Fgf21 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. • Fgf21 induction by TCDD is AhR-dependent. • DEHP attenuated TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression.

Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) 21 is a novel target gene of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Xingguo; Vispute, Saurabh G.; Liu, Jie; Cheng, Christine; Kharitonenkov, Alexei; Klaassen, Curtis D.

2014-01-01

The toxic effects of dioxins, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), mainly through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) are well documented. Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) 21 plays critical roles in metabolic adaptation to fasting by increasing lipid oxidation and ketogenesis in the liver. The present study was performed to determine whether activation of the AhR induces Fgf21 expression. In mouse liver, TCDD increased Fgf21 mRNA in both dose- and time-dependent manners. In addition, TCDD markedly increased Fgf21 mRNA expression in cultured mouse and human hepatocytes. Moreover, TCDD increased mRNA (in liver) and protein levels (in both liver and serum) of Fgf21 in wild-type mice, but not in AhR-null mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that TCDD increased AhR protein binding to the Fgf21 promoter (− 105/+ 1 base pair). Fgf21-null mice administered 200 μg/kg of TCDD died within 20 days, whereas wild-type mice receiving the same treatment were still alive at one month after administration. This indicates that TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression protects against TCDD toxicity. Diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) pretreatment attenuated TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression in mouse liver and white adipose tissue, which may explain a previous report that DEHP pretreatment decreases TCDD-induced wasting. In conclusion, Fgf21 appears to be a target gene of AhR-signaling pathway in mouse and human liver. - Highlights: • TCDD induced Fgf21 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. • Fgf21 induction by TCDD is AhR-dependent. • DEHP attenuated TCDD-induced Fgf21 expression

Appointment attendance at a remote rural dental training facility in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalloo, Ratilal; McDonald, Jenny M

2013-08-02

Non-attended appointments have impacts on the operations of dental clinics. These impacts vary from lost productivity, loss of income and loss of clinical teaching hours. Appointment data were analysed to assess the percentage of completed, failed to attend (FTA) and cancelled appointments at an Australian remote rural student dental clinic training facility. The demographic and time characteristics of FTA and cancelled appointments were analysed using simple and multivariate multinomial regression analysis, to inform interventions that may be necessary. Over the 2-year study period a total of 3,042 appointments were made. The percentage of FTA was 21.3% (N = 648) and cancelled appointments 13.7% (N = 418). The odds of an FTA were in excess of 4 times higher in patients aged 19-25 years (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 2.3-7.3) and 26-35 years (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 2.5-7.9) compared to patients 65 years and older. The odds of an FTA was 2.3 (95% CI = 1.8-3.1) times higher in public patients compared to private patients. The odds of a cancellation was 1.7 (95% CI = 1.1-2.6) times higher on a Friday compared to a Monday and 1.8 (95% CI = 1.1-2.9) times higher on the last appointment of the day compared to the first appointment. For cancelled appointments, 71.3% were cancelled on the day of the appointment and 16.6% on the day before. Non-attended appointments (FTA or cancelled) were common at this remote rural dental clinic training facility. Efforts to reduce these need to be implemented; including telephonic reminders, educating the community on the importance of attending their appointments, block booking school children and double booking or arranging alternative activities for the students at times when non-attendance is common.

Seroprevalence survey of avian influenza A(H5N1 among live poultry market workers in northern Viet Nam, 2011

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Tham Chi Dung

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1 is endemic in poultry in Viet Nam. The country has experienced the third highest number of human infections with influenza A(H5N1 in the world. A study in Hanoi in 2001, before the epizootic that was identified in 2003, found influenza A(H5N1 specific antibodies in 4% of poultry market workers (PMWs. We conducted a seroprevalence survey to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A(H5N1 among PMWs in Hanoi, Thaibinh and Thanhhoa provinces. Methods: We selected PMWs from five markets, interviewed them and collected blood samples. These were then tested using a horse haemagglutination inhibition assay and a microneutralization assay with all three clades of influenza A(H5N1 viruses that have circulated in Viet Nam since 2004. Results: The overall seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% confidence interval: 4.6–8.3. The highest proportion (7.2% was found in PMWs in Hanoi, and the majority of seropositive subjects (70.3% were slaughterers or sellers of poultry. Discussion: The continued circulation and evolution of influenza A(H5N1 requires comprehensive surveillance of both human and animal sites throughout the country with follow-up studies on PMWs to estimate the risk of avian–human transmission of influenza A(H5N1 in Viet Nam.

Aeroelastic characteristics of the AH-64 bearingless tail rotor

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, D.

1988-01-01

The results of a wind tunnel test program to determine the performance loads and dynamic characteristics of the Composite Flexbeam Tail Rotor (CFTR) for the AH-64 Advanced Attack Helicopter are reported. The CFTR uses an elastomeric shear attachment of the flexbeam to the hub to provide soft-inplane S-mode and stiff-inplane C-mode configuration. The properties of the elastomer were selected for proper frequency placement and scale damping of the inplane S-mode. Kinematic pitch-lag coupling was introduced to provide the first cyclic inplane C-mode damping at high collective pitch. The CFTR was tested in a wind tunnel over the full slideslip envelop of the AH-64. It is found that the rotor was aeroelastically stable throughout the complete collective pitch range and up to rotor speeds of 1403 rpm. The dynamic characteristics of the rotor were found to be satisfactory at all pitch angles and rotor speeds of the tunnel tests. The design characteristics of the rotor which permit the high performance characteristics are discussed. Several schematic drawings and photographs of the rotor are provided.

An Exploratory Study of the Rhetoric in CSR Reports: A Comparison of Shari’ah Compliant Company and Non –Shari’ah Compliant Company in Malaysia

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Abdul Razak Rafizan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper advances previous research in corporate social reporting (CSR by using a taxonomy of five distinct rhetorical strategies to examine any differences in term of type of ethical categories and to identify moral attitudes towards different societal activities between Shari’ah compliant company Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB and Non-Shari’ah compliant company Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank. The data is analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that there are different rhetoric applied in both types of companies such as Agency (profit, Benefit (collective welfare, Compliance (law and contracts, Duty and Ethos (virtue. In term of moral attitudes, both types of companies disclosed relatively similar behaviour and commitment towards CSR. This research is the first of its kind to be conducted in Malaysia by using this new approach and will contribute new insights to existing CSR literatures in Malaysia.

Reducing Truancy in Students with Mild Handicaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Albert M.; And Others

1990-01-01

Contingency contracting and group counseling were provided to 26 mildly to moderately handicapped middle school students with high rates of truancy. Subjects exhibited attendance gains after treatment; gains were not maintained at followup but attendance rates were still higher than the rates of control students. Measures of academic performance…

The antisense expression of AhPEPC1 increases seed oil production in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, L.; Zhang, J.; Chi, X.; Chen, N.; Chen, M.; Wang, M.; Wang, T.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, Z.; Wan, Y.; Yu, S.; Liu, F.

2016-07-01

Although phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylases (PEPCs) are reported to be involved in fatty acid accumulation, nitrogen assimilation, and salt and drought stresses, knowledge regarding PEPC gene functions is still limited, particularly in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.). In this study, the antisense expression of the peanut PEPC isoform 1 (AhPEPC1) gene increased the lipid content by 5.7%–10.3%. This indicated that AhPEPC1 might be related to plant lipid accumulation. The transgenic plants underwent more root elongation than the wild-type under salinity stress. Additionally, the specific down regulation of the AhPEPC1 gene improved the salt tolerance in peanuts. This is the first report on the role of PEPC in lipid accumulation and salt tolerance in peanuts.

Criteria of Sharī‘ah supervisory committee: A comparative study between guidelines of Bangladesh Bank and Bank Negara Malaysia

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Muhammad Amanullah

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Islamic banking and finance differs from conventional banking and finance in that it follows the rules of Sharī‘ah. In order to ensure that Islamic banking and finance follows the Sharī‘ah rulings, it is essential for it to have a Sharī‘ah supervisory board. An important duty of this board is to determine that the products, services, policies, guidelines and all other activities performed by the Islamic bank, are in compliance with the Sharī‘ah rulings. To perform their duty properly, the members of this board should possess certain criteria. Bangladesh Bank has spelled out some guidelines for these criteria briefly. Likewise, Bank Negara Malaysia has provided some guidelines. The main objectives of this research paper are to highlight the guidelines of these two banks on these criteria, compare them and evaluate them in light of Sharī‘ah guidelines on these criteria spelled out by contemporary Muslim jurists.

Dual Infection of Novel Influenza Viruses A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 in a Cluster of Cambodian Patients

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

influenza viruses as well as the avian influenza virus A/H5N1...on full genome sequencing. This incident confirms dual influenza virus infections and highlights the risk of zoonotic and seasonal influenza viruses ...North American swine influenza viruses , North American avian influenza viruses , human influenza viruses , and a Eurasian swine influenza virus . 18

Lecture Attendance, Study Time, and Academic Performance: A Panel Data Study

Science.gov (United States)

Andrietti, Vincenzo; Velasco, Carlos

2015-01-01

The authors analyze matched administrative survey data on economics students enrolled in two econometrics courses offered in consecutive terms at a major public university in Spain to assess the impact of lecture attendance and study time on academic performance. Using proxy variables in a cross-sectional regression setting, they find a positive…

Daily Attendance Data. Chronic Absenteeism in Oregon Elementary Schools. Part 3 of 4. September 2016. Research Brief Series

Science.gov (United States)

Oregon Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) partnered with 15 elementary schools to obtain and analyze student-level daily attendance records for 6,390 students. Schools ranged in size from just over 100 students to more than 600 students. Geographic locations also varied with 4 schools located in a city, 4 in a suburb, 4 in a town, and 3 in a rural…

[Differences in oligomerization of nucleocapsid protein of epidemic human influenza A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and B viruses].

Science.gov (United States)

Prokudina, E N; Semenova, N P; Chumakov, V M; Burtseva, E I; Slepushkin, A N

2003-01-01

A comparative analysis of involving the nucleocapsid protein (NP) into shaping-up of SDS-resistant oligomers was carried out presently in circulating epidemic strains of human influenza, viruses A and B. The study results of viral isolates obtained from clinical samples and recent standard strains revealed that the involvement of NP in the SDS-resistant oligomers, which are different in various subtypes of influenza A viruses. According to this sign, the human viruses A(9H3N2) are close to the avian ones, in which, as proved by us previously, virtually the entire NP transforms itself into the oligomers resistant to SDS. About 10-20% of NP are involved in shaping-up the virus influenza A(H1N1) of SDS-resistant oligomers. No SDS-resistant NP-oligomers were detected in influenza of type B. It is suggested that the prevalence of human viruses A(H3N2) in NP-oligomers are the peculiarities of NP structure and of the presence of the PB1 protein from avian influenza virus.

MASA PEMBAYARAN BEBAN NAFKAH IDDAH DAN MUT’AH DALAM PERKARA CERAI TALAK (Sebuah Implementasi Hukum Acara di Pengadilan Agama

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syaiful annas

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper will discuss the implementation of payment of  iddah and mut'ah in the divorce (raj’i. Judges often faced  a problem between text and context. Their decision imposes on men pays iddah and mut'ah life as a right for his ex-wife, but it was not implemented as the judge's decision, so that women tend to be disadvantaged ones, although the formal law can be prosecuted fiat execution, but it is not easy for a woman, sometimes the cost of iddah and mut'ah charge is not comparable with the cost of carrying out the execution, not to mention ex-husband who went (fuzzy away unnoticed after divorce statement. Therefore the necessary of a legal breakthrough to provide legal certainty for the rights of womens through the judge's decision, with consideration argumentative primarily to determine a living payout time of iddah And mut'ah. In this paper will be described legal reasons in court as legal considerations which contains elements of juridical, sociological, philosophical in decision   [Tulisan ini hendak mendiskusikan bagaimana pelaksanaan pembebanan pembayaran nafkah iddah dan mut’ah dalam perkara talak (raj'i. Seringkali hakim dihadapkan pada problematika antara teks dan konteks. Adanya putusan yang membebankan terhadap laki-laki membayar sejumlah nafkah iddah dan mut’ah sebagai hak bagi mantan istri, akan tetapi tidak dilaksanakan sebagaimana putusan hakim, sehingga perempuan cenderung dirugikan, meskipun secara yuridis-formil dapat dituntut fiat eksekusi, tetapi tidak mudah bagi pihak perempuan, karena kadang biaya pembebanan nafkah iddah dan mut’ah tidak sebanding dengan biaya melaksanakan eksekusi, belum lagi problem mantan suami yang pergi tanpa diketahui lagi keberadaannya setelah pengucapan ikrar talaknya. Oleh karena itu perlu terobosan hukum guna menjamin hak perempuan tersebut melalui putusan hakim dengan pertimbangan yang argumentatif terutama untuk menentukan masa pembayaran nafkah iddah dan mut’ah tersebut. Dalam

Quality of Life of Students with Disabilites Attending Jordanian Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Zboon, Eman; Ahmad, Jamal Fathi; Theeb, Raied Sheikh

2014-01-01

In spite of increasing number of students with disabilities in universities, there is limited research on quality of life of these students. This study aimed to identify the quality of life level of undergraduate students with disabilities at Jordanian universities. The sample consisted of (147) students. A quality of life scale was constructed,…

Investigating Meat Milling Business in Yogyakarta: a Maqâshid al-Syarî‘ah Perspectives

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Zein Muttaqin

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Investigating Meat Milling Business in Yogyakarta: A Maqâshid al-Syarî‘ah Perspectives. This article aims to investigate the meat milling business process in the light of maqâshid al-syarî‘ah perspectives. The ttopic arises due to some past cases related to the mixed process of meat milling of lawful and unlawful meat in the industry, while the demand on the meat milling business is pretty high according to the BAPPENAS Yogyakarta data. Lacking on supervision has threatened consumer protection and deviates from the sharia injunctions. Maqâshid al-syarî‘ah being consider as the basis of sharia compliances that serves to understand the purposes of sharia laws in the daily life in the form of prohibitions and injunctions. Qualitative method and content analysis is conducted to interpret 7 meats milling local shop owner responds regards the manifestation of maqâshid al-syarî‘ah in their business. It can be concluded that the implementation of maqâshid al-syarî‘ah of meat milling business in Yogyakarta on the level of input, process and output has been implemented accordingly. Although there are several cases of respondent that did not abide by the Islamic laws, but most of the businessman are. Halal logistic and supply chain is needed to become the insurance party of the legal aspect of business and also as the milestone of expanding the local meat milling to compete with the bigger competitor such as supermarket.

The Effect of Attending Tutoring on Course Grades in Calculus I

Science.gov (United States)

Rickard, Brian; Mills, Melissa

2018-01-01

Tutoring centres are common in universities in the United States, but there are few published studies that statistically examine the effects of tutoring on student success. This study utilizes multiple regression analysis to model the effect of tutoring attendance on final course grades in Calculus I. Our model predicted that every three visits to…

Antibody production of wild-type and enzyme V279F variants of PAF-AH as a risk factor for Cardiovascular disease

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadhani, Anggia N.; Puspitarini, Sapti; Sari, Anissa N.; Widodo

2017-11-01

Coronary artery disease (CAD) has emerged as a leading cause of death in Indonesia nowadays. WHO data in 2012 revealed that 37% of the Indonesian population died from this disease. CAD occurs because of endothelial dysfunction in the arteries. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), also known as platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), is a phospholipase A2 enzyme, encoded by the PLA2G7 gene. This protein is predicted to be involved in inflammatory phospholipid metabolism so it can be used as a biomarker of CAD in the early phase. Thus, the purpose of this research is to discover the difference in antibody production between wild-type and mutant V279F. The PAF-AH enzyme was isolated from mice lymphocyte cells in order to develop this enzyme as a biomarker of cardiovascular disease. PAF-AH migrates at 55kDa according to SDS-PAGE analysis. Flow cytometry analysis showed that mutant PAF-AH (V279F) is more antigenic than wild-type PAF-AH. The missense mutation of V279F PAF-AH means this enzyme cannot catabolize the acetyl group at the sn-2 position of PAF.

The Value of the Math Circle for Gifted Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Barbara; Henry, Julie; McCarthy, Dianne; Tripp, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Math Circles are designed to allow students to explore mathematics using a problem-solving/inquiry approach. Many of the students attending our Math Circle are mathematically talented and curious. This study examines the perspectives of the students and their families in determining why students attend Math Circle, what they enjoy about Math…

The effect of benzalkonium chloride additions to AH Plus sealer. Antimicrobial, physical and chemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Arias-Moliz, M T; Ruiz-Linares, M; Cassar, G; Ferrer-Luque, C M; Baca, P; Ordinola-Zapata, R; Camilleri, J

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities and physicochemical properties of AH Plus sealer mixed with different concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BC). AH Plus was tested alone and mixed with 1%, 2% and 3% of BC. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of the sealers against Enterococcus faecalis were evaluated by the direct contact test (DCT) and by confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. Setting time, flow and solubility were assessed according to ANSI/ADA specifications. Microhardness and contact angle tests were also performed. The chemical changes of the sealers were evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis, and both Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR). AH Plus+3% BC was the only sealer to promote total elimination of E. faecalis and the biovolume in this group was significantly lower than in the rest of the sealers (p>0.05). The physical properties of the sealers were according to the ANSI/ADA specifications. The microhardness decreased significantly when BC was added and a significant reduction in contact angle was obtained when incorporating 2% and 3% BC (p<0.05). No phase changes were observed with the modified sealers. The addition of 2% or higher concentrations BC to AH Plus showed antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities without affecting the properties specified in ANSI/ADA standards. However, additives to the root canal sealer altered other physical and chemical properties that are not commonly found in the literature to evaluate filling materials. The present study highlights that the antimicrobial properties of AH Plus can be significantly improved with the addition of BC. Testing beyond what is specified in standards may be indicated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atrazine affects kidney and adrenal hormones (AHs) related genes expressions of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lihua; Zha, Jinmiao; Li, Wei; Li, Zhaoli; Wang, Zijian

2010-05-05

Atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides, has been proved to interfere with sexual hormones. However few studies have considered the effects of atrazine on adrenal hormones (AH). In this study, rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) was exposed to 0, 3, 10, 33, 100 and 333microg/l atrazine for 28 days. The histopathology of kidney and gill was examined and the expressions of AHs-related genes including Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, glucocorticoid receptor (gr), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) in kidney and gill were quantitatively determined. Histopathological observation revealed obvious lesions in gill including hyperplasia, necrosis in epithelium region, aneurysm and lamellar fusion at concentrations as low as 10microg/l. The observed lesions in kidney included extensive expansion in the lumen, degenerative and necrotic changes of the tubular epithelia, shrinkage of the glomerulus as well as increase of the Bowman's space at concentrations as low as 10microg/l. The expressions of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, gr, hsp70 and hsp90 in the kidney of females were significantly decreased at all concentrations. For males, the expressions of hsp90 in the kidney of all treated groups were significantly down-regulated, while gr at all concentrations and hsp70 at 10, 33, 100microg/l were significantly up-regulated. However in the gill, the expressions of these genes were not significantly different from the control. These results indicated that exposure to atrazine caused impairments of kidney and gill of fish at environmental related concentrations. Histopathological lesions could partly attribute to the changes of the expressions of AHs-related genes in kidney. We concluded also that atrazine is a potential AHs-disruptor and AHs-related genes in kidney of fish could be used as sensitive molecular biomarkers.

Atrazine affects kidney and adrenal hormones (AHs) related genes expressions of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Lihua; Zha Jinmiao; Li Wei; Li Zhaoli [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shuangqing Road 18, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085 (China); Wang Zijian, E-mail: wangzj@rcees.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shuangqing Road 18, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085 (China)

2010-05-05

Atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides, has been proved to interfere with sexual hormones. However few studies have considered the effects of atrazine on adrenal hormones (AH). In this study, rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) was exposed to 0, 3, 10, 33, 100 and 333 {mu}g/l atrazine for 28 days. The histopathology of kidney and gill was examined and the expressions of AHs-related genes including Na{sup +},K{sup +}-ATPase, glucocorticoid receptor (gr), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) in kidney and gill were quantitatively determined. Histopathological observation revealed obvious lesions in gill including hyperplasia, necrosis in epithelium region, aneurysm and lamellar fusion at concentrations as low as 10 {mu}g/l. The observed lesions in kidney included extensive expansion in the lumen, degenerative and necrotic changes of the tubular epithelia, shrinkage of the glomerulus as well as increase of the Bowman's space at concentrations as low as 10 {mu}g/l. The expressions of Na{sup +},K{sup +}-ATPase, gr, hsp70 and hsp90 in the kidney of females were significantly decreased at all concentrations. For males, the expressions of hsp90 in the kidney of all treated groups were significantly down-regulated, while gr at all concentrations and hsp70 at 10, 33, 100 {mu}g/l were significantly up-regulated. However in the gill, the expressions of these genes were not significantly different from the control. These results indicated that exposure to atrazine caused impairments of kidney and gill of fish at environmental related concentrations. Histopathological lesions could partly attribute to the changes of the expressions of AHs-related genes in kidney. We concluded also that atrazine is a potential AHs-disruptor and AHs-related genes in kidney of fish could be used as sensitive molecular biomarkers.

Atrazine affects kidney and adrenal hormones (AHs) related genes expressions of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Lihua; Zha Jinmiao; Li Wei; Li Zhaoli; Wang Zijian

2010-01-01

Atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides, has been proved to interfere with sexual hormones. However few studies have considered the effects of atrazine on adrenal hormones (AH). In this study, rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) was exposed to 0, 3, 10, 33, 100 and 333 μg/l atrazine for 28 days. The histopathology of kidney and gill was examined and the expressions of AHs-related genes including Na + ,K + -ATPase, glucocorticoid receptor (gr), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) in kidney and gill were quantitatively determined. Histopathological observation revealed obvious lesions in gill including hyperplasia, necrosis in epithelium region, aneurysm and lamellar fusion at concentrations as low as 10 μg/l. The observed lesions in kidney included extensive expansion in the lumen, degenerative and necrotic changes of the tubular epithelia, shrinkage of the glomerulus as well as increase of the Bowman's space at concentrations as low as 10 μg/l. The expressions of Na + ,K + -ATPase, gr, hsp70 and hsp90 in the kidney of females were significantly decreased at all concentrations. For males, the expressions of hsp90 in the kidney of all treated groups were significantly down-regulated, while gr at all concentrations and hsp70 at 10, 33, 100 μg/l were significantly up-regulated. However in the gill, the expressions of these genes were not significantly different from the control. These results indicated that exposure to atrazine caused impairments of kidney and gill of fish at environmental related concentrations. Histopathological lesions could partly attribute to the changes of the expressions of AHs-related genes in kidney. We concluded also that atrazine is a potential AHs-disruptor and AHs-related genes in kidney of fish could be used as sensitive molecular biomarkers.

MENGGAGAS PAYUNG HUKUM BAITUL MAAL WATTANWIL (BMT SEBAGAI KOPERASI SYARI’AH DALAM BINGKAI IUS CONSTITUENDUM

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Elfa Murdiana

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Baitul Maal Wat Tanwil (BMT merupakan lembaga keuangan mikro syari’ah yang secara faktual telah memberikan pengaruh positif terhadap berlangsungnya pembangunan ekonomi di Indonesia. BMT sebagai koperasi syari’ah berada di bawah naungan Dinas Koperasi, konsekuensinya , segala aktivitas keuangan yang terjadi dilindungi oleh kebijakan Undang-undang Koperasi. Namun secara faktual keberadaan UU Koperasi justru belum mampu memberikan dasar hukum yang sesuai dengan praktik BMT yang ada. Oleh karenanya pembentukan aturan hukum yang pasti merupakan hal yang tak bisa ditunda lagi mengingat keberadaan BMT kian tumbuh dan semakin berkembang baik dari aspek jumlah maupun permodalannya. Dengan dibatalkannya UU Koperasi No.17 Tahun 2012 maka perlu bagi BMT memiliki aturan hukum tersendiri sebagai payung hukum bagi aktivitas BMT sebab Koperasi dan BMT (yang disejajarkan dengan Koperasi Syari’ah berbeda secara operasional dan prinsip. Oleh karenanya pembentukan Undang-Undang Koperasi Syari’ah sebagai dasar Hukum BMT harus segera dilaksanakan. Dalam rangka pembentukan UU Koperasi Syari’ah dalam kerangka Ius Constituendum  maka hendaknya perlu diperhatikan 3 nilai dasar , nilai dasar tersebut adalah: pertama Nilai Keadilan yang mendasari secara filosofis terbentuknya suatu aturan hukum ( Filosofiche Geltung dimana dasar ini merupakan suatu landasan ideal yang mengandung cita-cita kolektif masyarakat tentang nilai luhur yang  terkandung dalam Pancasila dan UUD 1945. Kedua adalah nilai kemanfaatan yang mendasari secara sosiologis ( soziologische geltung agar hukum memiliki kekuatan berlaku dimasyarakat. Ketika adalah nilai kepastian yang lahir sebagai dasar yuridis suatu aturan hukum( Juridische Geltung, dasar ini terkait dengan  persyaratan formal pembentukan suatu peraturan selanjutnya Landasan politis artinya bahwa keberadaan suatu aturan hukum merupakan suatu upaya menuangkan cita-cita kolektif masyarakat Indonesia dalam suatu aturan hukum melalui

Architectuur als beschavingsideaal : Het bezield modernisme van A.H. Wegerif

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thomas, H.

2014-01-01

Architecture as civilizing ideal - The inspired modernism of A.H. Wegerif Ahazuerus Hendrikus (Henk) Wegerif was born in Apeldoorn on 13th of April 1888, the son of Gerrit Wegerif and Elsje Breman. Both his father and grandfather were building contractors, as was his paternal uncle, Chris Wegerif.

AhR Activation Underlies the CYP1A Autoinduction by A-998679 in Rats

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Michael J. Liguori

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Xenobiotic-mediated induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs is frequently encountered in drug discovery and can influence disposition, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity profiles. The CYP1A subfamily of DMEs plays a central role in the biotransformation of several drugs and environmental chemicals. Autoinduction of drugs through CYP3A enzymes is a common mechanism for their enhanced clearance. However, autoinduction via CYP1A is encountered less frequently. In this report, an experimental compound, A-998679 (3-(5-pyridin-3-yl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl benzonitrile, was shown to enhance its own clearance via induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2. Rats were dosed for 5 days with 30, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day A-998679. During the dosing period, the compound’s plasma AUC decreased at 30 mg/kg (95% and 100 mg/kg (80%. Gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry of the livers showed a large increase in the mRNA and protein levels of CYP1A, which was involved in the biotransformation of A-998679. Induction of CYP1A was confirmed in primary rat, human, and dog hepatocytes. The compound also weakly inhibited CYP1A2 in human liver microsomes. A-998679 activated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR in a luciferase gene reporter assay in HepG2 cells, upregulated expression of genes associated with AhR activation in rat liver, and enhanced nuclear migration of AhR in HepG2 cells. Collectively these results demonstrate that A-998679 is an AhR activator that induces CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 expression, resulting in an autoinduction phenomenon. The unique properties of A-998679, along with its novel structure distinct from classical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, may warrant its further evaluation as a tool compound for use in studies involving AhR biology and CYP1A related mechanisms of drug metabolism and toxicity.

Replacing Lecture with Peer-led Workshops Improves Student Learning

OpenAIRE

Preszler, Ralph W.

2009-01-01

Peer-facilitated workshops enhanced interactivity in our introductory biology course, which led to increased student engagement and learning. A majority of students preferred attending two lectures and a workshop each week over attending three weekly lectures. In the workshops, students worked in small cooperative groups as they solved challenging problems, evaluated case studies, and participated in activities designed to improve their general learning skills. Students in the workshop versio...

Single-Sex Schools, Student Achievement, and Course Selection: Evidence from Rule-Based Student Assignments in Trinidad and Tobago

OpenAIRE

C. Kirabo Jackson

2011-01-01

Existing studies on single-sex schooling suffer from biases because students who attend single-sex schools differ in unmeasured ways from those who do not. In Trinidad and Tobago students are assigned to secondary schools based on an algorithm allowing one to address self-selection bias and estimate the causal effect of attending a single-sex school versus a similar coeducational school. While students (particularly females) with strong expressed preferences for single-sex schools benefit, mo...

KONSEP MᾹQᾹṢID AL-SYᾹRĪAH MENURUT ṬᾹHᾹ JᾹBIR AL-‘ALWᾹNĪ

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Chasnak Najidah

2017-03-01

Full Text Available One discourse which is receiving considerable attention from scholars of Islam is about the objectives of Islamic law (maqasid al-shari'ah. Taha Jabir al-'Alwānī as one reviewer of Maqasid al-shari'ah contemporary formulate the concept of maqasid al-shari'ah different from previous scholars. This article describes the concept of maqasid al-shari'ah by Taha Jabir al-'Alwānī. According to him, there are three levels of hierarchical of Maqasid al-Sharia. The highest value of maqasid al-shari'ah says is what he describes as al-Maqasid al-'ulyā al-Hakimah (intentions of the highest shari'ah and a legal basis, which consists of three main elements, namely al-Tawhid ( Onesess of God, al-Tazkiyah (purification and al-'umrān (prosperity. The position of the second al-shari'ah Maqasid are universal values such as justice, freedom, and equality. While the third position is the formulation of the previous scholars regarding maqasid al-shari'ah consisting of ḍarūriyyat, ḥājiyyāt, and taḥsīniyyāt. In terms of methodological, Taha Jabir al-'Alwānī basing the new system for Maqasid al-syarī'ahnya on the methods of al-jam'u Baina al-qirā'atain, a reading of the two entities: the revelation of God and the universe. With this basis, he argues that the maqasid al-shari'ah formulations are qaṭ'ī, so it can be a reference to the scholars in solving the problems of contemporary law.   [Salah satu diskursus yang mendapat perhatian cukup besar dari para akademisi Islam adalah seputar tujuan-tujuan hukum islam  (maqāṣid al-syarī'ah. Ṭāhā Jābir al-‘Alwānī sebagai salah satu ulama pengkaji maqāṣid asy-syarī’ahkontemporer merumuskan konsep maqāṣid asy-syarī’ahyang berbeda dari ulama sebelumnya. Artikel ini mendeskripsikan konsep maqāṣid asy-syarī’ahmenurut Ṭāhā Jābir al-‘Alwānī. Menurutnya, ada tiga tingkatan hierarkis maqāṣid al-syarī'ah. Nilai tertinggi maqāṣid asy-syarī’ahmenurutnya adalah apa

Kinvolved: Utilizing Technology to Communicate, Evaluate, and Advocate for Improved Attendance and Family and Community Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Altman, Miriam; Meis, Alexandra

2013-01-01

The American K-12 grade education system is experiencing a truancy crisis. Nationally, 15%, or 7.5 million students, miss an entire month of school annually [1], with that rate frequently doubling or even tripling among students from underserved communities [2]. Research has identified attendance as one of three primary indicators of high school…

Pediatric Oncology Branch - training- medical student rotations | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Medical Student Rotations Select 4th-year medical students may be approved for a 4-week elective rotation at the Pediatric Oncology Branch. This rotation emphasizes the important connection between research and patient care in pediatric oncology. The student is supervised directly by the Branch’s attending physician and clinical fellows. Students attend daily in-patient and

Development and characterization of a green fluorescent protein-based rat cell bioassay system for detection of AH receptor ligands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao Bin; Denison, M. [California Univ., Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Toxicology

2004-09-15

Proper epidemiological, risk assessment and exposure analysis of TCDD and related HAHs requires accurate measurements of these chemicals both in the species of interest and in various exposure matrices (i.e. biological, environmental, food and feed). While high-resolution instrumental analysis techniques are established for these chemicals, these procedures are very costly, time-consuming and are impractical for large scale sampling studies. Accordingly, numerous bioanalytical methods have been developed for the detection of these chemicals in extracts from a variety of matrices, the majority of which take the advantage of the ability of these chemicals to activate one or more aspects of the AhR-dependent mechanism of action. One of the most sensitive bioassay systems developed to date is the so-called CALUX (Chemically Activated Luciferase Expression) assay, which is based on novel recombinant cell lines that contain a stably transfected dioxin (AhR)-responsive firefly luciferase gene. Treatment of these cells with TCDD and related HAHs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as other AhR ligands, results in induction of reporter gene expression in a time-, dose-, AhR-, and chemical-specific manner. The level of reporter gene expression correlates with the total concentration of the TCDD-like AhR inducers (agonists) present in the sample. Although the firefly luciferase reporter gene contributes to the high degree of sensitivity of the assay, it also has limitations with respect to our need for a rapid and inexpensive bioassay for high-throughput screening analysis. Accordingly, we previously developed a stably transfected murine cell line containing an AhRresponsive enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter gene. This cell line provided us with a high-throughput cell bioassay system for identification and characterization of AhR agonists and antagonists. Here we have extended these studies and describe the development, optimization, and

Immune protection induced on day 10 following administration of the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine.

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Yizhuo Sun

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The 2009 swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV H1N1 pandemic has caused more than 18,000 deaths worldwide. Vaccines against the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza virus are useful for preventing infection and controlling the pandemic. The kinetics of the immune response following vaccination with the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza vaccine need further investigation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 58 volunteers were vaccinated with a 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic influenza monovalent split-virus vaccine (15 µg, single-dose. The sera were collected before Day 0 (pre-vaccination and on Days 3, 5, 10, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 post vaccination. Specific antibody responses induced by the vaccination were analyzed using hemagglutination inhibition (HI assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. After administration of the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza vaccine, specific and protective antibody response with a major subtype of IgG was sufficiently developed as early as Day 10 (seroprotection rate: 93%. This specific antibody response could maintain for at least 60 days without significant reduction. Antibody response induced by the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza vaccine could not render protection against seasonal H1N1 influenza (seroconversion rate: 3% on Day 21. However, volunteers with higher pre-existing seasonal influenza antibody levels (pre-vaccination HI titer ≥1∶40, Group 1 more easily developed a strong antibody protection effect against the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza vaccine as compared with those showing lower pre-existing seasonal influenza antibody levels (pre-vaccination HI titer <1∶40, Group 2. The titer of the specific antibody against the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza was much higher in Group 1 (geometric mean titer: 146 on Day 21 than that in Group 2 (geometric mean titer: 70 on Day 21. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Recipients could gain sufficient protection as early as 10 days after vaccine administration. The protection could last at least 60 days. Individuals with a

PENERAPAN SYARI’AH DI NEGARA MODERN (Analisis Ijtihad Pemikiran Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im

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Ahmad Bahrur Rozi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Islam is a holistic religion. It means that Islam is a religion which does not only focus on the vertical relation between humans and God but also contains rules of horizontal relation between man and man. Laws with social characteristic lead to the existence of a power as the doer, such as the application of all the punishments and public rewards (al-hudûd wa al-'uqûbât. This article analyzes the thought of Abdullahi Ahmed An--Na’im about syari’ah reformation which is relevant to the constitutionalism standard, criminal law, international law and modern human right, a vision of “syariat modern” which is suitable with the nation state concept which beyond  the offering of the Nation of fundamentalist syariah and the offering of Modern Islamic Nation. The method used by Abdullahi Ahmed An--Na’im is the renewal method which is said as legalized evolution with hermeneutic as the main tool to reach the purpose and normative implication of the text as al-Qur’an. According to Abdullahi Ahmed An--Na’im, the failure of syari’ah application in modern country caused by the crisis on the traditional syari’ah methodology which became its base. Therefore, new syari’ah formulation is needed to be built on the new base. Naskh concept which is initiated by An-Na’im is for answering this crisis.Copyright (c 2016 by Al-Ihkam. All right reservedDOI: 10.19105/al-ihkam.v10i2.734

Effect-directed analysis and mixture effects of AhR-active PAHs in crude oil and coastal sediments contaminated by the Hebei Spirit oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Seongjin; Lee, Sangwoo; Choi, Kyungho; Kim, Gi Beum; Ha, Sung Yong; Kwon, Bong-Oh; Ryu, Jongseong; Yim, Un Hyuk; Shim, Won Joon; Jung, Jinho; Giesy, John P.; Khim, Jong Seong

2015-01-01

The major AhR-active PAHs were identified in crude oil and oil-contaminated sediments by use of effect-directed analysis. As part of the study, an enhanced potency balance analysis was conducted by establishing the novel relative potency values of (alkyl)-PAHs from the H4IIE-luc bioassay. Silica gel column fractionation of crude oil resulted in greater AhR-mediated potencies in fractions of aromatics (F2) and resins (F3), and such trend was also observed for field collected sediment samples. AhR-mediated potencies of six F2 sub-fractions from HPLC indicated that the majority of F2 responses were attributable to 3–4 ring aromatics. Target PAHs including C4-phenanthrene, C1-chrysene, and C3-chrysene in sediments explained ∼18% of the bioassay-derived TCDD-EQs, however, the unknown AhR agonists and potential mixture effects remain in question. Overall, the AhR-potency and antagonistic potential of residual oil in sediment tended to decrease over time, thus monitoring of weathering process would be key for the post management of oil-contaminated sites. - Highlights: • AhR-active PAHs in crude oil and sediments were newly determined using EDA. • Novel relative potency values of (alkyl)-PAHs for AhR activity were established. • Three to four ring PAHs were identified to be major AhR agonists in crude oil. • Parent and alkyl-PAHs explained ∼18% of the total AhR-mediated potencies of crude oil. • AhR-mediated potencies apparently decreased by the timely weathering processes. - “Major AhR agonists were identified three to four ring PAHs in crude oil and sediments determined by use of effect-directed analysis.”

Students helping students: Evaluating a pilot program of peer teaching for an undergraduate course in human anatomy.

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Bruno, Paul A; Love Green, Jennifer K; Illerbrun, Sara L; Holness, Duncan A; Illerbrun, Samantha J; Haus, Kara A; Poirier, Sylvianne M; Sveinson, Katherine L

2016-01-01

The educational literature generally suggests that supplemental instruction (SI) is effective in improving academic performance in traditionally difficult courses. A pilot program of peer teaching based on the SI model was implemented for an undergraduate course in human anatomy. Students in the course were stratified into three groups based on the number of peer teaching sessions they attended: nonattendees (0 sessions), infrequently attended (1-3 sessions), and frequently attended (≥ 4 sessions). After controlling for academic preparedness [i.e., admission grade point average (AGPA)] using an analysis of covariance, the final grades of frequent attendees were significantly higher than those of nonattendees (P = 0.025) and infrequent attendees (P = 0.015). A multiple regression analysis was performed to estimate the relative independent contribution of several variables in predicting the final grade. The results suggest that frequent attendance (β = 0.245, P = 0.007) and AGPA (β = 0.555, P < 0.001) were significant positive predictors, while being a first-year student (β = -0.217, P = 0.006) was a significant negative predictor. Collectively, these results suggest that attending a certain number of sessions may be required to gain a noticeable benefit from the program, and that first-year students (particularly those with a lower level of academic preparedness) would likely stand to benefit from maximally using the program. End-of-semester surveys and reports indicate that the program had several additional benefits, both to the students taking the course and to the students who served as program leaders. Published 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Phytomonitoring and phytoremediation of agrochemicals and related compounds based on recombinant cytochrome P450s and aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs).

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Shimazu, Sayuri; Inui, Hideyuki; Ohkawa, Hideo

2011-04-13

Molecular mechanisms of metabolism and modes of actions of agrochemicals and related compounds are important for understanding selective toxicity, biodegradability, and monitoring of biological effects on nontarget organisms. It is well-known that in mammals, cytochrome P450 (P450 or CYP) monooxygenases metabolize lipophilic foreign compounds. These P450 species are inducible, and both CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 are induced by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) combined with a ligand. Gene engineering of P450 and NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (P450 reductase) was established for bioconversion. Also, gene modification of AhRs was developed for recombinant AhR-mediated β-glucronidase (GUS) reporter assay of AhR ligands. Recombinant P450 genes were transformed into plants for phytoremediation, and recombinant AhR-mediated GUS reporter gene expression systems were each transformed into plants for phytomonitoring. Transgenic rice plants carrying CYP2B6 metabolized the herbicide metolachlor and remarkably reduced the residues in the plants and soils under paddy field conditions. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying recombinant guinea pig (g) AhR-mediated GUS reporter genes detected PCB126 at the level of 10 ng/g soils in the presence of biosurfactants MEL-B. Both phytomonitoring and phytoremediation plants were each evaluated from the standpoint of practical uses.

Medical and pharmacy student concerns about participating on international service-learning trips.

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Chuang, Chih; Khatri, Siddique H; Gill, Manpal S; Trehan, Naveen; Masineni, Silpa; Chikkam, Vineela; Farah, Guillaume G; Khan, Amber; Levine, Diane L

2015-12-23

International Service Learning Trips (ISLT) provide health professional students the opportunity to provide healthcare, under the direction of trained faculty, to underserved populations in developing countries. Despite recent increases in international service learning trips, there is scant literature addressing concerns students have prior to attending such trips. This study focuses on identifying concerns before and after attending an ISLT and their impact on students. A survey comprised of closed and open-ended questions was developed to elucidate student concerns prior to attending an ISLT and experiences which might influence concerns. A five-point Likert-scale (extremely concerned = 1, minimally concerned = 5) was used to rate apprehension and satisfaction. Paired t-test was used to compare pre- and post-trip concerns; Chi-Square test was used to compare groups. Thirty-five students (27 medical, 8 pharmacy) attended ISLTs in December 2013. All completed pre and post-trip surveys. Significant decreases were seen in concerns related to cultural barriers (4.14 vs 4.46, P = .047), disease/epidemics (3.34 vs 4.60, P travel (3.86 vs 4.51, P food (3.83 vs 4.60, P students described benefits of attending an ISLT. Students had multiple concerns prior to attending an ISLT. Most decreased upon return. Addressing concerns has the potential to decrease student apprehension. The results of this study highlight the benefits of providing ISLTs and supporting development of a curriculum incorporating trip-related concerns.

An Investigation into Patient Non-Attendance and Use of a Short-Message Reminder System at a University Dental Clinic.

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Storrs, Mark J; Ramov, Helen M; Lalloo, Ratilal

2016-01-01

Non-attended appointments in health care facilities create inefficiencies and loss of clinical productivity: clinical teaching hours are reduced, impacting students' ability to meet the competencies necessary for professional registration. The aim of this study was to assess demographic and time-related factors for patient non-attendance at a dental school clinic in Australia. Appointment data were extracted from the patient management system for the years 2011 and 2012. Data included the status of appointment (attended, cancelled, or failed to attend [FTA]) and an array of demographic and time-related factors. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to assess relationships between these factors and appointment status. Attendance rates were also compared by year following implementation of a short message service (SMS) reminder at the beginning of 2012. The results showed that, of 58,622 appointments booked with students during 2011 and 2012, 68% of patients attended, 23% cancelled, and 9% were FTA. The percentage of non-attended (cancelled or FTA) appointments differed by demographic and time-related factors. Females were 7% less likely to be FTA, those aged 16-24 years were five times more likely to be FTA, and early morning appointments were 18% less likely to be cancelled and FTA. With the SMS reminder system, the odds of a cancellation were 15% higher, but FTAs were 14% lower (both were statistically significant differences). This study found that failing to attend an appointment was significantly related to a number of factors. Clinical scheduling and reminder systems may need to take these factors into account to decrease the number of teaching hours lost due to patients' missing their appointments.

A Study into Self Regulation Sufficiencies of the Students Attending to the Colle ge Physical Education and Sport

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Fatma TEZEL ŞAHİN

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Self - regulation could be defined as the skills for getting to know oneself , keeping his own life and processes under control. Due to the fact that no one can know a person and the processes he experiences better than himself, self - regulation skills have a key role for such cases as coping with the problems encountered in life, p reventing from meeting problems, increasing the efficiency of life. It is of great importance to train individuals being aware of his own learning and abilities, structuring the knowledge and participating in the learning process actively in modern age. In dividuals with these features become successful students being able to arrange their own learning processes. It is believed that self - regulation skill is one of the most significant factors in success and academic performance. Therefore, it is of importanc e to determine the self - regulation levels of students and form their learning environment with a self - regulation. In this context, it was aimed to investigate the self - regulation competencies of students studying at the College of Physical Education and Sp ort in the current study. The sampling of the study was comprised of 135 students attending to the third and fourth grades of the College of Physical Education and Sport Department in Gazi University. The data of the study were collected through “General I nformation Form”, prepared to determine the personal data of the students and “Self - Regulation Scale” that was adapted to Turkish and of which validity and reliability study was made by Aydın, Keskin and Yel (2013 in order to measure the behavioural self - regulations of the students. In the analysis of the data, the distributions with regard to the demographic information of the students as frequency and percentage values. Mann - Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis – H tests were used in the evaluation of Self - Regul ation Scale. At the end of the research, a statistically significant

Low levels of the AhR in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-derived lung cells increases COX-2 protein by altering mRNA stability.

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Zago, Michela; Sheridan, Jared A; Traboulsi, Hussein; Hecht, Emelia; Zhang, Yelu; Guerrina, Necola; Matthews, Jason; Nair, Parameswaran; Eidelman, David H; Hamid, Qutayba; Baglole, Carolyn J

2017-01-01

Heightened inflammation, including expression of COX-2, is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that is reduced in COPD-derived lung fibroblasts. The AhR also suppresses COX-2 in response to cigarette smoke, the main risk factor for COPD, by destabilizing the Cox-2 transcript by mechanisms that may involve the regulation of microRNA (miRNA). Whether reduced AhR expression is responsible for heightened COX-2 in COPD is not known. Here, we investigated the expression of COX-2 as well as the expression of miR-146a, a miRNA known to regulate COX-2 levels, in primary lung fibroblasts derived from non-smokers (Normal) and smokers (At Risk) with and without COPD. To confirm the involvement of the AhR, AhR knock-down via siRNA in Normal lung fibroblasts and MLE-12 cells was employed as were A549-AhRko cells. Basal expression of COX-2 protein was higher in COPD lung fibroblasts compared to Normal or Smoker fibroblasts but there was no difference in Cox-2 mRNA. Knockdown of AhR in lung structural cells increased COX-2 protein by stabilizing the Cox-2 transcript. There was less induction of miR-146a in COPD-derived lung fibroblasts but this was not due to the AhR. Instead, we found that RelB, an NF-κB protein, was required for transcriptional induction of both Cox-2 and miR-146a. Therefore, we conclude that the AhR controls COX-2 protein via mRNA stability by a mechanism independent of miR-146a. Low levels of the AhR may therefore contribute to the heightened inflammation common in COPD patients.

Role of endocrine disrupting chemicals on the tissue levels of AhR and sex steroid receptors in breast tumours

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Sepideh Arbabi Bidgoli

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Breast cancer affects Iranian women at least one decade younger than their counterparts in other countries and the incidence of breast fibroadenoma is growing in the last two decades in Tehran. This study aimed to compare the AhR levels in premenopausal breast cancer and breast fibroadnemo with appropriate normal groups. Possible associations of AhR with lifestyle and reproductive risk factors and other fundamental genes of breast cancer and reproductive disorders were the other major goals of present study. To conduct the comparisons all possible reproductive, environmental and lifestyle risk factors of mentioned diseases were recorded in 100 breast cancer, 100 breast fibroadenoma and compared with 400 women in normal group from 2009 to 2011. AhR overexpression in epithelial cells of premenopausal patients emphasized the susceptibility of these cells to environmental induced reproductive disorders. The AhR overexpression was contributed to ER-/PgR- immunophenotype in malignant tissues. Weight gain (after 18 and after pregnancy, long term (>5yrs OCP consumption, smoking, severe stress ,history of ovarian cysts, hormonal deregulations, living near PAHs producing sources, were correlated with increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive disorders and were correlated with elevated tissue levels of AhR. It seems that increased risk of breast cancer and other reproductive tumours in Tehran may be the result of exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors. Long term exposure to environmental estrogens can increase the tissue levels of AhR and deregulate the expression pattern of sex steroid receptors and other genes in target tissues.

Effectiveness of A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza vaccine in adults recommended for annual influenza vaccination.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gefenaite, G.; Tacken, M.; Bos, J.; Stirbu-Wagner, I.; Korevaar, J.C.; Stolk, R.P.; Wolters, B.; Bijl, M.; Postma, M.J.; Wilschut, J.; Nichol, K.L.; Hak, E.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Because of variability in published A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza vaccine effectiveness estimates, we conducted a study in the adults belonging to the risk groups to assess the A(H1N1)pdm09 MF59-adjuvanted influenza vaccine effectiveness. Methods: VE against influenza and/or pneumonia was

Student and faculty perceptions of lecture recording in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum.

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Maynor, Lena M; Barrickman, Ashleigh Landis; Stamatakis, Mary K; Elliott, David P

2013-10-14

To describe students' and faculty members' perceptions of the impact of lecture recording in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Second- and third-year pharmacy students and faculty members completed an anonymous survey instrument regarding their perceptions of lecture recording with 2 classroom lecture capture software programs, Camtasia Studio and Wimba Classroom. Most students (82%) responded that Camtasia was very helpful and almost half (49%) responded that Wimba Classroom was helpful (pstudents reported being more likely to miss a class that was recorded; however, few students (10%) reported using recordings as a substitute for attending class. The most common concern of faculty members was decreased student attendance (27%). Pharmacy students consider lecture recordings beneficial, and they use the recordings primarily to review the lecture. While faculty members reported concerns with decreased attendance, few students reported using recordings as an alternative to class attendance.

Shari’ah concepts in Islamic banking

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Botis, S.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the main Shari’ah concepts in Islamic banking, a system which operates in accordance with the Islamic law principles, the most important being the prohibition against the payment or acceptance of interest charges (riba, replaced by profit-and-loss-sharing arrangements(PLS, Mudharabah. Also, the paper presents a survey of the historical evolution of the Islamic banking system in Muslim countries, starting with the first Islamic bank, early in the 60’s, Mit Ghamr Local Savings Bank in Egypt. In conclusion, the Islamic banking system is a rapid growth one. It is expected that this presentation will be helpful in increasing the interest in the Islamic principles of banking and financing.

Developing Maqasid al-Shari’ah Index to Evaluate Social Performance of Islamic Banks: A Conceptual and Empirical Attempt

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Mehmet Asutay

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The rise of Islamic banking and finance is now a reality with Shari 'ah compliant financial operations existing in many different parts of the world. However, its development has recently been subjected to criticism in relation to the aspirational objectives of Islamic moral economy, which constitutes the moral foundations of Islamic finance. The aspirational objectives are general expressed with maqasid al-Shari'ah, which is defined as 'human well-being'.The aim of this research, hence, is to evaluate the social performance of Islamic banks according to maqasid al-Shari'ah upon the realization of Islamic Moral Economy aspirations. AbdelMajid Najjar's concept of maqasid al-Shari 'ah with eight orientations or articulations is adopted to construct an evaluation framework aligned with the objective of rendering a critical improvement of current empirical studies.In operationalizing the developed framework, this study conducts empirical investigations by taking 13 banks from 6 countries for 5-year period (2008-2012 as a sample. In doing so, the annual reports of the sampled banks for the period are subjected to content analysis to generate the necessary data in applying to the formulated framework.Empirical evidence indicates that there is lack of achievement in maqasid al-Shari 'ah performance of Islamic bank and finance. Nevertheless, the overall industry concentrates mainly on self, faith and rights and stakeholding rather than wealth orientation, despite the fewer contributions in social entity, intellect, posterity and ecology. Additionally, the empirical results find that there are different orientations across the banks and countries. Finally, the industry orientation is estimated in this research, which is located to be somewhere betweenfaith and rights and stakeholding.Keywords: Maqasid al-Shari 'ah, Islamic Banking and Finance, Evaluation, Performance

Clinical characteristics and outcomes among pediatric patients hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection

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Eun Lee

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose : The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical and epidemiologic features and outcomes among children hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the charts of hospitalized pediatric patients (&lt;18 years diagnosed with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, between September 2009 and February 2010. Results : A total of 72 children were hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection (median age, 6.0 years; range, 2 months to 18 years. A total of 40% had at least 1 underlying medical condition, including asthma (17%, malignancies (19%, and heart diseases (17%. Of the 72 patients, 54 (76% children admitted with H1N1 infection showed radiographic alterations compatible with pneumonia. There was no significant difference in pre-existing conditions between pandemic influenza A/H1N1 infected patients with or without pneumonia. Children with pandemic influenza A/ H1N1 pneumonia were more likely to have a lower lymphocyte ratio (P=0.02, higher platelet count (P=0.02, and higher level of serum glucose (P=0.003, and more commonly presented with dyspnea than did those without pneumonia (P=0.04. Conclusion : No significant differences in age, sex, or presence of preexisting conditions were found between children hospitalized with pandemic influenza A/H1N1 H1N1 influenza infection with pneumonia and those without pneumonia. Higher leukocyte count, higher glucose level, and a lower lymphocyte ratio were associated with the development of pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza pneumonia.

Attending to Student Epistemological Framing in a Science Classroom

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Hutchison, Paul; Hammer, David

2010-01-01

Studies of learning in school settings indicate that many students frame activities in science classes as the production of answers for the teacher or test, rather than as making new sense of the natural world. A case study of an episode from a class taught by the first author demonstrates what productive and unproductive student framing can look…

Do Liberal Arts Colleges Make Students More Liberal? Some Initial Evidence

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Hanson, Jana M.; Weeden, Dustin D.; Pascarella, Ernest T.; Blaich, Charles

2012-01-01

The effect of attending college on students' political ideology has been a controversial topic for many decades. In this study, we explored the relationship between attending a liberal arts college and students' political views. Compared to their counterparts at other 4-year institutions, liberal arts college students began postsecondary education…

'Urf / 'Adah (Custom) : An Ancillary Mechanism in Shari'ah | Salisu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

According to the legal maxim in Islamic legislative system, custom ('Urf / 'Adah) is said to be authoritative (al-'adah Muhakkamah). Thus, right from the inception of Islam, it has been playing a decisive role in the dispensation of Shari'ah. Indeed, medieval and modern works in Islamic jurisprudence ('Usul al-Fiqh) are replete ...

Influenza A(H9N2) Virus, Myanmar, 2014-2015.

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Lin, Thant Nyi; Nonthabenjawan, Nutthawan; Chaiyawong, Supassama; Bunpapong, Napawan; Boonyapisitsopa, Supanat; Janetanakit, Taveesak; Mon, Pont Pont; Mon, Hla Hla; Oo, Kyaw Naing; Oo, Sandi Myint; Mar Win, Mar; Amonsin, Alongkorn

2017-06-01

Routine surveillance of influenza A virus was conducted in Myanmar during 2014-2015. Influenza A(H9N2) virus was isolated in Shan State, upper Myanmar. Whole-genome sequencing showed that H9N2 virus from Myanmar was closely related to H9N2 virus of clade 4.2.5 from China.

Influence of Preparatory Workshops on Dental Students' Academic Performance and Stress on Their First Operative Dentistry Psychomotor Exam.

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Dilbone, Deborah A; Feng, Xiaoying; Su, Yu; Xirau-Probert, Patricia; Behar-Horenstein, Linda S; Nascimento, Marcelle M

2018-06-01

Predoctoral dental psychomotor examinations are known to generate high levels of stress among dental students, which may compromise their academic performance. At one U.S. dental school, all 93 first-year dental students were invited to attend a series of three workshop sessions prior to enrollment in their initial operative dentistry course. The workshops were developed to facilitate academic transition from the dental anatomy course to the operative dentistry course; provide early exposure to materials, instruments, and laboratory techniques; support the early development of psychomotor and self-assessment skills; and lessen students' stress and anxiety levels regarding psychomotor examinations. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the workshops on the students' academic performance and self-reported stress and preparedness. All students who attended the workshop sessions and all who did not were asked to complete a pre-exam survey (immediately preceding the exam) and a post-exam survey (immediately after the exam) on the day of their first operative dentistry psychomotor exam. Of the 93 students, 21 attended one, 34 attended two, and 25 attended three workshop sessions, while 13 students did not attend any. Response rates for the pre- and post-exam surveys were 100% and 98.9%, respectively. Students who attended all three workshop sessions reported being significantly less stressed about taking the exam than the other groups. The mean exam grade of students who attended the workshop sessions was significantly higher than that of students who did not attend the sessions. These findings support the development and implementation of preparatory workshops to improve academic performance and decrease the stress levels of dental students prior to the first operative dentistry psychomotor exam.

Radiation protection awareness in dentistry students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehdizadeh, S.; Vaziefehdoust, S.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Dentistry students were assessed in one of the school of dentistry in Iran. 11% of responders had attended a radiation protection course. This study showed that those who have attended this course had improved knowledge of ALARA principle, assessment of the impact of digital imaging in patient dose reduction and usage of personal dosimeter systems. Course attendance made no considerable difference to knowledge of the patient dose, dose reduction techniques and annual permissible dose limits of general public and radiation workers. The results of this study revealed that the majority of students have not received adequate radiation protection teaching and even if a course has been attended, overall knowledge is still poor and formal teaching at undergraduate level should be corrected in the future.

Effectiveness of the influenza a(H1N1)PDM09 vaccine in adults recommended for annual influenza vaccination : A case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gefenaite, Giedre; Tacken, Margot; Bos, Jens; Stirbu-Wagner, Irina; Korevaar, Joke C.; Stolk, Ronald P.; Wolters, Bert; Bijl, Marc; Postma, Maarten J.; Wilschut, Jan; Nichol, Kristin L.; Hak, Eelko

Background: Because of variability in published A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza vaccine effectiveness estimates, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of MF59-adjuvanted A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine in a matched case-control study. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of MF59- adjuvanted A(H1N1)pdm09

MENGGAGAS PENDIDIKAN BERWAWASAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN DI PERGURUAN TINGGI ISLAM: STUDI KASUS FAKULTAS SYARI`AH DAN EKONOMI ISLAM IAIN “SMH” BANTEN 2014-2015

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NUR HIDAYAH

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Initiating the Education based on Entrepreneurship in Islamic College: a Study at Syariah and Islamic Economic Faculty IAIN "SMH" Banten 2014-2015. There has been a concern over a high unemployment rate among graduates of Islamic higher education and a low proportion of entrepreneurs in Indonesia. In fact, a high proportion of entrepreneurs is one of indicators of a country’s welfare. This has generated a question: to what extent do Islamic values cultivate entrepreneurial culture among its adherents? How to cultivate entrepreneurial culture in Islamic higher education? This paper will investigate this matter using a case study of Faculty of Islamic Law and Economics at Banten State Institute for Islamic Studies. The paper argues that the curriculum at the faculty of Islamic Law and Economics has not been oriented towards building entrepreneurial culture. The curriculum consists of subjects to enhance the students’ competence and skills to prepare them as bachelors of syari`ah economics for the professions such as manager, lecturer, researcher, syari`ah auditor, etc, instead of preparing them for entrepreneurs who are capable to build his or her own business from the scratch. To propose Islamic entrepreneurship study program at the FSEI of IAIN SMHB, it is important to havea strong political will not only from the internal IAIN but also higher authoritative body such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs to facilitate this from not only the accreditation process but also financial support. A further feasibility study needs to be undertaken to build its infrastructure such as qualified lecturers, appropriate curriculum structure, and recruitment student system. Since this field has a strong link with a ‘real sector’, there has been an urgent need to build cooperations with business sector to enable the students to undertake their apprentice and build their networks to facilitate their ability to develop their own business. �

Pandemic A/H1N1v influenza 2009 in hospitalized children: a multicenter Belgian survey

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Blumental Sophie

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background During the 2009 influenza A/H1N1v pandemic, children were identified as a specific "at risk" group. We conducted a multicentric study to describe pattern of influenza A/H1N1v infection among hospitalized children in Brussels, Belgium. Methods From July 1, 2009, to January 31, 2010, we collected epidemiological and clinical data of all proven (positive H1N1v PCR and probable (positive influenza A antigen or culture pediatric cases of influenza A/H1N1v infections, hospitalized in four tertiary centers. Results During the epidemic period, an excess of 18% of pediatric outpatients and emergency department visits was registered. 215 children were hospitalized with proven/probable influenza A/H1N1v infection. Median age was 31 months. 47% had ≥ 1 comorbid conditions. Febrile respiratory illness was the most common presentation. 36% presented with initial gastrointestinal symptoms and 10% with neurological manifestations. 34% had pneumonia. Only 24% of the patients received oseltamivir but 57% received antibiotics. 10% of children were admitted to PICU, seven of whom with ARDS. Case fatality-rate was 5/215 (2%, concerning only children suffering from chronic neurological disorders. Children over 2 years of age showed a higher propensity to be admitted to PICU (16% vs 1%, p = 0.002 and a higher mortality rate (4% vs 0%, p = 0.06. Infants less than 3 months old showed a milder course of infection, with few respiratory and neurological complications. Conclusion Although influenza A/H1N1v infections were generally self-limited, pediatric burden of disease was significant. Compared to other countries experiencing different health care systems, our Belgian cohort was younger and received less frequently antiviral therapy; disease course and mortality were however similar.

Reading comprehension of deaf students in regular education.

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Luccas, Marcia Regina Zemella; Chiari, Brasília Maria; Goulart, Bárbara Niegia Garcia de

2012-01-01

To evaluate and compare the reading comprehension of deaf students included in regular classrooms of public schools with and without specialized educational support. Observational analytic study with 35 students with sensorineural hearing loss, with and without educational support. All subjects were assessed with the Word Reading Competence Test (WRCT), the Picture-Print Matching Test by Choice (PPMT-C), and the Sentence Reading Comprehension Test (SRCT). In the tests regarding comprehension of words (WRCT and PPMT-C), the results showed no difference in the performance of deaf students who attend and do not attend educational support. Regarding reading comprehension of sentences, the application of the SRCT also did not show differences between the groups of deaf students. A significant correlation was found between age and grade, indicating that the older the students and the higher their educational level, the better their performance in reading sentences. The results indicate that deaf students, regardless of attending educational support, read words better than sentences. There is no difference in reading comprehension between deaf students who receive and do not receive specialized pedagogical monitoring.

Human Clade 2.3.4.4 A/H5N6 Influenza Virus Lacks Mammalian Adaptation Markers and Does Not Transmit via the Airborne Route between Ferrets.

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Herfst, Sander; Mok, Chris K P; van den Brand, Judith M A; van der Vliet, Stefan; Rosu, Miruna E; Spronken, Monique I; Yang, Zifeng; de Meulder, Dennis; Lexmond, Pascal; Bestebroer, Theo M; Peiris, J S Malik; Fouchier, Ron A M; Richard, Mathilde

2018-01-01

Since their emergence in 1997, A/H5N1 influenza viruses of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 lineage have diversified in multiple genetic and antigenic clades upon continued circulation in poultry in several countries in Eurasia and Africa. Since 2009, reassortant viruses carrying clade 2.3.4.4 hemagglutinin (HA) and internal and neuraminidase (NA) genes of influenza A viruses of different avian origin have been detected, yielding various HA-NA combinations, such as A/H5N1, A/H5N2, A/H5N3, A/H5N5, A/H5N6, and A/H5N8. Previous studies reported on the low pathogenicity and lack of airborne transmission of A/H5N2 and A/H5N8 viruses in the ferret model. However, although A/H5N6 viruses are the only clade 2.3.4.4 viruses that crossed the species barrier and infected humans, the risk they pose for human health remains poorly characterized. Here, the characterization of A/H5N6 A/Guangzhou/39715/2014 virus in vitro and in ferrets is described. This A/H5N6 virus possessed high polymerase activity, mediated by the E627K substitution in the PB2 protein, which corresponds to only one biological trait out of the three that were previously shown to confer airborne transmissibility to A/H5N1 viruses between ferrets. This might explain its lack of airborne transmission between ferrets. After intranasal inoculation, A/H5N6 virus replicated to high titers in the respiratory tracts of ferrets and was excreted for at least 6 days. Moreover, A/H5N6 virus caused severe pneumonia in ferrets upon intratracheal inoculation. Thus, A/H5N6 virus causes a more severe disease in ferrets than previously investigated clade 2.3.4.4 viruses, but our results demonstrate that the risk from airborne spread is currently low. IMPORTANCE Avian influenza A viruses are a threat to human health, as they cross the species barrier and infect humans occasionally, often with severe outcome. The antigenic and genetic diversity of A/H5 viruses from the A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 lineage is increasing, due to continued

Novel reassortant influenza A(H1N2) virus derived from A(H1N1)pdm09 virus isolated from swine, Japan, 2012.

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Kobayashi, Miho; Takayama, Ikuyo; Kageyama, Tsutomu; Tsukagoshi, Hiroyuki; Saitoh, Mika; Ishioka, Taisei; Yokota, Yoko; Kimura, Hirokazu; Tashiro, Masato; Kozawa, Kunihisa

2013-12-01

We isolated a novel influenza virus A(H1N2) strain from a pig on January 13, 2012, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain was a novel type of double-reassortant virus derived from the swine influenza virus strains H1N1pdm09 and H1N2, which were prevalent in Gunma at that time.

Faculty and student perceptions of effective study strategies and materials.

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Suda, Katie J; Bell, Gillian C; Franks, Andrea S

2011-12-15

To evaluate faculty members' and students' perceptions of study strategies and materials. Focus groups were conducted with course directors and first- and second-year students to generate ideas relating to use of course materials, technology, class attendance, and study strategies for mastering class concepts. Students and faculty members differed in their opinions about the utility of textbooks and supplemental resources. The main learning method recommended by students and faculty members was repeated review of course material. Students recommended viewing classroom lectures again online, if possible. Course directors reported believing that class attendance is important, but students based their opinions regarding the importance of attendance on their perceptions of lecture and handout quality. Results did not differ by campus or by student group (first-year vs. second-year students). Students and faculty members have differing opinions on the process that could influence learning and course design. Faculty members should understand the strategies students are using to learn course material and consider additional or alternative course design and delivery techniques based on student feedback.

The Effects of the Children Having Incarcerated Parents Succeeding Group on Delinquent Behavior, Academic Achievement, Self-Esteem, Attendance and Aggressive Behavior with Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Who Have Incarcerated Parents or Guardians

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King-White, Dakota L.

2012-01-01

A sample of middle school students was investigated to determine whether an intervention group called Children Having Incarcerated Parents (C.H.I.P.S.; King-White & Lipford-Sanders, 2007) was an effective intervention for delinquent behavior, academic achievement, self-esteem, attendance, and aggressive behavior in children of incarcerated…

Awareness of female students attending higher educational institutions toward legalization of safe abortion and associated factors, Harari Region, Eastern Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

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Geleto, Ayele; Markos, Jote

2015-03-17

Unsafe abortion has been recognized as an important public health problem in the world. It accounts for 14% of all maternal deaths in sub-Saharan African countries. In Ethiopia, 32% of all maternal deaths are accounted to unsafe abortion. Taking the problem of unsafe abortion into consideration, the penal code of Ethiopia was amended in 2005, to permit safe abortion under a set of circumstances. However, lack of awareness on the revised penal code is a major barrier that hinders women to seek safe abortion. The aim of this study is to assess awareness of female students attending higher educational institutions toward legalization of safe abortion and associated factors in Harari region, eastern Ethiopia. Institution-based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 762 female students who are attending five higher educational institutions in Harari Region. Systematic sampling method was used to identify study participants from randomly selected colleges. Self administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered in to Epi Info version 6.04 and analyzed by SPSS version 17.0 statistical packages. Frequency, percentage and ratio were used to describe variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to control confounders and odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to identify factors associated with awareness of female students to legalization of abortion. 762 study participants completed the survey questionnaire making the response rate 90.2%. Only 272 (35.7%) of the respondents reported that they have good awareness about legalization of safe abortion. Studying other fields than health and medicine [AOR 0.48; 95%CI (0.23, 0.85)], being the only child for their family [AOR 0.28; 95%CI (0.13, 0.86)], having no boy friend [AOR 0.34; 95%CI (0.12, 0.74)], using family planning [AOR 0.50; 95%CI (0.13 and 0.86)], being 25 years or older [AOR 1.64; 95%CI (1.33, 2.80)] were significantly associated with awareness

Improving shoulder dystocia management among resident and attending physicians using simulations.

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Goffman, Dena; Heo, Hye; Pardanani, Setul; Merkatz, Irwin R; Bernstein, Peter S

2008-09-01

The objective of the study was to determine whether a simulation-based educational program would improve residents' and attending physicians' performance in a simulated shoulder dystocia. Seventy-one obstetricians participated in an unanticipated simulated shoulder dystocia, an educational debriefing session, and a subsequent shoulder dystocia simulation. Each simulation was scored, based on standardized checklists for 4 technical maneuvers and 6 communication tasks, by 2 physician observers. Paired Student t tests were used for analysis. Forty-three attendings and 28 residents participated. Residents showed significant improvement in mean maneuver (3.3 +/- 0.9 vs 3.9 +/- 0.4, P = .001) and communication (3.5 +/- 1.2 vs 4.9 +/- 1.0, P < .0001) scores after simulation training. Attending physicians' communication (3.6 +/- 1.6 vs 4.9 +/- 1.1, P < .0001) scores were significantly improved after training. Our program improved physician performance in the management of simulated shoulder dystocia deliveries. Obstetric emergency simulation training can improve physicians' communication skills, at all levels of training, and should be incorporated into labor and delivery quality improvement measures.

Entry and exit screening of airline travellers during the A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic: a retrospective evaluation.

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Khan, Kamran; Eckhardt, Rose; Brownstein, John S; Naqvi, Raza; Hu, Wei; Kossowsky, David; Scales, David; Arino, Julien; MacDonald, Michael; Wang, Jun; Sears, Jennifer; Cetron, Martin S

2013-05-01

To evaluate the screening measures that would have been required to assess all travellers at risk of transporting A(H1N1)pdm09 out of Mexico by air at the start of the 2009 pandemic. Data from flight itineraries for travellers who flew from Mexico were used to estimate the number of international airports where health screening measures would have been needed, and the number of travellers who would have had to be screened, to assess all air travellers who could have transported the H1N1 influenza virus out of Mexico during the initial stages of the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic. Exit screening at 36 airports in Mexico, or entry screening of travellers arriving on direct flights from Mexico at 82 airports in 26 other countries, would have resulted in the assessment of all air travellers at risk of transporting A(H1N1)pdm09 out of Mexico at the start of the pandemic. Entry screening of 116 travellers arriving from Mexico by direct or connecting flights would have been necessary for every one traveller at risk of transporting A(H1N1)pdm09. Screening at just eight airports would have resulted in the assessment of 90% of all air travellers at risk of transporting A(H1N1)pdm09 out of Mexico in the early stages of the pandemic. During the earliest stages of the A(H1N1) pandemic, most public health benefits potentially attainable through the screening of air travellers could have been achieved by screening travellers at only eight airports.

Baicalein induces G1 arrest in oral cancer cells by enhancing the degradation of cyclin D1 and activating AhR to decrease Rb phosphorylation

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Cheng, Ya-Hsin, E-mail: yhcheng@mail.cmu.edu.tw [Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC (China); Li, Lih-Ann; Lin, Pinpin; Cheng, Li-Chuan [Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan, ROC (China); Hung, Chein-Hui [Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine Sciences, Chang Gung University, Puizi City, Chiayi 613, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chang, Nai Wen [Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Chingju [Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2012-09-15

Baicalein is a flavonoid, known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. As an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, baicalein at high concentrations blocks AhR-mediated dioxin toxicity. Because AhR had been reported to play a role in regulating the cell cycle, we suspected that the anti-cancer effect of baicalein is associated with AhR. This study investigated the molecular mechanism involved in the anti-cancer effect of baicalein in oral cancer cells HSC-3, including whether such effect would be AhR-mediated. Results revealed that baicalein inhibited cell proliferation and increased AhR activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle was arrested at the G1 phase and the expression of CDK4, cyclin D1, and phosphorylated retinoblastoma (pRb) was decreased. When the AhR was suppressed by siRNA, the reduction of pRb was partially reversed, accompanied by a decrease of cell population at G1 phase and an increase at S phase, while the reduction of cyclin D1 and CDK4 did not change. This finding suggests that the baicalein activation of AhR is indeed associated with the reduction of pRb, but is independent of the reduction of cyclin D1 and CDK4. When cells were pre-treated with LiCl, the inhibitor of GSK-3β, the decrease of cyclin D1 was blocked and the reduction of pRb was recovered. The data indicates that in HSC-3 the reduction of pRb is both mediated by baicalein through activation of AhR and facilitation of cyclin D1 degradation, which causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and results in the inhibition of cell proliferation. -- Highlights: ► Baicalein causes the G1 phase arrest by decreasing Rb phosphorylation. ► Baicalein modulates AhR-mediated cell proliferation. ► Both AhR activation and cyclin D1 degradation results in hypophosphorylation of Rb. ► Baicalein facilitates cyclin D1 degradation by signalling the GSK-3β pathway.

GENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A “NONPARTISAN” POLITICAL ACTOR: The Formation of the Jama’ah Islah Malaysia (JIM and its Roots in Western Europe

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Sophie Lemiere

2009-02-01

Full Text Available This paper looks at the genesis and development of the Jama’ah Islah Malaysia (JIM, a modernist-reformist Islamist organisation that today has played a vital and visible role in the political landscape of Malaysian politics. Little is known about the early genesis of JIM, and how it began in the 1970s and 1980s as a student-based cadre organisation, created by Malaysian Muslim students studying abroad in Europe and North America. JIM’s roots therefore lie in the Islamic Representative Council (IRC that was a semi-underground student-cadre movement that was created outside Malaysia, and which aimed to bring about the Islamisation of Malaysian society through the process of social and political mobilisation. Working through the archives of JIM today and interviewing the foundermembers of JIM and the IRC, this paper is the first historical account of the formation and development of IRC and JIM to be published. 

Influenza A/H1N1 Severe Pneumonia: Novel Morphocytological Findings in Bronchoalveolar Lavage

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Paola Faverio

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We present the results of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL performed in three patients with severe influenza A/H1N1 pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS. Light microscopy analysis of BAL cytocentrifugates showed the presence of characteristic large, mononuclear, plasmoblastic/plasmocytoid-like cells never described before. Via transmission electron microscopy, these cells were classified as atypical type II pneumocytes and some of them showed cytoplasmic vesicles and inclusions. We concluded that plasmoblastic/plasmocytoid-like type II pneumocytes might represent a morphologic marker of A/H1N1 influenza virus infection as well as reparative cellular activation after diffuse alveolar damage.

Impact of online lecture-capture on student outcomes in a therapeutics course.

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Bollmeier, Suzanne G; Wenger, Philip J; Forinash, Alicia B

2010-09-10

To examine the correlation between students accessing recorded lecture files (audio and slides) online and course grades and class attendance. Second professional year (of 6-year program) students in a therapeutics course had access to recorded online lectures for 72 hours following live lectures. The number and duration of lecture accessions were compared to final course grades and class attendance. Course grades were compared to those of a historical control group. At the end of the semester, students completed a brief survey instrument regarding their use and perceptions of online lectures. No correlation was found between final course grades and the number of lecture accessions (r = 0.0014) or total number of minutes lectures were viewed (r = 0.033), nor between class attendance and minutes viewed (r = 0.2158). Students with access to recorded lectures outperformed the historical control group on the final examination (p students reported no influence of online files on class attendance. Posting lectures online did not affect student outcomes, but students did score higher on the final examination.

Calorimetry of 25 Ah lithium/thionyl chloride cells

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, C. J.; Dawson, S.

1991-01-01

Heat flow measurements of 25-Ah lithium thionyl chloride cells provided a method to calculate an effective thermal potential, E(TP) of 3.907 V. The calculation is useful to determine specific heat generation of this cell chemistry and design. The E(TP) value includes heat generation by electrochemical cell reactions, competitive chemical reactions, and resistance heating at the tabs, connectors, and leads. Heat flow was measured while applying electrical loads to the cell in an isothermal calorimeter set at 0, 20, and 60 C.

TAFSIR ALQUR’AN PARADIGMA INTEGRATIF: STUDI ATAS QIRA’AH ALTHANIYAH MUHAMMAD SYAHRUR

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Abdul Malik

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article describes on the alternative reading (qira'ah altaniyah of Alqur’an proposed by Muhammad Shahrur, in his work “Alkitab wa Alqur’an: Qira'ah Almu'ashirah”. Through this work, Syahrur proposed an integrative-interpretation method which is built through combining analysis of natural science, social science, and tafsir. Based on the descriptive analysis approach to this works, this study found out two important things: (1 Syahrur using mathematical analysis to interpret the muhkamat’s verses and science analysis for mutasyabihat’s verses. (2 Hudud is a result of the integrative analysis interpretation based on the linguistic and mathematic analysis in understanding the Quranic verses about the law, while ta’wil ilmi is an understanding toward mutasyabihat verses, like the revelation, which is based on the analysis of natural science cognitive.

AhR and SHP regulate phosphatidylcholine and S-adenosylmethionine levels in the one-carbon cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young-Chae; Seok, Sunmi; Byun, Sangwon; Kong, Bo; Zhang, Yang; Guo, Grace; Xie, Wen; Ma, Jian; Kemper, Byron; Kemper, Jongsook Kim

2018-02-07

Phosphatidylcholines (PC) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) are critical determinants of hepatic lipid levels, but how their levels are regulated is unclear. Here, we show that Pemt and Gnmt, key one-carbon cycle genes regulating PC/SAM levels, are downregulated after feeding, leading to decreased PC and increased SAM levels, but these effects are blunted in small heterodimer partner (SHP)-null or FGF15-null mice. Further, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is translocated into the nucleus by insulin/PKB signaling in the early fed state and induces Pemt and Gnmt expression. This induction is blocked by FGF15 signaling-activated SHP in the late fed state. Adenoviral-mediated expression of AhR in obese mice increases PC levels and exacerbates steatosis, effects that are blunted by SHP co-expression or Pemt downregulation. PEMT, AHR, and PC levels are elevated in simple steatosis patients, but PC levels are robustly reduced in steatohepatitis-fibrosis patients. This study identifies AhR and SHP as new physiological regulators of PC/SAM levels.

Outdoor Long-Range WLANs : A Lesson for IEEE 802.11ah

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aust, Stefan; Venkatesha Prasad, R.; Niemegeers, Ignas G M M

2015-01-01

Several service applications have been reported by many who proposed the use of wireless LANs (WLANs) over a wide variety of outdoor deployments. In particular, the upcoming IEEE 802.11ah WLAN protocol will enable a longer transmission range between WLAN access points (APs) and stations (STAs) up to

Precursor systems analyses of automated highway systems. Knowledge based systems and learning methods for AHS. Volume 10. Final report, September 1993-February 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmoltz, J.; Blumer, A.; Noonan, J.; Shedd, D.; Twarog, J.

1995-06-01

Managing each AHS vehicle and the AHS system as a whole is an extremely complex yndertaking. The authors have investigated and now report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches that can help. In particular, we focus on AI technologies known as Knowledge Based Systems (KBSs) and Learning Methods (LMs). Our primary purpose is to identify opportunities: we identify several problems in AHS and AI technologies that can solve them. Our secondary purpose is to examine in some detail a subset of these opportunities: we examine how KBSs and LMs can help in controlling the high level movements--e.g., keep in lane, change lanes, speed up, slow down--of an automated vehicle. This detailed examination includes the implementation of a prototype system having three primary components. The Tufts Automated Highway System Kit(TAHSK) discrete time micro-level traffic simulator is a generic AHS simulator. TAHSK interfaces with the Knowledge Based Controller (KBCon) knowledge based high level controller, which controls the high level actions of individual AHS vehicles. Finally, TAHSK also interfaces with a Reinforcement learning (RL) module that was used to explore the possibilities of RL techniques in an AHS environment.

The Influence of Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Student Parents Attending University

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van Rhijn, Tricia M.; Lero, Donna S.

2014-01-01

Student parents (i.e. students who have their own dependent children) are a specific subpopulation of adult learners. This study investigated the impact of self-efficacy beliefs on student parents' perceived capacity to manage multiple roles and their satisfaction with family, school and life. Survey data collected from 398 student parents enroled…

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus incursion into Africa: countries ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus incursion into Africa: countries, hosts and ... features are important for planning control measures between countries and to ... in humans, infections in pigs earlier reported in America, Europe and Asia were ...

Developing Islamic Banking Performance Measures Based on Maqasid Al-Shari’ah Framework: Cases of 24 Selected Banks

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Mustafa Omar Mohammed

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Islamic banking has achieved remarkable growth that has surpassed the growth of the conventional banking system. Yet, studies show that the performances of Islamic banks (IBs seem to be trailing behind the conventional banks (CBs. Is the poor performance of IBs the result of mismatch between their objectives and their performance measurement criteria or it is a reflection of their true performances? The objectives of Islamic banking had not been formally addressed. Mustafa and Taib (2009 derived the objectives of Islamic banking from Abu Zahara’s theory of the objectives of Shari’ah (Maqasid al-Shari’ah and, based on these Shari’ah objectives, developed a model of Islamic banking performance measures. They named it as Performance Measures based on Maqasid al-Shari’ah framework or the PMMS model. This paper has tested the PMMS model on a sample 24 banks (12 IBs and 12 CBs. The twenty four banks were also evaluated using the traditional conventional financial measures. Mann-Whitney U-Test results show IBs faring well in their performances when measured using the PMMS model than when they are measured using the conventional banking performance yardstick. Policy prescriptions and recommendations for further studies are provided at the concluding section of the paper.

The Relationships between Critical Thinking Skills and Learning Styles of Gifted Students

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Dilekli, Yalçin

2017-01-01

The current study investigates the relationship between critical thinking skills and learning styles of mentally gifted students. The participants were 225 gifted students in Turkey attending Science and Art Centres which are after-school activity centers for mentally gifted students. Participants were 9-15 years old and were attending secondary…

"E Pluribus"... Separation: Deepening Double Segregation for More Students

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Orfield, Gary; Kucsera, John; Siegel-Hawley, Genevieve

2012-01-01

This report shows segregation has increased dramatically across the country for Latino students, who are attending more intensely segregated and impoverished schools than they have for generations. The segregation increases have been the most dramatic in the West. The typical Latino student in the region attends a school where less than a quarter…

Variations in the perception of trauma-related complications between attending surgeons, surgery residents, critical care nurses, and medical students.

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Dissanaike, Sharmila; Berry, Matthew; Ginos, Jason; Paige, Robert; McNabb, Wendi; Griswold, John

2009-06-01

The morbidity and mortality conference (M&M) is a key component of the performance improvement process. The audience response system (ARS) has been shown to improve audience participation and promote more truthful responses in various settings. We implemented the ARS in our trauma M&M and evaluated the responses we received from different categories of participants. This was a prospective observational study undertaken between November 2006 and July 2007. Cases were graded based on the American College of Surgeons scoring system. We evaluated the responses of attending surgeons, residents, critical care nurses, and medical students using the ARS. We had 695 responses for complications and 936 responses for deaths. Residents consistently scored complications as more severe than other groups (P = .03). There was no difference in the scoring of deaths. Surgical residents assign higher severity to trauma-related complications than other groups when using an anonymous automated scoring system.

The new school absentees reporting system for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection in Japan.

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Takeshi Suzue

Full Text Available To evaluate the new Japanese School Absentees Reporting System for Infectious Disease (SARSID for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 infection in comparison with the National epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Disease (NESID.We used data of 53,223 students (97.7% in Takamatsu city Japan. Data regarding school absentees in SARSID was compared with that in NESID from Oct 13, 2009 to Jan 12, 2010.Similar trends were observed both in SARSID and NESID. However, the epidemic trend for influenza in SARSID was thought to be more sensitive than that in NESID.The epidemic trend for influenza among school-aged children could be easily and rapidly assessed by SARSID compared to NESID. SARSID might be useful for detecting the epidemic trend of influenza.

Solar Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) Students - Student Representatives' Perspectives

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Pahud, D. M.; Niembro, T.

2014-12-01

The SHINE workshop is an annual meeting of solar and heliospheric scientists which, in addition to aiming to improve understanding of solar disturbances and their propagation to, and effect, on the Earth (shinecon.org), is dedicated to actively supporting students. This dedication is substantiated in part through the National Science Foundation (NSF) providing funding for student attendance to the workshop, which enables student participation. Another example of SHINE's commitment to its student members is the incorporation of a Student Day prior to the workshop since 2003, entirely organized and run by two student representatives. While there are variations in format from year to year, Student Day consists of tutorials and research talks exclusively by student volunteers to an audience of only students. The day is intended to provide a low-stress environment for students to learn about the various topics addressed during the workshop, to ask questions freely, and to engage in scientific discussion with other students which hopefully is a catalyst for collaboration. As a result of positive experiences, over the past decade student attendance and participation in the workshop have increased. At the SHINE 2014 workshop, nearly a third of attendees were students. SHINE student visibility has increased over the years, with student posters being advertised at breakfast, inclusion of a student day summary by the student representatives during a plenary session, and continued support from the steering committee. Students are also promoting a broader impact of SHINE sciences via increased social media presence. From a student representative's perspective, SHINE has built and fostered a healthy student community and encourages students to engage in shaping the future of the field.