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Successful Attempts (successful + attempt)
Selected AbstractsToward development of a generalized instrument to measure andragogyHUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2009Elwood F. Holton III Andragogy has emerged as one of the dominant frameworks for teaching adults during the past 40 years. A major and glaring gap in andragogy research is the lack of a measurement instrument that adequately measures both andragogical principles and process design elements. As a result, no definitive empirical test of the theory has been possible. The purpose of this article is to report on initial attempts to develop a survey instrument that corrects this shortcoming in the andragogy research literature. The instrument developed for this study was part of a comprehensive examination of andragogical principles and process design elements and their effect on student satisfaction and learning outcomes in a postsecondary education setting. It was administered to 404 adults enrolled in an adult-oriented postgraduate degree program. Exploratory factor analysis revealed promising scales to measure five of the six andragogical principles and six of the eight process design elements. This instrument is the most successful attempt to date to measure andragogical principles and elements. It holds promise for advancing research on andragogy, and subsequently advancing the field of HRD by explaining affective and cognitive responses to andragogical instructional strategies across a spectrum of learning environments. Additional implications for future research to strengthen the instrument are also discussed. [source] Stability analysis of an adaptive packet access scheme for mobile communication systems with high propagation delaysINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 2 2003Giovanni Giambene Abstract In this paper, we investigate a packet access scheme that is able to support mixed traffics in the presence of high propagation delays. Referring to a Time-Code Division Multiple Access air interface, we propose a Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol based on a random access scheme. A successful attempt grants the use of a slot-code resource. This protocol is named Adaptive Time Code-Packet Reservation Multiple Access (ATC-PRMA), since the access parameters are changed, depending on the traffic load conditions, so as to fulfil Quality of Service requirements. Numerical examples are carried out for the Low Earth Orbit (LEO)- Mobile Satellite System (MSS) scenario, but all these considerations could be applied to High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPSs) as well. In both cases, high propagation delays prevent an immediate feedback to users. An analytical approach is proposed to study the stability of our MAC scheme. Accordingly, we define a criterion for optimizing system performance. The predicted ATC-PRMA behaviour is supported by simulation results. Finally, we show the performance improvement of ATC-PRMA with respect to a MAC protocol not employing adaptive parameters. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Suppression of Rhizoctonia solani diseases of sugar beet by antagonistic and plant growth-promoting yeastsJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004K.A. El-Tarabily Abstract Aims:, Isolates of Candida valida, Rhodotorula glutinis and Trichosporon asahii from the rhizosphere of sugar beet in Egypt were examined for their ability to colonize roots, to promote plant growth and to protect sugar beet from Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 diseases, under glasshouse conditions. Methods and Results:, Root colonization abilities of the three yeast species were tested using the root colonization plate assay and the sand-tube method. In the root colonization plate assay, C. valida and T. asahii colonized 95% of roots after 6 days, whilst Rhod. glutinis colonized 90% of roots after 8 days. Root-colonization abilities of the three yeast species tested by the sand-tube method showed that roots and soils attached to roots of sugar beet seedlings were colonized to different degrees. Population densities showed that the three yeast species were found at all depths of the rhizosphere soil adhering to taproots up to 10 cm, but population densities were significantly (P < 0·05) greater in the first 4 cm of the root system compared with other root depths. The three yeast species, applied individually or in combination, significantly (P < 0·05) promoted plant growth and reduced damping off, crown and root rots of sugar beet in glasshouse trials. The combination of the three yeasts (which were not inhibitory to each other) resulted in significantly (P < 0·05) better biocontrol of diseases and plant growth promotion than plants exposed to individual species. Conclusions:, Isolates of C. valida, Rhod. glutinis and T. asahii were capable of colonizing sugar beet roots, promoting growth of sugar beet and protecting the seedlings and mature plants from R. solani diseases. This is the first successful attempt to use yeasts as biocontrol agents against R. solani which causes root diseases. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Yeasts were shown to provide significant protection to sugar beet roots against R. solani, a serious soil-borne root pathogen. Yeasts also have the potential to be used as biological fertilizers. [source] Comparison of the effects of pressure on three layered hydrates: a partially successful attempt to predict a high-pressure phase transitionACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B, Issue 6 2009Russell D. L. Johnstone We report the effect of pressure on the crystal structures of betaine monohydrate (BTM), l -cysteic acid monohydrate (CAM) and S -4-sulfo- l -phenylalanine monohydrate (SPM). All three structures are composed of layers of zwitterionic molecules separated by layers of water molecules. In BTM the water molecules make donor interactions with the same layer of betaine molecules, and the structure remains in a compressed form of its ambient-pressure phase up to 7.8,GPa. CAM contains bi-layers of l -cysteic acid molecules separated by water molecules which form donor interactions to the bi-layers above and below. This phase is stable up to 6.8,GPa. SPM also contains layers of zwitterionic molecules with the waters acting as hydrogen-bond donors to the layers above and below. SPM undergoes a single-crystal to single-crystal phase transition above 1,GPa in which half the water molecules reorient so as to form one donor interaction with another water molecule within the same layer. In addition, half of the S -4-sulfo- l -phenylalanine molecules change their conformation. The high-pressure phase is stable up to 6.9,GPa, although modest rearrangements in hydrogen bonding and molecular conformation occur at 6.4,GPa. The three hydrates had been selected on the basis of their topological similarity (CAM and SPM) or dissimilarity (BTM) with serine hydrate, which undergoes a phase transition at 5,GPa in which the water molecules change orientation. The phase transition in SPM shows some common features with that in serine hydrate. The principal directions of compression in all three structures were found to correlate with directions of hydrogen bonds and distributions of interstitial voids. [source] Guidewire-induced coronary artery perforation treated with transcatheter delivery of subcutaneous tissueCATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 3 2005Hirotaka Oda MD Abstract In three cases of small coronary artery perforation by guidewires during percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary leakage continued despite prolonged balloon inflation and reversal of heparin. Subcutaneous tissue was selectively delivered to perforated vessels by means of microcatheters in a successful attempt to stop leakage. This method appears to be extremely effective for treating guidewire-induced perforations of distal coronary arteries. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Emergency Nurses' Utilization of Ultrasound Guidance for Placement of Peripheral Intravenous Lines in Difficult-access PatientsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2004Larry Brannam MD Objectives: Emergency nurses (ENs) typically place peripheral intravenous (IV) lines, but if repeated attempts fail, emergency physicians have to obtain peripheral or central access. The authors describe the patient population for which ultrasound (US)-guided peripheral IVs are used and evaluate the success rates for such lines by ENs. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of ENs in a Level I trauma center with a census of 75,000, performing US-guided IV line placement on difficult-to-stick patients (repeated blind IV placement failure or established history). ENs were trained on an inanimate model after a 45-minute lecture. Surveys were filled out after each US-guided IV attempt on a patient. ENs could decline to fill out surveys, which recorded the reason for use of US, type of patient, and success. Successful cannulation was confirmed by drawing blood and flushing fluids. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluated data. Results: A total of 321 surveys were collected in a five-month period no ENs declined to participate. There were 280 (87%) successful attempts. Twelve (29%) of the 41 failure patients required central lines, 9 (22%) received external jugular IVs, and 20 (49%) had peripheral IV access placed under US guidance by another nurse or physician. Twenty-eight percent (90) of all patients were obese, 18% (57) had sickle cell anemia, 10% (31) were renal dialysis patients, 12% (40) were IV drug abusers, and 19% (61) had unspecified chronic illness. The remainder had no reason for difficult access given. There were four arterial punctures. Conclusions: ENs had a high success rate and few complications with use of US guidance for vascular access in a variety of difficult-access patients. [source] Does culling predatory gulls enhance the productivity of breeding common terns?JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Guillemette Magella Summary 1,Large gulls Larus spp. are voracious predators of eggs and chicks of other colonial birds and may threaten rare or endangered species. In this study we tested the effectiveness of removing individual predatory gulls as a management technique for enhancing the productivity of common terns Sterna hirundo nesting in Carleton, Québec, Canada. 2,The productivity and fate of common tern chicks were assessed by following ringed individuals from hatching to fledging during three breeding seasons (1993,95). Concurrently, predation and consumption rates of all predatory gulls were measured before and after the culling started. The culling programme was conducted serially in 1994 by removing the most important predator first until all predators were removed. 3,The rate of chick disappearance was lower and the life span of tern broods was higher in 1994 when the culling was conducted, compared with 1993 and 1995. As a result, the productivity of the tern colony was zero in 1993 and 1995, but positive in 1994 (0·33 chicks pair,1). Measurements of chick mass in 1993 and 1994 showed that growth was normal, indicating that poor feeding conditions or disease were not the cause of chick disappearance. 4,Average predation rates for 1993 (23·3 chicks day,1) and 1995 (14·8 chicks day,1) equated to 61% and 66% of available chicks being taken by gulls, respectively. The predation rate before the culling started in 1994 was similar to 1993 and 1995, with 15·9 chicks day,1, but dropped to 5·1 chicks day,1 after the first gull was shot, and decreased to zero once all predatory gulls were removed. Only five individual predatory gulls were identified during the cull. 5,Predation rates differed markedly amongst specialist predatory gulls, with one individual accounting for 85% of all successful attempts made during the baseline period. Once that gull was removed, the remaining predators increased their predation rate in a manner suggestive of a despotic system. Observations conducted in 1995 showed that the predation rate was almost zero at the beginning of the season but increased dramatically later in the summer, with two gulls together making about 60% of the captures. 6,It is concluded that culling predatory gulls can be an effective management tool to enhance productivity in sensitive or endangered species. However, our data suggest that such culling would need to be repeated each year in order to protect a sensitive species over consecutive years. [source] The Domestication of Critique: Problems of Justifying the Critical in the Context of Educationally Relevant Thought and ActionJOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, Issue 3 2004Helmut Heid ,Critique' means the questioning judgement of human actions, particularly with reference to a criterion of judgement that is inseparable from the judged state of affairs but is dependent on a decision of the person judging. Informative judgements of a state of affairs contain two relevant components, one concerned with recognition of the objects of judgment, the other concerned with their evaluation. This evaluation is not directly extractable from that state of affairs, but the quality of the evaluation does depend in part upon the quality of its explanation. Thus, when the content-description is flawed, the evaluation is affected by the flawed description. The phrase ,the domestication of critique' refers to the successful attempts that have been made to cause critics to neglect the truth claims of the judgement in favour of normative dominant interests. Domesticated critique is not concerned with the testing but rather with the justification or interpretation of a state of affairs. Domesticated critique does not depend on the quality of the argument but rather on whether the critique succeeds in legitimating dominant interests and immunising them against undomesticated critique. The educational relevance of the domestication of critique lies in the fact that a critical education which is domesticated will alleviate the need for overt repression on the part of dominant interests in favour of a particular view of the world and replace it with the semblance of a critical attitude that in fact reinforces the existing order through apparently rational means. Education based on domesticated critique can have no radical implications. [source] Molecular phylogeny of Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) indicates separate invasions of the terrestrial environmentJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010Bent Christensen Abstract Enchytraeidae is a family of soil inhabiting small- to medium-sized oligochaete worms using degradable plant material as a food source and primarily adapted to terrestrial or semi-terrestrial environments. The molecular phylogeny based upon both mitochondrial and nuclear genes indicates early segregations of the two genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus leaving the remaining genera included in this study as a later segregated major monophyletic branch. Extant members of the two former genera dominate in decaying seaweed in the littoral zone along the sea although members of in particular the genus Enchytraeus have also invaded other habitats. Historically the littoral zone of the sea is undoubtedly the first terrestrial or semi-terrestrial habitat where dead plant material accumulates to any greater extent and Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus may represent early successful attempts to exploit this resource. Inland soils probably had to await the emergence of land plants in order to provide a similar food resource and here the major branch of enchytraeid genera diversified into a high number of species in the numerous decomposer networks of this varied environment. A subdivision into the genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus on the one hand and a branch of mainly inland genera on the other is supported by differences in two somewhat neglected morphological features. Firstly, in Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus the testes are enclosed in a testis sac within which the male cells mature, by one possible exception a unique feature among Oligochaeta, The other enchytraeid genera studied and Oligochaeta in general lack this sac and the male cells mature directly in the cavity of the testicular segment. Secondly, species of Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus generally have a higher reproductive output than species of the inland terrestrial branch and this may represent an adaptation to the unpredictable littoral zone compared to the more stable nature of inland habitats. In the older literature the genus Mesenchytraeus is considered to have a basic position within the entire family but our molecular data do not support this expectation. In Enchytraeidae the nephridia are elaborate organs of a characteristic and constant shape covering species from different genera in a pattern following the molecular phylogeny. Other much used morphological features such as shape of setae, anteclitellar origin of the dorsal vessel and various modifications of the intestine have arisen more than once. Zusammenfassung Enchytraeidae sind eine Familie kleiner bis mittelgroßer edaphischer Oligochaeten, welche abbaubares Pflanzenmaterial als Nahrungsquelle nutzen und primär an terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Lebensräume angepaßt sind. Die hier vorgestellte, auf mitochondrialen und nukleären Genen beruhende molekulare Phylogenie indiziert eine frühe Abtrennung der beiden Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus und beläßt die übrigen der in dieser Studie untersuchten Gattungen als eine später abgezweigte monophyletische Großgruppe. Rezente Glieder der beiden erwähnten Gattungen dominieren in verrottendem Strandanwurf des Meereslitorals, obwohl Arten insbesondere der Gattung Enchytraeus auch andere Lebensräume erobert haben. Historisch gesehen ist das Meereslitoral zweifelsohne das erste terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Habitat, in dem totes Pflanzenmaterial in größerem Ausmaß akkumulierte, und Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus könnten frühe erfolgreiche Versuche der Nutzung dieser Ressource darstellen. Festlandsböden dagegen bedurften wahrscheinlich der Entwicklung von Landpflanzen, um eine vergleichbare Nahrungsquelle zur Verfügung zu stellen, und hier diversifizierte sich der Hauptzweig der Enchytraeidengattungen in viele Arten in den diversen Zersetzernetzen dieses vielgestaltigen Lebensraums. Eine Unterteilung in die Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus auf der einen Seite und einen Zweig mit vorwiegend terrestrischen Gattungen auf der anderen wird durch zwei bislang eher vernachlässigte morphologische Merkmale gestützt. Erstens, bei Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus wird der Hoden von einem Testis-Sack, in dem die männlichen Zellen reifen, umschlossen. Dies ist mit einer möglichen Ausnahme einzigartig bei Oligochaeten. Bei den übrigen untersuchten Enchytraeidengattungen und bei Oligochaeten generell fehlt dieser Sack, und die männlichen Zellen reifen unmittelbar in der Körperhöhle des Hodensegmentes. Zweitens, die Reproduktionsrate von Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus ist generell höher als die der Arten des Festlandszweigs. Dies könnte eine Anpassung an die im Vergleich zu Festlandsböden instabileren Bedingungen des Meereslitorals bedeuten. In der älteren Literatur wird der Gattung Mesenchytraeus eine basale Position innerhalb der gesamten Familie zugewiesen, aber unsere molekularen Daten stützen diese Annahme nicht. Die Nephridien der Enchytraeiden sind komplexe Organe mit einer charakteristischen und artübergreifend konstanten Form, deren gattungsmäßige Abwandlungen der molekularen Phylogenie entsprechen. Andere oft verwendete morphologische Merkmale wie Borstenform, anteclitellarer Ursprung des Dorsalgefäßes und verschiedene Darmmodifikationen sind mehr als einmal entstanden. [source] Liquid chromatography and electron-capture dissociation in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometryRAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 10 2002Magnus Palmblad Liquid separation methods in combination with electrospray mass spectrometry as well as the recently introduced fragmentation method electron capture dissociation (ECD) have become powerful tools in proteomics research. This paper presents the results of the first successful attempts to combine liquid chromatography (LC) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICRMS) with ECD in the analysis of a mixture of standard peptides and of a bovine serum albumin tryptic digest. A novel electron injection system provided conditions for ECD sufficient to yield extensive sequence information for the most abundant peptides in the mixtures on the time-scale of the chromatographic separation. The results suggest that LC/ECD-FTICRMS can be employed in the characterization of peptides in enzymatic digests of proteins or protein mixtures and identify and localize posttranslational modifications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Interscalene brachial plexus block: assessment of the needle angle needed to enter the spinal canal,ANAESTHESIA, Issue 1 2009K. E. Russon Summary Attempts were made to place 8-cm 22G needles into the spinal canals of four preserved cadavers using the skin entry point most commonly associated with the lateral interscalene brachial plexus block or Winnie approach (that is, at the level of the cricoid cartilage). Eleven successful attempts were confirmed by computed tomography. Needle angles that were cephalad, transverse or slightly caudad were associated with entry into the spinal canal at depths of 5.0 cm or less from the skin. The only needle entry into the spinal canal with a needle angle of > 50 degrees to the transverse plane (< 40 degrees to the sagittal plane) entered the intervertebral foramen at a depth of 7.7 cm from the skin. We conclude that the use of markedly caudad angulations of needles no longer than 5.0 cm may minimise the chances of spinal canal entry and spinal cord damage. [source] Synthesis and reactivity of some diselenasila cycles containing an annelated dicarba- closo -dodecaborane(12) unitAPPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2010Bernd Wrackmeyer Abstract The use of 1,2-diselenolato-1,2-dicarba- closo -dodecaborane(12) dianions [1,2-(1,2-C2B10H10)Se2]2, prepared in situ as the dilithium salt may lead to irreproducible results. This is shown by the straightforward synthesis of silanes using the purified and isolated dianions, in contrast with previous less successful attempts. Thus, the reactions of the dianions with dichlorosilanes afford the five-membered diselenasila cycles containing the SiMe2 or the SiPh2 units, and with 1,2-dichloro-tetramethyldisilane the six-membered cycle containing the Si2Me4 unit. The latter was studied by X-ray diffraction, and all products were characterized by multinuclear magnetic resonance (1H, 13C, 29Si, 77Se NMR) in solution. Novel isotope effects were detected in 13C and 77Se NMR spectra. Exchange reactions of the five- and six-membered diselanasila cycles with chlorosilanes were studied. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Success of Ultrasound-guided Peripheral Intravenous Access with Skin MarkingACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008Jessica R. Resnick MD Abstract Objectives:, The most effective technique for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access (USGPIVA) is unknown. In the traditional short-axis technique (locate, align, puncture [LAP]), the target vessel is aligned in short axis with the center of the transducer. The needle is then directed toward the target under real-time ultrasound (US) guidance. Locate, align, mark, puncture (LAMP) requires the extra step of marking the skin at two points over the path of the vein and proceeding with direct visualization as in LAP. The difference in success between these two techniques was compared among variably experienced emergency physician and emergency nurse operators. Methods:, Subjects in an urban academic emergency department (ED) were randomized to obtain intravenous (IV) access using either LAP or LAMP after two failed blind attempts. Primary outcomes were success of the procedure and time to complete the procedure in variably experienced operators. Results:, A total of 101 patients were enrolled. There was no difference in success between LAP and LAMP, even among the least experienced operators. Of successful attempts, LAMP took longer than LAP (median 4 minutes, interquartile range [IQR] 4,10.5 vs. median 2.9 minutes, IQR 1.6,7; p = 0.004). Only the most experienced operators were associated with higher levels of success (first attempt odds ratio [OR] 6.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2 to 22). Overall success with up to two attempts was 73%. Complications included a 2.8% arterial puncture rate and 12% infiltration rate. Conclusions:, LAMP did not improve success of USGPIVA in variably experienced operators. Experience was associated with higher rates of success for USGPIVA. [source] | ||||||||||||||||