Definite Conclusion (definite + conclusion)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Exploring the role of intertextuality in concept construction: Urban second graders make sense of evaporation, boiling, and condensation,

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 7 2006
Maria Varelas
The study explores urban second graders' thinking and talking about the concepts of evaporation, boiling, and condensation that emerged in the context of intertextuality within an integrated science-literacy unit on the topic of States of Matter, which emphasized the water cycle. In that unit, children and teacher engaged in a variety of activities (reading information books, doing hands-on explorations, writing, drawing, discussing) in a dialogically oriented way where teacher and children shared the power and the burden of making meaning. The three qualitative interrelated analyses showed children who initiated or continued productive links to texts, broadly defined, that gave them spaces to grapple with complex ideas and ways of expressing them. Although some children showed preference for a certain way of thinking about evaporation, boiling, and condensation, the data do not point toward a definite conclusion relative to whether children subscribe or not to a particular conceptual position. Children had multiple, complex, and often speculative, tentative, and emergent ways of accessing and interpreting these phenomena, and their conceptions were contextually based,different contexts offered opportunities for students to theorize about different aspects of the phenomena (along with some similar aspects). Children also theorized about aspects of the same phenomena in different ways. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 637,666, 2006 [source]


Nitrogen fertilisation in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.): a review and meta-analysis

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 6 2009
Alessandra Carrubba
Abstract Nitrogen (N) fertilisation is one of the most important external inputs in assessing coriander seed yield and plant growth. Recent concerns related to the misuse of N fertilisers in agricultural environments, however, stress the opportunity for a fine-tuning of N management in order to optimise the use of this element, avoiding losses and reducing environmental hazards. In this study, some results from the literature concerning N fertilisation in coriander are reviewed and, by means of statistical analysis, an attempt is made to derive from them some general suggestions about practices of N fertilisation. In most cases examined, N fertilisation allowed a 10,70% increase in seed yields in comparison with each respective untreated control. The efficiency of use of this element, however, has proven to be greatly dependent on the overall fertility conditions of the growing site. The greatest yield advantages were actually found in more favourable environments, whereas in low-yielding environments plants reached their maximum yield with a comparatively reduced N supply. In low-yielding environments a careful risk/benefit assessment of this practice is therefore advisable. No definite conclusion could be drawn at this stage about essential oil yield and composition in relation to N fertilisation. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Testing modified Newtonian dynamic with Local Group spiral galaxies

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2007
Edvige Corbelli
ABSTRACT The rotation curves and the relative mass distributions of the two nearby Local Group spiral galaxies, M31 and M33, show discrepancies with modified Newtonian dynamic (MOND) predictions. In M33, the discrepancy lies in the kinematics of the outermost regions. It can be alleviated by adopting tilted ring models compatible with the 21-cm datacube but different from the one that best fits the data. In M31, MOND fails to fit the falling part of the rotation curve at intermediate radii, before the curve flattens out in the outermost regions. Newtonian dynamics in a framework of a stellar disc embedded in a dark halo can explain the complex rotation curve profiles of these two galaxies, while MOND has some difficulties. However, given the present uncertainties in the kinematics of these nearby galaxies, we cannot address the success or failure of MOND theory in a definite way. More sensitive and extended observations around the critical regions, suggested by MOND fits discussed in this paper, may lead to a definite conclusion. [source]


Effect of lumbar-epidural administration of tramadol on lower urinary tract function,,

NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 1 2008
S.K. Singh
Abstract Aims Intrathecal and epidural administration of µ-agonist opioids is associated with urinary retention, a potentially serious adverse-event. In animal studies tramadol has been found not to affect voiding function. We evaluated urodynamic effects of epidural tramadol in humans. Methods Fifteen adults planned for cystoscopy under local-anesthesia underwent urodynamics (UDS) at baseline and 30 min after administration of 100 mg tramadol in lumbar-epidural space. UDS consisted of filling cystometry, pressure-flow study and pelvic floor electromyography (EMG). Subsequently, all underwent cystoscopy and were observed for 6 hr. Results After injection of tramadol, a significant rise was observed in bladder capacity (391.8,±,179.6 ml vs. 432.7,±,208.8 ml; P,=,0.019) and compliance (60.1,±,51.5 ml/cm H2O vs. 83.0,±,63.0 ml/cm H2O; P,=,0.011) without a significant change in filling pressure (22.5,±,13.2 cm H2O vs. 24.1,±,15.1 cm H2O; P,=,0.576). Filling sensations were delayed significantly (P,,,0.05). EMG during filling phase showed a significant fall (P,=,0.027). Peak flow-rate (Qmax), average flow-rate, postvoid residue and detrusor pressure-at-Qmax did not show significant change from baseline (P,>,0.05). Three patients had bladder outlet obstruction which did not worsen after the injection. Guarding reflex was inhibited in seven out of 12 patients who had it at baseline (P,=,0.016). Conclusions Epidural tramadol increases the bladder capacity and compliance and delays filling-sensations, without ill effect on voiding. This seems true even for patients with obstructed outflow; however, due to small number of patients a definite conclusion cannot be derived. These results will guide clinician to avoid catheterization in cases where epidural tramadol is used for postoperative pain. The inhibitory effects of tramadol on EMG activity are intriguing and need further studies. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Peripheral blood picture following mild head trauma in children

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2008
Bulent Alioglu
Abstract Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in peripheral white blood cell, and differential counts following mild head trauma in a pediatric population. Methods: Fifty-one patients (mean age, 79 ± 62 months) with mild head trauma (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score 15) who were admitted to the emergency department, were studied. Two blood specimens were collected from each patient, one on arrival and one after 24 h at the emergency department. Complete blood count was performed using a hemocytometer and the absolute cell counts for each sample were calculated after examination of peripheral smear. Results: No patient developed any complication during the hospital stay or after discharge. Significant differences were found for white blood cell, neutrophil, and immature cell counts just after and 24 h after trauma (P = 0.047, 0.039 and 0.009, respectively). Conclusions: Mild head trauma may cause an increase in white blood cell, neutrophil and band counts in children just after trauma. In a child with a mild head trauma, who is asymptomatic, with GCS score of 15 and absence of risk factors, and without clinical deterioration, complete blood cell count may be omitted from laboratory workup. But a prospective randomized study comparing mild head trauma patients with good and bad clinical outcome is needed to draw a definite conclusion. [source]


Possible association of a cholecystokinin promoter variant to schizophrenia,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 5 2002
Zhewu Wang
Abstract Several lines of research indicate a cholecystokinin (CCK) deficit in schizophrenia patients. A C to T substitution was found in the promoter region of the CCK gene. We investigated this promoter variant in patients with schizophrenia and geographically-matchedcontrols. The T allele was detected in 24% of the 85 schizophrenics and 16% of the 247 controls. No significant difference in the T allele frequency was found between patients and controls (,2,=,2.77, P,>,0.1). The schizophrenia sample was analyzed further along the dimensions of positive and negative symptoms. The patients with prominent negative symptoms presented a statistically significant association to the T allele (,2,=,4.13, P,<,0.04). However, the significance disappeared after the Bonferroni correction (P,>,0.15). Since the case-control analysis may present incorrect ethnic match between cases and controls, we applied the family-based tests to verify the above findings. Both transmission disequilibrium test (TDT; ,2,=,5.33, P,<,0.025 in 12 trios) and haplotype relative risk (HRR; ,2,=,3.844, P,<,0.05 in 60 trios) indicated a significantly high transmission of T allele to schizophrenia offspring probands from their parents. While our family-based tests seem to support the CCK involvement in schizophrenia, no definite conclusion can be drawn based on such a small sample size. This preliminary finding is subjected to future investigations. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation after hip fracture for residents of nursing homes: A randomised trial

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 1 2008
Cesar Uy
Objective:,To determine the effectiveness of interdisciplinary rehabilitation for women with hip fracture who were residents of nursing homes. Design:,Randomised controlled trial. Subjects:,Eleven cognitively impaired women with hip fracture who were previously ambulant. Methods:,Participants were randomly allocated to usual care (discharge back to the nursing home soon after surgery to the hip fracture) or an inpatient interdisciplinary rehabilitation program. Results:,Participants were severely cognitively impaired and the majority used a walking aid prior to fracturing their hip. There was one early death, and at final follow up (4 months after hip fracture) median (range) Barthel Index was 28 (0,82) for control group and 68 (0,88) for the intervention group. Conclusion:,No definite conclusion can be drawn about the effectiveness of the intervention because of its premature termination. However, the study established that it is feasible to provide an interdisciplinary rehabilitation for older people with hip fracture and severe disablement. [source]


CASE STUDIES AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF ECOLOGICAL SPECIATION.

EVOLUTION, Issue 10 2009

We build a spatial individual-based multilocus model of homoploid hybrid speciation tailored for a tentative case of hybrid origin of Heliconius heurippa from H. melpomene and H. cydno in South America. Our model attempts to account for empirical patterns and data on genetic incompatibility, mating preferences and selection by predation (both based on coloration patterns), habitat preference, and local adaptation for all three Heliconius species. Using this model, we study the likelihood of recombinational speciation and identify the effects of various ecological and genetic parameters on the dynamics, patterns, and consequences of hybrid ecological speciation. Overall, our model supports the possibility of hybrid origin of H. heurippa under certain conditions. The most plausible scenario would include hybridization between H. melpomene and H. cydno in an area geographically isolated from the rest of both parental species with subsequent long-lasting geographic isolation of the new hybrid species, followed by changes in the species ranges, the secondary contact, and disappearance of H. melpomene -type ecomorph in the hybrid species. However, much more work (both empirical and theoretical) is necessary to be able to make more definite conclusions on the importance of homoploid hybrid speciation in animals. [source]


Vitiligo and ocular findings: a study on possible associations

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 7 2006
E Bulbul Baskan
Abstract Objective, In this study, we aimed to evaluate the ocular findings in vitiligo patients and reveal any clinical feature that might suggest an association or a risk factor. Background, Very few reports in the literature are available about the ocular findings in vitiligo and the possible associations of the ocular findings in vitiligo patients have not been studied so far. Methods, A total of 45 patients with previously documented cutaneous vitiligo were examined for ocular findings. Demographic features including age, gender, duration of vitiligo, presence of associated autoimmune diseases, type of vitiligo and the anatomical distributions of vitiligo were recorded to evaluate a possible relationship with the ocular findings. Univariate and multivariate analyses as well as cluster analysis were performed. After description of the clusters, the Mann,Whitney U -test and Fisher's exact test were used to determine the variables. Concordance among the variables in each group was evaluated with the McNemar test. Results, Ten patients had ocular findings that included anterior segment (iris) involvement, ring-like peripapillary atrophy around the optic nerve, atrophy of pigment epithelium, focal hypopigmented spots and diffuse hypopigmentation. The presence of periorbital vitiligo was significantly related to the ocular findings. Cluster analysis revealed concordances between periorbital and genitalial localizations of vitiligo and ocular findings. Conclusion, The number of patients and the range of ocular findings in our study are insufficient to make definite conclusions but anatomical localizations, primarily periorbital and to a lesser extent genitalial vitiligo, seem to be the most probably alerting features for ocular findings. [source]


Topical class I corticosteroids in 10 patients with bullous pemphigoid: correlation of the outcome with the severity degree of the disease and review of the literature

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
A Stockman
ABSTRACT Background, Treatment of bullous pemphigoid (BP) with systemic immunosuppressive agents, in particular with systemic corticosteroids, has many long-term side-effects. A dozen reports were published regarding the efficacy of topical corticosteroids in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid. Objective, To evaluate the efficacy of potent class I topical corticosteroids in relation to the affected body surface area (BSA) in patients with bullous pemphigoid and to review the literature. Methods, An open prospective trial with 10 patients with BP with measurement of the affected BSA. Treatment protocol consisted of three steps: potent class I topical corticosteroid treatment, systemic tetracyclines and systemic corticosteroids. Follow-up period was between 24 and 72 months. Results, Our study suggests a correlation between the success rate of topical corticosteroid treatment and the body surface area initially affected: all patients with an affected BSA of less than 20% healed with topical treatment only. The patients with more than 40% affected BSA needed systemic treatment with steroids. Conclusion, Topical class I corticosteroids seem to be effective in healing lesions of BP, especially if less than 20% of the BSA is affected. This study comprises only 10 patients, making further studies necessary to draw definite conclusions. [source]


The ,ghosts' that pester studies on learning in mosquitoes: guidelines to chase them off

MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
W. J. ALONSO
Abstract The identification of memory and learning in medically important mosquito species has been of epidemiological interest mainly because of the implications of learning on the pattern of contact between vectors and hosts. Empirical results either showing or suggesting the existence of cognitive abilities in mosquitoes have been reported in a number of experimental studies, mainly based on the observation of individual fidelity towards subsets of specific resources, such as hosts, resting sites or breeding sites. A closer inspection of the design of these experiments shows that, with the exception of recent studies providing stronger evidence of learning in the genus Culex (Diptera: Culicidae), methodological shortcomings still hinder the possibility of eliminating alternative interpretations for these findings, in some cases because the experiments were not specifically designed to identify the phenomenon, but mostly because of a lack of appropriate controls or replication. By highlighting these limitations, while acknowledging the practical difficulties that are inherent to the field, we aim to help expel from future research the ,ghosts' that still preclude the achievement of more definite conclusions about the prevalence of memory and learning in this group of insects. [source]


Adult survivors of children's cancer and their offspring

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2000
Fumio Bessho
AbstractBackground: Although it is anticipated in Japan that the number of long-term survivors of children's cancer will rapidly increase and that they will have children, reports of studies concerning the offspring of such survivors have come mainly from western countries. For this reason, it seems that the results of this study will be important. Methods: Ninety-seven survivors of children's cancer, who were diagnosed between 1962 and 1989 and are now older than 20 years old, and their offspring were studied. Results: Of 97 survivors, 30 have married and 23 survivors or their spouses had been pregnant (33 total pregnancies). Twenty-five babies were born and seven pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortion. The abortion rate was not different from that of the Japanese general population. The birthweights of babies born to survivors tended to be lower than those of control subjects. The proportion of babies with birthweights under 2500 g was significantly greater for babies born to survivors than to the control subjects. None of the 25 babies born had congenital anomalies. Subsequent development of these children has been uneventful with no malignancies after a median follow-up period of 4 years 10 months (range: 10 months to 16 years, 3 months). Conclusions: The reproductive activity of children's cancer survivors and the health status of their offspring seem to be satisfactory. However, the sample size of the present study is too small to draw any definite conclusions. Because it is anticipated that the number of long-term survivors of children's cancer will rapidly increase in Japan, it is important to establish an effective system of following up these survivors and their offspring in order to provide them with appropriate suggestions for a better quality of life. [source]


When did Louis Pasteur present his memoir on the discovery of molecular chirality to the Académie des sciences?

CHIRALITY, Issue 10 2008
Analysis of a discrepancy
Abstract Louis Pasteur presented his historic memoir on the discovery of molecular chirality to the Académie des sciences in Paris on May 22nd, 1848. The literature, however, nearly completely ignores this date, widely claiming instead May 15th, 1848, which first surfaced in 1922 in Pasteur's collected works edited by his grandson Louis Pasteur Vallery-Radot. On May 21st, 1848, i.e., one day before Pasteur's presentation in Paris, his mother died in Arbois, eastern France. Informed at an unknown point in time that she was "very ill," Pasteur left for Arbois only after his presentation. Biographies of Pasteur by his son-in-law René Vallery-Radot or the grandson, and Pasteur's collected correspondence edited by the grandson are incomprehensibly laconic or silent about the historic presentation. While no definite conclusions are possible, the evidence strongly suggests a deliberate alteration of the record by the biographer relatives, presumably for fear of adverse public judgment of Pasteur for a real or perceived insensitivity to a grave family medical emergency. Such fear would have been in accord with their hagiographic portrayal of Pasteur, and the findings raise questions concerning the extent of their zeal in protecting his "demigod" image. Universal recognition of the true date of Pasteur's announcement of molecular chirality is long overdue. Chirality, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Endophthalmitis in the western Sydney region: a case-control study

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 6 2001
Somsak Lertsumitkul FRACO
ABSTRACT Background: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to investigate risk factors for endophthalmitis following routine intraocular surgery. Methods: A review was performed of consecutive cases of endophthalmitis from three teaching hospitals in the western Sydney region and matched controls from the same institutions between 1996 and 1998. Results: There were 31 cases and 66 controls. Eighty procedures were phacoemulsification, 15 conventional extracapsular cataract extraction, and two were penetrating keratoplasties. Of the 80 patients who had phacoemulsification surgery, 50 had a clear corneal incision, and 26 had a scleral incision (four were unknown). Logistic regression showed an increased risk of endophthalmitis with surgical complications (P = 0.002) and clear cornea temporal incisions (P = 0.007). Risk of endophthalmitis was reduced with use of subconjunctival injections (P = 0.008). The yield for the Gram stain was 47% and for culture was 67%. Anterior chamber tap in addition to vitreous biopsy alone did not increase the yield for microorganism (P = 0.78). Mean visual acuity on presentation was hand movement with 13 patients (50%) showing visual improvement following intravitreal injections of antibiotics (P = 0.003). Visual prognosis did not correlate with presenting visual acuity but appeared to be better in those who grew Staphylococcus epidermidis or were culture negative. Conclusions: Although this study is unable to draw definite conclusions regarding risk of endophthalmitis in clear corneal temporal cataract surgery, sufficient data suggest the importance of incision type and location. Surgical complication is an important risk factor for endophthalmitis. Use of subconjunctival antibiotic injections at the conclusion of the procedure is recommended. [source]