Takes

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Chemistry

Kinds of Takes

  • article take
  • expression take
  • graft take
  • i take
  • learning take
  • model take
  • only take
  • paper take
  • process take
  • reaction take
  • transfer take

  • Terms modified by Takes

  • take account
  • take action
  • take advantage
  • take issue
  • take longer
  • take part
  • take place
  • take precedence
  • take time

  • Selected Abstracts


    ACTEL 2004 TAKES ON CHICAGO

    FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 4 2004
    Article first published online: 31 DEC 200
    First page of article [source]


    Brief screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking during pregnancy: a systematic review

    ADDICTION, Issue 4 2010
    Ethel Burns
    ABSTRACT Aims Although prenatal screening for problem drinking during pregnancy has been recommended, guidance on screening instruments is lacking. We investigated the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of brief alcohol screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking in pregnant women. Methods Electronic databases from their inception to June 2008 were searched, as well as reference lists of eligible papers and related review papers. We sought cohort or cross-sectional studies that compared one or more brief alcohol screening questionnaire(s) with reference criteria obtained using structured interviews to detect ,at-risk' drinking, alcohol abuse or dependency in pregnant women receiving prenatal care. Results Five studies (6724 participants) were included. In total, seven instruments were evaluated: TWEAK (Tolerance, Worried, Eye-opener, Amnesia, Kut down), T-ACE [Take (number of drinks), Annoyed, Cut down, Eye-opener], CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilt, Eye-opener], NET (Normal drinker, Eye-opener, Tolerance), AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test), AUDIT-C (AUDIT-consumption) and SMAST (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test). Study quality was generally good, but lack of blinding was a common weakness. For risk drinking sensitivity was highest for T-ACE (69-88%), TWEAK (71,91%) and AUDIT-C (95%), with high specificity (71,89%, 73,83% and 85%, respectively). CAGE and SMAST performed poorly. Sensitivity of AUDIT-C at score ,3 was high for past year alcohol dependence (100%) or alcohol use disorder (96%) with moderate specificity (71% each). For life-time alcohol dependency the AUDIT at score ,8 performed poorly. Conclusion T-ACE, TWEAK and AUDIT-C show promise for screening for risk drinking, and AUDIT-C may also be useful for identifying alcohol dependency or abuse. However, their performance as stand-alone tools is uncertain, and further evaluation of questionnaires for prenatal alcohol use is warranted. [source]


    Take two prednisone and don't call me in the morning

    INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 2 2005
    Corey A. Siegel MD
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Bayesian strategy assessment in multi-attribute decision making

    JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING, Issue 3 2003
    Arndt Bröder
    Abstract Behavioral Decision Research on multi-attribute decision making is plagued with the problem of drawing inferences from behavioral data on cognitive strategies. This bridging problem has been tackled by a range of methodical approaches, namely Structural Modeling (SM), Process Tracing (PT), and comparative model fitting. Whereas SM and PT have been criticized for a number of reasons, the comparative fitting approach has some theoretical advantages as long as the formal relation between theories and data is specified. A Bayesian method is developed that is able to assess, whether an empirical data vector was most likely generated by a ,Take The Best' heuristic (Gigerenzer et al., 1991), by an equal weight rule, or a compensatory strategy. Equations are derived for the two- and three-alternative cases, respectively, and a simulation study supports its validity. The classification also showed convergent validity with Process Tracing measures in an experiment. Potential extensions of the general approach to other applications in behavioral decision research are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    The Radial Approach: Is This the Route to Take?

    JOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
    M.R.C.P., SUDHIR RATHORE M.D.
    The benefits of the transradial approach have clearly been demonstrated over the years in various studies. The reduced incidence of access site complications and early mobilization are some of the benefits making this technique popular with interventional cardiologists worldwide. With increasing experience and availability of dedicated equipment this technique is now been increasingly used for complex catheter interventions. However, there still remain some potential problems and complications with the transradial approach and it needs further research. The main purpose of this review is to highlight the benefits, complications, and potential problems with the transradial approach. [source]


    The Dynamic Interaction of Water with Four Dental Impression Materials During Cure

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 4 2009
    Dariush Hosseinpour PhD
    Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this work was to investigate the interaction of water with four different dental impression materials: Aquasil (Ultra XLV Type 3), Take 1 (Wash Regular Set), Genie (Light Body, Standard Set), and Impregum Garant (Soft Light Bodied Consistency). Materials and Methods: Apparent contact angles of de-ionized water made against thin horizontal sample films of the different materials under different conditions were measured from analysis of profile images of symmetrical sessile drops of water placed on the sample films using a Model FTÅ200 dynamic drop shape analysis system, which included a JAI M30 high speed CCD camera combined with a zoom microscope. Data were taken for specimens of dry ages (times following mixing) from a minimum of 20 seconds up to 1220 seconds. Imaging was started before the initial water/impression material contact, and lasted for at least 420 seconds in each case. The interval at the beginning of each run was 0.033 second, and then increased by a factor of 1.012 to the end. During the initial 3 seconds following the drop deposition, the drop's shape oscillated due to inertial effects, so apparent contact angle data during this period were neglected in all cases. All measurements were made at room temperature. The drops were enclosed in a humidified chamber that suppressed evaporation. All data were repeated at least five times, and results were analyzed where appropriate using one-way ANOVA. Microscopic images of the water/impression material interactions for fresh (uncured) materials were acquired to reveal the destructive interactions that resulted from such contact. Finally, surface tension measurements were made of water that had been contacted with material of varying dry age using the pendant drop method capability of the drop shape analysis system. These helped to assess the origin of hydrophilicity development for the different materials. Results: For short curing times (dry ages), water showed a destructive effect on the integrity of all of the impression materials, as evidenced by the formation of a crater beneath the water drop and a scum of material at its surface. These effects diminished with dry age until a critical curing time was reached, beyond which such destructive interactions were no longer detectable. These critical curing times were determined to be 80, 140, 110, and 185 seconds for Aquasil, Take 1, Genie, and Impregum, respectively. The initial contact angle following the respective critical curing time was lowest for Impregum, at 66°; while values for Aquasil, Genie, and Take 1 were 93°, 104°, and 110°, respectively. Beyond the critical curing times for the different materials, different degrees of hydrophilicity were observed. Aquasil showed the lowest final contact angle (<10°), with Impregum, Take 1, and Genie showing 31°, 34°, and 40°, respectively. Measurements of the surface tension of water after contact with the different materials suggested that for Aquasil, hydrophilicity appears to be developed through the leaching of surfactant from the material, whereas for Impregum, Take 1, and Genie, hydrophilicity is developed at least in part through a change in surface structure in contact with water. Impregum and Aquasil materials of dry ages well beyond the critical curing time exhibited a stick-slip behavior in their interline movement or contact angle evolution. This was believed to be due to the slowness in the leaching of surfactant (in the case of Aquasil) or the re-orientation of unleachable surface groups (in the case of the other materials) in comparison to the inherent kinetics of water drop spreading. Conclusions: All materials investigated in the fresh, uncured state showed qualitative decomposition when put in contact with water through the formation of a crater beneath the water drop and a scum of material at its surface. These effects diminished with curing time until beyond a critical value, no such effects were evident. The initial hydrophilicity of the materials as determined by the contact angles obtained at their respective critical dry ages was greatest for Impregum. Beyond the critical curing time, different degrees of hydrophilicity were observed, with Aquasil showing the lowest final contact angle. [source]


    The Lost Inner World of Grantmaking Foundations (or, as Willie Sutton Once Said, "That's Where the Money Is")

    NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 2 2001
    William A. Diaz
    How Foundations Work: What Grantseekers Need to Know About the Many Faces of Foundations, by Dennis P. McIlnay. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998. 204 pp., $29.95 cloth. Give and Take: A Candid Account of Corporate Philanthropy, by Reynold Levy. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1999. 235 pp., $24.95 cloth. [source]


    How Can the United States Take the Initiative in the Current North Korean Nuclear Crisis?

    PACIFIC FOCUS, Issue 2 2005
    Jin H. Pak
    On September 19, 2005, the last day of the fourth round of six-party talks, a deal was announced in which North Korea pledged to end its nuclear program in return for a number of concessions. Within 24 hours of that announcement, North Korea clarified its position by stating that the United States "should not even dream" it would dismantle its nuclear weapons until it receives a light-water nuclear reactor. Despite four rounds of six-party talks over a three year period, it seems that almost no real progress has been made, except for North Korea; US intelligence officials estimate that North Korea could have made as many as 8 or 9 nuclear weapons already. So it seems North Korea has cleverly increased its bargaining position vis-à-vis the United States. As lengthy negotiations over the provision of a Light Water Reactor (LWR) will undoubtedly ensue, it can use that time to steadily increase its nuclear deterrent. Why did the United States agree to this sub-optimal outcome? Why was it so difficult for the United States to exert more influence on North Korea and the other countries in the six-party talks? The answer to these questions lies in the changing trends affecting Northeast Asian security dynamics. For various reasons that this article will explain, these trends affect the ability of the United States to take the initiative in the ongoing North Korean nuclear crisis. As long as the United States fails to account for various changes in Northeast Asian regional dynamics, its strategy will to deter North Korea from continuing its nuclear program will not succeed. [source]


    Parrots Take it with a Grain of Salt: Available Sodium Content May Drive Collpa (Clay Lick) Selection in Southeastern Peru

    BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2009
    Luke L. Powell
    ABSTRACT Soils from 18 parrot collpas (,clay licks') in southeastern Peru averaged four times more available sodium than uneaten control soils. Collpa soils contained marginally more clay than control sites and clay content was uncorrelated with available sodium content. Parrots may select and ingest soils based on available sodium content. RESUMEN Suelos de 18 colpas de loros del sureste del Perú promediaron cuatro veces más sodio disponible que suelos control no consumidos. Suelos de colpas fueron un poco más arcillosos que los suelos control; además el contenido de arcilla no presentó correlación con el contenido de sodio disponible. Concluimos que la selección y consumo de suelos por loros se basa en el contenido de sodio disponible. [source]


    Developmental maturation of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in rat vestibular nuclear neurons responsive to vertical linear acceleration

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 11 2008
    Suk-King Lai
    Abstract We investigated the maturation profile of subunits of ionotropic glutamate receptors in vestibular nuclear neurons that were activated by sinusoidal linear acceleration along the vertical plane. The otolithic origin of Fos expression in these neurons was confirmed as a marker of functional activation when labyrinthectomized and/or stationary control rats contrasted by showing sporadically scattered Fos-labeled neurons in the vestibular nuclei. By double immunohistochemistry for Fos and one of the receptor subunits, otolith-related neurons that expressed either ,-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate or N -methyl- d -aspartate subunits were first identified in the medial vestibular nucleus, spinal vestibular nucleus and Group x by postnatal day (P)7, and in the lateral vestibular nucleus and Group y by P9. No double-labeled neurons were found in the superior vestibular nucleus. Within each vestibular subnucleus, these double-labeled neurons constituted ,90% of the total Fos-labeled neurons. The percentage of Fos-labeled neurons expressing the GluR1 or NR2A subunit showed developmental invariance in all subnuclei. For Fos-labeled neurons expressing the NR1 subunit, similar invariance was observed except that, in Group y, these neurons decreased from P14 onwards. For Fos-labeled neurons expressing the GluR2, GluR2/3, GluR4 or NR2B subunit, a significant decrease was found by the adult stage. In particular, those expressing the GluR4 subunit showed a two- to threefold decrease in the medial vestibular nucleus, spinal vestibular nucleus and Group y. Also, those expressing the NR2B subunit showed a twofold decrease in Group y. Taken together, the postsynaptic expression of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in different vestibular subnuclei suggests that glutamatergic transmission within subregions plays differential developmental roles in the coding of gravity-related vertical spatial information. [source]


    Prostaglandin F2, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via a G,q-Calcium-Calcineurin-Dependent signaling pathway

    JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2007
    Li Liu
    Abstract Prostaglandin F2, (PGF2,) is a potent physiological inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation, however the specific signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in mediating its anti-adipogenic effects are not well understood. In the current study, we now provide evidence that PGF2, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via a signaling pathway that requires heterotrimeric G-protein G,q subunits, the elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and the activation of the Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin. We show that while this pathway acts to inhibit an early step in the adipogenic cascade, it does not interfere with the initial mitotic clonal expansion phase of adipogenesis, nor does it affect either the expression, DNA binding activity or differentiation-induced phosphorylation of the early transcription factor C/EBP,. Instead, we find that PGF2, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via a calcineurin-dependent mechanism that acts to prevent the expression of the critical pro-adipogenic transcription factors PPAR, and C/EBP,. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the inhibitory effects of PGF2, on both the expression of PPAR, and C/EBP, and subsequent adipogenesis can be attenuated by treatment of preadipocytes with the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A. Taken together, these results indicate that PGF2, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via a G,q-Ca2+ -calcineurin-dependent signaling pathway that acts to block expression of PPAR, and C/EBP, by a mechanism that appears to involves an HDAC-sensitive step. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 161,173, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Subnuclear targeting of Runx1 Is required for synergistic activation of the myeloid specific M-CSF receptor promoter by PU.1,

    JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2005
    Xiangen Li
    Abstract Many types of acute myelogenous leukemia involve chromosomal translocations that target the C-terminus of Runx1/AML1 transcription factor, a master regulator of hematopoiesis. The C-terminus of Runx1/AML1 that includes the nuclear matrix targeting signal (NMTS) is essential for embryonic development, hematopoiesis, and target gene regulation. During the onset and normal progression of hematopoiesis, several lineage-specific factors such as C/EBP, and PU.1 interact with Runx1 to regulate transcription combinatorially. Here we addressed the functional interplay between subnuclear targeting of Runx1 and gene activation during hematopoiesis. Point mutations were generated in the NMTS of the human Runx1 protein and tested for their effect on transcriptional cooperativity with C/EBP, and PU.1 at myeloid-specific promoters. We characterized five mutants that do not alter nuclear import, DNA binding or C/EBP,-dependent synergistic activation of the target gene promoters. However a critical tyrosine in the NMTS is required for subnuclear targeting and activation of the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) promoter. Furthermore, this point mutation is defective for transcriptional synergism with PU.1 on the macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF) receptor c-FMS promoter. Our results indicate that the NMTS region of Runx1 is required for functional interactions with PU.1. Taken together, our findings establish that subnuclear targeting of Runx1 is a critical component of myeloid-specific transcriptional control. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Novel targets for valproic acid: up-regulation of melatonin receptors and neurotrophic factors in C6 glioma cells

    JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005
    Lyda M. Rincón Castro
    Abstract Valproic acid (VPA) is a potent anti-epileptic and effective mood stabilizer. It is known that VPA enhances central GABAergic activity and activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase,extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK,ERK) pathway. It can also inhibit various isoforms of the enzyme, histone deacetylase (HDAC), which is associated with modulation of gene transcription. Recent in vivo studies indicate a neuroprotective role for VPA, which has been found to up-regulate the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the rat brain. Given the interaction between the pineal hormone, melatonin, and GABAergic systems in the central nervous system, the effects of VPA on the expression of the mammalian melatonin receptor subtypes, MT1 and MT2, were examined in rat C6 glioma cells. The effects of VPA on the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and BDNF were also examined. RT-PCR studies revealed a significant induction of melatonin MT1 receptor mRNA in C6 cells following treatment with 3 or 5 mm VPA for 24 h or 5 mm VPA for 48 h. Western analysis and immunocytochemical detection confirmed that the VPA-induced increase in MT1 mRNA results in up-regulation of MT1 protein expression. Blockade of the MAPK,ERK pathway by PD98059 enhanced the effect of VPA on MT1 expression, suggesting a negative role for this pathway in MT1 receptor regulation. In addition, significant increases in BDNF, GDNF and HDAC mRNA expression were observed after treatment with VPA for 24 or 48 h. Taken together, the present findings suggest that the neuroprotective properties of VPA involve modulation of neurotrophic factors and receptors for melatonin, which is also thought to play a role in neuroprotection. Moreover, the foregoing suggests that combinations of VPA and melatonin could provide novel therapeutic strategies in neurological and psychiatric disorders. [source]


    Torsional Vibration Damping Through Frictional Torsion Damper with Structural Friction and Slide Taken into Consideration

    PROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2005
    Zbigniew Skup Ph. DSC
    The paper is concerned with a non-linear discrete stationary mechanical system containing a frictional torsion damper. Proper effect of vibration damping in a two-degree-of freedom system can be reached by the right selection of geometrical parameters for given loads, as pre-determined by a mathematical model. Structural friction was considered, as well as small relative sliding of damper's discs cooperating with a plunger. The system vibrates under harmonic excitation. The problem was considered on the assumption of uniform unit pressure distribution between the contacting surfaces of friction discs and the plunger. When the discs are sliding, the friction coefficient varies, depending on relative angular velocity. Friction characteristics were assumed on the basis of the author's own research and experimental testing by other authors. Properties of the material were assumed to be in accordance with classical theory of elasticity. The author analysed the influence of parameters of the dynamic system upon amplitude and frequency characteristics as well as on phase and frequency characteristics. The equation of motion was solved by means of the slowly-varying-parameters method and, in order to compare the results, by means of numerical simulation. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    N-linked glycosylation is an important parameter for optimal selection of cell lines producing biopharmaceutical human IgG

    BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 1 2009
    Patrick H. C. van Berkel
    Abstract We studied the variations in N-linked glycosylation of human IgG molecules derived from 105 different stable cell lines each expressing one of the six different antibodies. Antibody expression was based on glutamine synthetase selection technology in suspension growing CHO-K1SV cells. The glycans detected on the Fc fragment were mainly of the core-fucosylated complex type containing zero or one galactose and little to no sialic acid. The glycosylation was highly consistent for the same cell line when grown multiple times, indicating the robustness of the production and glycan analysis procedure. However, a twofold to threefold difference was observed in the level of galactosylation and/or non-core-fucosylation between the 105 different cell lines, suggesting clone-to-clone variation. These differences may change the Fc-mediated effector functions by such antibodies. Large variation was also observed in the oligomannose-5 glycan content, which, when present, may lead to undesired rapid clearance of the antibody in vivo. Statistically significant differences were noticed between the various glycan parameters for the six different antibodies, indicating that the variable domains and/or light chain isotype influence Fc glycosylation. The glycosylation altered when batch production in shaker was changed to fed-batch production in bioreactor, but was consistent again when the process was scaled from 400 to 5,000 L. Taken together, the observed clone-to-clone glycosylation variation but batch-to-batch consistency provides a rationale for selection of optimal production cell lines for large-scale manufacturing of biopharmaceutical human IgG. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009 [source]


    The Impact of Governmental Guidance on the Time Taken to Receive a Prescription for Medication for ADHD in England

    CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2010
    David M. Foreman
    The National Health Service in England has deployed guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) to assist practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but, though the number of prescriptions has risen since its introduction, the impact of the guidance on prescribing practice has not been studied. Clinic records of all open ADHD cases (296) in three English Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services were examined. The time from referral to either prescription or data collection was extracted for a survival analysis. It was hypothesised that NICE guidance, clinic, patient and referral characteristics would all influence the speed and likelihood of prescription. Following the introduction of NICE guidance, the median time to start prescribing medication fell from 1262 to 526 days: the minimum realistic time to complete a routine assessment was approximately 70 days. Overall, 70% were prescribed medication. Most of the wait was after face-to-face appointments at the clinic had been initiated. Waiting times differed between clinics and shorter waits were likely for older children and those referred from an educational source. While the introduction of NICE guidance has increased the rate of prescription, the time taken before prescription suggests that the tendency in England is still to postpone treatment by medication. The reasons for this require further research. [source]


    Infrared-monitored cold response in the assessment of Raynaud's phenomenon

    CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
    J. Foerster
    Summary Background., Evaluation of treatments for Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) requires objective response parameters in addition to clinical activity scores. Thermographic monitoring of fingertip re-warming after cold challenge has been widely used but usually requires sophisticated equipment. We have previously shown that fingertip re-warming after cold challenge follows a first-order transient response curve that can be described by a single variable, designated ,. Objectives., Here, we describe a novel device termed a duosensor, which records the , value upon cold challenge in an automated manner. Methods., We determined , values in healthy probands, patients with primary or secondary RP associated with autoimmune disease and patients with scleroderma-associated RP following cold challenge, to determine assay variability, sensitivity and specificity. Results., Duosensor-based thermography exhibited low intraindividual variability in healthy probands. As expected, , values in RP patients were significantly increased compared with controls (8.08 ± 3.65 min vs. 3.23 ± 1.65 min). The duosensor-determined , value yielded a specificity of 94.6% and predictive value of 95.3% for the presence of RP in a retrospective analysis of 139 patients. Furthermore, in a cohort of scleroderma patients with RP, patient self-assessment of RP severity correlated with , values. Conclusions., Taken together, the present data suggest that , value determination provides a suitable outcome measure for clinical studies of novel RP treatments. As the duosensor is a simple stand-alone device requiring no supporting equipment and minimal personnel attention, it should allow RP activity monitoring even in clinical settings with minimal technical infrastructure. [source]


    An Innovative Use of Technology: Spanish Instruction Takes Off at Ohio's Cassingham Elementary

    FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 1 2005
    Article first published online: 31 DEC 200
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Guest editorial: It Takes a Village to Heal a Wound

    INTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006
    Elizabeth A. Ayello
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    EAC: Common Market Takes Off

    AFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 6 2010
    Article first published online: 3 AUG 2010
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Managed Care Takes to the Highway: Implications for Insureds

    THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS, Issue 2 2001
    Barbara J. Gilchrist
    First page of article [source]


    EDITORIAL: It Takes a Society to Raise a Journal: Happy First Birthday

    THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2005
    Irwin Goldstein MD Editor-in-Chief
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Getting Real about What It Takes to Conduct Evaluation Research

    ANNALS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2005
    Elaine L. Simon
    First page of article [source]


    Proton spectroscopic metabolite signal relaxation times in preterm infants: A prerequisite for quantitative spectroscopy in infant brain

    JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 6 2003
    Harald Kugel PhD
    Abstract Purpose To determine relaxation times of metabolite signals in proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectra of immature brain, which allow a correction of relaxation that is necessary for a quantitative evaluation of spectra acquired with long TE. Proton MR spectra acquired with long TE allow a better definition of metabolites as N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) and lactate especially in children. Materials and Methods Relaxation times were determined in the basal ganglia of 84 prematurely born infants at a postconceptional age of 37.8 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD) weeks. Metabolite resonances were investigated using the double-spin-echo volume selection method (PRESS) at 1.5 T. T1 was determined from intensity ratios of signals obtained with TRs of 1884 and 6000 msec, measured at 3 TEs (25 msec, 136 msec, 272 msec). T2 was determined from signal intensity ratios obtained with TEs of 136 msec and 272 msec, measured at 2 TR. Taking only long TEs reduced baseline distortions by macromolecules and lipids. For myo-inositol (MI), an apparent T2 for short TE was determined from the ratio of signals obtained with TE = 25 msec and 136 msec. Intensities were determined by fitting a Lorentzian to the resonance, and by integration. Results Relaxation times were as follows: trimethylamine-containing compounds (Cho): T1 = 1217 msec/T2 = 273 msec; total creatine (Cr) at 3.9 ppm: 1010 msec/111 msec; Cr at 3.0 ppm: 1388 msec/224 msec; NAA: 1171 msec/499 msec; Lac: 1820 msec/1022 msec; MI: 1336 msec/173 msec; apparent T2 at short TE: 68 msec. Conclusion T1 and T2 in the basal ganglia of premature infants do not differ much from previously published data from basal ganglia of older children and adults. T2 of Cho was lower than previous values. T2 of Cr at 3.9 ppm and Lac have been measured under different conditions before, and present values differ from these data. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;17:634,640. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Appetite for Change: How the Counterculture Took on the Food Industry

    CULTURE, AGRICULTURE, FOOD & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 2 2007
    Deborah Wagner
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Management and Recovery Options for Ural River Beluga Sturgeon

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
    PHAEDRA DOUKAKIS
    caviar; CITES; criadero; Mar Caspio; puntos de referencia; sobrepesca Abstract:,Management of declining fisheries of anadromous species sometimes relies heavily on supplementation of populations with captive breeding, despite evidence that captive breeding can have negative consequences and may not address the root cause of decline. The beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), a species threatened by the market for black caviar and reductions in habitat quality, is managed through harvest control and hatchery supplementation, with an emphasis on the latter. We used yield per recruit and elasticity analyses to evaluate the population status and current levels of fishing and to identify the life-history stages that are the best targets for conservation of beluga of the Ural River. Harvest rates in recent years were four to five times higher than rates that would sustain population abundance. Sustainable rates of fishing mortality are similar to those for other long-lived marine species such as sharks and mammals. Yield per recruit, which is maximized if fish are first harvested at age 31 years, would be greatly enhanced by raising minimum size limits or reducing illegal take of subadults. Improving the survival of subadult and adult females would increase population productivity by 10 times that achieved by improving fecundity and survival from egg to age 1 year (i.e., hatchery supplementation). These results suggest that reducing mortality of subadults and adult wild fish is a more effective conservation strategy than hatchery supplementation. Because genetics is not factored into hatchery management practices, supplementation may even reduce the viability of the beluga sturgeon. Resumen:,El manejo de pesquerías de peces anádromos en declinación a veces depende estrechamente de la suplementación de poblaciones mediante la reproducción en cautiverio, no obstante la evidencia de que la reproducción en cautiverio puede tener consecuencias negativas y no abordar la causa principal de la declinación. El esturión beluga (Huso huso), una especie amenazada por el mercado de caviar negro y por reducciones en la calidad del hábitat, es manejado mediante el control de la cosecha y suplementación de poblaciones, con énfasis en esta. Utilizamos análisis de producción por recluta y de elasticidad para evaluar el estatus de la población y los niveles de pesca actuales y para identificar las etapas de la historia de vida que son los mejores blancos para la conservación del beluga en el Río Ural. Las tasas de cosecha en años recientes fueron cuatro a cinco veces mayores que las tasas que sustentarían la abundancia de la población. Las tasas sustentables de mortalidad por pesca son similares a las de otras especies marinas longevas como tiburones y mamíferos. La producción por recluta, que es maximizada si los peces son cosechados a la edad de 31 años, podría incrementar significativamente elevando los límites de talla mínima o reduciendo la captura ilegal de subadultos. La mejora de la supervivencia de hembras subadultas y adultas incrementaría la productividad de la población 10 veces más que la mejora obtenida incrementando la fecundidad y supervivencia de huevo a 1 año de edad (i. e., suplementación de poblaciones mediante reproducción en cautiverio). Estos resultados sugieren que la reducción de la mortalidad de peces silvestres subadultos y adultos es una mejor estrategia de conservación que la suplementación. Debido a que la genética no es considerada en las prácticas de manejo en los criaderos, la suplementación incluso puede reducir la viabilidad del esturión beluga. [source]


    The influence of supersaturation on crystal morphology , experimental and theoretical study

    CRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2005
    Jun Jun Lu
    Abstract The surface docking approach of molecular modeling for prediction of crystal morphology in the presence of additives is further developed in this work. It is modified in order to take into account the influence of supersaturation on the crystal habit. With the introduction of the BCF theory and the 2-D growth mechanism in the above mentioned approach predictions have been carried out for paracetamol and caprolactam crystals, respectively. The verifications by crystals grown from solutions as simulated by the computer model give good agreements. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Drifters and the Dancing Mad: The Public School Music Curriculum and the Fabrication of Boundaries for Participation

    CURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 3 2008
    RUTH GUSTAFSON
    ABSTRACT Recent reforms in the general music curriculum have, for the most part, failed to lessen the attrition rates of African Americans from public school music programs. In this article I assert that an embodied ideal of cultural nobility, exemplified by Auguste Rodin's famous statue, The Thinker, has unconsciously operated as a template for participation. As a model comportment in the Western musical tradition, The Thinker has a broader relevance insofar as other school subjects emerged from similar cultural ideals. Beginning with the early period of public music instruction up to the present, I examine the construction of racial boundaries by linking a specific body comportment hailed as worthy by the music curriculum to historically constructed notions of Whiteness. This issue has been underexplored in research in both music and general education. For that reason, this article examines overlapping systems of reasoning about music, comportment, class, religion, language, nationality, and race in professional and popular texts from the early 1800s to the present. This positions public music instruction as authored, not by pedagogical insight alone, but through changes in musical taste, social practices, strategies of governing populations, and definitions of worthy citizenship. There are three levels of analysis. The first is a personal account of the early manifestations of attrition of African Americans from school music programs. The second level of analysis brings the problem of equity into proximity with the tradition of genteel comportment that permeated the training of the good ear or listener and the fabrication of the bona fide citizen. These, I argue are congruent with the historical construction of Whiteness as a standard mark of worthiness. At the third level of analysis, I take up present-day curriculum designs. This section discusses how the language of the music curriculum continues to draw boundaries for participation through protocols that regulate musical response. Here, I argue that the exclusion of popular genres such as hip-hop should be rethought in light of the evidence that shifting historical definitions for music fabricated an overly restrictive template for comportment, recognizing the prototype of Whiteness as the sole embodiment of merit. [source]


    Writing as Inquiry: Storying the Teaching Self in Writing Workshops

    CURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 4 2002
    Freema Elbaz, Luwisch
    Recent research demonstrates that the process of telling and writing personal stories is a powerful means of fostering teachers' professional growth (Connelly & Clandinin, 1995; Conle, 1996; Diamond, 1994; Heikkinen, 1998; Kelchtermans, 1993). This article aims to further understanding of writing in the development of teachers' narratives of practice, and to critically examine the potential of the writing workshop as a space where diverse voices can find expression. I take up a narrative perspective, seeing the practice of teaching as constructed when teachers tell and live out particular stories. I examine the autobiographic writing of teachers who participated in a graduate course on autobiography and professional development, drawing on phenomenological (Van Manen, 1990) and narrative methods (Mishler, 1986) and attending to issues of voice (Raymond, Butt, & Townsend, 1992, Brown & Gilligan, 1992) and "restorying" (Clandinin & Connelly, 1996, 1998). The main questions addressed are how do teachers narratively construct their own development and how does the university context, usually construed as a locus of knowledge transmission, function as a framework for the processes of storytelling, reflection, and restorying of experience and for the elaboration by teachers of an internally persuasive discourse (Bakhtin, 1981)? The article describes the experience of the course and the various uses to which participants put autobiographic writing; the range of voices used in the writing is indicated. Three "moments" in the writing process are discussed: describing, storying, and questioning, moments that, taken together, are seen to make up the restorying process. The conclusions point to limitations and possibilities of writing in the academic setting, in particular the place of theory in helping to draw out teachers' voices. [source]


    Learning from Difference: Considerations for Schools as Communities

    CURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 3 2000
    Carolyn M. Shields
    In today's highly complex and heterogeneous public schools, the current notion of schools as homogeneous communities with shared beliefs, norms, and alues is inadequate. Drawing on Barth's (1990) question of how to use ifference as a resource, I take up ideas from feminism, multiculturalism, and inclusive education to consider the development of community in schools. I argue that despite the valuable contributions of these theoretical perspectives, each lso includes the potential for increased fragmentation and polarization. As we consider how to use differences as a foundation for community, it is important ot to reify any particular perspective, thus marginalizing others and erecting new barriers. Explicitly embracing the need to identify and respect difference, being open to new ideas without taking an exclusionary position, and committing to ongoing participation in dialogical processes may help schools to develop as more authentic communities of difference. Among the dominant issues identified in today's climate of turbulent educational reform are concerns about how to restructure schools to ensure equality of student opportunity and excellence of instruction (Elmore, 1990; Lieberman, 1992; Murphy, 1991). Many proposals include modifying present leadership and governance structures, overcoming the hegemony of existing power bases, developing mechanisms for accountability, enhancing professionalism, and co-ordinating community resources. One of the suggestions frequently made to address these issues is to change from a focus on schools as organizations to a recognition of schools as communities (Barth, 1990; Fullan, 1993; Lupart & Webber, 1996; Senge, 1990). However, despite the widespread use of the metaphor of community as an alternative to the generally accepted concept of schools as rational or functional organizations, there seems to be little clarity about the concept of community, what it might look like, how it might be implemented, or what policies might sustain it. Indeed, theories about schools as communities have often drawn from Tönnies (1887/1971) concept of gemeinschaft,a concept which perhaps evokes a more homogeneous and romanticized view of the past than one which could be helpful for improving education in today's dynamic, complex, and heterogeneous context (Beck & Kratzer, 1994; Sergiovanni, 1994a). More recently, several writers (Fine et al., 1997; Furman, 1998; Shields & Seltzer, 1997) have advanced the notion of communities of otherness or difference. These authors have suggested that rather than thinking of schools as communities that exist because of a common affiliation to an established school ethos or tradition, it might be more helpful to explore an alternative concept. A school community founded on difference would be one in which the common centre would not be taken as a given but would be co-constructed from the negotiation of disparate beliefs and values as participants learn to respect, and to listen to, each other. In this concept, bonds among members are not assumed, but forged, and boundaries are not imposed but negotiated. Over the past eight years, as I have visited and worked with a large number of schools trying earnestly to address the needs of their diverse student bodies, I have become increasingly aware of the limitations of the concept of community used in the gemeinschaft sense with its emphasis on shared values, norms, and beliefs, and have begun to reflect on the question framed by Barth (1990): ,How can we make conscious, deliberate use of differences in social class, gender, age, ability, race, and interest as resources for learning?' (p. 514). In this article, I consider how learning from three of these areas of difference: gender, race, and ability, may help us to a better understanding of educational community. This article begins with some illustrations and examples from practice, moves to consider how some theoretical perspectives may illuminate them, and concludes with reflections on how the implications of the combined reflections on practice and theory might actually help to reconceptualize and to improve practice. While it draws heavily on questions and impressions which have arisen out of much of my fieldwork, it is not intended to be an empirical paper, but a conceptual one,one which promotes reflection and discussion on the concept of schools as communities of difference. The examples of life in schools taken from longitudinal research studies in which I have been involved demonstrate several common ways in which difference is dealt with in today's schools and some of the problems inherent in these approaches. Some ideas drawn from alternative perspectives then begin to address Barth's question of how to make deliberate use of diversity as a way of thinking about community. Taken together, I hope that these ideas will be helpful in creating what I have elsewhere called ,schools as communities of difference' (Shields & Seltzer, 1997). [source]