SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES

Faced by increasing pressure on resources, stringent policy requirements and pervasive poverty affecting communities, welfare organisations and social workers in South Africa are forced to consider changing the way they operate.This article is based on a study that was undertaken to determine practical guidelines to help social workers and welfare organisations to implement and run social development programmes.An in-depth literature study as well as the findings of the qualitative research undertaken, proved that success can be achieved by adhering to certain good practice criteria which the researchers identified. These criteria, considered as guideposts, could be helpful to practitioners contemplating instituting social development projects

The formation of excited atoms during charge exchange between hydrogen ions and alkali atoms

The charge exchange cross sections for protons and various alkali atoms are calculated using the classical approximation of Gryzinski. It is assumed that the hydrogen atoms resulting from charge exchange exist in all possible excited states. Charge transfer collisions between protons and potassium as well as protons and sodium atoms are studied. The energy range investigated is between 4 and 30 keV. The theoretical calculations of the capture cross section and the cross section for the creation of metastable 2S hydrogen are compared to experimental values. Good quantitative agreement is found for the capture cross section but only qualitative agreement for the metastable cross section. Analysis of the Lyman alpha window in molecular oxygen suggests that measured values of the metastable cross section may be in error. Thick alkali target data are also presented. This allows the determination of the total electron loss cross section. Finally, some work was done with H2(+)

Theoretical prediction of airplane stability derivatives at subcritical speeds

The theoretical development and application is described of an analysis for predicting the major static and rotary stability derivatives for a complete airplane. The analysis utilizes potential flow theory to compute the surface flow fields and pressures on any configuration that can be synthesized from arbitrary lifting bodies and nonplanar thick lifting panels. The pressures are integrated to obtain section and total configuration loads and moments due side slip, angle of attack, pitching motion, rolling motion, yawing motion, and control surface deflection. Subcritical compressibility is accounted for by means of the Gothert similarity rule

Understanding and Finding Solutions to the Problem of Sedimentation in the National Wildlife Refuge System

The National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) is a collection of public lands maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for migratory birds and other wildlife. Wetlands on individual National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges) may be at risk of increased sedimentation because of land use and water management practices. Increased sedimentation can reduce wetland habitat quality by altering hydrologic function, degrading water quality, and inhibiting growth of vegetation and invertebrates. On Refuges negatively affected by increased sedimentation, managers have to address complex questions about how to best remediate and mitigate the negative effects. The best way to account for these complexities is often not clear. On other Refuges, managers may not know whether sedimentation is a problem. Decision makers in the Refuge System may need to allocate resources to studying which Refuges could be at risk. Such analyses would help them understand where to direct support for managing increased sedimentation. In this paper, we summarize a case study demonstrating the use of decision-analytic tools in the development of a sedimentation management plan for Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota. Using what we learned from that process, we surveyed other Refuges in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 (an area encompassing the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin) and Region 6 (an area encompassing the states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) about whether they experience sediment-related impacts to management. Our results show that cases of management being negatively affected by increased sedimentation are not isolated. We suggest that the Refuge System conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment of increased sedimentation among Refuges to understand the importance of sedimentation in context with other management problems that Refuges face. The results of such an assessment could guide how the Refuge System allocates resources to studying and managing widespread stressors

Annual ryegrass toxicity research summary of experiment results.

Experiments were set up to screen a range of herbicides which might give improved control of Anguina agrostis over the currently recommended paraquat. Two experiments examined Roundup, Fusilade and Sertin at two rates and two experiments screened eight herbicides at five rates from two x label recommendation to 0. 99 x Standard treatment was paraquat at 550 ml. Plots were 3 m x 30 m in the first two experiments and 3 x 5 m (per dilution) in the second. The herbicides were applied on 4/9, 17/9, 24/9, 1/10 and 9/10 (Zadoks stages 32 - 58). There were three replications with 54 nil control plots. Efficacy was measured as galls/m 2 recovered at maturity. Table 1 and Table 2 show the results from two sites, Dumbleyung and Corrigin respectively. No analysis has yet been undertaken and variability is extreme. Unless some form of covariance analysis using nil plots can be undertaken, no useful information can be obtained. Table 3 shows results from a single replication of a trial comparing nine herbicides applied by log dilution sprayer. Only two rates have been processed so far: the highest and lowest

Endocrinology in the time of COVID-19: Management of Cushing’s syndrome

Clinical evaluation should guide those needing immediate investigation. Strict adherence to COVID-19 protection measures is necessary. Alternative ways of consultations (telephone, video) should be used. Early discussion with regional/national experts about investigation and management of potential and existing patients is strongly encouraged. Patients with moderate or severe clinical features need urgent investigation and management. Patients with active Cushing’s syndrome, especially when severe, are immunocompromised and vigorous adherence to the principles of social isolation is recommended. In patients with mild features or in whom a diagnosis is less likely, clinical re-evaluation should be repeated at 3 and 6 months or deferred until the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 has significantly decreased; however, those individuals should be encouraged to maintain social distancing. Diagnostic pathways may need to be very different from usual recommendations in order to reduce possible exposure to SARS-CoV-2. When extensive differential diagnostic testing and/or surgery is not feasible, it should be deferred and medical treatment should be initiated. Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery should be delayed during high SARS-CoV-2 viral prevalence. Medical management rather than surgery will be the used for most patients, since the short- to mid-term prognosis depends in most cases on hypercortisolism rather than its cause; it should be initiated promptly to minimize the risk of infection in these immunosuppressed patients. The risk/benefit ratio of these recommendations will need re-evaluation every 2–3 months from April 2020 in each country (and possibly local areas) and will depend on the local health care structure and phase of pandemic

To B or not to B? The B vitamins and their influence on the body's largest organ

The skin as the body's largest organ plays a big role in each of our lives. While there are a myriad of skincare products for the health and beauty of the skin, the secret to healthy skin could be right in front of us, specifically on our dinner plates. The key to healthy skin could be found in the consumption of the B vitamins. The B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folate, and cobalamin, all play a role in skin health. Thiamine has an influence on collagen during wound healing . Riboflavin deficiency has been found to slow wound healing and lead to diminished maturity of skill collagen. There is also a possible role in development of skin tumors during riboflavin deficiency. Niacin deficiency has been shown to lead to sun sensitivity and an increased prevalence of skin cancers. An 8-week study found that a supplement of pantothenic acid led to a decrease in acne. Research has also shown that B5 supplementation can help with wound healing. Pyridoxine deficiency has shown a possible link with skin hypersensitivity. Biotin deficiency has been shown to increase the occurrence of skin lesions and can cause erythematous dermatitis. Folate has shown to have a possible link in the prevention of skin cancer and deficiency of the vitamin could result in dermatitis. Folate's connection with vitamin D could also play a role in skin pigmentation. Folic acid has also shown a possible benefit of reducing oxidative stress in the skin, thus reducing the presence of acne. Cobalamin excess has shown a possible link with acne. The B vitamins and their role in the skin could promote skin health under proper consumption