The design of an electric fence monitoring system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Production Technology at Massey University

This thesis presents the design of an Electric Fence Monitoring System (EFMS) which detects and announciates fence malfunctions indicating operational ineffectiveness. The EFMS consists of a master unit and up to sixteen slave units. Each slave unit monitors a single remote point on the fence. Slave units gain their power from the electric fence pulse itself. They use a unique transmission algorithm to transmit the peak electric fence voltage, to the master unit. The electric fence wire is used to convey this transmission. The master unit uses a non-linear switched capacitor filter with variable gain control, to detect the slave unit transmissions. This unit displays the peak voltage at each monitored point and allows the setting of alarm trigger points. This thesis includes modelling of the electric fence energiser and typical electric fence line, and the detailed design of the two units that makeup the EFMS

The English Curriculum in the People's Republic of China

The status and role of English as a school subject in China has fluctuated wildly because of its desirable but sensitive connotations. English is the language of world trade and communications, which makes its study an important strategy in implementing internationally-oriented policies for "modernization", while its historical overtones of imperialism, capitalism and even barbarianism are unwelcome for those who prefer more self-reliant and isolationist approaches. This paper traces the career of the English curriculum in China since 1949, with particular reference to the junior secondary school curriculum, through an analysis of the national syllabus and textbooks. It identifies five distinct periods and analyses the major forces of curriculum change, the dynamics of curriculum design, and the principal features of models for change in each of the periods. It is argued that the overall process of policy-making, and curriculum development specifically, has been characterized by a complexity and pattern of development which is not adequately recognized in existing portrayals that have focused on the relationship between macro political shifts and educational policies, and have emphasized the role of the state

A General Quantum Mechanical Method to Predict Positron Spectroscopy

The nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) method was modified and extended to positron systems. NEO - second-order Moeller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) energies and annihilation rates were calculated for the positronium hydride (PsH) system, and the effects of basis set size on correlation energies captured with the NEO-MP2 and NEO-full configuration interaction (FCI) methods are compared and discussed. Equilibrium geometries and vibrational energy levels were computed for the LiX and e+LiX (X = H, F, Cl) systems at the MP2 and NEO-MP2 levels. It was found that anharmonicity plays a significant role, specifically in the differences between the vibrational energy levels of the LiX and e+LiX systems. The implications of these results with respect to VFR for these systems is discussed. The positron lifetime in potassium dodecahydrododecaborate methanolate, K2B12H12·CH3OH, was measured to be 0.2645±0.0077 ns. Quantum mechanical calculations reveal a spherically symmetric positronic wavefunction, with a peak in the positron density at the outside edge of the hydrogen atom cage. The experimentally determined annihilation rate corresponds to an effective number of electrons of 1.88, indicating that there is significant positron density both inside and outside of the B12H122- cage

Investigating diet as the source of tetrodotoxin in Pleurobranchaea maculata

The origin of tetrodotoxin (TTX) is highly debated; researchers have postulated either an endogenous or exogenous source with the host accumulating TTX symbiotically or via food chain transmission. The aim of this study was to determine whether the grey side-gilled sea slug (Pleurobranchaea maculata) could obtain TTX from a dietary source, and to attempt to identify this source through environmental surveys. Eighteen non-toxic P. maculata were maintained in aquariums and twelve were fed a TTX-containing diet. Three P. maculata were harvested after 1 h, 24 h, 17 days and 39 days and TTX concentrations in their stomach, gonad, mantle and remaining tissue/fluids determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Tetrodotoxin was detected in all organs/tissue after 1 h with an average uptake of 32%. This decreased throughout the experiment (21%, 15% and 9%, respectively). Benthic surveys at sites with dense populations of toxic P. maculata detected very low or no TTX in other organisms. This study demonstrates that P. maculata can accumulate TTX through their diet. However, based on the absence of an identifiable TTX source in the environment, in concert with the extremely high TTX concentrations and short life spans of P. maculata, it is unlikely to be the sole TTX source for this species

Who is in the transition gap? Transition from CAMHS to AMHS in the Republic of Ireland

Objective: The ITRACK study explored the process and predictors of transition between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) in the Republic of Ireland. Method: Following ethical approval, clinicians in each of Ireland's four Health Service Executive (HSE) areas were contacted, informed about the study and invited to participate. Clinicians identified all cases who had reached the transition boundary (i.e. upper age limit for that CAMHS team ) between January and December 2010. Data were collected on clinical and socio-demographic details and factors that informed the decision to refer or not refer to AMHS and case notes were scrutinised to ascertain the extent of information exchanged between services during transition

The Good Food Club: setting up an after school food club to teach practical food preparation using healthy foods, at Key Stage 3

This paper describes the content and practical aspects of an extra-curricular after school food club in which children, predominantly from low-income backgrounds, were taught how to prepare healthy foods. The food club formed a controlled intervention that aimed to improve children's diets, and the diets of their families, by teaching the children to prepare healthy foods. One hundred children from five schools participated. The food club ran for two hours one night a week for 20 weeks between September 1999 and April 2000. In each session the children were provided with a healthy snack, prepared two dishes that incorporated many different fruits, vegetables and starchy foods and had the opportunity to taste new and exotic foods. Key elements of success have been identified as adopting an approach tha

Analysis of multiply spliced transcripts in lymphoid tissue reservoirs of rhesus macaques infected with RT-SHIV during HAART.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can reduce levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to undetectable levels in infected individuals, but the virus is not eradicated. The mechanisms of viral persistence during HAART are poorly defined, but some reservoirs have been identified, such as latently infected resting memory CD4⁺ T cells. During latency, in addition to blocks at the initiation and elongation steps of viral transcription, there is a block in the export of viral RNA (vRNA), leading to the accumulation of multiply-spliced transcripts in the nucleus. Two of the genes encoded by the multiply-spliced transcripts are Tat and Rev, which are essential early in the viral replication cycle and might indicate the state of infection in a given population of cells. Here, the levels of multiply-spliced transcripts were compared to the levels of gag-containing RNA in tissue samples from RT-SHIV-infected rhesus macaques treated with HAART. Splice site sequence variation was identified during development of a TaqMan PCR assay. Multiply-spliced transcripts were detected in gastrointestinal and lymphatic tissues, but not the thymus. Levels of multiply-spliced transcripts were lower than levels of gag RNA, and both correlated with plasma virus loads. The ratio of multiply-spliced to gag RNA was greatest in the gastrointestinal samples from macaques with plasma virus loads <50 vRNA copies per mL at necropsy. Levels of gag RNA and multiply-spliced mRNA in tissues from RT-SHIV-infected macaques correlate with plasma virus load

Post-operative myocardial infarction following aortic root surgery with coronary reimplantation: a case series treated with percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: Coronary ostial stenosis is an uncommon but potentially lethal complication following aortic root replacement with or without aortic valve replacement (including Bentall and David procedures). This manifests clinically as acute myocardial ischaemia in the early or late post-operative period. Traditionally, this might be managed with redo open-heart surgery. Case summary:  This case series describes two presentations where urgent percutaneous coronary intervention was used to manage myocardial infarction complicating aortic root surgery with coronary reimplantation. Discussion: This series highlights the risk of acute myocardial infarction after cardiac surgery involving coronary reimplantation. Emergency percutaneous coronary intervention is feasible and illustrates the importance of shared post-operative care involving the cardiac surgeons and the cardiology team

Cryptococcus-fungeemia AIDSiga patsiendil

Kuna HI-viiruse kandjate arv Eestis pidevalt suureneb, on lähiaastatel väga tõenäoline mitmesuguste oportunistlike infektsioonide esilekerkimine. Artiklis on kirjeldatatud Eestis teadaolevalt esimest krüptokokkoosi-juhtu AIDSiga patsiendil. 18aastasel naispatsiendil diagnoositi 2003. a mais süsteemne Cryptococcusneoformans infektsioon ja AIDS post mortem. Oportunistlik seenpatogeen isoleeriti patsiendi verekülvist. Krüptokokkoosi diagnostikaks soovitatakse kasutada seene polüsahhariidsete antigeenide määramist lateksaglutinatsiooni või ELISA-meetodil patsiendi liikvorist või vereseerumist. Halvenenud immuunsuse ja meningiidiga patsientidel võib teostada kiirdiagnostilise testina liikvori otsese mikroskoopia. Artiklis on esitatud rahvusvahelistes ravijuhistes toodud soovitused Cryptococcus-infektsiooni raviks

Are marginalized women being left behind? A population based study of institutional births in Rural India

Background While India has made significant progress in reducing maternal mortality, attaining further declines will require increased skilled birth attendance and institutional delivery among marginalized and difficult to reach populations. Methods A population-based survey was carried out among 16 randomly selected rural villages in rural Mysore District in Karnataka, India between August and September 2008. All households in selected villages were enumerated and women with children 6 years of age or younger underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire on antenatal care and institutional delivery. Results Institutional deliveries in rural areas of Mysore District increased from 51% to 70% between 2002 and 2008. While increasing numbers of women were accessing antenatal care and delivering in hospitals, large disparities were found in uptake of these services among different castes. Mothers belonging to general castes were almost twice as likely to have an institutional birth as compared to scheduled castes and tribes. Mothers belonging to other backward caste or general castes had 1.8 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.21, 2.89) of having an institutional delivery as compared to scheduled castes and tribes. In multivariable analysis, which adjusted for inter- and intra-village variance, Below Poverty Line status, caste, and receiving antenatal care were all associated with institutional delivery. Conclusion The results of the study suggest that while the Indian Government has made significant progress in increasing antenatal care and institutional deliveries among rural populations, further success in lowering maternal mortality will likely hinge on the success of NRHM programs focused on serving marginalized groups. Health interventions which target SC/ST may also have to address both perceived and actual stigma and discrimination, in addition to providing needed services. Strategies for overcoming these barriers may include sensitization of healthcare workers, targeted health education and outreach, and culturally appropriate community-level interventions. Addressing the needs of these communities will be critical to achieving Millennium Development Goal Five by 2015