5,312 research outputs found

    Using The Jeopardy Game To Enhance Student Understanding Of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) Exam Material

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    Accounting research has included many suggestions for increasing active learning in the classroom. These include journal writing, role-playing and playing games (Haywood, McMullen, and Wygal 2004). The use of games in class is an effective tool to stimulate interest, reduce boredom, and enhance learning among the students. The popular TV game show “Jeopardy!” was employed to review students for an undergraduate accounting information systems (AIS) exam. Pre/post test results reflect a significant increase in the students’ understanding of AIS exam material that was covered. Overall the students agreed that the game was enjoyable and requested that they be able to review for other exams in a similar manner

    Creating a Debris Flow Susceptibility Model for Great Britain: a GIS Based Approach

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    The term debris flow refers to the rapid downslope flow of poorly-sorted debris mixed with water (Ballantyne, 2004). Debris flows are described by (Hungr et al., 2014) as: “very rapid to extremely rapid surging flow of saturated debris in a steep channel. Strong entrainment of material and water from the flow path”. They are a widespread phenomenon in mountainous terrain and are distinct from other types of landslides as they can occur periodically on established paths, usually gullies and first- or second-order drainage channels. Debris flows in Great Britain are most commonly found in upland Scotland but also in parts of Wales and the Lake District

    Effect of average litter weight in pigs on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of the offspring as depending on birth weight

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    Offspring born from normal litter size (10 to 15 piglets) but classified as having lower than average birth weight (average of the sow herd used: 1.46 ± 0.2 kg; mean ± s.d.) carry at birth negative phenotypic traits normally associated with intrauterine growth restriction, such as brain-sparing and impaired myofiber hyperplasia. The objective of the study was to assess long-term effects of intrauterine crowding by comparing postnatal performance, carcass characteristics and pork quality of offspring born from litters with higher (>1.7 kg) or lower ( 0.05). These pigs were fattened in group pen and slaughtered at 165 days of age. Pre-weaning performance of the litters and growth performance, carcass and meat quality traits of the selected pigs were assessed. Number of stillborn and pig mortality were greater (P 0.05) slaughter weight at 165 days of age. However, HL-gilts were more feed efficient and had leaner carcasses than HI-, LH- and LI-pigs (birth weight class × gender interaction P < 0.05). Meat quality traits were mostly similar between groups. The marked between-litter birth weight variation observed in normal size litters had therefore no evident negative impact on growth potential and quality of pigs from the lower birth weight grou

    A user guide for the GeoSure Extra : Debris Flow Susceptibility Model for Great Britain (Version 6.0)

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    This report is the published product of a study by the British Geological Survey (BGS) to produce a national scale Debris Flow Susceptibility Map for Great Britain. It builds on research BGS has conducted over the past decade investigating debris flows and extends the work conducted by Harrison et al., (2006) as part of the Transport Scotland Scottish Road Network Landslides Study (Winter et al., 2005, Winter et al., 2009). The Debris Flow Susceptibility Model provides information on the potential of the ground, at a given location, to form a debris flow. It is based on a combination of digital geological, hydrogeological and topographic data. The methodology develops an additional dimension to the BGS GeoSure Landslides surface layer (Dashwood et al., 2014) and is designed for users interested specifically in debris flow susceptibility. This document outlines the background to why the dataset was created, its potential uses and gives a brief description of the GIS raster file. Technical information regarding the GIS and how the data were created is described and advice is provided on using the dataset

    Lion metaphors in Chinese and English

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    This study intends to explore the cultural similarities and differences between the lion metaphors in Mandarin Chinese and British English. Most previous studies on animal metaphors focussed on the expressions with human beings as the target domain by collecting data either from questionnaires or dictionaries based on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory. This study, however, focusses on the expressions with non-humans as the target domains and is based on data collected from authoritative corpora. Three hundred and ninety-seven metaphorical expressions in Mandarin Chinese were identified from the Modern Chinese Corpus compiled by the Centre for Chinese Linguistics of Peking University (CCL Corpus) and 241 metaphorical expressions in British English were identified from the British National Corpus (BNC). After analysing the expressions from the perspective of the source domain and the target domain, the results show that first, the metaphorical expressions in Mandarin Chinese are mainly projected from the lion’s appearance to non-humans, but those in British English are mainly projected from the lion’s characteristics to non-humans. Second, the expressions are mainly mapped onto seven target domains in each language; four are the same. In addition, the dominant evaluation of the seven target domains in each language is mostly neutral. Third, ten conceptual metaphors were generalised from Mandarin Chinese and one from British English. All of these indicate the occurrence of cultural similarities as well as differences in the lion metaphors in the two languages

    Effects of two supplementation levels of linseed combined with CLA or tallow on meat quality traits and fatty acid profile of adipose and different muscle tissues in slaughter pigs

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    Dietary linseed supply efficiently elevates the linolenic acid concentration of pork. The main problem of increasing the n-3 fatty acid tissue levels arises from a higher susceptibility to lipid oxidation. Increasing the saturation level of tissue lipids by the dietary inclusion of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) or tallow might prevent oxidation. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of dietary CLA or tallow supplementation combined with extruded linseed on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profile of muscles (longissimus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris) and subcutaneous fat (SF). The enzyme activity of the de novo lipogenesis and stearoyl-CoA desaturase in the SF was also assessed. From 18 to 104 kg BW, 32 Swiss Large White barrows were fed a diet supplemented with either: (1) 2% linseed (L2); (2) 3% linseed (L3); (3) 2% linseed + 1% CLA (L2-C) or (4) 2% linseed + 1% tallow (L2-T). The linolenic and eicosatrienoic acid concentrations were higher (P 0.05) affected by the dietary fats, whereas Δ9-desaturase activity was depressed (P < 0.05) by CLA inclusion (L2-C). Only when oxidation was challenged by cooking and subsequent storage for 4 days at 4°C values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were lower (P < 0.05) in longissimus muscle chops of L2-C compared with L2, L3 and L2-T barrows. The present findings revealed that CLA, but not tallow, combined with extruded linseed enhanced the oxidative stability of pork probably by lowering the degree of unsaturation of the lipids without affecting the improved ∑n-6/∑n-3 rati

    The Use of E-book to Improve Reading Comprehension Among Year 4 Pupils

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    This is an Action Research of using the Story Jumper as an E-book to improve the reading comprehension among Year 4 pupils in one of the primary schools in Malaysia. The participants involved were twenty pupils consisting of seven males and thirteen females. Three data collection methods employed were pre-test and post-test, pupils' work and teacher's reflective journal. The findings showed that the use of E-book had increased the level of understanding in reading comprehension among the research participants. The mean for the pre-test and post-test had increased from 45.83 to 93.33. The pupils' work indicated positive improvements in terms of their level of understanding and responses in reading. It was also found from the reflective journal that the research participants had participated actively in the learning process and their level of motivation was also increased. The implication is to use E-book in the teaching of reading skills among the primary school learners

    Intrauterine crowding impairs formation and growth of secondary myofibers in pigs

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    There are indications that intrauterine crowding may cause intrauterine growth retardation with the possibility of an impaired myofiber hyperplasia. The aim of the study was to confirm this by generating large differences in uterine space using sows that were unilaterally hysterectomized-ovariectomized (HO; crowded) or unilaterally oviduct ligated (OL; non-crowded). In the study, seven HO and seven OL Swiss Large White third parity sows were used. At farrowing, litter size and litter birth weight were determined. Subsequently, within each litter two male and two female progenies each with the respectively lowest (L) and highest (H) birth weight were sacrificed. Internal organs and brain were weighed, and longissimus (LM) and semitendinosus muscle (SM) samples were collected. Histological analyses were performed in both muscles using mATPase staining after preincubation at pH 4.3 and 10.2. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) polymorphism was determined in the LM by means of SDS-PAGE. The number of piglets born alive was similar in both sow groups, but litter size expressed per uterine horn was lower (P < 0.05) in OL than HO sows. Consequently, OL progeny were markedly heavier (P < 0.01). Regardless of gender, the organs, the brain and the SM were heavier (P < 0.001) in OL and H compared with HO and L offspring, respectively. Compared with HO pigs, the SM of OL offspring tended (P < 0.1) to have more myofibers, which were of larger (P < 0.05) size. However, myofiber density appeared to be lower (P < 0.1) in the SM of OL than HO pigs. The impact of birth weight on myofiber characteristics was limited to the lower (P < 0.05) myofiber density in the SM and the larger (P < 0.01) myofiber size in the light portion of the SM of H than L offspring, whereas myofiber hyperplasia did not differ between birth weight categories. The SM, but not the LM, of male offspring had a greater (P < 0.05) myofiber density. This did not affect total SM myofiber number. The relative abundance of fetal and type I MyHC in the LM was lower (P < 0.05) and that of type II MyHC was greater (P < 0.001) in OL than HO pigs. The current data suggest that regardless of birth weight and gender, in the LM and SM of individuals born from a crowded environment, not only hyperplasia but also hypertrophy of myofibers is impaired and their maturity seems delaye

    Individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of community occupational therapy for stroke patients

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    &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Background and Purpose:&lt;/b&gt; Trials of occupational therapy for stroke patients living in the community have varied in their findings. It is unclear why these discrepancies have occurred.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Trials were identified from searches of the Cochrane Library and other sources. The primary outcome measure was the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) score at the end of intervention. Secondary outcome measures included the Barthel Index or the Rivermead ADL (Personal ADL), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire (NLQ), and death. Data were analyzed using linear or logistic regression with a random effect for trial and adjustment for age, gender, baseline dependency, and method of follow-up. Subgroup analyses compared any occupational therapy intervention with control.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; We included 8 single-blind randomized controlled trials incorporating 1143 patients. Occupational therapy was associated with higher NEADL scores at the end of intervention (weighted mean difference [WMD], 1.30 points, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.47 to 2.13) and higher leisure scores at the end of intervention (WMD, 1.51 points; 95% CI, 0.24 to 2.79). Occupational therapy emphasizing activities of daily living (ADL) was associated with improved end of intervention NEADL (WMD, 1.61 points; 95% CI, 0.72 to 2.49) and personal activities of daily living (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.91), but not NLQ. Leisure-based occupational therapy improved end of intervention NLQ (WMD, 1.96 points; 95% CI, 0.27 to 3.66) but not NEADL or PADL.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; Community occupational therapy significantly improved personal and extended activities of daily living and leisure activity in patients with stroke. Better outcomes were found with targeted interventions.&lt;/p&gt

    Functionalized carbon nanomaterials: exploring the interactions with Caco-2 cells for potential oral drug delivery

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    Although carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have been increasingly studied for their biomedical applications, there is limited research on these novel materials for oral drug delivery. As such, this study aimed to explore the potential of CNMs in oral drug delivery, and the objectives were to evaluate CNM cytotoxicity and their abilities to modulate paracellular transport and the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux pump. Three types of functionalized CNMs were studied, including polyhydroxy small-gap fullerenes (OH-fullerenes), carboxylic acid functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (f SWCNT-COOH) and poly(ethylene glycol) functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (f SWCNT-PEG), using the well-established Caco-2 cell monolayer to represent the intestinal epithelium. All three CNMs had minimum cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells, as demonstrated through lactose dehydrogenase release and 3-(4,5-dimethyliazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Of the three CNMs, f SWCNT-COOH significantly reduced transepithelial electrical resistance and enhanced transport of Lucifer Yellow across the Caco-2 monolayer. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that f SWCNT-COOH treated cells had the highest perturbation in the distribution of ZO-1, a protein marker of tight junction, suggesting that f SWCNT-COOH could enhance paracellular permeability via disruption of tight junctions. This modulating effect of f SWCNT-COOH can be reversed over time. Furthermore, cellular accumulation of the P-gp substrate, rhodamine-123, was significantly increased in cells treated with f SWCNT-COOH, suggestive of P-gp inhibition. Of note, f SWCNT-PEG could increase rhodamine-123 accumulation without modifying the tight junction. Collectively, these results suggest that the functionalized CNMs could be useful as modulators for oral drug delivery, and the differential effects on the intestinal epithelium imparted by different types of CNMs would create unique opportunities for drug-specific oral delivery applications
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