15 research outputs found
Evaluating Management Strategies Of Integrated Water Resource Management: A Case Study On Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) for Chittagong Hill Tracts is one the key future issues in Bangladesh forestry decision making of South Asia. Therefore a combined approach of criteria and indicators (C&I) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) have been used to formulate a clear and transparent picture of the current situation and to identify a potential and best compromise solution for the sustainable management of mountain watershed of Bangladesh
Evaluation of safety margins of Chenopodium album seed decoction: 14-day subacute toxicity and microbicidal activity studies
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sperm immobilizing activity and plausible mechanism of action of <it>Chenopodium album </it>seed decoction (CAD) have been elucidated in our earlier studies. The present study has been carried out to explore the safety standards of CAD along with microbicidal properties as prerequisite for its use as a topically applicable vaginal contraceptive.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The safety standards of CAD were assessed by a) Hemolytic index determination using rabbit erythrocytes, to set the doses of the other experiments, b) Dermal irritancy test using refined version of Draize scoring system on rabbits, c) Possible effect on local tissues and reproductive performance in female rats after fourteen daily single dose application, d) PCNA staining- to evaluate the effect of CAD on vaginal tissue proliferation, e) TUNEL assay- to examine its ability to induce <it>in situ </it>apoptosis in the vaginal tissue sections of the treated animals, and f) Microbicidal activity- to explore the effect of CAD on the growth of <it>Lactobacillus acidophilus </it>and <it>Candida albicans</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>In vitro </it>irritation studies on rabbit erythrocytes revealed the hemolytic index of CAD to be 8.2 mg/ml. The dermal irritation test showed it to be a non-irritant even at higher doses. Intra vaginal application of CAD in rat vagina for 14 consecutive days caused slight reversible inflammation on vaginal epithelial cells at doses as high as 82 mg/ml. However, at this dose level it neither had any adverse effect on vaginal tissue proliferation nor did it cause in situ apoptosis as evident from PCNA staining and TUNEL assay. Fertility and fecundity were restored 4-15 days after withdrawal of CAD application. At dose level 10 times that of its spermicidal MEC (minimum effective concentration), CAD did not block the growth of <it>Lactobacillus</it>, although the size of individual colony was marginally reduced. However, growth of the pathogenic fungus <it>Candida albicans </it>was completely inhibited with 20 mg/ml of CAD.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The overall result evolved from the study strengthens the candidature of CAD as a safe microbicidal spermicide. It is almost non-irritant to rabbit skin and rat vaginal tissues at doses 10 fold higher than its hemolytic index. The effect of CAD on <it>Lactobacillus </it>culture was not highly encouraging but it prevented the growth of the fungal pathogen <it>Candida albicans </it>at 20 mg/ml of CAD.</p
âWandering and settled tribesâ: biopolitics, citizenship, and the racialized migrant
This paper argues that purportedly outdated racial categories continue to resonate in contemporary forms of racialization. I examine the use of metaphors of rootedness and shadows by a contemporary UK migrant advocacy organization and its allies to justify migrant regularization and manage illicit circulation. I argue that the distinction between rooted and rootless peoples draws on the colonial and racial distinctions between wandering and settled peoples. Contemporary notions of citizenship continue to draw upon and activate racial forms of differentiation. Citizenship is thus part of a form of racial governance that operates not only along biological but also social and cultural lines, infusing race into the structures, practices, and techniques of governance
Schoology-Supported Classroom Management: A Curriculum Review
Schoology is an online learning, classroom management, and social networking platform that attempts to improve learning through better communication, collaboration, and increased access to curriculum and supplemental content. In this article, the author evaluates different prospects of Schoology-supported classroom management using selected principles of students learning and literacy development from Cummin et al (2007). Innovative approaches and tools in the Schoology website facilitate both teachers, students, parents to build a collaborative community of learners to fulfill the educational goals in the 21st century. It can be expected that Schoologyâs supported instruction has the strongest potentiality of connecting and collaborating school stakeholders at the same platform. These communal relationships may help to fulfill the demand of multi-literacies. Furthermore, different values of Schoology for individuals have the credibility to raise academic achievement and educational innovation of students
Evaluating management strategies of integrated water resource management : a case study on Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh
Eine integrale Bewirtschaftung der Wasserressourcen (IWRM) fĂŒr das Bergland von Chittagong ist eine der zukĂŒnftigen SchlĂŒsselausgaben in der Forstwirtschaft von Bangladesh in SĂŒdasien. Daher wird in dieser Arbeit ein kombinierter Ansatz aus Kriterien und Indikatoren (C&I) sowie der Multikriterien-Analyse (MCA) eingesetzt, um ein transparentes Bild der gegenwĂ€rtigen Situation zu gewinnen und mögliche KompromiĂlösungen fĂŒr eine nachhaltige Bewirtschaftung der Wassereinzugsgebiete von Bangladesh zu finden. Der Rahmen fĂŒr das IWRM wurde in enger Zusammenarbeit mit relevanten EntscheidungstrĂ€gern fĂŒr das Projektgebiet Bandarban in Chittagong entwickelt. Der MCA Ansatz erlaubte die Formulierung von 6 Prinzipien, 22 Kriterien, 56 Indikatoren und 192 Verifiern, um die gegenwĂ€rtige Lage des Projektgebietes zu charakterisieren. Die Ermittlung der PrĂ€ferenzen der Stakeholder erlaubte die Bedeutung fĂŒr die sechs Prinzipien Politikplanung, Einkommen, Erhaltung des Ăkosystems, Risikofaktoren, Lebensunterhalt der Menschen und Bewirtschaftungsplanung zu identifizieren. Innerhalb des IWRM Ansatzes sind 6 Managementstrategien mit lokalen Experten entwickelt worden, um die gegenwĂ€rtigen Probleme im Projektbereich zu ĂŒberwinden. Der Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) wurde eingesetzt um die Managementstrategien zu vergleichen. Dabei konnte die Strategie zur Erhaltung der BiodiversitĂ€t in der Gesamtbeurteilung am besten abschneiden. Durch die Einbindung aller relevanten Stakeholder und Institutionen könnte das Bewusstsein fĂŒr die gegenwĂ€rtigen Probleme in Chittagong verbessert werden. Im Rahmen der Strategie wĂŒrden die sprachlichen Barrieren beseitigt, das Recht auf Land gestĂ€rkt und die WasserqualitĂ€t verbessert werden sowie das Risiko fĂŒr Springfluten und die Gefahr der Bodenerosion vermindert werden.Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) for Chittagong Hill Tracts is one the key future issues in Bangladesh forestry decision making of South Asia. Therefore a combined approach of criteria and indicators (C&I) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) have been used to formulate a clear and transparent picture of the current situation and to identify a potential and best compromise solution for the sustainable management of mountain watershed of Bangladesh. The IWRM framework was developed in close co-operation with relevant stakeholder groups for a specific watershed area at Bandarban of Chittagong hill tracts. The Multi-Criteria Analysis allowed to formulate a set of 6 principles, 22 criteria, 56 indicators and 192 verifiers to assess the current situation of the selected watershed area. The preferences of key informants have been elicitated in order to identify the relevance for the 6 principles policy planning, economic income, ecological maintenance, risk factors, livelihood of people and management planning and their criteria respectively. Within the IWRM framework, 6 management strategies have been designed with local experts out in order to overcome the current problems in the project area. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to evaluate the management strategies according to the C&I set and the preferences of the stakeholders. The Bio-diversity conservation strategy is performing best according to overall priorities of IWRM framework among six management alternatives. The strategy has the potential to improve the existing current problems of mountain watershed in Chittagong hill tracts by multilevel participation and creating awareness about IWRM among local people. As a consequence, language barriers, ownership right of land and water quality are improved, the risk of flash floods and soil erosion is expected to be reduced.by Shampa BiswasWien, Univ. fĂŒr Bodenkultur, Masterarb., 2007(VLID)112768
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON WRITING SUPPORT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Writing support for graduate students is one of the top concerns in the field of graduate writing education and research. The need of graduate writing support through communal writing practice opportunities has not been explored empirically yet. The main purpose of the study is to explore graduate student perception to develop and test a graduate writing support model. In the small-scale study, the development of a writing support model, using Exploratory Factor Analysis, was based on a total of 302 graduate students. This study suggests the reliability of the survey instrument for further data collection to confirm the validity of the model. In the large-scale study, the validity of the model was tested based on a total of 1095 graduate students across the USA. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, this study verifies the five- factor structure of the hypothesized writing support model. The results confirm that the writing support model with a reduced 26-item scale fitted model meets the standard of goodness of fit criteria and confirms the validity of the final writing support model. Therefore, the study provides the conceptual background of the need of writing support for graduate students, develops a theoretical framework for supporting graduate writers in communal setting, develops a survey instrument, identifies a five-factor model, tests the internal structure of the model, confirms the validity of the model, and proposes a need assessment tool for promoting communal writing practices
Modern Migrations: Gujarati Indian Networks in New York & London. By Maritsa V. Poros. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2011. 248p. 21.95 paper.
Effect of Pelvic Endometrial Implants on Overall Reproductive Functions of Female Rats
The effects of pelvic endometrial implants on the overall reproductive
potential of female rats were investigated. After homologous
transplantation in the peritoneum, the ectopic endometrium
developed into highly vascularized nodes that gradually
increased in mass until the 9th week postsurgery and then
plateaued. In the presence of these implants, overall reproductive
function was adversely affected. The effect was of greatest
magnitude during 50â70 days posttransplantation. As compared
with values in corresponding controls, ovulation was reduced
by 43% (6 of 14) (p , 0.05), mating rate was reduced by 44%
(12 of 27) (p , 0.025), and premature termination of pregnancy
occurred in 34% (5 of 15) of rats. Wastage of pregnancy, which
included complete termination or reduction of fetal number, occurred
during the postimplantation course of gestation. Furthermore,
100% of the rats with transplants failed to respond
to the copulomimetic stimulation for the induction of pseudopregnancy
(p , 0.01, compared with corresponding controls).
However, on exposure to vasectomized males, 46% (6 of 13) of
these rats exhibited development of pseudopregnancy (p ,
0.05, compared with corresponding group receiving copulomimetic
stimulation). Increased rate of mating failure and differential
pseudopregnancy rates after copulomimetic and natural
cervical stimulation suggest that the rats with endometrial explants
possibly had an absence or a short appearance of behavioral
estrus. Hormonal assessment during the preovulatory
phase showed a tendency toward lower mean levels of preovulatory
estradiol and significantly lower LH (p , 0.01) and progesterone
(p , 0.01) concentrations. The adversely affected reproductive
functions may be a secondary consequence of these
altered endocrine milieus