1,462 research outputs found
Pre-Clinical Grades Predict Clinical Performance in the MBBS Stage II Examination at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
Summary: In the preclinical sciences, statistically significant predictive values have been reported between the performances in one discipline and the others, supporting the hypothesis that students who perform well in one discipline were likely to perform well in the other disciplines. We therefore decided to conduct a retrospective study to investigate the predictive effects of preclinical subjects on clinical subjects from 87 students of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus who took the MBBS Stage II examination at various times between May 2000 and May 2002. The grade in Pathology was significantly predicted by scores in Anatomy and Pharmacology; Medicine by Physiology and Pharmacology scores; Surgery by Anatomy and Social and Preventive Medicine scores; while, the Obstetrics and Gynecology grade was predicted by the Anatomy score. The results support the hypothesis that the scores in some preclinical subjects can predict the performance in specific clinical subjects, which could be interpreted to suggest that poor performance in specific preclinical disciplines could be a warning sign of future poor performance in the related clinical disciplines.Keywords: Medical education, preclinical grades, clinical grades, predictors of performanc
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Influence of southern hemispheric biomass burning on midtropospheric distributions of nonmethane hydrocarbons and selected halocarbons over the remote South Pacific
Aircraft measurements of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and halocarbons were made over the remote South Pacific Ocean during late August-early October 1996 for NASA's Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics A (PEM-Tropics A). This paper discusses the large-scale spatial distributions of selected trace gases encountered during PEM-Tropics A. The PEM-Tropics A observations are compared to measurements made over the southwestern pacific in early November 1995 as part of Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE 1). Continental pollution in the form of layers containing elevated levels of O3 was observed during a majority of PEM-Tropics flights, as well as during several ACE 1 flights. The chemical composition of these air masses indicates that they were not fresh and were derived from nonurban combustion sources. The substantial impact of biomass burning on the vertical structure of the South Pacific troposphere is discussed. Copyright 1999 by the American Geophysical Union
Allelic variation in the TNF-beta gene does not explain the low TNF-beta response in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Identification of Myotropic Neuropeptides from the Brain and Corpus Cardiacum-Corpus Allatum Complex of the Beetle, Zophobas atratus
The neuropeptide profiles of the two major neuro-endocrinological organs, brain and retrocerebral complex corpus cardiacum-corpus allatum (CC/CA) of adult beetles, Zophobas atratus Fabricius (Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae) were analyzed by a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF MS). The homological semi-isolated heart bioassay was used to screen HPLC fractions for myotropic activity in tissues, revealing several cardiostimulatory and cardioinhibitory factors from both the brain and CC/CA. Analysis of HPLC fractions by MALDI-TOF MS identified seven mass ions that could be assigned to other known peptides: leucomyosuppressin (LMS), Tribolium castaneum pyrokinin 2, sulfakinin 1, myoinhibitory peptide 4, a truncated NVP-like peptide, Tenebrio molitor AKH and crustacean cardioactive peptide. In addition, two novel peptides, myosuppressin (pEDVEHVFLRFa), which differs from LMS by one amino acid (E for D at position 4) and pyrokinin-like peptide (LPHYTPRLa) were also identified. To establish cardioactive properties of some of the identified peptides, chemical synthesis was carried out and their activities were tested using the heart bioassay
MOOCs for Mathematics Teacher Education to Foster Professional Development: Design Principles and Assessment
Bulk viscous cosmological model with interacting dark fluids
The objective of the present work is to study a cosmological model for a
spatially flat Universe whose constituents are a dark energy field and a matter
field which includes baryons and dark matter. The constituents are supposed to
be in interaction and irreversible processes are taken into account through the
inclusion of a non-equilibrium pressure. The non-equilibrium pressure is
considered to be proportional to the Hubble parameter within the framework of a
first order thermodynamic theory. The dark energy and matter fields are coupled
by their barotropic indexes, which are considered as functions of the ratio
between their energy densities. The free parameters of the model are adjusted
from the best fits of the Hubble parameter data. A comparison of the viscous
model with the non-viscous one is performed. It is shown that the equality of
the dark energy and matter density parameters and the decelerated-accelerated
transition occur at earlier times when the irreversible processes are present.
Furthermore, the density and deceleration parameters and the distance modulus
have the correct behavior which is expected for a viable scenario of the
present status of the Universe.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Brazilian Journal of Physic
The Box-Cox power transformation on nursing sensitive indicators: Does it matter if structural effects are omitted during the estimation of the transformation parameter?
Sub-Planckian black holes and the Generalized Uncertainty Principle
The Black Hole Uncertainty Principle correspondence suggests that there could
exist black holes with mass beneath the Planck scale but radius of order the
Compton scale rather than Schwarzschild scale. We present a modified, self-dual
Schwarzschild-like metric that reproduces desirable aspects of a variety of
disparate models in the sub-Planckian limit, while remaining Schwarzschild in
the large mass limit. The self-dual nature of this solution under naturally implies a Generalized Uncertainty Principle
with the linear form . We also
demonstrate a natural dimensional reduction feature, in that the gravitational
radius and thermodynamics of sub-Planckian objects resemble that of -D
gravity. The temperature of sub-Planckian black holes scales as rather than
but the evaporation of those smaller than g is suppressed by
the cosmic background radiation. This suggests that relics of this mass could
provide the dark matter.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, version published in J. High En. Phy
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