The Necessary Job Competencies of Secondary School Principals as Perceived by School Administrators in Sabah, Malaysia

Purpose This study sought to determine the necessary competencies for secondary-school principalship functions as perceived by educational administrators in Sabah. A secondary purpose was to identify the most feasible time for acquiring the competencies. Method The subjects for this study were three groups of administrators: principals, inspectors, and central office personnel. All the 159 secondary-school principals, inspectors, and central office personnel identified in the study were included. A questionnaire was utilized to gather the data. Of the 159 respondents, 116 (72 percent) returned the questionnaires. A four-point Likert-type scale was used to indicate the essentiality of each competency statement. Two non-parametric statistical tests (Chi-square and Kendall\u27s concordance) were utilized in the analysis of the data. Results The respondent groups did not differ significantly in their perceptions on the essentiality of 41 of the forty-three competencies included in this study. All these competencies were considered important skills although some were perceived as more essential than others. In the analysis of the procedure for acquiring the competencies, significant differences were noted among the perceptions of the groups on nine of the competencies. Analysis of the responses in which there was agreement among the perceptions of the respondents indicated that the groups saw more than one feasible procedure for acquiring the competencies. The total population saw that five of the competencies could be developed through pre-service course work, twenty-seven through in-service programs, and twenty-eight through experience on the job. Recommendations The following recommendations are offered as a result of the conclusions drawn from this study: (1) The personnel of the Department of Education who plan for pre-service and in-service training programs for principals in Sabah should consider the results of this study to arrive at meaningful and relevant programs for principals. (2) In planning for in-service programs for principals, communication between the inspectors, principals, and central office personnel should be improved. (3) The Department of Education should provide the principals with more opportunities to do advanced course work in educational administration. (4) Institutions that provide courses in educational administration should re-evaluate their course offerings so that they are relevant to the actual work the principals perform in the schools

ANSYS Modelling and Vibration Stability Analysis of Pipelines Conveying Fluid

Material engineering has develop considerably over the year to the extent it has allow cost reduction in testing, therefore making studies relevant to the vibrational stability of pipelines conveying fluid to become more important than ever. The research for this field has grown considerably over the year, but there are still some gaps which have yet to be covered. One of said gap is the hypothesis that a natural frequency of pipeline is subjected to the presence and absence of fluid flow within it. Thus, to prove the hypothesis and expand the understanding of fluid-structure interaction uncertainty, this project aims to present the ANSYS model of pipelines conveying fluid where the presence and absence of fluid flow are varied. The proposed model geometry will be a straight, tight and horizontal pipe with fluid passing through it. The model will then be simulated using the ANSYS CFX Solver and the resultant data tabulated and analysed. Additionally, comparisons were also made with previous research paper as to verify the results. In the end, the results show that fluid flow within the pipeline has little to no effect on its natural frequency

Developing a Model for the Organization, Administration, and Programs for Community Colleges in Malaysia

Problem The large number of Malaysian students studying overseas indicates that there is a paucity of extant institutions of higher learning in Malaysia to cater to the increasing number of secondary school graduates. It was therefore the purpose of this study to develop a model for the organization, administration, and programs for community colleges in Malaysia. Method Documentary and survey methodology was used. This study covered the philosophy, purposes, organizational structures, personnel, programs, and roles for community colleges in Malaysia. From the review of related literature, interviews with administrators of community colleges in the United States, and the survey to assess the need for the community college system in Malaysia, a model for the organization, administration, and programs for community colleges in Malaysia was developed. Results The results of the survey indicated that approximately 90% of the selected Malaysian educators, politicians, and businessmen agreed or strongly agreed that community colleges are useful for Malaysia because they: (1) offer educational opportunities to disadvantaged secondary school graduates, (2) provide occupational skills in semi-professional fields, (3) serve as stepping stones for motivated students to continue their education in universities, (4) meet the needs for skilled manpower in business, industry and other professions, (5) cater to the educational needs of secondary school graduates, (6) meet the educational needs of working adults to attain specific qualifications for career advancement and change, (7) contribute to the intellectual and cultural activities of their communities, and (8) prepare students to assume responsible roles as citizens. Conclusions From this study, it was concluded that there is a need to expand the institutions of higher learning in Malaysia to cater to the increasing number of secondary school graduates and meet the growing demands of business and industry for skilled manpower. The following recommendations are presented for consideration: (1) That the Malaysian government establish a department under the Ministry of Education to organize, administer and implement programs for community colleges; (2) That residential facilities and programs be considered in the development of community colleges in Malaysia; (3) That organizational and administrative structure be developed; (4) That educational programs and services be developed bearing in mind the local conditions; (5) That the role of the community colleges as feeder institutions be considered; (6) That the role of the community colleges in building communities be included; (7) That the planning for the college facilities be considered and studied; (8) That a strong funding program for the community colleges be developed as Malaysia moves toward 2020

Comparison of Roundup Ready and Conventional Soybean (Glycine Max L.) Weed Control Systems for Optimizing Yield and Economic Profitability

Research was conducted in 2010, 2011 and 2012 at the East Tennessee Research and Education Center in Knoxville, TN, in order to compare differences in soybean yield among differing levels of weed control within Roundup Ready® [Glyphosate-resistant] (RR)and conventional soybean cultivars to gain a better understanding of the impact different intensities of weed control have on RR and conventional cropping systems. Results determined that after applying the weed control regimens, there was no significant difference (p Glyphosate resistant weeds introduce new challenges and create a more costly weed control regimen, especially when using a RR based soybean cultivation operation. Therefore, calculated economic returns of RR and conventional weed management technologies used in this study were contrasted to determine profitability of each system. In a glyphosate resistant-free environment, the conventional soybean cultivar had a net return of only 0.4% greater than that of the RR cultivar. The comparison of cultivar net return and yield indicates conventional soybean production is competitive to RR productions, however the tremendous use of RR technologies leaves conventional crops vulnerable to potential damage or death due to drift. If glyphosate resistant weeds are present in an environment, RR production and hand hoeing may be the best choice for weed control

Interdisciplinary Diffusion lab

Diffusion is a principle in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Students can model the rate of diffusion based on particle size by contrasting blue and yellow dyes. Two petri dishes containing agar-agar receive a drop of dye at the center. The radius of expansion is recorded over time and variance increases linearly with time. Diffusion constants vary by particle size, allowing for a size ratio comparison between blue and yellow dyes. Relating the data to cells, students predict that smaller molecules diffuse into living cells, whereas larger molecules need some assistance from protein channels as in facilitated diffusion

O Projeto Rondon e os impactos na vida dos acadêmicos da PUCPR

Trabalho apresentado no II Congresso Nacional do PROJETO RONDON, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 23 a 25 de setembro de 2015 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.O Brasil possui 202.033.670 habitantes distribuídos em 8.515.767,049 km² (IBGE, 2014). Esses são 2 indicadores utilizados amplamente para se definir o contexto físico do país. Porém é necessário ir além, pois nesse território tão grande e diversificado encontram-se muitas etnias, culturas e povos. É preciso aprender a história do Brasil, mas também percorrê-lo, conhecer de perto a sua realidade. Em função disso, o Projeto Rondon foi criado, e durante as décadas de 1970 e 1980 permaneceu em plena atividade, levando desenvolvimento para as regiões mais afastadas do país, além de permitir aos acadêmicos de todo o Brasil a visão real de sua nação. Em 1989 o programa foi extinto, voltando somente 15 anos depois e com uma nova forma, a qual a Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) participa enviando projetos desde 2011. Em razão desses 5 anos de atuação é que o objetivo do trabalho se encontra, avaliando de que forma a ação dos acadêmicos têm se dado e os impactos que foram observados após o retorno. De acordo com o histórico das operações têm-se informações referentes ao ano de atuação, conjunto e curso do acadêmico, onde se pode analisar através de gráficos e tabelas como se deu a atuação da universidade e o perfil do acadêmico que procura o Projeto Rondon na instituição. Primeiramente, pode-se constatar que durante os 5 anos a PUCPR participou de 11 operações, nos conjuntos A e B. A universidade tem um núcleo que é responsável por selecionar os acadêmicos interessados em fazer parte do Projeto Rondon, pois há uma procura muito significativa. Na seleção avalia-se o aluno de acordo com o perfil descrito no guia do rondonista. A PUCPR adota a metodologia onde quem elabora integralmente o projeto são os acadêmicos selecionados, o qual exige muito estudo e pesquisa, procurando mostrar ao aluno que é possível colocar seus conhecimentos em prol da cidadania, despertando profissionais protagonistas e lideranças comprometidas. Procurou-se analisar como foi e esta sendo a atuação dos acadêmicos após a experiência e foi instigante perceber o espírito de cidadania preconizado pelo projeto, pois é possível evidenciar o envolvimento em outras iniciativas sociais, ONG’s e até mesmo como isso implica no projeto de vida e suas escolhas profissionais

Advanced therapies for the treatment of hemophilia: future perspectives

Monogenic diseases are ideal candidates for treatment by the emerging advanced therapies, which are capable of correcting alterations in protein expression that result from genetic mutation. In hemophilia A and B such alterations affect the activity of coagulation factors VIII and IX, respectively, and are responsible for the development of the disease. Advanced therapies may involve the replacement of a deficient gene by a healthy gene so that it generates a certain functional,structural or transport protein (gene therapy); the incorporation of a full array of healthy genes and proteins through perfusion or transplantation of healthy cells (cell therapy); or tissue transplantation and formation of healthy organs (tissue engineering). For their part, induced pluripotent stem cells have recently been shown to also play a significant role in the fields of cell therapy and tissue engineering.Hemophilia is optimally suited for advanced therapies owing to the fact that, as a monogenic condition, it does not require very high expression levels of a coagulation factor to reach moderate disease status. As a result, significant progress has been possible with respect to these kinds of strategies, especially in the fields of gene therapy (by using viral and non-viral vectors) and cell therapy (by means of several types of target cells). Thus, although still considered a rare disorder, hemophilia is now recognized as a condition amenable to gene therapy, which can be administered in the form of lentiviral and adeno-associated vectors applied to adult stem cells, autologous fibroblasts, platelets and hematopoietic stem cells; by means of non-viral vectors; or through the repair of mutations by chimeric oligonucleotides. In hemophilia, cell therapy approaches have been based mainly on transplantation of healthy cells (adult stem cells or induced pluripotent cell-derived progenitor cells)in order to restore alterations in coagulation factor expression

ANSYS Modelling and Vibration Stability Analysis of Pipelines Conveying Fluid

Material engineering has develop considerably over the year to the extent it has allow cost reduction in testing, therefore making studies relevant to the vibrational stability of pipelines conveying fluid to become more important than ever. The research for this field has grown considerably over the year, but there are still some gaps which have yet to be covered. One of said gap is the hypothesis that a natural frequency of pipeline is subjected to the presence and absence of fluid flow within it. Thus, to prove the hypothesis and expand the understanding of fluid-structure interaction uncertainty, this project aims to present the ANSYS model of pipelines conveying fluid where the presence and absence of fluid flow are varied. The proposed model geometry will be a straight, tight and horizontal pipe with fluid passing through it. The model will then be simulated using the ANSYS CFX Solver and the resultant data tabulated and analysed. Additionally, comparisons were also made with previous research paper as to verify the results. In the end, the results show that fluid flow within the pipeline has little to no effect on its natural frequency

Estudio del papel regulador de los macrófagos perivasculares en modelos animales de activación inmune en sistema nervioso central (SNC)

El SNC y el sistema inmune periférico están en comunicación constante. Estímulos inflamatorios de distinta naturaleza como puede ser la administración periférica de LPS bacteriano o la exposición prolongada a estrés interrumpe la comunicación homeostática entre el SNC y el sistema inmuneperiférico, lo que conduce hacia un estado pro-inflamatorio. Muchos son los eventos relacionados con la alteración de esta homeostasis, como puede ser la activación del eje HHA, activación del sistema nervioso simpático, tráfico de células inmunes, etc. Muchas de estas respuestas llevan consigo un aumento en la señalización pro-inflamatoria y forman parte de la fisiopatología de enfermedades en el SNC. Gran parte de la investigación con respecto a respuesta inmune y el SNC se centra en la microglía. Sin embargo, se sabe mucho menos sobre otras células inmunes residentes en el cerebro, como los macrófagos perivasculares (PVM). Estas células son parte estructural de la barrera hematoenecefálica, jugando un papel importante en la comunicación del sistema inmune al cerebro, transmitiendo y modulando señales inflamatorias periféricas..

Assement of serum vitamin D levels and their association with asthma control and gravity in children and adolescents

Orientador: Adyléia Aparecida Dalbo Contrera ToroDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências MédicasResumo: Introdução: A asma é uma doença inflamatória crônica, um problema de saúde pública, uma das principais causas de morbidade na faixa etária pediátrica e a quarta causa de hospitalização no Brasil. Há estudos que atribuem importância à vitamina D (vit. D) na asma, através da sua possível intervenção nos mecanismos da doença. Objetivo: Avaliar a associação dos níveis séricos de vit. D com o controle e gravidade da asma em crianças e adolescentes. Método: Estudo longitudinal, prospectivo, com pacientes diagnosticados com asma de 7 a 18 anos, avaliados durante as diferentes estações do ano. Todos os participantes realizaram questionário para avaliação do controle da asma (Asthma Control Test - ACT), espirometria e coleta de sangue para dosagem dos níveis séricos de Vit. D. Resultados: Foram avaliados 141 indivíduos com asma. As prevalências de insuficiência de vit. D foram iguais em relação aos grupos de asma controlada (AC) e asma não controlada (ANC). Não houve diferença entre as médias de vitamina D em relação aos grupos AC e ANC. O número de pacientes com vit. D insuficiente foi superior nos sujeitos classificados com asma grave (AG) na primeira avaliação (A1) (p= 0,015). Os sujeitos classificados com AG apresentaram média de vit. D inferior aos classificados com asma leve e moderada (ALM). Observou-se uma correlação positiva entre vit. D e VEF1 nas duas avaliações e com o FEF25%-75% na A1. Os sujeitos do sexo feminino apresentaram valores de vit. D mais baixos. Os sujeitos que se expuseram ao sol por mais que 30 min, tiveram média de vit. D maior. Conclusão: Os valores dos níveis séricos de vit. D. estão relacionados com gravidade e função pulmonar na asma o que sugere o envolvimento da vit. D com a fisiopatogenia da doençaAbstract: Introduction: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease and a public health issue. It¿s one the main causes of morbidity in pediatric patients, and the fourth cause of hospitalization in Brazil. Vitamin D (vit. D) has been attributed as in important factor of intervention in asthma pathophysiology. Objectives: To evaluate serum levels of vit. D and its association asthma severity and control. Methods: Prospective longitudinal study with children and adolescents diagnosed with asthma, aged 7 to 18 years-old, evaluated according to seasonality. All patients answered the Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire, performed spirometry, and had their blood collected for vit. D dosage. Results: A total of 141 patients were evaluated. The prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency were similar between controlled asthma (CA) and uncontrolled asthma (UCA) groups. There was no difference of vit. D mean values between them both. The number of patients with vit. D insufficiency was higher among severe asthma (SA) patients on first assessment (A1) (p=0.015). The subjects classified with severe asthma (SA) presented vit. D mean values lower than those classified as mild and moderate asthma (MMA). We observed positive correlation between vit. D values and VEF1 in both assessments, and to FEF25-75% in the first one. Female patients presented lower vit. D levels. Subjects who had sun exposed for longer than 30 minuts presented higher vit. D mean levels. Conclusion: Serum levels of vit. D relate to lung function and asthma severity, suggesting an implication in its pathophysiologyMestradoSaude da Criança e do AdolescenteMestra em Ciência