Effects of stress on the immune system of fish

The effects of stress on the immune system of various fish species including dab Limanda limanda, flounder Platichthys flesus, sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax and gobies Zosterisessor ophiocephalus, were investigated from laboratory and field experiments, using various assays to measure immunocompetence, correlated with histological and ultrastructural observations. Modulation of the immune system was demonstrated at tissue, cellular and biochemical levels following exposure to various stressors. The spleen somatic index was depressed in dab stressed in the laboratory and gobies collected from polluted sites in the Venice Lagoon. Differential blood cell counts consistently showed an increase in phagocytes and decrease in thrombocytes in fish exposed to various stressors. Phagocytic activity from spleen and kidney adherent cells was stimulated in dab stressed by transportation but depressed in fish exposed to chemical pollutants. Respiratory burst activity in phagocytic cells was also stimulated in stressed dab but depressed in sea bass exposed to cadmium. The results are discussed in relation to current concepts on stress in fish and the regulation of the immune system

Energy Sustainability in Texas Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Practices

Research shows that greenhouse gases warm the planet by trapping infrared radiation with fossil fuel production being a major source of greenhouse gas production. If the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases continue to rise, the planet’s current life support systems will be degraded. There is a need for more efficient and climate friendly sources of energy by adopting environmentally friendly practices (green practices). This research evaluates the extent to which municipal utility organizations in Texas adopt corporate social responsibility and green practices. The study examines the reasons why some municipal utility organizations adopt corporate social responsibility and green practices while others do not. The research also looks at the impediments to adopting these practices. In the first step of analysis, the research empirically validates cities’ behaviors with regard to adoption of corporate social responsibility and green practices. Practices such as reduction in waste, reduction in emission, usage of renewable sources of energy, usage of recycling, being efficient and being socially responsible corporations are examined. Green practices adopted by municipalities are analyzed in detail. Results show that the non-profit nature of municipalities is not an impediment to adoption of green practices. There is also evidence that styles of management did play a role in the intensity of green practices adopted. Finally, the research analysis sheds light on the organizational behavior that facilitates or impedes adoption of green practices. Results indicate that there are several green practices adopted by cities which can impact climate change management. The research also shows variation in the degree of adoption of these practices across cities. This is a pilot study which represents a stepping stone for similar studies in the future. The study concludes with an exploration of the policy implications of such behavior and practices and the overall contribution to the sustainability debate. This work explores what kind of policies might be useful for rural communities regarding adoption of renewable energy

Aimantation de pastilles supraconductrices

The superconducting bulks can produce very strong magnetic fields greater than those of permanent magnets can. Several methods of magnetization of the superconducting bulks exist, however one is mainly used for the electrical applications, the Pulsed Field Magnetization.In order to control the magnetization of the superconducting bulks by PFM, we studied the influence of the shape of the inductor on the trapped magnetic field where we find a significant influence of the shape of the inductor on the trapped magnetic field in the anticipate superconducting bulk. In order to the implementation of the superconducting bulk in the electrical applications, we studied the magnetization of these bulks in a magnetic core and the influence of this magnetic core on the trapped magnetic field. We notice an important improvement of the trapped magnetic field in the superconducting bulk by using the magnetic core. We studied also the influence of a pulsed and an alternating demagnetizing field on the trapped magnetic field in a superconducting bulk. The observed degradation does not show any contraindication to use the superconducting magnetic bulks in the electrical engineering applications.Les pastilles supraconductrices peuvent produire des forts champs magnétiques très supérieurs aux aimants permanents. Plusieurs méthodes d’aimantation de ces pastilles existent néanmoins une seule est principalement utilisée pour les applications en génie électrique, l’aimantation par champ magnétique impulsionnel (Pulsed Field Magnetization).Afin de maîtriser l’aimantation de ces pastilles supraconductrices par PFM, nous avons étudié l’influence de la forme de l’inducteur sur le champ magnétique piégé où nous trouvons une influence significative de la forme de l’inducteur sur le champ piégé dans la pastille supraconductrice. Afin de prévoir la mise en œuvre des pastilles supraconductrices dans des applications en génie électrique, nous avons étudié l’aimantation de ces pastilles dans un circuit magnétique et l’influence de ce circuit sur le champ piégé. Nous remarquons une nette amélioration du champ piégé dans la pastille en utilisant le circuit magnétique. Nous avons étudié, également, l’influence d’un champ démagnétisant impulsionnel et alternatif sur le champ piégé dans une pastille supraconductrice aimantée. Les dégradations observées ne montrent pas de contre-indication à l’utilisation des pastilles supraconductrices aimantées dans les applications en génie électrique

exploring facts about evidentiary matters

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Public Policy,2011Dispute settlement system of WTO is deemed to be the most effective forum to settle trade disputes between governments. WTO jurisprudence lacks exhaustive body of laws on evidence needed for discharging justice. Specially, on evidentiary matters WTO jurisprudence is silent. The adjudicators and contesting parties from different law family are in trouble in absence of threadbare rules on evidentiary matters. Not only the contesting parties, but also the adjudicators of the Panel and AB faces critical junctures in absence of complete code on evidence. The argument that other international courts as well do not have complete code on evidence1 is not tenable and based on real life judgment, as because, no other international court is dealing with cases having political as well as economic/trade implication. Moreover, almost every case of other international courts is different in nature from each other. In absence of wholesome code on evidence, over dependence on generally accepted principles, inherent power of the courts, jurisprudence of other international courts and jurisprudence developed by the AB is not good enough for a long lasting, sustainable as well as predictable adjudication system for multilateral trading system. However, DSU - being devoid of coordinated procedural details regarding evidence - is supplemented by some covered agreements having explicit laws on certain issues on evidence. Till then these few covered agreements are not well equipped as they provide some case/issue specific guidelines.masterpublishedby Md Osman Gony

Estilos educativos y grados de desarrollo del componente pragmático del lenguaje en niños de 5 años de un colegio de Lima metropolitana

Se analiza la relación entre los estilos educativos y el desarrollo del componente pragmático del lenguaje. La muestra estuvo conformada por 66 niños, de ambos sexos de 5 años, de una Institución Educativa Estatal de un distrito de Lima Metropolitana. Se empleó un diseño ex post facto de tipo descriptivo-comparativo. Se utilizó los siguientes instrumentos: el Perfil de Estilos Educativos (PEE) de Magaz Lago y García (1998) y la Prueba de Lenguaje Oral Navarra Revisada (PLON-R) aplicados de manera individual. Los resultados muestran prevalencia del estilo educativo asertivo en los padres (53%), el nivel de desarrollo del componente pragmático en los niños corresponde a la categoría necesita mejorar (40%), normal (27%) y retraso (33%); en el caso de los niños con padres con estilo educativo asertivo la mayoría se encuentra en un nivel de normalidad y necesita mejorar (82%) es una minoría que se encuentra en retraso (18%), sin embargo en niños de padres con estilos punitivos todos están en nivel de retraso (100%). La prueba Chi cuadrado con gl= 6 y α= 0.01 arroja un 14.6. A dicho gl se le hallo la Chi cuadrada de tabla que es 16.81. Demostrando que existe relación entre los estilos educativo y los niveles de desarrollo del componente pragmático del lenguaje. Palabras clave: Estilos educativos, componente pragmático del lenguaje.We analyze the relationship between teaching styles and the development of pragmatic component of language. The sample consisted of 66 children of both sexes for 5 years, a State educational institution of a district of Lima. We used an ex post facto design descriptive and comparative. We used the following instruments: Educational Style Profile (SEP) and Garcia Magaz Lake (1998) and Navarre Oral Language Test Revised (Plon-R) applied individually. The results show prevalence assertive style of education in parents (53%), the level of development in children pragmatic component corresponds to the needs improvement category (40%), normal (27%) and delayed (33%), in for children whose parents most assertive style of education is at a normal level and needs improvement (82%) is a minority that is in arrears (18%), but in children of parents with all punitive styles are at level of delay (100%). Chi-square test with df = 6 and α = 0.01 yields a 14.6. To this I find it df Chi-square table is 16.81. Proving that there is a level of dependence between educational styles and levels of development of the pragmatic component of language.Tesi

Educação do campo e o trabalho da mulher camponesa no Combate à pandemia para manutenção da vida: uma proposta de material didático para o ensino de ciências da natureza

O presente trabalho traz uma proposta de material didático digital para o ensino de ciências, desenvolvido para a disciplina de Estágio de Docência III do curso de Licenciatura em Educação do Campo – Ciências da Natureza, através da correlação de experiências protagonizadas por mulheres camponesas durante a pandemia da COVID-19, em consonância com os princípios da Educação do Campo. Para o desenvolvimento deste material didático foi realizado um mapeamento de experiências ocorridas no Brasil e estas foram agrupadas através da ferramenta do Google My Maps onde duas destas, ambas voltadas à produção de máscaras de proteção individual, foram escolhidas para servirem de exemplar para a produção do material didático para o ensino de ciências no Ensino Médio. Após finalizar essa construção, objetivou-se coletar impressões de professoras/es da rede pública de ensino sobre o material (interface, conteúdo, motivação, experiência com o material e conhecimento adquirido) através de questionário com questões fechadas organizadas em itens Likert de cinco pontos. Considera-se que este trabalho é uma maneira de levar informação atualizada e necessária sobre a pandemia da COVID19 e, também, de compartilhar conhecimentos relacionados às experiências das mulheres camponesas, trazendo relações com os conteúdos no ensino de ciências e a vida cotidiana. Espera-se que este material possa chegar até educadoras e educadores tanto do meio rural quanto do meio urbano, em seus espaços escolares e não-escolares

Impact of information letters on the reporting rate of adverse drug reactions and the quality of the reports: a randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an important method for pharmacovigilance, but under-reporting and poor quality of reports are major limitations. The aim of this study was to evaluate if repeated one-page ADR information letters affect (i) the reporting rate of ADRs and (ii) the quality of the ADR reports. METHODS: All 151 primary healthcare units in the Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, were randomly allocated (1:1) to an intervention (n = 77) or a control group (n = 74). The intervention consisted of one-page ADR information letters administered at three occasions during 2008 to all physicians and nurses in the intervention units. The number of ADR reports received from the 151 units was registered, as was the quality of the reports, which was defined as high if the ADR was to be reported according to Swedish regulations, that is, if the ADR was (i) serious, (ii) unexpected, and/or (iii) related to the use of new drugs and not labelled as common in the Summary of Product Characteristics. A questionnaire was administered to evaluate if the ADR information letter had reached the intended recipient. RESULTS: Before the intervention, no significant differences in reporting rate or number of high quality reports could be detected between the randomization groups. In 2008, 79 reports were sent from 37 intervention units and 52 reports from 30 control units (mean number of reports per unit ± standard deviation: 1.0 ± 2.5 vs. 0.7 ± 1.2, P = 0.34). The number of high quality reports was higher in intervention units than in control units (37 vs. 15 reports, 0.5 ± 0.9 vs. 0.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.048). According to the returned questionnaires (n = 1,292, response rate 57%), more persons in the intervention than in the control group had received (29% vs. 19%, P < 0.0001) and read (31% vs. 26%, P < 0.0001) an ADR information letter. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that repeated ADR information letters to physicians and nurses do not increase the ADR reporting rate, but may increase the number of high quality reports

Impact of information letters on the reporting rate of adverse drug reactions and the quality of the reports: a randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an important method for pharmacovigilance, but under-reporting and poor quality of reports are major limitations. The aim of this study was to evaluate if repeated one-page ADR information letters affect (i) the reporting rate of ADRs and (ii) the quality of the ADR reports. METHODS: All 151 primary healthcare units in the Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, were randomly allocated (1:1) to an intervention (n = 77) or a control group (n = 74). The intervention consisted of one-page ADR information letters administered at three occasions during 2008 to all physicians and nurses in the intervention units. The number of ADR reports received from the 151 units was registered, as was the quality of the reports, which was defined as high if the ADR was to be reported according to Swedish regulations, that is, if the ADR was (i) serious, (ii) unexpected, and/or (iii) related to the use of new drugs and not labelled as common in the Summary of Product Characteristics. A questionnaire was administered to evaluate if the ADR information letter had reached the intended recipient. RESULTS: Before the intervention, no significant differences in reporting rate or number of high quality reports could be detected between the randomization groups. In 2008, 79 reports were sent from 37 intervention units and 52 reports from 30 control units (mean number of reports per unit ± standard deviation: 1.0 ± 2.5 vs. 0.7 ± 1.2, P = 0.34). The number of high quality reports was higher in intervention units than in control units (37 vs. 15 reports, 0.5 ± 0.9 vs. 0.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.048). According to the returned questionnaires (n = 1,292, response rate 57%), more persons in the intervention than in the control group had received (29% vs. 19%, P < 0.0001) and read (31% vs. 26%, P < 0.0001) an ADR information letter. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that repeated ADR information letters to physicians and nurses do not increase the ADR reporting rate, but may increase the number of high quality reports