Global Management Effectiveness Study: Integrated Social and Ecological Report for Non-node and Node Sites

The purpose of this study is to provide a critical assessment of the implementation, impact, and performance of Marine Managed Area (MMA) projects to serve as a basis for improved planning and implementation of new MMA projects worldwide. The specific objectives of the study are (1) to determine the socioeconomic, governance and ecological effects of MMAs; (2) to determine the critical factors influencing MMA effects, as well as the impact of the timing of those factors on the effects of the MMA; and (3) to provide tools for predicting MMA effects based on ecological, socioeconomic and governance variable

A Cross Cultural Virtual Learning Environment for Students to Explore the Issue of Racism: A Case Study involving the UK, USA & SA

This article draws upon the experiences of three academics who collaborated online to engage students from the three respective higher education institutions (the University of Wales, United Kingdom; the University of Washington, United States of America; and the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa) to participate in a Virtual Learning Environment using Blackboard software to examine the issue of racism (past and present). This article reflects upon the nature, context and format of the online learning environment, explores the staff and student experience of participating and engaging in the conference, and considers its effectiveness for learning and teaching. The article also highlights some of the cross cultural insights that emerged concerning language, culture, and social context in respect of the issue of racism and related issues of discrimination. The creation of a virtual learning environment across three continents raised interesting challenges and exciting opportunities in respect of academic collaboration and the development of learning and teaching strategies. The article concludes by suggesting that there is pedagogical merit in using both cross cultural and virtual learning environments which may be particularly well suited to enable students to grapple with subject matters that have historically been fraught with ignorance, prejudice and pre-conceived ideas

Evolution of crystalline electric field effects, superconductivity, and heavy fermion behavior in the specific heat of Pr(Os1−x_{1-x}Rux_x)4_4Sb12_{12}

Specific heat $C(T)$ measurements were made on single crystals of the superconducting filled skutterudite series Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$ down to 0.6 K. Crystalline electric field fits in the normal state produced parameters which were in agreement with previous measurements. Bulk superconductivity was observed for all values of the Ru concentration $x$ with transition temperatures consistent with previous experiments, confirming a minimum in $T_{c}$ at $x=0.6$. The $C(T)$ data below $T_{c}$ appear to be more consistent with power law behavior for $x=0$ (PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$), and with exponential behavior for $0.05 \leq x \leq 0.2$. An enhanced electronic specific heat coefficient $\gamma$ was observed for $x \leq 0.4$, further supporting $x \simeq 0.6$ as a critical concentration where the physical properties abruptly change. Significant enhancement of $\Delta C/T_{c}$ above the weak coupling value was only observed for $x=0$ and $x=0.05$.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Physical Review B. v2: text added and figures modifie

Magnetic Behavior in RRhX (R = rare earths; X=B, C) Compounds

We report on the magnetic behavior of RRhB (R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb and Tm) and RRhC (R = La, Ce, Pr and Gd) compounds crystallizing in the cubic perovskite type structure with space group Pm3m. The heat capacity data on Pauli-paramagnetic LaRhB and LaRhC indicate a high frequency vibrating motion of boron and carbon atoms in the unit cell. Ce is in -like nonmagnetic state in both the compounds. Pr compounds show a dominant crystal field effect with a nonmagnetic singlet ground state in PrRhB and a nonmagnetic quadrupolar doublet in PrRhC. Compounds with other rare earths order ferromagnetically at low temperatures except TmRhB in which the zero field evolution of magnetic interactions is relatively more complicated. The electrical resistivity of GdRhB decreases with increasing temperature in the paramagnetic state in the vicinity of T, which is rarely seen in ferromagnets. The behavior is discussed to be arising due to the short range spin fluctuation and a possible contribution from Fermi surface geometry.Comment: 14 Figs and a text fil

A comparative study of rapid urease test and dilute carbol fuchsin staining technique for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is a gram negative spiral bacilli associated with acid peptic disease (APD) and gastric carcinoma. A rapid urease test is the most common test performed for a quick clinical diagnosis with or without histopathological examination of antral biopsy specimens.Methods: In this study we evaluated the utility of a simple dilute carbol fuchsin stain (DCF) for identifying the spiral or curved forms of H.pylori in the direct smears of antral biopsy samples for diagnosis of H.pylori infection and compared the results with rapid urease test (RUT).Results: Sums of 100 cases were included in the study from which 61 (61%) were positive for urease production and shown typical spiral or curved bacilli by D.C.F stain.Conclusions: DCF stain was found to be an excellent stain for direct microscopic evaluation and compared well with RUT

Free volume study of poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) using positron annihilation spectroscopy as a microanalytical tool

Positron lifetimes and X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out on poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) films annealed between 25 and 215 degrees C. The positron lifetime results were used to determine the free volume and XRD data were used to determine the apparent crystallite size and crystallinity. The glass transition temperature (T-g) of 52 degrees C obtained from positron results is in agreement with that obtained by thermal analysis. The average free volume cell size is 74 Angstrom(3) in films annealed below T-g, and increases to 84 Angstrom(3) in samples annealed above T-g. Although the observed changes in positron lifetime parameters as a function of annealing temperature are small, they are significant for the kind of material investigated. Our observations are explained in terms of thermally activated chain mobility, local relaxations and long-range motions. We further estimate, for the first time, the activation energies in the amorphous and crystalline regions of the polymer using the Goldanskii kinetic relations. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

Prevalence of HIV seropositivity among the patients attending tertiary care hospital at Puducherry, India

Background: HIV/AIDS has been globally increasing since its first identification and reached 36.9 million by the end of 2014. It is more prevalent in underdeveloped countries. India with about 2.1 million HIV/AIDS affected people is placed third on the table followed by South Africa and Nigeria. In the present study, we aim to report the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among the patients attending our hospital in and around Puducherry, India.Methods: A total of 18903 patients attending various departments of our hospital from November 2012 to October 2015 were included in this study. HIV screening was done by rapid card test and ELISA for the detection of antibodies against HIV.Results: Out of the total study population, 259 (1.37%) were positive for HIV/AIDS. An increasing prevalence was observed in each successive year of our study. Male (1.94%) population was predominantly affected by HIV/AIDS than the females (0.90%) and is more prevalent in the 41-50 year age group.  Conclusions: Continuous monitoring, testing and counseling for HIV/AIDS would help to keep the disease under control. Special awareness and education programs are to be conducted in areas in which an increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS is reported

Superconductivity mediated by a soft phonon mode: specific heat, resistivity, thermal expansion and magnetization of YB6

The superconductor YB6 has the second highest critical temperature Tc among the boride family MBn. We report measurements of the specific heat, resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and thermal expansion from 2 to 300 K, using a single crystal with Tc = 7.2 K. The superconducting gap is characteristic of medium-strong coupling. The specific heat, resistivity and expansivity curves are deconvolved to yield approximations of the phonon density of states, the spectral electron-phonon scattering function and the phonon density of states weighted by the frequency-dependent Grueneisen parameter respectively. Lattice vibrations extend to high frequencies >100 meV, but a dominant Einstein-like mode at ~8 meV, associated with the vibrations of yttrium ions in oversized boron cages, appears to provide most of the superconducting coupling and gives rise to an unusual temperature behavior of several observable quantities. A surface critical field Hc3 is also observed.Comment: 29 pages, 5 tables, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.