Social Learning: A Model for Policy Research

This paper concerns the question of how policy research can be made more useful in practice. Two types of policy research may be distinguished. The first is research on issues in the public realm and not addressed to a specific client. The "consumers" of this type of research -- those whom it stimulates to thought -- are other interested scholars and practitioners, and the arguments proceed from many different quarters and perspectives. Answers given in this context are neither right nor wrong: they merely illuminate an issue of public concern and enhance our understanding of it. In this special sense, policy research resembles, in Cohen and Garet's language, "a discourse about social reality -- a debate about social problems and their solutions". The second type of policy research does have a client and is therefore pitched to an existing social problem that is located within a specific policy environment. Although we recognize that the distinction we are attempting to draw is imprecise, we propose to deal in this paper with only the second type of policy research and further limit ourselves to social policy. Such research is bought and sold, but its results are rarely used in the solution of a problem. Our intention, then, is to find out why and in what circumstances this outcome is highly probable and what, if anything, might be done about it

Model Predictive Control of a Continuous Vacuum Crystalliser in an Industrial Environment: A Feasibility Study

Crystallisers are essentially multivariable systems with high interaction amongst the process variables. Model Predictive Controllers (MPC) can handle such highly interacting multivariable systems efficiently due to their coordinated approach. In the absence of a real continuous crystalliser, a detailed momentum-model was applied using the process simulator in Simulink. This process has been controlled by a model predictive controller widely used in industry. A new framework has been worked out for the incorporation of the Honeywell Profit Suite controller to the simulator of the crystalliser. The engineering model and the controller were connected via OPC (OLE-Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control standard). Models were developed in Profit Suite using the new fully-automated identification method. The feasibility study illustrated that the applied identification tool gave an accurate and robust model, and that the non-linear crystalliser may be controlled and optimised very well with the Honeywell Profit Suite package. The developed system is proven to be useful in research and development

Common Hysterosalpingographic Findings in Infertility Cases in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Background: Reproductive medicine has recently witnessed advances and hysterosalpingography has become a relatively quick and non-invasive procedure to evaluate the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes.Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the common hysterosalpingographic findings in infertility cases in Lagos, South West, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: The HSG reports of 100 patients who were referred to the department of radiodiagnosis of Lagos University Teaching Hospital between September 2010 and August 2011 were reviewed. The biodata of each patient was collated from the request forms. Fifty-seven patients (57%) were investigated for secondary infertility, while 43 patients (43%) were investigated for primary infertility.Results: The commonest pathology found in patients presenting with infertility in this study were uterine fibroid (26%), followed by uterine adhesion (12%). There was evidence of peritubal adhesion, either bilateral or unilateral, in 10% of the patients, while tubal occlusion, either bilateral or unilateral, was reported in 7% of the cases. Hydrosalpinx occurred in only 6% of the patients. Twenty-eight patients (28%) had normal uterus and fallopian tubes.Conclusion: Hysterosalpingography remains relevant in the investigation of mechanical causes of infertility in women

Trace elements based classification on clinkers. Application to Spanish clinkers

[EN]The qualitative identification to determine the origin (i.e. manufacturing factory) of Spanish clinkers is described. The classification of clinkers produced in different factories can be based on their trace element content. Approximately fifteen clinker sorts are analysed, collected from 11 Spanish cement factories to determine their Mg, Sr, Ba, Mn, Ti, Zr, Zn and V content. An expert system formulated by a binary decision tree is designed based on the collected data. The performance of the obtained classifier was measured by ten-fold cross validation. The results show that the proposed method is useful to identijy an easy-to-use expert system that is able to determine the origin of the clinker based on its trace element content.[ES]En el presente trabajo se describe el procedimiento de identificación cualitativa de clínkeres españoles con el objeto de determinar su origen (fábrica). Esa clasificación de los clínkeres se basa en el contenido de sus elementos traza. Se analizaron 15 clínkeres diferentes procedentes de 11 fábricas de cemento españolas, determinándose los contenidos en Mg, Sr, Ba, Mn, Ti, Zr, Zn y V. Se ha diseñado un sistema experto mediante un árbol de decisión binario basado en los datos recogidos. La clasificación obtenida fue examinada mediante la validación cruzada de 10 valores. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el modelo propuesto es válido para identificar, de manera fácil, un sistema experto capaz de determinar el origen de un clínker basándose en el contenido de sus elementos traza.Peer reviewe

L’état des études internationales au Canada : un survol de la recherche scientifique

This article depicts the configuration of approaches to the scientific study of foreign policy and international politics in Canada, as represented in a systematic survey of research written in Canada and published in forty scholarly journals, some from as early as 1945 up to 1975. Scientific studies found in this sample were analyzed along four dimensions : theoretical basis ; issue area ; units upon which the investigation is based ; and method of analysis. Scientific study of international relations emerged as a largely recent yet growing phenomenon of the last decade. It constitutes a unique subfield outside the mainstream of research, and is concentrated among a relatively small group of individuals and even fewer institutions. Études internationales emerged as the single most important channel of communication for this subfield in Canad

Novel Method for the Determination of Process Safety Time

Nowadays process safety is a key issue at the design and operation of a production process. Unfortunately, at the application of process hazard analysis (PHA) techniques the time aspect of operation and the dynamical behaviour of the process are neglected. This is due to the small number of easily available tools which can be applied to perform dynamical process simulation and dynamical analysis. However, in recent times dynamical models are increasingly applied to support the solution of any tasks related to process safety. Another problem that makes it difficult to take into account time, is the lack of a standardized concept and evaluation system to integrate the obtained information into the design procedure of safety integrated system (SIS). The aim of this article is to investigate the role of time in the design of process safety elements (PSEs), and to define the connection between the process and the time by using the process safety time (PST) term, as well as to give a methodology how PST can be designed based on the process simulator and applied in the development of PSEs. The developed methodology is based on dynamical analysis of the system and the possible safety actions. Based on this methodology, an algorithm has been developed to detect unsafe situations and to determine the necessary safety actions that can be used to avoid the undesired states of operation. The algorithm has been applied in the solution of an industrial problem related to reactor runaway

Assessment of Nutritional Status of Primary School Pupils Using Anthropometrics in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State

The study assessed nutritional status of primary school pupils using anthropometrics in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The sample size for the study was 860 pupils from the selected public and private primary schools. Three research questions guided the study. A self-designed proforma, and standardized anthropometric devices of calibrated standardized digital weighing scale (OMRON BF400) and wooden statiometer were used as instruments for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage. The findings of the study included that the participants (pupils) had moderate nutritional status, however, with substantial cases of underweight, stunting and overweight. The study also revealed that the female pupils had better nutritional status than their male counterparts, and the pupils in private primary schools had better nutritional status than pupils in public primary schools. The study recommended among others that parents and guardians and teachers should be properly educated in nutrition education either in formal and non-formal settings

An Assessment of Adherence to Professional Ethics and Practices among Medical Radiographers in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Background: Radiography practice integrates scientific knowledge and technical skills which has to be complemented by regular exercise of sound professional and ethical judgment in order to ensure qualitypatient care and acquisition of useful diagnostic information. This study investigated the extent of adherence to professional ethics and practices by practicing radiographers in Lagos state, Nigeria.Methodology: A structured, self administered questionnaire was randomly distributed to two hundred practicing radiographers in various public and private healthcare facilities in Lagos state. The respondents were broadly assessed on ethical handling of patients, adherence to continuous professional development & training, and participation in other professional responsibilities. The completed questionnaires were verified and corroborated by substantiated proof of claim by each respondent. Data analysis was by a statisticalsoftware Epi-Info.3.5.1 version.Results: Majority (85%) of the respondents rated ethical handling of patients excellent. However, none of the respondents had regular implementation of quality assurance on their equipments while only 28.8% of the respondents attended at least one mandatory continuous professional development programme within the past one year. The adherence of the participants to other evaluated professional and ethical issues was found to be 51.6%.Conclusion: The adherence of Radiographers to professional ethical handling of patients was rated excellent. However, implementation of quality assurance programmes on equipments and adherence to continuous professional development were grossly low. It is recommended that efforts towards increased emphasis on the importance of practitioner adherence to professional/ethical issues during training in continuous development programmes, conferences, seminars and short courses or direct enrolment in further postgraduate degrees, be intensified

Some aspects of disease management of cherry leaf spot (Blumeriella jaapii) with special reference to pesticide use

In this review, some aspects of disease management of cherry leaf spot (Blumeriella jaapii) are summarised with special referenceto pesticide use. In the first part of the review, we show the non-chemical control approach (e. g. removal of fallen leaves, planting resistantcultivar) against leaf spot. In the second part of the review, the effect of pesticides including fertilizers (urea) and fungicides on cherry leafspot are discussed. Special attention are given to the fungicides of copper, dodine, captafol, captan, benomil, chlorothalonil, steroldemethylation inhibitors (e.g. fenarimol, fenbuconazole, myclobutanil, tebuconazole), and strobilurins about their effectiveness against cherryleaf spot. In the final part of the review, possibilities of cherry leaf spot control are discussed in integrated and organic cherry orchards

Produção de bioferramentas para o estudo da deubiquitinase USP2

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Silvio Marques ZanataDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Defesa: Curitiba, 12/12/2016Inclui referências : f. 65-70Resumo: A ubiquitinação está envolvida em vários processos no organismo, desde ciclo celular até vias de sinalização de apoptose. Por esse amplo envolvimento, é de extrema importância uma fina regulação que é realizada por enzimas chamadas deubiquitinases (DUBs) que hidrolisam ligações isopeptídicas. Dentre todas as DUBs, USP é a família mais extensa tendo como membro USP2 que possui duas isoformas fruto de processamento alternativo: USP2a (de 69kDa) e USP2b (de 45kDa) que se diferenciam apenas na região N-terminal. Alguns estudos relacionam essas isoformas com a via da p53, miogênese, tumores de próstata, agressividade de tumores de mama e manutenção dos níveis de Na+ e pressão sanguínea. Apesar desses estudos, a distribuição tecidual da USP2 ainda não está completamente estabelecida. A presença de duas isoformas distintas de processamento e a inexistência de anticorpos comerciais que possam distinguir entre as duas isoformas justifica a produção de reagentes confiáveis para o estudo de USP2. Desde modo, o objetivo foi produzir anticorpo monoclonal, isoforma específico, para USP2a e clonar, produzir proteína recombinante em bactérias e superexpressar USP2b em células eucariontes. USP2a foi produzida em E. coli BL21(DE3)STAR fusionada com etiqueta de histidina e purificada por coluna de Ni-NTA. A proteína purificada foi usada para imunizar camundongos balb/c. O soro policlonal desses animais foi testado por western blot para a presença de anticorpo anti-USP2a quanto ao reconhecimento da proteína endógena e superexpressa em linhagens de próstata LNCaP e RWPE-1 tendo dois animais positivos usados para a fusão com mieloma. Os hibridomas após a diluição limitante foram varridos por ELISA chegando-se a um clone 4GD2 que reconheceu USP2a superexpressa em HEK293T e não reconheceu USP2b superexpressa em HEK293T, indicando que obteve-se sucesso na produção de um anticorpo monoclonal isoforma específico para USP2a. Além disso, a isoforma USP2b foi clonada com sucesso nos vetores pET28a(+) e pcDNA3.1(-)6his. Esta isoforma não foi expressa em E. coli mesmo com várias mudanças no sistema, desde cepa bacteriana até temperatura, meio e tempo de expressão, mas foi superexpressa em HEK293T. As ferramentas produzidas serão de extrema importância para estudos de mapeamento tecidual, análise de cinética e busca de novos parceiros moleculares para essas isoformas. Palavras-chave: USP2, USP2a, USP2b, anticorpo monoclonal, proteína recombinante.Abstract: Several physiological processes involve ubiquitylating modification, from cell cycle to apoptosis pathways. Because this involvement has a large range, it is extremely important that this post-translational modification be tightly regulated. Enzymes called deubiquitinases (DUBs) hydrolyze isopeptide bond and have a pivotal role in this regulation. Among all DUBs, the USP is the largest family. USP2, a member of this family, has two isoforms from alternative splicing: USP2a (69kDa) and USP2b (45kDa) and differences rely within their N-terminal regions. These isoforms have related to p53 pathway, myogenesis, prostate tumors, breast tumors aggressiveness and maintenance of Na+ levels and blood pressure. Despite these studies, the tissue distribution of USP2 is not completely established. Absences of commercial antibody that recognize specific isoforms justify the production of reliable reagents to study USP2. Thus, the aims of this study were (1) to express both USP2a and USP2b in heterologous bacterial system; (2) to overexpress USP2b in mammalian cells and (3) to produce monoclonal antibodies specific to USP2a isoform. USP2a was produced in E. coli BL21(DE3)STAR fused with polyhistidine tag and purified by Ni-NTA column. The purified protein was used to immunize Balb/c mice strain. We have tested the polyclonal serum of these animals by western blot to the presence of antibody anti-USP2a that recognize endogenous and overexpressed protein in prostate line LNCaP and RWPE-1. Two animals were positive and employed in fusion procedures. After hybridoma supernatant screenings for anti-USP2a presence by ELISA, we isolated the clone 4GD2, which was stable and still secreting antibodies after several freeze-thaw cycles. Monoclonal antibody 4GD2 recognizes USP2a overexpressed in HEK293T cells and does not cross-react with USP2b, suggesting that MoAb 4GD2 is highly specific. In addition, USP2b was successfully cloned in pET28a(+) and pcDNA3.1(-)6his vectors, both expression vectors for prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, respectively. We were not able to express successfully USP2b in E. coli under different protocols (e.g. temperature, medium and time parameters changes), however we expressed His-tagged USP2b in HEK293T cells. The produced tools will be extremely important in further studies, such as tissue and temporal USP2 expression mapping, USP2 expression and disappearing kinetics in cell lines and characterization of new molecular partners for this DUB. Key words: USP2, USP2a, USP2b, monoclonal antibody and recombinant protein