Educational Research in Educational Practice: Predictors of Use

This study investigates the predictors of school practitioners’ (N = 2,425) use of educational research. The suggested model explained significantly but modestly the infrequent use of educational research by practitioners. Of the four factors in the study, “opinions about research” had the most explanatory power. The results are discussed in connection with existing knowledge about school practitioners’ use of educational research and implications for further research and practice

Vitamin A Deficiency after Gastric Bypass Surgery: An Underreported Postoperative Complication

Introduction. Few data are available on vitamin A deficiency in the gastric bypass population. Methods. We performed a retrospective chart review of gastric bypass patients (n = 69, 74% female). The relationship between serum vitamin A concentration and markers of protein metabolism at 6-weeks and 1-year post-operative were assessed. Results. The average weight loss at 6-weeks and 1-year following surgery was 20.1 ± 9.1 kg and 44.1 ± 17.1 kg, respectively. At 6 weeks and 1 year after surgery, 35% and 18% of patients were vitamin A deficient, (<325 mcg/L). Similarly, 34% and 19% had low pre-albumin levels (<18 mg/dL), at these time intervals. Vitamin A directly correlated with pre-albumin levels at 6 weeks (r = 0.67, P < 0.001) and 1-year (r = 0.67,  P < 0.0001). There was no correlation between the roux limb length measurement and pre-albumin or vitamin A serum concentrations at these post-operative follow-ups. Vitamin A levels and markers of liver function testing were also unrelated. Conclusion. Vitamin A deficiency is common after bariatric surgery and is associated with a low serum concentration of pre-albumin. This fat-soluble vitamin should be measured in patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery and deficiency should be suspected in those with evidence of protein-calorie malnutrition

School dropout, problem behaviour and poor academic achievement : a longitudinal view of portuguese male offenders

This study examines school drop outs from the perspective of male adults themselves through interviews with offenders currently serving sentences. Participants were 10 Portuguese male inmates, between the ages of 19 and 46 years of age, incarcerated in two prison facilities of the Azores. Qualitative and interpretative methods were carried out using a semi-structured in-depth individual interview that was audiorecorded and conducted on the basis of a list of topics. Interview transcripts and thematic analysis were used in data treatment and analysis. The findings primarily indicate that poor academic achievement and emotional and behavioural difficulties of participants played a particular role in early school drop out. The trajectories these individuals followed within the education system presented problem behaviour, learning disabilities, and/or foster care interventions. While school drop out circumstances were apparently various, analysis showed that they were underpinned by three distinct sets of conditions generally not addressed by the education system. The analysis of the triggering factors and the maintenance dynamics of school drop outs indicated three distinct types: retention/absenteeism, life turning points and positive resolution. Implications for secondary prevention and screening practices are discussed.FCT (SFRH/ BD/ 44245/ 2008)CIEC - unidade de investigação 317 da FC

Engagement Across Developmental Periods

The goal of this chapter is to provide a cohesive developmental framework and foundation for which to understand student engagement across early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. Guided by the bioecological theory of human development and the person-environment fit perspective, this chapter extends Finn\u27s participation-identification model of engagement by mapping student engagement within a larger developmental sequence. This chapter discusses student engagement within specific developmental periods that are tied to the developmental tasks, opportunities, and challenges unique to early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. Student engagement is found to be a nuanced developmental outcome, and the differences may be a result of the maturation of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional developmental tasks and the changing contextual landscape for the children and adolescents. Recommendations for future research as well as policy implications are also discussed

The Theory of Constraints as a Method of Results Optimization in Complex Organization

The paper presents the theory of constraints (TOC) as a method used to improve results in a complex, multiplants organization. In the article the assumptions of this method has been presented as well as iterative approach concerning how to launch it in practice. Main indicators for organizational effectiveness assessment have also been presented. The maximization of production assets utilization is a key issue for competitive organization in the changing market conditions. An appropriate usage of the theory of constraints enables efficient allocation of financial assets among particular plants within a capital group. An application of a method has been presented based on throughput analyses and its influence to improve financial results of one plant organization and synergy effect in multiplants organization. The theory of constraints can be used in almost every kind of business sectors, among them are metal and foundry industries. It allows to be implemented in production organizations as well as in any other company’s profiles. Everywhere the constraint has been defined there is a chance to achieve an improvement following the presented method. The examples have been taken from the casting plants which use continuous and mold casting technologies. The examples show that TOC approach can be successfully employed as the improvement tool of foundries’ performances

Biological hydrogen receiving from modified paper wastes of chemical and physical methods

Badania dotyczyły możliwości otrzymywania wodoru z osadów pochodzących z zakładu papierniczego. Z uwagi na polimerową budowę osady poddawano wstępnej modyfikacji chemiczno-fizycznej obejmującej utlenianie H2O2 i ekspozycję w polu ultradźwiękowym. Fermentację wodorową prowadzono dla substratów, w których wykazano największy przyrost cukrów prostych i ChZT w cieczach osadowych oraz ubytek zawiesin organicznych. Badania wykazały dużą odporność osadów na zastosowaną modyfikację. Uzyskano mały przyrost monosacharydów i niską skuteczność w przetwarzaniu zawiesin. Jednakże wykazano też, że podczas fermentacji modyfikowanych osadów z substratem glukozowym uzyskiwano ponad 3,5-krotny wzrost produkcji wodoru w odniesieniu do fermentacji samego substratu glukozowego.This article presents studies concerning a possibility of hydrogen obtaining from sewage sludge coming from paper industry. Due to its polymeric composition, the sludge was initially subjected to chemical and physical modification, including H2O2 hydrolysis and ultrasonic field exposure. Hydrogen fermentation was conducted for substrates which showed the highest increase of COD and simple sugars in sludge liquid and suspended organic matter loss. The studies have shown substantial resistance of the sludge to the applied modification, expressed by little monosaccharide increase and low efficiency of sludge liquidation. However, it was also proved that during hydrogen fermentation of the modified substrates, over 3.5 times greater increase of hydrogen production was obtained in comparison to the reference samples

Linear and nonlinear eccentric mode evolution in unstratified MHD discs

International audienceIn this paper we develop a framework for studying unstratified, magnetised eccentric discs and compute uniformly precessing eccentric modes in a cylindrical annulus which provide convenient initial conditions for numerical simulations. The presence of a magnetic field in an eccentric disc can be described by an effective gas with a modified equation of state. At magnetic field strengths relevant to the magneto-rotational instability the magnetic field has negligible influence on the evolution of the eccentric disc, however the eccentric disc can significantly enhance the magnetic field strength over that in the a circular disc. We verify the suitability of these eccentric disc solutions by carrying out 2D simulations in RAMSES. Our simulated modes (in 2D) follow a similar evolution to the purely hydrodynamical modes, matching theoretical expectations, provided they are adequately resolved. Such solutions will provide equilibrium states for studies of the eccentric magneto-rotational instability and magnetised parametric instability in unstratified discs and are useful for exploring the response of disc turbulence on top of a fluid flow varying on the orbital timescale

Effect of conditioning with peracetic acid on selected physicochemical properties of the sludge

Przedstawiono wyniki badań wpływu kwasu nadoctowego na przebieg stabilizacji tlenowej osadów ściekowych (mieszanina 1:1, v/v osadu nadmiernego i surowego). Stabilizację tlenową prowadzono w skali laboratoryjnej, w trzech reaktorach o objętości 12 dm3. Do osadu w reaktorze kontrolnym (R1) nie wprowadzano kwasu nadoctowego. Do reaktora R2 wprowadzono 2 cm3 CH3COOOH/dm3 osadów na początku stabilizacji, a następnie po 6 dniach dodatkowo 1, a po 11 dniach 0,5 cm3 CH3COOOH. Do reaktora R3 wprowadzono jednorazowo 20 cm3 CH3COOOH przed rozpoczęciem stabilizacji osadów. Proces stabilizacji tlenowej prowadzono przez 21 dni. Zawartość reaktorów była mieszana za pomocą powietrza doprowadzanego przez dyfuzory umieszczone na dnie reaktorów. Wprowadzane powietrze służyło równocześnie za źródło tlenu do procesu stabilizacji. Stężenie tlenu rozpuszczonego utrzymywano na poziomie 2 mg/dm3. Proces prowadzono w temperaturze pokojowej (21 ± 1 ° C). W celu przebiegu stabilizacji w osadzie lub cieczy nadosadowej oznaczano zawiesiny ogólne i organiczne, indeks Mohlmanna, czas ssania kapilarnego, pH oraz ChZT. Przeprowadzone badania pozwoliły stwierdzić, że wprowadzanie CH3COOOH do osadów stabilizowanych tlenowo spowalniało przebieg procesu w porównaniu z próbką kontrolną. Dodanie kwasu nadoctowego pogarszało również podatność osadów na odwadnianie. W cieczy nadosadowej osadu, do którego wprowadzono 20 cm3 CH3COOOH, zaobserwowano znaczący wzrost ChZT. Zmiany we właściwościach fizyczno-chemicznych osadów stabilizowanych chemicznie pozwalają stwierdzić, że kwas nadoctowy powodował utlenienie części zawiesin organicznych osadów przy równoczesnej inaktywacji mikroorganizmów osadu.The study presents the results of investigations on aerobic digestion of excess and raw sludge mixture (1:1, v/v) in the presence of peracetic acid (PAA). Aerobic digestion of the sludge was performed in laboratory scale, in three bath reactors (12 L volume each). To the first (blank) reactor (R1) no oxidant was introduced. To the second one (R2) 2, 1 and 0.5 mL of CH3COOOH were added at the beginning of stabilization, after 6 and 11 days, respectively. To the third reactor (R3) 20 mL of CH3COOOH was added before aerobic digestion. Digestion was continued for 21 days. Content of all reactors was mixed and aerated with air introduced in the bottom of the reactor through diffusers. Dissolved oxygen concentration was set at 2 mg.L-1. Process was performed at temperature 20 ± 1 ° C. Total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), sludge volume index (SVI), capillary suction time (CST), pH and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were analysed in the sludge to monitor the progress of stabilization process. It can be concluded that application of peracetic acid didn't improve the aerobic digestion compared to classical process (blank reactor). Peracetic acid application worsens dewatering properties of the sludge. Significant increase of COD value in supernatant was also observed when 20 mL of CH3COOOH was added. Application of CH3COOOH caused oxidation of the part of organic solids in the sludge and inactivation of microorganisms

Wplyw zawartosci substratu fenolowego na zmiany ilosciowo-jakosciowe WWA podczas fermentacji metanowej sciekow koksowniczych

Przeprowadzono badania nad zmianami ilościowymi i jakościowymi 16 WWA podczas procesu mezofilowej fermentacji metanowej substratu fenolowego zawartego w wodzie pogazowej pochodzącej z koksowni. Po przeprowadzonej adaptacji drobnoustrojów do rozkładu fenoli w stężeniu 600 mg·dm⁻³ w procesie wykorzystywano wodę pogazową pobraną przed i po procesie ekstrakcyjnego usunięcia smół i olejów. Badania prowadzono przy zmiennym udziale wody pogazowej w dopływie. Najwyższą szybkość biodegradacji fenoli, ChZT oraz produkcję metanu z 1 kg usuniętego ChZT uzyskano, gdy woda pogazowa stanowiła 1% objętości dopływu. Zwiększenie udziału wody pogazowej spowodowało obniżenie sprawności usuwania ChZT i fenoli oraz spadek produkcji biogazu. Dla dopływu zawierającego 1% lub 3% wody pogazowej pobranej po usunięciu smół i olejów zaobserwowano zwiększenie w odpływie sumarycznego stężenia wybranych WWA. Dla dopływu zawierającego 3% wody pogazowej pobranej przed procesem usunięcia smół i olejów zaobserwowano obniżenie sumarycznego stężenia wybranych WWA, jak również sumarycznego stężenia WWA kancerogennych.Quantitative and qualitative transformations of 16 selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) were investigated during mesophilic methane fermentation of phenol in wastewater from a coking plant. Microorganisms were adapted to biodegradation of phenol in a synthetic wastewater at the concentration of 600 mg·dm⁻³. During process the bioreactor was fed with a composition of synthetic and industrial wastewater. The industrial wastewater was collected before and after a coalescence process. The inflow contained 1% or 3% (v/v) of the industrial wastewater. The highest biodegradation rate of phenol, removal of COD and methane production per 1 kg removed COD were obtained, when the contribution of the industrial wastewater in the inflow was 1%. Increased contribution of the industrial wastewater decreased the efficiency of COD and phenol removal, and a drop in methane production. For the inflow containing 1% and 3% industrial wastewater (collected after the coalescence process), the increase of total PAH's concentration in the effluen was observed. On the contrary, at inflow containing 3% industrial wastewater (collected before coalescence process), the lowering of total PAH's concentration in the effluent, including cancerigenous compounds, was stated