Further education in transition

This paper provides an overview of the national perspective in further education (FE) developments in Information and Learning Technology (ILT) since 1992, from the unique perspective of a number of key staff members at the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) and a member of staff with a role in quality improvement in the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC). It sets in context the research reported in this section in the papers by Cockrill et al. and Caven‐Atack

A Microscopic Study of the Ore Minerals from the Mines in the Northern Part of the Zosell (Emery) Mining District

Any investigation of the many gold silver producing districts of Montana will necessarily include the name Zosell. The Zosell Mining District, often referred to as the Emery District, was never a major producer in the state; however, its location, history, type of deposit, and char­acter of ore, has drawn the interest of many prominent investigators of the mineral industry

Birth

In James T. Farrell\u27s memorable novel, A World I Never Made, there is a scene in which Jim O\u27Neill\u27s wife tells him that she is pregnant. They already have five children and are so poor that they have been forced to ask a relative to raise one of the boys. Jim realizes that this new child will probably know nothing save the misery of poverty and yet he cannot help but feel a certain pride in the fact that he is to be a parent once more. This is typical of fatherhood

The energy exchanges of ruminants

Summary available: p. 1-

Understanding Female Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Closer Look at the Etiology of Pelvic Organ Prolapse and the Efficacy of Sacral Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Refractory Urinary Urgency and Frequency, and Urinary Urge Incontinence

The objectives of the research are to test the hypothesis that pelvic outlet diameter (POD) is associated with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in squirrel monkeys, and to measure long-term satisfaction of women treated with sacral neuromodulation (InterStim®) for refractory urinary urge incontinence, urinary urgency, and frequency. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) were obtained from 55 females with and without POP. Associations of age, parity, and body weight to POD were evaluated with linear regression analysis, while relationships between age, parity, and POD with POP were examined with multiple regression analysis. Women who were at least 3.3 years remote from InterStim® implantation were contacted by telephone to assess treatment satisfaction (Likert-type scale), symptom severity (UDI-6), disease related quality of life (IIQ-7), and patient global impression of improvement (PGI). Pelvic outlet diameter was not related to parity (p = 0.10) or weight (p = 0.053), but was inversely related to age. (p = 0.011) Animals with POP did not differ from those without POP in age (p = 0.10), weight (p = 0.17), or POD (p = 0.99). The groups differed in parity (p = 0.007) and multiple regression methods demonstrated that only parity had a significant relationship with POP (p = 0.002). In measuring long-term satisfaction of those treated with sacral neuromodulation, 37.5% of respondents were “satisfied” with their InterStim® and 50% would have the procedure again. Satisfied subjects were found to be younger then dissatisfied subjects (p = 0.10), and reported a median improvement in their bladder symptoms of 50%. Objective incontinence parameters and survey scores performed preoperatively and improvement during test stimulation were not predictive of long-term patient satisfaction. In conclusion, POD size does not contribute to POP in squirrel monkeys. Of the 24 subjects who were available for follow-up after 51 months of treatment, 50% would have InterStim® again

A structural systematic study of three isomers of difluoro-N-(4-pyridyl)benzamide

The isomers 2,3-, (I), 2,4-, (II), and 2,5-difluoro-N-(4-pyridyl)benzamide, (III), all with formula C₁₂H₈F₂N₂O, all exhibit intramolecular C-H...O=C and N-H...F contacts [both with S(6) motifs]. In (I), intermolecular N-H...O=C interactions form one-dimensional chains along [010] [N...O = 3.0181 (16) Å], with weaker C-H...N interactions linking the chains into sheets parallel to the [001] plane, further linked into pairs via C-H...F contacts about inversion centres; a three-dimensional herring-bone network forms via C-H...π(py) (py is pyridyl) interactions. In (II), weak aromatic C-H...N(py) interactions form one-dimensional zigzag chains along [001]; no other interactions with H...N/O/F < 2.50 Å are present, apart from long N/C-H...O=C and C-H...F contacts. In (III), N-H...N(py) interactions form one-dimensional zigzag chains [as C(6) chains] along [010] augmented by a myriad of weak C-H...π(arene) and O=C...O=C interactions and C-H...O/N/F contacts. Compound (III) is isomorphous with the parent N-(4-pyridyl)benzamide [Noveron, Lah, Del Sesto, Arif, Miller & Stang (2002). J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 6613-6625] and the three 2/3/4-fluoro-N-(4-pyridyl)benzamides [Donnelly, Gallagher & Lough (2008). Acta Cryst. C64, o335-o340]. The study expands our series of fluoro(pyridyl)benzamides and augments our understanding of the competition between strong hydrogen-bond formation and weaker influences on crystal packing

Examination of Acute Care Nurses Ability to Engage in Patient Education Related to Physical Activity as a Health Behavior

Physical activity is important for management and prevention of chronic disease. The current physical activity guidelines recommend engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day on at least 5 days a week. Acute care settings may present opportunities for patient education about physical activity. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of acute care nurses to engage in patient education regarding physical activity as a health behavior. Additionally, this study examined the influence of level of nurse training, age, personal physical activity and years of experience on these outcomes. METHODS: Nurses from an academic medical center (N=194) were surveyed. Knowledge of current physical activity guidelines, rank of importance of physical activity as a patient care activity and a healthy lifestyle behavior, and confidence to counsel patients about physical activity were queried. RESULTS: Of nurses queried, 32.5% reported days per week and 83% reported minutes per day to engage in physical activity consistent with current guidelines. Physical activity counseling was ranked least important of ten patient care activities and fifth as a healthy lifestyle behavior. The majority of nurses (51%) felt some degree of confidence to counsel patients regarding physical activity. Baccalaureate level nurses were more likely to be consistent with physical activity guidelines than master’s level nurses. Nurses <25 years of age were more current in knowledge of physical activity guidelines than nurses ≥41 years of age. Nurses who exercised were more likely to report knowing current physical activity guidelines. Reported time spent counseling patientsregarding physical activity averaged 6 minutes per patient per day. CONCLUSION: Acute care nurses are counseling patients regarding physical activity although it is ranked least important of ten patient care activities. Future research should include studying: a variety of patient populations; other hospital settings; objective measures of evaluation; and nurses’ training regarding physical activity

Relaciones entre aprensión comunicativa, tolerancia a la ambigüedad y estilos de aprendizaje en estudiantes de contabilidad

Las dinámicas del entorno empresarial globalizado ha llevado a cambios en las capacidades necesarias para que los contables puedan añadir valour a sus clientes; lo que ha motivado una presión creciente en los docentes de contabilidad para que diseñen e implementen programas que contribuyan al desarrollo de las competencias clave. En este contexto es posible que alguna de las características de nuestros alumnos actúen como limitadores del cambio pedagógico y del desarrollo de capacidades; como la aprensión comunicativa, la tolerancia a la ambigüedad o determinados estilos de aprendizaje. Los resultados de estudios previos indican que los estudiantes de contabilidad suelen presentar niveles más altos en las características que actúan como limitadores, en comparación con otros estudiantes de áreas afines. En este contexto, una cuestión clave es si estas características están interrelacionadas causando un efecto sinérgico. Los resultados obtenidos con una muestra de estudiantes de contabilidad indican que estas relaciones existen. Los patrones de correlaciones encontrados son indicativos de las limitaciones que un docente de contabilidad afronta para desarrollar las capacidades clave. Las implicaciones de estos resultados se discuten aportando líneas de actuación.The dynamics of the global business environment have led to changes in the skills required by accountants in order to add value for their clients. Consequently, there is a growing pressure on accounting educators to design and implement educational programmes that could contribute to the development of the relevant skills. In such a context, it is possible that some characteristics of students (for example communication apprehension, ambiguity tolerance, or learning styles) could be constraints on both skills development and pedagogical change. Previous studies have reported that accounting students tend to have higher levels of the constraining characteristics than students from other disciplines. However, previous research has not considered the extent to which those characteristics are inter-related or have possible synergistic effects in accounting students. The results of this study, based on a sample of accounting students, indicate that those relationships exist. The patterns of correlations are indicative of the constraints that an accounting educator must overcome to effectively develop certain skills. Implications of the results are discussed