Designing a consequentially based study into the online support of pre-service teachers in the UK

This paper reports on the design of a pilot doctoral study into the online support of pre-service teachers. It highlights the significance of a consequential, rather than deontological, perspective in guiding the development of a study's design. The study initially aimed to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions and use of social media on their school placements by setting up groups on Facebook and Twitter. However, several problems occurred in relation to the recruitment of participants. It became increasingly clear that there was significance in the positionality of the researcher as an “outsider” to the research context and the potential role for gatekeepers in understanding remote research sites. An ethical framework was used to make a more comprehensive analysis of the issues at play, which helped identify ways of proceeding. A redesign of the study followed with a stronger rationale for the way consequential considerations can help address deontological concerns

The effect of materials' rheology on process energy consumption and melt thermal quality in polymer extrusion

YesPolymer extrusion is an important but an energy intensive method of processing polymeric materials. The rapid increase in demand of polymeric products has forced manufactures to rethink their processing efficiencies to manufacture good quality products with low-unit-cost. Here, analyzing the operational conditions has become a key strategy to achieve both energy and thermal efficiencies simultaneously. This study aims to explore the effects of polymers' rheology on the energy consumption and melt thermal quality (ie, a thermally homogeneous melt flow in both radial and axil directions) of extruders. Six commodity grades of polymers (LDPE, LLDPE, PP, PET, PS, and PMMA) were processed at different conditions in two types of continuous screw extruders. Total power, motor power, and melt temperature profiles were analyzed in an industrial scale single-screw extruder. Moreover, the active power (AP), mass throughput, torque, and power factor were measured in a laboratory scale twin-screw extruder. The results confirmed that the specific energy consumption for both single and twin screw extruders tends to decrease with the processing speed. However, this action deteriorates the thermal stability of the melt regardless the nature of the polymer. Rheological characterization results showed that the viscosity of LDPE and PS exhibited a normal shear thinning behavior. However, PMMA presented a shear thickening behavior at moderate-to-high shear rates, indicating the possible formation of entanglements. Overall, the findings of this work confirm that the materials' rheology has an appreciable correlation with the energy consumption in polymer extrusion and also most of the findings are in agreement with the previously reported investigations. Therefore, further research should be useful for identifying possible correlations between key process parameters and hence to further understand the processing behavior for wide range of machines, polymers, and operating conditions

Clinico-laboratory values of an adult patient with Kawasaki disease in Europe

Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile syndrome that mainly hurts the skin, mucosa and lymph nodes, occasionally causing coronary artery aneurysms if left untreated. It occurs most often in Japan and Korea, affecting infants and small children, whereas few adult cases have been reported. Its pathogenesis remains mostly unknown. This dataset consists of clinico-laboratory values of a case of adult Kawasaki disease in Europe.Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile syndrome that mainly hurts the skin, mucosa and lymph nodes, occasionally causing coronary artery aneurysms if left untreated. It occurs most often in Japan and Korea, affecting infants and small children, whereas few adult cases have been reported. Its pathogenesis remains mostly unknown. This dataset consists of clinico-laboratory values of a case of adult Kawasaki disease in Europe

Effects of fertilization and salinity on weed flora in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown following organic or conventional cultural practices

Two field experiments were conducted to assess the effects of cultural system and irrigation water salinity on weed flora in a common bean crop (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Contender). The experiments were designed as split plot designs with the cropping system as main plot (organic or inorganic fertilization), the level of water salinity as sub-plot (good quality or saline irrigation water with 0.5 or 10mM NaCl, respectively) and four replications per treatment. The lowest weed density was recorded in the saline water treatment. The results of the study showed that the order of weed sensitivity to salinity is redroot bigweed > bermudagrass > common lambsquarters > barnyardgrass >common purslane >purple nutsedge. Moreover, differences in nitrogen availability of the fertilizers had a large effect on weed density and biomass. The highest weed biomass (in 2011: 454 kg ha-1 for saline water treatment and 759 kg ha-1 for control; and in 2012: 331 kg ha-1 for saline water treatment and 578 kg ha-1 for control) was recorded in the plots treated with inorganic fertilizers. These results indicated that organic fertilization and saline water could be used for the suppression of weeds in organic common bean crops

Duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma, successfully treated by local surgical excision-a case report

Introduction Duodenal gangliocytic paragangliomas are rare neoplasms often arising in proximity to the major duodenal papilla of Vater. These neoplasms are considered to have a benign behavior with lymph node metastases being a rare phenomenon and distant metastatic disease even more so. Resection of the tumor is the only definitive therapy. Presentation of case A 67 year old male presented to a referring hospital with symptoms of fatigue and malaise. Evaluation with CT imaging revealed a 3.1 cm intraluminal mass situated grossly at the junction of the third with the fourth portion of the duodenum. The tumor was found to be situated near the ampulla of Vater and was excised through a longitudinal duodenotomy followed by myotomy of the sphincter of Oddi. Discussion Complete resection of duodenal gangliocytic paragangliomas by surgical or endoscopic means is the only potential cure. Endoscopic removal is the first option and is both safe and adequate. Ηowever, localized excision may be utilized instead in those cases in which endoscopic removal is not possible or cannot achieve negative margins. Recurrent disease after complete resection is unlikely. Conclusion Cases of duodenal gangliocytic paragangliomas are best managed with endoscopic resection. However, local surgical excision remains as a second-choice procedure. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are unnecessary after complete excision. © 2017 The Author