Characterization of the behavior of a turbine rotor steel by inverse analysis on the small punch test

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Pembelajaran Kooperatif Tipe Jigsaw dengan Pendekatan Pengajuan Masalah (Problem Posing) di Kelas VIII SMP Ittihad Makassar

This study is research and development refers to 4-D Thiagarajan model which aims at producing a valid learning devices and examining whether cooperative learning tools of jigsaw type problem posing giving approach is effektive to be applied on circle subject matter of grade VIII students at SMP Ittihad Makassar. This study is conducted due to low quality of education, teacher centered is still applied in school in mathematics learning, and a pleasant learning condition has not been achieved yet. Therefore, the problem statement related to the main problem is how is the implementation and the effectiveness of cooperative learning devices of jigsaw type through problem giving approach on circle subject matter. The devices of be produced in this study are the lesson plan, teacher\u27s manual, student\u27s book, student\u27s workbook, and lerning achievement test. Data on teacher and students\u27 activities were obtained by using observation sheet; whereas, to examine students\u27 learning achievement, test of learning achievement was employed. Data on students\u27 response was obtained by using questionaire. Data was analyzed by using statistics deskriptive analysis. The results show that (1) the students are active in having cooperative learning of jigsaw type through problem giving approach, (2) the teacher\u27s activity in cooperative learning of jigsaw type through problem giving approach giving is extremely good, (3) the students\u27 response on positive, and (4) the result of students\u27 learning achivement after having the cooperative learning of jigsaw type through problem giving approach has met the criteria of classical mastery. The result reveals that cooperative learning of jigsaw type through problem giving approach has conducted and is effective to be applied on circle subject matter of grade VIII-A students at SMP Ittihad Makassar. It is suggested that mathematics learning, particulary on the circle subject matter at SMP, teachers should use cooperative learning devices of jigsaw type through problem giving approach because students are delighted and interested in having cooperative learning of jigsaw type through problem giving approach. Key Word: cooperative learning, Problem posin

The role of transformation in the provision and maintenance of personnel in the department of correctional services : Pretoria Central Prison

Before 1994 the Department of Correctional Services was not representative of South African demography in terms of race, gender and disability. The challenge faced by the post-1994 Department of Correctional Services was to bring about change. The Department had to accept this challenge with full awareness of past and continuing discriminatory policies and practices and inadequate service delivery (Department of Correctional Services: Equity Policy, 1999:2). This study investigated the role of transformation in the reform of policies in the provision, maintenance and education, training and development of personnel in the Department of Correctional Services: Pretoria Central Prison. A qualitative research method was used in the study. The study involved survey questionnaires, survey interviews, a review of the relevant literature on the research topic and observation. The study shows that there has been an increase in the representation of blacks (coloureds and Africans) and women in the staff at Pretoria Central Prison. It is recommended that the Prison focus on increasing the representation of Indians and disabled persons to achieve the goals of transformation even further.Dissertation (MAdmin (Public Administration))--University of Pretoria, 2007.School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA)unrestricte

3D Huygens Principle based Microwave Imaging through MammoWave Device: Validation through Phantoms.

This work focuses on developing a 3D microwave imaging (MWI) algorithm based on the Huygens principle (HP). Specifically, a novel, fast MWI device (MammoWave) has been presented and exploited for its capabilities of extending image reconstruction from 2D to 3D. For this purpose, dedicated phantoms containing 3D structured inclusion have been prepared with mixtures having different dielectric properties. Phantom measurements have been performed at multiple planes along the z-axis by simultaneously changing the transmitter and receiver antenna height via the graphic user interface (GUI) integrated with MammoWave. We have recorded the complex S21 multi-quote data at multiple planes along the z-axis. The complex multidimensional raw data has been processed via an enhanced HP-based image algorithm for 3D image reconstruction. This paper demonstrates the successful detection and 3D visualization of the inclusion with varying dimensions at multiple planes/cross-sections along the z-axis with a dimensional error lower than 7.5%. Moreover, the paper shows successful detection and 3D visualization of the inclusion in a skull-mimicking phantom having a cylindrically shaped inclusion, with the location of the detected inclusion in agreement with the experimental setup. Additionally, the localization of a 3D structured spherical inclusion has been shown in a more complex scenario using a 3-layer cylindrically shaped phantom, along with the corresponding 3D image reconstruction and visualization

Racial differences between African-American and white women in insulin resistance and visceral adiposity are associated with differences in apoCIII containing apoAI and apoB lipoproteins

Background: African-Americans have higher HDL, less visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and lower triglyceride (TG) and apoCIII concentrations than whites, despite being more insulin-resistant. We studied in African-American and white women the influences of insulin resistance and VAT on the apoAI concentrations of two HDL subspecies, one that contains apoCIII that is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and one that does not have apoCIII that is associated with decreased CHD; and on the apoCIII concentrations of HDL and of the apoB lipoproteins. Methods: The participants were 32 women (14 African-Americans, 18 white) of similar age (39 ± 12 vs. 42 ± 11y). Mean BMI was 34 kg/m2 in the African-Americans compared to 30 in the whites. A standard diet (33% fat, 52% carbohydrate, 15% protein) was provided for 7 days followed by a test meal (40% fat, 40% carbohydrate, 20% protein) on Day 8. Insulin sensitivity index (SI) was calculated from the minimal model. Results: After controlling for SI, African-Americans have a higher mean apoAI level in HDL with apoCIII compared with whites (12.9 ± 2.8 and 10.9 ± 2.9 mg/dL, respectively, P = 0.05). SI was associated with higher apoAI in HDL with apoCIII, whereas VAT was not associated with this HDL subspecies. This pattern of results was reversed for apoCIII concentrations in apoB lipoproteins. After adjusting for SI, African-Americans had lower apoCIII in apoB lipoproteins. SI was associated with lower apoCIII in total apoB lipoproteins, whereas VAT was associated with higher apoCIII in all the apoB lipoproteins. Additional adjustment for VAT tended to reduce the difference in apoCIII between the groups. Conclusions: African-American women have a higher HDL with apoCIII level than whites when controlled for insulin sensitivity. African-Americans have lower insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity is associated with higher levels of HDL with apoCIII. ApoCIII levels in VLDL are lower in African-American women than whites, also affected by insulin sensitivity which is associated with low apoCIII in VLDL. VAT has a strong association with apoCIII in apoB lipoproteins but not with apoAI in HDL with apoCIII. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0048486

Tor-Sch9 deficiency activates catabolism of the ketone body-like acetic acid to promote trehalose accumulation and longevity.

n mammals, extended periods of fasting leads to the accumulation of blood ketone bodies including acetoacetate. Here we show that similar to the conversion of leucine to acetoacetate in fasting mammals, starvation conditions induced ketone body-like acetic acid generation from leucine in S. cerevisiae. Whereas wild-type and ras2Δ cells accumulated acetic acid, long-lived tor1Δ and sch9Δ mutants rapidly depleted it through a mitochondrial acetate CoA transferase-dependent mechanism, which was essential for lifespan extension. The sch9Δ-dependent utilization of acetic acid also required coenzyme Q biosynthetic genes and promoted the accumulation of intracellular trehalose. These results indicate that Tor-Sch9 deficiency extends longevity by switching cells to an alternative metabolic mode, in which acetic acid can be utilized for the storage of stress resistance carbon sources. These effects are reminiscent of those described for ketone bodies in fasting mammals and raise the possibility that the lifespan extension caused by Tor-S6K inhibition may also involve analogous metabolic changes in higher eukaryotes

The extraordinary catalytic ability of peroxiredoxins: a combined experimental and QM/MM study on the fast thiol oxidation step

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) catalyze the reduction of peroxides, a process of key relevance in a variety of cellular processes. The first step in the catalytic cycle of all Prxs is the oxidation of a cysteine residue to sulfenic acid, which occurs 103–107 times faster than in free cysteine. We present an experimental kinetics and hybrid QM/MM investigation to explore the reaction of Prxs with H2O2 using alkyl hydroperoxide reductase E from Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a Prx model. We report for the first time the thermodynamic activation parameters of H2O2 reduction using Prx, which show that protein significantly lowers the activation enthalpy, with an unfavourable entropic effect, compared to the uncatalyzed reaction. The QM/MM simulations show that the remarkable catalytic effects responsible for the fast H2O2 reduction in Prxs are mainly due to an active-site arrangement, which establishes a complex hydrogen bond network activating both reactive species.Fil: Zeida Camacho, Ari Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física; ArgentinaFil: Reyes, Aníbal M.. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: González Lebrero, Mariano Camilo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Radi Isola, Rafael. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Trujillo, Madia. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Estrin, Dario Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentin

Risk management as a social defence against anxiety.

Orientation: This article deals with the unconscious role of risk management in an African country. Research purpose: The aim of the study is to describe how risk management unconsciously influences behaviour when doing business in an African country. Motivation for the study: Operational risk management is a rational management imperative. However, this does not take cognisance of the unconscious role of risk management. A systems-psychodynamic perspective might be particularly relevant if the anxiety implied in risk management is not appropriately contained. Awareness of these dynamics may provide an opportunity for addressing them and allow for a more holistic way of managing risk. Research design, approach and method: The researchers conducted the study as a qualitative case study in an African country. They used purposive sampling and analysed the data using qualitative content analysis. Main findings: Viewing risk management from a systems-psychodynamic perspective allowed the researchers to identify the influence of risk management on the behaviour of people. The emerging hypothesis was that, if businesses do not address the anxiety underlying risk management, managing risk becomes a social defence against the anxiety. Practical/managerial implications: Awareness of the anxiety involved in risk management may assist businesses to manage risk in a more realistic way, making provision for, and even capitalising on, the human element. Contributions/value-add: The article provides a systems-psychodynamic, and hence a more complete, perspective of operational risk management when doing business in an African country