The effect of pictorial depth information on projected size judgements

When full depth cues are available, size judgements are dominated by physical size. However, with reduced depth cues, size judgements are less influenced by physical size and more influenced by projected size. This study reduces depth cues further than previous size judgement studies, by manipulating monocularly presented pictorial depth cues only. Participants were monocularly presented with two shapes against a background of zero (control), one, two or three pictorial depth cues. Each cue was added progressively in the following order: height in the visual field, linear perspective, and texture gradient. Participants made a „same-different? judgement regarding the projected size of the two shapes, i.e. ignoring any depth cues. As expected, accuracy increased and response times decreased as the ratio between the projected size of the two shapes increased (range of projected size ratios, 1:1 to 1:5). In addition, with the exception of the larger size ratios (1:4 and 1:5), detection of projected size difference was poorer as depth cues were added. One-cue and two-cue conditions had the most weighting in this performance decrement, with little weighting from the three-cue condition. We conclude that even minimal depth information is difficult to inhibit. This indicates that depth perception requires little focussed attention

Aiding Neocolonialism? Moroccan NGOs, International Actors, and Questions of Autonomy in Human Rights Advocacy

As development studies have challenged the traditional narrative of Western “humanitarian work” developing the Global South, concerns have been raised about the shifting roles of NGOs as they are incentivized to depoliticize and professionalize in a market dominated by foreign aid. Given the legacy of colonialism and the emergence of systems of domination such as the non-profit industrial complex, NGOs have been explored as a potential avenue of neocolonialism. Based on background research, general observations and interviews with representatives of local non-governmental organizations based in Rabat, this project examines how local organizations advocating for their communities view their relationships with international actors, whether through funding or program implementation, and what they envision as effective, empowering approaches in their work. The purpose of the project is to center the voices of local organizers in exploration of how local NGOs navigate the manifestations of these systemic power structures in their human rights activism. This study presents varying perspectives past theoretical ones by engaging with the broad range of ways that local NGOs realistically view their goals, strategies and identities in the context of their interactions with international actors, and how they interact with perceptions of these relationships by other influential entities. This study contributes to the discussion of how these organizations involved in political movements view and maneuver subversion of their autonomy from two sides: both with the historical legacies of foreign interference and the appropriation of critiques of neocolonialism to aid their delegitimization and repression by the Moroccan state

Protein Glycan Coupling Technology as an alternative method for the production of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines: Investigation of the impact of fermentation and technology-specific factors on recombinant vaccine production

The implementation of glycoconjugate vaccines such as Prevnar-13 against invasive pneumococcal disease has significantly reduced deaths worldwide. However, generally the complex manufacturing process for glycoconjugate vaccines and in particular for Prevnar-13 contributes to the cost per dose of the vaccine to be $200 per dose in the USA. The recombinant production of glycoconjugate vaccines presents a comparatively simplified and cheaper process for vaccine production. The work presented is the first to demonstrate successful recombinant production of a pneumococcal glycoconjugate of serotype 4 in bioreactors and from cells grown in defined medium. Initially cells were grown in a fed-batch protocol with either 30 g/L or 100 g/L glycerol in the batch phase. Despite nearly 3-fold higher cell biomass at harvest in the 100 g/L condition, in normalised densitometry analysis glycoconjugate production was 4.5-fold lower. Strains were engineered and grown in fed-batch mode to investigate the impact of oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) gene location (chromosomal versus plasmidic) and of different acceptor proteins. PiuA a lipopolysaccharide component of an iron transporter in the pneumococcus and ExoA is a ribosyltransferase found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The introduction of ExoA was more positively impactful on glycoconjugate production compared to OST location. Densitometry analysis in normalised samples found glycoconjugate production was 4.6-26-fold higher when ExoA was the acceptor protein. ELISA quantification found more glycoconjugate was bound to the same amount of protein for ExoA (between 13-226-fold). A DoE study looking to optimise fermentation using a strain with ExoA as the protein was conducted with an exponential feed pre-induction. Cell biomass at harvest was improved by 3-7.7-fold compared to a starting fed-batch protocol, however, densitometry analysis performed on glycoconjugate bands on normalised samples indicated only three conditions had a higher signal. Post-induction temperature and feed rate had a significant impact on cell biomass and glycoconjugate densitometry signal at harvest as determined by DoE modelling. The work in this thesis lays the foundation for future fermentation and strain optimisation studies

A CRITICAL REVIEW ON DIFFERENT DASHAMOOLADI KWATH YOGA

Dashamoola is useful herbal combinationof roots of ten plants. This combination has been used in various dosage forms i.e. Taila, Ghrit, Avaleha, Kshirapaka, Arishta, Kwatha etc., but Kwatha form is extensively described and used by ancient and recent Acharyas. The aim of the study is to compile Dashamoola Kwatha formulations along with the selection and role of Prakshep dravya in different diseased conditions regarding Dashamoola and Dashamooladikwatha (Dashamoola kwatha with additional ingredients). In this review study, Dashamoola Kwatha; with Prakshep dravya and Dashamoola Kwatha with other additional Dravyas which are up to ten were selected from 32 classical texts. Total 30, 38 and 99 references were found for Dashamoola kwatha, Dashamoola kwatha with Prakshep dravya and Dashamooladikwatha respectively without repetition. Dashamoolakwatha is found most effective on Amajanya, Avruttavatajanya, Santarpanottha, Amapakwashyasamuttha vyadhis. By adding additional dravyas either Kwathya or Pakshepa to Dashamoola kwatha efficacy of the formulations and its spectrum is found to be increased

Efficacy and Safety of Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Carotid Artery Stenting in Asymptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis:

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A Study to Assess the Level of Depression and Anxiety among Woman with Polycystic Ovarian Disorder in Selected Hospital Nadiad City Gujarat

Background: Polycystic Ovarian Disorder Is The Most Common Endocrine Abnormality In Women Of Reproductive Age It Is A Health Problem That Affect 1 In 10 Women Of Child Bearing Age (15-49 Year). According To Indian Fertility Society Prevalence Of Pcod Range From 3.71% To 22.5% Women With Pcod Have Experienced Adverse Social, Physical, Emotional, And Psychological Consequences And They Are At Risk Of Developing Depression, Anxiety, Sadness, And Loneliness, Which Had Negative Impact On Their Health. Aims: The Main Aim Of The Study Is To Assess The Level Of Depression And Anxiety Among Women With Polycystic Ovarian Disorder In Selected Hospital In Nadiad City, Gujarat. Objectives To Assess The Level Of Depression In Women With Pcod In Selected Hospital Of Nadiad City Gujarat To Assess The Level Of Anxiety In Women With Pcod In Selected Hospital Of Nadiad City Gujarat. To Find Out The Association Between Level Of Depression And Anxiety Among Women With Pcod In A Selected Demographic Variables. Methodology: A Cross Sectional And Descriptive Study Designed Was Used By A Researcher. 100 Women Who Having Pcod Were Selected As A Sample. Sample Were Selected From Samju Laxmi Maternity Hospital And Akshar Hospital In Nadiad City Gujarat , Data Were Analyzed By Using Descriptive And Inferential Statistic And Frequency And Percentage, Table, Graph Etc., Were Used To Represent The Statistical Data. Result: In All 100 Women With Pcod Were Entered Into This Study In Which 36% Pcod Women Have No Depression, 49% Pcod Women Have Mild Depression, 8% Pcod Women Have Moderate Depression 7%, Pcod Women Have Severe Depression. Which Is Associated With Their Demographic Variable I.E. Age, Type Of Family. In All 100 Women With Pcod 7% Women Have No Anxiety ,24% Women Have Mild To Moderate Anxiety Level ,52% Women Have Moderate To Severe Anxiety And 7% Women Have Severe Anxiety. Which Is Associated With Their Demographic Variables I.E. Age, Marital Status, Have A Child?, Source Of Information About Pcod, Duration Of Pcod?, Duration Of Treatment.Conclusion :The Result Of Present Study Shows That The Pcod Women Have A Psychological Impact In Which There Is Presence Of Mild, Moderate And Severe Level Of Depression And Anxiety In Women With Pcod