Design and study of active filters

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Bridging The Gap Between Higher Education And The Workforce: A Coach Approach To Teaching

Abstract There is debate in the business community around whether new entrants to the labour market are as proficient in essential skills such as communications, collaboration, and critical thinking as were their forbears. At the same time, the demand for executive coaching has increased substantially under both strong and weak economic conditions. Corporations are now using coaching to enhance essential skills within the workplace, which gives rise to questions about college graduates' skills and the positive impact coaching skills could have if embedded within academia. We explore the benefits of using a coach approach in the classroom whereby the instructor engages, enlightens, and empowers students to better prepare graduates for life-long learning and the labour market. The model requires the instructor to embrace authenticity, insight, and innovation by taking a coach approach to teaching with the intent to enhance learning outcomes

Ozonation attenuates the steroidogenic disruptive effects of sediment free oil sands process water in the H295R cell line

There is concern regarding oil sands process water (OSPW) produced by the oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada. Little is known about the potential for OSPW, and naphthenic acids (NAs), which are the primary persistent and toxic constituents of OSPW, to affect endocrine systems. Although ozonation significantly reduces concentrations of NAs and OSPW toxicity, it was hypothesized that oxidation of OSPW might produce hydroxylated products with steroidogenic activity. Therefore, untreated and ozone treated OSPW were examined for effects on sex steroid production using the H295R Steroidogenesis Assay. Untreated OSPW significantly decreased testosterone (T) and increased 17 beta-estradiol (E2) concentrations at OSPW dilutions greater or equal to 10-fold. This effect was mainly due to decreased U metabolism. Analysis of CYP19A (aromatase) mRNA abundance and enzyme activity suggested that induction of this enzyme activity may have also contributed to these effects. Reduction of parent NA concentrations by 24% or 85% decreased the effect of OSPW on E2 production. Although T production remained significantly reduced in cells exposed to ozone treated OSPW, the effect was diminished. Aromatase mRNA abundance and enzyme activity were significantly greater in cells exposed to ozone treated OSPW. however the magnitude was less than in cells exposed to untreated OSPW. No change of U metabolism was observed in cells exposed to ozone treated OSPW, which may account for recovery of E2 levels. The results indicate that OSPW exposure can decrease E2 and T production, but zonation is an effective treatment to reduce NA concentrations in OSPW without increasing affects on steroidogenesis. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Alberta Water Research Institute [C4288]; National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada [326415-07]; Western Economic Diversification Canada [6578, 6807]; Canada Foundation for Infrastructur

Antimicrobial Use Guidelines for Treatment of Urinary Tract Disease in Dogs and Cats: Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases

Urinary tract disease is a common reason for use (and likely misuse, improper use, and overuse) of antimicrobials in dogs and cats. There is a lack of comprehensive treatment guidelines such as those that are available for human medicine. Accordingly, guidelines for diagnosis and management of urinary tract infections were created by a Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases. While objective data are currently limited, these guidelines provide information to assist in the diagnosis and management of upper and lower urinary tract infections in dogs and cats

Messages that increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy: results from quantitative testing of advertising concepts

Background: Public awareness-raising campaigns targeting alcohol use during pregnancy are an important part of preventing prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Despite this, there is little evidence on what specific elements contribute to campaign message effectiveness. This research evaluated three different advertising concepts addressing alcohol and pregnancy: a threat appeal, a positive appeal promoting a self-efficacy message, and a concept that combined the two appeals. The primary aim was to determine the effectiveness of these concepts in increasing women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy.Methods: Women of childbearing age and pregnant women residing in Perth, Western Australia participated in a computer-based questionnaire where they viewed either a control or one of the three experimental concepts. Following exposure, participants’ intentions to abstain from and reduce alcohol intake during pregnancy were measured. Other measures assessed included perceived main message, message diagnostics, and potential to promote defensive responses or unintended consequences.Results: The concepts containing a threat appeal were significantly more effective at increasing women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy than the self-efficacy message and the control. The concept that combined threat and self-efficacy is recommended for development as part of a mass-media campaign as it has good persuasive potential, provides a balance of positive and negative emotional responses, and is unlikely to result in defensive or unintended consequences.Conclusions: This study provides important insights into the components that enhance the persuasiveness and effectiveness of messages aimed at preventing prenatal alcohol exposure. The recommended concept has good potential for use in a future campaign aimed at promoting women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnanc