More non-locality with less entanglement

We provide an explicit example of a Bell inequality with 3 settings and 2 outcomes per site for which the largest violation is not obtained by the maximally entangled state, even if its dimension is allowed to be arbitrarily large. This complements recent results by Junge and Palazuelos (arXiv:1007.3042) who show, employing tools from operator space theory, that such inequalities do exist. Our elementary example provides arguably the simplest setting in which it can be demonstrated that even an infinite supply of EPR pairs is not the strongest possible nonlocal resource.Comment: 9 pages; Added reference to arXiv:1012.151

Mitigating First Year Burnout: How Reimagined Partnerships Could Support Urban Middle Level Teachers

Given what we know about new teacher attrition—most teachers leave within their first five years in the field—specialized support during early years of teaching is critical. But should this support look different across different contexts and grade bands? What does supportive teacher education and induction look like for middle level educators preparing to teach in urban settings? This essay describes steps taken to design a cross-institutional, collaborative 3-year residency program for K-8 educators, and speaks to the importance of reimagined co-teaching, critical, and cross-institutional partnerships in middle grades teacher education. The authors urge readers to consider how to implement similar modifications in their own spaces to create powerful, collaborative middle grades teacher education and induction

Working Effectively With Employees who Have Sustained a Brain Injury

This brochure on individuals who have sustained a brain injury and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of a series on human resources practices and workplace accommodations for persons with disabilities edited by Susanne M. Bruyère, Ph.D., CRC, SPHR, Director, Program on Employment and Disability, School of Industrial and Labor Relations – Extension Division, Cornell University. It was updated in June, 2000 by Stephanie Hanson, Ph.D., College of Health Professions, University of Florida. The original as written by Thomas P. Golden, M.S., Program on Employment and Disability, Cornell Universit

A case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome on withdrawal of benzhexol

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare and potentially lethal reaction which is usually associated with the use of medications with antidopaminergic properties. This article describes the case of an elderly gentleman who developed the neuroleptic malignant syndrome after withdrawal of the anticholinergic agent benzhexol (trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride), which he was taking for Parkinson’s disease. The patient improved rapidly after treatment was restarted. This case adds to the evidence that antidopaminergic agents may not be necessary for the development of this syndrome, and increased awareness of this possibility is advisable in such circumstances.peer-reviewe

Dynamic muscle quality of the plantar flexors is impaired in claudicant patients with peripheral arterial disease and associated with poorer walking endurance

Objective Peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication (PAD-IC) negatively affects physical activity and function. There is evidence for plantarflexor muscle dysfunction and weakness; however, the extent to which this dysfunction can be attributed to reduced muscle size or quality, or both, is not yet known. This study investigated whether in vivo plantarflexor muscle quality during static and dynamic contractions is altered by PAD-IC and whether such changes are associated with impaired walking endurance according to initial and absolute claudication distances. Methods The study recruited 22 participants, consisting of 10 healthy controls and 12 claudicant patients with occlusion of the superficial femoral artery (seven unilateral and five bilateral). Muscle quality of the combined gastrocnemius muscles during static contractions was calculated by normalizing the estimated maximal potential muscle force to the physiological cross-sectional area of the lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Muscle quality during dynamic contractions of the combined plantarflexor muscles was calculated as the ratio of peak voluntary concentric plantarflexor power and the summed volume of lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Results Dynamic muscle quality was 24% lower in the claudicating-limb and asymptomatic-limb groups compared with controls (P = .017 and P = .023). The differences were most apparent at the highest contraction velocity (180°/s). Dynamic muscle quality was associated with reduced walking endurance (R = 0.689, P = .006 and R = 0.550, P = .042 for initial and absolute claudication distance, respectively). The claudicating-limb group demonstrated a trend toward reduced static muscle quality compared with controls (22%, P = .084). The relative contribution of the soleus muscle to plantarflexion maximum voluntary contraction was significantly higher in the claudicating-limb and asymptomatic-limb groups than in controls (P = .012 and P = .018). Conclusions The muscle strength of the plantarflexors in those with PAD-IC appears to be impaired at high contraction velocities. This may be explained by some reduction in gastrocnemii muscle quality and a greater reliance on the prominently type I-fibered soleus muscle. The reduced dynamic capability of the plantarflexor muscles was associated with disease severity and walking ability; therefore, efforts to improve plantarflexor power through dynamic exercise intervention are vital to maintain functional performance

CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRICULTURE AND POVERTY

Even though much has been written about climate change and poverty as distinct and complex problems, the link between them has received little attention. Understanding this link is vital for the formulation of effective policy responses to climate change. In this article, we focus on agriculture as a primary means by which the impacts of climate change are transmitted to the poor, and as a sector at the forefront of climate change mitigation efforts in developing countries. In so doing, we offer some important insights that may help shape future policies as well as ongoing research in this area.Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Security and Poverty, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Simple measures can improve care in our hospitals : an audit of venous thromboembolism practice

Abstract: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious but preventable complication of hospitalisation. Doctors still sometimes fail to adhere to them, thus putting patients at risk and incurring considerable expense for the national health service. We chose to audit the practice of doctors in our geriatric facility, and assessed the effect of a memoire to increase compliance. We also explore how our hospitals can learn from the experience of other centres, where the risk of litigation has brought this condition to the forefront. Compliance improved from 30.7% to 63.3%, which was statistically significant. We would suggest that a centralised and organised approach could produce even greater levels of compliance.peer-reviewe

Ethylene-independent promotion of photomorphogenesis in the dark by cytokinin requires COP1 and the CDD complex

The transition of skotomorphogenesis to photomorphogenesis is induced by the perception of light, and is characterized by the inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and opening of cotyledons. Although it is known that the plant hormone cytokinin inhibits hypocotyl elongation in dark-grown Arabidopsis plants when applied in high concentrations, it is unclear to what extent this response is the result of cytokinin alone or cytokinin-induced ethylene production. Here, we show that cytokinin-induced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation is largely independent of ethylene and suggest a close connection between the cytokinin two-component system and the light-signaling networks. We show that this cytokinin signal is mainly mediated through the cytokinin receptor ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE KINASE3 and the ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR1 in combination with ARR12. Interestingly, mutation of CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPOGENIC1 (COP1), DE-ETIOLATED1, and CYTOKININ INSENSITIVE4/COP10 renders plants insensitive to cytokinin, and these factors are indispensable for the transcriptional response during cytokinin-induced de-etiolation, indicating that a functional light-signaling pathway is essential for this cytokinin response. In addition, the effect of cytokinin on hypocotyl elongation is strongly dependent on the light conditions, with higher light intensities causing a switch in the response to cytokinin from an inhibitor to a promoter of hypocotyl elongation