Universality of human rights and cultural diversity-A Perspective

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Sport and recreation activity patterns of 12-year-old learners at a city private primary school

Published ArticleThe new millennium brought about many changes, including changes in the physical activity patterns of children. Children are labelled as the "screen generation". Owing to the wide exposure to computers, television, play stations and cellphones, children tend to lead more sedentary lifestyles as their age increases. A survey was done at a city private primary school to determine the physical activity patterns of the Grade 6 (12 year old) learners (N=63, 33 boys and 30 girls). A self-constructed questionnaire, based on the activities the school offers and on the extramural activities the learners participate in, was used to measure the learners' physical activity patterns and to obtain data about their reasons and key motivators for participation. The responses show that the same group of learners participates in almost all the activities offered. The main problem clearly concerned learners who were uninvolved in all physical activities. Schools were identified as the key element to promote physical activity among learners (Vidyya, 2002:4; Aarnio, 2003:27). The activities must be positive and enjoyable to keep learners motivated and interested in future participation

Stabilized high-power laser system for the gravitational wave detector advanced LIGO

An ultra-stable, high-power cw Nd:YAG laser system, developed for the ground-based gravitational wave detector Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), was comprehensively characterized. Laser power, frequency, beam pointing and beam quality were simultaneously stabilized using different active and passive schemes. The output beam, the performance of the stabilization, and the cross-coupling between different stabilization feedback control loops were characterized and found to fulfill most design requirements. The employed stabilization schemes and the achieved performance are of relevance to many high-precision optical experiments

Wall-Fluid and Liquid-Gas Interfaces of Model Colloid-Polymer Mixtures by Simulation and Theory

We perform a study of the interfacial properties of a model suspension of hard sphere colloids with diameter $\sigma_c$ and non-adsorbing ideal polymer coils with diameter $\sigma_p$. For the mixture in contact with a planar hard wall, we obtain from simulations the wall-fluid interfacial free energy, $\gamma_{wf}$, for size ratios $q=\sigma_p/\sigma_c=0.6$ and 1, using thermodynamic integration, and study the (excess) adsorption of colloids, $\Gamma_c$, and of polymers, $\Gamma_p$, at the hard wall. The interfacial tension of the free liquid-gas interface, $\gamma_{lg}$, is obtained following three different routes in simulations: i) from studying the system size dependence of the interfacial width according to the predictions of capillary wave theory, ii) from the probability distribution of the colloid density at coexistence in the grand canonical ensemble, and iii) for statepoints where the colloidal liquid wets the wall completely, from Young's equation relating $\gamma_{lg}$ to the difference of wall-liquid and wall-gas interfacial tensions, $\gamma_{wl}-\gamma_{wg}$. In addition, we calculate $\gamma_{wf}, \Gamma_c$, and $\Gamma_p$ using density functional theory and a scaled particle theory based on free volume theory. Good agreement is found between the simulation results and those from density functional theory, while the results from scaled particle theory quantitatively deviate but reproduce some essential features. Simulation results for $\gamma_{lg}$ obtained from the three different routes are all in good agreement. Density functional theory predicts $\gamma_{lg}$ with good accuracy for high polymer reservoir packing fractions, but yields deviations from the simulation results close to the critical point.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, REVTEX. Fig 5a changed. Final versio

Examining the use of telehealth in community nursing: identifying the factors affecting frontline staff acceptance and telehealth adoption

Aims: To examine frontline staff acceptance of telehealth and identify barriers to and enablers of successful adoption of remote monitoring for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Heart Failure. Background: The use of telehealth in the UK has not developed at the pace and scale anticipated by policy. Many existing studies report frontline staff acceptance as a key barrier, however data are limited and there is little evidence of the adoption of telehealth in routine practice. Design: Case studies of four community health services in England that use telehealth to monitor patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Heart Failure. Methods: Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 84 nursing and other frontline staff; and 21 managers and key stakeholders; data collected May 2012-June 2013. Findings: Staff attitudes ranged from resistance to enthusiasm, with varied opinions about the motives for investing in telehealth and the potential impact on nursing roles. Having reliable and flexible technology and dedicated resources for telehealth work were identified as essential in helping to overcome early barriers to acceptance, along with appropriate staff training and a partnership approach to implementation. Early successes were also important, encouraging staff to use telehealth and facilitating clinical learning and increased adoption. Conclusions: The mainstreaming of telehealth hinges on clinical 'buy-in'. Where barriers to successful implementation exist, clinicians can lose faith in using technology to perform tasks traditionally delivered in person. Addressing barriers is therefore crucial if clinicians are to adopt telehealth into routine practice

Functional analysis of dsRNAs (L1, L3, L5, and M2) associated with isometric 34-nm virions of Agaricus bisporus (white button mushroom)

cDNA clones of dsRNAs associated with La France disease of Agaricus bisporus were isolated, Clones corresponding to L1 and L5 dsRNAs were sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of L1 dsRNA (1078 amino acids, M(r) 121K) showed significant homology with RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of other dsRNA viruses. The deduced amino acid sequence of L5 dsRNA (724 amino acids, M(r) 82K) showed no homology with known proteins. Amino acid sequences of tryptic digests of three virion-associated proteins were determined. The 34-nm virion-associated protein of M(r) 115K was encoded by the L1 dsRNA, thus identifying this protein as the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The virion-associated protein of M(r) 90K was encoded by the previously sequenced L3 dsRNA. A cDNA clone of the previously sequenced M2 dsRNA was expressed in Escherichia coli and antibodies raised against this protein reacted only with a protein present in the cytoplasm of diseased A. bisporus fruit bodies but not in the 34-nm virions. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc

Rosenfeld functional for non-additive hard spheres

The fundamental measure density functional theory for hard spheres is generalized to binary mixtures of arbitrary positive and moderate negative non-additivity between unlike components. In bulk the theory predicts fluid-fluid phase separation into phases with different chemical compositions. The location of the accompanying critical point agrees well with previous results from simulations over a broad range of non-additivities and both for symmetric and highly asymmetric size ratios. Results for partial pair correlation functions show good agreement with simulation data.Comment: 8 pages with 4 figure