the neutrophilic dermatoses mainly caused by activated neutrophils and monocytes. Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) is a useful extracorporeal circulation therapy for removal of activated granulocytes and monocytes. In this study,GCAP was used to treat three patients with different types of GPP; the diagnoses indicated patient 1 had GPP, patient 2 had GPP developed from psori…
Abstract: Several abnormalities of the cardiovascular system are observed in most cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mechanisms underlying these abnormalities are complicated, and several factors contribute to their pathogenesis. Of these factors, oxidative stress and uremic toxins are considered to play key roles in the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in CKD. Oxidative stress i…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore/investigate various issues of teachers’ motivation in public sector Higher Educational Institutions of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – This is an exploratory research where surveys have been conducted in the well known public sector Universities of Pakistan; primary data have been collected through questionnaire and in depth face …
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore not only the academic measures such as grade point average of success of college-to-university transfer programs (Pathway Programs), but also the social-cultural facilitators and barriers throughout the students’ Pathway experience. Design/methodology/approach – The experience of students and academic advisors moving between Queensdale Co…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory study that investigates Portuguese academics’ conceptions concerning the temporal properties of e-learning, in the context of traditional Higher Education Institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Grounded Theory methodology was used to systematically analyse data collected in semi-structured interviews wit…
Purpose – Over the past decade, studies of school leadership effects have increasingly aimed at identifying and validating the paths through which principal leadership impacts key teaching and learning processes in schools. A recent meta-analysis by Robinson and colleagues identified principal practices that shape teacher professional development experiences in schools as the highest impact p…
Abstract: Mexican Tuba (M-Tuba) and Tepache are Mexican fermented beverages prepared mainly with pineapple pulp and coconut palm, respectively. At present, reports on the microbiota and nutritional effects of both beverages are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine whether M-Tuba and Tepache contain cultivable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) capable of producing bacteriocins. Tepache …
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present and examine the addition of a “professional artefact” to the course requirements for the BA Honours Professional Practice (BAPP) (Arts) programme at Middlesex University. Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a case study approach using reflection,indicative theories and consideration of student work to evaluate the introductio…
Understanding children’s development is critical in the midst of efforts that teach children about money and open savings accounts for them early in life. These efforts are delivered at a time of extensive developmental change, yet with limited attention to this context. Through a review of research, this study unveils the ages at which children may be able to save and to use savings accounts…
Summary: This study focuses on isotherms, isosteric heat of sorption and enthalpy–entropy mechanism of water sorption of grated Parmesan cheese at simulating conditions of storage and drying processes. Isotherms were determined by gravimetric method using different saturated salt solutions. Samples were submitted to different temperatures, and several models were used to fit experimental dat…
Abstract: Transglycanases (endotransglycosylases) cleave a polysaccharide (donor-substrate) in mid-chain, and then transfer a portion onto another poly- or oligosaccharide (acceptor-substrate). Such enzymes contribute to plant cellwall assembly and/or re-structuring. We sought a general method for revealing novel homo- and hetero-transglycanases, applicable to diverse polysaccharides and oligos…
ABSTRACT: The reason for expressing ecological protection goals in terms of ecosystem services is to make a connection between ecosystems and what people get out of them in terms of marketed goods and nonmarketed welfare. Here our focus will be on how the ecosystem services framework is and can be applied to the ecological risk assessment (ERA) of chemicals.We provide 2 contrasting examples of…
Abstract: In this study, the influence of different treatments was evaluated: nonwashing, washing in chlorinated water and washing/soaking in chlorinated water and sodium chloride on the quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets during storage at 1.0 0.5°C through daily analysis of pH, moisture, and lipids content. Microbiological analysis and growth modeling for mesophilic an…
Abstract: As sessile organisms, plants are subject to a multitude of environmental variations including several which directly affect their interaction with the atmosphere. Given the indiscriminant nature of Rubisco, the relative rates of photosynthesis and photorespiration are known to be responsive to changes in gas composition. However, comprehensive profiling methods have not yet been appli…
Abstract: In contemporary politics, the power and status of a country are intimately connected with its economic wealth. In particular, GDP has become the benchmark by which the global pecking order is defined. Initially designed as a mere survey of a nation’s income, GDP has become an ordering principle in international governance. Yet the convergence of socioeconomic, environmental and ene…
Abstract: Sevelamer hydrochloride (SH) has been reported to aggravate metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia. This study was performed to evaluate acid–base status and serum potassium changes after replacing SH with lanthanum carbonate (LC) in hemodialysis patients. SH was prescribed for 24 weeks in 14 stable hemodialysis patients and replaced by LC in a similar treatment schedule. Laboratory te…
Abstract: Distilled beverages are appreciated by consumers for their aromatic richness and changes during product consumption, but mechanisms still remain unclear. In this context, the objective of the present study was to better understand the origin of temporal perception by a combined approach (dynamic sensory and instrumental) during the consumption of brandies with different aging and kno…
Abstract: Italy experienced a double-dip Great Recession: after the start of the global financial crisis, Italy had a second serious recession in 2011 as a result of the sovereign debt crisis. The reaction of Italian governments was minimal at the beginning but more serious action has been taken to address Italy’s fiscal problems since the start of the sovereign debt crisis in 2011. The poli…
Abstract: Distilled beverages are appreciated by consumers for their aromatic richness and changes during product consumption,but mechanisms still remain unclear. In this context, the objective of the present study was to better understand the origin oftemporal perception by a combined approach (dynamic sensory and instrumental) during the consumption of brandies withdifferent aging and known t…
Abstract: “Amala” is a generic term in Nigeria, used to describe a thick paste prepared by stirring flour (“elubo”) from yam, cassava or unripe plantain, in hot water, to form a smooth consistency. In order to overcome its high perishability and increase the utilization of sweet potato roots, three varieties of sweet potato roots were processed into flour using two methods. The interac…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline a small research project designed to explore the practices of the UK work-based learning (WBL) tutors in facilitating formal research projects in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a short questionnaire to practitioners administered electronically and a daylong workshop where issues were discussed in great…
Abstract: Purpose: To survey chairs of prosthodontics or restorative departments and program directors of postdoctoral prosthodontic programs in the United States regarding digital denture fabrication. The key objectives of the survey were to identify the current trends in complete denture fabrication using CAD/CAM technology and to determine how and to what extent this technique is taught and…
Abstract Aim: To investigate healthy food purchasing intentions and behaviours among patrons attending a large festival and any associations with healthy eating attitudes, social norms or perceived behavioural control. Methods: Food consumption intention and behaviour were measured via pre (upon entry)-post (prior to exit) surveys among West Australian adults at the Perth Royal Show (n = 100;…
Abstract Aim: A tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the first trimester remains a major life-threatening complication for the mother. We aim to determine whether serum reproductive hormones may be clinically useful in the early identification of a tubal EP. Methods: A total of 109 age-matched patients with a serum b-human chorionic gonadotropin (b-hCG) concentration
Potential predictability of seasonal mean temperature and precipitation is assessed using a moving blocks bootstrap method. The bootstrap method allows the potential predictability of seasonal means to be assessed even for autocorrelated, highly non‐Gaussian, intermittent data. The results reveal that the largest fraction of predictable variance for both temperature and precipitation occur m…
Abstract: The relationship between complete edentulism, which is the terminal outcome of a multifactorial oral disease process and other comorbid diseases, was first reported in 2009. Although the relationship between edentulism and a multitude of systemic diseases was reported, none of the publications studied could determine causality of tooth loss on the incidence of any comorbid disease. …
Purpose – European policy is placing an increasing emphasis on involving employers and labour market institutions in the design and delivery of higher education (HE) programmes that match curricula to current and future needs of the economy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the curriculum development process for work-based learning (WBL) programmes and to connect it to the basic pi…
The welfare cost of Japanese rice policy is estimated in the context of a large importing country, treating domestically produced rice and imported rice as heterogeneous goods and where there is home-good preference. Not accounting for this preference will cause the gains from liberalisation to be overestimated. The period that is analysed is 2004–2007, departing from that in previous studies…
SUMMARY 1. Streams are highly connected to their landscapes and so are easily altered by multiple stressors that affect both uplands and riparian zones, and the streams themselves. These include dams and diversions, channelisation, deforestation, water pollution, biological invasions and climate change. 2. We review research conducted in Hokkaido Island, northern Japan, which measured the eff…
Abstract: The research study was conducted to evaluate the quality characteristics of soy-mushroom- enriched biscuits which could be used as a protein supplemented cereal snack food. In this study, wheat flour was replaced with soy flour at different levels that is 20% (T3), 15% (T2), and 10% (T1) and without soy flour was kept as control (To). Mushroom was added in both biscuits. Biscuits wer…
Abstract: Aim: Iran’s health-care system has witnessed profound changes in the last decades. Despite its progress, the system has currently faced many challenges in one of the important subsystems, nursing. The present review article aimed to present an overview of the opportunities and challenges of the Iranian nursing system, based on recent literature. Methods: A broad search of the Engl…
Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cement type and relining procedure on push-out bond strength of fiber posts (FPs) after cyclic loading. Materials and Methods: Forty bovine incisor roots were divided into four groups: group 1, FP luting with RelyX Unicem; group 2, FP relined with resin composite (FPC) luting with RelyX Unicem; group 3, FP luting with Re…
Aim: To assess the accuracy of blind vaginal swab in diagnosis of preterm labor (PTL) and prediction of subsequent occurrence of preterm birth (PTB). Methods: Eligible women who presented at 24–34 weeks of gestation with threatened PTL had their cervicovaginal secretions sequentially sampled for fetal fibronectin (fFN) using two types of swabbing techniques. The first swab was a blind vagina…
Abstract: Aims: To compare the amino acid differences of changes of frozen-thawed early-stage human embryos andfresh cultured early-stage human embryos. Material and Methods: Discarded embryos and their in vitro culture medium of patients who underwent in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) at the Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen…
Abstract: Fish peptone was produced using enzymatic hydrolysis of silver carp filleting by-products by alcalase and trypsin. Also, the efficiency of the hydrolysates as a nitrogen source in Staphylococcus aureus medium was compared with commercial TSB. The results indicated that the protein hydrolysate from alcalase and trypsin had high protein content (92.92%, 91.53 respectively), and degree …
ABSTRACT A large number of biological indicators have been proposed over the years for assessing soil quality. Although many of those have been applied in monitoring schemes across Europe, no consensus exists on the extent to which these indicators might perform best and how monitoring schemes can be further optimized in terms of scientific and policy relevance. Over the past decade, developme…
Purpose – Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a vocational communication skill from the helping professions. Verbal skills in MI are summarized under the acronyms OARS and EARS (open-ended questions/elaborating, affirmations, reflections, and summaries). The purpose of this paper is to outline how MI provides important skills for engineers, and demonstrate skill assessment by using an observati…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between work placements and employability, through an analysis of the impact of a work placement on students’ self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach – The basis of this paper is a large-scale work-based learning module at the University of Birmingham, the “Professional Development Module”. Students completed qu…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework to support the embedding of social innovation education in existing academic programmes. Design/methodology/approach – By adopting Conole et al.’s (2004) methodological approach to reviewing, mapping and modelling learning theory, this study addresses four research questions: how can social innovation education be d…
A number of signifi cant legal challenges impede the attribution of liability to parent or porations for the overseas operations of their subsidiaries. The multinational reach of these entities’ activities raise questions as to which forum is appropriate to hear the case, under which state’s jurisdiction an action may be brought and as to which state’s domestic law should be applied. The …
Abstract: The quest for environmental protection alongside economic development has been one of the prominent themes of political and legal discourse for several decades. This article examines the extent to which the principle of sustainable development (introduced under the Rio Declaration 1992) as a conceptual framework for balancing these competing goals has been integrated within the intern…
Abstract: Agricultural water pollution is one of the most challenging environmental problems of our times, one which remains unresolved after 13 years of the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD). It is argued that the WFD is not defi cient; in fact, it provides both the environmental targets and the legal impetus for Member States to reduce pollution in their waters; Member States have simpl…
ABSTRACT: Throughout human history, people have coped with, and adapted to, their environment. This accumulated capacity at local level is increasingly recognized to be critical in improving resilience and transformation. Nevertheless, city dwellers’ coping and adaptive practices are little known, poorly documented and often not taken into account in the work of municipal authorities and ai…
ABSTRACT: The growth of informal settlements can intensify the risks of social and ecological harm to their communities and to the wider urban area. The unplanned and poorly serviced character of these settlements raises the probability of disasters occurring. The public sector can increase these risks through indifference and poorly conceived actions or it can help to build resilience throug…
Abstract: This paper reflects on how the city of Manizales, Colombia, is incorporating climate change adaptation into its plans, and how this can build on the foundations of the city´s long-established urban environmental policy (Biomanizales) and local environmental action plan (Bioplan) that have guided urban development and have developed incorporating disaster risk reduction into local dev…
Abstract: Resilience is receiving substantial traction as a concept to inform climate change and development policies and programmes. At the same time, a number of critiques have emerged that question its use as a framing concept for tackling urban climate change. This paper reflects on climate resilience and its critiques through an examination of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience N…
Abstract: In recent years, there has been an upsurge of interest by policy makers in high growth firms. Interest in these dynamic firms has primarily been driven by their prodigious ability to create new employment. Despite this, very little is known about the complex corporate geographies of these firms and their internationalisation processes. Using quantitative and qualitative data, this pap…
Abstract: The financial crisis of 2008 and associated recession caused significant permanent damage to the UK’s public finances: the UK economy is not expected to regain the economic growth trajectory that was predicted pre-crisis. In response, UK governments have planned and (so far, partially) implemented a significant fiscal tightening to cut borrowing from a post-war high of over 10 per…
ABSTRACT: A narrow technocentric focus on a few favored ecosystem services (generally provisioning services) has led to ecosystem degradation globally, including catchment systems and their capacities to support human well‐being. Increasing recognition of the multiple benefits provided by ecosystems is slowly being translated into policy and some areas of practice, although there remains a s…
Abstract: This article makes the case that speed has become significant, indeed central, as a social scientific category and focus of attention today. In particular, it engages with two contemporary theoretical currents that conceptualize the causes, consequences and manifestations of social speed as a fundamental feature of modernity. One key contribution is Hartmut Rosa’s interpretation of…