Role of bilirubin, vitamin C and ceruloplasmin as antioxidants in coronary artery disease [CAD]

A study has been carried out on 250 CAD patients to see how the serum levels of three antioxidants i.e., Vitamin C, Bilirubin and Ceruloplasmin are related to the CAD risk factors and characteristics in these patients. The number of severe category CAD patients declined by 7–18% with increasing serum levels of the three antioxidants and, triple vessel disease declined by 14–20%. A decline of 39% in Myocardial Infarction (MI) occurred with increasing serum Ceruloplasmin. Serum Ceruloplasmin was significantly lower in the MI group compared to the non MI group CAD patients. There was a steady and a significant decline in the mean values of serum levels of cholesterol, Triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol along with BMI with increasing serum level. The study indicates that with increasing serum levels of the three antioxidants studied, the % MI along with % Triple vessel disease and severity of CAD goes down suggesting that the modifiable risk factors have to be suitably modified in order to maintain a reasonably high level of these antioxidants, as the risk factors are inversely related to the serum antioxidant levels.     

Against empathy: moving beyond colonizing practices in educational technology

Empathetic design is the ability for the designer to predict the cognitive and emotional experience of learners as they engage with the design product and process. It aims to center sensitivity toward learners, and the design process as a whole, which suggests potential application in educational settings. In the shift to digital, empathetic design may help instructors imagine learners’ thoughts and feelings engaged during the learning activity, and make iterative changes in response. Though empathetic design highlights sensitivity toward learners, by attempting to ‘be’ the other, it may unintentionally enact practices, and ideologies, of colonization. Recommendations for praxis via humanizing pedagogy are offered.

     

Pulse-width-modulated speed control of d.c. motors

This paper deals with the analytical and experimental investigations of an open-loop pulse-width-modulated d.c. motor speed control system. The analysis is carried out by two different approaches, circuit approach and the lattice function approach. From the circuit approach, the relationship between the current-ripple-factor and the pulse width is obtained. The lattice function approach yields the relationship between pulse width and the speed variation. There is good correlation between the experimental and theoretical results.     

Tools of the profession submission (for AIAEE) European Seminar in Extension Education perspective of a first-time seminar participant

Abstract

The threats to traditional cultural landscapes and the concomitant demands from society for remedial landscape management represent a new challenge for agricultural education. The research described here examined the extent to which relevant landscape management skills and knowledge are transferred to would-be farmers (if at all) within the Austrian agricultural school system. A plurilateral approach was taken, involving a standardised text evaluation of curricula (as defined in legislative documents), examination of further vocational training programmes for teachers, and investigation of the actual teaching situation in selected schools. This combination of methods produced a comprehensive overview of the situation in agricultural schools and academies with regard to landscape management teaching. The teaching programmes prescribed by law and the actual programmes carried out by teachers were compared with a theoretical ‘best-case’ programme for teaching landscape management, and this revealed considerable shortcomings in current teaching. The research also identified potential constraints to the integration of landscape management elements within the agricultural school system.     

Eco-friendly alternative refrigeration systems

Refrigeration applications at the domestic, commercial and industrial levels are becoming an integral part of the present day living. The demand and supply of refrigeration systems is increasing day by day with the changing lifestyle. The existing compressor-based refrigeration (i.e., mechanical refrigeration) system has reached the maximum level of innovation. For the last few decades, there has not been any significant increase in the efficiency (i.e., coefficient of performance, COP) of the system. Moreover, with the increasing awareness of environmental degradation, the production, use and disposal of ChloroFluoro Carbons (CFCs) and HydroChloroFluoroCarbons (HCFCs) as refrigerants in mechanical refrigeration system has become a subject of great concern. However, such systems are being developed using more ecofriendly refrigerants viz., air, CO₂, NH₃, etc. Besides, efforts are being directed to develop other types of refrigeration technologies e.g., magnetic refrigeration, thermoelectric refrigeration (discussed in Part 1) and thermoacoustic refrigeration (discussed in Part 2), which will be moreecofriendly, cost effective, efficient, simple in design, convenient and reliable.     

Commentary on Cross‐Cultural Perspectives on Positive Youth Development With Implications for Intervention Research

There is a growing focus on youth positive development issues among researchers and practitioners around the world. In this special issue of Child Development, each of the international authors provides new perspectives and understanding about youth developmental assets in different cultural settings. The present commentary (a) examines some of the cross‐cultural themes that emerge from the four articles by international authors in this issue with implications for positive youth development (PYD) and (b) how intervention science can benefit by incorporating a PYD approach. As evident, youth involved in contexts that provide positive resources from significant others not only were less likely to exhibit negative outcomes, but also were more likely to show evidence of positive development.