Do bosons always condense?

We learn in elementary statistical me-chanics that bosonic systems undergo a phase change even without interpar-ticle interactions,called Bose-Einstein condensa...     

Age-Related Changes in Soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 (sVEGFR1) and Receptor 2 (sVEGFR2) in Healthy Japanese Subjects

We measured serum soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (sVEGFR1) and receptor 2 (sVEGFR2) levels in healthy Japanese individuals in order to establish a reference value using a specific ELISA. Significant differences were observed in serum sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 levels between children and adults. To demonstrate the usefulness of the reference value for children, we measured serum sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 levels in children with diarrhea positive (D+) hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) as a preliminary study. Serum sVEGFR2 levels in children with HUS were markedly higher than those in healthy children from the onset of D + HUS. The reference value for healthy children in the present study will allow normal and pathological conditions to be discriminated from each other in future study     

Urinary enzymes in nephrotic syndrome

Tubular damage is a complication associated with nephrotic syndrome and increased levels of urinary enzymes are of significant value in detection of the same. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of urinary lysozyme and trehalase as markers of tubular dysfunction in nephrotic syndrome. This study assessed 35 nephrotic syndrome patients and 30 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Urine samples were examined at pretreatment and post treatment (8 weeks) stages for proteinuria, lysozyme and trehalase. At pretreatmant stage there was significant increase in urinary lysozyme and trehalase as compared to controls (p<0.001). A good correlation was observed between degree of proteinuria and urinary lysozyme (p<0.001;r=0.80) and trehalase (p<0.001; r=0.74). At the end of 8 weeks of treatment, the patients showed significant decrease in their urinary lysozyme and trehalase activity (p<0.001) but no correlation with degree of proteinuria was observed. Our results indicate that enzymes like lysozyme and trehalase can be used as markers of tubular dysfunction.     

Competency, capability, complexity and computers: exploring a new model for conceptualising end-user computer education

Notions of competency have dominated the computer education literature, and have underpinned Competency‐Based Training (CBT) in information technology at all levels of education and training. The emergence of counter‐narratives underpinned by the capability movement, have as yet had minimal impact on practice in computer education. New discourses in educational theory and practice which are founded on non‐linear approaches to learning and teaching provide added impetus to engage in the competency/capability debate, and re‐examine our approaches to computer education. This paper explores complexity theories and demonstrates how complexity's pedagogical implications can lead to new models for understanding computer learning and teaching. A new model for conceptualising end‐user computer education is presented that was derived from a three‐year action research initiative with pre‐service teachers.     

Morphological and biochemical responses of Oryza sativa L. (cultivar MR219) to ion beam irradiation

Objective

Heavy ion beam, which has emerged as a new mutagen in the mutation breeding of crops and ornamental plants, is expected to result in the induction of novel mutations. This study investigates the morphological and biochemical responses of Oryza sativa toward different doses of carbon ion beam irradiation.

Methods

In this study, the dry seeds of O. sativa were irradiated at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 Gy, followed by in-vitro germination under controlled conditions. Morphological and biochemical studies were conducted to investigate the morphological and physiological responses of O. sativa towards ion beam irradiation.

Results

The study demonstrated that low doses (10 Gy) of ion beam have a stimulating effect on the height, root length, and fresh weight of the plantlets but not on the number of leaves. Meanwhile, doses higher than 10 Gy caused reductions in all the morphological parameters studied as compared to the control samples. The highest total soluble protein content [(2.11±0.47) mg/g FW] was observed in plantlets irradiated at 20 Gy. All irradiated plantlets were found to have 0.85% to 58.32% higher specific activity of peroxidase as compared to the control samples. The present study also revealed that low doses of ion beam (10 and 20 Gy) had negligible effect on the total chlorophyll content of O. sativa plantlets while 40 Gy had a stimulating effect on the chlorophyll content. Plantlets irradiated between 40 to 120 Gy were shown to be 0.38% to 9.98% higher in total soluble nitrogen content which, however, was not significantly different from the control samples.

Conclusions

Carbon ion beam irradiation administered at low to moderate doses of 10 to 40 Gy may induce O. sativa mutants with superior characteristics.     

IMPACTS OF TRADITIONAL BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

A critical debate within the field of school psychology has centered on the relationship between bullying and cyberbullying in terms of prevalence, overlap, and impact. The current study sought to address the following questions: (1) Does cyberbullying create new victims or merely a new means of victimization? (2) Does cyberbullying uniquely contribute to negative outcomes above and beyond those of traditional bullying? Utilizing an anonymous survey to examine students’ experiences with cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and negative psychological symptoms, it was found that the vast majority of students who were bullied online were also victims of in‐person bullying. Both forms of victimization were independently associated with negative outcomes. However, when controlling for traditional bullying, cyberbullying did not remain a predictor of negative mental health outcomes. In contrast, when controlling for cyberbullying, traditional bullying remained a significant predictor of negative mental health outcomes. These results suggest that although traditional and cyber forms of bullying tend to target the same victims, traditional bullying is more uniquely associated with negative psychological outcomes.     

Arterial oxygenation during acetate haemodialysis,sequential haemodialysis and isolated ultrafiltration

Partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) was estimated at various intervals during conventional Acetate hemodialysis (A), Sequential haemodialysis (SHD) i.e. ultrafiltration followed by haemodialysis and Isolated ultrafiltration (IUF) on 35 patients. Study was extended for PO₂ measurement one hour after termination of above treatment. There was a significant lowering of PO₂ observed at 1 h. during ‘A’ (93.3±10.5 Pre to 78.8±4.2 post, P<0.01) during SHD, a significant fall was observed after the dialysate flow was started (81.1±11.5 Pre to 76.3±11.8, 2hr P<0.05) at second hour of the procedure. IUF showed significant increase (88.4±10.3 pre, to 100.4±12.4, post, P<0.01) at the end of treatment. A significant rebound increase was observed after one hour of termination of ‘A’. Changes observed after termination of ‘SHD’ and ‘IUF’ were not significant. The results suggest that, though dialyzer membrane lowers the PO₂ level, major role is played by the dialysis fluid.     

Complexity and action research: exploring the theoretical and methodological connections

Complexity theory is essentially a formal attempt to question how coherent and purposive wholes emerge from the interactions of simple and sometimes non-purposive components. Explicit recognition of complexity can provide a fresh and enlightening perspective on action research. Through an expository discussion of the foundational postulates of complexity theory this article demonstrates the theoretical and methodological connections between complexity and action research, with particular emphasis on the relevance of complexity in educational and workplace contexts. Complexity is an emerging theoretical perspective, which presents possibilities for revolutionizing approaches to action research, as well as strengthening arguments promoting the value of action research in a wide range of contexts. Complexity, it is argued, can provide a valuable theoretical underpinning for action research. Furthermore, action research provides a valid methodological approach to the study of complexity. This article is primarily theoretical and attempts to demonstrate the application of complexity to a specific action research project will be left to future publication(s). Rather, this article explores the general applicability of complexity as both theory and metaphor in action research. The article begins with a brief exploration of the theory, particularly focusing on its application in the social sciences. The theoretical and methodological connections between complexity and action research are discussed through several of the foundational postulates of complexity, how these manifest in action research and how they add to our understanding of action research itself.