bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Problem-Solving Skills of Students in Electrochemistry Using a Flipped Classroom Model
Authors: Necor Dexter 
Published: June 2022

The pedagogical practice of the flipped classroom model (FCM) was undertaken to determine the students' problem-solving skills in electrochemistry. A quasi-experimental design was used in this study using two contrasted groups, experimental group (flipped classroom) and control group (conventional classroom). The freshmen civil engineering students were the respondents of the study. Five factors of problem-solving skills were used as a scheme interpretation of student's answers such as (a) Problem Comprehension; (b) Understanding Relationships Among Chemical Concepts; (c) Understanding Associated Chemical Concepts (d) Applying Appropriate Problem-Solving Strategies; and (e) Using Appropriate Mathematics. Results revealed that student’s under the flipped class was of better problem comprehension and can relate chemical concepts to the problem than the conventional class. Most of the students can do mathematical calculations in both groups but failed to explain the underlying concepts. Many students have many misconception statements on the oxidizing-reducing agents and the flow of electrons in the anode to cathode. The spontaneity of the cell was also the least understood. Nonetheless, many students can solve the standard and non-standard Ecell potential and Gibbs free-energy (?Gº). Ergo, the flipped classroom teaching is a successful teaching approach in enhancing the problem-solving skills in learning electrochemistry.
Effect of Vibratory Inhibition and Pelvic Stabilization Exercise on Tone, Balance and Gross Motor Function in Spastic Cerebral Palsy- A Comparative Study
Authors: Gupta Nehal , Kumar Saurabh , Gupta Aarti , Rishi Priyanka 
Published: June 2022

Objectives: Cerebral palsy is one of the leading causes of movement and posture disorders. Recently, Vibration therapy as a treatment method in clinical practice has been used as a complementary approach. This study compared the effects of Segmental Muscle Vibration and Pelvic Stabilization Exercises on Muscle Tone, Balance, and Gross Motor Function in spastic CP children.
Materials and Methods: A total of 20 children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy, of both sexes (age range of 4-6 years) were included in the study. The Children were assigned into two groups. Group A received Segmental Muscle Vibration along with conventional treatment i.e. Passive Stretching Exercise and Group B received Pelvic Stabilization Exercise along with conventional treatment for 40 minute, 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Outcome measures include Modified Ashworth Scale, Pediatric Balance Scale and Gross Motor Function Measure-88 for measuring Tone (spasticity), Balance and Gross Motor Function.
Results: A significant improvement in all variables (p < 0.05) was observed in each group, with greater improvement in tone, balance and gross function indices in group A.
Conclusion: From the results we concluded that both the Segmental Vibration Inhibition Therapy and Pelvic Stabilization exercise yielded a clinically significant improvement in spastic CP; but Segmental Vibration Inhibition Therapy shows more improvement in reduction in tone, improvement in balance and gross motor function.
Photodegradation of Rhodamine-B Dye under Natural Sunlight using CdO
Authors: Lavate Dipali , Sawant Vikas , Khomane Ashok 
Published: June 2022

The present study includes synthesis of CdO thin film by simple and cost effective chemical bath deposition method. Cadmium monochloroaceatate were used for preparation of CdO thin film. The structural, optical properties of CdO thin film were investigated with the help of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis NIR double beam spectrometry. The XRD studies revealed that annealed thin film shows crystalline in nature having 48.4 nm in size. The optical band gap of thin film was found to be 2.13 eV. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images shows sphere like structure which is closely arranged with each other. The presence of functional group was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR). Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis confirm formation of a mesoporous CdO with 6.01 m2/g surface area and 31.96 nm average pore diameter. The photocatalytic activity of prepared thin film was checked by using Rhodamine-B as a model dye under natural sunlight and found to be 48%. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Population structure and establishment of the threatened long‐lived perennial Scorzonera humilis in relation to environment
Authors: Colling Guy , Matthies Diethart , Reckinger Claude 
Published: July 2002

Summary

The intensification of agriculture has resulted in the decline of many plant species of nutrient‐poor wet grasslands. At some sites local populations of long‐lived characteristic species have persisted and might benefit from recent extensification schemes. However, little is known about the population biology of these plants, and the prospects for the populations are uncertain.
We studied the population structure and establishment of the long‐lived Scorzonera humilis in 23 populations in Luxembourg and neighbouring Belgium. Two types of populations could be distinguished according to their population structure: regenerating populations, with a high proportion of plants with only one or a few rosettes, and aged populations, with a low proportion of small, young plants but a high proportion of individuals with many rosettes. The total density of Scorzonera individuals was higher in regenerating than in aged populations.
Within sites, S. humilis was restricted to more open and nutrient‐poor patches. The composition of the vegetation in plots where S. humilis was present was significantly different from that of plots without the species, indicating that S. humilis is restricted to particular microhabitats.
In multiple regression analyses, environmental variables explained a large part of the variation in the total density of genets, the density of genets of different size and the density of rosettes. The main variables of influence were site productivity and soil moisture. With increasing productivity and decreasing soil moisture the proportion of small genets decreased and that of large genets increased. Increased productivity had contrasting effects at the genet and ramet (rosette) levels. While genet density decreased, ramet density increased, indicating that if a site is fertilized, recruitment of new genets and survival of genets is reduced, but growth of surviving genets is increased.
The results of a sowing experiment indicated that an aged population structure was due to a lack of recruitment. The number of seeds that germinated and the proportion of seedlings that survived until the next summer were positively correlated with soil moisture and negatively with productivity. Germination rate and establishment success were significantly higher in Molinion grassland than in the Calthion grasslands.
The results suggest that for long‐lived species the size and number of populations may not be good indicators of the status of a species. In S. humilis large populations (> 1000 genets) still exist, but all are of the aged type. In order to preserve existing populations of S. humilis, management should aim to reduce productivity and increase soil moisture.
Collection of peripheral blood stem cells with granulocyte‐colony‐stimulating factor alone in testicular cancer patients
Authors: HANAZAWA KISABURO , TANAKA MICHIO , WATANABE RYOTA , FUJIME MAKOTO 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Background
: High‐dose chemotherapy with the transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) has been performed for the treatment of advanced testicular cancer patients. Recently, it has been reported that, in healthy donors, a large quantity of stem cells can be transferred to peripheral blood using granulocyte‐colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) alone. Therefore, it was decided to try to harvest PBSC from three patients having testicular cancers with G‐CSF alone.
Methods
: The three patients with testicular cancer were 26, 56 and 62‐years‐old. They had undergone five, two and three cycles of chemotherapy, respectively, but no radiation therapy. Granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor was subcutaneously injected (250 μg) into each patient twice per day for 6 days. Peripheral blood stem cells were harvested for 3 days (days 4–6) and mononuclear cells (MNC), CD34‐positive cells and colony‐forming units of granulocyte‐macrophage (CFU‐GM) in PBSC collected by apheresis were measured.
Results
: Apheresis showed that the total MNC count was 20.2 × 108/kg (range, 10.6–25.9 × 108/kg), the CD34‐positive cell count was 0.98 × 106/kg (range, 0.75–1.4 × 106/kg) and the total CFU‐GM count was 1.36 × 105/kg (range, 0.25–3.0 × 105/kg).
Conclusion
: After mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells with G‐CSF alone, sufficient amounts of MNC were obtained from testicular cancer patients who had undergone chemotherapy several times. However, sufficient amounts of CD34‐positive cells and CFU‐GM could not be obtained. These results suggested that the G‐CSF dose was not adequate for harvesting sufficient amounts of CD34‐positive cells and CFU‐GM.
Reliability and correlation of measurements during and after bladder neck surgery
Authors: Bump  , Hurt  , Addison  , Fantl  , Mcclish  ,   THE CONTINENCE PROGRAM FOR WOMEN RESEARCH GROUP (SEE APPENDIX)
Published: July 2002

Objectives To assess the reliability of seven intra‐operative measurements of the effects of bladder neck suspension and correlate these measurements with postoperative dynamic urethral obstruction, quantified as the cough‐pressure transmission ratio.Patients and methods Sixty women undergoing surgery for bladder neck hypermobility had seven measurements performed in duplicate: (i) the endoscopic appearance of the bladder neck: (ii) the bladder neck‐retropubic surface distance (BN‐RP distance); (iii) urethral axis; (iv) slow urethral pressure profilometry (UPP); (v) fast UPP; (vi) straining UPP; and (vii) dynamic UPP. Reliabilities were assessed by computing the intraclass correlation coefficient (R) for continuous data or Kappa statistic (K) for ordinal data. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationships between the intra‐operative measures and postoperative pressure transmission.Results The intra‐operative reliabilities for maximum pressure, length and area from the three UPP techniques were high (R=0.88–0.98) as were those for urethral axis measurements (R=0.98). In contrast, reliabilities were poor for pressure transmission ratios (R=0.15–0.33), BN‐RP distance (R=0.55), and endoscopic appearance (K=0.10). There were significant correlations of the pressures from the UPPs and intra‐operative pressure transmission ratios with postoperative pressure transmission ratios; however, the poor intra‐operative reliability of intra‐operative pressure transmission limits their usefulness. None of the other measures correlated significantly with postoperative pressure transmission ratios.Conclusions Of the measures studied, only intra‐operative UPPs had both high reliability and good postoperative correlations.
Visceral obesity and metabolic syndrome
Authors: Bosello O. , Zamboni M. 
Published: July 2002

SummaryThere is increasing evidence for the existence of a condition consisting of a cluster of metabolic disorders which include insulin resistance, alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, increased blood pressure and visceral obesity. The metabolic syndrome is now the favoured definition of the cluster. Each single component of the cluster increases the cardiovascular risk, but the combination of factors is much more important. Insulin resistance is the most frequently associated factor to the singular components of the syndrome: most authors believe that it may be the common aetiological factor. However, visceral obesity seems to be the main driving factor by means of the increased production of free fatty acids whose activity, in turn, might interfere with the action of insulin. Some questions exist about the syndrome because of the frequent lack in the cluster of one of the factors. This does not mean that the missing factor does not belong to the syndrome, but only that it is not yet clinically evident. Weight gain has been shown to be a strong predictor of the metabolic syndrome. This aspect gives strength to treatment and prevention because it means that losing weight or stopping weight increase might reduce the risk of a future appearance of a factor that is still not evident. Interventions to treat visceral obesity by means of losing weight seem to be the most efficacious way to treat the metabolic syndrome thus improving the most widespread cardiovascular risk factor in western countries.
Survival after fetal aortic balloon valvoplasty
Authors: Allan L. D. , Maxwell D. J. , Carminat M. , Tynan M. J. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe pre‐ and postnatal course of a child surviving after successful intrauterine balloon aortic valvoplasty for critical aortic stenosis is described. She is now well at 4 years of age. A clearer understanding of the hemodynamics in such cases and improved catheter technology are necessary before this is advocated as a generally applicable technique. However, the outcome in this case is promising for the future of fetal interventional procedures. Copyright © 1995 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Successful pregnancy after bilateral internal iliac artery ligation monitored by color Doppler imaging
Authors: Papp Z. , Sztanyik L. , Szabó I. , Inovay J. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractLigation of the internal iliac (hypogastric) arteries can be a life‐saving procedure in cases of severe hemorrhage from pelvic viscera. In young women it is the only way to preserve fertility when conservative methods have failed to control the bleeding.We present the case of a 21‐year‐old woman whose first pregnancy was terminated, after which profuse vaginal bleeding occurred and could not be controlled by conservative methods. An urgent laparotomy was performed and both internal iliac arteries were ligated. Two years after surgery, the patient conceived and after an uneventful pregnancy delivered a healthy infant. Uterine and fetal circulations were monitored with color Doppler imaging and were normal throughout pregnancy. A normal 3550‐g male infant was delivered vaginally at 39 weeks' gestation. Copyright © 1996 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Both coloured overlays and coloured lenses can improve reading fluency, but their optimal chromaticities differ
Authors: Lightstone Anita , Lightstone Tamsin , Wilkins Arnold 
Published: July 2002

SummarySome individuals read more fluently when the text is coloured: i.e., when coloured sheets of plastic (overlays) are placed upon the page, or when coloured lenses are worn. Overlays provide a surface colour whereas lenses mimic a change in the colour of a light source. The neural mechanisms that underlie colour constancy ensure that the chromaticity of overlays and lenses is processed differently by the visual system. We investigated (1) the relationship between the optimal colours of overlays and lenses, and (2) how reading rate is affected by a particular colour in overlays and lenses. In 100 patients we noted (1) the overlay(s) chosen from among the 29 combinations of the 10 IOO Intuitive Overlays® which sample chromaticity systematically and (2) the chromaticity co‐ordinates of the lenses subsequently chosen using the Intuitive Colorimeter®, a device providing a light source that can be adjusted in hue, saturation and luminance independently. The relationship between the chromaticities of the overlays and the lenses showed considerable variation. In a second study, patients attending the Specific Learning Difficulties clinic at the Institute of Optometry, London, were given overlays to use for two months. Seventeen who derived benefit were examined using the Intuitive Colorimeter. Patients were asked to read aloud randomly ordered common words (Wilkins Rate of Reading Test): (1) with no colour, (2) with the chosen overlay, (3) with lenses matching the chosen overlay and (4) with lenses matching the Colorimeter setting. The aids increased reading rate significantly only in conditions (2) and (4). There was no significant improvement when lenses matching the overlay colour were used, and under this condition the reading rate was significantly poorer than in conditions (2) and (4). The colour of a lens will improve reading only if it is selected under conditions that mimic a change in the colour of a light source: coloured overlays give no clinically reliable guide to optimal lens colour.
COST‐BENEFIT RATIO OF INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN TREATMENT IN CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYRADICULONEUROPATHY
Authors: Gragnani F. , Ceschin V. , Morino S. , Clemenzi A. , Soscia F. , Gozzer M. , Rusignuolo A. , Antonini G. 
Published: July 2002

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is considered an efficacious but expensive treatment in dysimmune polyneuropathies. Nevertheless, to date, no studies have been conducted on the cost of this therapy. We retrospectively studied 21 patients affected by chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (idiopathic‐CIDP and CIDP‐MGUS), comparing the clinical response and costs of IVIG therapy with those of plasma exchange (PE). Patients were treated either with IVIG (400 mg/Kg/die for five days) or PE (6 exchanges in 3 weeks). Responders continued the same therapy, which was progressively tapered down to one IVIG infusion or one PE monthly. IVIG nonresponders received PE and vice versa. Patients were followed for a period ranging from 3 to 67 months (median: 29 months). The modified Rankin disability scale was used to determine functional impairment at baseline and during treatment.Eleven of 21 patients (52%) improved with the first choice of treatment. Of the remaining 10 patients, 3 benefited from the alternative treatment; 2 patients who did not respond to the alternative treatment were again treated with the first choice therapy and subsequently improved; 2 patients on IVIG abandoned the therapy. One nonresponder to IVIG is currently receiving PE. The overall response rate to the two therapies was similar. The mean cost per patient was 1,128,000 lire/session for PE therapy (excluding equipment and medical staff costs) and 1,204,000 lire/dose for IVIG therapy. However, the responders to PE required a longer treatment than responders to IVIG.
UNILATERAL SCIATIC NEUROPATHY OF THE TERMINAL BRANCHES, WITH ABNORMAL MRI OF THE NERVE AT THE THIGH
Authors: Lori S. , Briccoli M. , Zanfranceschi G. , Fusi I. 
Published: July 2002

A 52‐year‐old woman had a subarachnoid haemorrhage in 1996. No cause of bleeding was detected. After a hospital stay of 2 months, the patient fully recovered, except for a persistent distal paralysis of her right lower limb. The patient is currently undergoing a reevaluation.The knee jerks are slightly asymmetric dx > sn, whereas the right Achilles tendon reflex is lost. Atrophic hypotonic paralysis of the muscles of the right leg is a prominent feature, with sparing of the thigh. Sensory loss is distributed in leg's sciatic area. Some tenderness is consistently appreciated with deep palpation of the posterior aspect of the thigh. EMG shows severe denervation of TA and calf muscles on right, whereas ischio‐crural muscles are bilaterally normal. The latencies of MAPs from TA and gastrocnemius, evoked by nerve stimulation at the knee, are prolonged (>20 msec). Sural nerve antidromic SAP is undetectable.An MRI comparative study of the thighs has been performed (1.5 TESLA, SPIR suppression of fat tissue technique, and MIP reconstructions for the nerve). The sciatic nerve imaging is sharply asymmetric. The left nerve is barely visible, as expected. On the right, one can see normal fascicular structure and no evidence of either extrinsic compression or hypertrophy. The unusual ease of imaging is ascribed to increased water content, suggesting persistent edema and/or inflammation.The hypothesis of ongoing activity of disease is consistent with the neurographic findings, but the cause and mechanism of nerve damage are not clear. The hypothesis of a compartment syndrome may be suggested by the history of coma, but the selective distal damage is not easily explained on this basis.
Soft x-ray emission spectroscopy using monochromatized synchrotron radiation (invited)
Authors: Nordgren J. , Bray G. , Cramm S. , Nyholm R. , Rubensson J.-E. , Wassdahl N. 
Published: July 2002

Soft x-ray emission spectroscopy is a common tool for the study of the electronic structure of molecules and solids. However, the interpretation of spectra is sometimes made difficult by overlaying lines due to satellite transitions or close-lying core holes. Also, irrelevant inner core transitions may accidentally fall in the wavelength region under study. These problems, which often arise for spectra excited with electrons or broadband photon sources can be removed by using monochromatized synchrotron radiation. In addition, one achieves other advantages as well, such as the ability to study resonant behavior. Another important aspect is the softness of this excitation agent, which allows chemically fragile compounds to be investigated. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of using monochromatized synchrotron radiation to excite soft x-ray spectra. We also show new results which have been accomplished as a result of the selectivity of the excitation. The work has been carried out using the Flipper I wiggler beamline at HASYLAB in Hamburg using a new grazing incidence instrument designed specifically for this experiment. The photon flux at the Flipper I station (typically 5×1012 photons per second on the sample with a 1% bandpass) is enough to allow soft x-ray fluorescence spectra to be recorded at relatively high resolution and within reasonable accumulation times (typically, the spectra presented in this work were recorded in 30 min).
The spectrometer is based on a new concept which allows the instrument to be quite small, still covering a large wavelength range (10–250 Å). The basic idea involves the use of several fixed mounted gratings and a large two-dimensional detector. The grating arrangement provides simple mounting within a limited space and, in particular, large spectral range. The detector can be moved in a three-axis coordinate system in order to cover the different Rowland curves defined by the different gratings. The arrangement permits the use of gratings with different radii, which further facilitate the achievement of optimum performance over a large range. Two-dimensional detection is used to allow a large solid angle, without suffering from loss of resolution due to imaging errors. The detector is based on five 2-in. MCPs with resistive anode read out. The sensitivity of the detector, which is normally very low for soft x rays, especially at grazing angles, is enhanced by CsI coating and by using an entrance electrode.