Charting Our Education Future White Paper On Education (Launch Copy 1995)

Education makes a fundamentally important contribution to the quality and well-being of our society. This White Paper addresses itself to the policy framework that can best embrace the diverse and multiple requirements for educational action in the future. The need for and importance of such a framework are widely accepted. In setting out a framework, it is important to provide a philosophical rationale which, far from being merely a theoretical or ceremonial exercise, systematically informs policy formulation and educational practice.

Ready to Learn White Paper on Early Childhood Education

The purpose of this White Paper is to set out Government policy on all issues relating to early childhood education. An essential starting point is to define what we mean by early childhood education. The Department of Education and Science�s mission is to support the development of a high quality education system which will enable individuals to develop to their full potential as persons and to participate fully as citizens in Ireland�s social and economic development. For many years, it was considered that education began when children went to school and ended when students left the formal education system at the end of first, second or third level. There is growing recognition of the importance of lifelong learning and the idea that children learn from the earliest moment and continue to learn throughout their lives. Education is concerned with all the phases of life, including the very early childhood phase.

White Paper on Adult Education Learning for Life

This is Ireland’s first White Paper on Adult Education and marks the adoption of lifelong learning as the governing principle of educational policy. The Paper reflects on the role of adult education in society, builds on the consultation process following publication of the Green Paper, and sets out the Government’s policies and priorities for the future development of the sector. It does not aim to provide a policy blueprint for the training sector given that this work is being advanced through the National Employment Action Plans and previous publications, and the work of the Task Force on Lifelong Learning recently established by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Rather, it seeks to ensure that there is a fit and complementarity between education and training provision, so as to ensure that learners can move progressively and incrementally within an over-arching co-ordinated and learner-centred framework.

This white line will affect the way you see this one

This poster raises awareness about the danger of taking drugs and driving. The message on the poster is 'Drugs affect your driving - Never take drugs and drive.' It also provides contact details for the National Drugs Helpline. Tel: 0800 776600.

Representing diffusion MRI in 5D for segmentation of white matter tracts with a level set method.

We present a method for segmenting white matter tracts from high angular resolution diffusion MR. images by representing the data in a 5 dimensional space of position and orientation. Whereas crossing fiber tracts cannot be separated in 3D position space, they clearly disentangle in 5D position-orientation space. The segmentation is done using a 5D level set method applied to hyper-surfaces evolving in 5D position-orientation space. In this paper we present a methodology for constructing the position-orientation space. We then show how to implement the standard level set method in such a non-Euclidean high dimensional space. The level set theory is basically defined for N-dimensions but there are several practical implementation details to consider, such as mean curvature. Finally, we will show results from a synthetic model and a few preliminary results on real data of a human brain acquired by high angular resolution diffusion MRI.

Transgenic Arabidopsis plants can accumulate polyhydroxybutyrate to up to 4% of their fresh weight.

Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. plants expressing the three enzymes encoding the biosynthetic route to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) are described. These plants accumulated more than 4% of their fresh weight (approximately 40% of their dry weight) in the form of PHB in leaf chloroplasts. These very high producers were obtained and identified following a novel strategy consisting of a rapid GC-MS analysis of a large number of transgenic Arabidopsis plants generated using a triple construct, thus allowing the parallel transfer of all three genes necessary for PHB synthesis in a single transformation event. The level of PHB produced was 4-fold greater than previously published values, thus demonstrating the large potential of plants to produce this renewable resource. However, the high levels of the polymer produced had severe effects on both plant development and metabolism. Stunted growth and a loss of fertility were observed in the high-producing lines. Analysis of the metabolite composition of these lines using a GC-MS method that we have newly developed showed that the accumulation of high levels of PHB was not accompanied by an appreciable change in either the composition or the amount of fatty acids. Substantial changes were, however, observed in the levels of various organic acids, amino acids, sugars and sugar alcohols.

Wolves in sheep's clothing: SDO asymmetrically predicts perceived ethnic victimization among White and Latino students across three years

Dominant groups have claimed to be the targets of discrimination on several historical occasions during violent intergroup conflict and genocide.The authors argue that perceptions of ethnic victimization among members of dominant groups express social dominance motives and thus may be recruited for the enforcement of group hierarchy. They examine the antecedents of perceived ethnic victimization among dominants, following 561 college students over 3 years from freshman year to graduation year. Using longitudinal, cross-lagged structural equation modeling, the authors show that social dominance orientation (SDO) positively predicts perceived ethnic victimization among Whites but not among Latinos, whereas victimization does not predict SDO over time. In contrast, ethnic identity and victimization reciprocally predicted each other longitudinally with equal strength among White and Latino students. SDO is not merely a reflection of contextualized social identity concerns but a psychological, relational motivation that undergirds intergroup attitudes across extended periods of time and interacts with the context of group dominance.

Morphological and biochemical characterization of the aetiological agents of white piedra

The Trichosporon genus is constituted by many species, of which Trichosporon ovoides and Trichosporon inkin are the causative agents of white piedra. They can cause nodules in genital hair or on the scalp. At present, Brazilian laboratory routines generally do not include the identification of the species of Trichosporon genus, which, although morphologically and physiologically distinct, present many similarities, making the identification difficult. The aim of this study was to identify the aetiological agents at the species level of white piedra from clinical specimens. Therefore, both the macro and micro morphology were studied, and physiological tests were performed. Trichosporon spp. was isolated from 10 clinical samples; T. ovoides was predominant, as it was found in seven samples, while T. inkin was identified just in two samples. One isolate could not be identified at the species level. T. inkin was identified for the first time as a white piedra agent in the hair shaft on child under the age of 10.

Pathophysiology and classification of the vibration white finger.

Skin, arteries and nerves of the upper extremities can be affected by vibration exposure. Recent advances in skin and vascular biology as well as new investigative methods, have shown that neurovascular symptoms may be due to different vascular and neurological disorders which should be differentiated if proper management is to be evaluated. Three types of vascular disorder can be observed in the vibration white finger: digital organic microangiopathy, a digital vasospastic phenomenon and arterial thrombosis in the upper extremities. An imbalance between endothelin-1 and calcitonin-gene-related peptide is probably responsible for the vasospastic phenomenon. Moreover, paresthesiae can be due to either a diffuse vibration neuropathy or a carpal tunnel syndrome. A precise diagnosis is then necessary to adapt the treatment to individual cases. A classification describing the type and severity of the vascular lesions is presented. Asymptomatic lesions are included for adequate epidemiological studies and risk assessment of vibrating tools. Monitoring of vibration exposed workers should include not only a questionnaire about symptoms, but also a clinical evaluation including diagnostic tests for the screening of early asymptomatic neurovascular injuries.

RFLP analysis of a PCR-amplified fragment of the 16S rRNA gene as a tool to identify Enterococcus strains

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of a PCR-amplified fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on reference strains belonging to 21 different enterococcal species and on 75 Enterococcus isolates recovered from poultry meat, pasteurised milk and fresh cheese. PCR amplification generated a 275 bp fragment, which was digested with three restriction endonucleases (DdeI, HaeIII, HinfI). The strains were divided into five groups (groups A-E) on the basis of their restriction patterns. Five biochemical tests (arabinose, arginine, manitol, methyl-β-D-glucopyranoside and raffinose) were then performed in addition to RFLP analysis to narrow the identification of enterococcal strains to the species level. PCR-RFLP, in conjunction with the selected biochemical tests, allowed the precise identification of the 21 species of Enterococcus included in the present study. This proposed method is relatively simple and rapid and can be useful as an adjunct tool for accurate identification of Enterococcus.

Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a focus of visceral leishmaniasis in White Nile, Sudan

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has been known to occur since the 1980s on the western bank of the White Nile River (Central Sudan), 150 km south of Khartoum, and has resulted in high mortality. The most recent outbreak of the disease in this area began in 2006. Entomological surveys were carried out during May 2008, June 2010 and May and July 2011 in the White Nile area. Sandflies were collected using Centers for Disease Control light traps and sticky oil traps in the village of Kadaba and the nearby woodland. Phlebotomus females were dissected for the presence of Leishmania promastigotes. A total of 17,387 sandflies, including six species of Phlebotomus and 10 species of Sergentomyia, were identified. The Phlebotomus species recorded were Phlebotomus orientalis, Phlebotomus papatasi, Phlebotomus bergeroti, Phlebotomus duboscqi, Phlebotomus rodhaini and Phlebotomus saevus. P. orientalis was collected in both habitats. The relative abundance of P. orientalis in the woodland habitat was higher than that recorded in the village habitat. In the woodland habitat, there was a notable increase in the relative abundance of P. orientalis during the surveys conducted in 2008 and 2010 compared to 2011. None of the 311 P. orientalis females dissected were infected with Leishmania promastigotes, although relatively high parous rates were recorded in both habitats. Based on the distribution of P. orientalis recorded in this study, this species is the most likely vector of VL in the endemic focus in the White Nile area. Further investigation is required to elucidate the seasonal abundance and distribution of the vector, as well as the transmission season of VL in both habitats so that appropriate control strategies for the vector can be designed.

Brote de brucelosis interprovincial por ingesta de queso fresco sin higienizar

Goal: To study an August 2004 outbreak of brucellosis notified in Velez-Rubio (Almeria) and to determine the source of that infection as well as its transmission mechanisms, in addition to proposing preventive measures. Methodology: Descriptive study and paired case controls (three controls were selected for each case). Setting: Health Centers in de Vélez-Rubio (Almeria) and Alcalá de Guadaira (Seville). Population: Suspected/probable case: a person with compatible clinical symptoms and positive brusella agglutination diagnosed between July 2005 and March 2005. Confirmed case: in addition to identifying the causal agent, laboratory test results resulted in a confirmation. Interventions: Report forms, epidemiological surveys, clinical histories, and laboratory tests were used as sources of data. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals were calculated to study the relationship among cases, sources of infection, and transmission mechanisms. The Chi Square test and Yates correction were employed. Results: 10 cases were identified (9 in Almeria and 1 in Seville), 8 of them pobable and 2 confirmed, in persons between the ages of 45 and 81. The symptoms first appeared between the months of May and September 2005. Fever was the most frequent symptom (100%). The OR for the consumption of fresh, non.-pasteurized cheese was 112 (CI 4,48-16968,94), p< 0,001. Infected animals were intervened. Conclusions: The inter-provincial outbreak of brucellosis was confirmed as stemming from the consumption of non-pasteurized cheese sold on the street. The source of infection was identified and the Department of Agriculture carried out the necessary actions.

Oleoylethanolamide enhances β-adrenergic-mediated thermogenesis and white-to-brown adipocyte phenotype in epididymal white adipose tissue in rat.

β-adrenergic receptor activation promotes brown adipose tissue (BAT) β-oxidation and thermogenesis by burning fatty acids during uncoupling respiration. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) can inhibit feeding and stimulate lipolysis by activating peroxisome proliferator-activating receptor-α (PPARα) in white adipose tissue (WAT). Here we explore whether PPARα activation potentiates the effect of β3-adrenergic stimulation on energy balance mediated by the respective agonists OEA and CL316243. The effect of this pharmacological association on feeding, thermogenesis, β-oxidation, and lipid and cholesterol metabolism in epididymal (e)WAT was monitored. CL316243 (1 mg/kg) and OEA (5 mg/kg) co-administration over 6 days enhanced the reduction of both food intake and body weight gain, increased the energy expenditure and reduced the respiratory quotient (VCO2/VO2). This negative energy balance agreed with decreased fat mass and increased BAT weight and temperature, as well as with lowered plasma levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, nonessential fatty acids (NEFAs), and the adipokines leptin and TNF-α. Regarding eWAT, CL316243 and OEA treatment elevated levels of the thermogenic factors PPARα and UCP1, reduced p38-MAPK phosphorylation, and promoted brown-like features in the white adipocytes: the mitochondrial (Cox4i1, Cox4i2) and BAT (Fgf21, Prdm16) genes were overexpressed in eWAT. The enhancement of the fatty-acid β-oxidation factors Cpt1b and Acox1 in eWAT was accompanied by an upregulation of de novo lipogenesis and reduced expression of the unsaturated-fatty-acid-synthesis enzyme gene, Scd1. We propose that the combination of β-adrenergic and PPARα receptor agonists promotes therapeutic adipocyte remodelling in eWAT, and therefore has a potential clinical utility in the treatment of obesity.