Dermal deposition of diazinon on workers using various sheep ectoparasiticide application systems

This study measured the dermal deposition levels of diazinon on workers who apply the ectoparasiticide to sheep using one of five different application systems, namely, portable plunge dipping, fixed plunge dipping, shower dipping, hand jetting, and automatic jetting races. The highest level of dermal exposure occurred while hand jetting and a comparable level occurred in automatic jetting races. The next highest level of dermal exposure was while using the portable and the fixed plunge dipping systems. The shower dipping system appeared to expose workers to the least deposition of diazinon. The variability between the different methods was statistically significant, and the contrast between the three applications using dipping and the two using jetting was highly statistically significant. The variability between testing sessions was too great to allow the methods to be ranked as accurately as the authors would prefer. However, the differences between the methods were large enough to be of practical importance to OHS risk management. (author abstract)

A supervisão pedagógica na coordenação dos departamentos curriculares: estudo de caso numa escola básica da RAM

A presente investigação visou averiguar o papel do Coordenador dos Departamentos Curriculares, tentando descortinar se no desempenho das suas funções emergem atitudes que se enquadram no paradigma da Supervisão Pedagógica e determinar as características que estas revestem. A pesquisa, com carácter de estudo de caso, centrou-se numa escola pública dos 2.º e 3.º ciclos, localizada no norte da Ilha da Madeira e todos os docentes que a integravam foram selecionados para sujeitos deste estudo. Para além da pesquisa documental e bibliográfica, concebemos como instrumentos de recolha de dados a entrevista, direcionada aos Coordenadores dos Departamentos Curriculares e ainda o inquérito por questionário que foi aplicado aos restantes professores da escola. O emprego simultâneo dos paradigmas qualitativo e quantitativo constituíram a forma mais adequada de apresentar e analisar os dados obtidos recorrendo a uma triangulação de modo a garantir a fidelidade dos resultados. Verificou-se que o Coordenador do Departamento Curricular é percecionado pelos docentes e simultaneamente se autoperceciona como um agente de Supervisão visto que acompanha, orienta, monitoriza e avalia o trabalho desenvolvido por aqueles, ao mesmo tempo que interfere na vida da organização escolar. Para os docentes o pleno exercício deste papel pressupõe a assunção de alguns requisitos, tais como, o saber escutar, partilhar, mediar, cooperar e encorajar bem como a posse de uma formação específica.

What May the Sheep safely know?

The relationship of knowledge and liberties in modern societies presents a multitude of fascinating issues that deserve to be explored more systematically. The production of knowledge is dynamic, and the conditions and practice of freedom is undergoing transformation. These changes ensure that the linkages between liberty and knowledge are always subject to changes. In the past, the connection between scientific knowledge, democracy, and emancipation seemed self-evident. More recently, the close linkage between democracy and knowledge has been viewed with skepticism. This volume explores the relationship between knowledge and democracy, Do they support each other, do they mutually depend on each other, or are they perhaps even in conflict with each other? Does knowledge increase the freedom to act? If additional knowledge contributes to individual and social well being, does it also enhance freedoms? Knowledge and Democracy focuses on the interpenetration of knowledge, freedom and democracy, and does so from various perspectives, theoretical as well as practical. Modern societies are transforming themselves into knowledge societies. This has a fundamental impact on political systems and the relationship of citizens to large social institutions. The contributors to this book systemically explore whether, and in what ways, these modern-day changes and developments are connected to expansion of the capacities of individual citizens to act. They focus on the interrelation of democracy and knowledge, and the role of democratic institutions, as well as on the knowledge and social conduct of actors within democratic institutions. In the process of investigation, they arrive at a newplatform for future research and theory, one that is sensitive to present-day societal conflicts, cleavages, and transformations generated by new knowledge.

Do the lichens Xanthoparmelia conspersa (Ach.) Hale and Rhizocarpon Ram. Em. Th. Fr. subgenus Rhizocarpon utilise exogenous carbohydrates for radial growth?

To field test the hypothesis that lichen thalli can use environmental sources of carbon, solutions of ribitol, arabitol and mannitol were added to intact thalli of Xanthoparmelia conspersa (Ach.) Hale and a yellow species of Rhizocarpon (Rhizocarpon Ram. Em. Th. Fr. subgenus Rhizocarpon). In addition, ribitol and an arabitol/mannitol mixture were added to the marginal hypothalli of Rhizocarpon thalli after removal of the areolae. Carbohydrates were added at the beginning of 2- or 3-month growth periods for up to 15 months at concentrations approximately three times the levels estimated to be in the thalli. Addition of carbohydrates to intact thalli of both species had no effect on total radial growth but addition of mannitol significantly increased growth of X. conspersa thalli in the September/October growth period in one experiment. However, this effect was not repeated in a subsequent experiment in which different concentrations of mannitol were added to intact thalli. Addition of ribitol to hypothalli of Rhizocarpon resulted in significantly increased growth in the first few months of the experiment, growth then declining to levels below that of untreated thalli. The data suggest that although hypothalli of Rhizocarpon may have the ability to utilise exogenous carbohydrates for growth, there was little evidence that intact thalli of either species utilise environmental sources of carbon in the field.

CO2 emissions reduction of Chinese light manufacturing industries:a novel RAM-based global Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index

Climate change has become one of the most challenging issues facing the world. Chinese government has realized the importance of energy conservation and prevention of the climate changes for sustainable development of China's economy and set targets for CO2 emissions reduction in China. In China industry contributes 84.2% of the total CO2 emissions, especially manufacturing industries. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity (MP) index are the widely used mathematical techniques to address the relative efficiency and productivity of a group of homogenous decision making units, e.g. industries or countries. However, in many real applications, especially those related to energy efficiency, there are often undesirable outputs, e.g. the pollutions, waste and CO2 emissions, which are produced inevitably with desirable outputs in the production. This paper introduces a novel Malmquist-Luenberger productivity (MLP) index based on directional distance function (DDF) to address the issue of productivity evolution of DMUs in the presence of undesirable outputs. The new RAM (Range-adjusted measure)-based global MLP index has been applied to evaluate CO2 emissions reduction in Chinese light manufacturing industries. Recommendations for policy makers have been discussed.

Whole body and splanchnic amino acid metabolism in sheep during an acute endotoxin challenge

Acknowledgements The expertise of A. Graham Calder and Susan Anderson for the various stable isotope analyses is gratefully recognised. Ngaire Dennison is also thanked for her surgical expertise with the trans-splanchnic tissue catheter preparations. This study was supported by funds provided to the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen and Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government. S. O. H. was a recipient of a FoRST (NZ) award to study abroad.

The conceptus induces a switch in protein expression and activities of superoxide dismutase 1 and 2 in the sheep endometrium during early pregnancy

Acknowledgements We thank Philippe Bolifraud (INRA, France), Krawiec Angele, Sandra Grange, Laurence Puillet-Anselme (CHU Grenoble, France) and Margaret Fraser (Aberdeen, UK) for their expert technical assistance. The authors also thank the staff of the sheep sheds of Jouy-en-Josas (INRA, France). The authors would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their close examination of this article and their useful comments.

Turing's menagerie:Talking lions, virtual bats, electric sheep and analogical peacocks: Common ground and common interest are necessary components of engagement

This theoretical paper attempts to define some of the key components and challenges required to create embodied conversational agents that can be genuinely interesting conversational partners. Wittgenstein's argument concerning talking lions emphasizes the importance of having a shared common ground as a basis for conversational interactions. Virtual bats suggests that-for some people at least-it is important that there be a feeling of authenticity concerning a subjectively experiencing entity that can convey what it is like to be that entity. Electric sheep reminds us of the importance of empathy in human conversational interaction and that we should provide a full communicative repertoire of both verbal and non-verbal components if we are to create genuinely engaging interactions. Also we may be making the task more difficult rather than easy if we leave out non-verbal aspects of communication. Finally, analogical peacocks highlights the importance of between minds alignment and establishes a longer term goal of being interesting, creative, and humorous if an embodied conversational agent is to be truly an engaging conversational partner. Some potential directions and solutions to addressing these issues are suggested.