Successful long-term ventricular pacing via the coronary sinus after the Fontan operation

A man with double inlet left ventricle and severe subpulmonary stenosis underwent a Fontan operation at the age of 29 years. Eight years later he developed atrial flutter with complete heart block. To avoid a further thoracotomy, a unipolar carbon tipped electrode was placed into the posterior cardiac vein via the coronary sinus. More than 8 years after implantation of the original lead, and after two generator changes, telemetric thresholds remain between 1.8-2.1 volts. Percutaneous transvenous ventricular pacing via the coronary sinus can produce an excellent long-term result and should be the initial approach of choice after a Fontan-type operation.     

Business processes in the agile organisation: a socio-technical perspective

This paper takes a cross-disciplinary view of the ontology of “business process”: how the concept is treated in the IS research literature and how related concepts (with stronger human behavioural orientation) from organisation and management sciences can potentially inform this IS perspective. In particular, is there room for socio-technical concepts such as technology affordance, derived from the constructivist tradition, in improving our understanding of operational business processes, particularly human-centric business processes? The paper presents a theoretical framework for understanding the role of business processes in organisational agility that distinguishes between the process-as-designed and the process-as-practiced. How this practice aspect of business processes also leads to the improvisation of various information technology enablers, is explored using a socio-technical lens. The posited theoretical framework is illustrated and validated with data drawn from an interpretive empirical case study of a large IT services company. The research suggests that processes within the organisation evolve both by top-down design and by the bottom-up routinisation of practice and that the tension between these is driven by the need for flexibility.     

The use of microbiological surveys to evaluate the co-regulation of abattoirs in New South Wales,Australia

In order to develop a microbiological baseline of meat produced for domestic consumption in the state of New South Wales, chilled carcases were sampled from 16 abattoirs. Aerobic Plate Counts (APCs) and Escherichia coli counts were obtained from samples taken by sponging sites specified for each species in the Microbiological Guidelines to the Australian meat standard. On beef carcases the mean log₁₀ APC/cm² was 2.21 and E. coli was detected on 25% of carcases (mean log positives ?0.61/cm²). For sheep carcases corresponding values were 2.4, 53% and log₁₀ -0.06/cm², respectively. For pig carcases values were 2.81, 63% and log₁₀ -0.23/cm², respectively. For skin-off goat carcases values were 1.15, 27% and log₁₀ -0.38/cm², respectively. In the present survey, levels of indicator bacteria on carcases processed via the co-regulatory system operated in Australia were similar to those established in surveys of abattoirs that operate the traditional system overseen by government inspectors.     

UPTAKE OF METAL IONS BY A NEW CHELATING ION-EXCHANGE RESIN. PART 2: ACID DEPENDENCIES OF TRANSITION AND POST-TRANSITION METAL IONS*

ABSTRACT

Diphonix^(tm)is a new dual-mechanism polyfunctional resin containing sulfonic and gem-diphosphonic acid groups. In Part 1 of this series the effectiveness of Diphonix in removing actinide ions from very acidic solutions was demonstrated. In this paper we report on the uptake of various transition and post-transition metal ions with Diphonix and two other resins for comparison. The results show that Diphonix has a very high affinity for Fe(III) and Cr(III) in very acidic solutions. From neutral solutions Diphonix exhibits a high selectivity for lead and transition metals over calcium. Conditions for efficient stripping of the investigated ions have been found.     

Children's perceptions of the outcomes of social strategies: Do the ends justify being mean?

Two studies were conducted to examine the strategy outcome perceptions of popular, average, neglected, and rejected 3rd- and 5th-graders. In Study 1, children (n?=?127) described the likely outcomes of 6 types of strategies (e.g., physical aggression, commands, compromise) in open-ended, hypothetical situation interviews. In Study 2 (n?=?339), a questionnaire was used to assess children's outcome expectations and their evaluations of selected strategies. Findings indicate that children's outcome expectations and strategy evaluations vary as a function of peer status, age, and gender. Results from both studies are discussed in terms of an hypothesized relation between children's strategy outcome perceptions and their behavior in the peer group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relational and overt aggression in preschool.

This research was designed as an initial attempt to assess relational aggression in preschool-age children. Our goal was to develop reliable measures of relational aggression for young children and to use these instruments to address several important issues (e.g., the relation between this form of aggression and social–psychological adjustment). Results provide evidence that relationally aggressive behaviors appear in children's behavioral repertoires at relatively young ages, and that these behaviors can be reliably distinguished from overtly aggressive behaviors in preschool-age children. Further, findings indicate that preschool girls are significantly more relationally aggressive and less overtly aggressive than preschool boys. Finally, results show that relational aggression is significantly related to social–psychological maladjustment (e.g., peer rejection) for both boys and girls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interlaminar fracture morphology of carbon fibre/PEEK composites

The interlaminar fracture morphology of a carbon fibre/poly(ether-ether-ketone) composite (Aromatic Polymer Composite, APC-2) has been examined. The techniques used included scanning electron microscopy on fracture surfaces and on polished and etched sections. Two types of interlaminar fracture are observed: stable and unstable fracture. Both fracture surfaces exhibit microductility but it is more extensive for stable fracture. The fracture surfaces are not planar but have surface roughness. Fibre breakage and peeling are also observed and a quantitative examination enables the fracture energy contributions from the various processes to be calculated. The use of an etching technique reveals the spherulite texture and the presence of a deformation zone which extends into the bulk of the composite from the fracture surface. The extent of this zone is greater in the stable fracture region than in the unstable region and its presence indicates that the volume of composite which can be brought into the energy absorbing process extends well beyond the interlaminar region. The size of the zone has also been calculated using the fracture energy contributions and there is moderate agreement between calculated and observed zone size. Patterns of microductility on the fracture surface are seen to be due to spherulite texture, however the spherulite boundaries do not influence the fracture path.     

Constraints on cortical and thalamic projections: the no-strong-loops hypothesis

The many distinct cortical areas of the macaque monkey visual system can be arranged hierarchically, but not in a unique way. We suggest that the connections between these cortical areas never form strong, directed loops. For connections between the visual cortex and particular thalamic nuclei, we predict that certain types of connections will not be found. If strong, directed loops were to exist, we suggest that the cortex would go into uncontrolled oscillations.     

Invectives against ignoramuses: Petrarch and the defense of humanist eloquence

ABSTRACT

Francesco Petrarch was a pioneering figure not only in the study of the humanities, but also in the defense of the humanities. A prolific writer and avid reader of the classics, particularly of the historians, rhetoricians, and poets, Petrarch cleared the way for humanistic studies in an age dominated by rigid scholasticism. Not surprisingly, then, Petrarch also had to defend himself against attacks from establishment elites who condemned the new studies as useless distractions from the pursuit of knowledge, by which they meant the study of syllogisms. I argue in this essay that Petrarch's invectives against his detractors offer a unique and communicative defense of the humanities that does not rely on the traditional recourse to civic humanism, a tradition that arose only subsequent to Petrarch. In his understanding of humanism, the value of humanistic studies is found in their capacity to produce a combination of humility and love—humility by expanding the circumference of our experience and exposing the limitations of our knowledge, and love by the capacity to create unity out of division. Furthermore, Petrarch defines the enduring opponent of the humanities as the scholastic ignoramus, a character that endures today.