Contradictory Trend Research Articles

Changes in column aerosol optical depth and ground-level particulate matter concentration over East Asia

Different spatio-temporal variations and trends in column aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface particulate matter (PM10; diameter < 10 μm) mass concentration were found for selected regions of East Asia. Enhanced AOD over North China and its downwind regions (Yellow Sea, Korea) occurred in June, compared with March–April over South China. Increased PM10 concentration in both North and South China was observed from late fall to spring. In Northeast China, a peak in AOD appeared during March, but high PM10 concentrations occurred in December–January. A significantly increasing trend in AOD was found in North and Northeast China, whereas surface PM10 concentrations over most megacities in these two regions declined almost linearly. This contradictory trend between AOD and PM10 concentration can be attributed to large emissions reductions in near-surface coarse particles, mainly accredited to a series of strict control measures. In other words, there has been no meaningful reduction in fine-mode particles including secondary aerosols. On the other hand, space-based CALIOP measurements revealed that approximately 60~70% (40~50%) of AOD was contributed by the aerosols present above 1 km (above 2 km) altitude. Our findings suggest that stronger emission controls for precursor gaseous emissions as well as submicron particles are required to decrease particulate air pollution, so as to further reduce their radiative forcing.

Microsatellite alteration in plasma DNA discriminates multiple primary lung cancer from metastatic lung cancer

Background: To develop a novel molecular approach as a noninvasive test for differentiation of tumor origin, and to evaluate the feasibility of distinguishing multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) from metastatic lung cancer (MLC) through the analysis of microsatellite genomic instability of plasma DNA. Methods: Matched normal, tumor, and plasma samples were obtained from 12 patients with single lesions. After DNA extraction, the samples were subjected to microsatellite analysis using 6 markers (D2S1363, D6S1056, D7S1824, D10S1239, D15S822, and D22S689). Tumor and plasma samples were collected from 12 patients with multiple lesions. Of them, 6 patients were diagnosed as multiple primary tumors and 6 patients as pulmonary metastasis according to the last version of guideline proposed by American College of Chest Physicians. Results: In the single lesion group, 33 (45.8%) of 72 plasma tests displayed positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-results. Of the 43 tumor samples with positive PCR-results, 31 (72.1%) could also be detected in plasma. In the multiple lesion group, 8 and 4 patients showed the “contradictory trend” and the “unique trend”, respectively in the plasma analysis. However, in the tumor analysis, 10 and 2 patients showed the “contradictory trend” and the “unique trend”, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of plasma tests to identify multiple primary tumors are 80% (8/10) and 100% (2/2), respectively. Conclusions: Identical microsatellite alteration could be observed in both circulating DNA and the tumor. With polymorphic microsatellite markers, the “contradictory trend” representing multiple primary tumors that is detected in tumor cells and plasma DNA could assist in discriminating MPLC and MLC.

Effects of time and dose of organic fertilizers on soil fertility, nutrient content and yield of vegetables

SUMMARYA comparative study of the effect of organic fertilization at different times and doses on soil fertility and crop yield was performed over 3 years in a calcareous loamy soil. Nutrient availability in the soil and macronutrient concentration in leaves and in the edible part of the plants was examined in plots that were previously handled conventionally and ecologically for several years. The organic fertilizers used were manure compost at two doses in plots after 4 years of organic management treatment, and green residues of previous crops in plots with 10 years of organic management. In general, soil organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and magnesium (Mg) contents were found to be considerably greater in organically fertilized soils in comparison with soil receiving mineral fertilizer (conventional treatment (CT)). For C and N, the highest contents were observed in the long-term organic treatment (OR). However, few differences were found for potassium (K) and sodium (Na). The results obtained for electrical conductivity and pH indicated that, in general, there were no significant differences between treatments. The differences in the values of EC and pH occurred among cultivation cycles irrespective of the type of fertilization, but there was a contradictory trend for each of the above parameters. The results obtained for leaves and the edible part of the plant indicated that, in general, there were no significant differences between treatments, except for P with a trend for higher P content in organic crops. The nitrate values in leaves showed great variability, making it difficult to draw conclusions. The associations of fertilization and the chemical properties of soil with nutrient content in crops were checked by principal component analysis (PCA). For soil data, different clusters were observed between CT and OR treatments. However, PCA showed that the influence of crop type on plant nutrient concentrations was greater than type of fertilization. The effect of fertilization on crop yield was variable depending on plant species. The results indicated that organic fertilization did not cause deficiencies in the nutrient content and yield of vegetables when compared with conventional fertilization, showing that ecological management can be used effectively.

Географічна освіта в Львівській області

In the context of reforming secondary and high school education in Ukraine, the geographic education of the region and the country as a whole should be considered as a system that includes initial, basic, preprofessional and professional level. Currently, there is no overall picture of the status and trends of development of the various segments of geographic education in the Lviv region that are necessary to consider while constructing regional education policy. The article defines quantitative indicators of the subjects of the learning process in geography on various educational levels and in territorial aspect. This study reveals that during next five years, the best prospects regarding quantitative indicators will have basic geographical education, due to relatively favorable situation with the number of pupils in primary schools of the region. The article shows in detail the educational achievements of geography students at regional and national levels; points the centers for optimal development of geographic education such as Lviv, Drohobych, Sambir, Stryi, Chervonograd; and reveals scientific and methodological improvements of teachers of geography in the region. The research analyzes the contradictory trend between quantitative growth of professional sector of geographical education (opening of new regional university departments) and the needs of secondary school in specialists, and between socially conditioned restriction of employment of young professionals because of growing proportion of retired among teachers of geography. It was found that 65% of graduate students of department of geography at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv do not mind working in education and respectively can replace within 5–7 years all teachers of geography at pre-retirement and retirement age in the region. However, the lack of effective educational policies at national and regional levels prevents replenishment of school’s segment of geographical education by young professionals, and thus slows down the process of modernization of education and its real reform. Key words: geographic education, levels of geographic education, the quality of knowledge on geography, age structure of geography’s teachers, teaching achievements of the geography teachers of the region, professional intentions of the graduates of Geography Department.

Prevalence and Prognostic Impact of CD30 and EBV Co-Expression in Korean Patients with EBV-Positive DLBCL of the Elderly

The prognostic impact of EBV-positivity in EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly is controversial. Previous Asian studies have shown consistent poor prognostic impact of EBV-positivity. Recent Western study has shown no significant prognostic impact of EBV-positivity alone. However, the study found that CD30 and EBV co-expression is associated with an adverse outcome and suggested CD30 co-expression might be associated with different prognostic impact of EBV-positivity between Asian and Western populations.We retrospectively analyzed 26 Korean patients with EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly diagnosed at Samsung Medical Center and had adequate amount and quality of paraffin-embedded biopsy specimen for additional immunostaining of CD30. EBV RNA was detected by an ISH technique and a positive reaction was defined as more than 20% of examined cells showing nuclear positivity. Cell of origin was assigned using Hans immunohistochemical algorithm.Prevalence of CD30 co-expression in EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly was 65.4% (17/26) and 50.0% (13/26) using a >0% cut-off and a >30% cut-off, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference of survival between cases with CD30 co-expression and case without CD30 co-expression. However, the cases with CD30 co-expression showed a modest trend of worse overall survival (OS) (median OS, 12.5 months [95%CI 1.5-23.4] versus not reached, P = 0.279) and progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS, 7.4 [95%CI 5.7-9.1] versus 34.2 months [95%CI 0.0-89.1], P = 0.430) using >0% cut-off. Among 17 patients with CD30 and EBV co-expression, most of patients (88%, 15/17) showed non-germinal center B-cell like (GCB) DLBCL.Substantial proportion of Korean patients with EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly showed CD30 co-expression. CD30 co-expression in EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly showed a modest trend of an adverse outcomes without statistical significance. Further validation study with larger population is warranted. Considering previously known contradictory trend of better outcome in CD30 positive cases with EBV-negative and GCB type DLBCL, we also need to investigate the possible distinct pathobiology of CD30 positivity in EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A novel approach to fabricate high performance nano-SiO2 embedded PES membranes for microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsion

The goal of this study was to determine the desired preparation conditions of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane for the microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsion. Membranes were fabricated via combination of vapor induced phase separation (VIPS) and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) methods. SiO2 nanoparticle were used as the hydrophilicity modification agent in the casting solutions which led to a negative impacts on the permeate flux in high concentrations due to aggregation. The effects of nanoparticle concentration, exposure time and relative humidity on the permeate flux, and their interactions were determined. The morphology of the prepared membranes were studied using FESEM, pore size distribution, contact angle, porosity, and water uptake measurement. Besides, response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD) were applied for modeling, statistical analysis and optimization of oil-in-water emulsion microfiltration. The most significant interactions were observed for the exposure time and relative humidity, and a contradictory trend was found for flux variation. The optimum preparation conditions for nanoparticle concentration, exposure time, and humidity were found to be 1%, 33s, and 80%, respectively, where the oil rejection was higher than 98% for all runs.

“Different trend” in multiple primary lung cancer and intrapulmonary metastasis

BackgroundThe distinguishing of intrapulmonary metastatic tumors from multiple primary lung cancers is difficult but of great importance for the therapeutic management and prognosis of these patients.MethodsWe used genomic DNA analyzed by six microsatellites (D7S1824, D15S822, D2S1363, D10S1239, D6S1056, and D22S689) with PCR to identify discordant allelic variation from 12 patients. There are five patients with multiple primary lung cancers and seven patients who were diagnosed with intrapulmonary metastases from 850 patients with primary lung cancer in our hospital. The experiments were approved by the West China Hospital Ethics committee (No. 2013 (33)) and all patients agreed to participate in the study and signed an informed consent form.ResultsIn the group of metachronous lung tumor, three of five patients have different histological types and one of five patients have the same histological type which showed “contradictory trend”. The other one showed “unique trend”. In the second group (intrapulmonary metastasis lung tumor), one patient showed “contradictory trend” and the others showed “unique trend”.Conclusions“Different trends” are useful in discrimination of intrapulmonary metastasis lung cancer and multiple primary lung cancer even diagnosed with the histopathological evaluation.

A comparison between conventional speed grinding and super-high speed grinding of (TiCp + TiBw) / Ti–6Al–4V composites using vitrified CBN wheel

Comparative grinding experiments of (TiCp + TiBw) / Ti–6Al–4V composites were conducted using vitrified CBN wheel at the conventional wheel speed of 20 m/s and the super-high wheel speed of 120 m/s, respectively. The grinding behavior, i.e., grinding force and force ratio, grinding temperature, specific grinding energy, and ground surface morphology were analyzed. The results obtained indicate that the normal and tangential grinding forces at the super-high wheel speed are smaller than that at the conventional wheel speed. However, the force ratio, the specific grinding energy, and the grinding temperature show a contradictory trend compared to the grinding force between the conventional speed grinding and the super-high speed grinding. The main defects of the ground surface of (TiCp + TiBw) / Ti–6Al–4V composites are voids, micro-cracks, fracture or crushed, pulled-out, and smearing.

“Unique trend” and “contradictory trend” in discrimination of primary synchronous lung cancer and metastatic lung cancer

BackgroundDistinguishing between multiple primary lung cancers and metastatic tumors is often difficult when the tumor histology is same. Since genomic instability is a common feature of cancer, we hypothesized that independently arising neoplasms in an individual patient would exhibit measurable genomic variation, enabling discrimination of tumor lineage and relatedness. The feasibility of analyzing genomic instability expression profiles to distinguish multiple primary lung cancers from metastatic tumors was evaluated.MethodsThis study enrolled 13 patients, with multiple primary lung cancers demonstrating with the histology, who underwent surgery between April 2003 and December 2012 at the Department of the Thoracic Surgery at West China Hospital in Sichuan province of China and 10 patients who were diagnosed as metastasis disease during the same period for comparison purposes. Genomic DNA from lung cancers from individual patients was analyzed by six microsatellites (D2S1363, D6S1056, D7S1824, D10S1239, D15S822, and D22S689) with PCR to identify discordant allelic variation. The experiments were approved by the West China Hospital Ethics committee (No.2013 (33)) and all patients agreed to participate in the study and signed an informed consent form.ResultsAll of the 10 patients with distant metastasis showed a consistent consequence that we called “unique trend” between primary tumor and distant metastasis. The “trend” is representive in this study, which means that all alleles corresponding to six microsatellite markers were detected in DNA from primary tumors but were reduced or not observed in DNA from metastatic tumors. In the group of synchronous lung tumor with different histological types, the result showed a “contradictory trend”. Some alleles were detected in DNA from primary tumors but were reduced or not observed in DNA from metastatic tumors and other alleles corresponding to six microsatellite markers were detected in DNA from metastatic tumors but were reduced or not observed in DNA from primary tumors. In the third group (synchronous lung tumor with same histological types), 2 of 8 patients showed “unique trend” and the others showed “contradictory trend”.ConclusionsWith polymorphic microsatellite markers, the “unique trend” that represents metastasis cancers and the “contradictory trend” that represents primary multiple tumors are useful in the diagnosis between tumors found at the same time in the pulmonary even diagnosed with the histopathological evaluation from a single patient.

Social axioms, cultural dimensions and personal autonomy in Romanian educational field

Our research is dealing with the topic of social axioms in the educational area, examining the way in which different subscales of social axioms and cultural dimensions from Hofstede's model could be related with personal autonomy, measured through self-esteem, locus of control and self-determination. The sample is composed by 522 subjects from Timisoara (253 from lower and higher secondary school and 269 from universities). The teachers from universities have shown significantly higher scores of social cynicism, power-distance, rewards for application and religiosity than the teacher from secondary schools. The similar and contradictory trend could be indentified for the young cohorts of teachers, comparative with the older ones.

Mass transfer study of electrochemical processes with gas production

It is known that electrolytic processes involving the production of gas may have a low yield energetic due to the influence of the bubbles formed on specific electrode geometry. These bubbles adhering the electrode surface increases its area of coverage may affect the average mass transfer coefficient and hence the cell potential and the yield process. In the present work, the combined average mass transfer coefficient was determined for the hydrogen production from the electroreduction of K 3Fe(CN) 6 in alkaline solution under diffusional control. Like a reactor to produce electrolytic chlorine-soda, the electrolytic cell was formed by anodic and cathode compartments separated by an asbestos diaphragm. The effects of electrolyte percolation velocity and cathode geometry (perforated plate and metal mesh) were studied. The results showed that for the mesh geometry, the combined average mass transfer coefficient k d * ¯ increased with the average electrolyte percolation velocity through the diaphragm. A contradictory trend was observed for the perforated plate. For average percolation velocities below 3.5 × 10 −5 m s −1, the perforated plate showed higher values of k d * ¯ than the mesh geometry. The constants a and b of the well-known dimensionless equation Sh = aRe b Sc 1/3 were presented for the cases studied.

Style Wars: revolution in the suburbs?

Is there a revolution occurring in the Australian suburb? From a brief examination of demographic, economic, political and aesthetic changes, it appears that the suburbs of the new century are very different from those of the last. With the demise of key underpinnings of the older suburban form—the sexual division of labour, particular family forms, localised communities and bucolic private gardens—has gone an end to official support of the expansive suburb and a major shift in their politics, planning, economies and relationship to the CBD and other centres. With falling household sizes has gone a seemingly contradictory trend toward larger houses on smaller blocks of land. In the context of these many changes along with urban containment and consolidation, this paper argues that there is a convergence occurring between the design of inner, middle and outer suburban dwellings. The negativity long heaped upon the suburban bungalow by the custodians of taste is being revisited. The style wars are easing, as suburban homes increasingly resemble those appearing in densified cities across the nation.

Firms fill antiretroviral gap in South Africa

In South Africa, where less than 3% of people who need antiretroviral treatment actually get it, 1 WHO/UNAIDS. South Africa, UNAIDS2004http://www.unaids.org/html/pub/publications/fact-sheets01/southafrica_en_pdf.pdf Google Scholar private-sector companies are stepping in to fill the need. A growing number are supplying such drugs directly to employees who are HIV-positive or are facilitating access to drugs via third parties such as non-governmental organisations. While businesses in the rest of the world are becoming less concerned about AIDS, the contradictory trend in South Africa is being driven, on the face of it, by two imperatives. The first is heightened social awareness in the postapartheid society. The second is more bankable: an often-compelling economic argument. “What, me worry?” Businesses and AIDS at DavosAt the Davos Summit in February, 2005, the World Economic Forum released its current survey on businesses and HIV/AIDS.1 In 1996, we outlined the case for business in Asia to play a pivotal role in preventing the epidemic.2 At that time, an estimated 3 million people in Asia had been infected with HIV. Today that number is estimated at 8·2 million.3 AIDS is a preventable disease. The survey finds an absence of alarm in the business sector which, if true, bodes poorly for success in controlling this epidemic. Full-Text PDF

Imprisonment and Penal Policy in Ireland

Abstract: The penal landscape in the Republic of Ireland has changed significantly since the mid‐1990s. Most notably, the average daily prison population grew swiftly at a time when recorded crime was falling. This contradictory trend was due to a combination of factors including the politicisation of the debate about crime, a build up of long‐sentence prisoners, an expansion of the remand population and a reduction in the use of early release to ease overcrowding. The costs of incarceration, especially prison officer overtime, became the focus of acute concern and for the first time foreign nationals became a significant presence in Irish prisons.

Variation of the Crystalline Structure of Coal Char during Gasification

The variation of the crystallite structure of several coal chars during gasification in air and carbon dioxide was studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The XRD analysis of the partially gasified coal chars, based on two approaches, Scherrer's equation and Alexander and Sommer's method, shows a contradictory trend of the variation of the crystallite height with carbon conversion, despite giving a similar trend for the crystallite width change. The HRTEM fringe images of the partially gasified coal chars indicate that large and highly ordered crystallites exist at conversion levels as high as 86%. It is also demonstrated that the crystalline structure of chars can be very different although their pore structures are similar, suggesting a combination of crystalline structure analysis with pore structure analysis in studies of carbon gasification.

The Fuzzy Borders between Astronomy and Astrology in the Thought and Work of Three Twelfth-Century Jewish Intellectuals

A dual and contradictory trend can be observed regarding the dividing lines between astronomy and astrology in antiquity and in the Middle Ages. On the one hand, there was a tendency to draw a clear-cut distinction between astronomy and astrology and grant astronomy clear epistemological superiority over astrology. On the other hand, it was almost commonplace to refer to the close collaboration between astronomy and astrology. The fact that some prominent scientists combined astronomy and astrology in their works highlights the interdependency between them. Some insights into the borders between astrology and astronomy are provided by exploring the work and thought of a group of three Jewish intellectuals active in the twelfth century: Abraham Bar Ḥiyya, Abraham Ibn Ezra, and Maimonides.

Parameters related to fiber length and processing in cementitious composites

Effects of fiber length on the tensile and flexural performance of cast and extruded PVA fiber reinforced cement composites were investigated. Microstructural characterization, image analysis, and statistical tools were used to study the influence of processing and fiber length on fiber-matrix bond, fiber dispersion and fiber orientation in the composites. In the extruded composites, shorter fibers improved the performance. In the cast composites, longer fibers gave the best performance. This contradictory trend was found to be a result of differences in fiber failure mechanism, fiber distribution and fiber orientation. Microstructural observations indicated a strong matrix-fiber bond for the extruded composites. Statistical quantification of image analysis indicated a better distribution and alignment of shorter fibers in extruded composites.

Professionalization of South African Nursing: Who Benefits?

In this article the authors present a critical and alternative view of the reasons for and nature of professionalism in nursing, with particular reference to the South African situation. They show that professionalizing strategies have not necessarily been in the interests of the majority of nurses or of health care. First, some background information is given on the process of professionalization: its emergence worldwide and in South Africa, partly as a response of a predominantly female group to the power, prestige, and privilege held in the health sector by a predominantly male medical profession. The process in South African nursing is outlined, with particular emphasis on how this has paralleled political developments in South Africa. The proletarianization of a large body of nurses is examined as a contradictory trend to professionalization. The second part of the article is an analysis of the consequences of the professionalization process, which has had deleterious effects on the provision of health care as well as on relationships amongst nurses, their colleagues, and their communities.

State Constitutions in Historical Perspective

Scholars have tended to neglect the history of state constitutions, though these are interesting in themselves and also shed light on federal developments. State constitutions have tended, on the whole, to be less durable and to contain more superlegislation than the U.S. Constitution. Early state constitutions provided for a weak executive. In the nineteenth century, states began to restrict legislatures as well. Recent state constitution making has tended to be technocratic, less overtly political than in the nineteenth century, although the use of initiative and referendum processes is a somewhat contradictory trend. Judicial review in state courts developed along lines generally parallel to those in federal courts. Judicial review flowered after the Civil War; in this period, many innovative doctrines first arose in state courts. The center of innovation shifted to the federal courts in the twentieth century. Judicial review continued and grew in state courts, however, and the recent expansion of the doctrine of independent state grounds may increase the power and significance of state courts.

The English Landscape Garden in the Eighteenth Century: The Cultural Importance of an English Institution

Art historians and cultural historians have noted what appears to be a puzzle in eighteenth-century history, a puzzle which emerges from an apparent conflict of the following trend: as English country houses became more and more classical, the gardens around them became less so. That is, as architecture progressively conformed to the principles of universal order and mathematical geometry embodied in the Palladian ideal, gardens seemed to repudiate those same principles, embracing irregularity and particularity. Another apparently contradictory trend is noteworthy: as country houses became smaller through the eighteenth century, the gardens around them became larger. By the later eighteenth century people of means seem to have preferred smallish houses in acres of parkland, rather than enormous houses in small, formal gardens.There are two possible ways of approaching this problem. The first is simply to ignore the contradiction and accept the houses and gardens as products of separate traditions. Most art historians have done this, fitting the houses and gardens respectively into the classical and romantic traditions. The houses are said to be classical in style because they were intended to appeal to the reasoning faculties of the Enlightenment mind, while the gardens are called romantic because they were designed to appeal principally to the subjective and non-rational faculties, the senses and the emotions. The puzzle of classical houses in romantic gardens simply does not arise when an author such as Hussey, for example, examines the history of gardens, or when Summerson writes about the classical country house.