Secondary System Research Articles

Systematic Review of the Effect of Financial Management Practices on Service Delivery in Secondary Schools

In this systematic review analysis design, we explore the available peer-reviewed literature on the effect of financial management practices on service delivery in African secondary schools. Specifically, we reviewed the effect of budgeting, auditing and financial internal control on the service delivery in secondary schools. Study findings reveal that budgeting ensures effective implementation of education programs. In addition, the activities in the secondary school system are adequately planned and allocate resources apportioned to ensure effective execution and implementation. Besides, audits of school accounts result in good financial management and effective control mechanism that ensures overall operational efficiency. From the results of this review, we hereby suggest that Head teachers need to manage financial resources more responsively for effective performance and fulfilling of institutional needs, those of the teachers, students and other stakeholders of respective secondary schools. It is very crucial for school administrators and support staff in charge of finances and resource mobilization to regularly attend professional development course in order to acquire relevant financial skills and competencies required for effective management of resources in the school so as to tremendously improve on the quality of secondary schools’ service delivery.

Brodsky: The mathematics of poetry

The article examines the use of mathematical terminology in J. Brodsky’s poetry and considers the genesis of geometric and arithmetic concepts in his oeuvre. The author suggests that, having dropped out of school at the age of fifteen and loathing the Soviet secondary school system, Brodsky did, however, absorb a plethora of formulae, concepts, and math-related images, which, in turn, revitalized his poetic vocabulary. Listing Brodsky’s typical ‘mathematical’ motifs and phrases, Artemiev focuses on images that often serve as clues, such as a parallel, a perpendicular, lines, angles, cones, squares, and other geometric shapes; each such item is supplied with several examples and a scholarly commentary. The author characterizes Brodsky’s relationship with mathematics as follows: Stopping short of understanding the subject properly, Brodsky used maths terminology frequently and with ease, if with a somewhat tenuous idea of its meaning, and made it part of his signature poetic style. Mathematics endowed his poetry with a vocabulary that made it truly stand out among predecessors and contemporaries alike.

Generation of a Biotin-Tagged Dual-Display Phage.

Phage display is widely used in biomedical research. One of the great advantages of phage display is the specificity of the connection of a foreign peptide exposed outside the capsid to the intended target. Secondary detection systems, which are often laborious and costly, are required to identify and quantify the peptide/target interaction. In this study, we generated a novel dual-display phage to facilitate the detection and quantification of the peptide/target interaction. First, we generated a biotin-tagged phage by adding a small biotin-accepting peptide (sBT) to gene-3 of the M13K07 helper phage. Subsequently, we enhanced the M13K07 biotin-tagged phage by incorporating a selective peptide on gene-8, which is then exposed to the phage capsid. The exposed peptide acts as a probe to bind to a selective molecular target, whose interaction can be readily visualized thanks to the biotinylated phage. Our versatile dual-display phage exhibits high flexibility; by swapping the displayed peptide/probe, one can change the phage target while retaining the sBT gene in-frame with the pIII. We expect the generated biotin-tagged dual phages to be used as a multifunctional probe to couple with several streptavidin-biotin-based systems.

The Gross Anatomical and Histological Features of the Humerus in African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus) from Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies

This paper presents a detailed gross description of all anatomical elements of the humerus in the African green monkey and provides comparative and differential elements on monkey osteology. The osteometric investigation adds value to the gross morphological investigation, adjoining metric data to the gross descriptive data set. An in-depth investigation of the microstructural aspects of the humeral bone tissue is provided, with qualitative and quantitative details and potential for diagnostic applications. Of the gross morphological elements described, several unique features specific to this species include the humeral head shape that presents with distinctive low convexity and caudal placement, the shape of the intertubercular groove, the less developed greater tubercle, and the disposition of the rotator cuff muscle insertion. Furthermore, the overall cranio-lateral curvature of the bone shaft was found to have a distinctive 154–155 degree of angulation of the diaphysis, and the well-developed medial epicondyle was observed with its distinctive medio-caudal retroflexion. The histological investigation was more indicative of a typical non-primate organization of the bone tissue, with laminar vascular and avascular structures combined with the presence of the secondary Haversian system involving a mixture of scattered and dense unorganized secondary osteonal structures. The histomorphometric investigation yielded metrical data for the secondary osteonal structures in terms of area (20,331 ± 5105 µm2), perimeter, and vascular canal area (64,769 ± 257 µm2).

Thermal hydraulic analysis of a high-temperature gas reactor steam generator after loss of feed water accidents

The helical coil steam generator is widely employed in the energy conversion process of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors for its high thermal efficiency in producing superheated steam within the helical tubes. These tubes necessitate materials specifically designed to endure high temperatures, prevent ruptures, and ensure durability under various operational conditions. This study aims to identify the maximum temperatures arising from potential transients in the secondary system and to propose immediate safety measures for minimizing associated risks. The RELAP5/MOD3.4 code was used to simulate the behavior of the next generation nuclear plant steam generator's conceptual design using steady-state conditions. Following the validation of the model, the established steady-state conditions were utilized to simulate accident scenarios, including the feed water line break and the loss of feed water flow to the steam generator. The transient scenarios assumptions include closed flap valves and retained hot helium in the shell side. The simulation tasks were conducted both with and without activating the depressurization system, in order to assess its effect on the temperature of tubes on the wall side. The analysis results indicate that tube wall temperatures can reach 720 °C at the steam generator outlet region and 620 °C at the weld region. The immediate activation of the depressurization system with a controlled relief valve can effectively reduce these temperatures by 239 °C in the steam generator outlet and by 133 °C in the weld region. This also lowers the steam generator's secondary side pressure. As a result, an upgrade and enhancement of operational procedures is straightforward.

Взаимодействие бизнеса, образования и власти в системе среднего профессионального образования в регионе

In a dynamically developing economy and changing labor market, it is important to ensure effective interaction of the secondary vocational education system with the needs of the regional economy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The article examines the key points of interaction between business, education and government. Through the analysis of normative legal acts and scientific research, the need to create educational and industrial clusters, stimulate cooperation between educational institutions and enterprises, as well as the active participation of employers in the educational process is emphasized.The article reveals that the government of the Russian Federation is taking steps to support secondary vocational education with the participation of companies, mainly large ones, for example, through the federal project ‘Professionalism’. However, there are limitations, such as insufficient development of regional regulatory legal acts, especially in terms of interaction between small and medium-sized enterprises with secondary vocational education. In conclusion, the importance of intensifying efforts to attract the business community to support and develop regional regulations, create a favorable environment for interactionbetween business, education and government is emphasized. This is the only way to ensure effective adaptation of educational programs to the needs of the labor market, the development of high-quality personnel and sustainable socio-economic development of the region.

CFD Simulations of a Loss of Heat Sink Experiment in the McMaster Nuclear Reactor

The McMaster nuclear reactor (MNR) is an important research facility that not only provides researchers with neutrons for fundamental science, but also supplies the medical industry with isotopes used for cancer treatment. To ensure the safety and performance of the MNR, modeling of the thermal hydraulics during nominal and accidental conditions is required. For such a task, system codes are customarily used. While system codes can assess the safety aspects of complex thermal–hydraulic systems, the question arises whether such systems can be modeled appropriately in a three-dimensional manner, such as computation fluid dynamics (CFD), while capturing the thermal mixing of the coolant. Modeling the thermal hydraulics of nuclear research reactors using CFD is relatively new. Therefore, validating such methods against experimental data is of utmost importance. The validation of CFD is the main focus of this work. More specifically, the influence of the loss of heat sink on the pool temperature is assessed using the CFD code Ansys CFX. The validation basis was provided by an experiment performed at the MNR in March 2023. In this experiment, the secondary heat removal system was intentionally shut down, and the pool temperature was measured in a few positions. The results obtained by modeling the loss of heat sink in the MNR using Ansys CFX agree well with the experiment.

Analysis of Therapeutic Efficacy and Adverse Prognostic Factors of Secondary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

To explore the therapeutic efficacy and prognostic factors of induction therapy for secondary central nervous system lymphoma (SCNSL). Clinical data of patients diagnosed with SCNSL from 2010 to 2021 at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively collected. A retrospective cohort study was performed on all and grouped patients to analyze the efficacy and survival. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the adverse prognostic factors. Thirty-seven diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients with secondary central involvement were included in the research. Their 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 46.01% and median survival time was 18.1 months. The 2-year OS rates of HD-MTX group and TMZ group were 34.3% and 61%, median survival time were 8.7 and 38.3 months, and median progression-free survival time were 8.1 and 47 months, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, sex, IPI, Ann Arbor stage were correlated with patient survival time. The median survival time of patients with CD79B, KMT2D, CXCR4, ERBB2, TBL1XR1, BTG2, MYC, MYD88, and PIM1 mutations was 8.2 months, which was lower than the overall level. HD-MTX combined with TMZ as the first-line strategy may improve patient prognosis, and early application of gene sequencing is beneficial for evaluating prognosis.

The tsarist policy of russification of education and the “unfavorable realities” in Bessarabia (second half of the 19th century)

The article reveals the process of radical transformation of the education system in Bessarabia in the second half of the nineteenth century, as a result of the tightening of the national policy of the Russian Empire and the intensification of the national-cultural Russification of the non-Russian peoples, the attempts of the Czarist authorities to modernize and homogenize the multinational Russian Empire, according to the model of European states. The author highlights two stages of the policy of Russification of education in Bessarabia. The first stage – years 1866-1872 – is characterized by the undermining of Romanian and mixed parochial primary schools (Romanian-Russian), the prohibition of teaching Romanian language at the regional gymnasium, theological seminary, county schools, etc, by creating a Russian primary and secondary education system in Bessarabia. The second stage – years 1873-1900 – is characterized by the attempt to radically transform the linguistic and cultural realities of the Bessarabian villages, causing the exponential growth of the number of Russian schools in rural areas, mass learning of the Russian language by the Romanian peasants in Bessarabia, the imposition of the Russian language not only in state institutions, but also in the privacy of families. The discussions in this regard within the Committee of Ministers of the Russian Empire highlighted the following dilemma: either the application of force to boost the policy of Russification, or the continuation of the policy of gradual Russification.Understanding the impasse that the Russian Empire would have entered, the authorities finally decided to achieve the goals of the policy of russification of the Romanians in Bessarabia, not through repressive methods, but „gradually and without violence”.

A compliant helical structure to amplify inertia for nonlinear vibration absorption

The vibration absorption is a passive approach for vibration control by attaching a secondary vibration system to realize the energy transfer and dissipation. To generate a sufficient inertial force, vibration absorbers need to introduce large additional mass, and thus the engineering applications are limited. In this study, a novel compliant structure is proposed with the inertial amplified through a helical movement, and the structure is adopted for nonlinear vibration absorption. The dynamic equations of the absorber are established based on the Lagrange equation, characterizing the nonlinear characteristics arising from the large deformation of the structure and the nonlinear kinetic relationship between the translation and the rotation. Amplitude-frequency responses of the absorber under different excitations are solved using the harmonic balance method and the arc-length continuation method. A rotation-inertial dominant absorber (RIDA) and a translation-inertial dominant absorber (TIDA) are fabricated with the same helical structure while different mass distributions and experiments are performed to validate the nonlinear characteristics and vibration absorption effects. It is observed that both RIDA and TIDA demonstrate effective vibration absorption performances., RIDA introduces smaller additional mass than TIDA. The proposed helical structure absorbers exhibit combined nonlinearities of softening stiffness and displacement-dependent inertia and damping, demonstrating resonance shifting and jump phenomena. With an increasing excitation amplitude, the vibration absorption efficiency decreases and then increases.

Auditory Cognition

Following vision, audition is often regarded as a secondary sensory system in the study of cognitive science and behavioral neuroscience. Auditory cognition tasks relate to the discernment of finite differences in frequency, duration, or rhythmic pattern. They suggest that there is a wide range of auditory functions required to mediate auditory responses. Auditory perception is the ability to interpret information that is received from the environment, and it is in this interpretation that audible frequency waves through the air or otherwise, follow a series of processes that allow for the acuity of sound. Several mechanisms are employed in the processing of acoustic information to extricate the many sources present and to assess the properties of individual events or sequences of events presenting themselves from a source. From a cognitive level, the sequential relations among events in longer sequences must be advanced to comprehend the nature of actions on objects that are extended in time.

Evaluation of the Secondary Metabolites and Bioactivity of South African Bulbine Natalensis Under Simultaneous Elevated Carbon Dioxide and Temperatures

The secondary metabolism in medicinal plants are responsible for their protection against environmental factors and the health-promoting benefits they provide to users. The purpose of this study was to assess the responses of the secondary metabolic system of B. natalensis and its influence on the antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The phytochemical analyses, antioxidant and antibacterial assays were conducted from using harvested leaves, underground stems and roots from whole plants exposed to simultaneous elevated CO2 and temperatures over eight days in a heatwave simulation. Most of the phytochemical groups were present in the leaves, however majority of the tested compounds had consistent presence throughout the plants in all treatments. The underground stems possessed a greater total phenolic, tannin and proanthocyanidin contents than the leaves and roots under elevated CO2 and temperatures. The leaves had a comparatively better antioxidant activity from the treatment than control. Overall, there was consistency in the antibacterial activity in both control and experimental conditions. The tannins and phenolics had greater concentrations throughout the plants under elevated conditions overall, which could indicate their leading role in plant defence and the improvement and maintenance of the medicinal activity of B. natalensis. The responses of the plant parts of B. natalensis under elevated CO2 and temperatures provides newfound insights on the physiological roles plant organs play on the overall productivity and medicinal activity of the species.

A Simulation on Performance Characteristics of Secondary Loop System for an Electric Vehicle with Low GWP Refrigerants

A Simulation on Performance Characteristics of Secondary Loop System for an Electric Vehicle with Low GWP Refrigerants

End-to-end deep learning on classification of neutral-to-ground voltage in secondary distribution systems

Neutral-to-ground voltage (NTGV) abnormalities in secondary distribution systems (SDS) pose significant power quality (PQ) challenges, including safety hazards, power losses, and equipment damage. Despite their importance, these abnormalities remain relatively understudied. Accurate classification of NTGV events is crucial for effective mitigation strategies. Existing research primarily relies on machine learning (ML) models trained on manually extracted features from simulated or real-world signals. This paper introduces a novel end-to-end deep learning approach that leverages Gate Recurrent Units (GRU) to bypass manual feature extraction, directly utilizing real-world signals from three NTGV event categories: ground fault, lightning strike, and normal conditions. This is first time that GRU has been used for NTGV classification using raw data. The model's generalizability is assessed through 5-fold cross-validation. A comparative analysis with baseline models and traditional ML techniques demonstrates the proposed model's superior performance and computational efficiency due to its ability to directly process raw data.

Oncologic and Perioperative Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Versus Conventional Laparoscopy for the Treatment of Clinically Uterine-Confined High-Grade Adenocarcinoma.

The aim of this study was to compare oncologic and perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopy (RA) and conventional laparoscopy (LSC) in apparent clinically uterine-confined, high-grade adenocarcinoma. A retrospective review was conducted to identify patients with newly diagnosed high-grade uterine adenocarcinoma treated at our institution between 1 January 2009 and 30 June 2021. Exclusion criteria included bulky extrauterine disease, no lymph node assessment, or synchronous tumors. Clinicopathologic details were obtained from medical records. Postoperative complications were classified using the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Surgical Secondary Events system, and statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests. Of 901 patients identified, 748 (83%) underwent RA and 153 (17%) underwent LSC. Median age was 65 years (range 25-92) and median body mass index was 30 kg/m2 (range 15-60). Overall, 650 patients (72%) had 2009 International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) stage I disease. Forty-one patients (4.6%) converted to laparotomy-26 (3.5%) from RA versus 15 (9.8%) from LSC (p=0.02). Postoperative complications occurred in 81 patients (9.0%), with no significant differences in type or rate between groups. Median operative time was 192mins (range 88-936) for RA versus 168 mins (range 90-372) for LSC (p=0.002). Median follow-up was 52 months (range 1-163) for RA and 66 months (range 7-165) for LSC. Four-year progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were similar between groups. Multivariate analysis showed stage, histology, peritoneal cytology, and lymphovascular invasion predicated a decrease in PFS and DSS. RA demonstrated comparable oncologic outcomes to LSC in patients with high-grade endometrial carcinoma, with no significant difference in postoperative complications or long-term survival.

Teaching Aero-Engine Performance: From Analytics to Hands-On Exercises Using Gas Turbine Performance Software

Abstract In this paper, we present an approach for teaching turbojet engine performance that combines mathematical analysis with the use of performance software to provide students with a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of engine performance and how it is affected by design parameter choices. In the first part, we present the derivation of a universally valid analytical model for turbojet engine cycle design, which is the basis of the propulsion courses at RWTH Aachen University. The analytical model allows for the calculation of specific thrust as well as thermal and propulsive efficiencies as a function of pressure ratios and burner exit temperature. These are all expressed as differentiable functions. Their mathematical extremes form a basis for examining the intricate relationships in turbojet engine design. In the second part, we move from theory to practice. We utilize the GasTurb software, computing turbojet engine cycles for a wide range of cycle design parameters. The analytically derived trends are validated and errors introduced by simplifications are assessed. Differences between the analytical approach and software-based performance simulations of real engines, like temperature-dependent gas properties and secondary air systems, are emphasized and discussed, thus providing a bridge to real-world applications. In summary, this paper describes a two-step approach to teaching turbojet engine design using analytics and performance software. Each approach alone can be used to enrich and extend existing performance courses. Combining the approaches has significant benefits, improving understanding and inspiring students to pursue further research in the field of propulsion.

Adult auditory brain responses to nestling begging calls in seasonal songbirds: an fMRI study in non-parenting male and female starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

The present study aims to investigate whether begging calls elicit specific auditory responses in non-parenting birds, whether these responses are influenced by the hormonal status of the bird, and whether they reflect biparental care for offspring in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). An fMRI experiment was conducted to expose non-parenting male and female European starlings to recordings of conspecific nestling begging calls during both artificially induced breeding and non-breeding seasons. This response was compared with their reaction to conspecific individual warbling song motifs and artificial pure tones, serving as social species-specific and artificial control stimuli, respectively. Our findings reveal that begging calls evoke a response in non-parenting male and female starlings, with significantly higher responsiveness observed in the right Field L and the Caudomedial Nidopallium (NCM), regardless of season or sex. Moreover, a significant seasonal variation in auditory brain responses was elicited in both sexes exclusively by begging calls, not by the applied control stimuli, within a ventral midsagittal region of NCM. This heightened response to begging calls, even in non-parenting birds, in the right primary auditory system (Field L), and the photoperiod induced hormonal neuromodulation of auditory responses to offspring's begging calls in the secondary auditory system (NCM), bears resemblance to mammalian responses to hunger calls. This suggests a convergent evolution aimed at facilitating swift adult responses to such calls crucial for offspring survival.

A Study of Color Fixation Agents in Secondary Alcohol Ethoxylate-Based Reverse Micellar Cotton Dyeing System with Reactive Dyes

ABSTRACT Influence of color fixation agent (CFA) and dyebath pH in secondary alcohol ethoxylate (SAE)-based reverse micellar dyeing system of cotton with reactive dyes was investigated and compared with water-based dyeing system using different alkali (i.e. CFA) such as: (i) sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), (ii) sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and (iii) sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The color, tensile strength, fastness and surface morphological properties of dyed samples were examined. Experimental results showed that samples dyed with Na2CO3 can achieve the highest color yield, followed by NaHCO3 and NaOH in both water-based and reverse micellar dyeing system. The color yield and reflectance percentage of the dyed cotton samples were found to be closely related to the dyebath pH value. Relative unlevelness indices (RUI) also reflected that cotton samples dyed with NaOH in reverse micellar dyeing system have a higher chance of color unlevelness when compared with NaHCO3 and Na2CO3. Tensile strength results affirm that higher alkalinity of dyebath could cause higher strength loss to the colored cotton samples. Both cotton samples dyed by water and SAE approach showed good to excellent color fastness properties while scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images exhibit that the use of different alkalis may cause some damage to the cotton fiber.

Simultaneous removal of nutrients and pharmaceuticals and personal care products using two-stage woodchip bioreactor-biochar treatment systems

The co-occurrence of nutrients and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewage effluent can degrade water quality of the receiving watersheds. This study investigated the simultaneous removal of excess nutrients and PPCP contaminants by developing a novel woodchip bioreactor and biochar (B2) treatment system. The result revealed that woodchip bioreactors could effectively remove nitrate via a denitrification process and adsorb some PPCPs. Biochar as a secondary treatment system significantly reduced the concentrations of PPCPs and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) (p < 0.05), compared to the woodchip bioreactor. The removal efficiencies of all targeted contaminants by the B2 system were evaluated using various hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and biochar types (pelletized versus granular biochar). Longer HRTs and smaller biochar particles (granular biochar) could enhance the removal efficiencies of targeted contaminants. Average contaminant removals were 77.25 % for nitrate-N, 99.03 % for DRP, 69.51 % for ibuprofen, 73.65 % for naproxen, 91.09 % for sitagliptin, and 96.96 % for estrone, with woodchip bioreactor HRTs of 12 ± 1.4 h and granular biochar HRTs of 2.1 ± 0.1 h. Notably, the second-stage biochar systems effectively mitigated by-products leaching from woodchip bioreactors. The presence of PPCPs in the woodchip bioreactors enriched certain species, such as Methylophilus (69.6 %), while inhibiting other microorganisms and reducing microbial community diversity. Furthermore, a scaled-up B2 system was analyzed and assessed, indicating that the proposed engineering treatment system could provide decades of service in real-world applications. Overall, this study suggests that the B2 system has promising applications for addressing emerging and conventional contaminants.

Treatment of refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the central nervous system with polatuzumab vedotin-based regimen: a case report and literature review

Polatuzumab vedotin (Pola) is a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting CD79b, which has been shown to be effective in treating newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) during clinical trials. This study aims to conduct a retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient with refractory secondary central nervous system lymphoma at Beijing Hospital, alongside a review of relevant literature. This study included a 79-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with DLBCL affecting the ilium, sacrum, spinal cord, and nerve roots and had an IPI score of 5 and a high-risk score according to MSKCC. She showed a geriatric comprehensive assessment (IACA) score of 2, which was categorized under the unfit group. Her initial treatment comprised chemo-free therapy and radiotherapy, followed by progression. In the second-line treatment, a Pola-based regimen was applied, and the patient achieved a complete response, suggesting that this regimen may be a therapeutic option for patients with DLBCL involving the central nervous system.