RFP: Year 2 Project Grant Opportunities Announced

Bridging Barriers writes about Good Systems and their year 2 project grant opportunities on February 2020.Office of the VP for Researc

Literature Review on Turnover - To Better Understand the Situation in Macau

Macau is enjoying the prosperity brought by the increase of gaming operations. However, this rapid development imposed a great challenge in Human Resources Management. The hospitality industry is experiencing a high turnover rate, which affects the service quality and long-term sustainability. Major causes of turnover were reviewed from Western based and Asian based literature. Local studies were also included to provide a better picture of the turnover causes in Macau. Some recommendations were made to help retaining talented employees

Embryonic and Larval Development and Effect of Salinity Levels on Egg and Ovary Performance in Rabbit Fish (Siganus guttatus)

In this study we investigated embryonic and larval development of rabbit fish (Siganus guttatus) in captivity. Embryonic development lasted 18-19 hours at 28-30oC, pH: 7.6-8.0, salinity: 30-32‰. Average total length of larvae at day 1 after hatching (DAH) was 1.58 mm, average yolk sac length was 0.35 mm containing one yolk ellipsoid (0.92±0.146 mm in length and 0.54±0.107 mm in width) in dorsal and lateral views. At day 2 (DAH) larval length increased to 2.16 mm, and pigmented eyes, mouth, and caudal-fin rays developed. Day 3 (DAH) larval length was 2.25 mm and the yolk was completely absorbed. Our findings provide fundamental information regarding seed larvae production of rabbit fish. In a further experiment we investigated the effect of salinity on gonad maturation, gonadosomatic index (GSI), egg biochemical composition and fecundities. Broodfish were cultured in three salinities, 25, 30, and 35‰ during reproductive season from February to July 2015. No statistically significant effects on gonadal development, fecundities, and egg quality in rabbit broodfish held in different salinities during the reproductive season were foun

Spinal manipulation or mobilization for lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy : a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis into the effects of spinal manipulation or mobilization for Lumbar Disc Herniation with Radiculopathy (LDHR). Methods: An electronic database search of titles and abstracts of articles published in English will be conducted in the following databases: PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and The Cochrane Library. The specific search strategies will be dependent on the particular database being searched and hand searches of the reference lists of the included articles will also be performed. Studies will be included if they reported an acceptable comparison group, and also reported at least one of the main clinically relevant outcome measures for LDHR. Two independent reviewers will screen the identified records, and all disagreements will be resolved. The internal and external validities of the included studies will be assessed using the PEDro scale and the External Validity Assessment Tool (EVAT) respectively. The clinical relevance and risk of bias of the studies will be determined using the 5-Criteria developed by the Cochrane Back Review Group and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool respectively. Studies will be pooled into meta-analysis where appropriate using RevMan software and the outcomes will be reported using the PRISMA guidelines. Discussion: This review will summarize the current evidence about the effects of spinal manipulation or mobilization compared with other interventions in the management of individuals with Lumbar Disc Herniation with Radiculopathy (LDHR). A meta-analysis will also be conducted where appropriate in this review to compare the effects of spinal manipulation or mobilization with other interventions with a view to finding out which technique is better in the management of individuals with LDHR. Review Registration: This review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; registration number: CRD42019131292). Keywords: Spinal manipulation; spinal mobilization; lumbar disc herniation; systematic review; meta-analysi

Figure 1. The pH Scale (Source: NCSA). Causes of Soil Acidity

Soil acidity refers to the level of acids present in soils. As acid levels increase, the pH of the soil decreases. While the pH scale ranges from 0-14, most Tennessee soils range in value from 4.5 to 7.5. Soils with pH values greater than 7.0 are alkaline or sweet, and those with values of less than 7.0 are acid or sour (Figure 1). As the soil pH decreases below 7.0, the amount of acidity rapidly increases. For example, a pH of 5.0 is 10 times more acidic than 6.0 and 100 times more acidic than a pH of 7.0. Soil test results indicate that approximately 40 to 60 percent of the cropland in Tennessee is too acidic for optimum crop production. Because of this, determining the need for lime by soil testing should be the first step in developing a sound crop fertilization program. Lime neutralizes excess soil acids and increases soil pH which is a measure of soil acidity. Levels of extractable aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) are reduced to a nontoxic range as soil pH increases. If not limed as needed, soils continue to become more acidic, reducing the potential for production of healthy plants and profitable yields. The need for lime and the optimum soil pH depends upon the type of crop to be produced

Analysis of profit of generation company in power market

In recent decades, the operation of power systems in the power market model has been researched and applied by many countries. The profit of generation companies is always interested in research to ensure operation and balance of power market. This paper studies and analysis profit of generation companies to participate in the power market. In addition, this paper has analyzed the participation of new generation in the power market with 39-bus IEEE power system