The relationship between instructional and assessment accommodations in an inclusive state accountability system

We investigated the kinds of instructional and assessment accommodations students with disabilities receive, and the extent to which instructional accommodations match assessment accommodations. Most students who had IEPs in specific content areas received instructional accommodations in those areas, and there were no differences by disability type. We provide data on the specific types of accommodations used. Overall, students' assessment accommodations matched their instructional accommodations, though many students received testing accommodations that had not been received in instruction. Implications are discussed for IEP teams who make decisions about instructional and assessment accommodations.     

An Examination of Change in Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Science Education Based on the Duration of Inservice Activities

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Science literacy and academic identity formulation

The purpose of this article is to report findings from an ethnographic study that focused on the co‐development of science literacy and academic identity formulation within a third‐grade classroom. Our theoretical framework draws from sociocultural theory and studies of scientific literacy. Through analysis of classroom discourse, we identified opportunities afforded students to learn specific scientific knowledge and practices during a series of science investigations. The results of this study suggest that the collective practice of the scientific conversations and activities that took place within this classroom enabled students to engage in the construction of communal science knowledge through multiple textual forms. By examining the ways in which students contributed to the construction of scientific understanding, and then by examining their performances within and across events, we present evidence of the co‐development of students' academic identities and scientific literacy. Students' communication and participation in science during the investigations enabled them to learn the structure of the discipline by identifying and engaging in scientific activities. The intersection of academic identities with the development of scientific literacy provides a basis for considering specific ways to achieve scientific literacy for all students. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 1111–1144, 2004     

Improving the learning of Boolean queries by means of a multiobjective IQBE evolutionary algorithm

The Inductive Query By Example (IQBE) paradigm allows a system to automatically derive queries for a specific Information Retrieval System (IRS). Classic IRSs based on this paradigm [Smith, M., & Smith, M. (1997). The use of genetic programming to build Boolean queries for text retrieval through relevance feedback. Journal of Information Science, 23(6), 423–431] generate a single solution (Boolean query) in each run, that with the best fitness value, which is usually based on a weighted combination of the basic performance criteria, precision and recall.     

Clinico-Biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis on the basis of urinary citrate to calcium ratio and inhibition of mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals by human urine

Urinary citric acid and calcium levels have been estimated in the urine of 20 normal healthy persons as well as 12 urinary stone patients. Inhibition efficiency of these urine samples towards the mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals, viz., calcium phosphate, oxalate or carbonate, has been studied in an experimental model. Statistical correlation of the above data has been made by computing the coefficient of determination and unexplained variance. Clinico-biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis risk factor has been attempted in the light of the data.     

Serum super oxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in urinary disorders

Evaluation of serum SOD and MDA level was done in 21 first episode renal stone formers, 9 recurrent stone formers, 20 patients with obstructive uropathy other than urolithiasis and 12 patients with urinary infection. Twenty-two healthy volunteers were taken as controls. The level of SOD in respective groups was 2.12±0.84, 2.78±0.85, 1.42±0.31, 1.98±0.70 and 2.32±0.62 units/ml and of MDA was 2.61±1.07, 2.69±1.15, 1.65±0.33, 1.33±0.34 and 1.55±0.48 n mol/ml respectively. The results indicate increased peroxidative stressin nephrolithiasis only. Since SOD level was normal in all groups, this increased peroxidative stress in nephrolithiasis should be due to factors other than this one.     

Alkaptonuric ochronosis: Report of a case and brief review

Alkaptonuria, a metabolic disorder characterized by a triad of homogentisic aciduria, arthritis and ochronosis is one of the first conditions in the charter of group of inborn errors of metabolism proposed to have Mendelian recessive inheritance. It is due to the deficiency of the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase which catalyzes the conversion of homogentisic acid to maleylacetoacetic acid in the catabolism of tyrosine. Homogentisic acid thus accumulates in cells and body fluids and its oxidized polymers bind to collagen, leading to progressive deposition of grey to bluish black pigment resulting in degenerative changes in cartilage, intervertebral disc and other connective tissues, leading to arthritis which is the only disabling effect in an affected older individual. However the diagnosis can be made in neonates when blackish stain is noticed in an unwashed diaper. Alkaptonuria is treated symptomatically, surgical intervention necessitates in advanced stages, treatment with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and dietary restrictions of food containing phenylalanine and tyrosine have proved to be successful in alleviating the symptoms.     

A case of IgA multiple myeloma: Nutritional perspective in diagnostic testing

A 64-year-old security guard and longstanding known hypertensive presented with hypertensive heart disease (HHD), weight loss, an enlarged prostate, and a spontaneously fractured rib. Malignancy of the prostate with possible metastases to the ribs was strongly suspected. Biochemical profiling revealed a paraprotein. Other biochemical and hematological correlates that were on hand before serum protein electrophoresis were rather atypical. Paraprotein studies by immunofixation revealed IgA myelomatosis. Unlike previous reports from Caucasians there was normocalcaemia, normal protein level, microcytic hypochromia, low MCHC, cholesterol level at the lower limit of the reference range and normal urea level (in the face of markedly raised creatinine level). Nutritional modulation of the classical laboratory features of this disease may account for the fairly atypical laboratory picture. The need to appreciate the influence of nutritional status on the laboratory (especially biochemical) features of a disease and thus interpretation of diagnostic tests appears of exceptional current importance, given the widening gap in socioeconomic status and the level of poverty between the resource poor and developed countries from which the classical, clinical and laboratory features of most diseases were first described. This case report reminds of the need not only to recognize theoretically the impact of nutritional status on the laboratory characteristics of a disease but of the practical application of the nutritional perspective in the interpretation of diagnostic investigations, especially in nutritionally disadvantaged communities.     

Clinical usefulness of alterations in sialic acid,sialyl transferase and sialoproteins in breast cancer

Sialic acid, the end moieties of the carbohydrate chains are biologically important and essential for functions of glycoconjugates and are reported to be altered in cancer patients. Two hundred and twenty five breast cancer (BC) patients, 100 patients with benign breast disease (BBD) and 100 healthy females (controls) were enrolled for the study. Eight hundred and twenty four follow-up samples of 225 breast carcinoma patients were also evaluated. The association of sialic acid forms, sialyltransferase and α-2–6 sialoproteins levels with presence and extent as well as prognosis of breast carcinoma was studied. Serum sialic acid forms and sialyltransferase revealed significantly elevated levels among untreated breast cancer patients as compared to the controls, patients with BBD as well as cancer patients in remission. Non-responders showed comparable levels of the markers with those found in breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis. Higher levels of sialic acid forms at diagnosis were associated with poor prognosis. A positive correlation between serum levels of different forms of sialic acids and extent of malignant disease was observed. The changes in serum proteins with terminal α-2–6 sialic acid correlated well with alterations in the levels of sialic acid forms and sialyltransferase. Malignant tissues showed elevated levels of sialic acid and sialyltransferase as compared to surrounding normal tissues. The results suggested potential utility of these markers in evaluation of clinical outcome.