Snakes and ladders: stressing the role of meta-competencies for post-modern careers

Major global changes during the last decades have influenced the individual’s work-life and career. As a result of globalisation, increasing societal complexity and flexibility, careers have lost their linearity and predictability. Traditional models of career development no longer provide a comprehensive explanation for an adequate career development. New theoretical concepts such as protean and boundaryless career attitudes are presented as options to cope with the new situation. In addition, the development of career meta-competencies and skills are introduced as an approach to foster career self-management.     

Biochemical Profile of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients in Eastern India with Histopathological Correlation

Aminotransferase assay is often used as a screening test as well as an endpoint for resolution of disease in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship of transaminase level with metabolic variables and histology in NAFLD. Single center observational study was conducted in a gastroenterology clinic at Cuttack in coastal Odisha. Subjects were consecutive patients presenting with functional bowel disease and undergoing abdominal sonography. All participants were evaluated for the presence of metabolic syndrome (MS), insulin resistance, liver function test and lipid profile. Various parameters were compared between NAFLD subjects and controls. 53.5 % of NAFLD had normal serum transaminases, whereas 20.8 % of healthy controls had transaminitis. NAFLD patients had significantly higher BMI, fasting plasma glucose, serum transaminases, serum triglycerides, serum insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) IR than controls. NAFLD patients who had transaminitis had significantly higher incidence of MS and higher mean HOMA IR than those without. There was no significant difference in histopathological features between NAFLD with and without transaminitis. To conclude, over half of NAFLD subjects do not have transaminitis while transaminitis is present in a fifth of healthy people without fatty liver. Hence serum transaminase should not be used as screening test for NAFLD. NAFLD patients with transaminitis had a higher incidence of MS and insulin resistance than those without. However, there was no significant difference in histopathological features between these two groups.     

Instructional practices in reformed undergraduate STEM learning environments: a study of instructor and student behaviors in biology courses

ABSTRACT

Theoretically, organisational culture, instructor training, and learning space design influence how faculty teach STEM courses. Previous studies have used classroom observation protocols to characterise the range of teaching practices in mostly teacher-centered, traditional STEM classrooms. In this study, we examined the classroom behaviour of 13 STEM faculty teaching biology courses in a reformed undergraduate STEM learning environment. Our findings indicate that instructors teaching in this reformed environment guided student learning (58.4?±?1.9%) almost three times more than they presented information (20.0?±?2.2%). Students worked individually or in groups and talked to the whole class (57.1?±?1.8%) 1.5 times more than they received information (35.5?±?1.9%). We found significant positive correlation between ‘instructor presenting’ and ‘students receiving’ information (r?=?0.743, p?=?1.4?×?10^?4) and ‘instructor guiding’ and ‘student working and talking’ in class (r?=?0.605, p?=?7.2?×?10^?5), suggesting that instructors can change their own classroom behaviours and expect concurrent change in their students’ behaviours. Finally, sequencing teaching practices in high active-engagement classrooms showed instructors move and guide student group work and lead whole class discussions before lecturing to students, which could lead to deeper learning of conceptual knowledge. We discuss insights from these findings that have implications for acculturating evidence-based teaching practices in STEM departments.     

Cognitive-linguistic profiles of Chinese typical-functioning adolescent dyslexics and high-functioning dyslexics

Dyslexia is a developmental disability affecting the acquisition of reading and writing skills, and its developmental nature makes longitudinal research of great importance. This study therefore investigated the cognitive-linguistic profiles of the typical-functioning dyslexics and high-functioning dyslexics with longitudinal cohorts of Chinese-speaking adolescents diagnosed with childhood dyslexia. These two dyslexic groups of fifty students (with 25 typical-functioning dyslexics) were assessed in Grade 2 (Time 1) and in Grade 8 (Time 2), whereas 25 typically developing controls were assessed at Time 2. Students were administered measures of phonological awareness, morphological skills, visual-orthographic knowledge, rapid naming, verbal working memory, and literacy skills. Results showed that, at Time 2, both dyslexic groups performed less well than the control group on most of the measures. Deficits in rapid naming were particularly salient in both dyslexic groups. Comparing the two dyslexic groups, the typical-functioning dyslexics had more multiple deficits than the high-functioning dyslexics. Findings highlight the importance of rapid naming deficits as potential universal causes of dyslexia and the utility of targeting visual-orthographic knowledge and morphological skills in supporting the development of dyslexic adolescents.     

Special relativity, causality and quantum mechanics — 1

We discuss the significance of Einstein’s second postulate of the special theory of relativity (STR) stipulating the constancy of the speed of light in vacuum. The causality that follows from the STR may be a more general principle to organize our knowledge of all phenomena. In particular, quantum dynamics can be derived using the causality principle. Causality does not prohibit quantum mechanics to be non-local, and this has implications in the real world.     

Special relativity, causality and quantum mechanics — 2

We discuss the aspects of non-locality and nonseparability of states of composite quantum systems. The probabilistic nature of quantum mechanical predictions, and the impossibility of cloning, are shown to safeguard causality in the quantum world. An example of a game which can be won exploiting quantum entanglement, but which can never be won classically, is described.     

幼儿足球舞练习对幼儿生长发育影响初探

本文通过实验对比,证实了足球舞练习不仅可以促进幼儿生长发育,还可提高幼儿的身体素质,丰富幼儿的体育锻炼内容。     

Teachers’ Interpretations of the Ethical Dimensions of Teaching on the Chinese Mainland: A Case Study of Two Secondary Schools in Shanghai

This paper highlights Chinese teachers’ ethical concerns in their relationships with students, colleagues, and students’ parents. Through a qualitative study of 26 teachers, it was found that the teachers were often trapped in a dilemma between teaching to students’ real development and teaching to the test. The ethics of professional collaboration were compromised by the dominant norms, including interpersonal harmony and respect for older teachers, and by competition among individual teachers to demonstrate good performance. Moreover, in a situation where parents’ trust was diminishing, teachers assumed certain teaching and caring responsibilities for children from disadvantaged families. It is suggested that the professionalization of teachers should provide them with more professional space to transform their ethical considerations into practice.     

The junior secondary history curricula in Hong Kong and Shanghai: a comparative study

Since 1997, Hong Kong's reintegration with China has been founded on the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, which serves to guarantee the sustainability of the capitalist system in Hong Kong under the rule of the socialist motherland. This paper is an intra‐cultural and inter‐regional comparative study of the curricula of two systems (socialist and capitalist) under one country, using the junior secondary History curricula in Shanghai and Hong Kong as a case study. In addition to tracing the differences and similarities, divergences and convergences in the junior secondary History curricula of the two systems, the paper also generates proposals for the future improvement of History education in both cities.