Cinderella in Serum Protein Electrophoresis

Paraproteinemia is characterised by clonal proliferation of plasma cells. A common laboratory finding in paraproteinemia being a monoclonal peak in serum protein electrophoresis (M band). But there are factors which produce a peak similar to M spike in serum protein electrophoresis and these factors are known as pseudoparaproteins. This case report discusses a rare cause of pseudo M spike in a known case of autoimmune hemolytic anaemia due to administration of drug-Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody by itself.     

Changes in the levels of glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans in diabetes associated with myocardial infarction

Changes in the levels of glycoprotein (GP) and glycosminoglycans (GAG) were studied in diabetes associated with myocardial infarction in rats. Diabetes was induced by alloxan while myocardial infarction was induced using isoproterenol. Most of the GAG fraction increased in the heart and aorta in diabetes superimposed with myocardial infarction. The carbohydrate of GP also increased in heart while in serum only sialic acid showed an increase. The activity of lysosomal enzymes showed an increase in the case of β-glucuronidase and β-hexosaminidase while in the case of β-galactosidase and β-fucosidase it showed a decrease in the heart.     

Preparing for the inclusive classroom: changing teachers’ attitudes and knowledge

India’s educational policy on inclusive education for students with disabilities is in sync with general global developments. Especially in the last couple of years there have been significant legislative achievements towards this endeavour. However, the implementation of inclusive education remains elusive. Besides this, teachers’ preparedness for inclusion has received little attention. This survey study had two aims. Firstly, we aimed at finding or constructing a reliable instrument to measure three aspects: the attitudes, knowledge about disability and inclusive teaching methods of regular schoolteachers. Secondly, we aimed to describe the outcomes of the three aspects. For attitudes and teaching methods we found a reliable instrument, which was selected for the usage in this study. We constructed and assessed the reliability of a scale in measuring knowledge about four disabilities: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorder in pilot and main studies. The results revealed that teachers hold neutral attitudes towards inclusive education. Their knowledge about disabilities, however, was low, but knowledge about inclusive teaching methods was acceptable, which was a significant finding. The practical implications for preparing teachers to work towards inclusion are also discussed.     

Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: an Analysis of Reflective Practices

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education - The purpose of this mixed methods research was to investigate the development of 55 preservice elementary teachers’ science...     

Gustave Eiffel and his optimal structures

The eponymous tower, as noted by its chief architect Alexandre Gustave Eiffel himself, overshadows his other structural marvels. It is not just the beauty of the Tower that ought to impress an onlooker but also its optimality. Eiffel, as we explain in this article, excelled in using the material in the most optimal way in many of his structures that include more than 42 bridges and many buildings built in various parts of the world. We also draw an analogy between Nature’s designs and Eiffel’s designs in the way the material is arranged hierarchically with different shapes at different scales. We consider the Maria Pia Bridge and the Eiffel Tower to illustrate this point and highlight their optimal characteristics. We argue that the structural designs of Eiffel & Co. have an aesthetic appeal that emerges from the economic use of material with their roots in rigorous engineering principles.     

Equitable Written Assessments for English Language Learners: How Scaffolding Helps

This study investigated the effects of the use of scaffolds in written classroom assessments through the voices of both native English speakers and English language learners from two middle schools. Students responded to assessment tasks in writing, by speaking aloud using think aloud protocols, and by reflecting in a post-assessment interview. The classroom assessment tasks were designed to engage students in scientific sense making and multifaceted language use, as recommended by the Next Generation Science Standards. Data analyses showed that both groups benefitted from the use of scaffolds. The findings revealed specific ways that modifications were supportive in helping students to comprehend, visualize and organize thinking, and elicit responses. This study offers a model for both sensitizing teachers and strengthening their strategies for scaffolding assessments equitably.     

The developmental costs of high self-esteem for antisocial children

Two hypotheses--high self-esteem leads children to act on antisocial cognitions (disposition-activating hypothesis) and high self-esteem leads children to rationalize antisocial conduct (disposition-rationalizing hypothesis)--were investigated in two longitudinal studies. In Study 1 (N= 189; mean age = 11.1 years), antisocial behavior was aggression; in Study 2 (N= 407; mean age = 10.8 years) it was avoidance of the mother. In both studies, there was little evidence for the disposition-activating hypothesis but considerable support for the disposition-rationalizing hypothesis. Over time, aggressive children with high self-esteem increasingly valued the rewards that aggression offers and belittled their victims, and avoidant children with high self-esteem increasingly viewed their mother as harassing and uninvolved. For antisocial children, high self-esteem carries costs.     

The economic benefits of higher education in Cyprus: The expectations of prospective students

The paper investigates the economic benefits and costs of higher education as these are perceived by higher education candidates and labour market entrants in Cyprus. It provides further evidence on the topic after a similar study which preceded the present project by 10 years. Perceived rates of return to education are presented for two points in time, namely, 1993 and 2003. The findings point to an increasing awareness of the link between education and earnings on the part of young people, which can be linked to the country's economic development. The main influences on the respondents’ expected lifetime earnings are examined through multiple regression analysis. Gender and ability are found to be significantly related to expected earnings.     

Students’ expectations about earnings and employment and the experience of recent university graduates: Evidence from Cyprus

The employability of university graduates constitutes a major policy concern in both developed and developing nations. In this context, the present study uses self-reported data to compare the earnings and employment expectations of university students, and the realised earnings and employment paths of recent graduates. The sample consisted of 476 individuals (243 students and 233 graduates of the University of Cyprus). The analysis points to both differences and similarities in the effect of different variables on (a) the probability of employment for graduates and the probability of expected employment for students, and (b) the conditional salary of graduates and the conditional expected salary of students. The completion of postgraduate studies, the area of family residence and the department of study are the key factors affecting the graduates’ employment probability, while the students’ probability of expected employment is determined differently, namely by characteristics such as secondary education performance and studies in the business administration department. Gender and family income are among the main determinants of both the graduates’ actual earnings and the students’ expected earnings, with women earning or expecting to earn less than men, and graduates/students with higher family incomes earning or anticipating to earn more than their lower income counterparts. The findings are compared to those of similar studies in other countries.     

Managing the link between higher education and the labour market: perceptions of graduates in Greece and Cyprus

Abstract

The paper investigates the experience of employed higher education graduates in two countries with high rates of graduate unemployment. It examines the employment experience of graduates and their perceptions regarding the contribution of higher education to their employment and career prospects. Qualitative research was used to collect information from 58 university graduates in two Southern European countries, Greece and Cyprus. Respondents provided information on the skills and competencies acquired through higher education and utilised in the world of work. In both countries, modest links were reported between jobs and graduates’ field of study, as well as between knowledge and non-knowledge-based competencies acquired through higher education, and the requirements of the graduates’ jobs. The findings are used as the basis for suggestions that can enhance graduate employability and contribute to the management of the link between higher education and the labour market.