The KAIT with developmental students,honor students,and freshmen

The KAIT (Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test) is a relatively new test of intelligence. This paper explores its use in a southwestern university with three different student groups. The results are reported and implications noted.     

Utility of P-SEP,sTREM-1 and suPAR as Novel Sepsis Biomarkers in SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 is a highly contagious viral infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, member of coronaviridae family. It causes life threatening complications due to complexity and rapid onset course of the disease. Early identification of high-risk patients who require close monitoring and aggressive treatment remains challengeable till date. Novel biomarkers which help to identify high risk patients at the early stage is high priority. Objective of this review to find utility of P-SEP, sTREM-1 and suPAR for diagnosis, risk stratification and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infected cases. Soluble receptors like, P-SEP, sTREM-1 and suPAR have been involved in immune regulation in SARS-CoV-2 infection and elevate more in severe cases. A comprehensive research of databases like PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI and Web of Science was performed for relevant studies. A total of nine out of fifteen research literature in initial screening were included for this review. Interestingly all studies have reported high levels of P-SEP, sTREM-1 and suPAR in SARS-CoV-2 infected cases and the biomarkers positively correlated with severity of infection. This implies that P-SEP, sTREM-1 and suPAR can be implemented as surrogate marker in blood profile for early diagnosis, risk stratification and prognosis in SARS-CoV-2 for better management in Indian population at the current situation.     

Can ability-achievement regression to the mean account for MDT discretionary decisions?

The test scores of 153 referred students who received inconsistent placements according to California's discrepancy criterion, which does not take regression into account (standard score distribution procedure), were reanalyzed using a procedure that accounts for regression. Students involved in these MDT discretionary decisions were placed into one of three groups: ineligible (originally met discrepancy criterion, but not placed), resource class (originally did not meet discrepancy criterion, but placed in a less restrictive pull-out program), and special day class (originally did not meet discrepancy criterion, but placed in a more restrictive, essentially full-time special education class). All of these placements were inconsistent with the nonregressed ability-achievement discrepancy criterion the MDTs used at the time of the IEP meeting. To evaluate how many of these students could be considered to be underachieving when regression is considered, regressed discrepancy scores were computed using the students' scores on the WISC-R and one or more of the following achievement tests: WRAT, PIAT, and W-J. Regression “accounted” for a significant proportion of the inconsistent placements in all three groups: ineligible (25.0%), resource class (31.5%), and special day class (46.9%). Implications for professional practice and public policy are discussed.     

Key somatic variables in young backstroke swimmers

The purpose of this study was to estimate the optimal body size, limb-segment length, girth or breadth ratios for 100-m backstroke mean speed performance in young swimmers. Sixty-three young swimmers (boys [n = 30; age: 13.98 ± 0.58 years]; girls [n = 33; age: 13.02 ± 1.20 years]) participated in this study. To identify the optimal body size and body composition components associated with 100-m backstroke speed performance, we adopted a multiplicative allometric log-linear regression model, which was refined using backward elimination. The multiplicative allometric model exploring the association between 100-m backstroke mean speed performance and the different somatic measurements estimated that biological age, sitting height, leg length for the lower-limbs, and two girths (forearm and arm relaxed girth) are the key predictors. Stature and body mass did not contribute to the model, suggesting that the advantage of longer levers was limb-specific rather than a general whole-body advantage. In fact, it is only by adopting multiplicative allometric models that the abovementioned ratios could have been derived. These findings highlighted the importance of considering somatic characteristics of young backstroke swimmers and can help swimming coaches to classify their swimmers and enable them to suggest what might be the swimmers’ most appropriate stroke (talent identification).     

University-industry relationships in the life sciences: Implications for students and post-doctoral fellows

Growth in the industrial support of university research in the life sciences and more specifically in biotechnology has raised questions concerning its effects, both positive and negative, on the educational experiences of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. A survey of 693 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at six research intensive universities in the United States reveals that 19 percent of the responding students and fellows receive direct industry support for their research or training and that another 15 percent work with faculty advisors supported by industrial funds. On average students and fellows in this sample believe that the benefits of relationships with private firms outweigh the risks. In addition, students funded by private firms are more likely than those without industry connections to report patents resulting from their research. No relationship is found between industry support and young scientists' career plans or their rating of the quality of their educational experiences. However, the data suggest the existence of some risks: industry support is associated with fewer or delayed publications, inhibition of scientific communication on the part of some trainees, and some restrictions on students' and fellows' research. In a few cases, students are supported by funds from companies in which faculty advisors hold equity, a situation that creates potential conflicts of interest for students' mentors. To protect students, university administrators must monitor the relationships with industry that give rise to these potential problems. Future research into industrial support of research and training is needed to extend these results.