Medical journals and effective dissemination of health research

Clinical medical journals have not been effective in meeting the information needs of practitioners and bridging the gap between clinical research and practice. The slow adoption of results of clinical research is at least partly due to the failure of clinical journals to disseminate information in a way that would motivate practitioners to change practice. Although implementation is primarily a local process, medical journals are in a unique position to advance implementation by modifying their focus and adjusting their contents. Strategies that may be useful include publication of pre‐appraised evidence summaries and ‘clinical bottom‐lines’ and giving importance to systematic reviews and large evaluative research articles as they represent higher levels of evidence and have greater potential to change practice. Clinical journals should encourage researchers to consider how and by whom the findings will be used and provide information on implications for implementation such as possible strategies that may work, cost‐effectiveness, side‐effects and potential barriers to implementation. Medical journal publishers should explore ways to cooperate so that findings of landmark clinical trials could be shared thus reducing the ‘scatter’ of medical information. Electronic media offers numerous advantages such as quick accessibility and linking of information, and medical journals should capitalize on such innovations. There is a paradigm shift in health care practice as evidence is consciously and explicitly incorporated into individual patient care. Medical journals need to change to reflect this change in practice and provide practitioners with valid and relevant information.     

Mycorrhizoremediation an enhanced form of phytoremediation

Study of plant roots and the diversity of soil micro biota, such as bacteria, fungi and microfauna associated with them, is important for understanding the ecological complexities between diverse plants, microbes, soil and climates and their role in phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi （AMF） are universal and ubiquitous rhizosphere mi- croflora forming symbiosis with plant roots and acting as biofertilizers, bioprotactants, and biodegraders. In addition to AMF, soils also contain various antagonistic and beneficial bacteria such as root pathogens, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria including free-living and symbiotic N-fixers, and mycorrhiza helping bacteria. Their potential role in phytoremediation of heavy metal （HM） contaminated soils and water is becoming evident although there is need to completely understand the ecological complexities of the plant-microbe-soil interactions and their better exploitation as consortia in remediation strategies employed for contaminated soils. These multitrophic root microbial associations deserve multi-disciplinary investigations using molecular, biochemical, and physiological techniques. Ecosystem restoration of heavy metal contaminated soils practices need to incorporate microbial biotechnology research and development. This review highlights the ecological complexity and diversity of plant-microbe-soil combinations, particularly AM and provides an overview on the recent developments in this area. It also discusses the role AMF play in phytorestoration of HM contaminated soils, i.e. mycorrhizoremediation.     

Telling Them Their Own Stories: Legitimizing sexual and reproductive health education in rural Bangladesh

Most people in Bangladesh are rural, poor and underprivileged. The incidence of sexual disease has increased, but little has been done to educate rural people about sexual and reproductive health. In 1997, a sexual and reproductive health project was initiated within a collaborative research agreement between the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (ICDDR,B) and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), an indigenous non-governmental organization which pursues integrated rural development strategies. Qualitative in-depth interviews with 65 different women, men, boys and girls revealed significant sexual health problems and a lack of knowledge of sexual and reproductive health. The interviews were transformed into composite problem-solving picture stories and information about sexual and reproductive health. Stories mirrored respondents' interpretations of sexual behavior. Those who had achieved or ascribed legitimacy to talk about sex, e.g. traditional health providers, were trained to utilize the methods and materials. Qualitative evaluations revealed important changes in health providers' self-confidence, business and personal interactions as well as changes in clients' behavior. This project found that sexual and reproductive health education can be integrated into indigenous health activities if the sociocultural context in which sex, relationships, risks, diseases and communication occur is reflected in a program's content and methods. Unquestionably, there is a great need for sex education in rural Bangladesh.     

The Impact of Criterion Writing Evaluation Technology on Criminal Justice Student Writing Skills

Criminal justice scholars recognize that skillful, articulate writing is critically important in criminal justice because of the responsibilities those practicing in the field assume. This paper adds to the current discussion and evidence related to improving college and university students’ writing skills. We report findings from an investigation that explores the utility and outcomes associated with using a specific web‐based teaching technology—Criterion Writing Evaluation in a criminal justice writing course.     

基于信息通信技术的开放与远程学习——在“2008世界开放与远程教育论坛”上的主题报告

非常感谢中国联合国教科文组织全国委员会的盛情邀请,对于联合国教科文组织每位成员细致人微的工作,我都赞叹不已。在此,非常感谢你们如此出色的工作,同时与这样的团队及成员合作我感到非常愉快,而且常受益匪浅。我已有七八年的时间没有从事开放与远程学习领域的工作,但我确信这个领域已经取得了长足的发展,因此站在这里我感到有些不安,报告中的不妥之处还请大家谅解。     

Effect of methyl mercury induced free radical stress on nucleic acids and protein: Implications on cognitive and motor functions

Mercury pollution and acute neurotoxicity of mercury is well known. The recent reports suggest the adverse effect of low dose mercury, though the available literature is still silent on its mechanism. This study was therefore undertaken to probe the effect of low dose methyl mercury induced heavy metal toxicity on free radical stress and its impact on behaviour of male albino rats. Male albino rats were exposed to 1 mg/kg body wt of methylmercury chloride for seven days, on day 8 they were tested for motor and memory functions. They were sacrificed later for biochemical estimations for rate of lipid peroxidation, nucleic acids, proteins in cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem. There was an increase in the rate of lipid peroxidation showing methyl mercury induced free radical stress. The motor and memory functions demonstrated a clear decline, besides there was a lowering in the levels of nucleic acids and proteins as compared to controls. The results are important in view of recent reports that methyl mercury induced free radical stress results in early ageing and may serve as an initiating factor more specifically for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzeihemer's disease and dementias. The current findings support the notion that incorporating dietary antioxidants like curcumin, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol in routine diet from early age may help combat the risk of developing such disorders in ensuing years.     

Physicochemical characteristics of various milk samples available in Pakistan

We report physicochemical characteristics of various kinds of liquid milk commercially available in Pakistan in comparison with those of fresh natural milk from animals. Milk samples were collected from local markets at Peshawar, Pakistan,and analyzed for their physical features, including moisture, total solids, specific gravity, conductivity, viscosity and titratable acidity (lactic acid equivalent), and chemical components and macro-minerals, including total protein, casein, lactose, ash and minerals (Na, K and Mg). These items were compared with the physicochemical characteristics of the fresh natural milk samples from buffalo, cow and goat. The results were also compared with reported nutritional quality of milk from various countries and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. We found that all the physical features and chemical components of commercially available milk in Pakistan markets meet WHO's requirements, except for Na, K, Ca and Mg, which are below the standards.     

Dialogue in the support of learning to teach: a case study of a mentor/mentee pair in a teacher education programme

In this paper, we examine the role of reflection in teacher preparation, specifically within a mentoring relationship between cooperating and preservice teacher. We report findings from a case analysis of this pair who engaged in problem-posing dialogue within pre- and post-conferences around practice over one year of their work together in an elementary-level classroom. The context is an innovative programme in which cooperating teachers pursue their Master’s degree while undergraduates (preservice teachers) complete their elementary education degrees. Our analysis of talk about teaching during six coaching cycles as well as supporting documents illustrates how Jane’s mentoring supported reflective practices and disrupted a notion of a field experience as simply a place to ‘practice’ pedagogical knowledge with corrective feedback. Additionally, we explore the tensions in this approach to mentoring. This case study has implications for teacher educators who seek to bolster teacher preparation through the support of mentoring relationships.     

Effects of preschoolers’ storybook exposure and literacy environments on lower level and higher level language skills

Reading and Writing - The development of preschoolers’ language skills is influenced by literacy environments and individual differences in storybook exposure. Extant research is limited as...