Training from cradle to grave? Social justice and training for people with learning difficulties

In this paper we question whether the radical change in the life situation of people with learning difficulties triggered by the closure of long‐stay hospitals does in fact represent an adequate inclusion into civil society or whether people with learning difficulties continue to experience strong exclusionary tendencies. We will explore the implications of a range of contemporary social justice theories for people with learning difficulties and examine the justice inherent in arrangements for training people with learning difficulties made by Local Enterprise Companies (LECs). We argue that training may be seen as a crucible of social values since its distribution transmits powerful messages about who is considered salvageable or unsalvageable, who is likely to become economically active and who is to be consigned to some special status of otherness. Finally, we consider what conceptualizations of social justice might hold out most hope for people with learning difficulties.     

As we may think: Information literacy as a discipline for the information age

The aim of this paper is to propose information literacy as a soft applied discipline, of key importance in the information society. This is contrasted with the characterization of information literacy as a personal attribute in the U.S. and Australian Information Literacy standards. Vannevar Bush's vision of the technologically connected and enabled scientist is used to introduce a discussion of citizen's information needs and responsibilities in an age of “cheap complex devices.” The authors emphasize the key role of information literacy in this information society. Information literacy is identified as a soft applied discipline, with reference to disciplinary indicators that have been identified in the literature. Building on this concept of an information literacy discipline, the authors propose a mission for information literacy education focused around three elements: information literacy for citizenship, information literacy for economic growth, and information literacy for employability. The paper concludes by identifying that in terms of preparing citizens for managing and taking action in society, information literacy has much to contribute, and that it is vital to nurture this emergent discipline.     

Solid acid catalysts in green chemistry

This article deals with various ‘supported’ acid catalysts developed as alternatives for the conventional ones in organic synthesis. They have advantages such as producing less toxic waste and using less energy.     

论教育评论形态

教育评论形态是指教育评论的形式和状态,它是教育评论学研究的理论问题之一.教育评论形态的划分依人们视点的不同而万紫千红.按教育评论主体的不同可以分为:大众教育评论、专家教育评论、行家教育评论.大众教育评论是基础;专家教育评论是基于大众教育评论基础上的专业性评论,是行家教育评论的基础;而行家教育评论则是立足于大众教育评论,建立在专家教育评论之上的"教育评论金字塔"塔顶.     

Quantitative detection of cells expressing BlaC using droplet-based microfluidics for use in the diagnosis of tuberculosis

This paper describes a method for the quantitative detection of cells expressing BlaC, a β-lactamase naturally expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, intended for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The method is based on the compartmentalization of bacteria in picoliter droplets at limiting dilutions such that each drop contains one or no cells. The co-encapsulation of a fluorogenic substrate probe for BlaC allows the quantification of bacteria by enumerating the number of fluorescent drops. Quantification of 10 colony forming units per milliliter is demonstrated. Furthermore, the encapsulation of single cell in drops maintains the specificity of the detection scheme even when the concentration of bacteria that do not express BlaC exceeds that expressing BlaC by one million-fold.     

A multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of polyethylene glycol recombinant human interleukin-6 (PEG-rhIL-6) in rats

Radiation therapy has been widely applied in cancer treatment. However, it often causes thrombocytopenia (deficiency of white blood cells) as an adverse effect. Recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) has been found to be a very effective way against this thrombocytopenia, but IL-6 has low stability in blood, which reduces its efficacy. To increases the stability and half-life of rhIL-6, it was modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The pharmacokinetics and the tissue distribution of PEG-rhIL-6 labeled with ¹²⁵I were examined after subcutaneous injection in rats. The pharmacokinetic pattern of PEG-rhIL-6 was defined with linear-kinetics, and we fitted a one-compartment model with half-lives of 10.44–11.37 h (absorption, t _{1/2K a}) and 19.77–21.53 h (elimination, t _1/2Ke), and peak concentrations at 20.51–21.96 h (t _peak) in rats. Half-lives and t _peak of PEG-rhIL-6 were longer than those of rhIL-6 previously reported. In the present study, for deposition of PEG-rhIL-6 in rats, the tissue distribution examination showed that blood was the major organ involved, rather than liver. However, as to the elimination of PEG-rhIL-6, the major organ was the kidney. The excretion fraction of the injection dose recovered from urine was 23.32% at 192 h after subcutaneous administration. Less than 6% of PEG-rhIL-6 was eliminated via the feces at 192 h. These results indicate that PEG-rhIL-6 is a good candidate drug formulation for patients with cancer.