Oxidative stress and disturbance in antioxidant balance in beta thalassemia major

Repeated blood transfusion in beta thalassemia major patients may lead to peroxidative tissue injury by secondary iron overload. In the present study, 72 children with beta thalassemia major were included. Serum levels of total lipid peroxides, Iron, Total Iron Binding Capacity, Copper, Zinc, Vitamin E, plasma Total Antioxidant Capacity, activity of Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase, were measured. The findings were compared with 72 age matched healthy controls irrespective of sex. A significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxide and Iron (p<0.001), whereas, significant decrease in the levels of vitamin-E, Total Antioxidant Capacity and Total Iron Binding Capacity (p<0.001) was observed. Serum Zinc was significantly increased (p<0.001) with significant decrease in the levels of copper (p<0.001). Non Significant increase in the activity of Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase (p>0.05) was found in the patients when compared with controls. This suggest that oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant defense mechanism play an important role in pathogenesis of beta thalassemia major.     

Validation of an instrument for assessing teacher knowledge of basic language constructs of literacy

Recent national reports have stressed the importance of teacher knowledge in teaching reading. However, in the past, teachers' knowledge of language and literacy constructs has typically been assessed with instruments that are not fully tested for validity. In the present study, an instrument was developed; and its reliability, item difficulty, and item discrimination were computed and examined to identify model fit by applying exploratory factor analysis. Such analyses showed that the instrument demonstrated adequate estimates of reliability in assessing teachers' knowledge of language constructs. The implications for professional development of in-service teachers as well as preservice teacher education are also discussed.     

Paid Educational Leave in Scotland

Same language subtitling (SLS) refers to the idea of subtitling motion media programmes (television and film) in the ‘same’ language as the audio. This simplest of additions in existing television programmes, especially film songs and music videos, can make a quantum contribution to the improvement of reading skills of over 325 million neo-literate people in India. Song videos are watched with great passion all over India, in every state and major language. Earlier work on SLS reported that it was found to enhance the entertainment value of televised songs for both literate and neo-literate viewers. This paper discusses a controlled experiment to ‘measure’ the impact of SLS on the reading skills of disadvantaged school children. The results confirm that SLS of film songs leads to reading skill improvement, thus reaffirming the enormous potential of this simple and economical approach for mass literacy skill development in India.     

Agri-Manpower Forecasting and Educational Planning

Abstract

Purpose: Developing countries need to plan growth or expansion of education so as to provide required trained manpower for different occupational sectors. The paper assesses supply and demand of professional manpower in Indian agriculture and the demands are translated in to educational requirements.

Methodology: The supply is assessed from the output from agricultural education. The demand in various sub-sectors is assessed employing a mix of quantitative and qualitative forecasting tools. Based on the manpower gaps and extensive interactions with stakeholders, the manpower needs are translated into educational requirements.

Findings: The demand–supply gap in agricultural professionals would cumulate to about 200,000 by 2020, which would need additional annual supply of 10,000 each of diploma holders and graduates.

Practical implications: The study makes three main recommendations: first, to increase the supply of graduates and para-staff to cater to the emerging demand; second, agricultural education needs to meet the changing occupational structure; and third, responsibility for meeting agriculture education to be shared with the private sector.

Originality/value: The paper proposes a mixed method that could be used to forecast human resource requirement in number of sub-sectors having differential information availability and growth patterns in terms of quality and quantity. Since the approach facilitates forecasting in situations of data limitations, it has potential for similar applications in many developing countries.     

Weldon’s search for a direct proof of natural selection and the tortuous path to the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis

W F R Weldon first clearly formulated the principles of natural selection in terms of what would have to be observed in natural populations in order to conclude that natural selection was, indeed, acting in the manner proposed by Darwin. The approach he took was the statistical method developed by Galton, although he was closer to Darwin’s conception of selection acting on small individual variations than Galton was. Weldon, together with Karl Pearson, who supplied the statistical innovations needed to infer the action of selection from populational data on trait distributions, laid the foundations of biometry and provided the first clear evidence of both stabilizing and directional selection in natural populations.     

Significance of Vitamin D Binding Protein in Assessing Vitamin D Status Among Under-Five Children

Despite ample sunshine, 50–90% Indian children have Vitamin D deficiency (VDD). This enigma of widespread VDD needs exploration especially among under-fives as physiological variations in Vitamin D Binding Protein (VDBP) levels could be potential confounders in the interpretation of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. However, there is scarce information about relevance of VDBP levels in under-five age group. We therefore, explored association of VDBP levels among 1–5 year old children with VDD. Serum levels of 25(OH)D, VDBP, calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and alkaline phosphatase were estimated in 210 apparently healthy children in the age group of 1–5 years. VDD was defined as serum 25(OH)D levels < 20 ng/ml as per the IOM classification. VDBP levels were classified as low if levels were < 168 μg/ml as per the kit. The prevalence of VDD was 79.5% (n = 167) and VDBP levels were low in 48.6% (n = 102) of children. 25(OH)D levels correlated positively with VDBP (r = 0.298, p = 0.0001). A significant number of children (52.7%) with VDD had low VDBP (p = 0.015). and despite adequate sun exposure, 43% of children showed VDD and 56.6% had low VDPB levels. The low VDBP levels largely explain low 25OHD levels without necessarily implying VDD. It may add a new dimension for better understanding of widespread VDD among under-five children. It thus, points towards the need for redefining cut offs and complete evaluation of vitamin D status among under-fives including VDBP.     

Examining calculator use among students with and without disabilities educated with different mathematical curricula

This study assessed if students with and without disabilities used calculators (fourfunction, scientific, or graphing) to solve mathematics assessment problems and whether using calculators improved their performance. Participants were sixth and seventh-grade students educated with either National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded or traditional mathematics curriculum materials. Students solved multiple choice and open-ended problems based on items from the State’s released previous assessments. A linear mixed model was conducted for each grade to analyze the factors impacting students’ self-reported calculator use. Chi Square tests were also performed on both grade’s data to determine the relationship between using a calculator and correctly solving problems. Results suggested only time as a main factor impacting calculator use and students who self-reported using a calculator were more likely to answer questions correctly. The results have implications for practice given the controversy over calculator use by students both with and without disabilities.