An undergraduate student flow model: Australian higher education

The probability of completing and the time to complete an undergraduate course are likely to vary by the age and sex of the student, and the field of study undertaken. In this paper a Markov chain is used to model the movement of undergraduates through the higher education system in Australia. Given the age of the student when they commence a course, this model provides estimates of the probability of them completing the course. It also provides estimates for the mean time a student takes to complete the course, and mean time they spend in the higher education system.     

Evaluation of a Training Program in Aging Research for Social Work Faculty

Since 2004, we have offered a postgraduate training program in aging research for social work faculty from across the country. The overarching goal of the program is to expand the pool of social work faculty engaged in aging research. This, in turn, will reinvigorate participants' teaching; prepare them to update aging-related content in the curriculum, with special emphasis on cultural diversity and methodological issues; and enhance their ability to motivate new generations of students to pursue the study of aging. Program design includes an initial 8-day institute in Summer I; ongoing consultation, update meetings at several national conventions, and a 4-day midyear meeting during the intervening year; and a follow-up institute during Summer II. Between 2004 and 2009, seven cohorts of social work faculty (with 14–15 members in each cohort) participated in the program. More than 40 percent of the participants were from communities of color including African American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Asian American. This article reports the results of initial evaluation from two most recent cohorts (Cohort 6 and Cohort 7). In addition, it reports the results of a follow-up study we conducted in June 2010 on cohorts 1–5. Key lessons learned in offering the program are also shared.     

Foreign Media Systems

Conferences, proceedings of three recent international telecommunications

Yves de la Haye, ed. Marx and Engles on the Means of Communication (International General, P.O. Box 350, New York, N.Y. 10013---$4.50 or £2.25, paper)

David Hargreaves' Adult Literacy and Broadcasting: The BBC's Experience (London: Frances Pinter/New York: Nichols, 1980---$22.50)

Christopher Bagley and Gajendra K. Verma's Racial Prejudice, the Individual and Society (Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books/Farnborough: Saxon House, 1979--- $19.00)

David Morley's The Nationwide Audience: Structure and Deconding (British Film Institute, 127 Charing Cross Rd., London WC2H oEA---£.2.95 or about $$7.50, paper)

Barbara Coulton's Louis MacNeice in the BBC (London: Faber and Faber/Lawrence, Mass.: Merrimach Book Service, 1980---E12.50/$31.00)

Australia, a report from Henry Mayer of some recent material from

World Bank, catalog of publications from     

A Pilot Study on COVID-19 Positive Subjects: An Excerpt of Post-Infection-Pro-Diabetic Disposition & Related Consequences in Correlation to Hepato-Pancreatic Bio-Markers,Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Other Risk Factors

COVID-19, a global pandemic that led to increased morbidity and mortality worldwide since its outcome at the end of the year 2019. A newly discovered variant of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was the arbitrator for spreading the syndrome by droplet transmission causing multi-organ failure in many occasions. A post-infection-pro-diabetic disposition was found evident in this study with the persistence of hepato-pancreatic aberrations in respect of reference range of tissue specific bio-markers in hospital admitted COVID-19 cases. The results of this study show that hyperglycemia is a risk factor in precipitating disease oriented complications to the patients with COVID-19 disease. A post-infection follow- up on glycemic-index and related complexities is a vital need to the COVID-19 infected convalescent subjects. Implementation of guidelines on social measure and awareness of anti-viral interventions may be the only way to prevent COVID-19 transmission.     

A Pilot Study on Blood Components in COVID-19 Affected Subjects: A Correlation to UPR Signalling and ER-Stress

AbstractThe endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site for protein synthesis, its folding and secretion. An intricate set of signalling pathways, called UPR pathways, have been evolved by ER in mammalian cells, to allow the cell to respond the presence of misfolded proteins within the ER. Breaching of these signalling systems by disease oriented accumulation of unfolded proteins may develop cellular stress. The aim of this study is to explore whether COVID-19 infection is responsible for developing this kind of endoplasmic reticulum related stress (ER-stress). ER-stress was evaluated by checking the expression of ER-stress markers e.g. PERK (adapting) and TRAF2 (alarming). ER-stress was correlated to several blood parameters viz. IgG, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, leukocytes, lymphocytes, RBC, haemoglobin and PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen) in COVID-19 affected subjects. COVID-19 infection was found to be a state of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) collapse. Changes in IgG levels showed very poor immune response by the infected subjects. At the initial phase of the disease, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were high and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels were low; though they were partly compromised at later phase of the disease. Total leukocyte concentration increased over the period of time; while percentage of lymphocytes were dropped. No significant changes were observed in cases of RBC counts and haemoglobin (Hb) levels. Both RBC and Hb were maintained at their normal range. In mildly stressed group, PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (oxygenation status) was in the higher side of normal range; whereas in other two groups the ratio was in respiratory distress syndrome mode. Virus could induce mild to severe ER-stress, which could be the cause of cellular death and systemic dysfunction introducing fatal consequences.Graphical AbstractSchematic representation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related consequences.     

Circadian Rhythm of Serum Cortisol in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients have disturbed sleep patterns which may lead to altered circadian rhythm in serum cortisol secretion. The aim of this study was to assess circadian changes, if any, in serum cortisol levels in female patients with FMS. Cortisol levels were estimated every 6 h during 24 h period; in 40 female patients satisfying ACR criteria for FMS (Age 36.4 ± 9.9), and 40 healthy females without FMS (Age 33.8 ± 11.1). A significant difference in the night time serum cortisol level was observed among the patients and control groups (patients, 12.9 ± 9.7 controls 5.8 ± 3.0; p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was found in serum cortisol levels in patients and control groups in the morning (patients, 28.4 ± 13.2 controls, 27.6 ± 14.5; p > 0.05), afternoon (patients, 14.4 ± 5.6 controls, 14.0 ± 6.6; p > 0.05) and evening hours (patients, 10.9 ± 5.8 controls, 8.9 ± 3.6; p > 0.05). It could be concluded that there is an abnormality in circadian secretion of cortisol in female FMS patients.     

A tribute to ‘unsung teachers’: teachers’ influences on students enrolling in STEM programs with the intent of entering STEM careers

This narrative inquiry examines teachers’ influences on undergraduate and graduate students who enrolled in STEM programs and intended to enter STEM careers. Three National Science Foundation (NSF) scholarship grants sat in the backdrop. Narrative exemplars were crafted using the interpretative tools of broadening, burrowing, storying and restorying, fictionalisation and serial interpretation. Three diverse students’ narratives constituted the science education cases: one from teacher education, another arising from cyber technology and a third involving cyber security. The influence of the university students’ former teachers cohered around five themes: 1) same program-different narratives, 2) in loco parentis, 3) counter stories, 4) learning in small moments, and 5) the importance of the liberal arts in STEM education. The students’ narratives form instructive models for their siblings and other students pursuing STEM degrees and careers. Most importantly, the multiperspectival stories of experiences capture the far-reaching impact of ‘unsung teachers’ whose long-term influence is greatly underestimated by the public.