Protective Role of Bilirubin Against Increase in hsCRP in Different Stages of Hypothyroidism

In conjunction with thyroxine, bilirubin may play an important role for regulation of hsCRP level and a consequent pro-inflammatory condition in hypothyroidism. In present study we evaluated the dependence of hsCRP changes on total bilirubin (BT) and fT4 level in thirty overt (OH) and thirty subclinical hypothyroidism (SH). Serum BT, hsCRP, thyroxine and TSH were measured in both groups and compared with forty control subjects. Serum values of TSH, hsCRP showed raised (P < 0.001 for both) values with lower levels for fT4 and BT (P < 0.001 and 0.03 respectively) in hypothyroid patients compared to the controls. ANOVA showed significant increments in TSH and hsCRP values with decreases in fT4 among the control, SH and OH groups respectively (P < 0.001). BT values showed decrease in OH group only in comparison to controls (P = 0.04). Regression analysis revealed that hsCRP was negatively dependent on fT4 (β = −0.35, P = 0.002) and serum bilirubin (β = −0.40 and P < 0.001 respectively). Univariate general linear model analysis showed this dependence persisted even when carried out distinctly in SH and OH groups separately (P < 0.001). TSH did not show any significant predictive value on the hsCRP level in either of these two tests. From these analyses we suggest that serum hsCRP is closely integrated to a lowered synthesis of bilirubin and fT4 in hypothyroid patients. Furthermore, this causal relationship is not only limited to overt but also extends to the SH.     

Learner-centric MOOC model: a pedagogical design model towards active learner participation and higher completion rates

Educational technology research and development - MOOCs support the global need of learning resources with large impact through online access and no geographical boundaries. However, pedagogical...     

Working with ‘Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning’ (SEAL): associations with school ethos,pupil social experiences,attendance, and attainment

A programme of resources and activities relating to ‘Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning’ (SEAL) has been rolled out nationally to primary and secondary schools in the UK, but we know little about how variations in the implementation of this work relate to key indicators of school success. In the present study, a team of experienced school advisors used a semi‐structured observation and interview protocol to rate various aspects of the implementation of SEAL in 49 primary and secondary schools. A total of 2242 pupils in 29 of these schools completed measures of social experiences and school ethos. School‐level attainment and attendance statistics were collated for all participating schools. Analysis revealed that ratings indicative of a whole‐school universal approach to SEAL were significantly associated with school ethos, which in turn mediated associations with pupils’ social experiences, overall school attainment, and persistent absence. Thematic analysis of the advisors’ records illuminated key dimensions and exemplars of whole‐school implementation. Results highlight the role of school ethos in systematically connecting whole‐school practices relating to SEAL with key indicators of school success. Directions for further longitudinal work to elucidate specific causal mechanisms are discussed.     

Childhood social anxiety and social support-seeking: distinctive links with perceived support from teachers

Social support-seeking is recognised as an important strategy used by children to cope with negative emotions. However, there are important gaps in our knowledge about children’s perceptions of different sources of social support, and the associations that these perceptions have with individual differences in socio-emotional functioning. The present study focused on elucidating the links between social support-seeking and social anxiety in children, with particular attention to support from teachers. One hundred and eight 11- to 12-year-olds completed measures of social anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as a questionnaire measuring social support-seeking processes for coping with a generic friendship problem. Preliminary analyses showed that teachers were less likely to be approached for social support than parents and peers, and were viewed as least available and least effective. However, social anxiety—independently of depressive symptoms and gender—was positively associated with a greater self-reported likelihood of approaching teachers for support. Moreover, this effect was partially mediated by the perceived effectiveness of emotion-focused support from teachers. These results point to theoretical and practical implications regarding the salience of social support in school for children with higher levels of social anxiety.     

Experimental validation of numerical study on thermoelectric-based heating in an integrated centrifugal microfluidic platform for polymerase chain reaction amplification

A comprehensive study involving numerical analysis and experimental validation of temperature transients within a microchamber was performed for thermocycling operation in an integrated centrifugal microfluidic platform for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Controlled heating and cooling of biological samples are essential processes in many sample preparation and detection steps for micro-total analysis systems. Specifically, the PCR process relies on highly controllable and uniform heating of nucleic acid samples for successful and efficient amplification. In these miniaturized systems, the heating process is often performed more rapidly, making the temperature control more difficult, and adding complexity to the integrated hardware system. To gain further insight into the complex temperature profiles within the PCR microchamber, numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics and computational heat transfer were performed. The designed integrated centrifugal microfluidics platform utilizes thermoelectrics for ice-valving and thermocycling for PCR amplification. Embedded micro-thermocouples were used to record the static and dynamic thermal responses in the experiments. The data collected was subsequently used for computational validation of the numerical predictions for the system response during thermocycling, and these simulations were found to be in agreement with the experimental data to within ∼97%. When thermal contact resistance values were incorporated in the simulations, the numerical predictions were found to be in agreement with the experimental data to within ∼99.9%. This in-depth numerical modeling and experimental validation of a complex single-sided heating platform provide insights into hardware and system design for multi-layered polymer microfluidic systems. In addition, the biological capability along with the practical feasibility of the integrated system is demonstrated by successfully performing PCR amplification of a Group B Streptococcus gene.     

Student and teacher attendance: The role of shared goods in reducing absenteeism

A theoretical model is advanced that demonstrates that, if teacher and student attendance generate a shared good, then teacher and student attendance will be mutually reinforcing. Using data from the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, empirical evidence supporting that proposition is advanced. Controlling for the endogeneity of teacher and student attendance, the most powerful factor raising teacher attendance is the attendance of the children in the school, and the most important factor influencing child attendance is the presence of the teacher. The results suggest that one important avenue to be explored in developing policies to reduce teacher absenteeism is to focus on raising the attendance of children.     

A study of spectrin and lipid peroxidation of red blood cell membrane in thalassaemia carrier

The aim of the present work is to understand the lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane and the spectrin protein content of RBC membrane cytoskeleton of thalassaemic carrier state (trait) of β and hemoglobin E variant (HbE). We have measured the hemoglobin (Hb), malondialdehyde (MDA) and spectrin content of RBC membrane of thalassaemic carrier. The spectrin content (α and β band) of both β and HbE carrier was not changed than normal individuals. However, lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane was significantly increased in both β and HbE trait, and Hb level was also decreased in thalassaemic carrier. It may be assumed that oxidative damage by excess lipid peroxidation may have no role on irreversible membrane damage in β thalassaemia and HbE thalassaemia carrier.     

Causal Learning Across Culture and Socioeconomic Status

Extensive research has explored the ability of young children to learn about the causal structure of the world from patterns of evidence. These studies, however, have been conducted with middle-class samples from North America and Europe. In the present study, low-income Peruvian 4- and 5-year-olds and adults, low-income U.S. 4- and 5-year-olds in Head Start programs, and middle-class children from the United States participated in a causal learning task (N = 435). Consistent with previous studies, children learned both specific causal relations and more abstract causal principles across culture and socioeconomic status (SES). The Peruvian children and adults generally performed like middle-class U.S. children and adults, but the low-SES U.S. children showed some differences.