Association of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Gene -629C/A Polymorphism with Angiographically Proven Atherosclerosis

Association of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) Gene -629C/A Polymorphism with angiographically proven atherosclerosis CETP gene has been linked to CAD risk via its role in HDL and LDL metabolism. There is no agreement of whether CETP is atherogenic or not. Furthermore, various genotypes of CETP gene have been associated with CETP levels and thus with atherosclerosis risk. Our aim was to study the association of CETP -629C/A gene polymorphism with CETP and HDL levels and their association if any with atherosclerosis. Study population consisted of angiographically documented 50 cases with coronary artery atherosclerosis and 50 controls negative for atherosclerosis of coronary artery. Serum lipid profile was measured on SYNCHRON CX-9 using standard kits. Serum CETP levels were measured by ELISA method. CETP -629C/A gene polymorphism was studied using PCR–RFLP method. There was no significant difference in lipid profile of the two groups. However, serum CETP level was significantly higher (46.44 ± 21.75 ng/ml) in cases than controls (37.10 ± 21.92 ng/ml) with p value =0.035. The frequency of -629A allele was higher (0.85) in cases than that of controls (0.81). Homozygosity of A allele was more in subjects with atherosclerosis of coronary artery. We conclude that CETP is atherogenic and could be used as atherogenic risk predictor in angiographically proven atherosclerosis. Also A allele of -629C/A polymorphism is more prevalent in cases; indicating its effect on expression of CETP gene.     

Gender theory as a tool for analyzing science teaching

This study examines to what extent experienced teachers are aware of gender issues in the science classroom. It also explores how an introduction to gender theory might alter this awareness. Teachers wrote their reflections about a real classroom situation. They were then asked to analyse the same situation after having read texts that discussed gender theory concepts. The fourteen teachers' understanding about gender and society were challenged. Some teachers were able to analyse the case differently by applying gender theory, others discussed the case on a more general level, while one teacher showed signs of resistance regarding gender theory.     

Discourse of Making Sense of Data: Implications for Elementary Teachers’ Science Education

This study of classroom discourse and other data from a physical science course for in-service teachers show the areas of success and challenge of the participants in making claims supported by justifications. It also shows that the teachers learned to make scientific claims and were able to make some justifications. Nevertheless, many found the process difficult. Some of those who performed well in the course did not consider the pedagogy suitable for their own students. The implications of the findings for elementary teacher education are discussed.     

Role of Brain Biomarker in Predicting Clinical Outcome in Hypertensive Cerebrovascular Ischemic Stroke

This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) in prediction of disability and neurological worsening in hypertensive ischemic cerebrovascular stroke. 80 hypertensive ischemic stroke patients diagnosed by a neurologist as per WHO definition along with radiological findings suggestive of cerebrovascular stroke and differentiating from hemorrhagic stroke and 60 controls having essential hypertension coming to hospital because of regular checkup or headache but with no neurological disease were included in the study. Neurological disability was assessed by NIHSS at the time of admission (within 72 h from the onset of stroke) and on 7th day after admission and cases were categorized into mild, moderate and severe disability. Venous blood samples were drawn within 72 h from the onset of symptoms. The samples were processed as per the laboratory protocol. The serum NSE samples were analyzed using an enzyme immunoassay based on the sandwich technique. We observed raised serum NSE in hypertensive ischemic stroke (17.4 ± 5.4 ng/ml) with significant association between different hypertensive groups than in hypertensive controls (9.1 ± 0.75 ng/ml). Greater degree of disability was observed in hypertensive stroke patients with raised serum NSE and hypertensive patients with mean serum NSE level of 22.9 ± 3.6 ng/ml and dyslipidemia had greater probability of neurological worsening as compared to those with mean serum NSE level of 12.7 ± 1.2 ng/ml. Serum NSE levels can serve as a peripheral indicator of neuronal damage and assist in the prediction of disability and clinical outcome in hypertensive cerebrovascular ischemic stroke patients.     

Identifying and developing rugby talent among 10-year-old boys: A practical model

The re-entry of South Africa into the international sporting arena and the resultant need for the identification and development of talent, especially among formerly deprived groups of people, provided the incentive for this study. Its aim was to identify the physical, motor and anthropometric variables that will enable coaches to identify 10-year-old boys, based on their abilities, who could become successful rugby players. Altogether, 173 ten-year-old boys with no rugby experience from a cross-section of the population were selected at random and subjected to 14 physical and motor tests and 14 anthropometric measurements. From 22 schools which participated in the Western Transvaal primary schools under-11 rugby league, the three top teams (n = 45 individuals) were selected and also tested. The results from these three teams were used as the criteria for rugby talent among 10-year-old boys. To establish the best predictors of talent, a stepwise discriminant analysis was conducted: this indicated eight variables (four motor and four anthropometric) that discriminated maximally between the talented and the rest of the players of this age. With classification functions based on these eight variables, 93.8% of all the subjects were classified correctly, indicating good validity. A canonical analysis, based on the selected variables, was then conducted on all the under-11 teams that played in the league in the region (n = 330), and they were ranked according to the scores of the first canonical variable from the most to the least talented. By comparing these results with the players who were chosen for the region's primary schools team, a success rate of 88% in prediction of talent was established. We conclude that this is a successful and practical method to aid the teacher and the coach in selecting and developing talent among 10-year-old rugby players in South Africa.     

Contextual career education for urban youth: A new look at experience based career education

This article describes a model career education program for urban youth. The program exemplified promising practices in career education by providing all career education experiences in the context of real life experiences. Work site supervisors' ratings of youths' initiative and responsibility significantly increased over the course of the seven week program.     

对职业技术教育的几点新认识

职业技术教育最早被看作是培养产业后备军的途径，后来被看作是提高人力资本构成、生产力和就业的手段，今天，人们又认识到它对人的充分发展具有重要作用。人的发展既是国家发展的手段又是国家发展的目的，发展中国家需要一支有熟练技能和适应性强的劳动大军才能抓住发展机会，然而，发展中国家与发达国家的差距还在继续扩大，部分原因是虽然发展中国家注意到了对人的投资，认识到了职业教育与培训的重要性，但发展速度还太慢。职业教育与培训对于降低失业至关重要，但其作用的充分发挥必须依赖于职业教育与培训自身的改善、政府行为的改善、经济形势的好转和妇女就业领域的扩大等前提条件。     

Adolescent smoking from a functional perspective: The Berlin-Bremen Study

Longitudinal data from the «Berlin-Bremen Study on Health Behavior» are used to investigate smoking transitions between different stages of smoking. 1357 seventh and eighth graders were asked about their smoking behavior, their expectations with regard to smoking, smoking in their environment, and their self-image in Fall, 1983. 86% and 81% participated again one and two years later, respectively. Analyses of carbon monoxide and serum thiocyanate levels revealed adequate validity for self-reported smoking behavior. Rates of smoking were dramatically different for different educational strata. Direct and indirect functions of smoking are distinguished. The «indirect» function refers to smoking as a means of obtaining access to peer groups, thus increasing one’s psychological well-being. Direct functions refer to social and affective effects of smoking such as looking older or calming down. In line with expectations, indirect functions were found to be more important for younger adolescents and for smoking onset. In contrast, direct functions were better predictors of the smoking behavior of older adolescents and of the transition to regular smoking.     

A conceptual framework for developing an activity-based approach to career counselling

The present paper develops a conceptual framework for an activity-based approach to career counselling. The main objective of this approach is to combine clients' practical activity, such as visits to educational institutions, work practices etc., with their psychological processes leading to occupational choice. Some basic ideas that are relevant to developing an activity-based approach to counselling in postmodern work life and some recent changes in work life itself and in the individuals' relation to work are discussed. These include plasticity, which emphasizes the individuals' capability and activeness in shaping both their working environment and themselves; the nonnormative nature of the developmental tasks that postmodern work life sets for the individual; the openness and nonlinear nature of the counselling process and the implications of this on the role of the counsellor; and the usefulness of conceptualizing the counselling process as a metaphorical reality. Also, some preliminary findings from a research project aimed at developing a counselling process model which is congruent with activity-based approach are presented. The implications of these findings on the framework are also discussed.