Does Friedewald Formula Underestimate the Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease?

Traditionally Friedewald formula has been used to calculate low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration though now direct homogenous methods for its measurement are also available. Clinical guidelines recommend the use of calculated LDL-C to guide therapy because the evidence base for cholesterol management is derived almost exclusively from trials that use calculated LDL, with direct measurement of LDL-C being reserved for those patients who are non fasting or with significant hypertriglyceridemia. In this study our aim was to compare calculated and direct LDL and their variation at different cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Fasting lipid profile estimation was done on 503 outpatients in a tertiary hospital. Both direct and calculated LDL were then compared. Mean fasting direct LDL was found to be higher than calculated LDL in 87.1 % of subjects by 8.64 ± 8.35 mg/dl. This difference was seen a all levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. Using 130 mg/dl LDL cholesterol as cut off fewer subjects were classified as high risk by calculated LDL than direct LDL. In conclusion, direct LDL is higher than calculated LDL. Compared with direct measurement, the Friedewald calculation underestimates the risk for ischemic heart disease.     

Mastery goal,value and self-concept: what do they predict?

Background:?Students’ motivation is known to influence academic outcomes. However, there is a paucity of research showing the relative influences of motivational factors on short-term and long-term outcomes.

Purpose:?The study investigates the relative influences of motivational factors – mastery goal orientation, value of schooling, and academic self-concepts (perceived competence in and affect to schoolwork) on four outcomes – rule acceptance, identity, general self-efficacy and achievement.

Sample:?Students in grades 3 to 6 from six primary schools in the Sydney were surveyed (N = 979). The ages of the participants varied from 8 to 13 years (mean = 9.78).

Design and methods:?Students completed a questionnaire and literacy and numeracy achievement tests. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the paths from four predictors to four outcomes.

Results:?Whereas all four predictors were positively associated with all four outcomes, students’ mastery goal had stronger positive influences on self-efficacy and identity. Value, perceived competence and affect were found to influence outcomes in different ways – positive influences were found for value on achievement, rule-acceptance, and identity; for perceived competence on achievement and efficacy; and for affect on rule-acceptance and identity.

Conclusion:?Mastery goal had stronger influences on long-term outcomes while other predictors are stronger for short-term outcomes. To facilitate short-term and long-term outcomes, all four motivational factors need attention.     

FACTORS PREDICTING SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT OF IMMIGRANT AND NON-IMMIGRANT STUDENTS: A MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS

This study, employing hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), sought to investigate the student-level and school-level factors associated with the science achievement of immigrant and non-immigrant students among a national sample of 22,646 students from 896 schools in Canada. While student background characteristics such as home language, family wealth, and socioeconomic status were significant predictors of science achievement for non-immigrant students, these factors were not significantly associated with immigrant student science achievement. Student attitudes, engagement, and motivation in science and information and communication technology familiarity were significant predictors of science achievement for both immigrant and non-immigrant students. Whereas teacher shortage was associated with science achievement for immigrant students, school size was associated with science achievement for non-immigrant students. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Some reflections on learning from early school experience

This paper is a report of a study on early school experience as part of a Teacher Education programme in Turkey. The programme requires second-year students to act as students only, observing their mentors in classrooms rather than practising teaching so that they can gain a wider view of the teaching profession. The study analyses the experiences of these students, therefore, particularly focusing on the extent to which this scheme is conducive to making students learn from their experience. The findings from the qualitative data suggest that careful attention must be paid to major factors shaping this process, such as the school atmosphere as a whole, the nature of tasks for observation, the quality of interaction between student-mentor, and, more importantly, the opportunities for students to develop an inquiry-based approach to teaching.     

An educational laboratory virtual instrumentation suite assisted experiment for studying fundamentals of series resistance–inductance–capacitance circuit

One of the most elementary concepts in freshmen Electrical Engineering subject comprises the Resistance–Inductance–Capacitance (RLC) circuit fundamentals, that is, their time and frequency domain responses. For a beginner, generally, it is difficult to understand and appreciate the step and the frequency responses, particularly the resonance. This paper proposes a student-friendly teaching and learning approach by inculcating the multifaceted versatile software LabVIEW^TM along with the educational laboratory virtual instrumentation suite hardware, for studying the RLC circuit time and frequency domain responses. The proposed approach has offered an interactive laboratory experiment where students can model circuits in simulation and hardware circuits on prototype board, and then compare their performances. The theoretical simulations and the obtained experimental data are found to be in very close agreement, thereby enhancing the conviction of students. Finally, the proposed methodology was also subjected to the assessment of learning outcomes based on student feedback, and an average score of 8.05 out of 10 with a standard deviation of 0.471 was received, indicating the overall satisfaction of the students.     

Project motivation: a mental health programme for primary school children

One of India's main problems in achieving universalisation of primary education is the inability of the schools to hold the children for a required minimum period of five years. Much of the drop‐out, nearly 30–35%, occurs in classes I and II almost immediately after children are enrolled. Project Motivation is an attempt to help young primary school children from disadvantaged homes develop an interest in learning and acquire the required competencies through a Child‐to‐Child approach. The middle school children were oriented to work with primary school children on a one‐to‐one basis. The findings show that as a result of this interaction younger children acquired some of the basic competencies over which they initially had problems and older children developed a positive self‐concept and a better sense of concern for younger children.

In our schools where one teacher has to struggle with 50‐60 children, this one‐to‐one approach should go a long way in giving the little children the required support and motivation to learn.     

The role of goal orientations in students’ perceptions of classroom assessment in higher education

Students’ perception of assessment methods plays a significant role in determining their effort towards learning and their assessment tasks. Similar to the role of goal orientation in predicting students’ classroom learning, this study aims to examine how students’ goal orientations influence their perception of classroom assessments. Using a qualitative research design, the data was collected from 41 students enrolled in master’s degree programme at a public university in northern Malaysia, using reflection notes and semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using a typological approach to inductively develop the categories. The findings demonstrated that perception of mastery goal oriented students considerably contrasted with those with performance goal orientation. The distinctions in perception is discussed under four categories: assessment as a process or product, preferences for modes, reasons for effort and feeling and emotions. The implications of the findings are discussed for higher education practitioners.     

Blended Learning for Learner Empowerment: Voices from the Middle East

Blended learning (BL) is still in its infancy in the United Arab Emirates, but is gaining growing attention and acceptance. The particular university under investigation offers its nationally accredited graduate programs with a BL format that makes use of synchronous virtual classrooms, asynchronous self-study, and face-to-face sessions. The current qualitative research study investigates students' perceptions about their experience with the BL model within their relatively conservative cultural context. In addition, the project aimed at gauging their suggestions for course design considerations that would meet their needs as adult learners and enhance their learning experience. Twenty-one graduate students participated in the study, with findings indicating an overall positive perception about the BL experience with a strong positive impact on female empowerment. The most salient themes for successful instructional strategies indicated the importance of student-centered practices, particularly collaborative projects and student-led activities.     

Study of enzyme activities in the descending part of the duodenum in patients of duodenal ulcer

The aim of this study was to measure the levels of lactase, sucrase, maltase, leucine amino peptidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in duodenum of Indian patients with duodenal ulcer. The effect of duodenum inflammation on these brush border enzymes has also been analysed in this study. Levels of lactase, sucrase, maltase, leucine amino peptidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were assessed in duodenal biopsies of 20 patients of duodenal ulcer and 20 non-ulcer dyspepsia. The duodenal biopsy specimens were also examined histopathologically for presence or absence of inflammation. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the activity of above mentioned enzyme levels in both the groups. Only levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were significantly decreased in patients of duodenal ulcer with duodenal inflammation. This study shows that only the levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were significantly decreased in patients of duodenal ulcer with inflammation but no change in duodenal enzymes due to duodenal ulcer as compared to non-ulcer dyspepsia.     

Exploring strategies of teaching and classroom practices in response to challenges of inclusion in a Thai school: a case study

The shift from special schools towards inclusive education is becoming increasingly prevalent across education systems around the world. However, the challenges this shift brings remain critical for developing nations where there is a huge chasm between policies and practices. This study used instrumental case study design to examine how a general education teacher strategised her teaching and classroom practices while accommodating a student with complex learning and behavioural disabilities within a regular classroom. Data collected through observations, in depth interviews and reflective journals suggested that the teacher made conscious efforts within limited resources to create strategies to help the student fit in the mainstream classroom. The strategies are discussed under socio-emotional, cognitive and physical categories. Implications for teachers' professional development are discussed.