Why biosecurity matters: students’ knowledge of biosecurity and implications for future engagement with biosecurity initiatives

Background: Research on biosecurity is important as New Zealand’s agricultural export-driven economy is susceptible to biosecurity threats. Because New Zealand is reliant on the primary industries to drive its economy, bovine diseases such as foot and mouth could have a devastating effect on the economy.

Purpose: Making sure that the general public are aware of the importance of maintaining biosecurity is crucial in order to protect New Zealand’s economy, human health, the environment, and social and cultural values. New Zealand Year 9 students’ knowledge of biosecurity was gauged as these students represented the next generation of individuals tasked to maintain biosecurity in New Zealand.

Design: A qualitative approach using the interpretive mode of inquiry was used to investigate the knowledge about biosecurity with New Zealand Year 9 students. Questionnaires and interviews were the data collection tools.

Sample: One hundred and seventy-one students completed a questionnaire that consisted of Likert-type questions and open-ended questions. Nine students were interviewed about their knowledge.

Results: The findings showed that New Zealand Year 9 students lacked specific knowledge about unwanted plants, animals and microorganisms. These students saw illicit drug plants as unwanted plants and mainly saw possums as unwanted animals in New Zealand. Their knowledge about unwanted microorganisms in New Zealand was dominated by human-disease-causing microbes. A lack of knowledge of biosecurity issues in New Zealand was seen as the major factor in these students limited understanding of biosecurity.

Conclusions: Based on these findings, it can be said that knowledge of an issue is critical in enabling individuals to develop an understanding about biosecurity. Explicit teaching of biosecurity-related curriculum topics could provide New Zealand Year 9 students with an opportunity to develop knowledge about biosecurity in New Zealand.     

A Story of a Journey in Implementing an E-Assessment System at a South African University

Following the challenges faced in the selection and implementation of e-assessment tools for student assessment, I undertook a journey of implementing an e-assessment system within the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). This article describes the path traversed and highlights the potholes and expressways on this road towards e-assessment implementation. Thus, the aim of this article is to present the journey, faced by an academic, in the process of implementing an e-assessment system. This study adopted a narrative inquiry approach. The findings indicate both student and academic acceptance of this form of e-assessment, with students showing particular excitement in this novel assessment mode. This journey serves to highlight the importance of determination, resilience and perseverance in applying a new form of technology within an academic context. Furthermore, support of senior management is also essential to its success. Essentially this article shows that the successful implementation of e-assessment at a university is possible but reliant on motivated academics and institutional buy in.     

Teachers’ Expectancy and Efficacy as Correlates of School Achievement in Delta, Mississippi

This study explored the relationship between school achievement levels and teachers’ expectations, locus of control and efficacy in four elementary schools in Delta, Mississippi in keeping with the self-fulfilling prophecy theory. Data from surveys of 102 teachers, five focus groups, observations, and secondary information on teachers’ grading pattern were used. Analyses using t-tests and multiple linear regressions revealed that teachers in high achieving schools tended to exhibit an internal locus of control and base their expectancies on students’ abilities rather than personal characteristics. School achievement level was found to be the only significant predictor indicating that high achieving schools had a culture of higher expectations that affected teachers’ perceptions, motivations, and grading pattern. These findings are substantiated by qualitative assessments.     

琳的故事

年轻,因为有诱惑所以美丽;因为有激情所以绚丽。面对诱惑和激情,在年轻的琳身上,发生了怎样的故事呢?让我们一起听听Jack说故事吧!     

Kaleidoscoping public understanding of science on hygiene, health and plague: a survey in the aftermath of a plague epidemic in India

In September 1994 a plague epidemic hit a number of cities in India. Though the spread of the disease was controlled within a short period of about one month, its influences on various channels of information, on the functioning of government departments (especially health and sanitation), on the scientific community and on people's scientific information level were remarkable. This paper analyzes the responses of 1127 individuals interviewed in December 1994. The data indicates high levels of informedness about health, hygiene and plague, with little reference to extra-scientific explanations of the causes of the epidemic. Respondents expressed a high degree of confidence in the modern system of medicine. From this analysis we also infer that the public could not be described as 'superstitious', 'unscientific' or 'unhygienic': only when denied access to information and civic amenities did they show extra-scientific thinking or 'unhygienic' behaviour.     

Circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxides and anti-oxidant enzymes in pulmonary tuberculosis

The circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxide levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were studied in 50 clinically, bacteriologically and radiologically proven fresh cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (age: 21–45 years) and 60 age-matched healthy volunteers with diurnal activity from 06∶00 to about 22∶00 and nocturnal rest. A marked circadian variation in plasma lipid peroxide level was recorded in healthy subjects and pulmonary tuberculosis patients with significant amplitude and acrophase around 16∶21 and 17∶12 respectively. The acrophase tended to be delayed in tuberculosis patients. Furthermore, a statistically significant circadian rhythm was found in SOD, CAT and GPx activities in normal volunteers and pulmonary tuberculopsis patients. SOD and CAT enzyme activity was noted to be maximum at 06∶00 and minimum at 00∶00 in tuberculosis patients. The circadian acrophase for GPx activity was recorded at 16∶15 in normals and around 22∶45 in patients. Moreover, the activity was found to be decreased at all sampling hours during 24-hours sleep-awake period in patients in comparison to healthy counterparts. The MESOR and circadian amplitude also decreased markedly. The decreased activity of measured antioxidant enzymes in pulmonary tuberculosis patients could probably be associated with oxidative stress and/or decreased anti-oxidant defensive mechanism in such patients.     

Evaluation of environmental influences of Rock phosphate Mines: Water Quality and Serum Chemistry

Jhamarkotra is located a distance of 25 kms from Udaipur city. It has richest deposits of phosphorite ore (Rock phosphate) in our country. The mine has been under operation for the last several years. However, the effect of environmental influence have not been investigated. In the present study water analysis from 8 points of delivery in mine area along with pathological and biochemical parameters is reported. The water is relatively hard and has significantly high content of fluoride and chloride. The miners were divided into four groups on the basis of their exposure in the mining area. The group were; a) non exposed, b) indirectly exposed, c) transiently exposed and d) directly exposed. These were compared with controls. The results indicate that serum uric acid, GPT, alkaline phosphatase level were elevated in directly exposed miners.     

Lipid composition and amino acid uptake during rotavirus infection and protection with trypsin inhibitor in malnourished infant mice

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of rotavirus (RV) and soyabean trypsin inhibitor (TI) on lipid composition and uptake of glucose and glycine in rotavirus (RV) infected malnourished (PEM) infant mice. Malnutrition was achieved in animals by doubling the litter size. Cholesterol (Ch) and phospholipd (PL) contents, uptake levels of glucose and glycine were determined in jejunum and ileum portion of small intestine. Increase in Ch/PL ratios was observed in PEM+RV group. The levels became comparable in PEM+RV+TI as compared to PEM. Uptake levels of glucose and glycine increased in PEM animals. With rotavirus (PEM+RV+TI group), the levels decreased which became comparable to PEM. Changes in uptake and lipid composition with rotavirus and trypsin inhibitor may be responsible for altering membrane fluidity and organization during rotavirus diarrhea. The results establish the importance of trypsin inhibitor during oral infection with rotavirus.