Clinico-Biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis on the basis of urinary citrate to calcium ratio and inhibition of mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals by human urine

Urinary citric acid and calcium levels have been estimated in the urine of 20 normal healthy persons as well as 12 urinary stone patients. Inhibition efficiency of these urine samples towards the mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals, viz., calcium phosphate, oxalate or carbonate, has been studied in an experimental model. Statistical correlation of the above data has been made by computing the coefficient of determination and unexplained variance. Clinico-biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis risk factor has been attempted in the light of the data.     

Effect of intrauterine contraceptive device on concentration of inorganic phosphorus and cholesterol in human uterine fluid

Uterine fluid, basically the endometrial secretion, is in dynamic exchange by influx and efflux with the oviducal and cervical fluids. During investigation the uterine fluid of both parous and IUCD women was collected and evaluated for inorganic phosphorus and cholesterol. The results of parous women were compared with the results of IUCD women. The trend of fluctuation in inorganic phosphorus concentration during different phases of menstrual cycle were same in both parous and IUCD women. But there was an increase in concentration in case of IUCD women in all stages of the menstrual cycle. After comparison with parous women a decrease in uterine fluid cholesterol concentration during proliferative period and increase during luteal period of IUCD women was observed. This increase in inorganic phosphorus and decrease and an increase in cholesterol concentration in IUCD women might be responsible in making uterine fluid environment unfavourable for sperm survival and blastocyst implantation.     

Local university students and intercultural interactions: conceptualising culture,seeing diversity and experiencing interactions

This paper examines the intercultural interaction experiences of local, first-year students (n?=?25) in their first few weeks at university. The focus on local students complements existing intercultural interaction literature, which has tended to concentrate on the experience of the ‘cultural other’ student. Employing qualitative analysis, the study revealed relationships between how students conceptualise culture, see diversity and experience their initial intercultural interactions on campus. A link between students' cultural backgrounds and the depth of their intercultural interaction experiences emerged.     

Non‐profit education providers vis‐à‐vis the private sector: comparative analysis of non‐governmental organizations and traditional voluntary organizations in Pakistan

Under the New Policy Agenda, international development institutions have promoted non‐profit organizations (NPOs) in developing countries, on a dual logic: firstly, they deliver social services more efficiently than the state; secondly, they mitigate equity concerns around privatization of basic social services by reaching out to the poor. Based on a survey of twenty prominent non‐profit education providers in Pakistan, this paper illustrates that the NPO sector is not monolithic: non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the education sector under the patronage of international donors follow markedly different models of education provision to those of Traditional Voluntary Organizations (TVOs) reliant on domestic donations. While the social service ethos of the TVOs makes them distinct from the private sector, it is not the case with the NGOs: their model of education provision, rather than meeting the education needs of the poor, ends up cultivating markets for the private sector among poor communities.     

Characteristics of primary teacher training programmes on inclusion: a literature focus

Background: The implementation of inclusive education creates challenges for classroom teachers who have to meet the learning needs of students with and without special educational needs (SEN). Research has revealed that teachers’ readiness and willingness to accommodate the learning needs of students with SEN was determined by their training. Though much research on teacher training and inclusive education has been conducted over two decades, less is known about the adequacy of such training in terms of components and effectiveness.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to present a focused analysis of: (1) studies that examined, in detail, the components of teacher training programmes for pre-service or in-service teachers in regular primary schools in terms of content, length, etc., and (2) consideration of the effectiveness of these training programmes.

Design and methods: The literature review was restricted to empirical studies published in international peer-reviewed journals after 1994 (i.e. since the Salamanca statement was signed) by using the electronic browser ‘EBSCO host Complete’. After applying the keywords ‘teacher’ and ‘educator’, they were combined with the following terms: training, disabilities, inclusion, inclusive education, impairment, special educational needs, children with special needs and disorder. The search was deliberately restricted to papers where study participants were pre-service or in-service teachers in regular primary schools, and ultimately yielded a small core of 13 studies for detailed review. The first research question was analysed in terms of the training programme’s structure and content, covering aspects such as type of disability, topic, length, medium of course delivery and learning activities. For the second research question, the effectiveness of the quantitative studies was evaluated based on the Cohen’s d effect size, whereas the qualitative studies were considered as effective based on the calculation of percentage of non-overlapping data (PND).

Conclusions: Analysis indicated that the majority of training programmes focused on attitude, knowledge and skills. The training programmes were also centred on what might be considered short-term practice and supplemented with field experiences. Although the training programmes appeared to have positive effects on teachers’ attitudes, knowledge and skills, follow-up sessions and students’ outcomes measures may increase training effectiveness.     

Comparative effect of olive oil and fish oil supplementation in combating gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The present study is related to the comparative effects of fish oil and olive oil supplementation on gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Three treatment groups (Pretrement, Co-treatment and post treatment) were chosen for the study. Nephrotoxicity in rats was induced by intraperitonial administration of gentamicin (80 mg/kg/d) for 3,5,7,10,& 12 consecutive days. The animals were sacrificed 12 hrs after last treatment in each group. The maximum nephrotoxicity was developed on 10 days treatment of gentamicin. For each group a control group was taken without any oil or gentamicin treatment. Beneficial effects of oils were evidenced by reduced serum urea and creatinine concentrations in the group receiving oils compared to the non oil treatment animals receiving gentamicin only. Further, the changed values of alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase activity retumed to normal in kidney and liver tissue homogenates after fish and olive oil treatment. In this study, it was found that co-treatment of fish and olive oil is more effective antagonist of gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity. However fish oil was found to be more effective. Hypercholesteromia associated with gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity is also lowered by oil supplementations. The beneficial effects of these oils are due to counteracting effect of the biochemical alterations induced by the drug.     

Intercultural interactions of mono-cultural,mono-lingual local students in small group learning activities: a Bourdieusian analysis

This research examines the understandings and experiences of mono-cultural, mono-lingual local students in relation to intercultural interactions within small group learning activities at university. Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus and capital are employed to illuminate a number of barriers to intercultural interaction. Using qualitative analysis of interviews with local students, the study revealed intercultural interactions to be co-shaped by multiple co-existing, interdependent and often competing structural and contextual elements, as well as the personal dispositions that students bring to the classroom. The field tends to privilege the capital held by local students (knowledge of small group work, verbal confidence, language), and imposes structural limits on interactions. While students' habitus mediates this effect, the overall result discourages interactions between local students and those from different cultural backgrounds. Implications for universities are discussed.     

Universities and the knowledge-based economy: perceptions from a developing country

This paper considers the role of universities in the creation of a knowledge-based economy (KBE) in a developing country, Pakistan. Some developing countries have moved quickly to develop a KBE, but progress in Pakistan is much slower. Higher education plays a crucial role as part of the triple helix model for innovation. Based on the perceptions of university leaders and academic staff, the paper examines how the transformation towards a KBE in Pakistan is viewed within higher education and identifies some of the blockages and contradictions that hinder development. In particular, the paper suggests that a more integrated education system bringing together primary, secondary and tertiary education to work for a common purpose will be essential.