Corporal Punishment In Schools: Theoretical Discussion And Personal Experience

This paper ponders the lasting effects of corporal punishment on students. The paper first considers the benefits and faults of corporal punishment by comparing the experiences of two generations of students and teachers. Starting with the definition of corporal punishment as applied locally and globally, the paper analyzes the reasons for its use, and the rationale of those who defend its legitimacy. The paper concludes with a discussion of the impact of the decision to ban corporal punishment in Saudi Arabian schools on Saudi students and its consequences from the students’ perspective

Mechanical Behaviour and Long-Term Performance of Steel Fibre Reinforced Rubberised Concrete

Large quantities of post-consumer tyres are discarded worldwide every year (1.5 billion units/year) causing several health risks and polluting the environment. Tyres are made of high quality, highly durable, flexible and strong materials, the properties of which are suitable for construction applications. Rigid concrete pavements, although they flexurally strong, lack the flexibility of asphalt pavements, which is necessary to accommodate subgrade movements and settlements resulting from poor compaction during construction, or induced by moisture, temperature and freeze-thaw movements. Incorporating waste tyre materials (rubber and steel fibres) into concrete (Steel Fibre Reinforced Rubberised Concrete -SFRRuC) can impart unique properties and make it an ideal material for pavement systems with a flexibility similar to flexible pavements and flexural strength similar to rigid concrete pavements. However, SFRRuC pavements are expected to be susceptible to several deteriorating processes including fatigue due to cyclic traffic loading, corrosion of steel fibres as a result of chemical attack by chloride, thermal movements due to heat of hydration, shrinkage/expansion due to moisture movement and freeze-thaw. This research aims to investigate the fresh, mechanical, transport/pore-structure related properties and long-term behaviour of SFRRuC so as to assess its potential for use in pavement construction. Initial study investigated the influence on both fresh and mechanical properties of concrete made by partially replacing coarse and fine mineral aggregates by different grades and percentages of tyre rubber particles. The effect of reinforcing the rubberised concrete (RuC) with Recycle Tyre Steel Fibres (RTSF) or blends of Manufactured Steel Fibres (MSF) and RTSF to enhance the flexural performance was also examined. The addition of fibres in RuC mixes was found to substantially mitigate loss in flexural strength due to the rubber addition (from 50% to 9.6% loss, compared to conventional concrete). The use of fibres in RuC enhanced strain capacity (from 0.04 mm for conventional concrete to 1.32 mm for SFRRuC produced with 60% rubber content and 40 kg/m3 of blended fibres) and post-peak energy absorption behaviour. Subsequent studies examined experimentally the transport/pore-structure related properties and long-term behaviour of SFRRuC including corrosion, freeze-thaw and flexural fatigue. It was found that due to the presence of fibres, the increase in water permeability (e.g. volume of permeable, sorptivity and chloride penetration and diffusion) as a result of adding rubber is minor, generally within the range of highly durable concrete mixes. No visual signs of deterioration or cracking (except superficial rust) were observed on the surface of the concrete specimens subjected to 150 or 300 days of accelerated chloride corrosion exposure. SFRRuC was able to withstand 56 freeze-thaw cycles with acceptable scaling and no internal damage or degradation in mechanical performance. The replacement of mineral aggregates with rubber particles improved the ductility and flexibility of SFRRuC, but reduced its fatigue resistance. A probabilistic analysis of the fatigue life data provided the level of appropriate design stresses and confirmed that SFRRuC can be used for flexible pavements. A modified design approach based on Concrete Society (TR34) is proposed for SFRRuC pavements. Finite element analyses confirm that flexible SFRRuC pavements can accommodate large subgrade movements and settlements

Benefits of Online Class Notifications on Higher Education Courses

This study investigates the effects of using online notifications in higher education courses. University students in Education and Design courses received weekly notification advising them on: upcoming instruction, recommended readings, study groups, due dates for assignments, activities and exams. The students received the notifications on their preferred media. They either used both mobile devices (cell phones or tablets), or fixed desktop computers in their homes or university. The study sought to understand how students value class notifications and how the effectiveness of notifications was influence by usage factors such as: mobile or fixed access, usage skills, types of notifications, and demographic factors such as age, sex, major and academic year. The study used both quantitative and qualitative techniques in collecting and analyzing data. Students in Education (N=32) and Design (N=37) courses participated in a 16-week intervention followed by an online survey. Carefully timed and designed messages were distributed throughout the semester. A 77 item survey was sent to 69 applicants. One-way ANOVA, independent-sample t-test, and correlation coefficient were used to compare the relation between the value of notification and the usage and demographic factors. Descriptive statistics were used to examine students’ perspectives of class notifications. The mean values of the 6 class notifications items (M=4) was significantly above the 3 likert scale midpoint (p<.000). A correlation coefficient was used to determine associations between the survey items. Among other quantitative findings the results showed a significant positive correlation between the Value of Class Notifications and Mobile Technology Use (r=.355, p=0.016) and Value of Class Notifications and Usage Skills (r=0.351, p=0.017). Responses to the open-ended qualitative questions indicate that online class notifications assist learners significantly in meeting class expectations. Notification also supports learners in completing tasks in a timely fashion. This study shows that class notification are particularly beneficial when they are continuously accessible from mobile devices, when the learners are skilled in using the notifications and when the notifications are related to course expectations. Qualitative analysis indicated that by assisting students in keeping track of class activities and due dates, notifications can reduce mental load, encourage social engagement with teachers as well as peers and foster a greater belonging in university courses. Further studies may wish to consider the influence of class notification on achievement and students perception of course organization and quality

Proteomic profiling of thyroid tissue in patients with obesity and benign diffuse goiter

Goiter is a term to describe the enlargement of the thyroid gland. The pathophysiology and molecular changes behind development of diffuse benign goiter remains unclear. The present study targeted to identify and describe the alterations in the thyroid tissue proteome from patients (obese euthyroid) with benign diffuse goiter (BDG) using proteomics approach. Thyroid tissue samples, from 7 age and sex matched, patients with BDG and 7 controls were obtained at the time of surgery. An untargeted proteomic analysis of the thyroid tissue was performed out utilizing two-dimensional difference (2D-DIGE) in gel electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for identification of the proteins. Progenesis software was used to identify changes in expression of tissue proteins and found statistically significant differences in abundance in a total of 90 proteins, 46 up and 44 down (1.5-fold change, ANOVA, p ≤ 0.05) in BDG compared to the control group. Bioinformatic analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) identified dysregulation of signalling pathways linked to ERK1/2, Glutathione peroxidase and NADPH oxidase associated to organismal injury and abnormalities, endocrine system disorders and cancer. The thyroid tissue proteome in patients with BDG revealed a significant decrease in thyroglobulin along with dysregulation of glycolysis and an increase in prooxidant peroxidase enzymes. Dysregulation of metabolic pathways related to glycolysis, redox proteins, and the proteins associated with maintaining the cytoskeletal structure of the thyrocytes was also identified

Differential Expression Profile and Genetic Variants of MicroRNAs Sequences in Breast Cancer Patients

The technology available for cancer diagnosis and prognosis is not yet satisfactory at the molecular level, and requires further improvements. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) have been recently reported as useful biomarkers in diseases including cancer. We performed a miRNA expression profiling study using peripheral blood from breast cancer patients to detect and identify characteristic patterns. A total of 100 breast cancer patients and 89 healthy patients were recruited for miRNA genotyping and expression profiling. We found that hs-miR-196a2 in premenopausal patients, and hs-miR-499, hs-miR-146a and hs-miR-196a2 in postmenopausal patients, may discriminate breast cancer patients from healthy individuals. In addition, we found a significant association between two microRNA polymorphisms (hs-miR-196a2 and hs-miR-499) and breast cancer risk. However, no significant association between the hs-miR-146a gene and breast cancer risk was found. In summary, the study demonstrates that peripheral blood miRNAs and their expression and genotypic profiles can be developed as biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer

Large Retrosternal Goitre: A Diagnostic and Treatment Dilemma

Retrosternal goitre is usually referred to as enlarged thyroid gland with greater than 50% of its mass below the thoracic inlet. It has a clinical importance because its compressive symptoms may cause diagnostic problems and the selection of surgical approach is sometimes difficult. This report presents a case of shortness of breath in a young female who was treated as a case of long term asthma and was then discovered to have a huge retrosternal goitre extending down to the aortopulmonary window. The mass was resected through median sternotomy and the patient was discharged in a good condition and without further need for asthma treatment

Flexural Behavior of Portland Cement Mortars Reinforced with Hybrid Blends of Recycled Waste Fibers

Laboratory tests were performed for evaluating the flexural performance of Portland cement mortars reinforced with recycled fibers. The objective was to find the best blend of unsorted recycled post-consumer tire steel fibers (RTSF), and recycled plastic fibers (RPF) for enhancing the flexural behavior and ductility of cement-based composites. Ten mortar mixes containing various blends of RTSF and RPF were cast and tested under a displacement-controlled four-point bending ASTM test. Test results indicate that the mortar mixes reinforced with recycled fibers satisfied the ASTM flow requirements and achieved a flexural response and toughness comparable to the response of similar mixes, containing manufactured steel fibers (MSF) only, at the same fiber dosage. Among the recycled fiber blends investigated, the mix containing 0.5% RTSF and 0.5% RPF (on volume basis) exhibited relatively superior flexural characteristics compared to the mixes reinforced with the same dosage of MSF only. Moreover, the positive synergetic effect of fiber blends on the post-cracking strength and flexural toughness was pronounced at 0.5% RTSF and 0.5% RPF (on volume basis). Hence, as an echo-friendly material, recycled fiber blends of RTSF and RPF could be recommended for enhancing the flexural performance of cement-based composites at a lesser cost