Disabled IDF Veterans in Israeli Higher Education: Disability Identity and Use of Support

Even though military service in Israel is mandatory and common among the state population, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) veterans with disabilities are rarely represented in the literature regarding their experience in Israeli higher education (HE). This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the experiences of disabled IDF (DIDF) veteran students, their experiences as students, identities, challenges, and utilization of support resources on their campuses. The relevant fields of Disability Studies, Veteran Studies, and the use of disability support services on campus are discussed in this study, focusing on the implementation of accessibility regulations and practices in the Israeli HE system concerning the target population of DIDF veterans. This dissertation study aimed to understand the perceptions, needs for disability services, and experiences of DIDF-veteran students within the general student population in Israeli HE. This study applied a qualitative method with a small quantitative component. Participants were recruited to respond to an online survey and then were offered to participate in in-depth interviews. The qualitative sample included 13 participants who had a range of disabilities and attended different HE institutions including colleges and universities. They had varied military service backgrounds and educational experiences during undergraduate and graduate studies. All participants were officially recognized as DIDF veterans by the MoD, having a single or multiple disabilities. This population mainly receives rehabilitation and support services from the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD), but not necessarily in HE. The interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive approach. The findings revealed that many of the participants had learning disabilities (LDs) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other impairments or medical conditions on top of their military disability that impacted their ability to function as students. The study findings were displayed first by the four (sub) research questions and then were organized into three major themes: Disability as a Complex Category, Negotiating Disability, Choice of Support. In conclusion, my study calls for a greater awareness of this unique population and its needs in HE, which has the potential to serve as a rehabilitation site for many of them

Discovery of microRNAs and other small RNAs in solid tumors

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼22-nt long, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene silencing. It is known that many human miRNAs are deregulated in numerous types of tumors. Here we report the sequencing of small RNAs (17–25 nt) from 23 breast, bladder, colon and lung tumor samples using high throughput sequencing. We identified 49 novel miRNA and miR-sized small RNAs. We further validated the expression of 10 novel small RNAs in 31 different types of blood, normal and tumor tissue samples using two independent platforms, namely microarray and RT–PCR. Some of the novel sequences show a large difference in expression between tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues, between different tumor stages, or between different tumor types. We also report the identification of novel small RNA classes in human: highly expressed small RNA derived from Y-RNA and endogenous siRNA. Finally, we identified dozens of new miRNA sequence variants that demonstrate the existence of miRNA-related SNP or post-transcriptional modifications. Our work extends the current knowledge of the tumor small RNA transcriptome and provides novel candidates for molecular biomarkers and drug targets