Affirmative action in education and Black Economic Empowerment in the workplace in South Africa since 1994: policies, strengths and limitations

This paper explains the concepts of Affirmative Action (AA) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and the policies developed in post-Apartheid South Africa. It compares it to similar policies adopted in different contexts in Malaysia, India and the U.S.A. It explains and critiques the South African policies on AA and BEE, its history since 1994 and how class has replaced race as the determinant of who succeeds in education and the workplace. It analyses why these policies were essential to address the massive racial divide in education and the workplace at the arrival of democracy in 1994, but also why it has been controversial and racially divisive. The strengths and limitations of these policies are juxtaposed, the way it has benefitted the black and white elites, bolstered the black middle-class but has had little success in addressing the education and job futures of poor, working class black citizens in South Africa. The views of a number of key social analysts in the field are stated to explain the moral, racial, divisive aspects of AA in relation to the international experience and how South Africa is grappling with limited success to bridge the divide between the rich and poor

White Electroluminescent Phosphine-Chelated Copper Iodide Nanoclusters

White Electroluminescent Phosphine-Chelated Copper Iodide Nanocluster

Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumor Cells in Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>The prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in ovarian cancer has been investigated in previous studies, but the results are controversial. Therefore we performed a meta-analysis to systematically review these data and evaluate the value of CTCs in ovarian cancer.</p><p>Materials and Methods</p><p>A literary search for relevant studies was performed on Embase, Medline and Web of Science databases. Then pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for survival with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, meta-regression analyses and publication bias were conducted.</p><p>Results</p><p>This meta-analysis is based on 11 publications and comprises a total of 1129 patients. The prognostic value of the CTC status was significant in overall survival (OS) (HR, 1.61;95% CI,1.22–2.13) and progression-free survival (PFS)/disease-free survival (DFS) (HR, 1.44; 95%CI, 1.18–1.75). Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed that the value of CTC status in OS was significant in "RT-PCR" subgroup (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.34–3.03), whereas it was not significant in "CellSearch" subgroup (HR, 1.15; 95% CI 0.45–2.92) and "other ICC" subgroup (HR, 1.09; 95% CI 0.62–1.90). The presence of CTC was also associated with an increased CA-125 (OR, 4.07; 95%CI, 1.87–8.85).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Our study demonstrates that CTC status is associated with OS and PFS/DFS in ovarian cancer.</p></div

Sensitivity analysis for the pooled HRs in OS.

<p>The analysis was conducted by estimating the average HR in the absence of each study. HRs = hazard ratios; OS = overall survival.</p

PRISMA flow Chart of literature search and study selection.

<p>PRISMA flow Chart of literature search and study selection.</p

Forest plot showing the meta-analysis of hazard ratio estimates for OS in “Surgery” subgroup and “Chemotherapy” subgroup.

<p>Subgroup analysis based on different treatment methods. OS = overall survival.</p

Main characteristics of the eligible studies.

<p>^aTumor stage and percentage of advanced stage(%); NR, Not Reported; CTCs, circulating tumor cells; ICC, immunocytochemistry; RT-PCR, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.</p><p>Main characteristics of the eligible studies.</p

Forest plots of the association between CTCs and CA-125.

<p>CTCs = circulating tumor cells.</p

Forest plot showing the meta-analysis of hazard ratio estimates for OS in overall patients.

<p>OS = overall survival.</p

Begg’s funnel plots of the prognostic role of CTCs in OS.

<p>CTCs = circulating tumor cells; OS = overall survival.</p