A Comparative Analysis of Unfair Dismissal Law with Particular Reference to the Law as it Pertains to the South African Worker

This paper will begin with an investigation of the activity of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in domestic employment laws. Using this as a yardstick, a comparative analysis of the unfair dismissal laws of the United States and some foreign countries (mainly Western European) will be undertaken. Finally, the issue will be addressed in the South African context. An assessment will be made of the relative quality of the protection afforded workers in South Africa and, using conclusions reached from the comparative study, the validity of calls for a general unfair dismissal statute in the country will be considered

Triangulation in history education research, and its limitations: A view from the UK

This paper explains how different forms of triangulation have been used in recent history education research in the UK, and attempts to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to triangulation. It also draws attention to the limitations of triangulation as a means of making claims about the validity of research outcomes. In spite of the pronouncements of policymakers in the UK that education reforms will be ‘evidence based’, there are many examples of distortion and misrepresentation in the field of history education research. The paper gives some examples of the ways in which triangulation and mixed methods have been used in research in history education in the UK, and argues that without an underpinning commitment to veracity and respect for evidence, sample size, research approach and range of triangulation methods cannot ensure that reasonable claims are made for the outcomes of research. The concluding section of the paper suggests ways of complementing triangulation as a means of moderating judgements and claims in history education research, and argues that it is important that history teachers have an intelligent and well-informed understanding of the potential usefulness and the limitations of research studies in history education. Although the examples of research cited are from the UK, the question of how to optimize the use of mixed methods in history education research is an important issue for researchers and academics in history education worldwide

Paper-based standard addition assays

Standard addition assays conducted on paper-based microfluidic devices are introduced as an alternative to external standards for calibrating quantitative tests. To demonstrate this technique, a colorimetric, paper-based, standard addition assay was optimized for the determination of glucose concentrations in the range of 0 to 5 mM. Comparable results were obtained from the assay via digital image colorimetry under three different lighting conditions

Immunization with a Peptide Containing MHC Class I and II Epitopes Derived from the Tumor Antigen SIM2 Induces an Effective CD4 and CD8 T-Cell Response

Here, we sought to determine whether peptide vaccines designed harbor both class I as well as class II restricted antigenic motifs could concurrently induce CD4 and CD8 T cell activation against autologous tumor antigens. Based on our prior genome-wide interrogation of human prostate cancer tissues to identify genes over-expressed in cancer and absent in the periphery, we targeted SIM2 as a prototype autologous tumor antigen for these studies. Using humanized transgenic mice we found that the 9aa HLA-A*0201 epitope, SIM2237–245, was effective at inducing an antigen specific response against SIM2-expressing prostate cancer cell line, PC3. Immunization with a multi-epitope peptide harboring both MHC-I and MHC-II restricted epitopes induced an IFN-γ response in CD8 T cells to the HLA-A*0201-restricted SIM2237–245 epitope, and an IL-2 response by CD4 T cells to the SIM2240–254 epitope. This peptide was also effective at inducing CD8+ T-cells that responded specifically to SIM2-expressing tumor cells. Collectively, the data presented in this study suggest that a single peptide containing multiple SIM2 epitopes can be used to induce both a CD4 and CD8 T cell response, providing a peptide-based vaccine formulation for potential use in immunotherapy of various cancers

To what extent is behaviour a problem in English schools?:Exploring the scale and prevalence of deficits in classroom climate

The working atmosphere in the classroom is an important variable in the process of education in schools, with several studies suggesting that classroom climate is an important influence on pupil attainment. There are wide differences in the extent to which classroom climate is considered to be a problem in English schools. Some ‘official’ reports suggest that behaviour in schools is ‘satisfactory or better’ in the vast majority of schools; other sources have pointed to behaviour being a serious and widespread problem. The paper details four studies conducted over the past decade which aimed to explore these disparities. The aim of the research was to gain a more accurate insight into the extent to which deficits in classroom climate limit educational attainment and equality of educational opportunity in English schools. The findings question the suggestion that behaviour is satisfactory or better in 99.7% of English schools and the concluding section suggests ways in which deficits in classroom climate might be addressed. Although the study is limited to classrooms in England, OECD studies suggest that deficits in the working atmosphere in classrooms occur in many countries. The study therefore has potential relevance for education systems in other countries

The Scavenger Receptor MARCO Modulates TLR-Induced Responses in Dendritic Cells

The scavenger receptor MARCO mediates macrophage recognition and clearance of pathogens and their polyanionic ligands. However, recent studies demonstrate MARCO expression and function in dendritic cells, suggesting MARCO might serve to bridge innate and adaptive immunity. To gain additional insight into the role of MARCO in dendritic cell activation and function, we profiled transcriptomes of mouse splenic dendritic cells obtained from MARCO deficient mice and their wild type counterparts under resting and activating conditions. In silico analysis uncovered major alterations in gene expression in MARCO deficient dendritic cells resulting in dramatic alterations in key dendritic cell-specific pathways and functions. Specifically, changes in CD209, FCGR4 and Complement factors can have major consequences on DC-mediated innate responses. Notably, these perturbations were magnified following activation with the TLR-4 agonist lipopolysaccharide. To validate our in silico data, we challenged DC‘s with various agonists that recognize all mouse TLRs and assessed expression of a set of immune and inflammatory marker genes. This approach identified a differential contribution of MARCO to TLR activation and validated a major role for MARCO in mounting an inflammatory response. Together, our data demonstrate that MARCO differentially affects TLR-induced DC activation and suggest targeting of MARCO could lead to different outcomes that depend on the inflammatory context encountered by DC