Private Schools and Queue‐jumping: A reply to White

John White (2016) defends the UK private school system from the accusation that it allows an unfair form of ‘queue jumping’ in university admissions. He offers two responses to this accusation, one based on considerations of harm, and one based on meritocratic distribution of university places. We will argue that neither response succeeds: the queue-jumping argument remains a powerful case against the private school system in the UK. We begin by briefly outlining the queue-jumping argument (§1), before evaluating White’s no-harm (§2) and meritocracy (§3) arguments

Seed dormancy breaking of temperate region deciduous tree species

Tree seeds often exhibit dormancy and require several months of moist chilling (cold stratification) before germination can proceed. Seed dormancy is poorly understood with no clear identified mechanism as to why cold stratification works. Endogenous plant hormones and chemicals have been implicated in this process. The requirement for a lengthy cold stratification period (often 2-4 months) limits the popularity of growing trees from seed in the amateur gardening market and reduces productivity for professional tree growers. A treatment product or protocol which breaks dormancy would address these issues. We have been able to define the seed dormancy status of a range of temperate region tree species. The deeply physiologically dormant seeds of Acer tataricum (tartar maple) were chosen as a test seed species. It was determined that water and oxygen permeability of the seed coats were not a major factor in maintaining dormancy in this seed. Nor was the oxygen concentration that the seed was incubated in. There was also no indication of inhibitory substances (to germination of lettuce seeds) within the seed. The testa of A. tataricum was found to weaken over time after imbibition in both cold and warm conditions and it's physical restriction of the embryo is likely to be a secondary factor in prolonging dormancy. It was found that cytokinins can break the dormancy of A. tataricum. A treatment for breaking the dormancy in temperate region tree seeds is proposed using a 350 mg/l kinetin/20% dimethylsulphoxide solution. This treatment successfully removed the dormancy and substituted for up to 3 months of cold stratification in these species in Acer platanoides (Norway Maple 'Crimson King') and Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime). It also increased the germination percentage of Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore). Possible mechanisms of how cold stratification breaks dormancy in relation to this finding are discussed. Other species and varieties of dormant seed respond to other plant hormones such as A. platanoides to jasmonic acid. Future areas of study in order to understand the mechanism of dormancy release are suggested along with further ideas to develop a dormancy breaking seed treatment

A training-model scale's validity and reliability coefficients: expert evaluation in Indonesian professional psychology programs

Very little information has been available on training models in professional psychology programs in Indonesia, despite the Indonesian National Accreditation Body recommending that scientist-practitioner models be applied in the education of psychologists. By contrast, research abounds on such training models in Western countries. This discrepancy raises the importance of developing a measurement tool appropriate for assessing training models in Indonesian professional psychology programs. This article describes the process of testing the validity and reliability of such a training model measuring tool in the Indonesian context. The authors used the expert evaluation method and the Aiken formula to calculate a coefficient of content validity and item’s internal consistency reliability. This process formed a training model scale comprising 77 items with satisfactory validity and reliability indexes for measuring Indonesian professional psychology program training models

A hot cocoon in the ultralong GRB 130925A: hints of a PopIII-like progenitor in a low density wind environment

GRB 130925A is a peculiar event characterized by an extremely long gamma-ray duration ($\approx$7 ks), as well as dramatic flaring in the X-rays for $\approx$20 ks. After this period, its X-ray afterglow shows an atypical soft spectrum with photon index $\Gamma$$\sim$4, as observed by Swift and Chandra, until $\approx 10^7$ s, when XMM-Newton observations uncover a harder spectral shape with $\Gamma$$\sim$2.5, commonly observed in GRB afterglows. We find that two distinct emission components are needed to explain the X-ray observations: a thermal component, which dominates the X-ray emission for several weeks, and a non-thermal component, consistent with a typical afterglow. A forward shock model well describes the broadband (from radio to X-rays) afterglow spectrum at various epochs. It requires an ambient medium with a very low density wind profile, consistent with that expected from a low-metallicity blue supergiant (BSG). The thermal component has a remarkably constant size and a total energy consistent with those expected by a hot cocoon surrounding the relativistic jet. We argue that the features observed in this GRB (its ultralong duration, the thermal cocoon, and the low density wind environment) are associated with a low metallicity BSG progenitor and, thus, should characterize the class of ultralong GRBs.Comment: 6 pgs, 3 figs, fig1 revised, ApJL in pres

Relationship of Helicobacter pylori virulence to gastric pathology in the Western Cape

Includes bibliographical references.The work presented in this thesis investigated virulence in Helicobacter pylori isolates of the Western Cape and related this virulent fingerprint to alterations in gastric cell physiology and cell cycle events. Initially, the "virulence profile" of 109 isolates from 86 patients with a spectrum of clinically significant gastroduodenal diseases was investigated

Training Models in Professional Psychology Education (A Literature Review)

Intense debate on training models used in professional psychology education, including discussion on the specific training models most appropriate for educating future psychologists is far from finished. The authors reviewed articles discussing training models including results of empirical studies in professional psychology programs, which were published in several psychology journals databases (1949 to 2014). The authors have identified (a) the scientist-practitioner; (b) the practitioner model and its derivatives; (c) the clinical-scientist; and (d) the competency-based models. This article also outlines the historical development of each model and a consideration of the main principles espoused by each training model. It seems that discussion on the concept of training models and empirical studies on how these models are used in professional psychology programs outside the context of Western countries, is rare. Thus, this review could serve as a theoretical foundation for the implementation of a study aimed at filling the gap in the discussion of professional psychology program curricula, including the training models used, especially in other contexts than the Western

Differentiating the impact of anatomic and non-anatomic liver resection on early recurrence in patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>For Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) treated with hepatectomy, the extent of the resection margin remains controversial and data available on its effect on early tumor recurrence are very few and contradictory. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of the type of resection (anatomic versus non-anatomic) on early intra-hepatic HCC recurrence in patients with solitary HCC and preserved liver function.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Among 53 patients with similar clinico-pathologic data who underwent curative liver resection for HCC between 2000 and 2006, 28 patients underwent anatomic resection of at least one liver segment and 25 patients underwent limited resection with a margin of at least 1 cm.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After a close follow-up period of 24 months, no difference was detected in recurrence rates between the anatomic (35.7%) and the non-anatomic (40%) groups in either univariate (<it>p = 0.74</it>) and multivariate (<it>p = 0.65</it>) analysis. Factors contributing to early recurrence were tumor size (<it>p = 0.012</it>) and tumor stage including vascular invasion (<it>p = 0.009</it>).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The choice of the type of resection for HCC should be based on the maintenance of adequate hepatic reserve. The type of resection (anatomic vs non-anatomic) was found not to be a risk factor for early tumor recurrence.</p

Circulating Transcript Analysis (NETest) in GEP-NETs Treated With Somatostatin Analogs Defines Therapy

Context: Early and precise delineation of therapeutic responses are key issues in neuroendocrine neoplasm/tumor management. Imaging is currently used but exhibits limitations in sensitivity and specificity. The utility of biomarkers is unclear. Objective, Setting, and Design: This prospective cohort study (11 mo) sought to determine whether measurements of circulating neuroendocrine tumor transcripts (NETest) predict responses to somatostatin analogs (SSAs). Patients: The test set consisted of 35 SSA-treated gastroenteropancreatic-NETs (RECISTevaluated). The prospective set consisted of 28 SSA-treated Grade 1–Grade 2 GEP-NETs. Intervention(s): Whole blood for transcript analysis (NETest) and plasma for Chromogranin A (CgA) (baseline), were collected every 4 weeks (prior to SSA injection). Morphologic (multidetector computed tomography/MRI) and functional imaging (99mTc-[HYNIC, Tyr3]-Octreotide) was undertaken at entry and 6-month intervals until progression (RECIST 1.0). Main Outcome Measure(s): Treatment response. Results: Test set: NETest (≥80%; scale, 0–100%) differentiated stable (SD) and progressive (PD) disease (P &lt; .0001). Prospective set: 28 patients (26/28 SD) undergoing standard SSA. Grading: 12 G1, 16 G2. SSA Response: progression-free survival: 315 days: 14 (50%) SD, 14 (50%) PD. NETest: Twenty had elevated (≥80%) values; 14 developed PD; six, SD. CgA: Twelve of 28 exhibited elevated baseline values and/or subsequent &gt;25% increase; eight developed PD; four, SD. NETest (P = .002) and grade (P = .054) were the only factors associated with treatment response. Multiple regression analysis established that the NETest could predict disease progression (P = .0002). NETest changes occurred significantly earlier (146 d prior to progression vs 56 d CgA; P &lt; .0001; χ2 = 19) and in more patients (100 vs 57%; P &lt; .02). Conclusions: NETest values (80–100%) were more accurate and occurred at a significantly earlier time point than CgA and predicted SSA treatment response

Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy for Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors

No abstract availabl