Comparison of the composition of bile acids in bile of patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and benign disease

Bile acids have been implicated in the development of gastrointestinal malignancies. Both the specific nature of individual bile acids and their concentration appear key factors in the carcinogenic potency of bile. Using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) we performed quantitative profiling of bile extracted directly from the common bile duct in 30 patients (15 patients with pancreatic cancer and 15 patients with benign disease). Separation and detection of bile acids was performed using a 1.7μm particle size reversed-phase C18 LC column at a flow rate of 200μL/min with negative electrospray ionization MS. A significant difference (p=0.018) was seen in the concentration of unconjugated cholic acid in the malignant group (0.643mmol/L) compared to the benign group (0.022mmol/L), with an overall significant difference (p=0.04) seen in the level of total unconjugated bile acids in the malignant group (1.816mmol/L) compared to the benign group (0.069mmol/L). This finding may offer the possibility of both understanding the biology of cancer development in the pancreas, as well as offering a potential diagnostic avenue to explore. However, a larger study is necessary to confirm the alterations in bile acid profiles reported here and explore factors such as diet and microbial populations on the bile acid profiles of these patient groups

Exploring the theory-practice gap in initial teacher education: moving beyond questions of relevance to issues of power and authority

The ‘theory-practice divide’ in teacher education can be viewed not simply as an acceptance of a body of knowledge but instead an acceptance of the teacher educator’s authority to determine what is relevant educational theory. This research aimed to explore student teachers’ views of ‘educational theory’ and how it was discursively positioned relative to their practice in an attempt to examine whether their acceptance or rejection of it was also related to accepting the authority of the teacher educator. Using one-to-one interviews with 23 student teachers and employing a discourse analysis, four categories of students emerged. The paper describes these four categories and discusses the implications of these findings for initial teacher education and our understanding of the ‘theory-practice’ gap

"Biting one's lip" and "distancing": exploring pre-service teachers' strategies in dysfunctional professional relationships

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) are often placed in a vulnerable position during their school placement. Recognising the presence of power dynamics between PSTs, university-based tutors, and cooperating teachers as well as exploring how PSTs navigate these power relations is the focus of this paper. Data from interviews with final-year PSTs were analysed using a directed content analysis exploring the issues of autonomy and agency evident within participants’ descriptions of school placement. A finding of interest was the manner in which the PSTs cope with dysfunctional professional relationships. The over-riding approach appears to be compliance and silencing their professional voice. This was evident in the “biting one’s lip” and “distancing” that occurred when PSTs experienced practices which were incongruent with the university expectations, or their own personal views, of teaching and learning. The implications for teacher education and tutors’ facilitation of appropriate reflection are discussed

A framework for teachers\u27 integration of ICT into their classroom practice

When attempting to integrate any Information and Communications Technology (ICT) based resource into Post-Primary Schools (High Schools) many potential barriers must be considered. Importantly, many of these barriers revolve around the individual teacher and hence they are an important starting point in understanding the change process in schools. This work describes attempts to integrate an ICT-based resource (a Virtual Chemistry Laboratory) into some science teachers’ practice within the Irish education system. From these experiences a working framework has been developed to describe teachers’ level of ICTintegration into their practice and the factors underpinning this. The framework raises important questions of how teachers may be effectively supported to move between descriptions within the framework. It also highlights the need for change attempts to incorporate mixed strategies for mixed teacher stances on ICT integration

"Biting one\u27s lip" and "distancing": exploring pre-service teachers\u27 strategies in dysfunctional professional relationships

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) are often placed in a vulnerable position during their school placement. Recognising the presence of power dynamics between PSTs, university-based tutors, and cooperating teachers as well as exploring how PSTs navigate these power relations is the focus of this paper. Data from interviews with final-year PSTs were analysed using a directed content analysis exploring the issues of autonomy and agency evident within participants\u27 descriptions of school placement. A finding of interest was the manner in which the PSTs cope with dysfunctional professional relationships. The over-riding approach appears to be compliance and silencing their professional voice. This was evident in the "biting one\u27s lip" and "distancing" that occurred when PSTs experienced practices which were incongruent with the university expectations, or their own personal views, of teaching and learning. The implications for teacher education and tutors\u27 facilitation of appropriate reflection are discussed.ACCEPTEDpeer-reviewe

Students\u27 perceptions of lecturer power and authority in a higher education PBL business programme

Although often suffering from a lack of conceptual clarity and definition, the use of problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical approach has become almost ubiquitous across many disciplines in higher education in recent years. As well as purported benefits for student learning, the empowerment of students through increased autonomy is frequently cited as a rationale for the adoption and promotion of PBL. However, while significant research has been conducted on the relationship between student learning and PBL approaches, there exists a dearth in research regarding the impact on power relationships within the higher education classroom. This paper attempts to help address this dearth through the use of a qualitative research study involving interviews with 13 graduates (5 male and 8 female) from a PBL master’s degree programme. The results suggest that the adoption of PBL as a pedagogical strategy does not guarantee a significant shift in the power relationships evident within higher education. Participants perceived that the dominance of lecturer power was maintained in the classroom via the employment of both explicit and implicit techniques.ACCEPTEDpeer-reviewe