An investigation into how Mathematics educators teach the outcomes-based curriculum

This study investigates how educators at General Education and Training (GET) level (senior phase) go about teaching problem solving skills, reasoning and communication as indicated in the OBE Mathematics curriculum (GET). In comparison to previous curricula, the new Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) Mathematics curriculum at the GET level, places more emphasis on problem solving, reasoning and communicating mathematical ideas. If properly implemented as intended by the curriculum reformers, then many of the problems that are encountered at tertiary level might no longer exist. Thus it is interesting to investigate how educators at GET level go about teaching such skills as problem solving, reasoning and communication as indicated in the OBE Mathematics curriculum at GET level. This study describes case studies of Grades 8 and 9 Mathematics teachers in eleven secondary schools in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The case studies explore whether and how the mathematics teachers go about trying to achieve the outcomes mentioned in the OBE (GET) Mathematics curriculum. The educators’ pedagogical methods are investigated, and, generally, how well the learning outcomes are achieved. A third research strand focuses on whether there exists a relationship between the teachers’ contribution (input), which is the foundation laid by the teacher for the later realisation of outcomes and outcomes as attempted or demonstrated by learners (output). The data were collected through video-tape recordings by trained educators, that is, Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project staff to ensure authenticity and credibility of results.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007.Mathematics and Applied Mathematicsunrestricte

A Comparative Study of the Effect of Clonidine Tramadol and Nalbuphine on Postspinal Anaesthesia Shivering

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of Tramadol, Nalbuphine, and Clonidine in the treatment of shivering after spinal anaesthesia in caesarean section. METHODS: A prospective randomised comparative study was conducted between 1.8.2013 to 1.9.2014 to compare the efficacy of Tramadol, Nalbuphine, Clonidine in treatment of shivering after spinal anaesthesia in casearean section. Patients included in this study are those who developed shivering after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Patients were randomly allotted to one of the three groups, namely T group (25) who received Tramadol 0.5mg/kg i.v., N group (25) who received Nalbuphine 0.1mg/kg i.v and C group (25)who received clonidine 0.5μg/kg iv. Vital parameters of the patient such as H.R. B.P. SPO2, RR and temperature were monitored at regular intervals as per protocol. Events such as onset of shivering, time taken to stop shivering, recurrence of shivering and side effects like nausea, vomiting bradycardia, hypotension and sedation were also noted. Statistical tests like chi square test, Anova test were applied to the data collected. RESULTS: Among the 75 patients who developed shivering of grades 3 & 4 requiring treatment were randomly allotted to one of the three group. The mean temperature at which patient developed shivering was 36.4°C, and the mean duration of shivering to occur following spinal anaesthesia was 22.5 mts. Tramadol 0.5 mg/kg controlled shivering in mean time of 4 minutes, clonidine 0.5 μg/kg, controlled shivering in mean time of 2 minutes and Nalbuphine 0.1 mg/kg controlled shivering in mean time of 4 minutes. CONCLUSION: Our study concludes that all three drugs namely Tramadol clonidine and nalbuphine were effective in controlling postspinal anesthesia shivering. Among them clonidine took lesser time to achieve complete cessation of shivering and also maintained better hemodynamics throughout the study

Pigment epithelium-derived factor mediates retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection by suppression of caspase-2

Abstract Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) undergo rapid cell death by apoptosis after injury but can be rescued by suppression of caspase-2 (CASP2) using an siRNA to CASP2 (siCASP2). Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), has neuroprotective and anti-angiogenic functions and protects RGC from death. The purpose of this study was to investigate if suppression of CASP2 is a possible mechanism of neuroprotection by PEDF in RGC. Adult rat retinal cells were treated in vitro with sub-optimal and optimal concentrations of siCASP2 and PEDF and levels of CASP2 mRNA and RGC survival were then quantified. Optic nerve crush (ONC) injury followed by intravitreal injections of siCASP2 or PEDF and eye drops of PEDF-34 were also used to determine CASP2 mRNA and protein reduction. Results showed that PEDF and PEDF-34 significantly suppressed CASP2 mRNA in culture, by 1.85- and 3.04-fold, respectively, and increased RGC survival by 63.2 ± 3.8% and 81.9 ± 6.6%, respectively compared to cells grown in Neurobasal-A alone. RGC survival was significantly reduced in glial proliferation inhibited and purified RGC cultures suggesting that some of the effects of PEDF were glia-mediated. In addition, intravitreal injection of PEDF and eye drops of PEDF-34 after ONC also suppressed CASP2 mRNA levels by 1.82- and 3.89-fold and cleaved caspase-2 (C-CASP2) protein levels by 4.98- and 8.93-fold compared to ONC + PBS vehicle groups, respectively, without affecting other executioner caspases. Treatment of retinal cultures with PEDF and PEDF-34 promoted the secretion of neurotrophic factors (NTF) into the culture media, of which brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) caused the greatest reduction in CASP2 mRNA and C-CASP2 protein. The neuroprotective effects of PEDF were blocked by a polyclonal antibody and PEDF suppressed key elements in the apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, this study shows that some of the RGC neuroprotective effects of PEDF is regulated through suppression of CASP2 and downstream apoptotic signalling molecules

AMBIENT AIR QUALITY IN TERMS OF NITROGEN DI OXIDE 141 AMBIENT AIR QUALITY IN TERMS OF (NITROGEN DI OXIDE (NO X ) IN AND AROUND ARIYALUR, PER- AMBALUR DT, TAMIL NADU

ABSTRAC

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Apolipoprotein E3 Lipid Nanodiscs

Nanodiscs are binary discoidal complexes of a phospholipid bilayer circumscribed by belt-like helical scaffold proteins. Using coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the stability, size, and structure of nanodiscs formed between the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein E3 (apoE3-NT) and variable number of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) molecules. We study both parallel and antiparallel double-belt configurations, consisting of four proteins per nanodisc. Our simulations predict nanodiscs containing between 240 and 420 DMPC molecules to be stable. The antiparallel configurations exhibit an average of 1.6 times more amino acid interactions between protein chains and 2 times more ionic contacts, compared to the parallel configuration. With one exception, DMPC order parameters are consistently larger in the antiparallel configuration than in the parallel one. In most cases, the root mean square deviation of the positions of the protein backbone atoms is smaller in the antiparallel configuration. We further report nanodisc size, thickness, radius of gyration, and solvent accessible surface area. Combining all investigated parameters, we hypothesize the antiparallel protein configuration leading to more stable and more rigid nanodiscs than the parallel one

ILB® resolves inflammatory scarring and promotes functional tissue repair

Fibrotic disease is a major cause of mortality worldwide, with fibrosis arising from prolonged inflammation and aberrant extracellular matrix dynamics. Compromised cellular and tissue repair processes following injury, infection, metabolic dysfunction, autoimmune conditions and vascular diseases leave tissues susceptible to unresolved inflammation, fibrogenesis, loss of function and scarring. There has been limited clinical success with therapies for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases such that there remains a large unmet therapeutic need to restore normal tissue homoeostasis without detrimental side effects. We investigated the effects of a newly formulated low molecular weight dextran sulfate (LMW-DS), termed ILB®, to resolve inflammation and activate matrix remodelling in rodent and human disease models. We demonstrated modulation of the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in vitro together with scar resolution and improved matrix remodelling in vivo. Of particular relevance, we demonstrated that ILB® acts, in part, by downregulating transforming growth factor (TGF)β signalling genes and by altering gene expression relating to extracellular matrix dynamics, leading to tissue remodelling, reduced fibrosis and functional tissue regeneration. These observations indicate the potential of ILB® to alleviate fibrotic diseases