Studying Similarities and Differences in Higher Education Organisations based on their Websites – Comparative Methodological Approaches and Research Potential

This article discusses the possible ways in which visual research methodologies can be extended and applied to study similarities and differences in higher education institutions (and systems) in the context of the visual and digital turn in social science methodologies. The article focuses on the methodological potential of the institutional website analysis as a fruitful approach in comparative higher education research. The article futher focuses on two specific comparative methodological issues: different purposes of comparisons and different organisational aspects which can be compared. The review of the current state of research based on university websites found that the analyses are largely cross-sectional and focused on issues related to institutional identities and positioning of individual self-identities towards institutions as well as on representations of different types of students. Organisational aspects of structure and hierarchies, disciplinary differences, leadership and management cultures, organisational aesthetics as well studies which focus on the representation of non-student groups of university members, are rare and represent potential research frontiers. Most of the reviewed articles are guided by linear causal explanation logic, while other comparative purposes like a better description, critique and provision of alternative explanations are less present and potentially could lead to a better understanding of higher education

OpenCases: catalogue of mini cases on open education in Europe

This catalogue brings 50 mini cases highlighting the practices of universities and educational institutions around open education in Europe. It showcases the different strategies undertaken by institutions that are embracing the open education movement and opening up their content, research, recognition mechanisms and teaching practices. The catalogue works as a 'taster' for what is being done and can be done in open education in the EU, prompting the reader to look further into the initiatives that raise their interest.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

Mandatory Sentencing Guidelines: The Case Of Macedonia

This study expresses the criticism of recently enacted Law in determining the type and in measuring the severity of sentence. There is flagrant restriction of the free judicial belief due to the necessity in overcoming identified inconsistency in sentencing policy. The judicial system is not resistant to both internal and external pressures and influences. However, those problems cannot be overcome by massive fragmentation of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Macedonia, wide ranges of the sanctions, and by administrative proceedings in the determination of the sanction. New Macedonian law has created mandatory guidelines for every criminal offence by emphasizing previous conviction as the most important circumstances. This is contrary to several Council of Europe recommendations. The authors emphasize that the binding character of the sentencing guidelines should be avoided. According to them, only free judicial belief within the statutory penal framework can ensure the rule of the law and equity

Анализа за примена на медијацијата во Северна Македонија

Анализа за примената на медијација во Северна Македонија подготвена во рамките на проектот „Медијација, без дилема“ кој го спроведува Институтот за европска политика (ЕПИ)- Скопје во соработка со Академија за судии и јавни обвинители ,,Павел Шатев’’, Комора на медијатори на Република Северна Македонија и Холандска федерација на медијатори. Проектот е финансиран од Амбасадата на Кралството Холандија во Скопје. Анализата за примена на медијацијата е поделена на два дела. Првиот дел се однесува на теоретската анализа на медијацијата, законските решенија за медијацијата и релевантното законодавство од граѓанска, кривична област, како и законодавството за деца. Вториот дел се однесува на квантитативната анализа на примената на медијацијата во практиката од сите релевантни чинители – судовите, обвинителството, медијаторите, приватниот сектор

Употреба на медијацијата – постигнати успеси и преостанати предизвици

Целта на оваа презентација е да ги објавиме резултатите од анализата која ја направивме во врска со примената на медијацијата во РСМ. Првиот дел од анализата е со теоретски пристап за да ги објасни и дефинира релевантните поими врзани за медијацијата во сите области - граќанско, казнено и правда за децата. Квантитативната анализа пак има за цел да покаже статистички податоци за примената на медијацијата, проблеми и предизвици во нејзината примена а се со цел да овозможи да се проектираат практични закнски решенија кои ќе одговараат на сите засегнати страни. Клучни зборови: медијација, медијатор, граѓанско, кривично, деца, стопанство, работни спорови

Screening of Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital infections among the male and female population of the Republic of Macedonia

Noninvasive urine screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infections offers a valuable public health tool, that could be of vast importance in Chlamydia control programs. The goal was to determine the prevalence of C. trachomatis infections among a sexually active population, to define the epidemiological factors associated with it, and to develop potential selective screening strategies among asymptomatic individuals in the Republic of Macedonia, using a highly sensitive and specific DNA amplification method for C. trachomatis. A total of 1435 urine samples, divided into two main groups: asymptomatic individuals (n = 1210) and symptomatic patients (n = 225), were tested. Samples from the asymptomatic group were collected during routine screening programs, while the symptomatic group consisted of patients with symptoms of urogenital tract infection, attending sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinics. The presence of C. trachomatis was determined using commercial AMPLICOR C. trachomatis Assay (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Branchburg, NJ, USA). The prevalence of C. trachomatis infections among different groups was: recruits 0%, soldiers 0.4%, policemen 3.5%, clerks 4.6%, pregnant women 4%, and students 4.4%. The average prevalence for both groups (asymptomatic and symptomatic) was 2.3%[95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-3.1%]. The average prevalence for the asymptomatic group was 1.6% (95% CI: 0.8-2.4%), while the average prevalence for the symptomatic group was 6.2% (95% CI: 3.1-9.3%) which were significantly different (P = 0.00003). Testing first void urine specimens by AMPLICOR C. trachomatis assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for diagnosing C. trachomatis infections in men and women. This method provides health care workers and public health officials with a new molecular amplification assay that uses noninvasive urine specimens for population-based screening purposes. The prevalence of C. trachomatis was relatively low among asymptomatic individuals. However, selective screening strategies are highly recommended for testing the student population in the Republic of Macedonia. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 08/2005; 19(4):427-30. • 2.69 Impact Facto

The Lectin-like Receptor KLRE1 Inhibits Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity

We report the cloning and functional characterization in the mouse and the rat of a novel natural killer (NK) cell receptor termed KLRE1. The receptor is a type II transmembrane protein with a COOH-terminal lectin-like domain, and constitutes a novel KLR family. Rat Klre1 was mapped to the NK gene complex. By Northern blot and flow cytometry using newly generated monoclonal antibodies, KLRE1 was shown to be expressed by NK cells and a subpopulation of CD3+ cells, with pronounced interstrain variation. Western blot analysis indicated that KLRE1 can be expressed on the NK cell surface as a disulphide-linked dimer. The predicted proteins do not contain immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) or a positively charged amino acid in the transmembrane domain. However, in a redirected lysis assay, the presence of whole IgG, but not of F(ab′)2 fragments of a monoclonal anti-KLRE1 antibody inhibited lysis of Fc-receptor bearing tumor target cells. Moreover, the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 was coimmunoprecipitated with KLRE1 from pervanadate-treated interleukin 2–activated NK cells. Together, our results indicate that KLRE1 may form a functional heterodimer with an as yet unidentified ITIM-bearing partner that recruits SHP-1 to generate an inhibitory receptor complex