Integration of Information Technology in Science Education at Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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Use of mealtime advice mats in special schools for children with learning disabilities

Aim Eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties can have serious outcomes for children and adults with learning disabilities. Carers must adhere to management guidelines about mealtime support, and multidisciplinary teams must ensure this happens. A one-page point of care tool summarising the guidelines for a specific client, sometimes termed a ‘mealtime advice mat’ (MAM), is one method. The aim of this study was to determine whether MAMs are used in special schools, gain an understanding of their format and use and identify other methods of supporting adherence such as training. Methods Questionnaires were given to 14 speech and language therapists (SLTs) who work in special schools, and 13 members of staff of one London special school. Results The results suggest that SLTs use MAMS as common practice, and that there is agreement on their content and format, but not on the name of the resource. School staff also use this type of tool, but not directly at mealtimes. Conclusion Written, simplified guidelines to support children at mealtimes are used in special schools, however, although they contain similar information they vary in title and the way they are used. MAMs are simple and potentially cost-effective point-of-care tools that can reinforce eating and drinking guidelines, and can be used to measure adherence. Ensuring they are understood by and useful to carers requires further investigation

Estimation of Heterosis and Heterobeltiosis in F1 Hybrids of Upland Cotton

The present study was performed to evaluate the expression per se performance and heterosis effect for quantitative traits of 12hybrid involving seven varieties as testers in line x tester analysis. Experiment was grown under field conditions during 2012-2013 at experimental farm of Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tando Jam. It is noticed that the crosses involving genotypes Chandi-95, Bt-703, Bt-802 and Sadori exhibited higher performance mean and positive heterosis over mid parent and better parent heterosis for yield contributing characters like for plant height, sympodial branches, boll weight, bolls per plant and seedcotton well . Therefore transgressive F1 hybrids and heterosis can be exploited to create genetic variability followed by the selection of high yielding genotypes of cotton and establish lines with superior features and improved through subsidiaries to bring income seedcotton, however, segregating generations the degree of heterosis is a key factor for use Keywords: Cotton, Heterosis, Heterobeltiosis, Line x tester analysi

Association of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

Aim: To observe the frequency of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its association with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection. Setting: This study included consecutive cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi in the period of two years (1996-97). Methods: These tumors were initially evaluated on H&E stained sections. The tumors showing evidence of keratinization were excluded from the study. The Epstein Barr Virus was detected with the help of Polymerase chain reaction in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections. Results: During the study period, seventeen cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were diagnosed which comprised 0.3% of all malignant tumors. The age ranged from 5 years to 70 years with male to female ratio of 2.4:1. The NPC was more prevalent in adults (71%) as compared to children (29%) under 15 years. Six cases (35%) exhibited positive signal for Epstein Barr Virus. Conclusion: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an infrequent tumor. The prevalence of Epstein Barr virus infection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma is quite low as compared to other regions of the world

Morphological pattern and frequency of thyroid tumors

Objective: The present study was done to evaluate the frequency of thyroid cancer and to find out the prevalence of histological types of thyroid tumor with respect to age and sex group.Setting: This study included consecutive cases of malignant tumors of thyroid gland, which were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during the period of three years (1995-1997).Methods: These cases were evaluated on H & E stained sections from paraffin embedded 10% buffered formalin fixed tissue blocks. Special stains and immunohistochemical analysis were performed whenever required.Results: A total of 8541 malignant tumors were diagnosed in a period of 3 years which included 103 (1.2%) cases of thyroid cancer. Thyroid tumors were more prevalent in females with female to male ratio of 2.6:1. Papillary carcinoma (69%) was the most common histological type of thyroid tumors, followed by follicular carcinoma (11.6%), medullary carcinoma (9.7%), anaplastic carcinoma (5.9%), non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma (2.9%) and unclassified tumors (0.9%) in order of frequency.Conclusion: Thyroid cancer was more common in females. Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type of thyroid tumors in females as well as in males. Papillary carcinoma was more prevalent in third, fourth and fifth decades of life while follicular and anaplastic carcinomas were more frequent after the fourth decade of life

p53 and PCNA expression in benign, atypical and malignant meningiomas

Objective: Alterations: p53 genes are turning out to be the most common genetic alterations in human cancers. Due to long half-life of mutated p53, its detection is possible by immunohistochemistry. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is expressed by dividing cells, hence has been shown to correlate with prognosis. We have used monoclonal antibodies protein DO-7 (p53) and PC10 (PCNA) to see whether their expression correlates with histological grading in meningethelial tumour.Material and Methods: a Twenty nine meningiomas (20 benign, 7 atypical and 2 malignant) were selected from the records of our laboratory. p53 and PCNA expression was sought by immunohistochemistry using Peroxidase Anti Peroxidase (PAP) technique.Results: Four benign and 2 atypical meningiomas showed weak staining for p53. Both malignant meningiomas showed strong positivity for p53. Six benign meningiomas had less than 5% PCNA positivity, one 10% positivity and three showed 20% positivity. PCNA positivity ranged for 10-80% in atypical meningiomas. In two malignant meningiomas PCNA positivity was 70% and 90%.Conclusion: It is worthwhile to include p53 and PCNA expression along with histologic assessment in predicting outcome of meningiomas. A larger series with complete follow-up is essential in assessing value of these markers which unfortunately remains a dream in our country

Clinico-morphological pattern of intracranial tumors in children

Objective: The objective of present study was to observe the histopathological pattern of intracranial tumors in children (\u3c 15 yrs) and to correlate the site of lesion along with the histological diagnosis. Setting: The study included consecutive cases of intracranial tumors diagnosed in children (\u3c 15 yrs.) in the section of histopathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during the period of three years. Methods:The initial histological evaluation of these lesions was performed on H and E stained section of paraffin embedded tissue. Special stains and immunohistochemical analysis was done whenever indicated. Results:During the study period, fifty-four cases of intracranial tumors were diagnosed in children. The age ranged from 1-1/2 years to 4 years with male to female ratio of 1.1:1. Astrocytoma comprised 39% of all intracranial tumors of childhood. Medulloblastoma (18.6%) ranked the second most prevalent brain tumor followed by empendymoma (13%), oligodendroglioma 7.5% while non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma, primitive neuroblastoma 3.7% and ganglioglioma 3.7% while non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumors, mixed germ cell tumor, pineoblastoma, choroid plexus carcinoma and malignant meningioma constituted 1.8% each. Conculsion: Astrocytoma was the most common pediatric brain tumor. Medulloblastoma was more common in males while pilocytic astrocytoma was more frequent in females. Posterior cranial fossa was the most common site (43.5%) of pediatric brain tumors. Low grade astrocytoma was more prevalent in posterior cranial fossa as compared to high grade astrocytoma which was more frequent in the supratentorial region