bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Investigations of Expression Level of Two Genes FasL and Ki-67 as Independent Prognostic Markers of Human Retinoblastoma
Authors: Kouzegaran Samaneh , Shahraki Kourosh , Makateb Ali , Shahri Farkhondeh , Hatami Negin , Behnod Vahid , Tanha Amir Saber
Published: September 2016

In this study, expression of FasL and Ki-67 messenger RNA (FasL and Ki-67 mRNA) in human retinoblastoma (HRB) was examined by the immunohistochemistry method and quantitative real-time PCR. Positive expression of Ki-67 in tumor cells was detected in 16 of 30 patients (53.33%), and only
9 (30%) of the tissues from patients with retinoblastoma showed positive staining for FasL. Our results revealed that FasL expression was significantly higher in tumor tissue with invasion compared with the noninvasion form (p = 0.033). Ki-67 expression was markedly increased
in tumor tissues with invasion compared with the noninvasion group (p = 0.04), but no significant correlation was found between FasL expression and differentiation (p > 0.05). In addition, Ki-67 expression was strongly linked to differentiation
(p < 0.002). Expression of these FasL was correlated with shorter overall survival of patients, but its expression was not significantly associated with overall survival (p = 0.15). The impact of Ki-67 expression on survival in patients was also
evaluated. Ki-67 expression level was not found to be significantly associated with shorter survival (Kaplan‐Meier; p = 0.09). Univariate analysis revealed that massive choroidal invasion was correlated with poor prognosis. Taken together, the data suggest that
massive choroidal invasion is also an important indicator of poor prognosis for HRB.
THE BINARY BLACK HOLE MODEL FOR MRK 231 BITES THE DUST
Authors: Leighly Karen M. , Terndrup Donald M. , Gallagher Sarah C. , Lucy Adrian B.
Published: September 2016

Mrk 231 is a nearby quasar with an unusually red near-UV-to-optical continuum, generally explained as heavy reddening by dust. Yan et al. proposed that Mrk 231 is a milliparsec black hole binary with little intrinsic reddening. We show that if the observed FUV continuum is intrinsic, as assumed by Yan et al., it fails by a factor of about 100 in powering the observed strength of the near-infrared emission lines and the thermal near and mid-infrared continuum. In contrast, the line and continuum strengths are typical for a reddened AGN spectral energy distribution (SED). We find that the He i*/Pβ ratio is sensitive to the SED for a one-zone model. If this sensitivity is maintained in general broadline region models, then this ratio may prove a useful diagnostic for heavily reddened quasars. Analysis of archival Hubble Space Telescope STIS and Faint Object Camera data revealed evidence that the far-UV continuum emission is resolved on size scales of ∼40 pc. The lack of broad absorption lines in the far-UV continuum might be explained if it were not coincident with the central engine. One possibility is that it is the central engine continuum reflected from the receding wind on the far side of the quasar.
MAGNETIC FIELD DISORDER AND FARADAY EFFECTS ON THE POLARIZATION OF EXTRAGALACTIC RADIO SOURCES
Authors: Lamee Mehdi , Rudnick Lawrence , Farnes Jamie S. , Carretti Ettore , Gaensler B. M. , Haverkorn Marijke , Poppi Sergio
Published: September 2016

We present a polarization catalog of 533 extragalactic radio sources that have a 2.3 GHz total intensity above 420 mJy from the S-band Polarization All Sky Survey, S-PASS, with corresponding 1.4 GHz polarization information from the NRAO VLA Sky Survey, NVSS. We studied the selection effects and found that fractional polarization, π, of radio objects at both wavelengths depends on the spectral index, the source magnetic field disorder, the source size, and depolarization. The relationship between depolarization, spectrum, and size shows that depolarization occurs primarily in the source vicinity. The median

of resolved objects in NVSS is approximately two times larger than that of unresolved sources. Sources with little depolarization are ∼2 times more polarized than both highly depolarized and re-polarized sources. This indicates that intrinsic magnetic field disorder is the dominant mechanism responsible for the observed low fractional polarization of radio sources at high frequencies. We predict that number counts from polarization surveys will be similar at 1.4 GHz and at 2.3 GHz, for fixed sensitivity, although ∼10% of all sources may currently be missing because of strong depolarization. Objects with

typically have simple Faraday structures, so they are most useful for background samples. Almost half of flat-spectrum (

) and ∼25% of steep-spectrum objects are re-polarized. Steep-spectrum, depolarized sources show a weak negative correlation of depolarization with redshift in the range 0 < z < 2.3. Previous non-detections of redshift evolution are likely due the inclusion of re-polarized sources as well.
SPECKLE IMAGING EXCLUDES LOW-MASS COMPANIONS ORBITING THE EXOPLANET HOST STAR TRAPPIST-1
Authors: Howell Steve B. , Everett Mark E. , Horch Elliott P. , Winters Jennifer G. , Hirsch Lea , Nusdeo Dan , Scott Nicholas J.
Published: September 2016

We have obtained the highest-resolution images available of TRAPPIST-1 using the Gemini-South telescope and our speckle imaging camera. Observing at 692 and 883 nm, we reached the diffraction limit of the telescope providing a best resolution of 27 mas or, at the distance of TRAPPIST-1, a spatial resolution of 0.32 au. Our imaging of the star extends from 0.32 to 14.5 au. We show that to a high confidence level, we can exclude all possible stellar and brown dwarf companions, indicating that TRAPPIST-1 is a single star.
iCollections – Digitising the British and Irish Butterflies in the Natural History Museum, London
Authors: Paterson Gordon , Albuquerque Sara , Blagoderov Vladimir , Brooks Stephen , Cafferty Steve , Cane Elisa , Carter Victoria , Chainey John , Crowther Robyn , Douglas Lyndsey , Durant Joanna , Duffell Liz , Hine Adrian , Honey Martin , Huertas Blanca , Howard Theresa , Huxley Rob , Kitching Ian , Ledger Sophie , McLaughlin Caitlin , Martin Geoff , Mazzetta Gerardo , Penn Malcolm , Perera Jasmin , Sadka Mike , Scialabba Elisabetta , Self Angela , Siebert Darrell , Sleep Chris , Toloni Flavia , Wing Peter
Published: September 2016

The Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK) has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its collections . The first phase of this programme has been to undertake a series of pilot projects that will develop the necessary workflows and infrastructure development needed to support mass digitisation of very large scientific collections. This paper presents the results of one of the pilot projects – iCollections. This project digitised all the lepidopteran specimens usually considered as butterflies, 181,545 specimens representing 89 species from the British Isles and Ireland. The data digitised includes, species name, georeferenced location, collector and collection date - the what, where, who and when of specimen data. In addition, a digital image of each specimen was taken. This paper explains the way the data were obtained and the background to the collections which made up the project.

Specimen-level data associated with British and Irish butterfly specimens have not been available before and the iCollections project has released this valuable resource through the NHM data portal.
Cystic Fibrosis–Related Diabetes in Children: An Update
Authors: Kim Roy J.
Published: September 2016

Cystic fibrosis–related diabetes mellitus (CFRD) is the most common endocrine complication of cystic fibrosis (CF), affecting more than 50% of patients by the 4th decade of life. CFRD is often preceded by worsening pulmonary status and nutritional decline. Treatment of CFRD is associated with improvements in body weight and pulmonary function and a reduction in pulmonary exacerbations. Because of the clinical significance of CFRD, diabetes screening with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is recommended annually for all patients with CF starting at age 10 years. The OGTT detects CFRD with greater sensitivity than random glucose or hemoglobin A1c testing. The first-line treatment for CFRD is insulin. The use of other treatments such as oral medications remains under study.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2016;45(9):e321–e326.]
The Prepubertal Boy: Common Genital Anomalies
Authors: Merens Teri A.
Published: September 2016

The examination of the newborn is one of the most common yet crucial tasks performed by the pediatrician. The initial hospital visit (immediately after the birth), with the confirmation that an infant is healthy, often sets the tone for the future relationship between the physician and the family. Many routine visits during the first few years also find the parents looking for the same reassurance from their doctor. However, when there is concern for the health of the newborn, toddler, or young child, the physician must balance appropriate medical intervention with words of comfort and consolation. This article delineates the need for when more immediate attention is warranted from those situations where watchful waiting can be advised, with specific attention to the male genitalia of the prepubertal boy.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2016;45(9):e311–e313.]
Habitat Suitability Modeling of the Federally Endangered Poweshiek Skipperling in Michigan
Authors: Pogue Clint D. , Monfils Michael J. , Cuthrell David L. , Heumann Benjamin W. , Monfils Anna K.
Published: September 2016

The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is a historically common prairie butterfly with a range extending throughout the mesic prairies and prairie fens of the upper Midwestern United States and southern Manitoba, Canada. Rapid, range-wide declines have reduced the number of verified Poweshiek skipperling locations to seven, four of which occur in Michigan. To assist with monitoring and, ultimately, conservation efforts, we developed a habitat model using the software Maxent with ecological and geographical factors. Using a lowest-presence threshold methodology, our habitat suitability model indicated potentially high suitability in 26 of 138 prairie fens with no documentation of Poweshiek skipperling occurrence. The strongest predictors of suitable habitat in our model were prairie fen area and surrounding natural land cover. Wildlife managers can use results from this analysis to expand monitoring to include sites with suitable habitat where Poweshiek skipperling are not currently documented, in addition to identifying potential introduction sites.
Mast Cell Degranulation Is Accompanied by the Release of a Selective Subset of Extracellular Vesicles That Contain Mast Cell–Specific Proteases
Authors: Groot Kormelink Tom , Arkesteijn Ger J. A. , van de Lest Chris H. A. , Geerts Willie J. C. , Goerdayal Soenita S. , Altelaar Maarten A. F. , Redegeld Frank A. , Nolte-’t Hoen Esther N. M. , Wauben Marca H. M.
Published: September 2016

Mast cells (MC) are well known for their effector role in allergic disorders; moreover, they are associated with diverse modulatory effects in innate and adaptive immunity. It is largely unclear how MC exert these modulating functions. In this article, we show that IgE-mediated MC degranulation leads to a rapid release of high quantities of extracellular vesicles (EV), comparable to the release of preformed mediators. EV are submicron structures composed of lipid bilayers, proteins, and nucleic acids that are released by cells in a regulated fashion and are involved in intercellular communication. Primary murine mucosal-type MC and connective tissue–type MC released phenotypically different EV populations depending on the stimulus they received. Although unstimulated MC constitutively released CD9+ EV, degranulation was accompanied by the release of CD63+ EV, which correlated with release of the soluble mediator β-hexosaminidase. This CD63+ EV subset was smaller and exhibited a higher buoyant density and distinct phospholipid composition compared with CD9+ EV. Marked differences were observed for phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid, and bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate species. Strikingly, proteomic analysis of CD63+ EV from connective tissue–type MC unveiled an abundance of MC-specific proteases. With regard to carboxypeptidase A3, it was confirmed that the enzyme was EV associated and biologically active. Our data demonstrate that, depending on their activation status, MC release distinct EV subsets that differ in composition and protease activity and are indicative of differential immunological functions. Concerning the strategic tissue distribution of MC and the presence of degranulated MC in various (allergic) disorders, MC-derived EV should be considered potentially important immune regulators.
Siglec-E Negatively Regulates the Activation of TLR4 by Controlling Its Endocytosis
Authors: Wu Yin , Ren Dongren , Chen Guo-Yun
Published: September 2016

TLR4 signaling is critical for providing effective immune protection, but it must be tightly controlled to avoid inflammation-induced pathology. Previously, we reported extensive and direct interactions between TLR and Siglec families of pattern recognition receptors. In this study, we examined the biological significance of this interaction during infection. We show that Siglec-E is required for Escherichia coli–induced endocytosis of TLR4. Siglec-E–deficient dendritic cells infected with E. coli fail to internalize TLR4. This leads to sustained TLR4 on the cell surface and activation of NF-κB and MAPK p38, resulting in high levels of TNF-α and IL-6 compared with wild-type dendritic cells. In contrast to the signaling events occurring at the plasma membrane, as a result of the inability to internalize TLR4, Siglec-E–deficient dendritic cells were also defective for TRIF-mediated IFN-β production in response to E. coli infection. Furthermore, we found that accumulation of ubiquitinated TLR4 and binding of E3 ubiquitin ligase Triad3A to TLR4 was increased significantly in bone marrow–derived dendritic cells from wild-type mice, but not from Siglec-E–deficient mice, after E. coli infection. This represents a newly discovered mechanism that regulates the signaling of TLR4 during E. coli infection.
The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and
Authors: Van Zyl Erna
Published: September 2016

The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and performance in Home Language and Numeracy in Grade 1, and performance in the same learning areas in Grade 4 were investigated by means of a longitudinal quantitative study. One school in the Free State province was purposefully selected. The Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB) was implemented to capture school readiness, including school maturity and levels of development in physical, cognitive, emotional, social and normative domains. Results confirm that school readiness significantly correlated with academic performance of the respondents in Grade 1 as well as with their school performance in Grade 4.
Preparing teachers for HIV/AIDS education: integrated and interdisciplinary pre-service teacher education
Authors: Van Laren Linda
Published: September 2016

This article focuses on the views of pre-service teachers regarding an appropriate model for integrating HIV/AIDS education at a Faculty of Education. The final-year foundation and intermediate phase teachers were introduced to integrating HIV/AIDS education in Mathematics education and reflected on their four years of training. By using self-study methodology, the opinions and experiences of pre-service teachers of the two models of HIV/AIDS education in teacher preparation were explored, aiming to improve the manner in which pre-service teachers could be prepared to teach in the social and educational context of HIV/AIDS. The pre-service teachers indicated that they are under-prepared to teach in this context. Pre-service teachers were of the opinion that they could, however, be better prepared through HIV/AIDS teacher education that includes both discipline/subject and integrated models of teacher education
Foundation phase teacher provision by public higher education institutions in South Africa
Authors: Green Whitfield
Published: September 2016

The study reported in this paper investigated foundation phase teacher provision by the public universities in South Africa, with a view to carefully and accurately determine the extent to which foundation phase teacher provision matched national as well as provincial needs. The study draws on data obtained through a survey of teacher provision at the public higher education institutions (HEIs), conducted by the national Department of Education (DoE) in 2009, as well as from data relating to teacher education qualifications and programmes in the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS).The study confirmed perceptions that the number of new foundation phase teachers being produced by the public higher education institutions (HEIs) falls short of national and provincial needs, and that the provision of African language foundation phase teachers is particularly problematic, especially in the context of mother-tongue instruction in the early years.
Move to literacy: fanning emergent literacy in early childhood education in a
Authors: Excell Lorayne
Published: September 2016

A literate child is one who is able to read, write, speak and listen. Literacy begins at birth, and continues steadily as children develop. The explicit processes that form emergent literacy are for example, phonemic awareness, letter and word recognition,vocabulary enrichment and structural analysis. These literacy practices are well documented and articulated. But how these practices and the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values (KSAVs) that underpin them are best acquired by young childrenis contested. This paper argues that an early childhood education (ECE) approach, which fans literacy, should follow a quality play-based approach that embraces a pedagogy of play that foregrounds how children learn through play, and how teachers teach through play. In combining two constructs ‘pedagogy’ and ‘play’, we propose an approach that is underpinned by movement and other appropriate learning activities, which support the development of perceptual-motor behaviours and sensorimotor integration in a pedagogy of play. We argue that perceptual-motor behaviours and sensorimotor integration are the ‘invisible’ pathways to literacy. They provide young children with many and varied, incidental, implicit and explicit learning opportunities. A more informal, play-based approach towards teaching and learning appears to be a successful way of nurturing literacy processes.
Learning and teaching natural science in the early years: A case study of three different contexts
Authors: James Angela
Published: September 2016

Currently many children in early childhood education cannot be accommodated in provincial department schools. Consequently, different non-governmental institutions offer Grade R programmes in an attempt to support the DBE. Pre-primary schools that traditionally took responsibility for early childhood education also offer Grade R education. The recent policy decision to include Grade R in the primary school is an innovation, which is still in its infancy. It is against this background that the national South African Curriculum (NCS) has to be implemented. This paper focuses on the teaching of natural science in Grade R and attempts to determine if the teaching and learning of natural science has different outcomes in the different contexts described above. An oral questionnaire was administered to capture children’s understanding of natural science phenomena, while interviews provided data with regard to teachers’ understanding of natural science in the foundation phase. The results show that there are differences in children’s understanding of natural phenomena in the different contexts and these differences are related to teachers’ understanding of the curriculum, as well as their views of the nature of science.
Challenges facing the early childhood development sector in South Africa
Authors: Atmore Eric
Published: September 2016

In this review article, the context of young children in South Africa in 2012 is described and the main challenges affecting children and the early childhood development sector (ECD) in South Africa are investigated. A situation analysis of ECD in South Africa was undertaken using South African government ECD policy and programme implementation reports. There has been progress since 1994, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The number of children in Grade R has trebled since 2001, government education and social development budgets have increased substantially and 58% of children at ECD centres nationally are now subsidised. More children are in provision and in better quality provision than before. However, much still remains to be done before we can say with confidence that the needs of our youngest children are being met. This study identifies infrastructure, nutrition, ECD programmes, teacher training, institutional capacity and funding as the major gaps in ECD provision.
Methodology and theory in a rural ECD research project: Capturing Mogwase in ‘becoming’
Authors: Van der Vyver Sonja
Published: September 2016

Conducting research on early education development at rural sites in South Africa is challenging. This is partly because it is difficult to capture the vast array of factors that impact on the lives of people in rural communities. In this article the author reports on some of the difficulties, showing how cultural historical and activity theory (CHAT) can be used as a lens in a participatory action research (PAR) project. The author argues that far from being a negative by-product of development, tension, if managed effectively, could be harnessed as a powerful driving force of change and transformation. The article shows what a daunting task it can be for a researcher to make sense of such a process of transformation, especially amidst the seeming chaos of conflicting voices, dichotomous forces and strong interactions active between the people and aspects within such a situation. Referring to a recently completed study in a rural settlement community, the article concludes that the use of a theoretical framework, such as CHAT, as a heuristic tool, could be valuable in helping researchers make sense of the often complex dynamics of early childhood education development within the specific context of rural community life.
Cracking the Vocabulary Code in Mathematics in the Foundation Phase
Authors: Nel Carisma
Published: September 2016

To children going to school for the first time, the symbols and the vocabulary of mathematics can resemble a foreign language with its seemingly cryptic symbols and unknown terminology. This is a challenge to foundation phase learners’ ability to read, write, and communicate clearly. It might be that problems of vocabulary are considered to be fairly superficial within the whole issue of language and mathematics learning, but it is nevertheless critical that such problems are not ignored in the hope that they will go away. Teachers must be purposeful in constructing learning experiences that direct learners’ attention to specific words and their meaning. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of including mathematics vocabulary code cracking as part of the pedagogical content knowledge, specifically the subdomains of knowledge of content and students, and knowledge of content and teaching, which should be addressed within foundation phase teacher preparation programmes.
Reading in Two Languages: Evidence from Miscue Analysis
Authors: Ramadiro Brian
Published: September 2016

This paper reports on the oral reading of five grade 2 to 6 isiXhosa (L1) speakers reading isiXhosa (L1) and English (L2) texts. It examines the readers’ oral reading miscues (or errors) to understand the extent to which these miscues constitute a language or a literacy problem in this group of readers. Conclusions are that (a) these readers read better in isiXhosa than in English; (b) they are not reading as well as they could be reading in isiXhosa; (c) isiXhosa reading difficulties appear to be related to poor teaching of literacy; (d) while English reading difficulties appear to be related to both poor teaching of literacy and to low levels of language proficiency in English, this is related to classroom practices but is also independent of it.
Self-Esteem Among Children in Grade R in an Urban South African School
Authors: Keller Anita , Bergman Manfred Max
Published: September 2016

This paper presents the first assessment of the Behavioural Rating Scale of Presented Self-Esteem (Haltiwanger, 1989) in South Africa. The analyses are based on teachers’ evaluation of self-esteem of 57 young isiZulu and Sesotho-speaking children attending a South African government-funded urban primary school. Although we found Cronbach’s Alpha to be very high (α = .96), an exploratory factor analysis revealed a possible two-factor solution. However, the second factor did not match the two-factor solution reported in previous research (Fuchs-Beauchamp, 1996) and explained only a small amount of total variance. No self-esteem differences were detected between boys and girls, or between isiZulu- and Sesotho-speakers. The association between subjective summary ratings of self-esteem by teachers and the PSE scores in Soweto matches the associations measured in the US by Haltiwanger (1989). Interestingly, teachers’ subjective assessment of children’s future leadership status correlated positively with evaluation of the children’s self-esteem, while teachers’ subjective assessment of being burdened by major problems in the children’s future did not. Measurement issues relating to ecological validity, culture-sensitivity, and subsequent work on self-esteem of children and education in South Africa are discussed.
Natural differentiation in the teaching of mathematics to children starting school
Authors: Scherer Petra
Published: September 2016

This article presents a number of carefully selected activities for the mathematics classroom in the early grades. The motivation for their selection is the development of concepts rather than the learning of the procedural skills of arithmetic. As the teacher is faced with a great heterogeneity of children starting school, the concrete learning environment should fulfil several requirements. On the one hand, the environment has to represent core mathematical principles, and, on the other hand, they have to be suitable for all learners in an inclusive classroom. The concrete formats themselves serve a specific conceptual purpose, while, at the same time, addressing, in an integrated way, the needs of a variety of learners with different levels of competence.
Forging a research community of practice to find out how South African children make their world mathematical
Authors: Henning Elizabeth
Published: September 2016

In a search for ways to capture foundation phase children’s competence in mathematics, a small research team was put together at a South African university four years ago. At first, working only in a single school where the objective was to model 80 learners’ growth in competence over four years, the team transformed into a very different entity. This article narrates the founding and development of a community of research practice, which eventually included undergraduate- and postgraduate students, researchers from institutions in Germany, Switzerland and South Africa, teachers at local schools close to the university, and an educational research and survey company. Supported by funding from four different sources, the project is fairly close to reaching the goal of delivering a standardised mathematics competence test for 4-8 year-olds, which is a first of its kind for the country where educational measurement seems to be at a crossroads. In the story line of this community of practice, it is evident that progress can be assessed best by the learning that has been taking place in a community with a notable diversity of people and interests, but with the shared goal of investigating children’s mathematical behaviour on a measure that can be trusted.
A learning pathway for whole numbers that informs mathematics teaching in the early years
Authors: Kuhne Cally
Published: September 2016

This paper reports on the development of a Learning Pathway for Number (LPN) with the aim of facilitating the teaching and learning of whole number in the early primary grades (Grades R – 4) within the South African educational context. The development of the LPN was based on the Dutch Learning/Teaching Trajectory for Whole Number (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, 2001). This paper describes a case study that presents the development of the LPN with three teacher groups (teachers from a school improvement project, teachers from high-performing schools and pre-service student teachers). The LPN is a conceptual framework based on five learning/teaching principles, namely the context, level, activity, interaction and the guidance principles. The benefit of this pedagogic tool adapted and refined for the South African context is that it provides a longitudinal view, highlighting milestones in the learning of number with the aim of deepening learners’ conceptual understanding of number over time. This case study reveals the importance of a devise that enables teachers to reflect on their mathematics content and pedagogy and bridges the theory-practice divide. It also highlights the critical issue of language and the use of appropriate terminology and activities in the classroom.
Childhood education student teachers responses to a simulation game on food security
Authors: Petersen Nadine Felicity
Published: September 2016

This paper provides an account of student teachers responses to a simulation game about food scarcity and how the game served as a conversation starter about the influence of food scarcity on educational provisioning. The simulation game was utilised as part of a suite of activities during an educational excursion for first years in primary school teacher education. In this investigation data were generated via video recordings of the simulation game itself, summary notes of the key points of the discussion session during the game, and students’ learning portfolios. Analysis of the various data sets indicate that student-teachers’ engaged with the game both viscerally and cerebrally, with the game providing a powerful concrete introduction to the issues of food scarcity and unequal distribution of resources. Most student teachers were able to relate the lessons learned from the game to the classroom and educational situation. In addition, I found that the simulation game as method can assist students in their activity of learning to look at education as an equity and justice issue.
The use of workbooks in South African grade 3 mathematics classrooms
Authors: Mdluli Manono
Published: September 2016

The poor performance of South African learners on national and international benchmark tests in mathematics and literacy has prompted the South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) to devise intervention strategies, one of which is the provision of workbooks for learners. This paper is based on a case study of six Grade 3 teachers’ use of DBE workbooks. Data from classroom observations and interviews are reported and analyzed in relation to literature on mathematical and pedagogical resources. The key finding is that teachers use the workbooks in disparate ways as a resource and that the majority of the teachers in the case study use the workbooks in ways that do not resonate with the DBE’s intentions. We argue that the provision of resources alone may not lead to improved teaching and learning in primary school mathematics classrooms and that pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes need to include a focus on how resources such as workbooks can be utilized optimally
Problematizing the concept ‘epistemological access’: A review of literature
Authors: Du Plooy Lucinda
Published: September 2016

<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;" lang="EN-GB">This paper provides a review of literature which aims at problematizing the concept ‘epistemological access”, a fairly under-researched topic in South African education. Morrow’s distinction between formal access (institutional access) and epistemological access (access to the goods distributed by the institution) is used as a conceptual framework. We argue that the meaning of the concept ‘epistemological access’ as Morrow intended <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">was borne out of a particular political need that arose in higher education; the need to democratize access to higher education. The dearth of literature on the concept “epistemological access” and its meaning for access to basic education, especially foundation phase schooling, therefore warranted this literature review.
Rethinking early school transitions as social transactions
Authors: Eloff Irma , Nieuwenhuys Elaney , Moen Melanie
Published: September 2016

The purpose of the study was to explore, describe and explain the transitions of individuals within a twinship from Grade R through to Grade 2, and to offer an in-depth description of their transition experiences and perspectives. The overall transitions were investigated and variables such as stress, stressors, emotions, coping and life skills were included. A case study research design was used and the research was conducted from an interpretivist and social constructivist point of view. The primary participants were two monozygotic boys within a twinship, their mother, their Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers. The findings suggest, that the transition was predominantly uncomplicated from Grade R through to Grade 2, and secondly, that the transition to Grade 2, was more stressful than their transition to Grade 1. The findings also indicated that although the life skills that were taught by the researchers helped them to cope with negative stressors, their overall support structures were probably the most important factors in easing their transitions from Grade R through to Grade 2. The life skills learned, mostly helped the two children to deal effectively with bullies, to contract and maintain satisfying friendships, and to control their personal emotions.
The school readiness performance of a group of Grade R learners in primary schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa
Authors: Janse van Rensburg Ona
Published: September 2016

Grade R is the year before learners in South Africa start formal schooling and has been part of the General Education Training Band (GET) since 1998. New efforts are being made to enable all five- to six-year-olds to attend a Grade R class. The nine provinces of South Africa approach this problem in different ways. Some of them, like Gauteng, try to establish Grade R classes at primary schools, but in the process seem to appoint many teachers with only minimum qualifications. This article reports on research requested by the Gauteng Department of Education about the school readiness of Grade R learners. The school readiness performance of 114 Grade R learners was measured by means of a standardized school readiness test. The results confirmed the worst fears of department officials: most of the participants were not school ready after attending a year in a Grade R class. The article concludes with some recommendations, among others that attention should be given to the qualifications of teachers and that parents should become more involved.
Assessment literacy of foundation phase teachers: An exploratory study
Authors: Kanjee Anil , Mthembu Jane
Published: September 2016

This study explores foundation phase teachers’ assessment literacy, and their understanding and use of formative and summative assessment. Using questionnaires, observations and interviews, data were obtained from Grade 1, 2 and 3 teachers from a school each in quintile 2, 3 and 5. Teachers from all three schools demonstrated equally low levels of assessment literacy. While understanding of summative assessment was noticeably higher, all teachers demonstrated very poor understanding of formative assessment. Notwithstanding the small sample size, the study highlights the need for professional development programmes to focus on enhancing teachers’ assessment literacy. It also calls for additional research on a conceptualisation of assessment literacy that is relevant to South African teachers, and for determining the impact of concepts and practices advocated in the national assessment and curriculum policies on teachers’ use of assessment to address the learning needs of all learners across schools in the different quintile categories.
Exploring the complexities of describing foundation phase teachers’ professional knowledge base
Authors: Bertram Carol , Christiansen Iben , Mukeredzi Tabitha
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this paper is to engage with the complexities of describing teachers’ professional knowledge and eventually also their learning through written tests. The bigger research aim is to describe what knowledge foundation phase teachers acquired during their two years of study towards the Advanced Certificate of Teaching (ACT). We designed a written test to investigate the professional knowledge that teachers bring with them when they enrol for the ACT, with the aim of comparing their responses to the same test two years later, when they had completed the programme. The questionnaire included questions on teachers’ content knowledge; their pedagogical content knowledge (in particular, teachers’ knowledge about learner misconceptions, stages of learning, and ways of engaging these in making teaching decisions); and their personal knowledge (such as their beliefs about how children learn and barriers to learning). It spanned the fields of literacy in English and isiZulu, numeracy, and general pedagogy. Eighty-six foundation phase teachers enrolled for the ACT at the University of KwaZulu-Natal completed the questionnaire, and their responses pointed us to further methodological issues. We discuss the assumptions behind the design of the test/questionnaire, the difficulties in formulating relevant questions, and the problems of ‘accessing’ specific elements of teacher knowledge through this type of instrument. Our process shows the difficulties both in constructing questions and in coding the responses, in particular concerning the pedagogical content knowledge component for teachers from Grade R to Grade 3.
Can pre-grade R be the stepping stone to social equality in South Africa
Authors: Kotze Janeli
Published: September 2016

Investment in Early Childhood Development (ECD) has the prospect of cultivating potential within individuals and can assist in bridging the social equity gap from a very young age. Over the past decade Grade R has been the strongest policy lever used by the Department of Basic Education to improve early learning. The National Development Plan calls for universal access to two years of early childhood development prior to entering Grade 1. This paper explores the merits of this proposal, given the specific South African context. More specifically, this analysis intents to bring new information to bear on three matters. The first relates to the demand-side and aims to identify participation trends among four and five year olds. The second objective is to consider the supply-side and aims to understand the policy space in which pre-Grade R will function, the quality and quantity of infrastructure already in place, and the expertise of ECD practitioners. The final question considers the implementation of a universally accessible pre-Grade R within a constrained system and the requirements to ensure that it will have a significant impact on those children most in need.
What the Annual National Assessments can tell us about learning deficits over the education system and the school career
Authors: Van der Berg Servaas
Published: September 2016

Much hope is placed on education systems to reduce socioeconomic learning gaps. But in South Africa, uneven functioning of the school system widens learning gaps.
This paper analyses education performance using ANA data. Weak calibration and inter-temporal or inter-grade comparability of ANA test scores limit their usefulness for measuring learning gains. However, relative performance provides meaningful information on learning gaps and deficits. A reference group that is roughly on track to achieve the TIMSS average is used to estimate the performance required in each grade to perform at TIMSS’ low international benchmark.
By Grade 4, patterns across quintiles of on track performance approximate matric exemption patterns. Viewed differently, academic and labour market prospects may be bleak for children who are no longer on track. Improvement in outcomes requires greater emphasis on the Foundation Phase or earlier, before learning deficits have grown to extreme levels observed by the middle of primary school. This statement is true whether deficits arise from weak early instruction, or simply because a disadvantaged home environment requires early remedial action. The emphasis on the early grades that this analysis of the ANAS suggests to is contrary to the conclusions drawn from the ANA results by policy makers, that weak test scores in Mathematics in Grade 9 require major interventions in that grade.
Quantification of telomerase activity in normal oral mucosal tissue and oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Rai Arpita , Naikmasur Venkatesh G , Sattur Atul
Published: September 2016

Background and Objective: The role of telomeres and telomerase in oral cancer is an area of much recent interest. The understanding of the role of telomere biology, the end replication problem leading to genomic instability and the reactivation of telomerase, is absolutely critical to our understanding of oral cancer, and more so, to our ability of early diagnosis and developing novel therapies and cancer prevention approaches. The aim of the present study was to quantify telomerase activity (TA) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and normal oral mucosa and assess the role of telomerase as diagnostic and prognostic marker of oral malignancy. Materials and Methods: We quantified TA in 45 patients with OSCC and 20 normal oral mucosal specimens using polymerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay and compared it with the clinical status and grade of malignancy. Results: TA was detected in 89% of malignant and 5% of normal oral mucosal tissue. The TA levels ranged from 0.28 to 6.91 (mean 2.05, standard deviation [SD] 1.33) in OSCC and 0.21 to 1.09 (mean 0.54, SD 0.27) in normal oral mucosa. There was no relationship between TA levels and clinical stages, site of the lesion, history of adverse habits, or sex of the patient. However, under the WHO classification, there were significant differences P < 0.00) between Grades I, II, and III. Furthermore, increasing age of the patient significantly correlated with TA. Interpretation and Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that activation of TA is frequent in OSCC. Statistically significant difference in quantified telomerase levels of OSCC and normal oral mucosa P < 0.00) demonstrates the significant clinical usefulness of telomerase activation as a valuable marker for diagnosis while significant correlation of TA with grades of malignancy indicates its effectiveness as marker for prognosis of OSCC.
HIV-associated hematologic malignancies: Experience from a Tertiary Cancer Center in India
Authors: Reddy Rakesh , Gogia Ajay , Kumar Lalit , Sharma Atul , Bakhshi Sameer , Sharma Mehar C , Mallick Saumyaranjan , Sahoo Ranjit
Published: September 2016

Context and Aim: Data on HIV associated hematologic malignancies is sparse from India. This study attempts to analyze the spectrum and features of this disease at a tertiary cancer center in India. Setting and Methods: Retrospective study from case records of patients registered with a diagnosis of hematologic malignancy and HIV infection between January 2010 and June 2015. Results: Thirteen cases of HIV associated hematologic malignancies were identified, six of them pediatric. HIV diagnosis was concurrent to diagnosis of cancer in 12 and preceded it in one of them. ECOG PS at presentation was >1 in all of them. All patients, except one, had B symptoms. Six of the patients had bulky disease and six are stage 4. Predominant extranodal disease was seen in 67% of them. NHL accounted for 10 of 13 patients and DLBCL-Germinal center was the most common subtype. Mean CD4+ cell count was 235/μL (range, 32-494). HAART could be given along with chemotherapy to 11 patients. Two-thirds of patients received standard doses of therapy. Chemo-toxicity required hospitalization in 58%. CR was achieved in 45% and 36% had progressive disease with first-line therapy. At the time of last follow up, 3 patients were alive with responsive disease, 2 in CR and 1 in PR. None of the pediatric patients were long time responders. Conclusions: These malignancies were of advanced stage and higher grade. Goal of therapy, in the HAART era, is curative. Pediatric patients had dismal outcome despite good chemotherapy and HAART. There is an urgent need to improve data collection for HIV related cancers in India.
Early integration of palliative medicine into emergency care: Is it a feasible option
Authors: Atreya Shrikant
Published: September 2016

Patients with advanced malignancy often experience symptoms of disease and treatment that contribute to distress and diminish their quality of life. Most of these patients present to the emergency department thus raising its importance in providing such care especially at the end of life situation. An approach that is aimed at controlling these symptoms, whether or not undergoing curative therapy, is a key feature of high-quality patient-centered care. This paper explores the potential role of palliative medicine in the emergency room and how early integration with emergency care can help improve the quality of life of patients and thus achieve better outcomes.
Capturing nonclassical shocks in nonlinear elastodynamic with a conservative finite volume scheme
Authors: Aguillon Nina
Published: September 2016

For a model of nonlinear elastodynamics, we construct a finite volume scheme which is able to capture nonclassical shocks (also called undercompressive shocks). Those shocks verify an entropy inequality but are not admissible in the sense of Liu. They verify a kinetic relation which describes the jump, and keeps an information on the equilibrium between a vanishing dispersion and a vanishing diffusion. The scheme presented here is by construction exact when the initial data is an isolated nonclassical shock. In general, it does not introduce any diffusion near shocks, and hence nonclassical solutions are correctly approximated. The method is fully conservative and does not use any shock-tracking mesh. This approach is tested and validated on several test cases. In particular, as the nonclassical shocks are not diffused at all, it is possible to obtain large time asymptotics.
Stability of equilibria of a two-phase Stokes-osmosis problem
Authors: Lippoth Friedrich , Prokert Georg
Published: September 2016

Within the framework of variational modelling we derive a two-phase moving boundary problem that describes the motion of a semipermeable membrane separating two viscous liquids in a fixed container. The model includes the effects of osmotic pressure and surface tension of the membrane. For this problem we prove that the manifold of steady states is locally exponentially attractive.