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BARRIERS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR BLACK MINORITY ETHNIC STUDENTS
No full textThe focus of the research was aimed at examining the barriers in place for BME students within Higher Education establishments. Our literature review has discussed how Universities are striving to ensure that widening participation policies and practices benefit students in Higher Education. However, despite discussions and many debates, research has shown that widening participation is still failing to address key issues for many BME students. Connor, Tyers, Modood et al (2004) argues that there is a degree of stereotypical identification towards students from BME backgrounds some who may be attending university for the very first time. Although widening participation is essentially aimed at under-privileged groups such as individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds policies and practices are very different in reality. A review of HE and government policies and strategies revealed there is very little specific policy making or action planning taking place in relation to BME needs. The needs of BME learners are mostly rolled up into generic widening participation policies references.
A focus group study was undertaken at a higher education establishment within the UK. The study compromised of two groups of seven BME students within higher education the questions asked were placed under key headings of Widening Participation, Black Minority Ethnic Students and Lifelong Learning.
The findings revealed that there are clear issues surrounding the barriers in place for students from Black Minority Ethnic backgrounds and wishing to enter higher education. The students interviewed felt that they have a reduced opportunity of attending an old red brick university; students felt that the literature to enter university constitutes as a clear obstacle for these students particular in relation to the policies and procedures set in place. The findings further highlighted that these students struggled to understand the demands and expectations of higher education. BME students who are from low socio-economic backgrounds felt inadequate in the higher education environment particular in relation to assessment, attendance and staff, student support factors. The students interviewed felt that staffs were very dismissive of their anxieties and concerns which left them feeling isolated and wishing to leave their course. The findings of the study confirmed a number of previous studies. Although limited, the benefits of this focus group research study have highlighted key issues particularly those related to student concerns in relation to entering higher education and the barriers that they are up against. Our study have further highlighted the lack of formal support provided to BME students, the complex documentation, a clear lack of understanding and support for BME students in relation to support provided for assessments and helping these students to fully integrate within university life. Further research in this area is vital to our multicultural society as such a comparison among universities and a deeper phenomenological approach is needed to build a stronger literary contribution to this research area
Statistical agent based modelization of the phenomenon of drug abuse
No full textWe introduce a statistical agent based model to describe the phenomenon of drug abuse and its dynamical evolution at the individual and global level. The agents are heterogeneous with respect to their intrinsic inclination to drugs, to their budget attitude and social environment. The various levels of drug use were inspired by the professional description of the phenomenon and this permits a direct comparison with all available data. We show that certain elements have a great importance to start the use of drugs, for example the rare events in the personal experiences which permit to overcame the barrier of drug use occasionally. The analysis of how the system reacts to perturbations is very important to understand its key elements and it provides strategies for effective policy making. The present model represents the first step of a realistic description of this phenomenon and can be easily generalized in various directions
Britain and her Islamic Diaspora: An Historical Précis and Neoteric Ethnography of British Muslims
Get PDFPeroxisome morphology in pathology.
Get PDFPeroxisomes are remarkably dynamic and versatile organelles that are essential for human health and development. They respond to physiological changes in the cellular environment by adapting their morphology, number, enzyme content and metabolic functions accordingly. With the discovery of the first key peroxisomal morphology proteins, the investigation of peroxisomal shape, distribution and dynamics has become an exciting new field in cell biology and biomedical sciences because of its relation to organelle functionality and its impact on developmental and physiological processes. In this review, we summarize recent findings on peroxisome biology, dynamics and the modulation of peroxisome morphology, especially in mammals. Furthermore, we discuss the roles of peroxisome dynamics and morphology in cell pathology and present recent examples for alterations in peroxisome morphology under disease conditions. Besides defects in the peroxisomal morphology machinery, we also address peroxisome biogenesis disorders, alterations of peroxisome number during carcinogenesis and liver cirrhosis, and morphological alterations of peroxisomes during viral infection
An Intact Kidney Slice Model to Investigate Vasa Recta Properties and Function in situ
Get PDFBackground: Medullary blood flow is via vasa recta capillaries, which possess contractile pericytes. In vitro studies using isolated descending vasa recta show that pericytes can constrict/dilate descending vasa recta when vasoactive substances are present. We describe a live kidney slice model in which pericyte-mediated vasa recta constriction/dilation can be visualized in situ. Methods: Confocal microscopy was used to image calcein, propidium iodide and Hoechst labelling in ‘live’ kidney slices, to determine tubular and vascular cell viability and morphology. DIC video-imaging of live kidney slices was employed to investigate pericyte-mediated real-time changes in vasa recta diameter. Results: Pericytes were identified on vasa recta and their morphology and density were characterized in the medulla. Pericyte-mediated changes in vasa recta diameter (10–30%) were evoked in response to bath application of vasoactive agents (norepinephrine, endothelin-1, angiotensin-II and prostaglandin E2) or by manipulating endogenous vasoactive signalling pathways (using tyramine, L-NAME, a cyclo-oxygenase (COX-1) inhibitor indomethacin, and ATP release). Conclusions: The live kidney slice model is a valid complementary technique for investigating vasa recta function in situ and the role of pericytes as regulators of vasa recta diameter. This technique may also be useful in exploring the role of tubulovascular crosstalk in regulation of medullary blood flow
The four eponyms of sunni islamic jurisprudence: An examination of the historical development of the dominant madhâhib and the polemic of Ijtihâd versus Taqlîd
Get PDFA dynamical approach to conflict analysis
Get PDFThe Conflict Analysis approach by Hipel and Fraser (1984) is well equipped to model repeated games. Players are assumed to posses a sequential reasoning that al- lows them to ( not necessarily correctly) anticipate the reaction of other players to their strategies. An individual’s best response strategy is thus defined based on this projec- tion, adding additional stability conditions to strategic choice and increasing the set of potential equilibria beyond pure Nash equilibria. Yet, the original Conflict Analy- sis approach lacks the ability to genuinely model dynamic repeated games, in which past play defines the condition for future interactions. This article will illustrate how the original model can be adapted to include endogenous individual preferences that are defined by the strategic choice of players during past play, allowing to model the reciprocal connection between preferential change and best response play in repeated games. A dummy game serves as an exemplar and helps to visualise the results ob- tained from this extension