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The ubiquity of using Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) in higher education is inherently controversial. Issues mostly resolve around whether the instrument is reliable and valid for the purpose for which it was intended. Controversies exist, in part, due to the lack of a theoretical framework upon which SETs can be based and tested for their content validity. In this paper, based on Bigg's 3P model of teaching and learning, three approaches to teaching evaluation were derived, namely, (i) student presage focused, (ii) teaching focused, and (iii) learning focused. Each approach adopts a particular belief about knowledge, perception of teaching, and a distinctive focus of teaching evaluation. We argue that the adoption of a learning focused approach to teaching evaluation is necessary in SET development as this will provide feedback for all parties involved in teaching and learning (the teachers, the administrators, and the students) about what each party needs to do to achieve the intended learning outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the Standard of Quality for higher education institutions in Vietnam which was developed in response to an urgent call for a fundamental reform to enhance the quality of educational provision, particularly of teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach: The standard and some related legislative documents such as the Education Act 2005 and the national curriculum frameworks are critically reviewed against a student-centred approach in education, the theory of constructive alignment, and definitions of quality. In addition, the experiences of the second author, who was involved in the first phase of the Accreditation Program, proved to be invaluable in shedding light onto the evaluative criteria proposed in the standard. Findings: While the establishment and development of the standard have been welcomed as the right step in addressing quality-related concerns across the sector, its evaluative criteria do not appear to point in the right direction. Throughout the standard, criteria on outcomes of student learning are not given due priority. Owing to the lack of emphasis on the presence of students and their learning--core components in any educational activities--it seems less likely that implementation of this standard will lead to radical changes towards a student-centred approach in teaching and learning. Originality/value: Analysis presented in the paper lends itself to examination of the decision making process concerned with quality assurance and its implementation. Lessons learned from Vietnam in this quality assurance exercise may be useful for countries seeking to adopt a similar approach. (Contains 1 table.)

In this work, a g-C3N4/porphyrin nanocomposite was fabricated through the self-assembling of monomeric Tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP) molecules with g-C3N4 nanomaterials. The characterizing results showed a good distribution of TCPP nanofibers with a diameter of < 100 nm and several micrometers in length on the g-C3N4 nanoflakes' surfaces. The prepared g-C3N4/porphyrin nanocomposite had two bandgap energies of 2.38 and 2.7 eV, which could harvest a wide range of photon energy in the light spectrum, particularly in visible light. The obtained C3N4/TCPP nanocomposite revealed a remarkable photodegradation efficiency toward rhodamine B dyes, with a RhB removing rate of 3.3 × 10−2 min−1. The plausible mechanism for the photocatalytic performance of the g-C3N4/porphyrin photocatalyst for the RhB dye's degradation was also studied and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is increasing worldwide. Clinical studies have observed reduced risks of AD among infants fed with 100% whey partially hydrolyzed infant formula (PHF-W) compared with intact protein cow's milk formula. To evaluate this potential relationship more comprehensively, a systematic review of the literature was conducted. Studies (n = 18, representing 12 distinct study populations) that specified the protein source of the formula, evaluated healthy-term infants, compared the use of PHF-W with intact protein cow's milk formula, and reported results for AD were included. A critical assessment of the methodological quality of studies was conducted. In all studies, a reduced incidence of AD and/or atopic manifestations that included AD was observed. The cumulative incidence of AD was significantly lower among infants over at least 3 years of follow-up in the PHF-W group compared with the intact protein cow's milk group. Exclusive breastfeeding should be encouraged as the primary means to prevent atopic risk. However, when infants are not exclusively breastfed, PHF-W may be considered an effective measure to potentially reduce the risk of developing AD. [c] 2010 International Life Sciences Institute doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00281 .x

Introduction The risk assessment paradigm, which serves as the basis for public health evaluations and actions with respect to environmental chemicals, requires not only an assessment of the potential toxicity [...], Biomonitoring, the measurement of chemicals in blood, urine, and other tissues or fluids, is becoming an increasingly common tool in the study of human exposure to environmental chemicals and the potential health effects of those chemicals. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) now includes biomonitoring data for hundreds of chemicals as well as information on other health and demographic endpoints for thousands of individuals in the United States. The NHANES databases provide valuable information for deriving reference ranges and trend information and can be used for hypothesis-generating analyses, but they cannot be used to establish causal relationships between environmental chemicals and health effects. This commentary examines issues unique to the use of such databases and the interpretation of biomonitoring-based epidemiological studies.

Despite longstanding recommendations for children with asthma to receive the influenza vaccine, vaccine uptake in this population remains low. We used the nationally representative National Immunization Survey-Teen to analyze the impact of asthma on adolescent influenza vaccination rates. Adolescents ages 13–17 years with provider-reported data on vaccine coverage were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was being up-to-date on influenza vaccination, defined as receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine in at least one of the past 3 years, and was analyzed using logistic regression. Asthma was defined by parent report of whether the adolescent has ever been told by a health professional that he or she has asthma. Data were collected in 2016–2017 and analyzed in 2020. Of 36,655 adolescents in the analytic sample (mean age 15 years, 49% female), 55% were up-to-date on influenza vaccination, and 21% had been diagnosed with asthma. On bivariate analysis, vaccination was more common among adolescents who had been diagnosed with asthma compared to those who were not (60% vs. 53%, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, asthma diagnosis was associated with greater likelihood of being up-to-date on seasonal influenza vaccination (adjusted odds ratio: 1.29; 95% confidence interval: 1.22, 1.36; P < 0.001). Seasonal influenza vaccination rates remain low among adolescents. Despite concerns about vaccine effectiveness in children with asthma, this diagnosis was associated with increased likelihood of influenza vaccination, possibly in relation to increased health care use (and exposure to vaccine encouragement) among adolescents with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]