Vocational ladders or crazy paving? Making your way to higher levels

The report is part of a suite of research projects on apprenticeships under the overall theme of 'making work-based learning work'. The aim of this particular study was to explore the role of level 3 vocational qualifications and work-based learning, including Modern Apprenticeships, as progression routes to higher education and to higher-level knowledge and skills more generally. The study comprised secondary analysis of national datasets, and an exploration of supply, demand and progression patterns in four contrasting employment sectors, focusing on enablers and inhibitors of work-based education and training

The Productivity to Paycheck Gap: What the Data Show

This report makes a series of adjustments to the most common measure of U.S. productivity growth (i.e., non-farm business sector) as well as to measures of wage growth, to determine the extent to which lagging wages can be blamed on weak productivity growth vs. income redistribution. Weak wage growth between 1973 and 2006 has generally been attributed to a redistribution of income from typical workers to higher paid workers. However, the report shows that, along with a redistribution of income, lagging wage growth has also been caused by slow productivity growth

DNA Renaturation at the Water-Phenol Interface

We study DNA adsorption and renaturation in a water-phenol two-phase system, with or without shaking. In very dilute solutions, single-stranded DNA is adsorbed at the interface in a salt-dependent manner. At high salt concentrations the adsorption is irreversible. The adsorption of the single-stranded DNA is specific to phenol and relies on stacking and hydrogen bonding. We establish the interfacial nature of a DNA renaturation at a high salt concentration. In the absence of shaking, this reaction involves an efficient surface diffusion of the single-stranded DNA chains. In the presence of a vigorous shaking, the bimolecular rate of the reaction exceeds the Smoluchowski limit for a three-dimensional diffusion-controlled reaction. DNA renaturation in these conditions is known as the Phenol Emulsion Reassociation Technique or PERT. Our results establish the interfacial nature of PERT. A comparison of this interfacial reaction with other approaches shows that PERT is the most efficient technique and reveals similarities between PERT and the renaturation performed by single-stranded nucleic acid binding proteins. Our results lead to a better understanding of the partitioning of nucleic acids in two-phase systems, and should help design improved extraction procedures for damaged nucleic acids. We present arguments in favor of a role of phenol and water-phenol interface in prebiotic chemistry. The most efficient renaturation reactions (in the presence of condensing agents or with PERT) occur in heterogeneous systems. This reveals the limitations of homogeneous approaches to the biochemistry of nucleic acids. We propose a heterogeneous approach to overcome the limitations of the homogeneous viewpoint

Thermochemical stability and nonstoichiometry of yttria-stabilized bismuth oxide solid solutions

The thermochemical stability of fast oxygen ion conducting yttria stabilized bismuthoxide (YSB) solid solutions containing 22.0–32.5 mol% of yttria was investigated. It was shown that in the temperature range between 650–740 C the stabilized cubic δ-phase containing less than 31.8 mol% of yttria is not stable during long term annealing treatments (greater-or-equal, slanted 500 hours). During annealing at 650 C a sluggish transformation from the cubic to hexagonal phase appears, while above 740 C this hexagonal phase is converted very fast into the cubic phase again. It was shown, that the oxygen content of YSB solid solutions is a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressur

Alterations of FHIT and P53 genes in keratocystic odontogenic tumor, dentigerous and radicular cyst

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine fragile histidine triad (FHIT) and p53 protein expression, and to analyze FHIT and p53 gene status in keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KOT), dentigerous cysts (DC) and radicular cysts (RC). ----- METHODS: The methods used were immunohistochemistry and molecular genetic methods including loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and gene sequencing. ----- RESULTS: FHIT protein expression was different among groups. Aberrant expression was the highest in KOT, then in RC and DC. p53 protein expression was different among groups. LOH in paraffin-embedded specimens was detected in 22.6% and 12.9% for FHIT and p53 respectively. Mutation of p53 gene at codon 237 was observed in only two specimens (one KOT and one DC). Of the six frozen specimens, three exhibited FHIT gene LOH (two RC and one KOT). KOT showed loss of exons 6-7 at FHIT locus and mutation at codon 237 at p53 locus, but this could be a chance result. ----- CONCLUSION: Aberrations of FHIT and p53 genes/proteins could be considered markers responsible for the development of odontogenic lesions

Evaluation of a postgraduate examination for primary care: perceptions and performance of general practitioner trainers in the multiple choice paper of the Membership Examination of the Royal College of General Practitioners

This study aimed to investigate the performance of a sample of general practitioner (GP) trainers in the multiple choice paper (MCP) of the Membership Examination of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) and to obtain their views of the content of the paper and its relevance to general practice using a written knowledge test and self-administered questionnaire. The participants were volunteer GP trainers in the Northern, Wessex, Kent, Education for Primary Care (2007) 18: 165–72 # 2007 Radcliffe Publishing Limited WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN IN THIS AREA . Feedback from GP registrar candidates sitting the multiple choice paper (MCP) suggests that the paper has good face and content validity, although pressure of time is a problem. . Candidates find the questions in the paper challenging but most believe they assess common or important problems in general practice. WHAT THIS WORK ADDS . Most trainers in this study believed that the paper assessed knowledge of common or important topics relevant to general practice, that the majority of questions were appropriate, clear and unambiguous and that time pressure was not a problem. . Trainers in this study performed significantly better overall compared to registrars and did so without making prior preparation. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH . Repeating the study with non-trainer GPs could provide further information on the validity of the MCP as an applied knowledge test appropriate for established GPs taking the MRCGP as well as those nearing completion of training Keywords: attitudes, examination, general practice trainers, MRCGP, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) and Northwest deaneries of the UK. The trainers completed a shortened version of an MRCGP MCP paper under examination conditions and provided feedback immediately afterwards. Of 191 trainers invited to participate, 86 (45%) sat the paper and of these, 81 completed the questionnaire. Most trainers believed that the paper assessed knowledge of common or important topics relevant to general practice, that the majority of questions were appropriate, clear and unambiguous and that time pressure was not a problem. Trainers performed significantly better compared to registrars overall, and in questions on medicine related to general practice and practice administration but not research methodology or critical appraisal. They did so without making prior preparation. The findings from this group of trainers lend support to the face validity and content validity of the MRCGP MCP examination as an assessment of applied knowledge of general practice

Heroes of their own story: agency and resistance in UK housing governance

In this paper I want to consider the problem of resistance and agency and to look again at how we understand the challenge of social movements and the impact they have on governmental regimes

CFD supported modelling of double skin facades in hot arid climates

Previous simulations predict the possibility of reducing cooling demands in office buildings in hot arid areas if a selective double skin facade is used. The reductions on cooling loads in rooms range between 19%-40% depending on the glazing thermal and visual performance characteristics of the exterior glazing of the double skin façade. However considerable uncertainty exists about the air flow rates and temperatures experienced within the channels of these facades. In this work a CFD model is used to predict these conditions for the case of an air-conditioned building in a hot arid climate. This case uniquely allows a CFD model to be applied to the facade independent of the simulation of the main building and its plant. Results show appreciable flow rates and temperatures generated mainly by buoyancy flow over the outer facade skin

Optimising carbon storage by land-management

As the UK’s largest non-government land-owner, the National Trust is committed to reducing its impact on climate change, recognising the importance of soil organic carbon (SOC), and its need for preservation. To establish if land-management could be optimised to increase carbon storage, ‘The Wallington Carbon Footprint Project’ was implemented. This study aimed to measure the Wallington Estate’s carbon stock, establish what controls SOC, identify carbon under-saturated soils, and make land-management change to increase SOC. To achieve these objectives a soil sampling campaign and land-use survey were undertaken at Wallington, with further sampling at a verification site in Cambridgeshire. Land-use intervention trials measuring carbon fluxes and SOC change were combined with computer modelling and questionnaires, to assess the impacts of land-use and management change on SOC. A land carbon stock of 845 Kt (60 Kt within biomass, and 785 Kt within soils) was estimated for Wallington, with the greatest control on SOC identified as grassland landmanagement. Other controls on SOC were: land-use, soil series, altitude, soil pH and landuse history, indicating that these should be used in all estimates of SOC distribution and stock. A possible link between phosphate fertilisation and SOC accumulation under grassland was identified; however this was not confirmed in a year long field trial. Incorporation of charcoal into soils was identified as a method of carbon sequestration, with a simultaneous reduction in nitrate loss from soil. Surface application to grasslands revealed no detrimental effects on soils, grassland productivity or water quality. Further trials investigated the impacts of arable conversion to short rotation coppice willow, and of peatland afforestation, both indentifying losses of SOC following the land-use change. Measurement of biomass carbon gains, full life cycle assessment of the each landuse, and the impacts of varying types of biochar are required before firm conclusions regarding land-use change and carbon sequestration can be made