Teachers' confidence as a factor in addressing cultural diversity within design technology education for young children

This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study of a small number of teachers in one school. The aim was to identify and understand some factors which may affect the ways in which teachers address culturally diverse issues in the classroom at Key Stage One. The approach adopted for the research is one in which teachers and researcher are working as co-researchers, plotting the teachers' professional development. Regular informal interviews provided a profile of teacher experience. The research, undertaken by teachers and myself as co-researchers, initially addressed the issue of teacher confidence. Data indicated teachers were lacking confidence in their own ability to teach design technology. This related to practical, manipulative design and technological skills, and there was perceived deficiency in the knowledge base required for delivering a curriculum which reflected cultural diversity. This lack of confidence was felt to be in part attributable to lack of suitable resource materials. Teacher confidence emerged as the major factor in the lack of engagement in addressing cultural diversity when teaching design technology

Yarra Valley Water: A Successful Change Programme for Corporatized Water Utility

Yarra Valley Water, a corporatised water utility achieved the significant efficiencies that are promised from the move towards privatisation. At the same time it substantially improved the quality of service delivery to its customers. It demonstrated that substantial benefits can be achieved with a minimal investment through leveraging existing information systems. The use of enterprise modelling that contributes to an “holistic” view of the organisation’s information and processing in Customer Services contributed greatly to successful integration of these existing systems. Crucial to all of this was the willingness of the organisation to transform itself to one dedicated to “best” customer service and asset management. The experience of Yarra Valley Water provides lessons relevant worldwide, but especially for developed economies. First, achieving efficiencies and improving service quality are not mutually contradictory. Second, these benefits can be accomplished with a minimal investment by leveraging off existing systems. Third, the use of enterprise modelling gives the necessary “holistic” view of the relevant information flows and processes to enable successful integration of disparate systems. Finally, realisation of the benefits of corporatisation ( privatisation) requires a paradigm shift in the business culture of the former utility

Managing construction delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK construction industry

This study focused on maintaining the delivery of construction projects in a crisis scenario such as the COVID-19 pandemic to drawing construction project management lessons for future projects. A qualitative interpretive approach comprising a semi-structured interview was employed to understand the responses and strategies used by six interviewees in construction companies to maintain high productivity levels in their projects during the pandemic. Data obtained were subjected to thematic analysis to establish reoccurring strategies. The results revealed a clear disparity in the level of productivity that was achieved onsite and in the office. The UK construction industry is vulnerable to crisis, and individual organisations must build more resilience. Delays in project delivery were endemic during the peak of COVID-19, and contingency measures must be in place to bolster the efforts of onsite construction workers to meet deadlines. Finally, an extension of time due to the declaration of force majeure is not enough to support productivit

The MUK eight protocol: a randomised phase II trial of cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone in combination with ixazomib, in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients who have relapsed after treatment with thalidomide, lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor

Background Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell tumour with approximately 5500 new cases in the UK each year. Ixazomib is a next generation inhibitor of the 20S proteasome and is thought to be an effective treatment for those who have relapsed from bortezomib. The combination of cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (CD) is a recognised treatment option for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have relapsed after treatment with bortezomib and lenalidomide, whilst also often being combined with newer proteasome inhibitors. The most apparent combination for ixazomib is therefore with CD. Methods MUK eight is a randomised, controlled, open, parallel group, multi-centre phase II trial that will recruit patients with RRMM who have relapsed after treatment with thalidomide, lenalidomide, and a proteasome inhibitor. The primary objective of the trial is to evaluate whether ixazomib in combination with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (ICD) has improved clinical activity compared to CD in terms of progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary objectives include comparing toxicity profiles and the activity and cost-effectiveness of both treatments. Since opening, the trial has been amended to allow all participants who experience disease progression (as per the IMWG criteria) on the CD arm to subsequently switch to receive ICD treatment, once progression has been confirmed with two clinical members of the Trial Management Group (TMG). This ‘switch’ phase of the study is exploratory and will assess second progression-free survival measured from randomisation to second disease progression (PFS2) and progression-free survival from the point of switching to second disease progression (PFS Switch) in participants who switch from CD to ICD treatment. Discussion Development of ixazomib offers the opportunity to further investigate the value of proteasome inhibition through oral administration in the treatment of RRMM. Previous studies investigating the safety and efficacy of ICD in patients with RRMM demonstrate a toxicity profile consistent with ixazomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, whilst the combination showed possible activity in RRMM patients. Further investigation of the anti-tumour effect of this drug in RRMM patients is therefore warranted, especially since no trials comparing CD with ICD have been completed at present. Trial registration ISRCTN number: ISRCTN58227268. Registered on 26 August 2015

Comparative proximity biotinylation implicates the small GTPase RAB18 in sterol mobilization and biosynthesis

Loss of functional RAB18 causes the autosomal recessive condition Warburg Micro syndrome. To better understand this disease, we used proximity biotinylation to generate an inventory of potential RAB18 effectors. A restricted set of 28 RAB18-interactions were dependent on the binary RAB3GAP1-RAB3GAP2 RAB18-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) complex. 12 of these 28 interactions are supported by prior reports and we have directly validated novel interactions with SEC22A, TMCO4 and INPP5B. Consistent with a role for RAB18 in regulating membrane contact sites (MCSs), interactors included groups of microtubule/membrane-remodelling proteins, membrane-tethering and docking proteins, and lipid-modifying/transporting proteins. Two of the putative interactors, EBP and OSBPL2/ORP2, have sterol substrates. EBP is a Δ8-Δ7 sterol isomerase and ORP2 is a lipid transport protein. This prompted us to investigate a role for RAB18 in cholesterol biosynthesis. We find that the cholesterol precursor and EBP-product lathosterol accumulates in both RAB18-null HeLa cells and RAB3GAP1-null fibroblasts derived from an affected individual. Further, de novo cholesterol biosynthesis is impaired in cells in which RAB18 is absent or dysregulated, or in which ORP2 expression is disrupted. Our data demonstrate that GEF-dependent Rab-interactions are highly amenable to interrogation by proximity biotinylation and may suggest that Micro syndrome is a cholesterol biosynthesis disorder

Comparative proximity biotinylation implicates the small GTPase RAB18 in sterol mobilization and biosynthesis

Loss of functional RAB18 causes the autosomal recessive condition Warburg Micro syndrome. To better understand this disease, we used proximity biotinylation to generate an inventory of potential RAB18 effectors. A restricted set of 28 RAB18 interactions were dependent on the binary RAB3GAP1–RAB3GAP2 RAB18–guanine nucleotide exchange factor complex. Twelve of these 28 interactions are supported by prior reports, and we have directly validated novel interactions with SEC22A, TMCO4, and INPP5B. Consistent with a role for RAB18 in regulating membrane contact sites, interactors included groups of microtubule/membrane-remodeling proteins, membrane-tethering and docking proteins, and lipid-modifying/transporting proteins. Two of the putative interactors, EBP and OSBPL2/ORP2, have sterol substrates. EBP is a Δ8-Δ7 sterol isomerase, and ORP2 is a lipid transport protein. This prompted us to investigate a role for RAB18 in cholesterol biosynthesis. We found that the cholesterol precursor and EBP-product lathosterol accumulates in both RAB18-null HeLa cells and RAB3GAP1-null fibroblasts derived from an affected individual. Furthermore, de novo cholesterol biosynthesis is impaired in cells in which RAB18 is absent or dysregulated or in which ORP2 expression is disrupted. Our data demonstrate that guanine nucleotide exchange factor–dependent Rab interactions are highly amenable to interrogation by proximity biotinylation and may suggest that Micro syndrome is a cholesterol biosynthesis disorder