Protein with negative surface charge distribution, Bnr1, shows characteristics of aDNA‐mimic protein andmay be involved in the adaptation of Burkholderia cenocepacia

Adaptation of opportunistic pathogens to their host environment requires reprogramming of a vast array of genes to facilitate survival in the host. Burkholderia cenocepacia, a Gram-negative bacterium with a large genome of ∼8 Mb that colonizes environmental niches, is exquisitely adaptable to the hypoxic environment of the cystic fibrosis lung and survives in macrophages. We previously identified an immunoreactive acidic protein encoded on replicon 3, BCAS0292. Deletion of the BCAS0292 gene significantly altered the abundance of 979 proteins by 1.5-fold or more; 19 proteins became undetectable while 545 proteins showed ≥1.5-fold reduced abundance, suggesting the BCAS0292 protein is a global regulator. Moreover, the ∆BCAS0292 mutant showed a range of pleiotropic effects: virulence and host-cell attachment were reduced, antibiotic susceptibility was altered, and biofilm formation enhanced. Its growth and survival were impaired in 6% oxygen. In silico prediction of its three-dimensional structure revealed BCAS0292 presents a dimeric β-structure with a negative surface charge. The ΔBCAS0292 mutant displayed altered DNA supercoiling, implicated in global regulation of gene expression. Three proteins were identified in pull-downs with FLAG-tagged BCAS0292, including the Histone H1-like protein, HctB, which is recognized as a global transcriptional regulator. We propose that BCAS0292 protein, which we have named Burkholderia negatively surface-charged regulatory protein 1 (Bnr1), acts as a DNA-mimic and binds to DNA-binding proteins, altering DNA topology and regulating the expression of multiple genes, thereby enabling the adaptation of B. cenocepacia to highly diverse environments

An Evaluation of the Succession Law Changes Introduced by the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010

The Succession Act 1965 introduced a curb on a person‘s freedom of testation and gave protection to spouses and children on the death of a husband/wife, mother or father. As a result, certain relationships took precedence over others in the distribution of an estate, e.g. a surviving spouse‘s legal right share to a deceased spouse‘s estate is absolute. Since that legislation was enacted Irish society has changed greatly with a new variety and complexity of family structures. The provisions introduced by the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 are an attempt to keep pace with the changes which have taken place in modern society. As a result of the succession law provisions in the Act of 2010 certain relationships take priority over other competing interests in an estate. Thus, a new hierarchy of claimants to an estate is created. For example, a biological child can make an application which can have the effect of eroding the legal right share of a surviving civil partner but not that of a surviving spouse, their step-parent. I plan to review the succession law provisions contained in the Act of 1965 and the amendments made to the 1965 Act by the Act of 2010 and analyse and examine which competing interests in an estate will take precedence, the varying degrees of protection afforded to individuals in the newly recognised family structures, the rationale behind these variations and the possible ramifications in the future

A qualitative investigation of formative assessment in second-level education in Ireland

This study investigates formative assessment as sociocultural practice in Irish post-primary education. It explores the enactment and experience of formative assessment in the classroom and argues that this social practice influences discourses about achievement, ability and identity in learning. Research in this area suggests that formative assessment has the potential to enhance students’ confidence, agency, self-esteem and participation in education as well as their capacity for autonomous and self-directed learning. However, the mechanisms, procedures and priorities in terms of curriculum and assessment are both explicit and implicit. Therefore, classroom assessment functions and practices are inextricably linked, not only with broader societal and cultural values about knowledge and the role of education in the life of the individual and society in general, but also with tacit understandings about how an individual’s ability, progress and achievement in education ought to be demonstrated, evaluated and affirmed. This multiple case-study uses a combination of discourse analysis and ethnographic tools to explore how a sociocultural perspective on assessment reveals ways in which patterns of power and control are established in the discourse of classroom formative assessment practice. This discourse shapes the positioning of, and identities available to, teachers and students in the assessment process. It also defines opportunities to participate and learn through formative assessment and the recognition of ability and achievement in education. The findings in this study reveal the interaction between formative assessment practices and teachers’ and students’ identity building, agency and relationships in the classroom as well as students’ evaluation of their own abilities and achievements in learning. Additionally, the findings illuminate the tacit assumptions about learning and achievement that influence classroom assessment practices and illustrate the discourse and cultural scripts around the kinds of knowledge that may afford or constrain authentic meaning-making and participation in formative assessment practices. The findings of this study are timely and significant in that formative assessment is now an increasingly important element of curriculum reform and a policy priority in post-primary education in Ireland. This study reveals both the complexity and the transformative potential of formative assessment and presents a unique and telling insight into classroom assessment as sociocultural practice. Throughout this study, I argue that we should consider assessment with students as a core guiding principle in the enactment of formative assessment in the classroom. This recognises the democratic value of student-centeredness in learning and the goal of education as the nurturing of a “mind to learn” (Wells and Claxton, 2002, p. 2)

An tumoideachas déanach: bac nó buntáiste?

Is tréimhse shuntasach í an t-aistriú ón mbunscoil go dtí an iar-bhunscoil i saol an fhoghlaimeora. Déantar cur síos ar an tréimhse fhorbarthach seo mar chlaochlú cognaíoch, síceasóisialta agus mothúchánach (Hanewald, 2013; Hines, 2007). Is beag atá fiosraithe ar an ábhar seo i gcomhthéacs na hÉireann, go háirithe ó tharla leasú curaclaim ag an dá leibhéal, agus tá níos lú fós le sonrú i gcomhthéacs an tumoideachais dhéanaigh lán-Ghaeilge. Is iad foghlaimeoirí an tumoideachais dhéanaigh iad siúd a aistríonn ó bhunscoil lán-Bhéarla go hiar-bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge, nó foghlaimeoirí a dhéanann staidéar ar an nGaeilge mar ábhar riachtanach amháin mar chuid den churaclam bunscoile (Ó Muircheartaigh & Hickey, 2008). Aithnítear cúig dhroichead aistrithe idir an bhunscoil agus an iar-bhunscoil sa litríocht idirnáisiúnta a fheidhmíonn mar chreat teoiriciúil don aistriú rathúil (Galton et al., 1999): an droichead riaracháin, an droichead sóisialta agus mothúchánach, an droichead curaclaim, an droichead oideolaíoch agus an droichead neamhpleáchais foghlama. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an bpáipéar seo iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar chúinse sa bhreis don aistriú rathúil i gcomhthéacs an tumoideachais dhéanaigh – teanga an teagaisc. Ar dtús, tabharfar sainmhíniú ar an tumoideachas agus ar an tumoideachas déanach, mar aon leis an aistriú i gcomhthéacs an tumoideachais dhéanaigh. Déanfar scagadh criticiúil ar litríocht ábhartha agus tabharfar spléachadh ar phríomhghnéithe an tumoideachais dhéanaigh. Fiosrófar na himpleachtaí forbartha ó pheirspictíochtaí éagsúla d’fhoghlaimeoirí an tumoideachais dhéanaigh agus bearna inniúlachta teanga le sárú acu. Mar chonclúid, féachfar ar na dúshláin agus na deiseanna roimh phobal an tumoideachais dhéanaigh, idir fhoghlaimeoirí, thuismitheoirí/chaomhnóirí, mhúinteoirí agus cheannairí scoile, agus an Ghaeilge mar theanga an teagaisc, na cumarsáide agus an tsóisialaithe

Protein with negative surface charge distribution, Bnr1, shows characteristics of a DNA‐mimic protein and may be involved in the adaptation of Burkholderia cenocepacia

Adaptation of opportunistic pathogens to their host environment requires reprogramming of a vast array of genes to facilitate survival in the host. Burkholderia cenocepacia, a Gram‐negative bacterium with a large genome of ∼8 Mb that colonizes environmental niches, is exquisitely adaptable to the hypoxic environment of the cystic fibrosis lung and survives in macrophages. We previously identified an immunoreactive acidic protein encoded on replicon 3, BCAS0292. Deletion of the BCAS0292 gene significantly altered the abundance of 979 proteins by 1.5‐fold or more; 19 proteins became undetectable while 545 proteins showed ≥1.5‐fold reduced abundance, suggesting the BCAS0292 protein is a global regulator. Moreover, the ∆BCAS0292 mutant showed a range of pleiotropic effects: virulence and host‐cell attachment were reduced, antibiotic susceptibility was altered, and biofilm formation enhanced. Its growth and survival were impaired in 6% oxygen. In silico prediction of its three‐dimensional structure revealed BCAS0292 presents a dimeric β‐structure with a negative surface charge. The ΔBCAS0292 mutant displayed altered DNA supercoiling, implicated in global regulation of gene expression. Three proteins were identified in pull‐downs with FLAG‐tagged BCAS0292, including the Histone H1‐like protein, HctB, which is recognized as a global transcriptional regulator. We propose that BCAS0292 protein, which we have named Burkholderia negatively surface‐charged regulatory protein 1 (Bnr1), acts as a DNA‐mimic and binds to DNA‐binding proteins, altering DNA topology and regulating the expression of multiple genes, thereby enabling the adaptation of B. cenocepacia to highly diverse environments