Promoviendo la profesión académica australiana

In a context of the casualisation of the workforce, increased technology-mediated teaching, and higher research expectations, the authors explored the changing nature of Australian academic service – that is, service to the university, the community and the profession/discipline. As one element of promotion in universities, academic Service in the higher education sector is ill defined, and poorly described in comparison to the Research and Teaching elements of an academic’s role. While the authors saw some evidence of Australian universities paying greater attention to the ‘Service’ Domain, there remains inconsistent and ambiguous documentation and guidance provided by universities about this Domain. From their review of promotion documentation of 24 percent of Australian universities, the authors identified four key elements which universities could provide to assist academics to develop their promotion applications with respect to their service achievements: descriptions of expected practices in each area of service, and at each academic level; details of evidence that can be used to demonstrate the practices and their impact; case studies which demonstrate the practices, evidence and impact expected at each academic level in the Service Domain; and a definition of Service. As academic work is dramatically altered in consequence of a global epidemic, it is critical to identify specific practical steps institutions can take to assist staff to advance in their careers.En un contexto de informalización de la fuerza laboral, aumento de la enseñanza mediada por la tecnología y mayores expectativas de investigación, los autores exploraron la naturaleza cambiante del servicio académico australiano, es decir, el servicio a la universidad, la comunidad y la profesión o disciplina. Dado que es un elemento de promoción en las universidades, el servicio académico en el sector de la educación superior está mal definido y pobremente descrito en comparación con los aspectos de investigación y docencia en el quehacer de un académico. Si bien los autores observaron evidencia de que las universidades australianas prestan mayor atención al dominio del "servicio", las universidades siguen otorgando protocolos y orientaciones poco consistentes y ambiguas sobre este dominio. Basándose en su revisión de los documentos de respaldo de promoción del 24 por ciento de las universidades australianas, los autores identificaron cuatro elementos clave que las universidades podrían proporcionar para ayudar a los académicos a desarrollar sus postulaciones de promoción con respecto a sus logros de servicio: descripciones de las prácticas esperadas en cada área de servicio, y para cada nivel académico; detalles de evidencia que puedan usarse para demostrar las prácticas y su impacto; estudios de caso que demuestren las prácticas, la evidencia y el impacto esperado en cada nivel académico en el dominio del servicio; y una definición de servicio. Como el trabajo académico se ha visto alterado dramáticamente como consecuencia de una epidemia mundial, es fundamental identificar los pasos prácticos específicos que las instituciones pueden tomar para ayudar al personal a avanzar en sus carreras

Achieving renewable energy targets: The impact of residential solar PV prosumers in Indonesia

Indonesia, like many countries, has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To do this the country needs to move from its current high reliance on non-renewable energy sources to renewable sources of energy. The issue is significant for Indonesia as the country is the 4th largest contributor to global CO2 emissions. The country has abundant sources for energy and one of these sources is the potential for solar energy. Therefore, the country has set ambitious renewable energy targets based on the potential supply of solar energy. With domestic residential consuming up to 43% of total electricity consumption, the Government has targeted homeowners to install solar rooftop and become residential solar PV prosumers. However, a recent energy evaluation report indicates that the country’s progress is very slow and it is highly likely that renewable energy goals will not be achieved. This study conducted an online survey of a small sample of regular electricity subscribers and residents who have installed solar rooftop in the hope of gaining a better understanding of various issues and factors which could be impeding the growth of residential solar. Some of areas the study explored included the level of knowledge and awareness of solar energy, initiatives for homeowners, policy on net-metering and feed-in tariff, and areas of concern related to economic, environmental, and technological factors. While many countries are struggling to shift to greener energy generation and consumption, in Indonesia’s case, the country has its own unique set of challenges being the energy generation and distribution is centralised, state-owned, with an inflexible energy pricing system. Hence, energy management in Indonesia could benefit from becoming more market focused and transparent, while increasing technology adoption with hybrid community partnerships, including a mix of private and government ownership. A discussion on policy implications and suggestions for improvements can be found at the end of this paper

Circular economy

This contribution features the submission of one of the most important sustainability keywords to Springer's Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management. It provides a definition and an introduction to the circular economy (CE). It describes key policies and regulatory interventions that are meant to promote the CE agenda. In conclusion it identifies implications to practitioners and other stakeholders.peer-reviewe

Reflecting on institutional support for SoTL engagement: developing a conceptual framework

This paper considers the support required to develop Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) capability across institutions. Rather than developing a checklist or a standardised audit approach, this paper describes the reflective journey taken by a group of academic developers who used strategies and structures previously identified in the literature to develop a conceptual framework for academic professional development. The framework was refined through an iterative process, including reflection on its use within diverse institutional contexts, combined with evaluative feedback from recognised experts in the field. The resulting framework is designed to facilitate and guide conversations to support institutional decision-making related to SoTL capacity building

Educational development between faculty and administration

This essay employs Identity Theory to explore the professional identities of educational developers, arguing that it is important to pay attention to the different saliences, or weights, that developers attach to the faculty and administrative sides of their identities

Helicopter-borne observation with portable microwave radiometer in the Southern Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk

Spatial distribution of thin sea ice thickness and its variability is a key to accurate estimation of surface albedo, oceanatmosphere heat-fluxes, and rates of ice production and salt-flux. For the validation and improvement of the thin ice thickness algorithm using the satellite passive microwave data, we have done in-situ observations in thin ice region in the Southern Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk, using a helicopter-borne portable passive microwave radiometer same sensor as the satellite launched Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 (AMSR-2). High-resolution helicopter-borne results show good agreement with low-resolution AMSR-E/AMSR-2 results, within the range of the standard deviation. In the Sea of Okhotsk experiment, the results derived from the helicopter-borne sensor are fitting to the past thin ice thickness algorithm. In the Southern Ocean experiment, the polarization ratio of 36 GHz vertical and horizontal temperatures in the Dalton Iceberg Tongue Polynya in October is estimated to be 0.137 in average. This value does not conflict with past in-situ observations, theoretical models, and thin ice thickness algorithms. We further found the microwave characteristics of fast versus pack ice, leading to the improvement for the fast ice detection algorithm.第4回極域科学シンポジウム個別セッション：[OM] 気水圏11月15日（金） 統計数理研究所 ３階セミナー室１（D305

Complete Genome Sequence of Treponema paraluiscuniculi, Strain Cuniculi A: The Loss of Infectivity to Humans Is Associated with Genome Decay

Treponema paraluiscuniculi is the causative agent of rabbit venereal spirochetosis. It is not infectious to humans, although its genome structure is very closely related to other pathogenic Treponema species including Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum, the etiological agent of syphilis. In this study, the genome sequence of Treponema paraluiscuniculi, strain Cuniculi A, was determined by a combination of several high-throughput sequencing strategies. Whereas the overall size (1,133,390 bp), arrangement, and gene content of the Cuniculi A genome closely resembled those of the T. pallidum genome, the T. paraluiscuniculi genome contained a markedly higher number of pseudogenes and gene fragments (51). In addition to pseudogenes, 33 divergent genes were also found in the T. paraluiscuniculi genome. A set of 32 (out of 84) affected genes encoded proteins of known or predicted function in the Nichols genome. These proteins included virulence factors, gene regulators and components of DNA repair and recombination. The majority (52 or 61.9%) of the Cuniculi A pseudogenes and divergent genes were of unknown function. Our results indicate that T. paraluiscuniculi has evolved from a T. pallidum-like ancestor and adapted to a specialized host-associated niche (rabbits) during loss of infectivity to humans. The genes that are inactivated or altered in T. paraluiscuniculi are candidates for virulence factors important in the infectivity and pathogenesis of T. pallidum subspecies

The Australasian Resuscitation In Sepsis Evaluation : fluids or vasopressors in emergency department sepsis (ARISE FLUIDS), a multi-centre observational study describing current practice in Australia and New Zealand

Objectives: To describe haemodynamic resuscitation practices in ED patients with suspected sepsis and hypotension. Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, observational study conducted in 70 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand between September 2018 and January 2019. Consecutive adults presenting to the ED during a 30-day period at each site, with suspected sepsis and hypotension (systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg) despite at least 1000 mL fluid resuscitation, were eligible. Data included baseline demographics, clinical and laboratory variables and intravenous fluid volume administered, vasopressor administration at baseline and 6- and 24-h post-enrolment, time to antimicrobial administration, intensive care admission, organ support and in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 4477 patients were screened and 591 were included with a mean (standard deviation) age of 62 (19) years, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score 15.2 (6.6) and a median (interquartile range) systolic blood pressure of 94 mmHg (87–100). Median time to first intravenous antimicrobials was 77 min (42–148). A vasopressor infusion was commenced within 24 h in 177 (30.2%) patients, with noradrenaline the most frequently used (n = 138, 78%). A median of 2000 mL (1500–3000) of intravenous fluids was administered prior to commencing vasopressors. The total volume of fluid administered from pre-enrolment to 24 h was 4200 mL (3000–5661), with a range from 1000 to 12 200 mL. Two hundred and eighteen patients (37.1%) were admitted to an intensive care unit. Overall in-hospital mortality was 6.2% (95% confidence interval 4.4–8.5%). Conclusion: Current resuscitation practice in patients with sepsis and hypotension varies widely and occupies the spectrum between a restricted volume/earlier vasopressor and liberal fluid/later vasopressor strategy

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead