Academics' experiences of networked professional learning

This paper explores academics' writing practices, focusing on the importance of digital platforms in their processes of collaborative learning. It draws on interview data from the first phase of a research project working closely with academics across different disciplines and institutions to explore their writing practices, adopting the perspective of understanding academic literacies as social practices. The paper outlines characteristics of academics' ongoing professional learning, demonstrating the importance of collaborations on specific projects in generating learning in relation to intellectual and disciplinary aspects of writing, writing strategies and structures, and using digital platforms. A very wide range of digital platforms have been identified by these academics, enabling new kinds of collaboration across time and space on writing and research; but challenges around online learning are also identified, particularly the dangers of engaging in learning in public, the pressures of 'alwayson'-ness, and the different values systems around publishing in different forums

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03 (CSI-03) is the third set of investigations in the CSI program series. The CSI program provides the K-12 community opportunities to utilize the unique microgravity environment of the International Space Station as part of the regular classroom to encourage learning and interest in science, technology, engineering and math. CSI-03 will examine the complete life cycle of the painted lady butterfly and the ability of an orb weaving spider to spin a web, eat and remain healthy in space

Impulse shopping in convenience stores does gender make a difference?

The paper explores the phenomenon of impulse purchasing, which accounts for a growing proportion of total retail spend. The study investigates whether males and females act differently in respect of impulse purchasing. Impulse purchasing has been previously investigated in a range of settings and across a range of product types. The retail setting selected here is the convenience store (c-store) sector because c-stores depend traditionally on top-up, distress and impulse purchases. The types of purchases made at convenience stores are generally smaller items. An objective of c-stores is to get customers to increase their spending on higher value items. C-stores have a core user group of 26% of adults. Differences in purchasing behaviour between genders are explored in the paper. Literature on comparisons between male and female shopping behaviour is reviewed and related to findings on variations in shopping behaviour previously identified in the c-store sector. Within the above context, quantitative primary research was undertaken. 300 postal questionnaires (150 each to males and females) were carried out with consumers from a Scottish locality. Attitudes towards their local convenience store and their purchasing habits when shopping there were investigated. The majority of respondents were female (59.8%) aged 36-50 (26.2%). Males and females had similar rank orders for choice of c-store attributes, with satisfaction of impulse needs being ranked equally unimportant by both groups. Their expectations of c-stores were similar; however there were some differences in purchasing habits. Results indicated gender differences concerning purchasing behaviour within convenience stores, both for planned and unplanned purchases. The most significant variances were females having a higher level of agreement that impulse purchasing is related to trying new products and having a higher level of satisfaction with the majority of impulse purchases. Recommendations for c-store retailers are that the merchandising techniques used to stimulate impulse purchases may have to be reconsidered in relation to gender

Environmental regulation of PndbA600, an auto-inducible promoter for two-stage industrial biotechnology in cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes being developed as sustainable platforms that use renewable inputs (light, water and air) for diverse applications in energy, food, environment and medicine. Despite the attractive promise cyanobacteria offer industrial biotechnology, slow growth rates pose a major challenge in processes which typically require large amounts of biomass and are often toxic to the cells. Two-stage cultivation strategies are an attractive solution to prevent any undesired growth inhibition by de-coupling biomass accumulation (stage I) and the industrial process (stage II). In cyanobacteria, two-stage strategies involve costly transfer methods between stages I and II and little work has focused on using the distinct growth and stationary phases of batch cultures to auto-regulate stage transition. In this work, we identified and characterised a growth phase-specific promoter, which can serve as an auto-inducible switch to regulate two-stage bioprocesses in cyanobacteria. First, growth phase-specific genes were identified from a new RNAseq dataset comparing two growth phases and six nutrient conditions in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 including two new transcriptomes for low Mg and low K. A type II NADH dehydrogenase (ndbA) showed robust induction when the cultures transitioned from exponential to stationary growth. Behaviour of a 600-bp promoter sequence (PndbA) was then characterised in detail following expression of PndbA:GFP in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. Culture density and growth media analyses showed that PndbA activation was not dependent on increases in culture density per se, but on N availability and another activating factor present in the spent media of stationary phase cultures (Factor X). PndbA deactivation was dependent on changes in culture density and either N availability or Factor X. Electron transport inhibition studies revealed a photosynthesis-specific enhancement of active PndbA levels. Our findings are summarised in a model describing the environmental regulation of PndbA which can now inform the rational design of two-stage industrial processes in cyanobacteria

A Call for Change in the Public Education System in Nova Scotia

The United Nation’s International Decade for People of African Descent and Nova Scotia’s Ministry of African Nova Scotian Affairs recognize that students of African descent continue to experience inequities. As previous studies indicate, parents of Black learners identified that many educators lack knowledge and experience in understanding students of African descent.This study explored student achievement from the perspective of parents of children of African descent attending public schools in Nova Scotia. Participants included individual interviews and focus groups with parents from rural and urban areas. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory framework, a thematic analysis of the data was conducted, a dominant storyline related to the families’ experiences in school and subsequent themes emerged: we are treated differently; we don’t feel connected; we know there are challenges: the resistance of parents; and we deal with injustices but persevere. These findings provide recommendations to improve the educational success for Black learners. Keywords: African Canadian, academic achievement and success, Black students, education, schooling challenges, students of African descentLa déclaration des Nations Unies de la Décennie internationale des personnes d’ascendance africaine et le Ministre des affaires Afro-néo-écossaises reconnaissent que les élèves d’ascendance africaine continuent à vivre des inégalités. Des études antérieures démontrent que les parents d’apprenants Noirs ont identifié que plusieurs éducateurs manquent de connaissances et d’expérience quant à la compréhension d’élèves d’ascendance africaine. Cette étude explore la réussite scolaire de la perspective des parents d’enfants d’ascendance africaine fréquentant des écoles publiques en Nouvelle-Écosse. Les participants incluent des entretiens individuels et des groupes de discussion avec des parents provenant de régions rurales et urbaines en Nouvelle-Écosse. Basée sur le cadre théorique écologique de Bronfenbrenner, une analyse thématique des données a été entreprise, un fil conducteur dominant lié aux expériences scolaires des familles, et des thèmes résolutoires ont émergé : nous sommes traités différemment ; et nous ne nous sentons pas connectés ; nous sommes conscients qu’il y a des défis ; la résistance des parents ; et nous font face à des injustices mais nous persistons. Ces constats fournissent des recommandations pour améliorer le succès académique des apprenants Noirs. Mots-clés : Afro-canadiens, performance et succès académique, élèves noirs, éducation, défis scolaires, élèves d’ascendance Africain

Bacterial transcriptional response to labile exometabolites from photosynthetic picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda

Dissolved primary production released into seawater by marine phytoplankton is a major source of carbon fueling heterotrophic bacterial production in the ocean. The composition of the organic compounds released by healthy phytoplankton is poorly known and difficult to assess with existing chemical methods. Here, expression of transporter and catabolic genes by three model marine bacteria (Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, Stenotrophomonas sp. SKA14, and Polaribacter dokdonensis MED152) was used as a biological sensor of metabolites released from the picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda RCC299. Bacterial expression responses indicated that the three species together recognized 38 picoeukaryote metabolites. This was consistent with the Micromonas expression of genes for starch metabolism and synthesis of peptidoglycan-like intermediates. A comparison of the hypothesized Micromonas exometabolite pool with that of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana CCMP1335, analyzed previously with the same biological sensor method, indicated that both phytoplankton released organic acids, nucleosides, and amino acids, but differed in polysaccharide and organic nitrogen release. Future ocean conditions are expected to favor picoeukaryotic phytoplankton over larger-celled microphytoplankton. Results from this study suggest that such a shift could alter the substrate pool available to heterotrophic bacterioplankton

Type and dose of radiotherapy used for initial treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer

BACKGROUND: We sought to describe patterns of initial radiotherapy among non-metastatic prostate cancer (PC) patients by recurrence risk groups. METHODS: Medical records were abstracted for a sample of 9017 PC cases diagnosed in 2004 as a part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention\u27s Prostate and Breast Patterns of Care Study in seven states. Non-metastatic PC cases are categorized as low-risk (LR), intermediate-risk (IR) or high-risk (HR) groups based on pretreatment PSA, tumor stage, and Gleason score per 2002 NCCN guidelines. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to determine factors associated with the type and dose of radiotherapy by the risk groups. RESULTS: Of the 9,017 patients, 3153 who received definitive radiotherapy either alone or in combination with hormone therapy (HT) were selected for in-depth analysis. Multivariate models showed that LR patients were more likely to receive seed implant brachytherapy (BT) than those in higher risk groups. Those in the IR group were most likely to receive external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) combined with BT or high-dose radiotherapy. Use of HT in combination with radiotherapy was more common in the IR and HR groups than for LR patients. Intensity modulated radiation treatment (IMRT) was used to treat 32.6% of PC patients treated with EBRT, with the majority (60.6%) treated with high-dose radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy types and dosage utilization varied by PC risk groups. Patients in IR were more likely than those in LR or HR to receive high-dose radiotherapy. IMRT was used in about one third of patients to deliver high-dose radiotherapy

Friends of Henderson Library Newsletter

In This Issue: Volunteer Opportunities , Art and the Henderson Library , Henderson Library\u27s Automated Retrieval Collection (ARC) , Farm to Table , Recent Friends Events , A Fine Romance , $aving the Green , James Dunwoody Bulloch & Modern US Naval Strategy , \u27Throw My Troubles Out the Door:\u27Bob Dylan & the Southern Musical Landscape , Memorial Books in Henderson Library , Henderson Heroes: Spotlight on Employees , Save the Dat

Patterns of bruising in preschool children with inherited bleeding disorders: a longitudinal study

Objective The extent that inherited bleeding disorders affect; number, size and location of bruises in young children <6 years. Design Prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Setting Community. Patients 105 children with bleeding disorders, were compared with 328 without a bleeding disorder and classified by mobility: premobile (non-rolling/rolling over/ sitting), early mobile (crawling/cruising) and walking and by disease severity: severe bleeding disorder factor VIII/IX/XI <1 IU/dL or type 3 von Willebrand disease. Interventions Number, size and location of bruises recorded in each child weekly for up to 12 weeks. Outcomes The interventions were compared between children with severe and mild/moderate bleeding disorders and those without bleeding disorders. Multiple collections for individual children were analysed by multilevel modelling. Results Children with bleeding disorders had more and larger bruises, especially when premobile. Compared with premobile children without a bleeding disorder; the modelled ratio of means (95% CI) for number of bruises/ collection was 31.82 (8.39 to 65.42) for severe bleeding disorders and 5.15 (1.23 to 11.17) for mild/moderate, and was 1.81 (1.13 to 2.23) for size of bruises. Children with bleeding disorders rarely had bruises on the ears, neck, cheeks, eyes or genitalia. Conclusions Children with bleeding disorder have more and larger bruises at all developmental stages. The differences were greatest in premobile children. In this age group for children with unexplained bruising, it is essential that coagulation studies are done early to avoid the erroneous diagnosis of physical abuse when the child actually has a serious bleeding disorder, however a blood test compatible with a mild/moderate bleeding disorder cannot be assumed to be the cause of bruising

Conceptualisations of children’s wellbeing at school: the contribution of recognition theory

A large study in Australian schools aimed to elucidate understandings of ‘wellbeing’ and of factors in school life that contribute to it. Students and teachers understood wellbeing primarily, and holistically, in terms of interpersonal relationships, in contrast to policy documents which mainly focused on ‘problem areas’ such as mental health. The study also drew on recognition theory as developed by the social philosopher Axel Honneth. Results indicate that recognition theory may be useful in understanding wellbeing in schools, and that empirical research in schools may give rise to further questions regarding theory