Encouraging play in the natural environment : a child-focused case study of Forest School

There is concern that children are becoming disengaged from the natural environment and are not being afforded the opportunities to play in such environments. To examine children\u27s perceptions, knowledge and experiences of play in the natural environment, 17 children from one school participated in small focus groups before and after a 12-week Forest School that took place within a school woodland area. Using two qualitative approaches, we found that Forest School had a positive influence on children\u27s natural play and their knowledge of the natural world around them.<br /

Learning to manage public service organizations better: A scenario for teaching public administration

In the context of public value, it is argued that there is a need to adopt the learning organization philosophy to manage public service organizations better. For collaborative work with public sector managers or in management education, a fictitious scenario is presented to develop the concept of the learning organization as paradox. Faced with multiple and conflicting demands, public managers find it difficult to change organizational behavior in response to new knowledge. The scenario demonstrates how learning organization philosophy can be used to translate new knowledge into new behaviors. Key skills required for public managers to exploit the knowledge of all organizational members and confront the challenges of a contested concept, such as public value, are developed and comprise: summarizing evidence; making judgements, sharing thought processes on a contentious issue, and arriving at a consensus together. Contributions to public administration theory and practice are discussed

Stereoselective Access to Diverse Alkaloid-Like Scaffolds via an Oxidation/Double-Mannich Reaction Sequence

\ua9 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical SocietySequential oxidative cleavage and double-Mannich reactions enable the stereoselective conversion of simple norbornenes into complex alkaloid-like structures. The products undergo a wide range of derivatization reactions, including regioselective enol triflate formation/cross-coupling sequences and highly efficient conversion to an unusual tricyclic 8,5,5-fused lactam. Overall, the process represents a formal one-atom aza-ring expansion with concomitant bridging annulation, making it of interest for the broader derivatization of alkene feedstocks

A mini review focused on the proangiogenic role of silicate ions released from silicon-containing biomaterials

Angiogenesis is considered an important issue in the development of biomaterials for the successful regeneration of tissues including bone. While growth factors are commonly used with biomaterials to promote angiogenesis, some ions released from biomaterials can also contribute to angiogenic events. Many silica-based biomaterials have been widely used for the repair and regeneration of tissues, mainly hard tissues such as bone and tooth structure. They have shown excellent performance in bone formation by stimulating angiogenesis. The release of silicate and others (Co and Cu ions) has therefore been implicated to play critical roles in the angiogenesis process. In this short review, we highlight the in vitro and in vivo findings of angiogenesis (and the related bone formation) stimulated by the various types of silicon-containing biomaterials where silicate ions released might play essential roles. We discuss further the possible molecular mechanisms underlying in the ion-induced angiogenic events

Combined Effects of Nanoroughness and Ions Produced by Electrodeposition of Mesoporous Bioglass Nanoparticle for Bone Regeneration

Providing appropriate biophysical and biochemical cues to the interface is a facile strategy to enhance the osteogenic ability of metallic implants. Here we exploited this through the incorporation of mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGN) at a high content (1:1 by weight) to a biopolymer chitosan in the electrodeposition process of titanium. The MGBN/chitosan layer thickness, tunable by electrodeposition parameters, exhibited an accelerated ability of apatite mineral induction in a body simulating medium. Of note, the involvement of MBGN could generate nanoscale roughness in a unique range of 10-25 nm. Moreover, the layer showed a slowly releasing profile of ions (calcium and silicate) over weeks at therapeutically relevant doses. The ion-releasing nanotopological surface was demonstrated to alter the preosteoblasts responses in a way favorable for osteogenic differentiation. The combinatory cues of nanotopology (25 nm roughness) and ion release enabled highly accelerated cellular anchorage with somewhat limited spreading area at initial periods. The subsequent osteoblastic differentiation behaviors on the engineered surface, as examined up to 21 days, showed significantly enhanced alkaline phosphate activity and up-regulated expression of bone-associated genes (ALP, Col I, OPN, and OCN). These results indicate that the combinatory cues provided by nanotopology (25 nm roughness) and ions released from MBGN are highly effective in stimulating osteoblastic differentiation and suggest that the MBGN/chitosan may serve as a potential composition for bone implant coatings

The aftermath of modernization: examining the impact of a change agenda on local government employees in the UK

The aftermath of modernization: examining the impact of a change agenda on local government employees in the U