Investigation of Teacher Education Delivery of Bicultural Education

The national bicultural early childhood curriculum in New Zealand, Te Whāriki, and the Graduating Teacher Standards require that graduating teachers are competent in Māori language as well as English, and have an understanding of aspects of Māori knowledge. However, research shows that teachers are not yet proficient in the skills needed to deliver the bicultural curriculum effectively. This paper explores the role of teacher-education providers in equipping their graduates to deliver that curriculum. Framed by an appreciative inquiry approach, data were collected from courses displayed on the websites of ten early-childhood tertiary teacher-education providers, followed by interviews with four participants from one provider. Findings revealed that providers considered their key role was in developing student teachers’ cultural understanding and commitment. Although the paper focuses on a bicultural curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, the findings have implications internationally for lecturers who seek to provide student teachers with culturally inclusive programmes

A Review of Undergraduate Education Student Responses to the Online Component of Blended Learning: A Cautionary Tale

Calls for enhancing the digital interface for teaching and learning within tertiary institutions have played out in one School of Education, with variable results. Online learning tasks were added in 2018 to regular classes to provide more flexibility for student engagement. A team of lecturers developed a questionnaire for students to be completed after the first semester pilot. Data and findings indicated that one-third of students identified online learning as an enhancement to their learning. A second survey was conducted one year later to assess changes made and analyse the longer-term impacts. During the COVID-19 lockdown, fully online pedagogy was required; anecdotal observation indicated an improvement in satisfaction and engagement, but perhaps only because online was the only way possible to complete assessments. The conclusion contains recommendations and a cautionary tale, when introducing online learning across existing courses

Nedd4-2-dependent ubiquitination potentiates the inhibition of human NHE3 by cholera toxin and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses and is often caused by bacterial infection. Recently, we have shown that human Naþ/Hþ exchanger NHE3 (hNHE3), but not non-human NHE3s, interacts with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. We hypothesize that this property of hNHE3 contributes to the increased severity of diarrhea in humans. METHODS: We used humanized mice expressing hNHE3 in the intestine (hNHE3int) to compare the contribution of hNHE3 and mouse NHE3 to diarrhea induced by cholera toxin (CTX) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). We measured Naþ/ Hþ exchange activity and fluid absorption. The role of Nedd4-2 on hNHE3 activity and ubiquitination was determined by knockdown in Caco-2bbe cells. The effects of protein kinase A (PKA), the primary mediator of CTX-induced diarrhea, on Nedd4-2 and hNHE3 phosphorylation and their interaction were determined. RESULTS: The effects of CTX and EPEC were greater in hNHE3int mice than in control wild-type (WT) mice, resulting in greater inhibition of NHE3 activity and increased fluid accumulation in the intestine, the hallmark of diarrhea. Activation of PKA increased ubiquitination of hNHE3 and enhanced interaction of Nedd4-2 with hNHE3 via phosphorylation of Nedd4-2 at S342. S342A mutation mitigated the Nedd4-2–hNHE3 interaction and blocked PKA-induced inhibition of hNHE3. Unlike non-human NHE3s, inhibition of hNHE3 by PKA is independent of NHE3 phosphorylation, suggesting a distinct mechanism of hNHE3 regulation. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of CTX and EPEC on hNHE3 are amplified, and the unique properties of hNHE3 may contribute to diarrheal symptoms occurring in humans

A Review of Animal Models of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Pathophysiology, Regeneration, and Translation to the Clinic

Lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Discogenic pain secondary to intervertebral disc degeneration is a significant cause of low back pain. Disc degeneration is a complex multifactorial process. Animal models are essential to furthering understanding of the degenerative process and testing potential therapies. The adult human lumbar intervertebral disc is characterized by the loss of notochordal cells, relatively large size, essentially avascular nature, and exposure to biomechanical stresses influenced by bipedalism. Animal models are compared with regard to the above characteristics. Numerous methods of inducing disc degeneration are reported. Broadly these can be considered under the categories of spontaneous degeneration, mechanical and structural models. The purpose of such animal models is to further our understanding and, ultimately, improve treatment of disc degeneration. The role of animal models of disc degeneration in translational research leading to clinical trials of novel cellular therapies is explored

Linking Redox Processes and Black Shale Resource Potential

Black shales, such as the Mississippian (~330 Ma) Bowland Shale Formation, are targets for unconventional hydrocarbon exploration in the UK and in equivalents across Europe. Despite this interest, global decarbonisation, by definition, will either require; (1) complete replacement of natural gas with renewables and nuclear power generation, or; (2) moderate to limited natural gas use globally or locally, for example as a ‘bridge fuel’, as a source for hydrogen via steam reformation, or coupled to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Any of these scenarios will increase the demand for transition metals such as V, Co and Ni, key elements used for energy storage and as catalysts in steam reformation. Black shales in general can host ore-grade enrichments in these metals, although the exact resource potential of UK Mississippian black shales remains unresolved. We integrate comprehensive sedimentological and geochemical data from three sections through the Bowland Shale in the Craven Basin (Lancashire, UK) to explore the links between controls on hydrocarbon and metal prospectivity. The Bowland Shale at these sites is a highly heterogeneous and complex ~120 m thick succession comprising carbonate-rich, siliceous and siliciclastic, argillaceous mudstones. These sedimentary facies developed in response to a combination of high-frequency (~111 kyr) sea level changes, fault activity at the basin margins and linkage with the nearby prograding Pendle delta system. Palaeoredox proxies such as Fe-speciation, redox-sensitive trace elements and S isotope analysis from extracted pyrite (δ34Spy) demonstrate intervals associated with metal enrichment were deposited under anoxic and at least intermittently euxinic (sulphidic) bottom water conditions. Trace element enrichment ‘V scores’ (sum of V+Mo+Se+Ni+Zn in ppm) indicate the greatest enrichments in these key transition metals and non-metals are associated with deposition under strongly sulphidic conditions during marine transgressions. V scores in these intervals are often >400 ppm and sometimes >1000 ppm. These bulk enrichments are comparable to stratiform low-grade ores such as the Upper Mudstone Member of the Devonian Popovich Formation (Nevada, USA). Hosts for these metals likely include solid sulphides such as pyrite, organic matter and possibly phosphates or carbonates. Critically, a process of switching between ferruginous and euxinic conditions in anoxic porewaters, termed ‘redox oscillation’, is recognised by a distinctive redox-sensitive trace element enrichment pattern, particularly competition between V and Ni metalation. Redox oscillation operated during periods of reduced sea level, where an increased supply of reactive Fe to the basin promoted development of intermittently ferruginous conditions in bottom waters and early diagenetic porewaters. Therefore the distribution of many redox-sensitive elements through the Bowland Shale is predictable. If these elements can be efficiently extracted from the mineral or organic hosts, UK Mississippian black shales may represent a significant resource. This work also improves understanding of the potential for co-extraction of metals during hydraulic fracturing, or during remediation of waste water. Future work will seek to understand which minerals or organic compounds host these redox-sensitive trace elements

The human rights needs and priorities of children with disability in Papua New Guinea

&nbsp;A final report from the \u27Voices of Pacific children with disability: Identifying the needs and priorities of children with disability in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea\u27 research project.<br /

Optimising care for patients with cognitive impairment and dementia following hip fracture

The global shift in demographics towards aging populations is leading to a commensurate increase in age-related disease and frailty. It is essential to optimise health services to meet current needs and prepare for anticipated future demands. This paper explores issues impacting on people living with cognitive impairment and/or dementia who experience a hip fracture and are cared for in acute settings. This is important given the high mortality and morbidity associated with this population. Given the current insufficiency of clear evidence on optimum rehabilitation of this patient group, this paper explored three key themes namely: recognition of cognitive impairment, response by way of training and education of staff to optimise care for this patient group and review of the importance of outcomes measures. Whilst there is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the optimal ways of caring for patients living with dementia following hip fracture, this paper concludes that future research should improve understanding of healthcare staff education to improve the outcomes for this important group of patients

Arsenic biotransformation in earthworms from contaminated soils

Two species of arsenic (As) resistant earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrodrillus rubidus, their host soils and soil excretions (casts) were collected from 23 locations at a former As mine in Devon, UK. Total As concentrations, measured by ICP-MS, ranged from 255 to 13,080 mg kg-1 in soils, 11 to 877 mg kg-1 in earthworms and 284 to 4221 mg kg-1 in earthworm casts from a sub-sample of 10 of the 23 investigated sites. The samples were also measured for As speciation using HPLC-ICP-MS to investigate potential As biotransformation pathways. Inorganic arsenate (AsV) and arsenite (AsIII) were the only species detected in the soil. AsV and AsIII were also the dominant species found in the earthworms and cast material together with lower proportions of the organic species methylarsonate (MAV), dimethylarsinate (DMAV), arsenobetaine (AB) and three arsenosugars. Whilst the inorganic As content of the earthworms increased with increasing As body burden, the concentration of organic species remained relatively constant. These results suggest that the biotransformation of inorganic arsenic to organic species does not contribute to As resistance in the sampled earthworm populations. Quantification of As speciation in the soil, earthworms and cast material allows a more comprehensive pathway for the formation of AB in earthworms to be elucidated

Rapporteurs' report: Towards equity through initial teacher education

N/

The expression of human NHE3 in mouse intestine leads to increased diarrheal symptoms

Diarrheal disease is a frequent cause of emergency room visits and often results from altered ion transport across the gut epithelium by infectious agents. The Na+/H+ Exchanger 3 (NHE3) is responsible for the majority of intestinal electroneutral sodium absorption and is associated with many diarrheal diseases. While mice/rabbits have been used to investigate the mechanisms of diarrhea, they are less prone to develop diarrhea than humans. Recently, we have shown that human NHE3, but not mouse/rabbit NHE3s, interacts with the ubiquitin E3 ligase Nedd4-2. We hypothesize that this property of human NHE3 contributes to the increased severity of diarrhea. To investigate this hypothesis, we generated transgenic mice expressing human NHE3 in the intestine (hNHE3int) and Caco/2bb cells transfected with human or rabbit NHE3. The regulation of human and non-human NHE3 in response to forskolin (FSK) or cholera toxin (CTX) was investigated by measuring NHE3 activity and ubiquitination. We found that FSK significantly increased human NHE3 ubiquitination and the extent of inhibition of human NHE3 activity by FSK was greater than rabbit NHE3. Nedd4-2 knockdown blunted the inhibitory effect on human NHE3 but not rabbit. Consistently, inhibition of intestinal NHE3 by FSK was greater in hNHE3int than WT mice. In addition, treatment with CTX led to significantly higher water accumulation in the small intestine of hNHE3int compared to WT mice. These findings demonstrate that human and non-human NHE3s are differentially regulated, suggesting that the characteristics of human NHE3 regulation may contribute to increased diarrhea severity in humans