'The confidence to do things that I know nothing about’ – skills development through extra-curricular inquiry activity

This article presents the findings of a survey given to students engaging in educational enhancement activities in inquiry/enquiry-based learning at two Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). The students involved were asked to comment on the skills they felt that they had developed as part of their roles as 'interns' and 'ambassadors'. These comments were analysed inductively and several strong themes emerged. Students valued the opportunity to engage in such activities, which developed a wide range of transferable skills and had a positive impact on their academic work and their prospects for future employment. While there is a considerable amount of literature on higher education and skills development, a growing body of work on how curricular inquiry-based learning impacts upon students' capabilities, and a plethora of studies on how paid and unpaid extra-curricular activities affect students' educational achievement, few studies have sought to relate these areas of research

The role of TNF-receptor family members and other TRAF-dependent receptors in bone resorption

The contribution of osteoclasts to the process of bone loss in inflammatory arthritis has recently been demonstrated. Studies in osteoclast biology have led to the identification of factors responsible for the differentiation and activation of osteoclasts, the most important of which is the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand/osteoclast differentiation factor (RANKL/ODF), a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like protein. The RANKL/ODF receptor, receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK), is a TNF-receptor family member present on both osteoclast precursors and mature osteoclasts. Like other TNF-family receptors and the IL-1 receptor, RANK mediates its signal transduction via TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) proteins, suggesting that the signaling pathways activated by RANK and other inflammatory cytokines involved in osteoclast differentiation and activation are interconnected

Determinants of migrant career success: A study of recent skilled migrants in Australia

Australia has been aggressively pursuing skilled migrants to sustain its population and foster economic growth. However, many skilled migrants experience a downward career move upon migration to Australia. Based on a survey of recent skilled migrants, this study investigates how individual (age, years of settlement, qualifications), national/societal (citizenship and settlement), and organization‐level (climate of inclusion) factors influence their career success. Overall, we found that: (1) age at migration matters more than length of settlement in predicting skilled migrant career success; (2) citizenship uptake and living in a neighbourhood with a greater number of families from the same country of origin facilitate post‐migration career success; and (3) perceptions of one\u27s social/informal networks in the workplace – a dimension of perceived organizational climate of inclusion – also have a positive impact on migrant career outcomes

A new measurement of the 7Li(d,p)8Li cross section and consequences for 7Be(p,gamma)8B

A novel scheme for measuring the cross section of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction, the major source of high energy neutrinos from t he sun, is presented. The scheme involves a strictly uniform particle beam and overcomes some of the recognized experimental uncertainties of previous measurements. A new measurement of sigma[7Li(d,p)8Li] has been carried out using this setup,and the present value of sigma[7Li(d,p)8Li] = 155(8) mbarn at the top of the E_d(lab.)= 776 keV resonance is compared to previous measurements. A new issue regarding both the (d,p) and (p,gamma) reactions has been examined: reaction-product nuclei which are backscattered out of the target. Measurements and simulations carried out in the course of this investigation are presented and discussed in the context of possible effects on the measured cross sections of these reactions.Comment: 4 figure

Legal geographies of irregular migration : An outlook on immigration detention

In this article, I discuss legal geographies of irregular migration, drawing on a case study on immigration detention in Finland. Based on analysis of detention records, four different types of legal geographies are identified, relating to south–north movement of third‐country nationals inside Europe, criminalised Eastern European EU citizens, irregularity during the asylum process (in particular, related to the Dublin Regulation) and irregularly residing foreign nationals, including deportable long‐term residents. The analysis focuses on the relations between space, law and persons during detainees' irregular migration trajectories, paying attention to their varying entry routes, residence times, legal grounds for removal and detention and removal countries. I argue for the need for empirically contextualised analysis that addresses the complex relations between law and geography beyond a particular national context, in order to better understand the dynamics of irregular migration in all its variety.In this article, I discuss legal geographies of irregular migration, drawing on a case study on immigration detention in Finland. Based on analysis of detention records, four different types of legal geographies are identified, relating to south–north movement of third‐country nationals inside Europe, criminalised Eastern European EU citizens, irregularity during the asylum process (in particular, related to the Dublin Regulation) and irregularly residing foreign nationals, including deportable long‐term residents. The analysis focuses on the relations between space, law and persons during detainees' irregular migration trajectories, paying attention to their varying entry routes, residence times, legal grounds for removal and detention and removal countries. I argue for the need for empirically contextualised analysis that addresses the complex relations between law and geography beyond a particular national context, in order to better understand the dynamics of irregular migration in all its variety.Peer reviewe

A misplaced lncRNA causes brachydactyly in humans

Translocations are chromosomal rearrangements that are frequently associated with a variety of disease states and developmental disorders. We identified 2 families with brachydactyly type E (BDE) resulting from different translocations affecting chromosome 12p. Both translocations caused downregulation of the parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH) gene by disrupting the cis-regulatory landscape. Using chromosome conformation capturing, we identified a regulator on chromosome 12q that interacts in cis with PTHLH over a 24.4-megabase distance and in trans with the sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9) gene on chromosome 17q. The element also harbored a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). Silencing of the lncRNA, PTHLH, or SOX9 revealed a feedback mechanism involving an expression-dependent network in humans. In the BDE patients, the human lncRNA was upregulated by the disrupted chromosomal association. Moreover, the lncRNA occupancy at the PTHLH locus was reduced. Our results document what we believe to be a novel in cis- and in trans-acting DNA and lncRNA regulatory feedback element that is reciprocally regulated by coding genes. Furthermore, our findings provide a systematic and combinatorial view of how enhancers encoding lncRNAs may affect gene expression in normal development

A New Precision Measurement of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B Cross section with an Implanted 7Be Target

The 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction plays a central role in the evaluation of solar neutrino fluxes. We report on a new precision measurement of the cross section of this reaction, following our previous experiment with an implanted 7Be target, a raster scanned beam and the elimination of the backscattering loss. The new measurement incorporates a more abundant 7Be target and a number of improvements in design and procedure. The point at Elab=991 keV was measured several times under varying conditions, yielding a value of S17(Ec.m. =850 keV) = 24.0(5) eV b. Measurements were carried out at lower energies as well. Due to the precise knowledge of the implanted 7Be density profile it was possible to reconstitute both the off- and on resonance parts of the cross section and to obtain from the entire set of measurements an extrapolated value of S17(0)=21.2(7) eV b.Comment: 4 Pages, 3 Figure