\u3csup\u3e13\u3c/sup\u3eC NMR Analysis of Biologically Produced Pyrene Residues by \u3cem\u3eMycobacterium\u3c/em\u3e sp. KMS in the Presence of Humic Acid

Cultures of the pyrene degrading Mycobacterium sp. KMS were incubated with [4-13C]pyrene or [4,5,9,10-14C]pyrene with and without a soil humic acid standard to characterize the chemical nature of the produced residues and evaluate the potential for bonding reactions with humic acid. Cultures were subjected to a “humic acid/humin” separation at acidic pH, a duplicate separation followed by solvent extraction of the humic acid/humin fraction, and a high pH separation. 13C NMR analysis was conducted on the resulting solid extracts. Results indicated that the activity associated with solid extracts did not depend on pH and that approximately 10% of the added activity was not removed from the solid humic acid/humin fraction by solvent extraction. 13C NMR analysis supported the conclusion that the majority of pyrene metabolites were incorporated into cellular material. Some evidence was found for metabolite reaction with the added humic material, but this did not appear to be a primary fate mechanism

The importance of including habitat-specific behaviour in models of butterfly movement

Dispersal is a key process affecting population persistence and major factors affecting dispersal rates are the amounts, connectedness and properties of habitats in landscapes. We present new data on the butterfly Maniola jurtina in flower-rich and flower-poor habitats that demonstrates how movement and behaviour differ between sexes and habitat types, and how this effects consequent dispersal rates. Females had higher flight speeds than males but their total time in flight was four times less. The effect of habitat type was strong for both sexes, flight speeds were ~2.5x and ~1.7x faster on resource-poor habitats for males and females respectively, and flights were approximately 50% longer. With few exceptions females oviposited in the mown grass habitat, likely because growing grass offers better food for emerging caterpillars, but they foraged in the resource-rich habitat. It seems that females faced a trade-off between ovipositing without foraging in the mown grass or foraging without ovipositing where flowers were abundant. We show that taking account of habitat-dependent differences in activity, here categorised as flight or non-flight, is crucial to obtaining good fits of an individual-based model to observed movement. An important implication of this finding is that incorporating habitat-specific activity budgets is likely necessary for predicting longer-term dispersal in heterogeneous habitats as habitat-specific behaviour substantially influences the mean (>30% difference) and kurtosis (1.4x difference) of dispersal kernels. The presented IBMs provide a simple method to explicitly incorporate known activity and movement rates when predicting dispersal in changing and heterogeneous landscapes

Constructing an advanced software tool for planetary atmospheric modeling

Scientific model building can be an intensive and painstaking process, often involving the development of large and complex computer programs. Despite the effort involved, scientific models cannot be easily distributed and shared with other scientists. In general, implemented scientific models are complex, idiosyncratic, and difficult for anyone but the original scientist/programmer to understand. We believe that advanced software techniques can facilitate both the model building and model sharing process. In this paper, we describe a prototype for a scientific modeling software tool that serves as an aid to the scientist in developing and using models. This tool includes an interactive intelligent graphical interface, a high level domain specific modeling language, a library of physics equations and experimental datasets, and a suite of data display facilities. Our prototype has been developed in the domain of planetary atmospheric modeling, and is being used to construct models of Titan's atmosphere

Investment appraisal and evaluation: preserving tacit knowledge and competitive advantage

This research asks if intuitive investment appraisal and evaluation are appropriate under conditions of rapid change, uncertain outcomes, limited information, and when competitive advantage derives from tacit knowledge. Measures and rational approaches to appraisal and evaluation require distal knowledge made explicit in documents and techniques. Converting valuable tacit knowledge, residing in individuals and organisational context, into coded distal knowledge, which is more easily replicated, risks jeopardising the uniqueness of competencies and capabilities that underpin competitive advantage. The research investigates e-learning projects in higher education and finds little evidence of formal rational investment appraisal and evaluation in IS projects characterised by uncertainty and a lack of clear information

eLearning and the Digital Divide: Perpetuating Cultural and Socio-Economic Elitism in Higher Education

Education is seen as a route to full participation in society, and widening participation in education and lifelong learning as a way of including those who are currently excluded from many of the benefits of society. The use of learning technology is perceived as a means of widening participation in higher education by enabling participation by non-traditional students. E-learning is perceived as lowering barriers of time and space to enable non-traditional students to attend campus-based education while accessing resources at a time and place of their choosing. This research finds a digital divide with some students financially unable to afford technology and broadband access, others without the skills to engage with learning technology, and some culturally less able to benefit from technological enrichment. It also finds gender and generational differences disenfranchising some students

Examination of a Failed Professional Learning Community

Schools are using various forms of professional learning communities (PLCs) in order to increase student achievement and improve educational practices through enhanced communication and collaboration among teachers. This study examined a PLC that had too narrow a focus and failed therefore to affect student achievement. A critical shortcoming of the PLC groups examined in the current study had to do with their narrow mission and definition as “Data Teams” and consequentially a constricted focus on narrow metrics. A qualitative case study design was used to gather data through 6 interviews with PLC members and 3 observations of the PLC meetings. Interview data were coded and thematically analyzed based on the research questions posed in the study. The observational data were analyzed using pre-determined categories. The results indicated that the participants perceived the PLC, in its current state, as too focused on a single set of metrics and lacking the time, collaboration, and support needed to be effective

Inter-Personal Socialisation in Knowledge Transfer: Encouraging Personal ICT Use

Knowledge transfer and effective knowledge resource management facilitates organisations to innovate and develop new products and services. The knowledge transfer and creation processes require formal and informal networks and relationships. While the need for formal knowledge transfer networks may receive organisational attention, informal inter-personal networks, relationships and friendships also play an important role in knowledge transfer and creation. This paper suggests that rather than attempting to eliminate social activity such as personal use of information and communications technologies, socialisation activity should be encouraged to help build a culture of knowledge sharing and innovation

Identifying E-Learning capabilities and competences

This research asked the research question: what competencies and capabilities are required by HEIs engaging in e-learning? E-learning capabilities deployed in all of the cases studied in this research were a part of, or related to, existing capabilities. The findings also enable an analysis of e-learning competence. A competency is a capability performed relatively well, and confers competitive advantage. The study suggests that e-learning enables access to some student markets, and increases retention of students and student achievement, if this is the case then e-learning may well confer competitive advantage, and thus may well be a competence. Many of the interviewees believed that their organisation’s core competencies lay around teaching and learning, but some believed geographic location, distance learning skills, or research to be core competencies. However it is possible to argue that e-learning may provide core competences