Multi-level Linking of Teaching and Extra-curricular Activity with Professional Planning Research: The Case of the Lincoln Planning Review

The experience in developing a student-led academic journal, the Lincoln Planning Review, to provide experiential learning that links undergraduates in a small professional planning programme directly to research publication is described. A combination of circumstances, including an impending review of the programme by the external professional body, provided the impetus for the project. From the outset, the intention was to directly link students across the learning cohorts with research while meeting a number of other objectives. Reflecting on the experience highlights the value of the journal as a framework to build confidence, critical thinking and research skills through developing a learning community that practices collaborative peer learning

An exploration into the client at the heart of therapy : a qualitative perspective

Over 50 years ago Eysenck challenged the existing base of research into psychotherapy. Since that time, a large number of investigations have been conducted to verify the efficacy of therapy. Recently however, an increasing number of studies have cast new doubts on this research base. Instead of therapy being a function of the therapist, it is now becoming ever more apparent that the client plays a prime role in the therapeutic process. The qualitative studies presented in this paper provide some examples of research that demonstrates that clients are actively involved in their therapy, even making counselling work despite their counsellor. These studies suggest that clients may not experience therapy as beneficially as traditional outcome studies indicate. This raises a new challenge to researchers to more fully explore the client's experience of therapy, a challenge to which qualitative methods of inquiry would appear well suited

Fertilizer-use pattern and problems in wheat production in Punjab, India

Non-Peer Reviewe

Learning science in an integrated classroom: Finding balance through theoretical triangulation

The central thesis of this paper is that the learning of science in integrated curricular contexts requires a broader theoretical framework than is typically adopted by researchers and teachers. The common practice of interpreting science learning in terms of conceptual and procedural understandings in such contexts is problematized through an examination of the literature. As an alternative to the traditional approach, a triangulation of three theoretical perspectives is undertaken to view the science learning in a classroom case study of integrated curriculum. The conclusion highlights the necessity of balance between the disciplinary forces on curriculum and the forces that better reflect the multiple dimensions of learning in the real world. The use of theoretical triangulation is demonstrated as a technique through which a balanced, and more complete, view of learning in integrated contexts can be achieved

Antibody response to a sterile filtered PPD tuberculin in M. bovis infected and M. bovis sensitized cattle

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bovine tuberculosis, caused by <it>Mycobacterium bovis</it>, afflicts approximately 50 million cattle worldwide and is detected by the tuberculin skin test (TST). While it has long been recognized that purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin is composed of a mixture of <it>M. bovis </it>derived protein components, little is known about the quality, relative quantity and identity of the proteins that make up PPD tuberculin. We manufactured a sterile filtered PPD tuberculin (SF-PPD) from a nine-week-old <it>M. bovis </it>culture supernatant in order to characterise the culture filtrate proteins (CFP) which make up <it>M. bovis </it>PPD tuberculin and to compare the antibody response of <it>M. bovis </it>infected versus <it>M. bovis </it>sensitized cattle.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SF-PPD resolved into approximately 200 discrete spots using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) while fewer than 65 spots could be discerned from 2-DE gels of tuberculin derived from autoclaved culture supernatant. Two dimensional Western blot analyses indicated that sera from <it>M. bovis </it>sensitized cattle recognized additional SF-PPD antigens as compared to <it>M. bovis </it>infected cattle at seven weeks post infection/sensitization. However, application of a comparative tuberculin skin test resulted in an antibody boosting response to the same set of <it>M. bovis </it>CFPs in both the <it>M. bovis </it>infected and <it>M. bovis </it>sensitized cattle.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We concluded that it is the heat sterilization of the <it>M. bovis </it>CFPs that causes severe structural changes to the <it>M. bovis </it>proteins. This work suggests that <it>M. bovis </it>infected cattle and cattle artificially sensitized to <it>M. bovis </it>with an injection of heat killed cells exhibit similar antibody responses to <it>M. bovis </it>antigens.</p

Scientists Reflect on Why They Chose to Study Science

A concern commonly raised in literature and in media relates to the declining proportions of students who enter and remain in the ‘science pipeline’, and whether many countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have enough budding scientists to fill research and industry positions in the coming years. In addition, there is concern that insufficient numbers of students continue in science to ensure an informed, scientifically literate citizenry. The aim of the research presented in this paper was to survey current Australian and New Zealand scientists to explore their reasons for choosing to study science. An online survey was conducted via a link to SurveyGizmo. The data presented are from 726 respondents who answered 22 forced-choice items and an open-ended question about the reasons they chose to study science. The quantitative data were analysed using t tests and analyses of variance followed by Duncan’s multiple range tests, and the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The quantitative data showed that the main reasons scientists reported choosing to study science were because they were interested in science and because they were good at science. Secondary school science classes and one particular science teacher also were found to be important factors. Of much less importance were the prestige of science and financial considerations. The qualitative data expanded on these findings and showed that passion for science and/or curiosity about the world were important factors and also highlighted the importance of recreational pursuits, such as camping when a child. In the words of one respondent, ‘People don’t go into science for the money and glory. It’s passion for knowledge and science that always attracted me to the field’

Identification of decomposition volatile organic compounds from surface deposited and submerged porcine remains

Cadaver dogs are routinely used internationally by police and civilian search organisations to locate human remains on land and in water, yet little is currently known about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released by a cadaver underwater; how this compares to those given off by a cadaver deposited on land; and ultimately, how this affects the detection of drowned victims by dogs. The aim of this study was to identify the VOCs released by whole porcine (Sus scrofa domesticus) cadavers deposited on the surface and submerged in water using solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME GC–MS) to ascertain if there are notable differences in decomposition odour depending on the deposition location. For the first time in the UK, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the headspace of decomposing porcine cadavers deposited in both terrestrial and water environments have been detected and identified using SPME-GCMS, including thirteen new VOCs not previously detected from porcine cadavers. Distinct differences were found between the VOCs emitted by porcine cadavers in terrestrial and water environments. In total, seventy-four VOCs were identified from a variety of different chemical classes; carboxylic acids, alcohols, aromatics, aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, nitrogen compounds and sulphur compounds. Only forty-one VOCs were detected in the headspace of the submerged pigs with seventy detected in the headspace of the surface-deposited pigs. These deposition-dependent differences have important implications for the training of cadaver dogs in the UK. If dog training does not account for these depositional differences, there is potential for human remains to be missed. Whilst the specific odours that elicit a trained response from cadaver dogs remain unknown, this research means that recommendations can be made for the training of cadaver dogs to incorporate different depositions, to account for odour differences and mitigate the possibility of missed human remains operationally