Curriculum theorising: examining the middle ground of curriculum

Using current data, this article examines the ways in which teachers enact new curriculum prior to classroom implementation. This is new and important research as few, if any, studies have further explored what Goodson termed the 'middle ground' of curriculum (1994). This article locates the middle ground of curriculum between the high ground of curriculum (the formal construction of the written curriculum) and its ground-level implementation in the classroom. A model of the middle ground of curriculum that helps us to understand curriculum change processes from the perspective of those most affected by them - teachers - is subsequently proposed.

Determination of psilocin and psilocybin using flow injection analysis with acidic potassium permanganate and tris(2,2’-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) chemiluminescence detection respectively

A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the determination of psilocin and psilocybin is described. This is the first report on the determination of psilocin and psilocybin using flow injection analysis with acidic potassium permanganate and tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) chemiluminescence. The limits of detection (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) are 9 × 10⁻¹⁰ M and 3 × 10⁻¹⁰ M for psilocin and psilocybin, respectively.A concise synthetic route for psilocin in three steps from readily available starting materials is also described. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.

Phylogenetic relationships of the globally distributed freshwater prawn genus Macrobrachium (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae): biogeography, taxonomy, and the convergent evolution of abbreviated larval development

There has hitherto been little research into evolutionary and taxonomic relationships amongst species of the freshwater prawn genus Macrobrachium Bate across its global distribution. Previous work by the authors demonstrated that the endemic Australian species did not evolve from a single ancestral lineage. To examine whether other regional Macrobrachium faunas also reflect this pattern of multiple origins, the phylogeny of 30 Macrobrachium species from Asia, Central/South America and Australia was inferred from mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences. Phylogenetic relationships demonstrate that, despite some evidence for regional diversification, Australia, Asia and South America clearly contain Macrobrachium species that do not share a common ancestry, suggesting that large-scale dispersal has been a major feature of the evolutionary history of the genus. The evolution of abbreviated larval development (ALD), associated with the transition from an estuarine into a purely freshwater lifecycle, was also mapped onto the phylogeny and was shown to be a relatively homoplasious trait and not taxonomically informative. Other taxonomic issues, as well as the evolutionary origins of Macrobrachium, are also discussed.

Assessment of cognitive function in heart failure patients

Background
Research on the cognitive capacity of heart failure patients is limited, with a paucity of benchmark information available for this population. It is highly likely that cognitive deficits affect patients' understanding of disease and treatment requirements, as well as limiting their functional capacity and ability to implement treatment plans, and undertake self-care.

Aims
The purpose of this study was to establish a comprehensive neurocognitive profile of the heart failure patient through systematic neurocognitive assessment and to determine whether an association existed between severity of heart failure and cognitive abilities.

Methods
Thirty-eight patients were recruited from the heart failure patient databases of two metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were individually assessed using four standardised, internationally recognised neuropsychological tests that examined current and premorbid intelligence, memory and executive functioning.

Results
Although there was no significant decline from premorbid general intellectual function, other specific areas of deficit, including impaired memory and executive functioning, were identified. There were no significant correlations between heart failure severity and the neurocognitive measures used.

Conclusion
The results support the need to recognise cognitive impairment in people with heart failure and to develop an abbreviated method of assessing cognitive function that can be easily implemented in the clinical setting. Identifying cognitive deficits in this population will be useful in guiding the content and nature of treatment plans to maximise adherence and minimise worsening of heart failure symptoms.

Activation of the selenopritein SEPS1 gene expression by pro-inflammatory cytokines in Hep G2 cells

SEPS1 (also called selenoprotein S, SelS) plays an important role in the production of inflammatory cytokines and its expression is activated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In this report, we have identified two binding sites for the nuclear factor kappa B in the human SEPS1 promoter. SEPS1 gene expression, protein levels and promoter activity were all increased 2–3-fold by TNF-α and IL-1β in HepG2 cells. We have also confirmed that the previously proposed ER stress response element GGATTTCTCCCCCGCCACG in the SEPS1 proximate promoter is fully functional and responsive to ER stress. However, concurrent treatment of HepG2 cells with IL-1β and ER stress produced no additive effect on SEPS1 gene expression. We conclude that SEPS1 is a new target gene of NF-κB. Together with our previous findings that SEPS1 may regulate cytokine production in macrophage cells, we propose a regulatory loop between cytokines and SEPS1 that plays a key role in control of the inflammatory response.

Measuring consumer involvement : a test of the automobile involvement scale

This study empirically investigated consumer involvement with a product class. Data was collected from 178 vehicle buyers. Reliability and factor analyses investigated the structure of the Bloch (1981) instrument and the dimensions underlying involvement. In terms of replication, the results suggest the reduced-item version of the instrument previously proposed by Shimp and Sharma (1983) is reliable and is a less excessive measurement instrument. Similar dimensions underlying involvement with the product class are reported here. The study extends previous work by obtaining similar results in a different cultural setting, producing findings from a more relevant sample, applying an additional method of data collection, and suggesting that the underlying dimensions may be temporally stable.

Speciation of heavy metals in sewage irrigated pastures

[No Abstract]

Ontogeny of diving behaviour in the Australian sea lion: trials of adolescence in a late bloomer

1.Foraging behaviours of the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) reflect an animal working hard to exploit benthic habitats. Lactating females demonstrate almost continuous diving, maximize bottom time, exhibit elevated field metabolism and frequently exceed their calculated aerobic dive limit. Given that larger animals have disproportionately greater diving capabilities, we wanted to examine how pups and juveniles forage successfully.
2.Time/depth recorders were deployed on pups, juveniles and adult females at Seal Bay Conservation Park, Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Ten different mother/pup pairs were equipped at three stages of development (6, 15 and 23 months) to record the diving behaviours of 51 (nine instruments failed) animals.
3. Dive depth and duration increased with age. However, development was slow. At 6 months, pups demonstrated minimal diving activity and the mean depth for 23-month-old juveniles was only 44 ± 4 m, or 62% of adult mean depth.
4. Although pups and juveniles did not reach adult depths or durations, dive records for young sea lions indicate benthic diving with mean bottom times (2·0 ± 0·2 min) similar to those of females (2·1 ± 0·2 min). This was accomplished by spending higher proportions of each dive and total time at sea on or near the bottom than adults. Immature sea lions also spent a higher percentage of time at sea diving.
5. Juveniles may have to work harder because they are weaned before reaching full diving capability. For benthic foragers, reduced diving ability limits available foraging habitat. Furthermore, as juveniles appear to operate close to their physiological maximum, they would have a difficult time increasing foraging effort in response to reductions in prey. Although benthic prey are less influenced by seasonal fluctuations and oceanographic perturbations than epipelagic prey, demersal fishery trawls may impact juvenile survival by disrupting habitat and removing larger size classes of prey. These issues may be an important factor as to why the Australian sea lion population is currently at risk.

Supporting user evaluation of IT security certification schemes

IT Security Certification is an increasingly important qualification for information technology (IT) professionals seeking employment in IT security. Yet currently there is a lack of rigorously developed approaches to support the evaluation and selection by key stakeholders of the most appropriate IT security certification scheme from among hundreds of vendor-neutral and vendor-specific schemes. This paper develops a framework based on categories, characteristics and criteria to support user evaluation and selection of an (IT) Security Certification scheme that satisfies user priorities and requirements. The paper illustrates the use of the framework to support an experienced IT Professional’s evaluation. Theoretical and practical implications of the framework and trial evaluation are discussed.

A randomized controlled trial of buprenorphine in the management of short-term ambulatory heroin withdrawal

Aim: To determine whether buprenorphine is more effective than clondine and other symptomatic medications in managing ambulatory heroin withdrawal.
Design: Open label. prospective randomized controlled trial examining
withdrawal and 4-week postwithdrawal outcomes on intention-to-treat.
Setting: Two specialist, out-patient drug treatment centres in inner city
Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
Participants: One hundred and fourteen dependent heroin users were recruited. Participants were 18 yea rs or over. and with no significant other drug dependence, medical or psychiatric conditions or recent methadone treatment. One hundred and one (89%) participants completed a day 8 research interview examining withdrawal outcomes, and 92 (81%) completed day 35 research interview examining postwithdrawal outcomes.
Interventions: Participants randomized to control (n = 56) (up to 8 days or
clonidine and other symptomatic medications) or experimental (n = 58) (up to 5 days of buprenorphine) withdrawal groups. Following the 8-day withdrawal episode, participants could self-select from range of postwithdrawal options (naltrexone, substitution maintenance or counselling).
Measurements: Retention in withdrawal: heroin use during withdrawl: and
retention in drug treatment 4 weeks after withdrawal.
Secondary outcomes: Withdrawal severity: adverse events, and heroin use in the postwithdrawal period.
Findings: The experimental group had better treatment retention at day 8 (86% versus 57%, P = 0.001, 95% CI for numbers needed to treat (NNT) = 3-8) and day 35 (62% versus 39%, P = 0.02, 95% CI for NNT = 4-18): used heroin on fewer days during the withdralwal programlme (2.6 ± 2.5 versus 4.5 ± 2. 3.
P < 0.001. 95% CI = 1- 2.5 days) and in the postwithdrawal period (9.0±8.2
versus 14.6± 10. P<O.Ol. 95% CI = I .8- 9.4): and reported less withdrawal
severity. No severe adverse events reported.
Conclusions: Buprenorphine is effective for short-term ambulatory heroin
withdrawaI, with greater retention, less heroin use and less withdrawal discomfort during withdrawal: and increased postwithdrawal treatment retention than symptomatic medications.

Characterisation of proteins in the milk of fur seals

Milk protein composition was investigated throughout the lactation periods of the Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella). The mean protein content of the milk was found to be 10.9% and 10.6% respectively. The concentration of total protein did not change during lactation, although a decline in casein content of the milk in late lactation was apparent. Milk protein concentration during a foraging/suckling cycle of the Antarctic fur seal analysed at the time of arrival on shore, and 24 h and 72 h after arrival was 12.8%, 11.4% and 12.5% respectively. Re-feeding animals at 72 h resulted in a significant increase in milk protein content to 14.9%. Characterisation of milk protein by SDS-PAGE analysis revealed 5 casein and 10 major whey protein bands. Amino-terminal sequencing indicated that the majority of the whey fraction of the milk is β-lactoglobulin (β-LG). The limited amino acid sequence indicated 3 different β-LGs were secreted in the milk. Subsequently, RT-PCR was used to extend the sequence of one of the β-LGs and translation of the 464 bp fragment indicated that it shared 79% sequence identity with feline β-LG II.

The lactation cycle of the fur seal

The fur seal is a mammal with an unusual ability to turn its milk production on and off without significantly altering the gross morphology of the mammary gland. This atypical lactation cycle is due to the fact that maternal foraging and infant nursing are spatially and temporally separate (Bonner, 1984). Maternal care involves the suckling of offspring over a period of at least 4 months, but lactation can extend to more than 12 months. Following a perinatal fast of approximately 1 week, females depart the breeding colony to forage at sea and, for the remainder of lactation, alternate between short periods ashore suckling their young with longer periods of up to 4 weeks foraging at sea. Whilst foraging at sea, milk production in the fur seal mammary gland either ceases or is reduced (Arnould & Boyd, 1995b).