Practices to enhance peer program implementation integrity to safeguard peer leaders and learners

The powerful influence of peers on fellow students’ learning engagement and their ability to foster self-efficacy is well recognised. A positive learner mindset can be fostered through establishment of guided meaningful relationships formed between peers. Recognising the value of peer connections in shaping the student learning experience, peer programs have been widely adopted by universities as a mechanism to facilitate these connections. While potentially beneficial, a lack of knowledge and inexperience by program implementers can lead to program outcomes being compromised. To mitigate this risk, QUT has established university wide systems and benchmarks for enacting peer programs. These measures aim to promote program implementation integrity by supporting and developing the knowledge and capabilities of peer leaders and program coordinators. This paper describes a range of measures that have been instigated to optimise the quality of programs and ensure outcomes are mutually constructive and beneficial for all stakeholders.

Exploring the relationships between design & public libraries through the lens of service design

Design is ubiquitous to the life of contemporary societies and key to their progress, but for some, it is an elitist concept. This thesis investigates the role of public libraries contribution to the general public's understanding of 'Design'. This study compared participants views in the context of State Libraries in two cities: Brisbane and Curitiba. Findings revealed that exploring four new aspects in the Development and Deliver Stages of a service design framework for public libraries can be an effective tool to enhance people's access and experiences of Design, and ultimately, it can contribute to the democratization of design.

Exploring the relationships between design and public libraries through the lens of service design

Design is ubiquitous to the life of contemporary societies and key to their progress, but for some, it is an elitist concept. This thesis investigates the role of public libraries contribution to the general public's understanding of "Design". This study compared participants views in the context of State Libraries in two cities: Brisbane and Curitiba. Findings revealed that exploring four new aspects in the Development and Deliver Stages of a service design framework for public libraries can be an effective tool to enhance people"s access and experiences of Design, and ultimately, it can contribute to the democratisation of design.

Investigating novelty-outcome relationships in engineering design

Design creativity involves developing novel and useful solutions to design problems The research in this article is an attempt to understand how novelty of a design resulting from a design process is related to the kind of outcomes. described here as constructs, involved in the design process A model of causality, the SAPPhIRE model, is used as the basis of the analysis The analysis is based on previous research that shows that designing involves development and exploration of the seven basic constructs of the SAPPhIRE model that constitute the causal connection between the various levels of abstraction at which a design can be described The constructs am state change, action, parts. phenomenon. input. organs. and effect The following two questions are asked. Is there a relationship between novelty and the constructs? If them is a relationship, what is the degree of this relationship? A hypothesis is developed to answer the questions an increase in the number and variety of ideas explored while designing should enhance the variety of concept space. leading to an increase in the novelty of the concept space Eight existing observational studies of designing sessions are used to empirically validate the hypothesis Each designing session involves an individual designer. experienced or novice. solving a design problem by producing concepts and following a think-aloud protocol. The results indicate dependence of novelty of concept space on variety of concept space and dependence of variety of concept space on variety of idea space. thereby validating the hypothesis The Jesuits also reveal a strong correlation between novelty and the constructs, correlation value decreases as the abstraction level of the constructs reduces. signifying the importance of using constructs at higher abstraction levels for enhancing novelty

Mechanism-based inhibition of CYP2C8 by gemfibrozil in humans : characterisation of time and dose relationships

Drug-drug interactions may cause serious, even fatal clinical consequences. Therefore, it is important to examine the interaction potential of new chemical entities early in drug development. Mechanism-based inhibition is a pharmacokinetic interaction type, which causes irreversible loss of enzyme activity and can therefore lead to unusually profound and long-lasting consequences. The in vitro in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) of drug-drug interactions caused by mechanism-based inhibition is challenging. Consequently, many of these interactions have remained unrecognised for many years. The concomitant use of the fibrate-class lipid-lowering agent gemfibrozil increases the concentrations of some drugs and their effects markedly. Even fatal cases of rhabdomyolysis occurred in patients administering gemfibrozil and cerivastatin concomitantly. One of the main mechanisms behind this effect is the mechanism-based inhibition of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8 enzyme by a glucuronide metabolite of gemfibrozil leading to increased cerivastatin concentrations. Although the clinical use of gemfibrozil has clearly decreased during recent years, gemfibrozil is still needed in some special cases. To enable safe use of gemfibrozil concomitantly with other drugs, information concerning the time and dose relationships of CYP2C8 inhibition by gemfibrozil should be known. This work was carried out as four in vivo clinical drug-drug interaction studies to examine the time and dose relationships of the mechanism-based inhibitory effect of gemfibrozil on CYP2C8. The oral antidiabetic drug repaglinide was used as a probe drug for measuring CYP2C8 activity in healthy volunteers. In this work, mechanism-based inhibition of the CYP2C8 enzyme by gemfibrozil was found to occur rapidly in humans. The inhibitory effect developed to its maximum already when repaglinide was given 1-3 h after gemfibrozil intake. In addition, the inhibition was shown to abate slowly. A full recovery of CYP2C8 activity, as measured by repaglinide metabolism, was achieved 96 h after cessation of gemfibrozil treatment. The dose-dependency of the mechanism-based inhibition of CYP2C8 by gemfibrozil was shown for the first time in this work. CYP2C8 activity was halved by a single 30 mg dose of gemfibrozil or by twice daily administration of less than 30 mg of gemfibrozil. Furthermore, CYP2C8 activity was decreased over 90% by a single dose of 900 mg gemfibrozil or twice daily dosing of approximately 100 mg gemfibrozil. In addition, with the application of physiological models to the data obtained in the dose-dependency studies, the major role of mechanism-based inhibition of CYP2C8 in the interaction between gemfibrozil and repaglinide was confirmed. The results of this work enhance the proper use of gemfibrozil and the safety of patients. The information related to time-dependency of CYP2C8 inhibition by gemfibrozil may also give new insights in order to improve the IVIVE of the drug-drug interactions of new chemical entities. The information obtained by this work may be utilised also in the design of clinical drug-drug interaction studies in the future.

TN : TP ratio and planktivorous fish do not affect nutrient-chlorophyll relationships in shallow lakes

1. In previous work, phytoplankton regulation in freshwater lakes has been associated with many factors. Among these, the ratio of total nitrogen to total phosphorus (TN : TP) has been widely proposed as an index to identify whether phytoplankton are N- or P-limited. From another point of view, it has been suggested that planktivorous fish can be used to control phytoplankton. 2. Large-scale investigations of phytoplankton biomass [measured as chlorophyll a, (chl-a)] were carried out in 45 mid-lower Yangtze shallow lakes to test hypotheses concerning nutrient limitation (assessed with TN : TP ratios) and phytoplankton control by planktivorous fish. 3. Regression analyses indicated that TP was the primary regulating factor and TN the second regulating factor for both annual and summer phytoplankton chl-a. In separate nutrient-chl-a regression analyses for lakes of different TN : TP ratios, TP was also superior to TN in predicting chl-a at all particular TN : TP ranges and over the entire TN : TP spectrum. Further analyses found that chl-a : TP was not influenced by TN : TP, while chl-a : TN was positively and highly correlated to TP : TN. 4. Based on these results, and others in the literature, we argue that the TN : TP ratio is inappropriate as an index to identify limiting nutrients. It is almost impossible to specify a 'cut-off' TN : TP ratio to identify a limiting nutrient for a multi-species community because optimal N : P ratios vary greatly among phytoplankton species. 5. Lakes with yields of planktivorous fish (silver and bighead carp, the species native to China) > 100 kg ha(-1) had significantly higher chl-a and lower Secchi depth than those with yields < 100 kg ha(-1). TP-chl-a and TP-Secchi depth relationships are not significantly different between lakes with yields > 100 kg ha(-1) or < 100 kg ha(-1). These results indicate that the fish failed to decrease chl-a yield or enhance Z(SD). Therefore, silver carp and bighead carp are not recommended as a biotic agent for phytoplankton control in lake management if the goal is to control the entire phytoplankton and to enhance water quality.

Effects of CO2 enrichment on the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (Cyanophyceae): Physiological responses and relationships with the availability of dissolved inorganic carbon

Microcystis aeruginosa Kutz. 7820 was cultured at 350 and 700 muL.L-1 CO2 to assess the impacts of doubled atmospheric CO2 concentration on this bloom-forming cyanobacterium. Doubling Of CO2 concentration in the airflow enhanced its growth by 52%-77%, with pH values decreased and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) increased in the medium. Photosynthetic efficiencies and dark respiratory rates expressed per unit chl a tended to increase with the doubling of CO2. However, saturating irradiances for photosynthesis and light-saturated photosynthetic rates normalized to cell number tended to decrease with the increase of DIC in the medium. Doubling of CO2 concentration in the airflow had less effect on DIC-saturated photosynthetic rates and apparent photosynthetic affinities for DIC. In the exponential phase, CO2 and HCO3- levels in the medium were higher than those required to saturate photosynthesis. Cultures with surface aeration were DIC limited in the stationary phase. The rate of CO2 dissolution into the liquid increased proportionally when CO2 in air was raised from 350 to 700 muL.L-1, thus increasing the availability of DIC in the medium and enhancing the rate of photosynthesis. Doubled CO2 could enhance CO2 dissolution, lower pH values, and influence the ionization fractions of various DIC species even when the photosynthesis was not DIC limited. Consequently, HCO3- concentrations in cultures were significantly higher than in controls, and the photosynthetic energy cost for the operation of CO2 concentrating mechanism might decrease.

Contact and context: sharing education and building relationships in a divided society

One approach to tackling problems of division in society has been to promote collaboration and engagement between schools separated on ethno-religious lines. Based on some variant of contact theory, the received wisdom is that inter-group encounters can contribute to prejudice reduction and promote more harmonious relationships. Evidence to support this analysis is convincing; however, relatively little is known about the environmental factors that impede or enhance the potential for contact in different contexts. The importance of understanding such factors is underscored in divided jurisdictions, where separate education has been linked to the perpetuation of division and hostility. This paper adopts a qualitative approach to exploring the impact of two inter-school initiatives in Northern Ireland. The projects are located in contrasting socio-political and demographic environments, and research findings point to very different contact outcomes for participants in each. Seemingly relevant factors include the degree of congruence between school and community norms and values, the opportunity to develop relationships outside the school context, the relationships developed between the schools and local communities and the historical, political and social referents used by individuals to navigate the contact experience. The paper concludes with some reflections on factors that may help foster social harmony and on potential policy implications of the findings.

Syntrophic relationships between algae and bacteria in a fresh-water stream and in culture /

Interactions between freshwater algae and bacteria were examined in a natural stream habitat and a laboratory model. Field observations provided circumstantial evidence, in statistical correlation for syntrophy between the microbial populations. This relation is probably subject to control by the temperature and pH of the aquatic environment. Several species of a pond community were isolated in axenic culture and tests were performed to determine the nature of mixed species interactions. Isolation procedures and field studies indicated that selected strains of Chlorella and Azotobacter were closely associated in their natural habitat. With the suspected controlling parameters, pH and temperature, held constant, mixed cultures of algae and bacteria were compared to axenic cultures of the same organisms, and a mutual stimulation of growth was observed. A mixed pure culture apparatus was designed in this laboratory to study the algal-bacterial interaction and to test the hypothesis that such an interaction may take place through a diffusable substance or through certain medium-borne conditions, Azotobacter was found to take up a Chlorella-produced exudate, to stimulate protein synthesis, to enhance chlorophyll production and to cause a numerical increase in the interacting Chlorella population. It is not clear whether control is at the environmental, cellular or genetic level in these mixed population interactions. Experimental observations in the model system, taken with field correlations allow one to state that there may be a direct relationship governing the population fluctuations of these two organisms in their natural stream surroundings.

Identification and description of the development of the relationships between mentor and mentee teachers in the Halton Board of Education "Partners in the Classroom" Program

Fifteen mentoring pairs of teachers were randomly selected from each group of teachers that had participated in the Halton Board of Education "Partners in the Classroom" program during 1988/89, 1989/90, and 1990/91. Each teacher was personally interviewed. Interviews were recorded, transcriptions were prepared and examined and analyzed. During the first part of the interview questions were asked regarding personal and professional demographics. The purpose of the second part of the interview was to gain information relating to the development of the relationships, over a three-year period, between mentor and mentee teacher participants in the "Partners in the Classroom" program. The analysis of the data suggest that there are identifiable changes in the development of the relationship between the mentor teacher and the mentee teacher over time. Implications from the study results that could enhance the induction program for new teachers are discussed.

An Exploration Into Doctoral Students' Sense of Community and its Influence on the Formation of Informal Mentoring Relationships

This exploratory mixed method research project was designed to investigate an area of doctoral education that has received little attention in the past. This research focused specifically on the non-intellectual, hoped-for by-products of doctoral education; the dynamic processes of developing and maintaining both a sense of community and informal mentoring relationships. The design of the study captured the experiences of doctoral students and alumni at various time periods in the doctoral program. Participants represented a diverse group of students with differences in professional and academic backgrounds and life stages. A pilot study for this research suggested that the presence of a sense of community and informal mentoring may provide the necessary relationships to support this diversity. The primary question at the forefront of this study was: Do doctoral students feel connected to one another? Five subquestions were developed to address this research topic: Does a sense of community already exist and flourish in doctoral education? Are the programs and resources of the doctoral program organized to nurture the creation and maintenance of a sense of community? Is a sense of community a foundational element in the formation of naturally occurring relationships among doctoral students? What educational and socio-emotional benefits are associated with informal mentoring relationships during the doctoral experience? and Do doctoral students perceive a change in their development as stewards of their discipline over time? The principal methods used to investigate these research questions combined both quantitative and qualitative techniques in a concurrent time sequence. The quantitative portion of the study involved a questionnaire, while the qualitative portion involved two approaches; face-to-face interviews and an open-ended question at the end of the questionnaire. Findings from the study indicated that the presence of both sense of community and informal mentoring enhance the overall quality of doctoral education. Program elements that enhanced or hindered connection between students were identified. Both the dynamics and the emotional, social, and academic benefits of informal mentoring were elucidated. Over time participants perceived changes in their development of the qualities assqciated with stewardship. This study brought the "hoped-for by-products" associated with doctoral education from the background shadows to an illuminated position at the forefront of inquiry.

Cyberjustice in Brazil : the use of technology to enhance access to justice and procedural celerity

Dans une société mondialisée, où les relations sont intégrées à une vitesse différente avec l'utilisation des technologies de l'information et des communications, l'accès à la justice gagne de nouveaux concepts, mais elle est encore confrontée à de vieux obstacles. La crise mondiale de l'accès à la justice dans le système judiciaire provoque des débats concernant l'égalité en vertu de la loi, la capacité des individus, la connaissance des droits, l'aide juridique, les coûts et les délais. Les deux derniers ont été les facteurs les plus importants du mécontentement des individus avec le système judiciaire. La présente étude a pour objet d'analyser l'incidence de l'utilisation de la technologie dans l’appareil judiciaire, avec l'accent sur la réalité brésilienne, la voie législative et des expériences antérieures dans le développement de logiciels de cyberjustice. La mise en œuvre de ces instruments innovants exige des investissements et de la planification, avec une attention particulière sur l'incidence qu'ils peuvent avoir sur les routines traditionnelles des tribunaux. De nouveaux défis sont sur la voie de ce processus de transformation et doivent être traités avec professionnalisme afin d'éviter l'échec de projets de qualité. En outre, si la technologie peut faire partie des différents aspects de notre quotidien et l'utilisation de modes alternatifs de résolution des conflits en ligne sont considérés comme un succès, pourquoi serait-il difficile de faire ce changement dans la prestation de la justice par le système judiciaire? Des solutions technologiques adoptées dans d'autres pays ne sont pas facilement transférables à un environnement culturel différent, mais il y a toujours la possibilité d'apprendre des expériences des autres et d’éviter de mauvaises voies qui pourraient compromettre la définition globale de l'accès à la justice.

Relationships between Duck and Grassland Bird Relative Abundance and Species Richness in Southern Saskatchewan

Digital map products that integrate long-term duck population and land-use data are currently being used to guide conservation program delivery on the Canadian Prairies. However, understanding the inter-relationships between ducks and other grassland bird species would greatly enhance program planning and delivery. We hypothesized that ducks, and Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) in particular, may function as an umbrella guild for the overall breeding habitat quality for other grassland bird species. We compared grassland bird species richness and relative abundance among areas of low, moderate, and high predicted waterfowl breeding densities (i.e., duck density strata) in the southern Missouri Coteau, Saskatchewan. We conducted roadside point counts and delineated habitats within a 400 m radius of each point. The duck high-density stratum supported greater avian species richness and abundance than did the duck low-density stratum. Overall, duck and other grassland bird species richness and abundance were moderately correlated, with all r between 0.37 and 0.69 (all P < 0.05). Although the habitat requirements of Northern Pintail may overlap with those of other grassland endemics, priority grassland bird species richness was only moderately correlated with total pintail abundance in both years, and the abundances of pintail and grassland songbirds listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada were not correlated. No differences in the mean number of priority grassland species were detected among the strata. Adequate critical habitat for several priority species may not be protected if conservation is focused only in areas of moderate to high wetland density because large tracts of contiguous, dry grassland habitat (e.g., pasture) occur infrequently in high-quality duck habitat.

Strategic use of private standards to enhance international competitiveness: Vegetable exports from Kenya and elsewhere

The paper examines how European retailers are using private standards for food safety and,quality as risk management and competitive tools and the strategic responses of leading Kenyan and other developing country supplier/exporters to such standards. Despite measures to harmonize a 'single market', the European fresh produce market is very diverse in terms of consumer preferences, structural dynamics and attention to and enforcement of food safety and other standards. Leading Kenyan fresh produce suppliers have re-positioned themselves at the high end, including 'high care', segments of the market - precisely those that are most demanding in terms of quality assurance and food safety systems. An array of factors have influenced this strategic positioning, including relatively high international freight costs, the emergence of more effective competition in mainstream product lines, relatively low labor costs for produce preparation, and strong market relationships with selected retail chains. To succeed in this demanding market segment, the industry has had to invest substantially in improved production and procurement systems, upgraded pack house facilities, and quality assurance/food safety management systems. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Information Visualization to Enhance Sensitivity and Selectivity in Biosensing

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)