Curriculum development for professional ethics in Australian human service university programmes

Australian academics and practitioners in the human services are particularly susceptible to social, political and economic influences in respect of their relevance, viability and operations. In fact, it can be argued that the impact of these influences has placed human service practitioners and academics in a perpetual state of vulnerability. Australian universities have been challenged to make their programmes more relevant and viable to the community at large, and practitioners face increasing workloads with limited resources based on restricted fiscal allocation, and the changing relationship between government and service providers. Drawing on interview data from twenty-one (n = 21) practitioners, this article highlights their identified problems regarding the notion of professionalism in the human services with a particular focus on ethical dilemmas in human service practice. Gleaning these details will be a basis for recommending necessary professionalethics curricula content in human services programmes offered in Australian universities. Moreover, while the research data is Australian based, the authors contend that the universal theories and principles underpinning human service practice justify the significance and value of the data as an important source for international consideration in curriculum development of human service academic programmes.

The gene encoding the immunoregulatory signaling molecule CMRF-35A localized to human chromosome 17 in close proximity to other members of the CMRF-35 family

The immunoregulatory signaling (IRS) family includes several molecules, which play major roles in the regulation of the immune response. The CMRF-35A and CMRF-35H molecules are two new members of the IRS family of molecules, that are found on a wide variety of haemopoietic lineages. The extracellular functional interactions of these molecules is presently unknown, although CMRF-35H on initiate an inhibitory signal and is internalized when cross-linked. In this paper, we described the gene structure for the CMRF-35A gene and its localization to human chromosome 17. The gene consists of four exons spanning approximately 4.5 kb. Exon 1 encodes the 5' untranslated region and leader sequence, exon 2 encodes the immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domain, exon 3 encodes the membrane proximal region and exon 4 encodes the transmembrane region, the cytoplasmic tail and the 3' untranslated region. A region in the 5' flanking sequence of the CMRF-35A gene, that promoted expression of a reporter gene was identified. The genes for the CMRF-35A and CMRF-35H molecules are closely linked on chromosome 17. Similarity between the Ig-like exons and the preceding intron of the two genes suggests exon duplication was involved in their evolution. We also identified a further member of the CMRF-35 family, the CMRF-35J pseudogene. This gene appears to have arisen by gene duplication of the CMRF-35A gene. These three loci-the CMRF-35A, CMRF-35J and CMRF-35H genes-form a new complex of IRS genes on chromosome 17.

Child welfare workers' use of theory in working with physical child abuse: Implications for professional supervision

This article examines child welfare workers' understanding of physical child abuse and the Implications for those supervising these workers. The article Is based on the results of a study that involved In-depth Interviews and focus groups with statutory child welfare workers. Analysis revealed that workers' understanding of physical child abuse embodied a wide range of ideas that were generally consistent with existing literature. The study highlights the value and utility of a reflective approach In stimulating and making explicit the theoretical underpinnings of child welfare workers practice. Specific Implications for professional supervision are addressed.