The Yd2 resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus is effective in barley plants but not in their leaf protoplasts

The Yd2 gene for “resistance” to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) has been widely used in barley (Hordeum vulgare). We have tested Australian isolates of BYDV of varying severity against barley genotypes with and without the Yd2 gene and report here a positive relationship between symptoms and virus levels determined by ELISA. Cultivar Shannon is the result of backcrossing the resistant line CI 3208 to cultivar Proctor, a susceptible line. It appears to be intermediate in reaction to BYDV between Proctor and CI 3208, although it carries the major gene, Yd2. Unlike the whole plant studies, no significant differences were observed with regard to the ability of protoplasts derived from these various genotypes to support BYDV replication. It is therefore demonstrated for the first time that the Yd2 gene is not among the small number of resistance genes which are effective against virus replication in isolated protoplasts.

Construct design for efficient, effective and high-throughput gene silencing in plants

Post-transcriptional silencing of plant genes using anti-sense or co-suppression constructs usually results in only a modest proportion of silenced individuals. Recent work has demonstrated the potential for constructs encoding self-complementary 'hairpin' RNA (hpRNA) to efficiently silence genes. In this study we examine design rules for efficient gene silencing, in terms of both the proportion of independent transgenic plants showing silencing, and the degree of silencing. Using hpRNA constructs containing sense/anti-sense arms ranging from 98 to 853 nt gave efficient silencing in a wide range of plant species, and inclusion of an intron in these constructs had a consistently enhancing effect. Intron-containing constructs (ihpRNA) generally gave 90-100% of independent transgenic plants showing silencing. The degree of silencing with these constructs was much greater than that obtained using either co-suppression or anti-sense constructs. We have made a generic vector, pHANNIBAL, that allows a simple, single PCR product from a gene of interest to be easily converted into a highly effective ihpRNA silencing construct. We have also created a high-throughput vector, pHELLSGATE, that should facilitate the cloning of gene libraries or large numbers of defined genes, such as those in EST collections, using an in vitro recombinase system. This system may facilitate the large-scale determination and discovery of plant gene functions in the same way as RNAi is being used to examine gene function in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Is foot ulcer simulation training (FUST) really effective? Participants’ supervisors speak out

Background Foot ulcers are a common reason for diabetes-related hospitalisation. Foot ulcer simulation training (FUST) programs have increased podiatry participants self-confidence to manage foot ulcers. However, supervisors’ perspectives on their participants attending these simulation programs have not been investigated. This mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) study aimed to investigate home clinical supervisors’ perspectives on any changes to their participants’ competence and practice following FUST. Methods Clinical supervisors of fifteen podiatrists, who participated in a two-day Foot Ulcer Simulation Training (FUST) course, were recruited. Supervisors completed quantitative surveys evaluating their participants’ foot ulcer competence pre-FUST and 6-months post-FUST, via a purposed designed 21-item survey using a five-point Likert scale (1=Very limited, 5=Highly competent). Supervisors also attended a semi-structured qualitative group interview to investigate supervisors’ perspectives on FUST. Results Supervisors surveys returned were pre-FUST (n=10) and post-FUST (n=12). Significant competence improvements were observed at the 6-month survey (mean scores 2.84 cf. 3.72, p < 0.05). Five supervisors attended the group interview. Five sub-themes emerged: i) FUST provided a good foundation for future learning, ii) FUST modelled good clinical behaviour, iii) clinical practice improvement was evident in most participants, iv) clinical improvements were dependent on participant’s willingness to change and existing workplace culture, v) FUST needs to be reinforced back in the home clinic. Conclusion Overall, supervisors of FUST participants indicated that the course improved their participants’ competence and clinical practice. However, the degree of improvement appears dependant on the participants’ home workplace culture and willingness to embrace change.

Building distributed leadership for effective supervision of creative practice higher research degrees : final report 2014

Building distributed leadership for effective supervision of creative practice higher research degrees is an Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) funded project, conducted in partnership between Queensland University of Technology, The University of Melbourne, Auckland University of Technology, University of New South Wales and University of Western Sydney. The project was initiated to develop a cooperative approach to establishing an understanding of the contextual frameworks of the emergent field of creative practice higher degrees by research (HDRs); capturing early insights of administrators and supervisors; gathering exemplars of good practices; and establishing an in-common understanding of effective approaches to supervision. To this end, the project has produced: • A literature review, to provide a research foundation for creative practice higher research degree supervision (Chapter 3). • A contextual review of disciplinary frameworks for HDR programs, produced through surveys of postgraduate research administrators (Section 4.1), and an analysis of institutional materials and academic development programs for supervisors (Section 4.2). • A National Symposium, Effective Supervision of Creative Arts Research Degrees (ESCARD), at QUT in Brisbane in February 2013, with 62 delegates from 20 Australasian Universities, at which project findings were disseminated, and delegates presented case studies and position papers, and participated in discussions on key issues for supervisors (Appendix 1). • Resources, including a booklet for supervisors: 12 Principles for the Effective Supervision of Creative Practice Higher Research Degrees, which encapsulates attitudes, insights and good practices of experienced and new supervisors. It was produced through a content analysis of interviews with twenty-five supervisors in creative disciplines (visual and performing arts, music, new media, creative writing and design) (Printed booklet, PDF, Appendix 3). • A project website to disseminate project outcomes , which holds project findings, relevant references, and a repository of case studies and position papers by supervisors and program administrators. • A call for papers for a special issue ‘Supervising Practice: Perspectives on the Supervision of Creative Practice Research Higher Degrees’ of ACCESS Journal: Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural & Policy Studies (ERA ranked A quality) in 2014 (Appendix 2). • A community of supervisory practice initiated through project partnerships, a national symposium where supervisors from across Australasia met in dialogue for the first time, resource sharing, and joint publishing opportunities. • A set of recommendations for supervision capacity building and academic development, produced through the triangulation of literature and contextual reviews, analysis of institutional frameworks, interviews with supervisors and national dialogues. It is anticipated that the project’s outcomes will support experienced and new supervisors in this emergent field, and so benefit HDR students, and will enable creative disciplines to build supervision capacity, and so to accommodate growth in postgraduate enrolments. Funded as a pilot project, the project set out to establish a robust research base to provide a foundation for future work involving sharing good practices, resource building, and designing effective approaches to academic development for supervisors. Recommendations that were produced out of this project include the need to extend beyond generic, formal training for supervisors to academic development that harnesses and extends distributed leadership; focuses on local, disciplinary contexts; has a strong emphasis on case studies; provides diverse resources; and facilitates dialogue between supervisors. Recommendations also include developing frameworks for mentoring new supervisors and building a national network to facilitate cross-institutional discourse, disseminate good practices, and share insights into the management of risk factors, ethical issues, and preparing candidates for examination. As a pilot investigation, the outcomes of this project lay the ground for this future work.

A methodology for effective implementation of lean strategies and its performance evaluation in manufacturing organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective methodology for implementing lean manufacturing strategies and a leanness evaluation metric using continuous performance measurement (CPM). Design/methodology/approach – Based on five lean principles, a systematic lean implementation methodology for manufacturing organizations has been proposed. A simplified leanness evaluation metric consisting of both efficiency and effectiveness attributes of manufacturing performance has been developed for continuous evaluation of lean implementation. A case study to validate the proposed methodology has been conducted and proposed CPM metric has been used to assess the manufacturing leanness. Findings – Proposed methodology is able to systematically identify manufacturing wastes, select appropriate lean tools, identify relevant performance indicators, achieve significant performance improvement and establish lean culture in the organization. Continuous performance measurement matrices in terms of efficiency and effectiveness are proved to be appropriate methods for continuous evaluation of lean performance. Research limitations/implications – Effectiveness of the method developed has been demonstrated by applying it in a real life assembly process. However, more tests/applications will be necessary to generalize the findings. Practical implications – Results show that applying the methods developed, managers can successfully identify and remove manufacturing wastes from their production processes. By improving process efficiency, they can optimize their resource allocations. Manufacturers now have a validated step by step methodology for successfully implementing lean strategies. Originality/value – According to the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first known study that proposed a systematic lean implementation methodology based on lean principles and continuous improvement techniques. Evaluation of performance improvement by lean strategies is a critical issue. This study develops a simplified leanness evaluation metric considering both efficiency and effectiveness attributes and integrates it with the lean implementation methodology.

12 principles for the effective supervision of creative practice higher research degrees, dispatches from the field

In late 2012 and early 2013 we interviewed 25 experienced and early career supervisors of creative practice higher research degrees. This journey spanned five universities and a broad range of disciplines including visual art, music, performing art, new media, creative writing, fashion, graphic design, interaction design and interior design. Some of the supervisors we interviewed were amongst the first to complete and supervise practice-led and practice-based PhDs; some have advocated for and defined this emergent field; and some belong to the next generation of supervisors who have confidently embarked on this exciting and challenging path. Their reflections have brought to light many insights gained over the past decade. Here we have drawn together common themes into a collection of principles and best practice examples. We present them as advice rather than rules, as one thing that the supervisors were unanimous about is the need to avoid proscriptive models and frameworks, and to foster creativity and innovation in what is still an emergent field of postgraduate supervision. It is with thanks to all of the supervisors who contributed to these conversations, and their generosity in sharing their practices, that we present their advice, exemplars and case studies.

Using cost-effective multimedia to create engaging learning experiences : Resources Manual

A guide to utilising multi-media for teaching and learning.

Tablets (iPad) for M-Learning in the context of social constructivism to institute an effective learning environment

With the proliferation of mobile devices, educational institutions have experimented with various mobile devices to implement mobile learning (M-Learning). Mobile devices have been used to facilitate, support, and enhance and extend the reach of teaching and learning. Although there are very few empirically evaluated studies on M-Learning projects, these studies reported that mobile devices brought a transformation to the educational process. To be able to view M-Learning as a rich, collaborative and conversational experience, whether in the classroom or outside we need good mobile applications. Studies have revealed that effective learning happens when teachers and learners are actively participating in the knowledge building process. Therefore, there is a need for applications that create effective learning environments which are learner-centred, knowledge-centred, assessment-centred and community-centred.

How approach and avoidance constructs of personality and trait emotional intelligence predict core human values

In this paper we focus specifically on explaining variation in core human values, and suggest that individual differences in values can be partially explained by personality traits and the perceived ability to manage emotions in the self and others (i.e. trait emotional intelligence). A sample of 209 university students was used to test hypotheses regarding several proposed direct and indirect relationships between personality traits, trait emotional intelligence and values. Consistent with the hypotheses, Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking were found to directly predict Hedonism, Conformity, and Stimulation. Harm Avoidance was also found to indirectly predict these values through the mediating effects of key subscales of trait emotional intelligence. Novelty Seeking was not found to be an indirect predictor of values. Results have implications for our understanding of the relationship between personality, trait emotional intelligence and values, and suggest a common basis in terms of approach and avoidance pathways.

Implications of comorbidity for clinical practice

In the past, people with comorbidity have often received inadequate care. The ethical principle of equal access to quality services has important implications for agencies, when combined with knowledge about comorbidity and its management, and about diffusion of innovations across organizations. Comorbidity is common, and often has profound impacts on individuals and families. Tobacco smoking in particular is endemic and affects morbidity, mortality, and functioning. This implies that screening for co-occurring problems should be routine, and that a boutique comorbidity service is impractical. Large numbers mean that universal screening and intervention must be capable of large-scale implementation. Since multiple, closely linked problems are often present, treatments should address these multiple issues, and closely interrelated problems will require well-integrated treatment. Involvement of a single health agency is typically needed. Numbers and severity of problems can blind practitioners and patients to strengths and unaffected areas; these should be assessed and fostered. Better policies and practices for co-occurring disorders will require organizational change. Co-occurring disorders must become core business for organizations and practitioners, so that effective comorbidity practice is rewarded, required skills are present or taught, cues to use the practices are provided, and a culture supporting their application is established.

Student focus and prioritization of design parameters in first-year engineering design projects

BACKGROUND Research on engineering design is a core area of concern within engineering education and a fundamental understanding of how engineering students approach and undertake design is necessary in order to develop effective design models and pedagogies. Understanding the factors related to design experiences in education and how they affect student practice can help educators as well as designers to leverage these factors as part of the design process. PURPOSE This study investigated the design practices of first-year engineering students’ and their experiences with a first-year engineering course design project. The research questions that guided the investigation were: 1. From a student perspective, what design parameters or criteria are most important? 2. How does this perspective impact subsequent student design practice throughout the design process? DESIGN/METHOD The authors employed qualitative multi-case study methods (Miles & Huberman, 1994) in order to the answer the research questions. Participant teams were observed and video recorded during team design meetings in which they researched the background for the design problem, brainstormed and sketched possible solutions, as well as built prototypes and final models of their design solutions as part of a course design project. Analysis focused on explanation building (Yin, 2009) and utilized within-case and cross-case analysis (Miles & Huberman, 1994). RESULTS We found that students focused disproportionally on the functional parameter, i.e. the physical implementation of their solution, and the possible/applicable parameter, i.e. a possible and applicable solution that benefited the user, in comparison to other given parameters such as safety and innovativeness. In addition, we found that individual teams focused on the functional and possible/ applicable parameters in early design phases such as brainstorming/ ideation and sketching. When prompted to discuss these non-salient parameters (from the student perspective) in the final design report, student design teams often used a post-hoc justification to support how the final designs fit the parameters that they did not initially consider. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests is that student design teams become fixated on (and consequently prioritize) certain parameters they interpret as important because they feel these parameters were described more explicitly in terms how they were met and assessed. Students fail to consider other parameters, perceived to be less directly assessable, unless prompted to do so. Failure to consider other parameters in the early design phases subsequently affects their approach in design phases as well. Case studies examining students’ study strategies within three Australian Universities illustrate similarities with some student approaches to design.

Acticoat™ : A cost-effective and evidence-based dressing strategy [Letter to the Editor]

We thank Dr. Burd et al. for taking an interest in our paper [1]. The retrospective cohort study was performed and published for two reasons. Firstly, we wished to compare and contrast the use of Acticoat™ and Silvazine™, and secondly we wished to demonstrate how one's practice can be dramatically altered by a change in dressing used. We found that Acticoat™ was safe and easy to use, caused less trauma to patients, required less frequent dressing changes and enabled treatment to be conducted on an outpatient, rather than an inpatient basis. During the period of Acticoat™ treatment we also saw a dramatic reduction in grafting requirements and also in the need for long-term scar management. Burd et al. correctly state that silver-based dressings are now more widely available, however many burn centres in the world continue to use silver sulphadiazine with daily baths. We therefore feel that a comparison is very relevant and useful. Prospective, randomised clinical trials of a range of silver-based dressings would indeed be useful, and hopefully Dr. Burd and colleagues will take up their own suggestion and perform these studies...

Tools for successful NRM in the Lake Eyre Basin : achieving effective engagement

This chapter was developed as part of the ‘People, communities and economies of the Lake Eyre Basin’ project. It has been written for communities, government agencies and interface organisations involved in natural resource management (NRM) in the Lake Eyre Basin (LEB). Its purpose is to identify the key factors for successful community engagement processes relevant to the LEB and present tools and principles for successful engagement processes. The term ‘interface organisation’ is used here to refer to the diverse range of local and regional organisations (such as Catchment Committees or NRM Regional Bodies) that serve as linkages, or translators, between local communities and broader Australian and State Governments. The importance of fostering and harnessing effective processes of community engagement has been identified as crucial to building a prosperous future for rural and remote regions in Australia. The chapter presents an overview of the literature on successful community engagement processes for NRM, as well as an overview of the current NRM arrangements in the LEB. The main part of the chapter presents findings of the series of interviews conducted with the government liaison officers representing both state and federal organisations who are responsible for coordinating and facilitating regional NRM in the LEB, and with the members of communities of the LEB.

Is there an app for that? A case study of the potentials and limitations of the participator turn and networked publics for classical music audience engagement

The participatory turn, fuelled by discourses and rhetoric regarding social media, and in the aftermath of the dot.com crash of the early 2000s, enrols to some extent an idea of being able to deploy networks to achieve institutional aims. The arts and cultural sector in the UK, in the face of funding cuts, has been keen to engage with such ideas in order to demonstrate value for money; by improving the efficiency of their operations, improving their respective audience experience and ultimately increasing audience size and engagement. Drawing on a case study compiled via a collaborative research project with a UK-based symphony orchestra (UKSO) we interrogate the potentials of social media engagement for audience development work through participatory media and networked publics. We argue that the literature related to mobile phones and applications (‘apps’) has focused primarily on marketing for engagement where institutional contexts are concerned. In contrast, our analysis elucidates the broader potentials and limitations of social-media-enabled apps for audience development and engagement beyond a marketing paradigm. In the case of UKSO, it appears that the technologically deterministic discourses often associated with institutional enrolment of participatory media and networked publics may not necessarily apply due to classical music culture. More generally, this work raises the contradictory nature of networked publics and argues for increased critical engagement with the concept.

Synergism between Wnt3a and heparin enhances osteogenesis via a phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/RUNX2 pathway

A new strategy has emerged to improve healing of bone defects using exogenous glycosaminoglycans by increasing the effectiveness of bone-anabolic growth factors. Wnt ligands play an important role in bone formation. However, their functional interactions with heparan sulfate/heparin have only been investigated in non-osseous tissues. Our study now shows that the osteogenic activity of Wnt3a is cooperatively stimulated through physical interactions with exogenous heparin. N-Sulfation and to a lesser extent O-sulfation of heparin contribute to the physical binding and optimal co-stimulation of Wnt3a. Wnt3a-heparin signaling synergistically increases osteoblast differentiation with minimal effects on cell proliferation. Thus, heparin selectively reduces the effective dose of Wnt3a needed to elicit osteogenic, but not mitogenic responses. Mechanistically, Wnt3a-heparin signaling strongly activates the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway and requires the bone-related transcription factor RUNX2 to stimulate alkaline phosphatase activity, which parallels canonical beta-catenin signaling. Collectively, our findings establish the osteo-inductive potential of a heparin-mediated Wnt3a-phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt-RUNX2 signaling network and suggest that heparan sulfate supplementation may selectively reduce the therapeutic doses of peptide factors required to promote bone formation.