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When Trump was elected as US President and given the opportunity to implement his campaign promise of withdrawing the country from international climate change agreements, it sparked fears of a knock-on effect of non-commitment from other states that could result in the Paris Agreement's dismantlement. This article examines public opinion – which often influences governments' policy decisions – collected in early 2017 in 38 countries on his proposed withdrawal from international climate change agreements. On top of important individual-level predictors, disapproval of his proposal was higher in liberal democracies and countries that depend less on fossil fuels for electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the evolution of long-term trends in the prioritization of environmental protection in Britain over a period of four decades. It does so by compiling comparable questions tapping into the same underlying environmental dimension from a range of sources, including historical polling data that has only recently been made available to the research community. At the aggregate level, prioritization largely tracks changing economic conditions as well as key environmental events, with the winter of 2019 showing the highest recorded levels. Furthermore, trends in individuals' willingness to prioritize the environment may not always go in tandem with trends in environmental salience. At the individual level, educational attainment is the only consistently significant demographic correlate over time. However, there is evidence of increasing politicization of the environment, with left–right orientations only becoming an important correlate of environmental prioritization in recent years, in line with rising divergence on the issue at the elite level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues are an important aspect of party competition and voters' political preferences. Yet political behaviour research often considers environmental attitudes as a component of a broader 'second‐dimension' and either subsumes it into this or omits it. Using data from the fifth wave of the European Values Study, we demonstrate through factor analysis that environmentalism loads as a separate dimension across Western Europe, that environmentalism has somewhat different social predictors and that it has important associations with party preference that differ from those of other second dimension issues. Our findings have crucial implications. Firstly, not accounting for environmentalism in studies of political behaviour misses an important part of the picture. Secondly, subsuming environmentalism into a broader 'cultural' dimension may lead to incomplete conclusions about both social predictors and the electoral consequences of political attitudes and values. Thus, allowing for a separate environmental dimension opens up novel perspectives on political representation in Western democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

British and English national identities have long been considered to have porous boundaries whereby English individuals consider the terms more or less interchangeable. However, there is no empirical evidence to demonstrate whether primary feelings of either Britishness or Englishness are highly fluid within-individuals or whether individuals are consistent in their perceptions of their British or English identity. This is especially relevant in the post-Brexit referendum context where national identity is highly correlated with Brexit attitudes. Using panel data, we demonstrate that there is a notable degree of fluidity between identifying as British or English. This is higher than the fluidity between other national identities in the UK as well as more fluid than moving between any partisan or EU referendum identities. Remainers are more fluid than Leavers in their Englishness, whereas they are similar in the fluidity of their Britishness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on research exploring the academic workload and performance practices of Australian universities. This research has identified a suite of activities associated with teaching, research and service, each with an associated time value (allocation). This led to the development of the academic workload estimation tool (AWET). In 2020, to validate the findings, we contacted academics willing to participate further and conducted interviews. We used the AWET to estimate workload for each individual for the previous year and compared it to the workload allocated according to their institutional workload model. Discrepancies were then discussed to ascertain to what extent the AWET was able to capture their work. In general, the participants thought the AWET provided a more realistic estimate of their actual work and highlighted how much is underestimated or unaccounted for by the workload models used within their institutions. It also showed how academic performance policies, focussed primarily on research output, disadvantaged many individuals because they ignored or minimised many scholarly, teaching and service-related tasks inherent in the academic role. Overall, the findings showed the AWET was a useful tool to discuss academic work and assisted them to better capture the complexity and extent of what they did. We offer the AWET as a validated approach for academics to estimate their workload in a holistic and transparent manner. We suggest its implementation institution-wide, along with an aligned performance policy, will facilitate negotiation of reasonable performance expectations. This will rebuild trust in the processes and improve a university's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationally, much has changed in the governance of universities since the adoption of corporate management approaches. A strong focus on efficiency, productivity and accountability arising from these approaches has been well documented in the literature. Reductions in government funding have caused universities to become more competitive and entrepreneurial. However, little is known about the impacts of these changes on the working lives of individual academics. This paper is part of an ongoing study exploring the lived experiences of 2526 Australian academics who responded to a national questionnaire. This paper builds on earlier work by holistically drawing together the earlier findings which separately analysed the teaching, research and administration/service aspects of their work. In examining the effectiveness of universities through the ability of their academics to undertake their roles, we found the voices of academics that need to be heard in the development and implementation of key policies, such as academic workload and performance, to preserve the essentially self-managed nature of their work. By combining the learning from the project through the literature review, the statistical analysis and themes from the open-ended questions, we developed a set of principles to underpin these policies in universities. These principles can guide universities to shift towards a more collaborative working relationship with academics, based on trust, and actively encourage them to play be more active in institutional decision-making, especially in relation to policies that directly affect their work. These results have implications for improving the productivity of academics and the institutions in which they work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US research shows that the partisan divide among elites on climate change has been mirrored by division at the citizen level, with this division being especially prominent among more politically engaged citizens. Using British Election Study data from 2016, this article examines whether a similar phenomenon is occurring in Britain, a country that experienced an increase in climate sceptic media coverage in the aftermath of the passing of the 2008 Climate Change Act. The results show that UK Independence Party and Conservative Party partisans as well as Leavers who pay more attention to politics are less likely to believe in the existence of anthropogenic climate change in contrast to Labour Party partisans and Remainers where increased political attention is associated with greater belief. These findings point to the inherent difficulties of bringing public beliefs on climate change in line with the scientific consensus in the presence of divided elite cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population growth, the impacts of climate change, and the need for greater water security have made the reuse of wastewater, including potable use, increasingly desirable. As interest in potable reuse of wastewater increases, a variety of processes have been proposed for advanced water treatment following conventional wastewater treatment. In all cases, the operation and performance of advanced water treatment facilities (AWTFs) is improved when the treated wastewater feed is of the highest quality that can be achieved and the advanced water treatment (AWT) processes are operated at a constant flow. One proven method of optimizing the performance of wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) is constant flow operation with no extraneous return flows other than internal process recycle flows, such as return settled solids. A number of approaches can be used to achieve constant flow including flow equalization, divided treatment trains, and satellite treatment. The ways in which constant flow wastewater treatment benefits both WWTFs as well as the AWTFs are considered with special emphasis on the ability to achieve predictable log removal credits (LRCs) for specific microorganisms. Actual performance data from constant flow WWTFs are used to illustrate how LRCs are determined. Practitioner points: Constant flow WWTFs should be considered to produce the highest quality secondary effluent for AWT.Flow equalization, divided treatment trains, and satellite treatment can be used to achieve constant flow to optimize wastewater treatment in small and medium size WWTFs.Flow equalization can be used to maximize the amount of wastewater that can be recovered for potable reuse.Important benefits of constant flow for wastewater treatment facilities include economic and operational savings, stable and predictable treatment performance, energy savings, ability to optimize performance for the removal of specific constituents, and the ability to assign pathogen log removal credits (LRCs).Important benefits of constant flow and optimized WWT for AWTFs include economic and operational savings; less pretreatment needed, including energy and chemical usage; elimination of the need to cycle treatment processes; and added factor of safety with respect to the required pathogen LRCs.In large WWTFs, constant flow for AWTFs will typically be achieved by effluent diversion; depending on the effluent quality additional pretreatment may be needed.The design and implementation of WWTFs and AWTFs for potable reuse should be integrated for optimal performance and protection of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions This research set out to assess the validity of environmental protection trade-off questions for capturing individuals' environmental protection preferences. RESEARCH NOTE Are Environment Versus Economy Trade-Off Questions More About Environmental or Economic Attitudes? 6 Firstly, the two environmental protection questions correlate at a decent level with each other at 0 .47. 7 There is also a much higher correlation between belief in climate change and considering that environmental protection has not gonefarenoughthanthereisbetweenbeliefinclimatechangeandprioritizing environmental protection over economic growth. [Extracted from the article]

Constituents in the feed of reverse osmosis (RO) processes pass into the product by two mechanisms: diffusion through the membrane and advection through defects in the system. While minerals and tracers pass via both mechanisms, pathogens pass only via advection. Using mass and flow balances, a rigorous model is developed to characterize the response of both viruses and tracers in RO systems. The model is used to assess several tracers being considered today. Early virus testing and the commercial requirements of desalination are reviewed, leading to the conclusion that some degree of advection can be expected to be present in RO systems but that commercial incentives can be expected to maintain pathogen removal due to defects somewhat greater than 4.0 log. Model results suggest that the best tracers currently in use can detect defects near this log reduction value but that there is still room for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is presented of how the Great Recession affected prioritisation of environmental protection. World Values Survey data from both before the recession's onset and its aftermath shows that increases in unemployment rates had significant, negative effects upon prioritisation of environmental protection while changing growth rates or gross domestic product (GDP) had none. These results hold not only among advanced industrial democracies, but also generalise to Latin American countries. Additionally, the findings offer no evidence that the recession changed the way in which individual wealth relates to the prioritisation of environmental protection. As a strong environmental public opinion is an important factor in the successful implementation of environmental policy, the findings suggest that, if policymakers wish to maintain public support for implementing environmental protection measures, they should prioritise low unemployment over economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning to teach out-of-field is a challenge that many teachers worldwide face at some time in their career. Whether they are motivated to seek formal professional development as additional qualifications in this area, however, depends on many factors. Alignment between the specific professional development needs of out-of-field teachers and the planned learning experiences is essential to maximise sustained learning and applicability to teachers' classrooms. This paper reports on a government-funded program designed to support teachers teaching 'out-of-field' in science and mathematics. The initial design of the program drew on existing literature on effective teacher professional learning. Using the theoretical lens of 'boundary crossing' this paper reports on the perceived discontinuities that teachers 'brought with them' in order to understand where the potential for learning lay, and compared this to teachers' perceptions of their changed practice. Growth in teachers' confidence and relational understandings of content, pedagogy and curriculum was evident. Implications for future programs to support out-of-field teachers are provided. Teaching out of field (TOOF); Professional Learning (PL); Professional Development (PD) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing analysis suggests that individuals may reduce their concern for and belief in climate change as a result of macro-economic difficulties. Such conclusions are predominantly based on repeated cross-sectional and pooled data making it difficult to separate out the effects of economic conditions from other explanatory factors. Approaching this question through experimentally priming individuals to feel a certain way about the economy has also proven difficult due to economic perceptions being difficult to alter in a survey setting [Kachi, Bernauer, & Gampfer, 2015. Climate policy in hard times: Are the pessimists right? Ecological Economics, 114, 227-241]. This article thus investigates a related question on the effect of the salience of economic perceptions on climate change views using an online question-order experiment, whereby salience denotes the prominence of the issue in the mind of the respondent. Respondents were randomly assigned to receiving an economic prompting question before or after being asked about their climate change views. The results show no effect of the prompting on belief in anthropogenic climate change, but they do show an effect of prompting on prioritization of taking urgent action to address climate change. Those with a non-positive view of the economy were less likely to support urgent action in comparison to those who considered the economy to be performing well if they were asked first about their economic evaluations. The salience of economic evaluations and the direction of such evaluations would not be significant if economic evaluations themselves were not important, and thus the findings also reveal that economic evaluations do matter. Key policy insights Belief in anthropogenic climate change is not affected by the salience of economic perceptions. Support for taking urgent action to implement policies to address climate change is impacted by the salience of macro-economic perceptions, with respondents who have their non-positive economic perceptions brought to the forefront of their minds displaying reduced support for urgent action. Policies that aim to tackle climate change are more likely to have bottom-up support from the public during periods when the economy is perceived to be prosperous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses panel survey data from 2002 to 2008 – covering a period of economic prosperity and intense economic difficulties – to analyse the impact of changing levels of economic and financial security from the 2008 economic crisis on individuals’ environmental protection preferences. Declining economic conditions in the aftermath of the crisis have been thought to produce lower levels of support for environmental protection and previous literature has predominantly supported this claim. Due to the availability of data, most analyses undertaken to date have focused on aggregate changes using repeated cross-sectional data and various economic indicators. Research looking at individual-level change and how individuals’ perceptions of changing economic conditions may affect their prioritization of environmental protection has however been lacking. This paper finds that neither changing economic perceptions nor changing household financial circumstances can account for the decline in environmental protection prioritization witnessed in the aftermath of the great recession. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Neo-liberal reforms in higher education have resulted in corporate managerial practices in universities and a drive for efficiency and productivity in teaching and research. As a result, there has been an intensification of academic work, increased stress for academics and an emphasis on accountability and performativity in universities. The paper proposes that while managerialism in modern universities is now the norm, corporate approaches have disempowered academics in their institutions and reduced productivity because they ignore the nature of academic work. Using Foucault's conception of power relations in institutions, policies that directly affect academic work such as workload allocation and performance management are identified as key ways in which power is exercised in universities. The paper reports on a case study in one university which explored the relationship between the academic workload allocation and performance management policies and concludes that a more balanced power relationship is needed in which academics can have more influence over these key processes which control their work so they preserve the self-managed aspects of academic work and the intrinsic motivations driving their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoliberal reforms in higher education have resulted in corporate managerial practices in universities and a drive for efficiency and productivity in teaching and research. As a result, there has been an intensification of academic work, increased stress for academics and an emphasis on accountability and performativity in universities. This paper critically examines these developments in institutions and draws on evidence from universities across the sector and a detailed case study in one university to identify the impacts of these changes on academic work. Given its ubiquity and the link of academic productivity to institutional experience, the paper argues that assumptions underpinning academic performance management need to be rethought to recognise the fundamentally intrinsic motivational nature of academic work. The paper explores the effects of performance management on individual academics as a case study in one institution and proposes a re-design of academic performance management to improve productivity based on the evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An online survey of workload activities was circulated to academics across Australia seeking estimates for the time to undertake a range of academic-related tasks associated with teaching, research and service. This article summarises the most important findings from the teaching data of the 2059 respondents. This detail of workload data has not been reported before across the Australian university sector. The findings showing that most academics work more than 50 h per week are consistent with previous studies. Although the estimates of the individuals varied greatly, statistical inquiry indicated the median time required does not vary by experience and online teaching generally requires more preparation time than on-campus teaching. The paper proposes this methodology as a credible means to derive realistic time-based standards for other aspects of academic work and will assist university managers by providing an external benchmark upon which to develop local academic workload models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do voters for different parties have distinct climate attitudes because of their positions on other issues? With European Social Survey (ESS) data, we find that in Western (but not Central and Eastern) Europe there is a linkage between left-right self-placement and climate attitudes that cannot be accounted for by economic egalitarianism or liberal cultural attitudes. That linkage partly but not fully accounts for why voters for different party families have different beliefs and worries about climate change. Green party voters are more climate conscious than other voters with similar left-wing identities and political values. Not only Populist-Right but also mainstream Conservative party-family voters are less worried about climate change than their left-right orientations and other political values suggest. While Western European countries nearly all follow the same pattern, there is no consistent structure in Central and Eastern European countries. Across Europe non-voters are less worried about climate change than voters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demands on academic staff are increasing to the point where effective mechanisms for the allocation of their work are now necessary. Despite the inherent difficulties of categorising academic work, nearly all enterprise agreements at Australian universities include a clause designed to avoid work overload. Through a questionnaire, the investigators sought feedback from academic staff about their perceptions of the operational effectiveness of the workload allocation models and their opinions concerning transparency, fairness and ability to regulate workloads. The conclusion reached is that an effective workload allocation process requires academic staff to be fully involved in its development and implementation to ensure its credibility and fairness. Effectiveness is increased with a standardised university-wide approach, applied transparently and incorporated into the budget and resource allocation processes of the university so that increasing pressure on academics to meet a range of performance expectations is linked directly to realistic workloads. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The evolution of diversity in the marine ecosystem is poorly understood, given the relatively high potential for connectivity, especially for highly mobile species such as whales and dolphins. The killer whale ( Orcinus orca) has a worldwide distribution, and individual social groups travel over a wide geographic range. Even so, regional populations have been shown to be genetically differentiated, including among different foraging specialists (ecotypes) in sympatry. Given the strong matrifocal social structure of this species together with strong resource specializations, understanding the process of differentiation will require an understanding of the relative importance of both genetic drift and local adaptation. Here we provide a high-resolution analysis based on nuclear single-nucleotide polymorphic markers and inference about differentiation at both neutral loci and those potentially under selection. We find that all population comparisons, within or among foraging ecotypes, show significant differentiation, including populations in parapatry and sympatry. Loci putatively under selection show a different pattern of structure compared to neutral loci and are associated with gene ontology terms reflecting physiologically relevant functions (e.g. related to digestion). The pattern of differentiation for one ecotype in the North Pacific suggests local adaptation and shows some fixed differences among sympatric ecotypes. We suggest that differential habitat use and resource specializations have promoted sufficient isolation to allow differential evolution at neutral and functional loci, but that the process is recent and dependent on both selection and drift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has implemented a new method of a nonreference condition Level II type dosimetric audit of radiotherapy services to increase measurement accuracy and patient safety within Australia. The aim of this work is to describe the methodology, tolerances, and outcomes from the new audit. Methods: The ACDS Level II audit measures the dose delivered in 2D planes using an ionization chamber based array positioned at multiple depths. Measurements are made in rectilinear homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms composed of slabs of solid water and lung. Computer generated computed tomography data sets of the rectilinear phantoms are supplied to the facility prior to audit for planning of a range of cases including reference fields, asymmetric fields, and wedged fields. The audit assesses 3D planning with 6 MV photons with a static (zero degree) gantry. Scoring is performed using local dose differences between the planned and measured dose within 80% of the field width. The overall audit result is determined by the maximum dose difference over all scoring points, cases, and planes. Pass (Optimal Level) is defined as maximum dose difference =3.3%, Pass (Action Level) is =5.0%, and Fail (Out of Tolerance) is >5.0%. Results: At close of 2013, the ACDS had performed 24 Level II audits. 63% of the audits passed, 33% failed, and the remaining audit was not assessable. Of the 15 audits that passed, 3 were at Pass (Action Level). The high fail rate is largely due to a systemic issue with modeling asymmetric 60? wedges which caused a delivered overdose of 5%-8%. Conclusions: The ACDS has implemented a nonreference condition Level II type audit, based on ion chamber 2D array measurements in an inhomogeneous slab phantom. The powerful diagnostic ability of this audit has allowed the ACDS to rigorously test the treatment planning systems implemented in Australian radiotherapy facilities. Recommendations from audits have led to facilities modifying clinical practice and changing planning protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which investigated whether the addition of three depth jumps to a dynamic warm-up (DYNDJ) protocol would significantly improve 20-meter sprint performance when compared with a cardiovascular (C) warm-up protocol or a dynamic (DYN) stretching protocol. Researchers evaluated 29 athletes. They found that the DYNDJ protocol significantly improved sprint performance.

Mannitol (Mtl) fermentation, with the subsequent production of acid, is a species signature of Staphylococcus aureus, and discriminates it from most other members of the genus. Inactivation of the gene mtlD, encoding Mtl-1-P dehydrogenase was found to markedly reduce survival in the presence of the antimicrobial fatty acid, linoleic acid. We demonstrate that the sugar alcohol has a potentiating action for this membrane-acting antimicrobial. Analysis of cellular metabolites revealed that, during exponential growth, the mtlD mutant accumulated high levels of Mtl and Mtl-P. The latter metabolite was not detected in its isogenic parent strain or a deletion mutant of the entire mtlABFD operon. In addition, the mtlD mutant strain exhibited a decreased MIC for H2O2, however virulence was unaffected in a model of septic arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers have identified and expressed concern over the state of science education internationally, but primary teachers face particular obstacles when teaching science due to their poor science background and low confidence with science. Research has suggested that exemplary resources, or units that work, may be an effective way to support primary teachers. This study explores the effect of one such resource on the intentions of pre-service primary teachers to teach science. The resource in question is Primary Connections, a series of learning resources produced by the Australian Academy of Science specifically designed for primary science. Evaluative studies of Primary Connections have indicated its efficacy with practising primary teachers but there is little evidence of its impact upon pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to investigate how effective these quality teaching resources were in influencing the intentions of primary pre-service teachers to teach science after they graduated. The theory of planned behaviour  highlighted the linkage between the intentions of the pre-service teachers to teach science, and their awareness of and experiences with using Primary Connections during their education studies. This enabled key factors to be identified which influenced the intentions of the pre-service teachers to use Primary Connections to teach science after they graduate. The study also provided evidence of how quality science teaching resources can be effectively embedded in a teacher education programme as a means of encouraging and supporting pre-service teachers to teach science. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports on the effectiveness of a professional partnership approach to preparing pre-service primary teachers to teach science. The study involved final year BEd pre-service primary teachers at the University of Tasmania, each working in the class of a volunteer colleague teacher. The programme provided an authentic science teaching experience in which pre-service teachers were supported to plan and teach a sequence of work in a chosen science topic and reflect upon the experience. Many reported an initial lack of confidence in science and no experience with teaching it during their normal practice teaching. During 2007 and 2008, teachers from 17 schools in Northern Tasmania volunteered to work with the pre-service teachers in their classrooms for one lesson a week over a six-week period. The findings indicated that this approach was an effective way to build the confidence of pre-service teachers and may also have benefits for practising teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the relative importance of temperate bacteriophage in the horizontal gene transfer of fitness and virulence determinants of Enterococcus faecalis, a panel of 47 bacteremia isolates were treated with the inducing agents mitomycin C, norfloxacin, and UV radiation. Thirty-four phages were purified from culture supernatants and discriminated using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and restriction mapping. From these analyses the genomes of eight representative phages were pyrosequenced, revealing four distinct groups of phages. Three groups of phages, ΦFL1 to 3, were found to be sequence related, with ΦFL1A to C and ΦFL2A and B sharing the greatest identity (87 to 88%), while ΦFL3A and B share 37 to 41% identity with ΦFL1 and 2. ΦFL4A shares 3 to 12% identity with the phages ΦFL1 to 3. The ΦFL3A and B phages possess a high DNA sequence identity with the morphogenesis and lysis modules of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris prophages. Homologs of the Streptococcus mitis platelet binding phage tail proteins, PblA and PblB, are encoded on each sequenced E. faecalis phage. Few other phage genes encoding potential virulence functions were identified, and there was little evidence of carriage of lysogenic conversion genes distal to endolysin, as has been observed with genomes of many temperate phages from the opportunist pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. E. faecalis JH2-2 lysogens were generated using the eight phages, and these were examined for their relative fitness in Galleria mellonella. Several lysogens exhibited different effects upon survival of G. mellonella compared to their isogenic parent. The eight phages were tested for their ability to package host DNA, and three were shown to be very effective for generalized transduction of naive host cells of the laboratory strains OG1RF and JH2-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a reflection on my journey in a work-based (WB) research project while completing my PhD at a large Australian university. The paper explores issues that arose as I studied strategic change in the university and my role evolved from that of a 'change agent' working as part of a project team to that of a researcher. A case study format is used to describe the many twists and turns in the project at the centre of the study and how they impacted the research and my development as a researcher. This reveals issues which may be relevant to researchers in similar situations including: the tension between my duty to communicate research findings, which were at times critical of the approach adopted in the organisation; and the expectation to follow the organisational strategic plan. The paper recounts the complexity and unpredictability of researching an on-going project and concludes with suggestions pertinent to individuals and organisations implementing WB research programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human commensal and opportunistic pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections. Long chain unsaturated free fatty acids represent a barrier to colonisation and infection by S. aureus and act as an antimicrobial component of the innate immune system where they are found on epithelial surfaces and in abscesses. Despite many contradictory reports, the precise anti-staphylococcal mode of action of free fatty acids remains undetermined. In this study, transcriptional (microarrays and qRT-PCR) and translational (proteomics) analyses were applied to ascertain the response of S. aureus to a range of free fatty acids. An increase in expression of the σB and CtsR stress response regulons was observed. This included increased expression of genes associated with staphyloxanthin synthesis, which has been linked to membrane stabilisation. Similarly, up-regulation of genes involved in capsule formation was recorded as were significant changes in the expression of genes associated with peptidoglycan synthesis and regulation. Overall, alterations were recorded predominantly in pathways involved in cellular energetics. In addition, sensitivity to linoleic acid of a range of defined (sigB, arcA, sasF, sarA, agr, crtM) and transposon-derived mutants (vraE, SAR2632) was determined. Taken together, these data indicate a common mode of action for long chain unsaturated fatty acids that involves disruption of the cell membrane, leading to interference with energy production within the bacterial cell. Contrary to data reported for other strains, the clinically important EMRSA-16 strain MRSA252 used in this study showed an increase in expression of the important virulence regulator RNAIII following all of the treatment conditions tested. An adaptive response by S. aureus of reducing cell surface hydrophobicity was also observed. Two fatty acid sensitive mutants created during this study were also shown to diplay altered pathogenesis as assessed by a murine arthritis model. Differences in the prevalence and clinical importance of S. aureus strains might partly be explained by their responses to antimicrobial fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candidate 'authenticity' has become a frequent explanation of electoral performance. Yet its study in electoral research has been largely neglected. Building on recent work, we test its relationship with candidate support in the 2020 Iowa Democratic Caucus through a survey of likely Caucus goers. The Caucus offers an ideal setting — a contest focused on candidates and their personalities, in a context having far-reaching political implications. We demonstrate that authenticity perceptions played an important role in individual vote intentions. Indeed, for Biden and Buttigieg perceptions of their authenticity were strongly associated with vote intention even when controlling for other established traits. Warren, unlike the others, benefited indirectly, because her authenticity triggered substantial support among female voters. The performance of the authenticity trait, direct and indirect, points to its pivotal potential in the 2020 presidential campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A successful method has been developed for the detection of live Yersinia pestis, the plague bacillus, which incorporates nascent RNA synthesis. A fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes was developed specifically to differentiate Y. pestis strains from closely related bacteria. PNA probes were chosen to target high copy mRNA of the Y. pestis caf1 gene, encoding the Fraction 1 (F1) antigen, and 16S ribosomal RNA. Among Yersinia strains tested, PNA probes Yp-16S-426 and Yp-F1-55 exhibited binding specificities of 100% and 98%, respectively. Y. pestis grown in the presence of competing bacteria, as might be encountered when recovering Y. pestis from environmental surfaces in a post-release bioterrorism event, was recognized by PNA probes and neither hybridization nor fluorescence was inhibited by competing bacterial strains which exhibited faster growth rates. Using fluorescence microscopy, individual Y. pestis bacteria were clearly differentiated from competing bacteria with an average detection sensitivity of 7.9×103 cells by fluorescence microscopy. In the current system, this would require an average of 2.56×105 viable Y. pestis organisms be recovered from a post-release environmental sample in order to achieve the minimum threshold for detection. The PNA-FISH assays described in this study allow for the sensitive and specific detection of viable Y. pestis bacteria in a timely manner. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports on the outcomes of a pilot project to support secondary teachers of science in rural and regional Tasmania. The pilot project involved eight regional schools and was based on the provision of a kit of materials and an associated learning program that used brine shrimp or 'sea-monkeys' to test for water quality. The unit was developed as one of a number of small projects organised by the Tasmanian SiMERR Hub. It involved collaboration between staff from two faculties at the University of Tasmania (UTAS): the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Education. Two local secondary teachers were seconded to develop the teaching materials. The outcomes of the project were that, while the teachers appreciated the resource materials, there were some barriers which reduced the effectiveness of this approach to supporting the professional development (PD) of teachers. The findings are then considered in the context of relevant literature concerning teacher PD and the effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support the PD of teachers in rural and regional areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the results of a survey of primary teachers who attended a series of three 1/2 day workshops that focused on primary science activities concerned with two key outcome areas from the Tasmanian Essential Learnings curriculum: Investigating the Natural and Constructed World and Inquiry. The workshops provided teachers with ideas and resources to assist them to involve their students in conducting their own science inquiries. One session was facilitated by national CREST (Creativity in Science and Technology) personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tuc2009 is a temperate bacteriophage of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris UC509 which encodes a CI- and Cro-type lysogenic–lytic switch region. A helix-swap of the α3 helices of the closely related CI-type proteins from the lactococcal phages r1t and Tuc2009 revealed the crucial elements involved in DNA recognition while also pointing to conserved functional properties of phage CI proteins infecting different hosts. CI-type proteins have been shown to bind to specific sequences located in the intergenic switch region, but to date, no detailed binding studies have been performed on lactococcal Cro analogues. Experiments shown here demonstrate alternative binding sites for these two proteins of Tuc2009. CI2009 binds to three inverted repeats, two within the intergenic region and one within the cro 2009 gene. This DNA-binding pattern appears to be conserved among repressors of lactococcal and streptococcal phages. The Cro2009 protein appears to bind to three direct repeats within the intergenic region causing distortion of the bound DNA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a transcriptional analysis and insights into stress induction of the clpB gene of Bifidobacterium breve. Bifidobacteria constitute a large group of bacteria which are found mainly in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. Their presence have been associated with beneficial health effects. These correlations have led to the widespread use of bifidobacteria as live components of health-promoting or probiotic foods. The incorporation in such products requires that they survive industrial food manufacturing processes.

Tuc2009 is a P335-type member of the tailed-phage supergroup Siphoviridae and was originally identified as a resident prophage of the gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis UC509. A Tuc2009 gene designated tal2009 which is located within the morphogenic module was shown to specify a lytic activity within the 3' portion of its coding region. Comparative sequence analysis indicated that the cell wall-degrading part of Tal2009 is a member of the M37 protein family and that Tal2009 lacks a cell-binding domain, a finding supported by binding studies. Tal2009 appears to undergo self-mediated posttranslational processing in both L. lactis and Escherichia coli. Antibodies directed against a purified C-terminal portion of Tal2009 were used for immunoelectron microscopy, which showed that Tal2009 is located at the tail tip of Tuc2009. Antibody neutralization studies demonstrated that Tal2009-directed antibodies inhibited the ability of phage to mediate host lysis by more than 100-fold. These data indicate that tal2009 encodes a tail-associated lysin involved in localized cell wall degradation, thus allowing the Tuc2009 DNA injection machinery access to the membrane of its bacterial host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human gene that encodes the kidney-type glutaminase (KGA) spans 84-kb, contains 19 exons, and encodes two alternatively spliced mRNAs. Various segments of the rat KGA cDNA were PCR amplified and cloned into a bacterial expression vector to determine whether the N- and C- terminal ends of the glutaminase protein were essential for activity. A recombinant glutaminase, lacking the coding sequence contained in exon 1, was found to be fully active. In contrast, proteins that lacked sequences from exons 1 and 2 and exons 1–3 were inactive. An additional construct that corresponded to the sequence encoded by exons 2–14 also retained full activity. Both of the fully active, truncated proteins were purified to apparent homogeneity using an incorporated N-terminal His6-tag and Ni2+-affinity chromatography. The KM values for glutamine of the native and recombinant forms of glutaminase were nearly identical. However, the two truncated forms of the glutaminase exhibit the characteristic phosphate activation profile only when dialyzed into a buffer lacking phosphate. Dialysis versus 10 mM Tris–phosphate was sufficient to form an active tetramer. Thus, the deleted N-terminal sequence may contribute to the phosphate-dependent oligomerization and activation of the native glutaminase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Within 1 year of severe trauma to the left anterior temporal lobe and minor injury to the frontal lobes, a 35-year-old individual developed classic positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. His antipsychotic drug-induced parkinsonism was greater on the left side, suggesting increased left striatal dopaminergic transmission. The authors propose that even in adulthood, significant and selective disruption of fronto-temporal connectivity is sufficient to produce a phenocopy of schizophrenia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents information on a study which describes an adaptive algorithm for iteratively determining the optimal transfer function of the all-pass filter. Decision feedback equalization (DFE) for a magnetic recording channel; Description of feedforward equalization using an all-pass filter; Characterization of the gradient function; Predicting the average rate of convergence.

Abstract. To test the hypothesis that intrapartum acidosis has a role in the etiology of hyaline membrane disease (HMD), blood was collected from the umbilical artery (UA) at birth from 110 premature infants and analyzed for hydrogen ion concentration (H[sup +]), Pco[sub 2], standard bicarbonate, and lactic acid. The infants were followed until a definite diagnosis was made of HMD (33 infants), type II respiratory distress syndrome (16 infants) or the absence of respiratory distress (61 infants). In general, infants with HMD were more premature and had lower Apgar scores than nondistressed infants; however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in any acid-base measurement. Only in those patients of 32 to 37 weeks' gestational age was it possible to detect a significant increase in UA [H[sup +]] in infants with HMD compared to those without respiratory distress. There was evidence that the reduced Apgar score of infants with HMD may be due to immaturity and abnormal pulmonary function secondary to lung disease. It is concluded that acidosis at birth is not a factor in the development of HMD except possibly in more mature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. To assess the value of free bilirubin (FB) measurements in predicting kernicterus (KI) in sick premature infants, 91 newborns weighing less than 1,500 gm at birth were observed during the first week of life with twice daily FB and total bilirubin determinations. Autopsies were performed on 30 of the 53 infants who died. Seven had KI and 23 did not. There were no differences between infants with and without KI in the maximum FB level (KI 18.2 +/- 4.5 [SEMI nm/liter, no KI 11.1 +/- 0.9 nm/liter, P not significant) or the total bilirubin level (KI 7.3 +/- 1.3 mg/100 ml, no KI 6.1 +/- 0.5 mg/100 ml, P not significant). In fact, three kernicteric infants had very low maximum FB levels (<10 nm/liter). These three infants had prolonged episodes of acidosis, hypoxemia, or hypothermia during the 24 hours preceding their maximum level of FB. Although elevated levels of FB may be predictive of KI in some infants, other factors may make the blood-brain barrier more permeable to low levels of FB. This may limit the clinical applicability of FB measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Five infants with neonatal tetanus were managed with neuromuscular blockade and positive pressure ventilation. All survived. Tetanus was frequently confused with neonatal seizures at time of presentation. All infants were delivered at home. Mean age of onset of symptoms of poor suck, hypertonicity, and generalized spasms was 5.4 days with hospital admission at 6.4 days. Mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 34 days. Although hospital management of tetanus neonatorum may be expected to have a satisfactory outcome, it represents a costly and complex approach to a preventable disease. Pediatrics 64:472-477, 1979; tetanus neonatorum, home delivery, spasms, positive pressure ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections of livestock threaten the sustainability of agriculture and public health through production losses and contamination of food products. While prophylactic and therapeutic application of antibiotics has been successful in managing such infections, the evolution and spread of antibiotic-resistant strains along the food chain and in the environment necessitates the development of alternative or adjunct preventive and/or therapeutic strategies. Additionally, the growing consumer preference for "greener" antibiotic-free food products has reinforced the need for novel and safer approaches to controlling bacterial infections. The use of bacteriophages (phages), which can target and kill bacteria, are increasingly considered as a suitable measure to reduce bacterial infections and contamination in the food industry. This review primarily elaborates on the recent veterinary applications of phages and discusses their merits and limitations. Furthermore, using Streptococcus suis as a model, we describe the prevalence of prophages and the anti-viral defence arsenal in the genome of the pathogen as a means to define the genetic building blocks that are available for the (synthetic) development of phage-based treatments. The data and approach described herein may provide a framework for the development of therapeutics against an array of bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During much of the second half of the twentieth century, public opinion in both the United States and Britain became more punitive as crime rates rose. These shifting public attitudes had a profound influence on criminal justice policies. What is less understood is how public attitudes in these countries have responded to declining crime rates since the early-1990s. To understand how the public reacts to declining crime rates, we focus on crimes recorded by the police as well as data on actual victimisation. We also draw on more than 4,000 national survey questions to construct measures of public concern about crime and support for punitive criminal justice responses. Our analyses illustrate parallels in the crime drop measured by victimisation surveys in the two countries (with recorded violent crime in England and Wales the exception to this overall trend). The over-time patterns in public concern about crime and punitive sentiment are more complex, with the US public becoming less punitive (in line with declining crime rates) while the British public's concern with crime appears more in tune with actual crime rates. Given the distinct social, political and institutional settings offered by the two countries, the parallel dynamics of crime and the mixed response of public opinion help illustrate the importance of the comparative analysis of crime and its effects on society as well as the importance of considering multiple measures of public opinion related to crime and punishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that environmental attitudes can affect support for environmentally-beneficial policies. However, it is unclear whether environmental attitudes can influence support for such policies when they are not being primarily framed through an environmental lens. Using data from the 2011 Irish National Election Study, this paper examines the issue using the case of support for the reintroduction of water charges. This was a contentious issue with debate largely focusing on the proposal as an austerity measure, but the proposal also had environmental implications. The results find that while individuals' willingness to prioritise environmental protection over economic growth did not affect their support for water charges, their willingness to make individual sacrifices for the environment did. Moreover, voters' position on this policy impacted their vote choice. The findings are particularly important given the struggles that governments are facing in implementing environmental taxes and charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored academics' and institutional leaders' perception of the empowerment of various actors in Ethiopian higher education institutions. Little is known about university autonomy in Ethiopian higher education in the context of the Bologna Process. Three public universities were selected from the 31 public universities using a stratified sampling technique. A mixed method exploratory research design was employed. The study used descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (ANOVA and Tukey's posthoc test) for the quantitative data analysis while thematic analysis was used to identify the emerging themes and meanings within qualitative data. The findings of this study showed that the Ethiopian public universities are hierarchal (top-down) in terms of autonomy as power is highly centralized, and the autonomy of the academic units is constrained. Both academics and institutional leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation. They noted the need for more autonomy for the University, which they expected would subsequently lead to them having greater academic freedom. From the findings of the study, there is a critical need for a flexible and responsive system of governance, where academics and institutional leaders are empowered to execute their core activities. University autonomy should be supported by more collegial and less hierarchical systems of governance. The study suggests shared governance or consultative governance for mutual accommodation if Ethiopian universities are to maintain their academic freedom and institutional autonomy and optimize their contribution to national development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the therapeutic importance of the calcium channel blocking agents for cardiovascular disease. Characteristics of calcium channel blocking agents; Adverse effects of the treatment; Factors affecting the unwanted effects of the treatment.

Focuses on a study conducted to determine the association of neuropsychological deficits to the characteristics of adolescent schizophrenia. Information on the method and subjects studied; Findings of the study; Statistical information supporting the findings.