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The problem of low attainment in mathematics has been an increasingly prominent feature of the policy discourse in England over the last 60 years; however, evidence from comparative studies indicates that little progress has been made in finding a solution. In this paper, we analyse the changing policy discourse of low attainment in mathematics through the main reports and speeches published in England, beginning with the Newsom Report, "Half Our Future," in 1963, and continuing to the present day. We chart the evolving perspectives on the nature of ability, expectations, curriculum ideology and frame of reference through the changing language used in these documents, noting tensions and inconsistencies which arise through continuing lack of clarity about definitions and assumptions.

The conversion of biomass to biofuels presents a solution to one of the largest global challenges of our era, climate change. A critical part of this pipeline is the process of breaking down cellulosic sugars from plant matter to be used by microbes containing biosynthetic pathways that produce biofuels or bioproducts. In this inquiry-based course, students complete a research project that isolates cellulase-producing bacteria from samples collected from the environment. After obtaining isolates, the students characterize the production of cellulases. Students then amplify and sequence the 16S rRNA genes of confirmed cellulase producers and use bioinformatic methods to identify the bacterial isolates. Throughout the course, students learn about the process of generating biofuels and bioproducts through the deconstruction of cellulosic biomass to form monosaccharides from the biopolymers in plant matter. The program relies heavily on active learning and enables students to connect microbiology with issues of sustainability. In addition, it provides exposure to basic microbiology, molecular biology, and biotechnology laboratory techniques and concepts. The described activity was initially developed for the Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM) program, a research-based immersive laboratory course at the US Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute. Originally designed as an accelerated program for high-potential, low-income, high school students (11th-12th grade), this curriculum could also be implemented for undergraduate coursework in a research-intensive laboratory course at a two- or four-year college or university.

Power dynamics are implicated in intergroup prosocial behavior (Nadler & Halabi, 2015). This research investigated two factors that influence the effect of intergroup prosocial behavior on views of social equality: amount of direct intergroup contact and type of helping. Students in a social psychology course (N = 93) were randomly assigned to a service-learning group or to a control group. The service-learning group was further subdivided into an autonomy-oriented helping group or a dependency-oriented helping group. After participating in approximately 19 hours of community service over nine weeks, service-learners had more positive views of social equality compared to the control group. This effect was strongest in autonomy-oriented helpers who had high levels of direct intergroup contact. The implications and mechanisms of service-learning as a form of counter-normative intergroup prosocial behavior are discussed.

We report an engineered strain of Escherichia coli that catabolizes the carbonaceous component of the extremely toxic chemical warfare agent sarin. Enzymatic decomposition of sarin generates isopropanol waste that, with this engineered strain, is then transformed into acetyl-CoA by enzymatic conversion with a key reaction performed by the acetone carboxylase complex (ACX). We engineered the heterologous expression of the ACX complex from Xanthobacter autotrophicus PY2 to match the naturally occurring subunit stoichiometry and purified the recombinant complex from E. coli for biochemical analysis. Incorporating this ACX complex and enzymes from diverse organisms, we introduced an isopropanol degradation pathway in E. coli, optimized induction conditions, and decoupled enzyme expression to probe pathway bottlenecks. Our engineered E. coli consumed 65% of isopropanol compared to no-cell controls and was able to grow on isopropanol as a sole carbon source. In the process, reconstitution of this large ACX complex (370 kDa) in a system naïve to its structural and mechanistic requirements allowed us to study this otherwise cryptic enzyme in more detail than would have been possible in the less genetically tractable native Xanthobacter system.

Background Research demonstrates significant gender- and sexual orientation–based differences in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse; however, this "orgasm gap" has not been studied with respect to age. Aim The study sought to examine age-related disparities in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse by gender and sexual orientation. Methods A survey sample of 24 752 adults from the United States, ranging in age from 18 to 100 years. Data were collected across 8 cross-sectional surveys between 2015 and 2023. Outcomes Participants reported their average rate of orgasm during sexual intercourse, from 0% to 100%. Results Orgasm rate was associated with age but with minimal effect size. In all age groups, men reported higher rates of orgasm than did women. Men's orgasm rates ranged from 70% to 85%, while women's ranged from 46% to 58%. Men reported orgasm rates between 22% and 30% higher than women's rates. Sexual orientation impacted orgasm rates by gender but not uniformly across age groups. Clinical Translation The persistence of the orgasm gap across ages necessitates a tailored approach in clinical practice and education, focusing on inclusive sexual health discussions, addressing the unique challenges of sexual minorities and aging, and emphasizing mutual satisfaction to promote sexual well-being for all. Strengths and Limitations This study is the first to examine the orgasm gap with respect to age, and does so in a large, diverse sample. Findings are limited by methodology, including single-item assessments of orgasm and a sample of single adults. Conclusion This study revealed enduring disparities in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse, likely resulting from many factors, including sociocultural norms and inadequate sex education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Black and white women describe their chronic vulvar pain (CVVP) symptoms differently, indicating a patient–provider communication deficit. This may contribute to the diagnostic delay commonly reported by patients with CVVP and/or pelvic pain. Methods: A pilot study demonstrated CVVP terminology differences between women of color and white women. The present study (N = 488) includes a sample of predominantly cisgender women who identified their race/ethnicity as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/American Indian, and/or Asian. Participants reported how they describe their CVVP, their healthcare experiences, and characteristics of their diagnostic journey. Results: Descriptions of CVVP were not uniform. Instead, there was great variability in how women described their pain across racial/ethnic identities and pain contexts (e.g., sexual activity, menstrual product use, and pelvic exam). Some pain experiences and descriptors were associated with healthcare outcomes related to diagnostic delay. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the pain communication experiences of women of color with CVVP, an understudied population within the broader CVVP literature. By resisting white and non-white comparative methodologies, this study demonstrates the applicability of intersectionality principles to the study of CVVP and contributes to the existing literature regarding pain communication, race, and ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North Dakota State University (USA) have been using video conferencing as a delivery mode for farmer education for about twenty years and report that their farmers find this delivery method both practical and worthwhile. With the number of New Zealand farmers attending learning events decreasing, due mainly to time and cost, maybe it is time to use different approaches to engage farmers in learning. A study called "FeedSmart", which looked into the ways farmers preferred to learn, identified that e-learning is worth further investigation as a learning delivery approach. In this paper we report on three small-scale trials that investigated the viability and effectiveness of generating and delivering information to farmers via a video-conferencing-based learning approach. This study showed that e-learning of this type has potential as a learning approach for farmers and is worthy of further investigation.

Magnetotactic bacteria have evolved complex subcellular machinery to construct linear chains of magnetite nanocrystals that allow the host cell to sense direction. Each mixed-valent iron nanoparticle is mineralized from soluble iron within a membrane-encapsulated vesicle termed the magnetosome, which serves as a specialized compartment that regulates the iron, redox, and pH environment of the growing mineral. To dissect the biological components that control this process, we have carried out a genetic and biochemical study of proteins proposed to function in iron mineralization. In this study, we show that the redox sites of c-type cytochromes of the Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 magnetosome island, MamP and MamT, are essential to their physiological function and that ablation of one or both heme motifs leads to loss of function, suggesting that their ability to carry out redox chemistry in vivo is important. We also develop a method to heterologously express fully heme-loaded MamP from AMB-1 for in vitro biochemical studies, which show that its Fe(III)-Fe(II) redox couple is set at an unusual potential (-89 ± 11 mV) compared with other related cytochromes involved in iron reduction or oxidation. Despite its low reduction potential, it remains competent to oxidize Fe(II) to Fe(III) and mineralize iron to produce mixed-valent iron oxides. Finally, in vitro mineralization experiments suggest that Mms mineral-templating peptides from AMB-1 can modulate the iron redox chemistry of MamP.

How couples communicate during conflict interactions can have important implications for their relational well-being. The theory of resilience and relational load provides a valuable lens for exploring the associations among couples' language use during conflict conversations and the extent to which such conversations are perceived as threatening to one's relationship, as well as whether genetic markers moderate such associations. Forty-seven mixed-sex couples had a conversation about a topic causing conflict in their relationship and provided saliva samples that were tested for their genotype (GG, AA, or AG) for oxytocin receptor gene rs53576. The results revealed that neither the use of communal language nor positive emotion words were associated with perceiving the conversation as less threatening to their relationship. Genetic variation did not moderate the associations with either positive emotion word use or communal language. However, a three-way interaction between sex, OXTR, and positive emotion word use emerged in the post hoc analyses, indicating that positive emotion word use was negatively associated with threat appraisals for women with a GG genotype, and positively associated with threat appraisals for men with a GG genotype. Implications for mixed-sex couples' communication and research on language use during conflict conversations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affectionate touch (e.g. hugging, handholding) is an essential component of many intimate relationships and is a primary contributor to overall relationship satisfaction as well as sexual satisfaction. Affectionate touch is understood to be a form of non-verbal communication in which the giver is expressing positive feelings toward the receiver. Here, we propose that affectionate touch also positively impacts receivers’ body satisfaction, because affectionate touch is a positive message communicated toward the receiver’s body. In a cross-sectional sample of romantically partnered women (N = 1,156), we assessed the association between affectionate touch frequency and body satisfaction. We also investigated whether affectionate touch is associated with relationship/sexual satisfaction in part because touch helps to improve women’s evaluations of their own bodies. Our results showed that body satisfaction was a significant, partial mediator and a valid path through which affectionate touch shapes relationship quality. Receiving affectionate touch could bolster relationship satisfaction and self-perceptions among women. Given the prevalence of body dissatisfaction amongst women, these results suggest that the underexplored associations between affectionate touch and body satisfaction may have significant impacts on a wide array of future empirical and applied research trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators in psychology should aspire to encourage students' holistic growth in academic, personal, and civic domains. We propose that service learning is the most potent pedagogy for developing well-rounded, psychologically literate citizens capable of meeting the goals for the undergraduate psychology major. This article defines service learning, delineates the rationales for service learning, and summarizes research demonstrating the efficacy of this pedagogical approach. The article also describes the learning objectives derived from the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Major (Version 2.0, 2013), with an emphasis on the ways in which service learning contributes to academic learning, civic learning, and personal growth. Finally, the article illustrates the four types of service learning, and it provides a concrete example for structuring reflection in order to connect community experiences with course content in a service learning psychology course.

A prominent source of mutation in cancer is single-stranded DNA cytosine deamination by cellular APOBEC3 enzymes, which results in signature C-to-T and C-to-G mutations in TCA and TCT motifs. Although multiple enzymes have been implicated, reports conflict and it is unclear which protein(s) are responsible. Here we report the development of a selectable system to quantify genome mutation and demonstrate its utility by comparing the mutagenic activities of three leading candidates—APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3H. The human cell line, HAP1, is engineered to express the thymidine kinase (TK) gene of HSV-1, which confers sensitivity to ganciclovir. Expression of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B, but not catalytic mutant controls or APOBEC3H, triggers increased frequencies of TK mutation and similar TC-biased cytosine mutation profiles in the selectable TK reporter gene. Whole genome sequences from independent clones enabled an analysis of thousands of single base substitution mutations and extraction of local sequence preferences with APOBEC3A preferring YTCW motifs 70% of the time and APOBEC3B 50% of the time (Y = C/T; W = A/T). Signature comparisons with breast tumor whole genome sequences indicate that most malignancies manifest intermediate percentages of APOBEC3 signature mutations in YTCW motifs, mostly between 50 and 70%, suggesting that both enzymes contribute in a combinatorial manner to the overall mutation landscape. Although the vast majority of APOBEC3A- and APOBEC3B-induced single base substitution mutations occur outside of predicted chromosomal DNA hairpin structures, whole genome sequence analyses and supporting biochemical studies also indicate that both enzymes are capable of deaminating the single-stranded loop regions of DNA hairpins at elevated rates. These studies combine to help resolve a long-standing etiologic debate on the source of APOBEC3 signature mutations in cancer and indicate that future diagnostic and therapeutic efforts should focus on both APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B. Author summary: A large source of mutation in cancer is attributable to single-stranded DNA cytosine to uracil (C-to-U) deamination by APOBEC3 family enzymes. Chromosomal DNA U's directly template the insertion of adenine (A), which results in C/G-to-T/A mutations. Chromosomal U's also trigger error-prone DNA repair processes, which less directly result in C/G-to-T/A mutations, C/G-to-G/C mutations, and more complex events such as insertion/deletion mutations. We report a human cell line for cancer mutation studies, where mutations can be identified selectively or by genomic DNA sequencing. Only APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B proved capable of inflicting the aforementioned types of single base substitution mutations. Interestingly, 70% and 50% of the single base substitution mutations attributable to APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B, respectively, occurred in TCA and TCT trinucleotide motifs preceded by a pyrimidine (T or C). This is significant because most APOBEC3-positive breast tumors exhibit an intermediate percentage of signature mutations in these broader tetranucleotide motifs, which supports the idea that both APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B contribute in a combinatorial manner to the overall mutation landscape in these tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To an unreconstructed cognitivist with experience of developing General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations and national tests in mathematics, the three papers which provide the core of this special issue (Morgan & Sfard; Morgan, Morgan & Tang) provided a refreshing opportunity to consider examination items from a different perspective. The integration of sociocultural/communicational and social semiotic/functional linguistic viewpoints underpinning the ESRC-funded The Evolution of the Discourse of School Mathematics (EDSM) highlighted for me the role of examination texts as purveyors of cultural meanings, communicating an authorised definition of school mathematics. The fourth paper (Alshwaikh) showed an attempt to translate this analysis to a different medium and also to a different culture and language. The fifth paper (Adler & Lerman) usefully took a step back and reminded me of the importance of who sets these cultural definitions, drawing on narratives from two contrasting countries. With little background in language and discourse the author is obviously not well placed to comment on the theoretical issues and will confine herself mainly to pragmatic and policy matters. In this brief commentary, the author shares her views on the papers chosen for the special issue, highlighting some specific data from across the three EDSM articles.

Simulations of 222Rn and other short-lived tracers are used to evaluate and intercompare the representations of convective and synoptic processes in 20 global atmospheric transport models. Results show that most established three-dimensional models simulate vertical mixing in the troposphere to within the constraints offered by the observed mean 222Rn concentrations and that subgrid parameterization of convection is essential for this purpose. However, none of the models captures the observed variability of 222Rn concentrations in the upper troposphere, and none reproduces the high 222Rn concentrations measured at 200 hPa over Hawaii. The established three-dimensional models reproduce the frequency and magnitude of high-222Rn episodes observed at Crozet Island in the Indian Ocean, demonstrating that they can resolve the synoptic-scale transport of continental plumes with no significant numerical diffusion. Large differences between models are found in the rates of meridional transport in the upper troposphere (interhemispheric exchange, exchange between tropics and high latitudes). The four two-dimensional models which participated in the intercomparison tend to underestimate the rate of vertical transport from the lower to the upper troposphere but show concentrations of 222Rn in the lower troposphere that are comparable to the zonal mean values in the three-dimensional models.