Teaching as a Masters profession: the need for continued debate

The research presented here builds on an original pilot project which reported on the introduction of PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) Masters level programmes in England. A major finding of the pilot project was that Masters was by no means embedded as a positive perception in the minds of student teachers or indeed teacher educators and one of the recommendations was to „continue the M level debate'. This research concentrates on the continuing perceptions of a range of teacher educators from across the UK, sharing their experiences and working together to make sense of the challenges and opportunities faced in the quest to make teaching a Masters profession. Findings suggest that it remains difficult for teacher educators to propose a definition of „Masters' which satisfies them on a personal or political level. There are hints of a „jargon' of „Mastersness' - expedience rather than conviction, assumption linked with confusion – and a lack of certainty over whether teaching should be a Masters level profession at all. This has led to the main finding of this research which is that the debate on teaching as a Masters profession needs to continue

Co-evolution of male and female reproductive traits across the Bruchidae (Coleoptera)

1. Despite the obvious importance of spermatozoa to individual reproductive success a general explanation of variation in spermatozoan form and function is still lacking. In species with internal fertilization, sperm not only have to interact with the physical and biochemical environment of the female reproductive tract, but frequently face competition from the sperm of rival males. Both sperm competition theory and adaptation to the selective environment of the female reproductive tract have been implicated in the evolution of spermatozoan morphological diversity. 2. Using the comparative method, we examine variation in sperm length in relation to (i) sperm competition intensity (as measured by relative testis size) and (ii) female reproductive characters, across 15 species of beetle belonging to the family Bruchidae. 3. Stepwise multiple regression within a phylogenetic framework revealed sperm length to be positively correlated with female spermathecal duct length and negatively related to spermathecal volume, but not testes size, indicating that the female reproductive environment rather than sperm competition per se exerts selection on sperm length in this taxonomic group. 4. A positive association between testes volume and the volume of the female spermatheca was also evident suggesting correlated evolution of these traits. 5. A number of models of sexual selection could lead to the correlated evolution of male and female reproductive characters, although the underlying mechanisms of cause and effect remain elusive. Divergence between species (and populations) in primary reproductive traits is likely to present a significant barrier to hetero-specific fertilization, and thus contribute to reproductive isolation

How do we establish methods to assess the impact of agricultural production on soil functions in LCA?

Soil quality attributes, and their contribution to soil function, are inherently linked to agricultural productivity, and the long-term sustainability of agriculture relies on protecting and improving the soil resource. The influence of soil quality on productivity and ecosystem services has been under-represented in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to date. Recent efforts by the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative and the European Commission JRC have devised impact assessment frameworks that capture the eco-system service functions of land, including soil functions. However, there is still ambiguity over the terms used to describe soil processes, elementary flows, and impact indicators. This paper explores important soil processes that drive soil functions, identifies how elementary flows can be estimated, and explores how different aspects of soil quality can be characterised to give an integrated assessment of impact. In doing this, we define the language and terms used in the impact pathway that will help delineate inventory development from development of impact assessment methods. We discuss how the tools now available, through the growth of GIS data on land use, soils, and climate, open up the opportunity to parametrise LCI directly with the relevant elementary flows, and construct LCIA methods, so that they are matched to real production systems. (Texte intégral

An expanded multilocus sequence typing scheme for propionibacterium acnes : investigation of 'pathogenic', 'commensal' and antibiotic resistant strains

The Gram-positive bacterium Propionibacterium acnes is a member of the normal human skin microbiota and is associated with various infections and clinical conditions. There is tentative evidence to suggest that certain lineages may be associated with disease and others with health. We recently described a multilocus sequence typing scheme (MLST) for P. acnes based on seven housekeeping genes (http://pubmlst.org/pacnes). We now describe an expanded eight gene version based on six housekeeping genes and two ‘putative virulence’ genes (eMLST) that provides improved high resolution typing (91eSTs from 285 isolates), and generates phylogenies congruent with those based on whole genome analysis. When compared with the nine gene MLST scheme developed at the University of Bath, UK, and utilised by researchers at Aarhus University, Denmark, the eMLST method offers greater resolution. Using the scheme, we examined 208 isolates from disparate clinical sources, and 77 isolates from healthy skin. Acne was predominately associated with type IA1 clonal complexes CC1, CC3 and CC4; with eST1 and eST3 lineages being highly represented. In contrast, type IA2 strains were recovered at a rate similar to type IB and II organisms. Ophthalmic infections were predominately associated with type IA1 and IA2 strains, while type IB and II were more frequently recovered from soft tissue and retrieved medical devices. Strains with rRNA mutations conferring resistance to antibiotics used in acne treatment were dominated by eST3, with some evidence for intercontinental spread. In contrast, despite its high association with acne, only a small number of resistant CC1 eSTs were identified. A number of eSTs were only recovered from healthy skin, particularly eSTs representing CC72 (type II) and CC77 (type III). Collectively our data lends support to the view that pathogenic versus truly commensal lineages of P. acnes may exist. This is likely to have important therapeutic and diagnostic implications

Identifying acne treatment uncertainties via a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership

Objectives: The Acne Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) was set up to identify and rank treatment uncertainties by bringing together people with acne, and professionals providing care within and beyond the National Health Service (NHS). Setting: The UK with international participation. Participants: Teenagers and adults with acne, parents, partners, nurses, clinicians, pharmacists, private practitioners. Methods: Treatment uncertainties were collected via separate online harvesting surveys, embedded within the PSP website, for patients and professionals. A wide variety of approaches were used to promote the surveys to stakeholder groups with a particular emphasis on teenagers and young adults. Survey submissions were collated using keywords and verified as uncertainties by appraising existing evidence. The 30 most popular themes were ranked via weighted scores from an online vote. At a priority setting workshop, patients and professionals discussed the 18 highest-scoring questions from the vote, and reached consensus on the top 10. Results: In the harvesting survey, 2310 people, including 652 professionals and 1456 patients (58% aged 24 y or younger), made submissions containing at least one research question. After checking for relevance and rephrasing, a total of 6255 questions were collated into themes. Valid votes ranking the 30 most common themes were obtained from 2807 participants. The top 10 uncertainties prioritised at the workshop were largely focused on management strategies, optimum use of common prescription medications and the role of nondrug based interventions. More female than male patients took part in the harvesting surveys and vote. A wider range of uncertainties were provided by patients compared to professionals. Conclusions: Engaging teenagers and young adults in priority setting is achievable using a variety of promotional methods. The top 10 uncertainties reveal an extensive knowledge gap about widely used interventions and the relative merits of drug versus non-drug based treatments in acne management

How do we establish life cycle assessment methods to assess the impact of agricultural production on soil functions?

Soil quality attributes, and their contribution to soil function, are inherently linked to agricultural productivity, and the longterm sustainability of agriculture relies on protecting and improving our soils. The influence of soil quality on productivity and ecosystem services has been under-represented in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to date. Recent efforts by the UNEPSETAC Life Cycle Initiative and the European Commission JRC have devised impact assessment frameworks that capture the ecosystem service functions of land, including soil functions. However, there is still ambiguity over the terms used to describe soil processes, elementary flows, and impact indicators. This paper explores important soil processes, identifies how elementary flows can be estimated, and explores how different aspects of soil quality can be characterised to give an integrated assessment of impact. In doing this, we define the language and terms used in the impact pathway that will help delineate inventory development from development of impact assessment methods. We discuss how the tools now available, through the growth of GIS data on land use, soils, and climate, open up the opportunity to parametrise LCI directly with the relevant elementary flows and construct LCIA methods, so that they are matched to real production systems. ( Résumé d'auteur

Negative phenotypic and genetic associations between copulation duration and longevity in male seed beetles

Reproduction can be costly and is predicted to trade-off against other characters. However, while these trade-offs are well documented for females, there has been less focus on aspects of male reproduction. Furthermore, those studies that have looked at males typically only investigate phenotypic associations, with the underlying genetics often ignored. Here, we report on phenotypic and genetic trade-offs in male reproductive effort in the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus. We find that the duration of a male's first copulation is negatively associated with subsequent male survival, phenotypically and genetically. Our results are consistent with life-history theory and suggest that like females, males trade-off reproductive effort against longevity

On the feasibility of N2 fixation via a single-site FeI/FeIV cycle: Spectroscopic studies of FeI(N2)FeI, FeIV=N, and related species

The electronic properties of an unusually redox-rich iron system, [PhBPR 3]FeNx (where [PhBPR 3] is [PhB(CH2PR2)3]−), are explored by Mössbauer, EPR, magnetization, and density-functional methods to gain a detailed picture regarding their oxidation states and electronic structures. The complexes of primary interest in this article are the two terminal iron(IV) nitride species, [PhBPiPr 3]FeN (3a) and [PhBPCH2Cy 3]FeN (3b), and the formally diiron(I) bridged-Fe(μ-N2)Fe species, {[PhBPiPr 3]Fe}2(μ-N2) (4). Complex 4 is chemically related to 3a via a spontaneous nitride coupling reaction. The diamagnetic iron(IV) nitrides 3a and 3b exhibit unique electronic environments that are reflected in their unusual Mössbauer parameters, including quadrupole-splitting values of 6.01(1) mm/s and isomer shift values of −0.34(1) mm/s. The data for 4 suggest that this complex can be described by a weak ferromagnetic interaction (J/D < 1) between two iron(I) centers. For comparison, four other relevant complexes also are characterized: a diamagnetic iron(IV) trihydride [PhBPiPr 3]Fe(H)3(PMe3) (5), an S = 3/2 iron(I) phosphine adduct [PhBPiPr 3]FePMe3 (6), and the S = 2 iron(II) precursors to 3a, [PhBPiPr 3]FeCl and [PhBPiPr 3]Fe-2,3:5,6-dibenzo-7-aza bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (dbabh). The electronic properties of these respective complexes also have been explored by density-functional methods to help corroborate our spectral assignments and to probe their electronic structures further