Collaborative multidisciplinary learning : quantity surveying students’ perspectives

The construction industry is highly fragmented and is known for its adversarial culture, culminating in poor quality projects not completed on time or within budget. The aim of this study is thus to guide the design of QS programme curricula in order to help students develop the requisite knowledge and skills to work more collaboratively in their multi-disciplinary future workplaces. A qualitative approach was considered appropriate as the authors were concerned with gathering an initial understanding of what students think of multi-disciplinary learning. The data collection method used was a questionnaire which was developed by the Behaviours4Collaboration (B4C) team. Knowledge gaps were still found across all the key areas where a future QS practitioner needs to be collaborative (either as a project contributor or as a project leader) despite the need for change instigated by the multi-disciplinary (BIM) education revolution. The study concludes that universities will need to be selective in teaching, and innovative in reorienting, QS education so that a collaborative BIM education can be effected in stages, increasing in complexity as the students’ technical knowledge grows. This will help students to build the competencies needed to make them future leaders. It will also support programme currency and delivery

Exploring the conformational dynamics of alanine dipeptide in solution subjected to an external electric field: A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation

In this paper, we investigate the conformational dynamics of alanine dipeptide under an external electric field by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. We consider the case of a constant and of an oscillatory field. In this context we propose a procedure to implement the temperature control, which removes the irrelevant thermal effects of the field. For the constant field different time-scales are identified in the conformational, dipole moment, and orientational dynamics. Moreover, we prove that the solvent structure only marginally changes when the external field is switched on. In the case of oscillatory field, the conformational changes are shown to be as strong as in the previous case, and non-trivial nonequilibrium circular paths in the conformation space are revealed by calculating the integrated net probability fluxes.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figure

Participation and role of cambio- and xylophagous insects in decline of oak stands

Wśród czynników szkodotwórczych powodujących osłabienie, a w dalszej konse-kwencji zamieranie zarówno pojedynczych drzew, jak i całych drzewostanów dębowych, istotną role odgrywają owady foliofagiczne oraz kambio- i ksylofagiczne. Entomofauna fito-fagów rozwijających się na dębach szypułkowym i bezszypułkowym jest bardzo bogata i obejmuje ponad 800 gatunków. Wśród foliofagów dębu, które w znacznym stopniu mogą redukować aparat asymilacyjny drzew, a niekiedy doprowadzają do gołożerów, największe znaczenie w naszych lasach mają: zwójka zieloneczka Tortrix viridana L., piędzik przedzimek Operophthera brumata L., piędzik siewierak Operophthera fagata (Scharf.), zimowek ogołotniak Erannis defoliaria (Clerck), zwójka dębówka Archips xylosteana (L.), susówka dębówka Altica quercetorum Foudr. oraz gatunki z rodzaju naliściak Phyllobius spp. Osłabione dęby, m.in. wskutek żerowania wyżej wymienionych foliofagów, są z kolei atakowane i dobijane przez owady kambio- i ksylofagiczne z grupy szkodników wtórnych i uszkadzających drewno. Jednak dotychczas niewiele wiemy o roli większości tych szkodni-ków w procesie obumierania drzewostanów dębowych. Wykaz owadów kambio- i ksylofa-gicznych rozwijających się na dębach – szypułkowym i bezszypułkowym jest bardzo obszerny i obejmuje ogółem 185 gatunków, wśród których wyraźnie dominują chrząszcze (95,6%), przy niewielkim udziale błonkówek i motyli (po 2,2%). Jednak stosunkowo niewiele jest prac oryginalnych, szczegółowo omawiających biologię, ekologię i znaczenie w gospodarce leśnej poszczególnych gatunków owadów. Większość z nich ma charakter przyczynkowy. Jak wy-nika z dotychczasowych badań przeprowadzonych w Polsce, najgroźniejszymi szkodnikami wtórnymi dębów, które mają często decydujący wpływ na tempo wydzielania się posuszu w osłabionych drzewostanach młodszych klas wieku (II/III klasa), są: ogłodek dębowiec Scoly-tus intricatus (Ratz.), opiętek zwężony Agrilus angustulus (Ill.), opiętek dwukropkowy Agrilus biguttatus (L.), płaskowiak Phymatodes alni (L.), bucz dębowiec Xiphydria longicollis (Geoffr.), capoń mniejszy Leiopus nebulosus (L.) i rzemlik plamisty Saperda scalaris (L.). Natomiast w drzewostanach starszych (IV – VII klasy wieku) wiodącą rolę odgrywają: opię-tek dwukropkowy, ogłodek dębowiec, płaskowiak zmiennik Phymatodes testaceus (L.), pa-śnik pałączasty Plagionotus arcuatus (L.), paśnik niszczyciel Plagionotus detritus (L.), rzemlik plamisty, rębacz szary Rhagium mordax (Deg.) i bucz dębowiec. Chodniki larwalne kambio- i ksylofagów, a w przypadku ogłodka dębowca również i macierzyste, przebiegające w wewnętrznych warstwach kory, w łyku, miazdze i powierzchniowych warstwach drewna bie-lastego powodują przerwanie transportu asymilatów, co w krótkim czasie doprowadza do śmierci zaatakowane dęby. Ponadto część szkodników kambio- i ksylofagicznych powoduje głębokie uszkodzenia drewna, nieraz znacznie obniżając jego wartość użytkową. Wśród owa-dów uszkadzających drewno dębów największe znaczenie w naszych warunkach mają: drwalnik bukowiec Xyloterus domesticus (L.), drwalnik znaczony Xyloterus signatus (Fabr.), rozwiertek nieparek Xyleborus dispar (Fabr.), rozwiertek większy Xyleborus monographus (Fabr.), drwalniczek Saksesena Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratz.), rytel pospolity Elateroides dermestoides (L.) i drwionek okrętowiec Lymexylon navale (L.). Negatywny wpływ szkodników wtórnych na drzewostany dębowe nie ogranicza się tylko do szkód bezpośrednich. Według badań amerykańskich każdy gatunek zaliczany do grupy kambio- i ksylofagów może być potencjalnym wektorem zarodników lub strzępek grzybów z rodzaju Ceratocystis, powodujących niedrożność naczyń, a w dalszej konsekwencji chorobę i śmierć dębów. W Polsce za główne wektory choroby naczyniowej dębów uważane są: ogłodek dębowiec, wszystkie gatunki opiętków i zrąbień dębowiec Chrysobothris affinis (Fabr.). Zarówno w piśmiennictwie krajowym, jak i zagranicznym, niewiele jest publikacji do-tyczących roli większości owadów kambio- i ksylofagicznych w procesie zamierania drzewo-stanów dębowych. Z tego też względu celowe wydawało się opublikowanie dalszych opraco-wań dotyczących tych zagadnień

The Victorian Newsletter (Spring 1990)

The Victorian Newsletter is sponsored for the Victorian Group of Modern Language Association by the Western Kentucky University and is published twice annually.Pensée Sauvage at the MLA: Victorian Cultural Imperialism Then and Now / Patrick Brantlinger -- The Power of the Word: Scientific Nomenclature and the Spread of Empire / Harriet Ritvo -- The Anti-Comedy of The Trumpet Major / Richard Nemesvari -- Behind "Golden Barriers": Framing and Taming the Blessed Damozel / Andrew Leng -- Scenes of Marital Life: The Middle March of Extratextual Reading / Monica L. Feinberg -- "The Coronation of the Whirlwind": The Victorian Poetics of Indeterminacy / Lawrence J. Starzyk -- The Dover Switch, Or the New Sexism at "Dover Beach" / Eugene R. August -- Books Receive

Identification of Domains and Amino Acids Essential to the Collagen Galactosyltransferase Activity of GLT25D1

Collagen is modified by hydroxylation and glycosylation of hydroxylysine residues. This glycosylation is initiated by the β1,O galactosyltransferases GLT25D1 and GLT25D2. The structurally similar protein cerebral endothelial cell adhesion molecule CEECAM1 was previously reported to be inactive when assayed for collagen glycosyltransferase activity. To address the cause of the absent galactosyltransferase activity, we have generated several chimeric constructs between the active human GLT25D1 and inactive human CEECAM1 proteins. The assay of these chimeric constructs pointed to a short central region and a large C-terminal region of CEECAM1 leading to the loss of collagen galactosyltransferase activity. Examination of the three DXD motifs of the active GLT25D1 by site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the importance of the first (amino acids 166–168) and second motif (amino acids 461–463) for enzymatic activity, whereas the third one was dispensable. Since the second DXD motif is incomplete in CEECAM1, we have restored the motif by introducing the substitution S461D. This change did not restore the activity of the C-terminal region, thereby showing that additional amino acids were required in this C-terminal region to confer enzymatic activity. Finally, we have introduced the substitution Q471R-V472M-N473Q-P474V in the CEECAM1-C-terminal construct, which is found in most animal GLT25D1 and GLT25D2 isoforms but not in CEECAM1. This substitution was shown to partially restore collagen galactosyltransferase activity, underlining its importance for catalytic activity in the C-terminal domain. Because multiple mutations in different regions of CEECAM1 contribute to the lack of galactosyltransferase activity, we deduced that CEECAM1 is functionally different from the related GLT25D1 protein

A Plant-Derived Recombinant Human Glucocerebrosidase Enzyme—A Preclinical and Phase I Investigation

Gaucher disease is a progressive lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase leading to the dysfunction in multiple organ systems. Intravenous enzyme replacement is the accepted standard of treatment. In the current report, we evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of a novel human recombinant glucocerebrosidase enzyme expressed in transformed plant cells (prGCD), administered to primates and human subjects. Short term (28 days) and long term (9 months) repeated injections with a standard dose of 60 Units/kg and a high dose of 300 Units/kg were administered to monkeys (n = 4/sex/dose). Neither clinical drug-related adverse effects nor neutralizing antibodies were detected in the animals. In a phase I clinical trial, six healthy volunteers were treated by intravenous infusions with escalating single doses of prGCD. Doses of up to 60 Units/kg were administered at weekly intervals. prGCD infusions were very well tolerated. Anti-prGCD antibodies were not detected. The pharmacokinetic profile of the prGCD revealed a prolonged half-life compared to imiglucerase, the commercial enzyme that is manufactured in a costly mammalian cell system. These studies demonstrate the safety and lack of immunogenicity of prGCD. Following these encouraging results, a pivotal phase III clinical trial for prGCD was FDA approved and is currently ongoing.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00258778

The Canadian Reconciliation Barometer: a rigorous tool for tracking reconciliation in Canada

Indigenous peoples in Canada have resisted centuries of colonial harm. In response to their resurgence and calls for justice, Canada is now on what is likely to be a long and winding truth and reconciliation journey. To help monitor perceptions of reconciliation progress in a good way, our team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers created the Canadian Reconciliation Barometer. In Study 1, we wrote 89 self-report items representing 13 factors of reconciliation, which reflected what we learned from Elders, Survivors, and reconciliation leaders. A national sample of 592 Indigenous and 1,018 non-Indigenous participants completed the initial item pool. Exploratory factor analyses indicated that a 13-factor model had excellent fit, with only two factors needing minor conceptual modifications. We retained 64 internally consistent items representing 13 factors of reconciliation: Good Understanding of the Past and Present, Acknowledgment of Government Harm, Acknowledgment of Residential School Harm, Acknowledgment of Ongoing Harm, Engagement, Mutually Respectful Relationships, Nation-to-Nation Relationships, Personal Equality, Systemic Equality, Representation and Leadership, Indigenous Thriving, Respect for the Natural World, and Apologies. In Study 2, a national sample of 599 Indigenous and 1,016 non-Indigenous participants completed the retained items. The hypothesized factors had excellent fit, and the factor structure did not differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants. We conclude by discussing contributions to social-psychological conceptualizations of reconciliation and how to use the Canadian Reconciliation Barometer to monitor social change

Demography and Dispersal Ability of a Threatened Saproxylic Beetle: A Mark-Recapture Study of the Rosalia Longicorn (Rosalia alpina)

The Rosalia longicorn or Alpine longhorn (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an endangered and strictly protected icon of European saproxylic biodiversity. Despite its popularity, lack of information on its demography and mobility may compromise adoption of suitable conservation strategies. The beetle experienced marked retreat from NW part of its range; its single population survives N of the Alps and W of the Carpathians. The population inhabits several small patches of old beech forest on hill-tops of the Ralska Upland, Czech Republic. We performed mark-recapture study of the population and assessed its distribution pattern. Our results demonstrate the high mobility of the beetle, including dispersal between hills (up to 1.6 km). The system is thus interconnected; it contained ∼2000 adult beetles in 2008. Estimated population densities were high, ranging between 42 and 84 adult beetles/hectare a year. The population survives at a former military-training ground despite long-term isolation and low cover of mature beech forest (∼1%). Its survival could be attributed to lack of forestry activities between the 1950s and 1990s, slow succession preventing canopy closure and undergrowth expansion, and probably also to the distribution of habitat patches on conspicuous hill-tops. In order to increase chances of the population for long term survival, we propose to stop clear-cuts of old beech forests, increase semi-open beech woodlands in areas currently covered by conifer plantations and active habitat management at inhabited sites and their wider environs