A typical undergraduate biology curriculum covers a very large number of concepts and details. We describe the development of a Biology Concept Framework (BCF) as a possible way to organize this material to enhance teaching and learning. Our BCF is hierarchical, places details in context, nests related concepts, and articulates concepts that are inherently obvious to experts but often difficult...

School of Engineering at Murdoch University is now in its fifth year: a new School sited on the new regional Campus. This environment enabled the staff to take an innovative approach to the School's development. One key issue addressed from the outset was that of women in a nontraditional area. Positive action was taken to attract high calibre female staff and as a consequence over 50% of the S...

This paper advocates the use of repeated applications of inventories of approaches to learning as an appropriate technique for the evaluation of educational innovations. The method is particularly appropriate for innovations aiming to introduce more meaningful forms of learning as this is a dimension measured by these instruments. The paper gives case studies showing how the measure can be used...

The 252-item Pavlovian Temperament Survey-Revised (PTS-R) was adapted for English speaking countries and then administered to 622 subjects (315 female and 307 male). Items for the final 160-item version were selected on the basis of the criteria outlined by Strelau ef al. (1990; European Journal of Personalily, 4, 209-235). A 78-item short form was also developed. Both inventories are scored on...

This study examines the impact of working capital management on firms’ performance and market value of the firms in Nigeria. A sample of fifty four non-financial quoted firms in Nigeria listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange was used for this study. Data were collected from annual reports of the sampled firms for the period 1995-2009. This result shows there is a significant negative relationship...

A new species of Espeletia from the Páramo de Presidente in northeastern Colombia is described. The species is named Espeletia praesidentis after the name of the páramo, and it is dedicated to the President Juan Manuel Santos, for his persistent efforts in working for peace for Colombia. The new species is closely related to Espeletia dugandii, but differs in the shape and colour of the leaves ...

Bioturbation, the biogenic modification of sediments through particle reworking and burrow ventilation, is a key mediator of many important geochemical processes in marine systems. In situ quantification of bioturbation can be achieved in a myriad of ways, requiring expert knowledge, technology, and resources not always available, and not feasible in some settings. Where dedicated research prog...

During 2000-2002, shortages of numerous routinely administered pediatric vaccines occurred. The reasons for these shortages were varied, but they included policy, manufacturing, and regulatory issues. The use of government manufacturing programs has been proposed as a way to stabilize the fragile vaccine supply and to prevent periodic shortages. Although such programs might be useful for defens...

Methods of preparing and plating inocula onto media for the Odds and Abbott Candida albicans biotyping system (F. C. Odds and A. B. Abbott, Sabouraudia 18:301-317, 1980; Odds and Abbott, Sabouraudia 21:79-81, 1983) were altered to utilize inexpensive and commercially available supplies and equipment. The modified system correlates well with the reference system.