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\"Pedagogical Peculiarities: Conversations at the edge of university teaching and learning explores the peculiarities characterising university teaching cultures through a consideration of the implications, tensions and impacts associated with academic development in higher education. This is achieved through a series of deliberative dialogues, involving experts in pedagogy and academics working within specific disciplinary and institutional contexts. The chapters provide an important and currently missing critique of the peculiarity of teaching practice and the idealisation of teaching excellence in higher education. As a result, the volume's major contribution lies in the advancement of a unique discourse of pedagogy in higher education, comprised of multiple contexts. Ultimately Pedagogical Peculiarity's distinctiveness lies in its articulation of different pedagogical identities. These emanate from, and are characterized by different teaching and learning environments, across different institutions and sectors. This, in turn, serves to illuminate the current contexts and challenges across higher education as they relate and respond to ideology, values, policy and changes in the organization of the sector. In essence, Pedagogical Peculiarities explores what it means to be a contemporary academic\"-- Provided by publisher.

The Suzuki–Miyaura coupling has become one of the most important and prevalent methods for the construction of C–C bonds. Although palladium catalysis has historically dominated the field, the use of nickel catalysis has become increasingly widespread because of its unique ability to cleave carbon–heteroatom bonds that are unreactive towards other transition metals. We report the first nickel-catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of amides, which proceeds by an uncommon cleavage of the amide C–N bond after N - tert -butoxycarbonyl activation. The methodology is mild, functional-group tolerant and can be strategically employed in sequential transition-metal-catalysed cross-coupling sequences to unite heterocyclic fragments. These studies demonstrate that amides, despite classically considered inert substrates, can be harnessed as synthons for use in reactions that form C–C bonds through cleavage of the C–N bond using non-precious metal catalysis. Amides have historically been considered stable and unreactive functional groups because of resonance stabilization. Here, it is demonstrated that Boc-activated amides can be employed in Suzuki–Miyaura couplings using non-precious-metal catalysis. The overall reaction is complementary to the widely employed Weinreb ketone synthesis.

A long-standing challenge in synthetic chemistry is the development of the transamidation reaction. This process, which involves the conversion of one amide to another, is typically plagued by unfavourable kinetic and thermodynamic factors. Although some advances have been made with regard to the transamidation of primary amide substrates, secondary amide transamidation has remained elusive. Here we present a simple two-step approach that allows for the elusive overall transformation to take place using non-precious metal catalysis. The methodology proceeds under exceptionally mild reaction conditions and is tolerant of amino-acid-derived nucleophiles. In addition to overcoming the classic problem of secondary amide transamidation, our studies expand the growing repertoire of new transformations mediated by base metal catalysis. Transamidation reactions are kinetically and thermodynamically challenging because of the stability of the amide starting materials. Here, the authors show a two-step process—activation of a secondary amide, followed by nickel-catalysed C–N bond cleavage—that allows mild and high yielding transamidation.

Foot orthoses are widely used in clinical practice to treat foot, lower limb and back pathology. As published information guiding the clinical use of foot orthoses is scarce, the aim of this study is to profile the review processes used by practicing podiatrists after issuing an orthotic device. A cross-sectional observational study design formed the basis for a self-administered online questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed through podiatry networks based in Australia. Two-hundred and thirty-eight practicing podiatrists participated in this study. Ninety-seven percent of respondents indicated that they would recommend a review appointment after the initial fitting of an orthotic device. Forty percent (n = 84) of respondents scheduled the first review appointment four weeks after the initial fitting, while 33% (n = 69) preferred a two-week review period. A second review consultation was standard practice for 32% (n = 68) or respondents, and were typically scheduled either two (23%, n = 12) or four (38%, n = 20) weeks after the initial review consultation. Annual review of orthotic devices was recommended by 64% (n = 123) of participants in the study, while 19% (n = 37) would suggest that yearly reviews were scheduled only if required. Variation was identified in the orthotic review processes used by practicing podiatrists, although most respondents recommend a routine short-term review appointment for foot orthoses. It is not clear why practitioners adopt such varied approaches. In the absence of any clear evidence on this topic, it may be that the differing approaches to patient review reflect different philosophical perspectives regarding patient management.

PurposeWhen housing is insufficient, or poor quality, or unaffordable there are well established health effects. Despite the pervasiveness of housing affordability problems (widely referred to as Housing Affordability Stress—HAS), little quantitative work has analysed long-term mental health effects. We examine the mental health effects of (prolonged and intermittent) patterns of exposure to housing affordability problems.MethodsWe analysed a large, nationally representative longitudinal population sample of individuals, following them over five-year periods to assess the relative mental health effects of different patterns of exposure to housing affordability problems. To maximise the number of observations and the robustness of findings, we used 15 years (2002–2016) of data, across three pooled exposure windows. Longitudinal regression analysis with Mundlak adjustment was used to estimate the association between prolonged (constant over a 5-year period) and intermittent exposure to HAS, and mental health (as measured using the SF-36 MCS).ResultsWe found that, on average, both prolonged and intermittent exposure were associated with lower mental health (Beta = − 1.338 (95% CI − 2.178–0.488) and Beta = − 0.516 (95% CI − 0.868–0.164), respectively). When we additionally adjusted for baseline mental health, thereby accounting for initial mental health status, coefficients were attenuated but remained significant.ConclusionsBoth prolonged and intermittent exposure to HAS negatively impact mental health, irrespective of baseline mental health. Interventions that target affordable housing would benefit population mental health. Mental health interventions should be designed with people’s housing context in mind.

England's national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme advocates stepped care as its organizational delivery of psychological therapies to common mental health problems. There is limited evidence regarding the efficacy of stepped care as a service delivery model, heterogeneity of definition and differences in model implementation in both research and routine practice, hence outcome comparison in terms of effectiveness of model is difficult. Despite sound evidence of the efficacy of low intensity interventions there appears to be a perpetuation of the notion that severity and complexity should only be treated by a high intensity intervention through the continuation of a stratified care model. Yet no psychotherapy treatment is found to be more superior to another, and not enough is known about what works for whom to aid the matching of treatment decision. In the absence of understanding precise treatment factors optimal for recovery, it may be useful to better understand the impact of a service delivery model, and whether different models achieve different outcomes. This study aims to contribute to the discussion regarding the stepped care definition and delivery, and explores the impact on clinical outcomes where different types of stepped care have been implemented within the same service. An observational cohort study analysed retrospective data (n = 16,723) over a 4 year period, in a single IAPT service, where delivery changed from one type of stepped care model to another. We compared the outcomes of treatment completers with a stratified care model and a progression care model. We also explored the assumption that patients who score severe on psychological measures, and therefore are potentially complex, would achieve better outcomes in a stratified model. Outcomes in each model type were compared, alongside baseline factor variables. A significant association was observed between a recovery outcome and model type, with patients 1.5 times more likely to recover in the progression delivery model. The potential implications are that with a progression stepped care model of service delivery, more patients can be treated with a lower intensity intervention, even with initial severe presentations, ensuring that only those that need high intensity CBT or equivalent are stepped up. This could provide services with an effective clinical model that is efficient and potentially more cost effective.

Although enzymes are able to cleave amide bonds in nature, it is difficult to selectively break the carbon–nitrogen bond of an amide using synthetic chemistry; now the activation and cleavage of these bonds using nickel catalysts is used to convert amides to esters. Amide C–N bonds activated by nickel catalysis Although enzymes are able to cleave amide bonds in nature, it is difficult to selectively break the carbon–nitrogen bond of an amide using synthetic chemistry. In this paper the authors demonstrate that amide C–N bonds can be activated and cleaved using nickel catalysts. They used this methodology to convert amides to esters, which is a challenging and underdeveloped transformation. Amides are common functional groups that have been studied for more than a century 1 . They are the key building blocks of proteins and are present in a broad range of other natural and synthetic compounds. Amides are known to be poor electrophiles, which is typically attributed to the resonance stability of the amide bond 1 , 2 . Although amides can readily be cleaved by enzymes such as proteases 3 , it is difficult to selectively break the carbon–nitrogen bond of an amide using synthetic chemistry. Here we demonstrate that amide carbon–nitrogen bonds can be activated and cleaved using nickel catalysts. We use this methodology to convert amides to esters, which is a challenging and underdeveloped transformation. The reaction methodology proceeds under exceptionally mild reaction conditions, and avoids the use of a large excess of an alcohol nucleophile. Density functional theory calculations provide insight into the thermodynamics and catalytic cycle of the amide-to-ester transformation. Our results provide a way to harness amide functional groups as synthetic building blocks and are expected to lead to the further use of amides in the construction of carbon–heteroatom or carbon–carbon bonds using non-precious-metal catalysis.

This study aimed to examine the behavioural sleep-wake rhythm in 36 adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to determine the prevalence of circadian sleep-wake rhythm disorders compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Participants completed an online questionnaire battery, a 14-day sleep-wake diary and 14-day actigraphy assessment. The results indicated that a higher proportion of adults with ASD met criteria for a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder compared to control adults. In particular, delayed sleep-wake phase disorder was particularly common in adults with ASD. Overall the findings suggest that individuals with ASD have sleep patterns that may be associated with circadian rhythm disturbance; however factors such as employment status and co-morbid anxiety and depression appear to influence their sleep patterns.

Hyperglycemia Induces a Dynamic Cooperativity of Histone Methylase and Demethylase Enzymes Associated With Gene-Activating Epigenetic Marks That Coexist on the Lysine Tail Daniella Brasacchio 1 , Jun Okabe 1 , Christos Tikellis 2 , Aneta Balcerczyk 1 , Prince George 1 , Emma K. Baker 1 , Anna C. Calkin 2 , Michael Brownlee 3 , Mark E. Cooper 2 , 3 and Assam El-Osta 1 1 Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease Laboratory, The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Victoria, Australia; 2 Junvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Danielle Alberti Centre for Diabetic Complications, Diabetes Division, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and 3 JDRF International Center for Diabetic Complications Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Corresponding author: Assam El-Osta, assam.el-osta{at}bakeridi.edu.au . Abstract OBJECTIVE Results from the Diabetes Control Complications Trial (DCCT) and the subsequent Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) Study and more recently from the U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) have revealed that the deleterious end-organ effects that occurred in both conventional and more aggressively treated subjects continued to operate >5 years after the patients had returned to usual glycemic control and is interpreted as a legacy of past glycemia known as “hyperglycemic memory.” We have hypothesized that transient hyperglycemia mediates persistent gene-activating events attributed to changes in epigenetic information. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Models of transient hyperglycemia were used to link NFκB-p65 gene expression with H3K4 and H3K9 modifications mediated by the histone methyltransferases (Set7 and SuV39h1) and the lysine-specific demethylase (LSD1) by the immunopurification of soluble NFκB-p65 chromatin. RESULTS The sustained upregulation of the NFκB-p65 gene as a result of ambient or prior hyperglycemia was associated with increased H3K4m1 but not H3K4m2 or H3K4m3. Furthermore, glucose was shown to have other epigenetic effects, including the suppression of H3K9m2 and H3K9m3 methylation on the p65 promoter. Finally, there was increased recruitment of the recently identified histone demethylase LSD1 to the p65 promoter as a result of prior hyperglycemia. CONCLUSIONS These studies indicate that the active transcriptional state of the NFκB-p65 gene is linked with persisting epigenetic marks such as enhanced H3K4 and reduced H3K9 methylation, which appear to occur as a result of effects of the methyl-writing and methyl-erasing histone enzymes. Footnotes The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact. Received December 2, 2008. Accepted February 3, 2009. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ for details. © 2009 by the American Diabetes Association.