title: The characterisation of a thermostable endo-β-1,4-mannanase cloned from “Caldocellum saccharolyticum”

authors: Bicho, Paul A.

subjects: biology

abstract: An endo-gb-1,4-mannanase cloned from  caldocellum saccharolyticum  and expressed in Escherichia coli was partially purified. The purification involved heat treatment, anion exchange and gel filtration. The mannanase was only active against mannan, glucomannans and galactoglucomannans and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics on these substrates. The rate and extent of hydrolysis was dependent on the type of substrate. Galactomannans were not as readily depolymerized as the mannan and glucomannans investigated. The glucose content of the glucomannans did not affect the rate of hydrolysis and only slightly affected the extent. The molecular mass of the mannanase was estimated at 39 kDa. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 and 80° C respectively. The mannanase was very thermostable with a half life of 48 min at 85° C and no loss in activity after 24 h at 70° C.

text: The characterisation of a thermostable endo-β-1,4-mannanase cloned from “Caldocellum saccharolyticum” An endo-gb-1,4-mannanase cloned from  caldocellum saccharolyticum  and expressed in Escherichia coli was partially purified. The purification involved heat treatment, anion exchange and gel filtration. The mannanase was only active against mannan, glucomannans and galactoglucomannans and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics on these substrates. The rate and extent of hydrolysis was dependent on the type of substrate. Galactomannans were not as readily depolymerized as the mannan and glucomannans investigated. The glucose content of the glucomannans did not affect the rate of hydrolysis and only slightly affected the extent. The molecular mass of the mannanase was estimated at 39 kDa. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 and 80° C respectively. The mannanase was very thermostable with a half life of 48 min at 85° C and no loss in activity after 24 h at 70° C.

year: 1991

title: Learning communities for curriculum change: key factors in an educational change process in New Zealand

authors: Edwards, Frances

subjects: professional development

abstract: Increasingly school change processes are being facilitated through the formation and operation of groups of teachers working together for improved student outcomes. These groupings are variously referred to as networks, networked learning communities, communities of practice, professional learning communities, learning circles or clusters. The formation and support of these types of groups to build capacity has been a major feature in the professional support landscape for New Zealand schools for a number of years, with sustainability and longevity of these groups seen as success criteria. A professional learning community approach was adopted by the New Zealand Ministry of Education to help schools implement the revised New Zealand Curriculum by facilitating the development of community members’ capacities and expertise in school curriculum design. In this article I report on my experience as the facilitator of one professional learning community of nine schools that worked together over a two-year period. Three significant phases in the life of this community are identified and illustrated: establishing, converging, and diverging. I contend that sustainability and longevity are not necessarily key determinants of a community’s success, but that success can be attained through the community’s ability to flexibly achieve its purposes and prepare for future change.

text: Learning communities for curriculum change: key factors in an educational change process in New Zealand Increasingly school change processes are being facilitated through the formation and operation of groups of teachers working together for improved student outcomes. These groupings are variously referred to as networks, networked learning communities, communities of practice, professional learning communities, learning circles or clusters. The formation and support of these types of groups to build capacity has been a major feature in the professional support landscape for New Zealand schools for a number of years, with sustainability and longevity of these groups seen as success criteria. A professional learning community approach was adopted by the New Zealand Ministry of Education to help schools implement the revised New Zealand Curriculum by facilitating the development of community members’ capacities and expertise in school curriculum design. In this article I report on my experience as the facilitator of one professional learning community of nine schools that worked together over a two-year period. Three significant phases in the life of this community are identified and illustrated: establishing, converging, and diverging. I contend that sustainability and longevity are not necessarily key determinants of a community’s success, but that success can be attained through the community’s ability to flexibly achieve its purposes and prepare for future change.

year: 2011

title: It's harder in my language, but I still choose it

authors: Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory

abstract: In New Zealand, the language that dominates most technologies is English. For a variety of reasons, interfaces have been made available in the Maori language for a range of modem technological tools. We have conducted usability studies on many of these products and fluent Maori users have almost unanimously stated that the products are more difficult and time consuming to use in the indigenous (Maori) language. They allude to unfamiliar instances and uses of Maori words, and to an ingrained familiarity with the English-language versions of these technologies, saying they would revert to the English-language interfaces if time is a factor. However, they also express a sense of pride at being able to see and use the Maori language in these various forms of media and state that although they experience some difficulty, the Maori-language versions would still be their first preference.

text: It's harder in my language, but I still choose it In New Zealand, the language that dominates most technologies is English. For a variety of reasons, interfaces have been made available in the Maori language for a range of modem technological tools. We have conducted usability studies on many of these products and fluent Maori users have almost unanimously stated that the products are more difficult and time consuming to use in the indigenous (Maori) language. They allude to unfamiliar instances and uses of Maori words, and to an ingrained familiarity with the English-language versions of these technologies, saying they would revert to the English-language interfaces if time is a factor. However, they also express a sense of pride at being able to see and use the Maori language in these various forms of media and state that although they experience some difficulty, the Maori-language versions would still be their first preference.

year: 2014