bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E‐learning in Scotland: the North Lanarkshire experience
Authors: Bennett Charlie
Published: December 2004

In 2001, North Lanarkshire Libraries and Information Service secured funding to deliver on‐line learning and support through a Community Learning Hub to the Motherwell North Social Inclusion Partnership area containing some of the most socially excluded communities in North Lanarkshire. The project centred on the development of an e‐learning web site offering learning information, support, and materials and included a laptop‐lending facility available to residents. The decision to develop e‐learning services was based around a number of factors prevalent in North Lanarkshire including poor educational attainment; skills gaps identified by employers in the local labour force, particularly in the areas of ICT and basic computing; high unemployment and a number of other obstacles to learning including transport difficulties, child care issues and disability. In addition, developments in new technology including the spread of the home ownership of computers, and the increased availability and uptake of broadband suggested thate‐learning facilities would attract a viable client base. The project would also fit with the People's Network initiative that has connected all UK public libraries to the internet.
Universal access to ICT and lifelong learning: Uganda's experience
Authors: Kawooya Dick
Published: December 2004

Access to electronic information requires a well‐developed information infrastructure currently lacking in the developing countries. To compound the problem, prospects of achieving lifelong learning are increasingly dependent on access to information held across electronic networks. Uganda's population, similar to much of Sub‐Saharan Africa, never had the opportunity to attend formal school, rendering lifelong‐learning prospects as the last resort to meaningful integration into the knowledge society. To many in developing countries, universal access to ICT‐based information, as a social justice, is a feasible remedy to society's lifelong learning challenges. This paper reports on a case study of the school‐based telecenter (SBT) model to assess appropriateness of the school‐centered approach to universal access, currently under implementation by SchoolNet Uganda. The SBTs, established on a pilot basis, utilize VSAT‐based technology to connect schools and neighbouring communities to the internet. This paper documents the appropriateness of school‐based access points for neighbouring communities at two selected SchoolNet‐Uganda site schools. School‐based access has policy implications for developing countries' approach to universal access and lifelong learning in the emerging knowledge society.
Chlorine incident and its toxic hazardous chemical release impact in the area surrounding a swimming‐pool using GIS
Authors: Mustapha Sa'ari , Chye Hee Tan , El‐Harbawi Mohanad , Rashid Shariff Abdul , Choong Thomas S.Y. , Aziz Zakariaz Abdul , Mispan Razali
Published: December 2004

Chlorine is a liquefied gas, and is stored in large quantities for use in the chemical industry or in water treatment (e.g. the chlorination of swimming‐pool water). Chlorine is highly toxic and if released accidentally has the potential to kill or injure people in the vicinity of the storage tank. A geographic information system (GIS) is used to determine the impact of the release of chlorine from a tank in the area surrounding a swimming‐pool at the University Putra Malaysia (UPM). Spatial impact is determined using GIS software (GeoMedia Professional 5.1). Spatial analysis and buffering command are performed to locate affected residential areas near the UPM swimming‐pool. The findings mean that the affected residential area and its population can be evacuated more quickly and smoothly.
Measuring employee assets – The Nordic Employee IndexTM
Authors: Eskildsen Jacob K. , Westlund Anders H. , Kristensen Kai
Published: December 2004

Based on a review of the literature within the field of job satisfaction and organizational commitment this paper proposes a generic model for measuring employee perceptions. The model consists of seven latent constructs operationalised through 29 manifest indicators. This model is subsequently tested on data from a questionnaire survey to which approximately 9,600 employees from the Nordic countries responded. The statistical technique applied for this analysis is partial least squares (PLS), which is well suited for structural equation modelling when the focus is on prediction. The results support the structure of the suggested generic model but reveals differences between the Nordic countries with regard to strength of the relationships as well as the average case value of the seven latent constructs.
Knowing where they're going: statistics for online government document access through the OPAC
Authors: Brown Christopher
Published: December 2004

While documents librarians are generally familiar with document usage through their circulation statistics, they have no idea of how publications are being accessed online. The University of Denver has developed a system for tracking online document access. By redirecting every URL in their OPAC for federal documents first to a ColdFusion database, recording the URL, and then sending the user to the online document, they were able to track each access to online documents. Then, importing these statistics into an Access database, they were able to provide an analysis by agency, date of document, and other features. This article presents the results of one year of tracking access through the University of Denver library OPAC.
Assessment of full‐text sources used by serials management systems, OpenURL link resolvers, and imported e‐journal MARC records
Authors: Chen Xiaotian
Published: December 2004

This article discusses full‐text source lists used by full‐text finding tools, such as serials management systems, OpenURL link resolvers, and imported e‐journal MARC records. Although the vendors of full‐text finding tools claim that they frequently update their full‐text source lists with changes in full‐text titles, ISSNs, coverage dates, and other information, they actually rely on content providers to offer title lists and coverage information. Not all content providers offer accurate and updated full‐text source lists in terms of full‐text titles included, coverage dates and embargo periods, and formats and file types. As a result, librarians and users using serials management systems, OpenURL link resolvers, or OPACs for finding full‐text periodicals are sometimes taken to dead ends. Vendors of both full‐text finding tools and full‐text content need to improve the accuracy and currency of their services.
Larger capsules enhance short‐range spore dispersal inSphagnum, but what happens further away?
Authors: Sundberg Sebastian
Published: December 2004

I made a dispersal experiment with sixSphagnum(peat moss) species, representing a wide range of spore and capsule sizes. Spore deposition was recorded at nine distances up to 3.2 m during two four‐day periods with sunny conditions in July and August.

Deposition patterns in all species fitted well to the inverse power law (deposition per unit area proportional to distanceb), with rates of decline b ranging from −1.84 to −2.35 among species (R2>0.99). However, even when these curves are extended to infinity for the four species with b<−2, they fail to explain all spores being dispersed (e.g. only 11% inS. squarrosum). Difference in rates of decline b between the periods, despite similar horizontal wind speeds and directions, indicates the importance of thermal updrafts. Spore capsule diameter negatively correlated with the proportions of spores remaining in dehisced capsules (range 5–16%), being deposited within the colony (range 2–14%), and being deposited between the colony edge and the outer sampled perimeter (range 7–22%), probably because a larger capsule shoots the spores higher into the air, in effect meaning an increased initial release height. Spore diameter positively affected deposition outside the colony edge. The deposition curves together with observed long‐distance colonisations, omnipresence in mires of manySphagnumspecies and genetic evidence, suggest thatSphagnumspores regularly travel far.

Spatial extension of the empirical deposition curves at a regional scale indicate that with increasing isolation of target sites, the higher the proportion of spores would originate from sources farther away than the nearest sources. Given spatial patterns in the source populations, this would result in higher genetic (and species) diversity per coloniser with increasing isolation, thus counteracting differentiation.
Virulence of parasites in hosts under environmental stress: experiments with anoxia and starvation
Authors: Jokela Jukka , Taskinen Jouni , Mutikainen Pia , Kopp Kirstin
Published: December 2004

Most environments periodically impose severe stress that may cause high mortality and alter population structure, for example, by removing sick and old individuals. We examined how anoxic conditions and starvation of the host affect virulence of two closely related trematode parasites, Rhipidocotyle campanula and R. fennica. These parasites differ by prevalence of infection and by exploitation rate of individual hosts (freshwater clam, Anodonta piscinalis). Infection by R. campanula is rare (<5% prevalence of infection) and destroys on average 90% of the gonad tissue of the individual host. Infection by R. fennica is more common (20–60% prevalence of infection) and leads to on average 30% gonad destruction. In the end, both infections lead to host infertility. We predicted that R. campanula induces higher host mortality than R. fennica under host stress. In two laboratory experiments, we exposed naturally‐infected and uninfected clams to anoxia and to starvation. Anoxia occasionally takes place during winter in eutrophic lakes, while some degree of starvation should occur seasonally. We found that mortality rate of clams was much higher under anoxia than under starvation, and that infection increased mortality rate under both types of host stress. As predicted, R. campanula induced higher host mortality than R. fennica. Host survival was population‐specific, suggesting that clams of different origins carried different amount of energy reserves. Severe environmental perturbation may remove R. campanula infected individuals from the host population, but recolonization from the fish host is likely to prevent extinction of the parasite suprapopulation. The observed high host mortality induced by R. campanula may be one ecological explanation for the consistently lower prevalence of infection of R. campanula when compared to R. fennica.
Fragmented coherence: solid waste management in Colombo
Authors: van Horen Basil
Published: December 2004

Notwithstanding the increasingly fragmented organizational relationships within Colombo's urban governance system, the cooperative nature of stakeholder relationships lends a high level of coherence to the overall system. Since 1995, Colombo's solid waste management system has been characterized by the increased role of the private sector, community‐based organizations and NGOs. Whilst the increasingly fragmented nature of this system exhibits some deeply ingrained problems, there are also a number of positives associated with the increased role of civil society actors and, in particular, the informal sector. Reforming regulatory frameworks so as to integrate some of the social norms that are integral to the lives of the majority of urban residents will contribute to regulatory frameworks being considerably more enforceable than is currently the case. Such reform requires that institutional and regulatory frameworks need to be flexible enough to adapt to the changing social, political and economic context. In the Colombo case, effective cooperation between public sector and civil society stakeholders illustrates that adaptive institutional arrangements grounded in pragmatism are feasible. The challenge that arises is to translate these institutional arrangements into adaptive regulatory frameworks — something that would require a significant mind shift on the part of planners and urban managers.

En dépit de relations structurelles de plus en plus fragmentées, la nature coopérative des liens entre les différents acteurs apporte une forte cohérence à l'ensemble du système de gouvernance urbaine de Colombo. Depuis 1995, la gestion des déchets y est caractérisée par le rôle croissant du secteur privé, de groupements locaux et d'ONG. Si la nature plus fragmentée de ce système révèle des problèmes profondément ancrés, un certain nombre d'aspects positifs s'associe au rôle plus présent des acteurs de la société civile, notamment du secteur informel. Réformer les cadres statutaires afin de pouvoir y intégrer certaines normes sociales dominantes dans la vie des citadins contribuera à ce que ces cadres soient beaucoup plus faciles à mettre en œuvre qu'actuellement. Cette réforme implique que les cadres institutionnels et statutaires soient suffisamment souples pour s'adapter aux contextes social, politique et économique évolutifs. Dans le cas de Colombo, une coopération efficace entre les parties prenantes du secteur public et de la société civile montre que des dispositifs institutionnels adaptatifs fondés sur le pragmatisme sont viables. Le défi à relever tient à la possibilité de traduire ces dispositifs institutionnels en cadres statutaires adaptatifs, ce qui exigerait un net changement de mentalités chez les responsables et aménageurs urbains.
The question of rent: the emerging urban housing crisis in the new century
Authors: Turk Michael
Published: December 2004

The emergence of a new housing crisis in the United States for low‐income renter households at the outset of the twenty‐first century can be traced to an increasing lack of affordability, where the average cost of housing as a portion of income has risen steadily over the last half‐century. In turn, this rise in housing costs can be attributed to a growing and dramatic shortage of low‐cost rental housing. Ultimately, the evocation of homeownership as the embodiment of the ‘American Dream’ has made renting the ‘stepchild’ of housing options, and this has had hidden, but nonetheless deleterious effects upon US cities, which remain major concentrations of rental housing and financially‐strapped tenants.

Aux Etats‐Unis, on peut imputer la nouvelle crise du logement du début du vingt‐et‐unième siècle touchant les ménages locataires à faibles revenus à une impossibilité croissante d'accessibilité financière, la part du coût moyen d'un logement dans le revenu ayant progressé constamment au cours du demi‐siècle précédent. Par ailleurs, cette élévation des coûts du logement peut être attribuée à une pénurie accrue et dramatique de l'habitat à loyer modéré. Enfin, évoquer l'accession à la propriété comme incarnation du ‘Rêve américain’ a fait de la location le ‘parent pauvre’ des possibilités de logement, ce qui a eu des effets latents, quoique néfastes, sur les grandes villes américaines, lesquelles restent des concentrations dominantes de logements locatifs et d'occupants désargentés.
The aftermath of France's last moral panic and its sociology
Authors: Bonnet Francois
Published: December 2004

Stéphane Beaud and Michel Pialoux Violences urbaines, violence sociale. Genèse des nouvelles classes dangereuses

Robert Castel L'insécurité sociale. Qu'est‐ce qu'être protégé?

David Garland The culture of control. Crime and social order in contemporary society

Hugues Lagrange Demandes de sécurité. France, Europe, Etats‐Unis
Pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia and inv(16)(p13;q22): a paradigm for understanding leukaemogenesis?
Authors: Reilly John T.
Published: December 2004

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has been proposed to arise from the collaboration between two classes of mutation, a class I, or proliferative, mutation and a class II, or blocking, mutation. A limitation of this so‐called ‘two‐hit’ hypothesis has been the lack of identifiable proliferative and blocking mutations in most AML cases. However, it is now known that the CBFβ–MYH11 fusion gene in AML and inv(16), by disrupting the normal transcription factor activity of core binding factor (CBF), functions as a class II mutation. In addition, nearly 70% of patients with AML and inv(16) are known to possess mutually exclusive mutations of the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), c‐KIT and FLT3, as well as RAS genes, that provide a class I, or proliferative, signal. AML and inv(16), therefore, is one of the best understood of the acute leukaemias at the genetic level and so provides a paradigm for the ‘two‐hit’ hypothesis of leukaemogenesis. This paper reviews the recent advances in the molecular pathology of AML and inv(16) and discusses possible therapeutic implications of the current pathogenetic model.
Biological and genetic factors influencing plasma factor VIII levels in a healthy family population: results from the Stanislas cohort
Authors: Morange P. E. , Tregouet D. A. , Frere C. , Saut N. , Pellegrina L. , Alessi M. C. , Visvikis S. , Tiret L. , Juhan‐Vague I.
Published: December 2004

The mechanisms underlying the variability of factor VIII (FVIII) levels are still poorly understood. The only receptor of FVIII identified so far is the lipoprotein receptor‐related protein (LRP), which is thought to be involved in FVIII degradation. We aimed to characterize biological and genetic factors related to FVIII variability, focusing on coding polymorphisms of the LRP gene and polymorphisms potentially detected by molecular screening of the LRP‐binding domains of the FVIII gene. Plasma FVIII coagulant activity (FVIII:C) and von Willebrand factor (VWF:Ag) antigen levels were measured in a sample of 100 healthy nuclear families (200 parents and 224 offspring). The ABO blood group and the three coding polymorphisms of the LRP gene (A217V, D2080N and C766T) were genotyped. Lipids and anthropometric factors poorly contributed to the variability of FVIII:C (<5%). A strong effect of ABO blood groups on FVIII:C levels was observed that remained significant after adjustment for VWF:Ag levels (P = 0·02). These two factors explained more than 50% of FVIII:C variability. After adjustment for VWF:Ag and ABO blood groups, a residual resemblance for FVIII:C persisted between biological relatives (ρ = 0·13 ± 0·06 between parents and offspring, ρ = 0·24 ± 0·09 between siblings) compatible with an additional genetic influence. The N allele of the LRP/D2080N polymorphism was associated with decreased levels of FVIII:C (90·4 ± 8·7 vs. 102·2 ± 3·5 IU/dl, P = 0·03) and VWF:Ag levels (109·1 ± 11·2 vs. 125·4 ± 4·4 IU/dl, P = 0·02). No polymorphism was detected in the LRP‐binding domains of the FVIII gene. This study reinforces the hypothesis of a genetic influence of FVIII levels beyond the influence of VWF:Ag and ABO blood groups. The D2080N polymorphism of the LRP gene weakly contributed to the variability of FVIII:C levels in this healthy population.
Phase I/II dose escalation study of recombinant human interleukin‐11 following ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide in children, adolescents and young adults with solid tumours or lymphoma: a clinical, haematological and biological study*
Authors: Cairo Mitchell S. , Davenport Virginia , Bessmertny Olga , Goldman Stanton C. , Berg Stacy L. , Kreissman Susan G. , Laver Joseph , Shen Violet , Secola Rita , Van De Ven Carmella , Reaman Gregory H.
Published: December 2004

Thrombocytopenia remains the major dose‐limiting toxicity of myelosuppressive chemotherapy in children with solid tumours. Recombinant human interleukin‐11 (rhIL‐11) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as treatment for adults with solid tumours and lymphomas with severe chemotherapy‐induced thrombocytopenia. We conducted a phase I/II trial of rhIL‐11 following ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) chemotherapy in children with solid tumours or lymphomas. Patients received ifosfamide 1800 mg/m2/d for 5 d, carboplatin 400 mg/m2/d for 2 d and etoposide 100 mg/m2/d for 5 d with rhIL‐11 subcutaneous (s.c.) at 25–125 μg/kg/d on days 6–33. Forty‐seven patients with median age 10·5 years (range, 0·7–26 years) were studied. Median days to absolute neutrophil count ≥0·5 × 109/l, platelet count ≥50 × 109/l and platelet transfusions were 23, 18, 18, 16·5 and 18·5, 21, 20, 18 and 3, 3, 4, and 2 d at doses 25, 50, 75 and 100 μg/kg respectively. There was a dose‐dependent increase in Cmax (7·6–25·5 ng/ml), AUC0−ρ (57–209 ng·h/ml) and T1/2 (4–8·2 h) respectively. There was a 4% incidence of anti‐IL‐11 antibody formation. Clinically important adverse events to rhIL‐11 were papilloedema and periosteal bone formation. In summary, rhIL‐11 was well tolerated at doses of ≤50 μg/kg (maximal tolerated dose) and associated with improved haematological recovery and reduced platelet transfusion requirements compared with historical controls receiving similar ICE chemotherapy without rhIL‐11.
Surgery for gastroenteropancreatic tumours in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1: review and personal experience
Authors: TONELLI F. , FRATINI G. , FALCHETTI A. , NESI G. , BRANDI M. L.
Published: December 2004

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gastro‐entero‐pancreatic (GEP) tumours develop from the pancreatic islets and from the endocrine cells of the duodenal and gastric mucosa. Even if GEP tumours have generally a benign course, a subgroup of them shows an aggressive behaviour and is a major cause of death amongst MEN1 patients. Diagnosis of insulinoma should lead promptly to pancreatic surgery. MEN1 gastrinomas are multiple and almost exclusively localized in the duodenum. Cure rate for Zollinger–Ellison syndrome in MEN1 is low when surgery is limited to tumour enucleation or full thickness duodenal wall resection. Conversely, pancreatoduodenectomy is followed by higher chance of cure. For nonfunctioning tumours exceeding 1 cm diameter in size a prompt treatment is recommended due to their high malignant potential. Gastroscopic surveillance is indicated for the frequent occurrence of multiple, small, type 2 fundic carcinoids. Endoscopic removal is possible for lesions growing in the mucosa‐submucosa, but partial or even total gastrectomy is recommended for the small number of gastric carcinoids infiltrating the muscular layers.
A simple spectrophotometric method for the quantification of residual haemoglobin in platelet concentrates
Authors: Cookson P. , Sutherland J. , Cardigan R.
Published: December 2004

Background and Objectives  High levels of residual haemoglobin (Hb  0·1 g/l) are known to decrease the efficiency of pathogen‐inactivation systems. We evaluated three separate methods to quantify Hb in platelet concentrates (PC).

Materials and Methods  Nine PC prepared in platelet additive solution (PASIII) (median platelet yield of 283 × 109/unit, range 46–353) were spiked to known Hb concentrations with whole blood and the samples were measured by using each of three methods: the 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation method (Sigma Diagnostics, 527‐A); the Harboe spectrophotometric method; and the HemoCue plasma low‐Hb photometer (PLHP).

Results  The TMB and Harboe methods showed linear results compared to expected Hb (r2 ≥ 0·981, P < 0·001) over the range tested (0·09–0·28 g/l) when the samples were haemolysed. The TMB method underestimated by an average of 6%, at and around 0·1 g/l Hb, compared to a 4% overestimation by the Harboe method and a threefold overestimation by the PLHP. The Harboe intra‐assay coefficient of variation was ≤ 1·85% across all concentrations, which contrasted with 30% at and around 0·1 g/l for the TMB method.

Conclusions  The Harboe spectrophotometric method is convenient, safe, accurate and reproducible, and outperforms the TMB and PLHP methods for quantification of residual Hb in PC.
Fetal blood group genotyping from DNA from maternal plasma: an important advance in the management and prevention of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn
Authors: Daniels G. , Finning K. , Martin P. , Soothill P.
Published: December 2004

The cloning of blood group genes and subsequent identification of the molecular bases of blood group polymorphisms has made it possible to predict blood group phenotypes from DNA with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The major application of this technology, which has now become the standard of care, is the determination of a fetal RHD genotype in women with anti‐D, to assess whether the fetus is at risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Initially, the procurement of fetal DNA required the invasive procedures of amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. Since the discovery of fetal DNA in maternal plasma in 1997, the technology of detecting an RHD gene in this very small quantity of fetal DNA has developed rapidly, so that non‐invasive fetal D typing can now be provided as a diagnostic service for D‐negative pregnant women with anti‐D. Within a few years, it is probable that fetuses of all D‐negative pregnant women will be tested for RHD, to establish whether the mother requires antenatal anti‐D immunoglobulin prophylaxis.
Heat sensitivity of a SARS‐associated coronavirus introduced into plasma products
Authors: Yunoki M. , Urayama T. , Yamamoto I. , Abe S. , Ikuta K.
Published: December 2004

Background and Objectives  Various measures to inactivate/remove viruses have been implemented for manufacturing plasma‐derived products. Here, we examined the heat inactivation ability of an agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), SARS coronavirus (CoV).

Materials and Methods  The Frankfurt‐1 strain of SARS‐CoV was incorporated in manufacturing processes of several products by using samples collected immediately before liquid heat treatment at 60 °C.

Results  SARS‐CoV was easily inactivated by this treatment for 60 min in all in‐process samples. However, the different composition of the tested samples affected the heat sensitivity of the virus strain: the infectivity of the virus in Antithrombin III preparation still remained after heating for 30 min at 60 °C.

Conclusion  If by rare chance SARS‐CoV contaminates source plasma, there should be no or only minor risk of this virus infection, due to sufficient inactivation by the 60 °C 10 h liquid heating step, although we must pay attention to the composition used for blood product preparation.
‘Only odd people wore suede shoes’:1 careers and sexual identities of men attending a sexual health clinic
Authors: Pryce Anthony
Published: December 2004

This paper is concerned with the ways in which men construct and explain their sexual identity. When attending a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic the constraints of the system and the imperatives of the clinical encounter tend to be reductive, reinforcing the dominant constructions of male sexuality and masculinity. Interviews with men recruited as part of a study of the social construction of male sexuality yielded richly textured narratives of sexual experiences and explanations of sexual identity. The paper reports on the ethnographic study and, using extracts from these narratives, will address central themes of: (i) emotional labour of identity formation; (ii) an essentialist view of sexual orientation and corresponding identity; and (iii) role, social fit and the reformulating of the dominant social notions of partnerships within a new geography of desire transgression, ‘authenticity’.
Mandatory reflection: the Canadian reconstitution of the competent nurse
Authors: Nelson Sioban , Purkis Mary Ellen
Published: December 2004

Over the past two decades, the competency movement has been gathering momentum internationally within the ranks of professional nursing. It can be argued that this momentum is in response to government initiatives aimed at improving consistency in workforce training and accreditation, and fostering national and international portability of qualifications. At the same time, the competency movement has provided the opportunity for regulators, service providers and government to develop mechanisms to reconstitute competent nurses as accountable, self‐regulating subjects and to monitor this transformation in particular ways. The ways in which competencies have been taken up to do this transforming work in Canada are unique and deserving of some detailed description and analysis.

We argue that Canadian nursing regulatory authorities have chosen to view competence as the rehearsal of ethical attributes consonant with the professional role,as opposed to the enactment of skilled conduct. As a result, reflective practices rather than skill and knowledge have become the cornerstone of nursing competency formulation and review. We argue that this distinctly Canadian approach to competency serves three ends. First, it privileges the ‘attribute’ element of the nursing competency model and side steps the ever‐problematic ‘nursing knowledge’ issue; second, self‐surveillance by nurses shifts the onus for professional development from industry to the individual; and third, it concedes responsibility for skill assessment by the regulatory authorities to industry control, leaving employers free to determine skill base and skill mix requirements for practice. Finally, we argue that the reflective component of the regulatory framework for Canadian nurses radically fails as a tool for auditing quality and assessing competency. Rather, it functions as a governmental practice that furthers the deregulatory and economic rationalist aims of the Canadian health reform agenda.
Genetic population structure of the wind‐pollinated, dioecious shrub Juniperus communis in fragmented Dutch heathlands
Authors: OOSTERMEIJER J. GERARD B. , DE KNEGT BART
Published: December 2004

The wind‐pollinated, dioecious shrub Juniperus communis L. is declining in Dutch heathlands, mainly because recruitment is scarce. Aside from ecological factors, inbreeding associated with reduced population size and isolation in the currently fragmented landscape might explain this decline. However, the breeding system of this species largely prevents inbreeding. We assessed variation in 18 allozyme loci in 12 Dutch juniper populations to investigate population structure and to test the hypothesis that small populations have less genetic variation and show more inbreeding than large populations. Variation was high for a species with a fragmented distribution, but similar to values observed in other juniper species. The proportion of polymorphic loci (P) ranged between 0.72 and 0.83, expected heterozygosity (He) ranged between 0.16 and 0.27 and the mean effective number of alleles per locus (A) ranged between 2.5 and 3.3. Population size was not correlated with genetic variation or with sex ratio. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg expectations, mainly heterozygote deficiencies, were mostly observed in larger populations, which appear to have been broken up into smaller subunits. Differentiation among populations was small (FST = 0.026) and there was a significant departure from random mating (FIS = 0.174). Geographic and genetic structures were not related. Our data suggest that gene flow in this wind‐pollinated shrub was high during the establishment phase of the current populations. Gene exchange by pollen and seeds may be less extensive in the present‐day landscape. However, juniper decline is not likely to be caused by genetic factors. Alternative hypotheses include changed heathland disturbance regimes, pollen limitation, seed predation and age‐related fecundity reductions. Implications for the restoration of juniper populations are discussed.
Role of a seasonally specialist bird Zosterops japonica on pollen transfer and reproductive success of Camellia japonica in a temperate area
Authors: KUNITAKE YOKO KAWATE , HASEGAWA MASAMI , MIYASHITA TADASHI , HIGUCHI HIROYOSHI
Published: December 2004

Camellia japonica is considered to be pollinated by birds, but to date no studies have clarified the contribution of birds to the seed production and reproductive success of this species. We conducted a pollinator exclusion experiment that showed that fruit set was sixfold greater in flowers visited by birds than in flowers without bird visitation. Field observations revealed that most of the visitations made by birds were of the species Zosterops japonica. Furthermore, the level of fruit set was found to be saturated after only five visitations by Z. japonica. These results demonstrate that Z. japonica is the most effective pollinator of C. japonica. Such a strong relationship between a plant and an omnivorous bird pollinator has rarely been reported in a temperate zone.
ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR EARLY GASTRIC CANCER: TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY, OPERATION TIME AND COMPLICATIONS FROM A LARGE CONSECUTIVE SERIES
Authors: Oda Ichiro , Gotoda Takuji , Hamanaka Hisanao , Eguchi Takako , Saito Yutaka , Matsuda Takahisa , Bhandari Pradeep , Emura Fabian , Saito Daizo , Ono Hiroyuki
Published: December 2004

Background:  Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a recognized treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC). One‐piece resection is considered to be a gold standard of EMR, as it provides accurate histological assessment and reduces the risk of local recurrence. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a new technique developed to obtain one‐piece resection even for large and ulcerative lesions. The present study aims to identify the technical feasibility, operation time and complications from a large consecutive series.

Methods:  We reviewed all patients with EGC who underwent ESD using the IT knife at National Cancer Center Hospital in the period between January 2000 and December 2003.

Results:  During the study period of 4 years we identified a total of 1033 EGC lesions in 945 consecutive patients who underwent ESD using the IT knife. We found a one‐piece resection rate (OPRR) of 98% (1008/1033). Our OPRR with tumor‐free margins was 93% (957/1033). On subgroup analysis it was found to be 86% (271/314) among large lesions (≥ 21 mm) and 89% (216/243) among ulcerative lesions. The overall non‐evaluable resection rate was 1.8% (19/1033). The median operation time was 60 min (range; 10–540 min). Evidence of immediate bleeding was found in 7%. Delayed bleeding after ESD was seen in 6% and perforation in 4% of the cases. All cases with complications except one were successfully treated by endoscopic treatment.

Conclusion:  The present study shows the technical feasibility of ESD, which provides one‐piece resections even in large and ulcerative EGC.
Joint Employer Status in Triangular Employment Relationships
Authors: Davidov Guy
Published: December 2004

The article examines the question of who should be considered the legal employer in triangular employment relationships. It is argued that outsourcing of employer responsibilities to temporary work agencies is illegitimate with regard to long‐term employees and must be curtailed; further, that even in the case of short‐term (‘traditional’) employment through agencies, there is reason to place some employer responsibilities with the user firm. The suggested solution supports regulations directed at preventing agency employment abuse, as currently exist in some European countries, but at the same time would place employer responsibilities with both agency and user firm, jointly and severally.
On the Relationship Between Openness and Growth in China: Evidence from Provincial Time Series Data
Authors: Jin Jang C.
Published: December 2004

The effect of increasing openness on real output growth in China is examined. The framework of analysis is a regression model that uses time‐series data for each province. For east coastal provinces, increasing openness is found to have positive effects on real output growth, and some of the effects are statistically significant. The results appear to be broadly consistent with the new growth theories that openness enhances long‐run growth through its impact on technological improvement. However, inland provinces in China have been isolated from world trade for several decades and their economies devastated. An increased openness in these provinces is found to have, in most cases, negative effects on real output growth.
Baking for the common good: a reassessment of the assize of bread in Medieval England1
Authors: DAVIS JAMES
Published: December 2004

This article reassesses the structure of the assize of bread and its relevance for bakers and consumers in late medieval England. It has long been thought that the laws governing the manufacture and sale of bread, although adhering to a logical relationship between weight and price, were nevertheless ill‐considered in formulation, calculation, and enactment and did not, in reality, provide the stable allowance recommended for bakers. By examining the economic and moral ideology underlying the assize of bread it is possible to demonstrate that legislators were actually employing a rationale that best fitted contemporary circumstances and retail practices. There nevertheless remained one fundamental flaw in its construction, which was to have implications for its enforcement.
Stress lactate in mitochondrial myopathy under constant, unadjusted workload
Authors: Finsterer J. , Milvay E.
Published: December 2004

As it is under debate if determination of lactate during cycle ergometry (lactate stress testing, LST) under a continuous, unadjusted, low workload is a valuable diagnostic tool for mitochondrial myopathy (MMP), the present study aimed to investigate how sensitive the LST is in a large cohort of patients with indications for MMP (MMP patients). Serum lactate was determined once before, three times during, and once after a 15‐min, constant 30 W‐workload on a bicycle ergometer in 115 healthy controls, 166 patients with neurological disorders other than MMP, and 291 MMP patients. Serum lactate's upper reference limit at rest, 5, 10, 15 min after starting, and 15 min after finishing the exercise was 2.0, 2.0, 2.1, 2.0 and 1.7 mmol/l, respectively. Resting lactate was increased in 75 MMP patients (26%). The specificity of resting lactate determination was 84%. The sensitivity of the LST was 66% and the specificity 84%. Among the 192 MMP patients with abnormal LST, 120 (63%) had a normal resting lactate. The LST is abnormal in two thirds of the MMP patients. The sensitivity of the LST is higher than that of resting lactate determination. The LST is a simple and cheap but effective and reliable screening method for detecting the impaired oxidative metabolism in MMP.
Hereditary spastic paraplegia with cerebellar ataxia: a complex phenotype associated with a new SPG4 gene mutation
Authors: Nielsen J. E. , Johnsen B. , Koefoed P. , Scheuer K. H. , Grønbech‐Jensen M. , Law I. , Krabbe K. , Nørremølle A. , Eiberg H. , Søndergård H. , Dam M. , Rehfeld J. F. , Krarup C. , Paulson O. B. , Hasholt L. , Sørensen S. A.
Published: December 2004

Complex forms of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) are rare and usually transmitted in an autosomal recessive pattern. A family of four generations with autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia (AD‐HSP) and a complex phenotype with variably expressed co‐existing ataxia, dysarthria, unipolar depression, epilepsy, migraine, and cognitive impairment was investigated. Genetic linkage analysis and sequencing of the SPG4 gene was performed and electrophysiologic investigations were carried out in six individuals and positron emission tomography (PET) in one patient. The disease was linked to the SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p as previously reported for pure HSP. Sequence analysis of the SPG4 (spastin) gene identified a novel 1593 C > T (GLN490Stop) mutation leading to premature termination of exon 12 with ensuing truncation of the encoded protein. However, the mutation was only identified in those individuals who were clinically affected by a complex phenotype consisting of HSP and cerebellar ataxia. Other features noted in this kindred including epilepsy, cognitive impairment, depression, and migraine did not segregate with the HSP phenotype or mutation, and therefore the significance of these features to SPG4 is unclear. Electrophysiologic investigation showed increased central conduction time at somatosensory evoked potentials measured from the lower limbs as the only abnormal finding in two affected individuals with the SPG4 mutation. Moreover, PET of one patient showed significantly relatively decreased regional cerebral blood flow in most of the cerebellum. We conclude that this kindred demonstrates a considerable overlap between cerebellar ataxia and spastic paraplegia, emphasizing the marked clinical heterogeneity of HSP associated with spastin mutations.
Early sympathetic hyperactivity in Huntington's disease
Authors: Kobal J. , Meglič B. , Mesec A. , Peterlin B.
Published: December 2004

To investigate whether Huntington's disease (HD) affects autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning 33 subjects with positive genetic test results were studied. The subjects were classified according to Shoulson and Fahn (S&F) HD disability scale into three subgroups: subgroup 1 (eight asymptomatic gene carriers), subgroup 2 (13 mildly disabled HD patients) and subgroup 3 (eight moderately and four severely disabled HD patients). A battery of cardiovascular autonomic tests (Valsalva maneuver, deep breathing test, sustained handgrip test, orthostatic test) and the spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) were performed. The results were compared with a group of matched controls. In subgroup 1, there was a higher power of low‐frequency band (LFB) (P < 0.05). In subgroup 2 a higher power of LFB was detected, LFB/high‐frequency band (HFB) coefficient was increased and the blood pressure response to sustained handgrip was elevated (P < 0.05). Subgroup 3 showed significantly lower blood pressure response to sustained handgrip, lower respiratory (P < 0.05) and orthostatic ratio (P < 0.01). Our results suggest that sympathetic hyperfunction is present in asymptomatic gene carriers and mildly disabled HD patients. Contrary to that, ANS hypofunction was found in advanced HD patients.
Statistical presentation and analysis of ordinal data in nursing research
Authors: Jakobsson Ulf
Published: December 2004

Objectives:  The aim of this study was to review the presentation and analysis of ordinal data in three international nursing journals in 2003.

Method:  In total, 166 full‐length articles from the 2003 editions of Cancer Nursing, Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences and Nursing Research were reviewed for their use of ordinal data.

Results:  This review showed that ordinal scales were used in about a third of the articles. However, only about half of the articles that used ordinal data had appropriate data presentation and only about half of the analyses of the ordinal data were performed properly.

Conclusions:  Ordinal data are rather common in nursing research, but a large share of the studies do not present/analyse the result properly. Incorrect presentation and analysis of the data may lead to bias and reduced ability to detect statistical differences or effects, resulting in misleading information. This highlights the importance of knowledge about data level, and underlying assumptions for the statistical tests must be considered to ensure correct presentation and analyses of data.
Private and public interests in water and energy
Authors: Hall David , Lobina Emanuele
Published: December 2004

Based on empirical evidence from developed, transition and developing countries, the article looks at how the introduction of private operators’ interests into the water supply/sanitation and energy sectors may conflict with public interests in socio‐economic, environmental and political dimensions. Case studies are used to illustrate the dynamics of these interactions, covering phenomena such as unsolicited proposals, misrepresentation and corruption; the exploitation of established positions by taking advantage of asymmetry of information and negotiating capacity in relation to public authorities; and exit from contracts or concessions when acceptable profitability cannot be attained. This experience indicates that the introduction of private companies into these sectors creates the permanent possibility of conflict between private and public interests. The services are too vital both socially and economically to rely on corporate self‐regulation, and countries lack effective capacity to regulate such corporations. The authors conclude that policies relying on corporate activity in these sectors are unnecessarily risky, and that policy development should focus on building strong public sector institutions to provide these services.
Shareholder activism on environmental issues: A study of proposals at large US corporations (2000–2003)
Authors: Monks Robert , Miller Anthony , Cook Jacqueline
Published: December 2004

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) has carved out a niche in the financial world, and each year a large number of shareholder proposals are filed at public companies in the US related to issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR). While the primary interests of CSR activists remain distinct from those of traditional corporate governance (CG) activists, the two groups do share an interest in minimizing the risk of negative environmental or social impacts from the operations of the corporation. They also share the objective of achieving transparency and accountability in corporate decision‐making. In relation to this latter objective, they both face similar challenges concerning conflicts of interest among key institutional shareholders. This article examines the record of shareholder proposal filing and voting from 2000–2003 for 81 large US public corporations to determine the relative prominence of CSR shareholder activism and the prospects for effective CSR shareholder activism on key environmental issues. The analysis of these data finds that nearly half (45%) of all shareholder resolutions are related to CSR, and that those resolutions which combine issues of CSR with traditional CG activism appeal to slightly more shareholders than issues of CSR alone. The article also examines shareholder activism at the micro level with a case study of the voting record at ExxonMobil. The article finds that CSR‐related shareholder activism represents the majority of shareholder activism within that firm and that resolutions targeted at climate change are particularly well supported. These resolutions draw a connection between environmental risk and risk to shareholder value. While numerous challenges remain for both CG and CSR activists, the article concludes that reforms that strengthen shareholder rights and corporate governance more generally will also benefit CSR activists and the environmental policies they promote in particular. The article ends with some proposed solutions for addressing the perceived conflicts of interest in corporate governance and the shareholder voting process.