bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magill‐type theorems for mappings
Authors: Nordo Giorgio , Pasynkov Boris A.
Published: June 2004

Magill′s and Rayburn′s theorems on the homeomorphism of
Stone‐Čech remainders and some of their generalizations to the
remainders of arbitrary Hausdorff compactifications of Tychonoff
spaces are extended to some class of mappings.
Some analytical properties of solutions of differential equations of noninteger order
Authors: Momani S. M. , Hadid S. B. , Alawenh Z. M.
Published: June 2004

The analytical properties of solutions of the nonlinear differential equations x(α)(t) = f(t, x), α ∈ ℝ, 0 < α ≤ 1 of noninteger order have been investigated. We obtained two results concerning the frame curves of solutions. Moreover, we proved a result on differential inequality with fractional derivatives.
What Mechanisms Underlie Diastolic Dysfunction in Heart Failure?
Authors: Kass David A. , Bronzwaer Jean G.F. , Paulus Walter J.
Published: June 2004

Abnormalities of diastolic function are common to virtually all forms of cardiac failure. However, their underlying mechanisms, precise role in the generation and phenotypic expression of heart failure, and value as specific therapeutic targets remain poorly understood. A growing proportion of heart failure patients, particularly among the elderly, have apparently preserved systolic function, and this is fueling interest for better understanding and treating diastolic abnormalities. Much of the attention in clinical and experimental studies has focused on relaxation and filling abnormalities of the heart, whereas chamber stiffness has been less well studied, particularly in humans. Nonetheless, new insights from basic and clinical research are helping define the regulators of diastolic dysfunction and illuminate novel targets for treatment. This review puts these developments into perspective with the major aim of highlighting current knowledge gaps and controversies.
Inflammatory Cytokines and Postmyocardial Infarction Remodeling
Authors: Nian Min , Lee Paul , Khaper Neelam , Liu Peter
Published: June 2004

Inflammatory response and cytokine elaboration are particularly active after myocardial infarction and contribute to cardiac remodeling and eventual host outcome. The triggers of cytokine release in the acute postinfarction period include mechanical deformation, ischemic stimulus, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cytokine self-amplification pathways. Acutely, the elaboration of tumor necrosis factor, IL-1 and IL-6, transforming growth factor families of cytokines, contribute to survival or deaths of myocytes, modulation of cardiac contractility, alterations of vascular endothelium, and recruitment of additional circulating cells of inflammation to the injured myocardium. This leads to further local oxidative stress and remodeling but also initiates the processes of wound healing. Chronically, sustained presence of cytokines leads to myocyte phenotype transition and activation of matrix metalloproteinases that modifies interstitial matrix, augmenting further the remodeling process. This in turn alters the local collagen composition and also the integrins that constitute the interface between myocytes and the matrix. These processes ultimately, when favorable, pave the way for angiogenesis and cellular regeneration. Thus, the insightful modulation of cytokines through current and future therapies could promote improved healing and cardiac remodeling postmyocardial infarction.
The tadpoles of Alsodes vanzolinii and A. verrucosus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with descriptions of their internal oral and chondrocranial morphology
Authors: Brieva Lila , Ramón Formas
Published: June 2004

The tadpoles of Alsodes vanzolinii and A. verrucosus are described. The descriptions include external, oral cavity, and chondrocranial morphology. The external characteristics, and those of the internal oral morphology, are useful in the specific diagnosis.
Age, growth and sex determination in a population of smooth snakes, Coronella austriaca in southern England
Authors: Reading
Published: June 2004

Between 1992-2001 a study of individually marked smooth snakes Coronella austriaca was done in Wareham Forest, southern England. The sex of individual snakes was determined using the relationship between tail length and snout-vent length, and the presence/absence of a hemi-penes swelling at the base of the tail. Males had longer tails than females at all ages/sizes and the difference between the sexes increased with increasing snout-vent length. Using multiple captures of known individuals over many years, size related daily growth rates were determined for each sex that enabled growth curves to be produced. The age structure of the population was determined for each complete year of the study. Very few young small snakes were captured each year. Of all the females who were potentially able to breed, only the oldest, and therefore largest, did so.
BMI and oral glucocorticoids as predictors of prognosis in COPD patients on long-term oxygen therapy
Authors: Ringbaekl T J , Viskuml K , Lange P
Published: June 2004

Aims: The objectives of the study were to determine whether body mass index (BMI), and oral corticosteroid use predict survival and hospitalization in hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study with analysis of a nationwide database (Danish Oxygen Register). We studied survival and hospitalization in 221 hypoxaemic COPD patients who were on long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). Results: Low BMI was strongly associated with high mortality (P < 0.001). Maintenance treatment with steroids was only associated with higher mortality in overweight patients (BMI > 25 kg/mi2), RR = 3.8 (1.4- 10.5), P = 0.011. Whereas BMI had no influence on risk of any hospitalization in patients using oral steroids, high BMI was independently associated with reduced risk of any hospitalization in patients without oral steroids [the RR of any hospitalization for each 1 kg/M2 increase in BMI was 0.94 (CI: 0.90-0.99), P = 0.009]. Overall, the use of oral steroids was associated with increased risk of any hospitalization, RR = 1.7 (1.2-2.4), P = 0.002. This increase was especially pronounced in the group with BMI above 25 kg/M2, where steroid treatment increased the risk of any hospitalization with RR = 3.6 (1.5-8.7), P = 0.005. Conclusions: In hypoxaemic patients on LTOT, low BMI is an independent risk factor of death and any hospitalization. Maintenance treatment with oral corticosteroids is associated with increased mortality and hospitalization in COPD patients with high BMI. Our findings suggest that loss of body weight should be avoided, and that oral corticosteroids should be used cautiously in patients on LTOT-especially those with high BMI. Further research on the role of changes in body composition as a prognostic factor is needed.
Long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) outcomes from a sleep service using limited sleep studies and daycase CPAP titration in the management of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome
Authors: Johnson M K , Carter R , Nicol A , Paton R , Banham S W
Published: June 2004

Background: Detailed polysomnography (PSG) and overnight continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) titration as the basis for investigation and treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) incurs high costs from inpatient stays and technician attendance, even when split night studies are employed. Responding to rapidly increasing demand, from 1996 the sleep service at Glasgow Royal Infirmary adopted limited sleep studies and daycase CPAP titration as first line management. Here we describe the outcomes of this service between 1996 and 1999. Methods: Data were collected from prospective records made at follow up by sleep technicians and by casenote review. Results: Results were available for 158 subjects (97.5%) of 162 commenced on CPAP during this period. One hundred and forty-eight (91%) were diagnosed by limited sleep studies and 80 (50%) were diagnosed at home. The median follow up was 23 months (interquartile range (IQR), 13-35). Median use of CPAP in those continuing therapy was 5.3 hours/night (IQR, 3.1 to 6.5) and 77% were still using CPAP at three years. Only initial low CPAP compliance (< 2 hours/night) significantly predicted early CPAP cessation. In those still on CPAP in 1999, the mean drop in Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 4.6 points (95% confidence intervals, 3.2 to 6.0). Conclusion: These data from the CPAP population at Glasgow Royal Infirmary provide information on longterm outcomes using a diagnostic protocol based on limited sleep studies and daycase CPAP titration.
Genetics and the Dutch Hypothesis
Authors: Ruse C E , Parker S G
Published: June 2004

Background: Increasingly, molecular genetic techniques are being used to improve our understanding of a number of common late onset complex disorders, such as hypertension, Alzheimer's disease' and noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus7. Molecular genetic approaches have the potential to yield new information about disease pathogenesis that may be of great importance for the development of future treatments. Aims: This review discusses the evidence for a genetic contribution to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and specifically focuses on the hypothesis that asthma and COPD share some pathogenic mechanisms as originally proposed in 1960 in a theory that has since become known as the Dutch Hypothesis.3 In particular we will review the evidence from molecular genetics, both in support of and against the theory.
Mechanisms of HP1-mediated gene silencing inDrosophila
Authors: Danzer John R. , Wallrath Lori L.
Published: June 2004

Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) is a structural component of silent chromatin at telomeres and centromeres. Euchromatic genes repositioned near heterochromatin by chromosomal rearrangements are typically silenced in an HP1-dependent manner. Silencing is thought to involve the spreading of heterochromatin proteins over the rearranged genes. HP1 associates with centric heterochromatin through an interaction with methylated lysine 9 of histone H3, a modification generated by SU(VAR)3-9. The current model for spreading of silent chromatin involves HP1-dependent recruitment of SU(VAR)3-9, resulting in the methylation of adjacent nucleosomes and association of HP1 along the chromatin fiber. To address mechanisms of silent chromatin formation and spreading, HP1 was fused to the DNA-binding domain of the E. coli lacI repressor and expressed in Drosophila melanogaster stocks carrying heat shock reporter genes positioned 1.9 and 3.7 kb downstream of lac operator repeats. Association of lacI-HP1 with the repeats resulted in silencing of both reporter genes and correlated with a closed chromatin structure consisting of regularly spaced nucleosomes, similar to that observed in centric heterochromatin. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that HP1 spread bi-directionally from the tethering site and associated with the silenced reporter transgenes. To examine mechanisms of spreading, the effects of a mutation in Su(var)3-9 were investigated. Silencing was minimally affected at 1.9 kb, but eliminated at 3.7 kb, suggesting that HP1-mediated silencing can operate in a SU(VAR)3-9-independent and -dependent manner.
zyg-11andcul-2regulate progression through meiosis II and polarity establishment inC. elegans
Authors: Sonneville Rémi , Gönczy Pierre
Published: June 2004

The mechanisms that ensure coupling between meiotic cell cycle progression and subsequent developmental events, including specification of embryonic axes, are poorly understood. Here, we establish that zyg-11 and the cullin cul-2 promote the metaphase-to-anaphase transition and M phase exit at meiosis II in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results indicate that ZYG-11 acts with a CUL-2-based E3 ligase that is essential at meiosis II and that functions redundantly with the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome at meiosis I. Our data also indicate that delayed M phase exit in zyg-11(RNAi) embryos is due to accumulation of the B type cyclin CYB-3. We demonstrate that PAR proteins and P granules become polarized in an inverted manner during the meiosis II delay resulting from zyg-11 or cul-2 inactivation, and that zyg-11 and cul-2 can regulate polarity establishment independently of a role in cell cycle progression. Furthermore, we find that microtubules appear dispensable for ectopic polarity during the meiosis II delay in zyg-11(RNAi) embryos, as well as for AP polarity during the first mitotic cell cycle in wild-type embryos. Our findings suggest a model in which a CUL-2-based E3 ligase promotes cell cycle progression and prevents polarity establishment during meiosis II, and in which the centrosome acts as a cue to polarize the embryo along the AP axis after exit from the meiotic cell cycle.
CUL-2 and ZYG-11 promote meiotic anaphase II and the proper placement of the anterior-posterior axis inC. elegans
Authors: Liu Ji , Vasudevan Srividya , Kipreos Edward T.
Published: June 2004

The faithful segregation of chromosomes during meiosis is vital for sexual reproduction. Currently, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating the initiation and completion of meiotic anaphase. We show that inactivation of CUL-2, a member of the cullin family of ubiquitin ligases,delays or abolishes meiotic anaphase II with no effect on anaphase I,indicating differential regulation during the two meiotic stages. In cul-2 mutants, the cohesin REC-8 is removed from chromosomes normally during meiosis II and sister chromatids separate, suggesting that the failure to complete anaphase results from a defect in chromosome movement rather than from a failure to sever chromosome attachments. CUL-2 is required for the degradation of cyclin B1 in meiosis and inactivation of cyclin B1 partially rescued the meiotic delay in cul-2 mutants. In cul-2mutants, the failure to degrade cyclin B1 precedes the metaphase II arrest. CUL-2 is also required for at least two aspects of embryonic polarity. The extended meiosis II in cul-2 mutants induces polarity reversals that include reversed orientation of polarity proteins, P granules, pronuclei migration and asymmetric cell division. Independently of its role in meiotic progression, CUL-2 is required to limit the initiation/spread of the polarity protein PAR-2 in regions distant from microtubule organizing centers. Finally,we show that inactivation of the leucine-rich repeat protein ZYG-11 produces meiotic and polarity reversal defects similar to those observed in cul-2 mutants, suggesting that the two proteins function in the same pathways.
Effects of Surface Diffusion of Reflectors on the Acoustic Power from the Stage Area
Authors: Toyoda Masahiro , Toda Nagomi , Takahashi Daiji
Published: June 2004

When a sound source is located near a large plane-surface reflector, the total acoustic power radiated from the source including the reflection depends on the source position. Interference is the cause of this phenomenon, and the musical instruments for bass sound are particularly influenced. The surface diffusion treatment of the stage reflectors may be a solution for improving the problem. In this paper, from the viewpoint of acoustic power from the stage area to the audience area, the effect of surface diffusion of a stage rear-wall is examined by using an analytical model of 2 and 3-dimensional wave theory. As a result of some numerical examples, it is shown that a rear wall tilted more than right angles has a potential of improving the effect.
Airborne Sound Insulation of Beam and Block Floors: Direct and Flanking Transmission
Authors: Hopkins C.
Published: June 2004

Beam and block floors are commonly used as separating floors between dwellings. Measurements of the dynamic properties of these floors indicate that beam and block floors are highly orthotropic, and do not act as infinite plates in terms of their driving-point mobility. Transmission suite measurements of beam and block floors with or without a screed show that these floors do not achieve the same level of airborne sound insulation as a homogeneous isotropic concrete slab floor. Significant differences were found in the flanking transmission between masonry walls when coupled to a beam and block floor at a T-junction in comparison with homogeneous concrete slab floors. Vibration measurements indicate that at frequencies below 500Hz, flanking transmission along masonry flanking walls past beam and block floors is significantly higher than with homogeneous concrete slab floors of similar surface density.
An Investigation of Aspects of Design of Resin-Bonded Bridges in General Dental Practice and Hospital Services
Authors: Patsiatzi Eleni , Grey Nick JA
Published: June 2004

Purpose of study

To assess the design of resin-bonded bridges (RBBs) by dentists, the quality of information provided to a dental laboratory, and aid identification of best practice.

Design

A retrospective case series study of slips for RBB construction, sent by hospital and general dental practitioners to a dental laboratory based in a postgraduate dental institute in Scotland, UK.

Main findings

384 forms were reviewed. For single-tooth replacements, 40% of designs for upper anterior bridges and 46% for lower posterior bridges were fixed-fixed (F-F) when a cantilever design was a better option. Thirty-six (9.3%) of RBB designs involved double abutting. On the laboratory forms, fewer than five (1%) cases included instructions about the thickness of the metal framework and in 48% there was no reference to the extension of the metal framework.

Principal conclusions

For single-tooth replacements, a relatively high percentage of dentists prescribed a fixed-fixed design for RBBs, despite the evidence advocating the use of a cantilever design. A significant number of dentists used double abutments. The information provided to the laboratory for the construction of resin-bonded bridges was often insufficient.
An Audit of Antibiotic Prescribing by Vocational Dental Practitioners
Authors: Palmer Nikolaus OA , Batchelor Paul A
Published: June 2004

Objectives

To investigate antibiotic prescribing of a group of vocational dental practitioners (VDPs) and assess the implications for postgraduate education.

Design

A prospective audit was carried out by VDPs in general dental practice in 2003.

Results

A total of seven vocational training schemes comprising 64 VDPs took part. Most showed some awareness of the indications for therapeutic prescribing but the prescribing patterns of a number were influenced by the pressure of time and workload and difficulty in making a definitive diagnosis. There were wide variations in the therapeutic antibiotic regimens used, with most not conforming to the guidelines available. The majority of VDPs showed a good understanding of the requirement for prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for patients with a cardiac defect but a number also prescribed when there were no medical indications to do so.

Conclusions

From this audit it is clear that, on occasions, the prescribing of antibiotics by VDPs was not consistent with current knowledge and within the guidelines available. This calls into question the efficacy of present undergraduate teaching or the retention of knowledge. The results suggest that formal education on antibiotic prescribing in general dental practice should take place during the VT year.
Lip and Tongue Piercing: Experiences and Views of General Dental Practitioners in South Lancashire
Authors: Whittle J Gary , Lamden Kenneth H
Published: June 2004

Purpose of the study

To ascertain the numbers of patients with pierced lips or tongues seen by dentists during routine consultations. The study also examined the provision of advice by dentists, and the nature of piercing-related complications.

Basic procedure

A postal questionnaire was sent to dentists in two Primary Care Trust areas in South Lancashire.

Main findings

Sixty-four of the 106 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 60%. Sixty-two dentists (96.9%) reported that they had seen patients with lip or tongue piercings during the previous 12 months and that they had seen a mean number of 2.8 patients with lip piercing and a mean of 9.0 patients with tongue piercing. A total of 56.5% of the dentists gave advice on oral hygiene and 79.0% on possible damage to the oral structures. Twenty-seven dentists (43.5%) said that their patients had oral health problems as a result of lip or tongue piercing.

Principal conclusions

The dentists who responded to the questionnaire commonly saw lip and tongue piercings. All dentists should therefore be prepared to offer appropriate advice. A public health information leaflet available in all medical and dental practices would help to ensure that patients were better informed about body piercing and its complications.
The Effectiveness of Systemp.desensitizer in the Treatment of Dentine Hypersensitivity
Authors: Stewardson Dominic A , Crisp Russell J , McHugh Siobhan , Lendenmann Urs , Burke FJ Trevor
Published: June 2004

Purpose

This study reports the effectiveness of Systemp.desensitizer (Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), when used both with and without an acid-etch step, in the treatment of patients with dentine hypersensitivity in UK dental practices.

Materials and methods

Ten general dental practitioners (GDPs) were selected from two practice-based research groups. The GDPs were each requested to use Systemp.desensitizer in the treatment of at least ten patients who presented with pain due to dentine hypersensitivity. Systemp.desensitizer was applied to the sensitive dentine area in strict accordance with the manufacturer's handling instructions, except that the patients were divided into two groups. For the first, group NE, the procedure was to isolate the tooth, gently blot it dry with cotton wool pellets, rub Systemp.desensitizer into the tooth for 20 seconds, then gently air-dry it. For the second, group E, the procedure was identical except that after isolation, the treatment area was etched for 15 seconds with 35% phosphoric acid. Patients were asked to complete a pro forma using a 10 cm visual analogue scale designed to provide details of the extent of their pain before treatment, 24 hours post-treatment, one week post-treatment, one month post-treatment, and three months post-treatment. The zero end of the scale was marked ‘no pain’ and the 10 cm end was marked ‘extreme pain’. The percentage change in the patients’ perception of their pain, relative to pretreatment, was calculated using repeated measures analysis and suitable follow-up confidence intervals for the mean changes in perceived pain. Comparisons were then made between the treatment groups NE and E.

Results

Ninety-one patients completed the first pro forma and 77 completed all the pro formas. Overall, there was a significant reduction in pain at each of the time points after treatment but the pattern of pain reduction across the two groups was different. In general, the non-etched group (group NE) saw an ‘immediate’ reduction in pain which was then fairly consistent across the longer term, whilst, in general, the etched group (group E) saw less reduction in pain 24 hours after treatment, and then further reduction in pain at both one week and one month after treatment. Thus the non-etched group experienced an early reduction whilst the etched group took longer to perceive a reduction in pain; however, there were no statistically significant differences between the reductions in pain scores between the two groups at any of the time points after treatment.

Conclusion

It is concluded that Systemp.desensitizer was effective in reducing pain from dentine hypersensitivity in the patients treated, and this finding was unaffected by whether or not the tooth was acid-etched prior to application of the reagent.
Rectangular Collimation and Radiographic Efficacy in Eight General Dental Practices in the West Midlands
Authors: Thornley Peter H , Stewardson Dominic A , Rout PG John , Burke FJ Trevor
Published: June 2004

Introduction

Rectangular collimation is recommended in order to reduce radiation doses to patients. However, anecdotal reports suggest that it may result in more retakes, with a possible net increase in patient dosage.

Method

To test this hypothesis, eight general dental practitioners were recruited to participate in a project. Each took 25 pairs of bitewing radiographs of patients before and 25 after fitting rectangular collimators to their x-ray machines. Double-pack films were used so that duplicates could be examined. These were assessed by a consultant oral radiologist according to the National Radiographic Protection Board (NRPB) grading system for positioning and general film quality.

Results

Initially, positioning quality was above the target level for six of the eight dentists; however, for all but one, this dropped after using rectangular collimation. General film quality was of a lower overall standard initially. Using rectangular collimation had an effect on general film quality but the direction and size of this varied among the dentists.

Conclusion

It was concluded that amongst the participating dentists, although numbers of retakes increased by 7%, there would be a net reduction in dosage to patients following rectangular collimation.
Order born of chaos? The capacity for informal social control in disempowered and ‘disorganised’ neighbourhoods
Authors: Atkinson Rowland , Flint John
Published: June 2004

English

Policy discourse and interventions relating to disorder perceive a lack of organisational capacity to deal with these problems in high-crime and deprived areas. This article draws on research looking at the relative propensities to deal with disorder within deprived and affluent neighbourhoods. We find that deprived areas may be characterised as chaotic and disorganised but also that residents in these areas appear more likely to intervene in acts of disorder. Nevertheless, residents in all neighbourhoods did not want to engage directly with local crime problems. This challenges current policy with its aim of empowering communities to deal with crime, and appears to burden rather than empower residents.
Addressing fragmentation and social exclusion through community involvement in rural regeneration partnerships: evidence from the Northern Ireland experience
Authors: Williamson Arthur P. , Beattie Rona S. , Osborne Stephen P.
Published: June 2004

English

This article considers the role of community and voluntary organisations in promoting rural social inclusion against a backdrop of social exclusion and the fragmentation of community life into ‘territories’ arising from sectarian politics. It reviews the evolution of the European Union's (EU’s) policy to support local community development work and examines aspects of three local partnerships, two of which were initiated and funded by the EU and had strong involvement by voluntary and community sector representatives. The third is a locally based community body that has been remarkably successful in making links across the political and sectarian divide and in obtaining development funding from the EU. The article concludes by considering the contribution that local partnerships may make in promoting better coordinated and integrated local policy action against poverty and social exclusion and their effectiveness in promoting proto-democratic patterns of behaviour and developing a collaborative culture that will enable people with diverse and sometimes hostile interests to mediate and negotiate shared perspectives.
Representing the repressed? Health consumer groups and the national policy process
Authors: Baggott Rob , Allsop Judith , Jones Kathryn
Published: June 2004

English

Health consumer groups – voluntary organisations representing patients, users and carers – have become increasingly active in the national policy process in recent years. Groups have constructed alliances with each other, and with other interests in the health policy arena. They have developed extensive contacts within the political system and have generated social and political resources valued by government and other stakeholders. Groups have contributed to policy development, particularly where this has matched government agendas. It is suggested that group characteristics, resources, tactics and contacts have had an impact on their influence. These findings are considered in the context of Alford's structural model of healthcare politics.
Trust and moral motivation: redundant resources in health and social care?
Authors: Harrison Stephen , Smith Carole
Published: June 2004

English

The government's modernisation programme for health and social care has introduced institutional arrangements that are characteristic of ‘late modernity’. These support heightened surveillance of organisational performance and professional practice, increased bureaucratisation of operational arrangements, instrumental decision making about service provision and a drive to centralise consumer empowerment. Such developments are designed to (re)establish political and public confidence in professional interventions and services that are predictable, reliable and safe. A focus on confidence, however, necessarily neglects the significance of trust for service users and providers. This article argues that privileging confidence over trust fails to acknowledge the role of uncertainty, morality and discretion in the provision of care and has important consequences for service users, managers and frontline practitioners.
Access and utilisation of safe motherhood services of expecting mothers in Ghana
Authors: Appiah-Kubi Kojo
Published: June 2004

English

Despite more than a decade of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in Ghana, access and utilisation levels of modern healthcare services by expecting mothers remain very low, even though considerable progress has been made over time. Using Andersen's behavioural model (1968, 1995) as the conceptual framework, the study examines, with data from Ghana DHS (GSS and MI, 1999), user-related social, economic and demographic factors that influence access and utilisation of safe motherhood services. The bivariate and multivariate analyses reveal that education of mother and spouse, regional location of residence and socioeconomic status exert the strongest impact and are significant in predicting the use of safe motherhood services and thus differentials in health among expecting mothers. The implications of these results for improved maternal healthcare are discussed.
The three moments of New Labour's health policy discourse
Authors: Greener Ian
Published: June 2004

English

This article examines the three ‘moments’ of health policy discourse under New Labour. It contends that, since 1997, there have been two significant changes: the first from an initially very Fabian rhetoric to one based instead around performance measurement and investment, and the second adding a new version ‘internal market’, based around the application of the discourse of consumerism in the NHS, to the performance discourse of the first change. These shifts in the language of policy are matched by changes in its underpinning assumptions, and the frenetic nature of their introduction appears to lead to the conclusion that New Labour are resorting to a ‘garbage can’ approach to policy making.
Composing a research dialogue: University and school research communities encountering a cultural shift
Authors: Allen Jobeth , Shockley Betty
Published: June 2004

The authors discuss changes in the research community as school‐ and university‐based researchers increase their collaborations, emphasizing particularly action research.
Compellingness in Reading Research
Authors: Harrison Colin , Gough Philip B.
Published: June 2004

The authors draw on reading research, logic, literary theory, philosophy of science, and mathematics to discuss what makes for compelling claims in reading research.
Values of Literacy History
Authors: Moore David W. , Monaghan E. Jennifer , Hartman Douglas K.
Published: June 2004

The authors assert that history is a marginalized research genre among literacy professionals, consigned to the fringes of inquiry. They share a conversation about why this is so, and why it should not be.
Critical Discourse Analysis and the Study of Reading and Writing
Authors: Bloome David , Talwalkar Susan
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language. By Norman Fairclough. 1995.

Discourse and Social Change. By Norman Fairclough. 1992.

Critical Language Awareness. Edited by Norman Fairclough. 1992.

Language and Power. By Norman Fairclough. 1989.
“So What's Going on in Research on Emergent Literacy?”
Authors: McGee Lea M. , Purcell‐Gates Victoria
Published: June 2004

The journal editors asked the two authors to reflect on this question, noting that “nothing much” seemed to be happening. The authors converse about where the field of emergent literacy research has moved in the recent past.
Contextualizing the First‐Grade Studies: What Is the Best Way to Teach Children to Read?
Authors: Graves Michael F. , Dykstra Robert
Published: June 2004

The authors, including one of the authors of “The First‐Grade Studies,” describe the historical context from which Bond and Dykstra's work drew.
The First‐Grade Studies: A Personal Reflection
Authors: Pearson P. David
Published: June 2004

The author describes the importance of “The First‐Grade Studies” to his own development as a literacy researcher and educator, and highlights the work's importance to the field in several areas: learning about the efficacy of early reading instruction, learning about contextual variables, learning about the practice of research, and learning lessons to guide future research.
Connecting the Past With the Present: The Legacy and Spirit of the First‐Grade Studies
Authors: Searfoss Lyndon W.
Published: June 2004

“The First‐Grade Studies” have had a lasting impact on literacy research and practice. The author highlights several areas in which this can be demonstrated, and draws on Bond and Dykstra's original research questions to demonstrate the work's continuing influence. Topics highlighted include the role of the teacher and classroom characteristics, movement away from comparison studies, the challenge to reading readiness as the gatekeeper to early instruction, and the importance of instruction in phonics.
Expanding the Boundaries: A Reaction to the First‐Grade Studies
Authors: Willis Arlette Ingram , Harris Violet J.
Published: June 2004

Two younger scholars, who had not yet entered the field when “The First‐Grade Studies” were published, look at Bond and Dykstra's work from a sociocultural perspective and explore ways to expand the conceptual framework.
Adolescent Girls: Constructing and Doing Literacy, Constructing and Doing Gender
Authors: Lloyd Carol V.
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Just Girls: Hidden Literacies and Life in Junior High. By Margaret J. Finders. 1997.

Private Practices: Girls Reading Fiction and Constructing Identity. By Meredith Rogers Cherland. 1994.

Sounds From the Heart: Learning to Listen to Girls. By Maureen Barbieri. 1995.
Head, Heart, and the Practice of Literacy Pedagogy
Authors: Roskos Kathleen , Risko Victoria J. , Vukelich Carol
Published: June 2004

The authors discuss their own practice as teacher educators, revealing their uncertainties, worries, and hopes.
Balanced Instruction: Insights and Considerations
Authors: Freppon Penny A. , Dahl Karin L.
Published: June 2004

Different conceptions of balanced literacy instruction are presented, along with information on the resarch and theory in support of each one. Practical implications for the classroom are described.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Phonics (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Authors: Stahl Steven A. , Duffy‐Hester Ann M. , Stahl Katherine Anne Dougherty
Published: June 2004

The authors review basic principles underlying word learning and phonics instruction. These principles are applicable to many primary‐grade classrooms. They then discuss approaches to teaching phonics. Finally, they draw some tentative conclusions on how an integrated language arts program that includes phonics might look in a first‐grade classroom.
In Their Own Words: Stories of the Interconnectedness of Life, Teaching, and Research
Authors: Willis Arlette Ingram
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

On becoming a language educator: Personal essays on professional development. Edited by Christine Pearson Casanave and Sandra R. Schecter. 1997.

Learning from our lives: Women, research, and autobiography in education. Edited by Anna Neumann and Penelope L. Peterson. 1997.
Some Thoughts on Reading Research: Revisiting the First‐Grade Studies
Authors: Chall Jeanne S.
Published: June 2004

In this commentary, the author describes the lasting implications and effects of the First‐Grade Studies on the literacy field.
Latina and Latino Researchers Interact on Issues Related to Literacy Learning
Authors: Jiménez Robert T. , Moll Luis C. , Rodríguez‐Brown Flora V. , Barrera Rosalinda B.
Published: June 2004

In this conversation, a group of educators discuss professional development and identity, representation in academe, assessment of linguistically diverse students, current movements in literacy instruction, teaching style and process of instruction, content of instruction, and teacher training from their perspectives as Latino and Latina researchers.
A Historically Based Review ofPreventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children
Authors: Pearson P. David
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Catherine E. Snow, Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin (Eds.). 1998.
Evolution of Qualitative Research Methodology: Looking Beyond Defense to Possibilities
Authors: Putney LeAnn G. , Green Judith L. , Dixon Carol N. , Kelly Gregory J.
Published: June 2004

The authors discuss where qualitative research may be headed in the light of where it has been, situating their conversation in the current political context.
Bridging Disciplines to Critique a National Research Agenda for Language‐Minority Children's Schooling
Authors: Fitzgerald Jill , Cummins Jim
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Improving Schooling for Language‐Minority Children: A Research Agenda. Edited by Diane August and Kenji Hakuta. 1997.
Comprehending Comprehension
Authors: Sadoski Mark
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Comprehension: A Paradigm for Cognition. By Walter Kintsch. 1998.
What Will Classrooms and Schools Look Like in the New Millennium?
Authors: Moje Elizabeth Birr , Labbo Linda D. , Baumann James F. , Gaskins Irene W.
Published: June 2004

In this “RRQ Snippet,” four literacy researchers discuss the influences of diversity, changing expectations, technology, and teacher professional development on literacy teaching and learning.
Reading Patrick Shannon on Reading Instruction: Reflections on Politics and Education
Authors: Glass Ronald David
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Reading Poverty. By Patrick Shannon. 1998.

Text, Lies, and Videotape: Stories About Life, Literacy, and Learning. By Patrick Shannon. 1995.

The Struggle to Continue: Progressive Reading Instruction in the United States. By Patrick Shannon. 1990.

Broken Promises: Reading Instruction in Twentieth‐Century America. By Patrick Shannon. 1989.
What Will Be the Social Implications and Interactions of Schooling in the Next Millennium?
Authors: Rogers Theresa , Purcell‐Gates Victoria , Mahiri Jabari , Bloome David
Published: June 2004

In this “RRQ Snippet,” several researchers share their thoughts about the title question.
How Will Bilingual/ESL Programs in Literacy Change in the Next Millennium?
Authors: Fitzgerald Jill , García Georgia Earnest , Jiménez Robert T. , Barrera Rosalinda
Published: June 2004

Several literacy researchers share their thoughts about bilingual education and English language learning in the context of demographic shifts anticipated in the current millennium.
Response to Literature as a Cultural Activity
Authors: Galda Lee , Beach Richard
Published: June 2004

The authors review the research on response to literature and on classroom implementation of reader response activities. In so doing, they explore what we have learned over the years, and how research may influence classroom practice in the future. [Note: This article is reproduced as chapter 31 of the fifth edition ofTheoretical Models and Processes of Reading.www.reading.orgpublicationsbbvbooksbk502]
Reading Reading Research: A Multivocal Review
Authors: Bowles Steffanie , Bradley Barbara A. , Burnett Ronette , Edwards Elizabeth Carr , Font George , Francis Michelle , Heron Alison H. , McCartney Alicia A. , Montero M. Kristiina , Park Miri , Payne Cathy R. , Rush Leslie , Smith Claire Henderson , Stahl Katherine A. Dougherty , Tauferner Don , Waldrip Patricia , Yoon Jun‐Chae , Stahl Steven A. , Commeyras Michelle
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Handbook of Reading Research, Volume III. Edited by Michael Kamil, Peter B. Mosenthal, P. David Pearson, and Rebecca Barr. 2000.
Inside English/Language Arts Standards: What's in a Grade?
Authors: Valencia Sheila W. , Wixson Karen K.
Published: June 2004

In this commentary on standards‐based education reform, the authors assert that such reform must set challenging standards for student performance and then help all students meet them.
Boys Will Be Boys, or Will They? Literacy and Masculinities
Authors: Young Josephine Peyton , Brozo William G.
Published: June 2004

This conversation re‐creates a lively e‐mail debate between the authors, who bring different theoretical perspectives to consideration of literacy among boys.
The National Reading Panel Report
Authors: Cunningham James W.
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Teaching children to read: An evidence‐based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. by The National Reading Panel. 2000.

Teaching children to read: An evidence‐based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction: Reports of the subgroups. By The National Reading Panel. 2000.
Identity matters
Authors: McCarthey Sarah J. , Moje Elizabeth Birr
Published: June 2004

In a conversation represented here in print, the authors ask why literacy theorists, researchers, and teachers should care about how readers' identities are constructed, represented, and performed during acts of reading. They share the believe that such questions are central to literacy theory and pedagogy.
The road to folly and redemption: Perspectives on the legitimacy of high‐stakes testing
Authors: Afflerbach Peter
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy. By Nicolas Lemann. 1999.

The Limits of Educational Assessment. By Andrew Davis. 1998.

A Teacher's Guide to Standardized Reading Tests: Knowledge Is Power. By Lucy Calkins, Kate Montgomery, and Donna Santman with Beverly Falk. 1998.
Reclaiming secondary reading interventions: From limited to rich conceptions, from narrow to broad conversations
Authors: Greenleaf Cynthia L. , Jiménez Robert T. , Roller Cathy M.
Published: June 2004

In this conversation, re‐created from an e‐mail exchange among the authors, the background and nature of reading interventions are discussed, as well as a broader conceptualization of ways to assist struggling adolescent learners.
Reflections on family literacy from a sociocultural perspective
Authors: RODRIGUEZ‐BROWN FLORA V.
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Opening Doors, Opening Opportunities: Family Literacy in an Urban Community. Jeanne R. Paratore. 2001.
Reading, writing, and the wrath of my father
Authors: SILIN JONATHAN G.
Published: June 2004

The author, a researcher, teacher educator, and early childhood educator, uses autobiography and personal narrative to explore the learning of language and use of literacy in the early years of life.
Literature as experience or looking for facts: Stance in the classroom
Authors: GALDA LEE , LIANG LAUREN AIMONETTE
Published: June 2004

Drawing on the literary theory of Louise Rosenblatt, among others, the authors explore the power of literature to engage readers, and ask why sometimes efforts to generate enthusiasm and interest through classroom use of literature fall short.
Boys and literacies: What difference does gender make?
Authors: BLACKBURN MOLLIE V.
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Boys and Literacy: Exploring the Issues. By Trisha Maynard. 2002.

Boys, Literacies and Schooling: The Dangerous Territories of Gender‐based Literacy Reform. By Leonie Rowan, Michele Knobel, Chris Bigum, and Colin Lankshear. 2002.

“Reading Don't Fix No Chevys”: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men. By Michael W. Smith and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. 2002.

To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader: Engaging Teen and Preteen Boys in Active Literacy. By William G. Brozo. 2002.
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS ON LITERACY RESEARCH
Authors: Eakle A. Jonathan , Garber Andrew M.
Published: June 2004

This report, the second in a series that highlights research from around the world, describes current concerns in Estonia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. An expanded online‐only report on Estonia is also available by clicking on the button for “supplementary content.”
Literacy reform for Latina/o students
Authors: FRÁNQUIZ MARÍA E.
Published: June 2004

Book reviewed in this article:

Learning and Not Learning English: Latino Students in American Schools. By Guadalupe Valdés. 2001.
Patterns of parents' extratextual interactions during book sharing with preschool children: A cluster analysis study
Authors: HAMMETT LISA A. , VAN KLEECK ANNE , HUBERTY CARL J
Published: June 2004

ABSTRACTS

Ninety‐six middle‐income parent‐child dyads were videotaped as they shared an unfamiliar book together. Parents' extratextual utterances were coded for content and entered into a cluster analysis in order to identify patterns in the variability in interaction style. Four clusters were revealed: (a) two small clusters of parents who provided many extratextual utterances during book sharing, but who differed with regard to the types of utterances used most frequently; (b) a cluster of parents who provided moderate numbers of utterances across all utterance types; and (c) a large cluster of parents who contributed minimal extratextual utterances during book sharing. Previous research has demonstrated that variability in parent interactions during book sharing is high. These results suggest that parents' utterances varied in systematic ways and that the predominant pattern within this sample was one of limited numbers of extratextual utterances during the sharing of an unfamiliar book. These findings have implications for the methods to best explore variability and the directions of future research.
Phonological sensitivity: A quasi‐parallel progression of word structure units and cognitive operations
Authors: ANTHONY JASON L. , LONIGAN CHRISTOPHER J. , DRISCOLL KIMBERLY , PHILLIPS BETH M. , BURGESS STEPHEN R.
Published: June 2004

ABSTRACTS

This study investigated the order of acquisition of phonological sensitivity skills among preschool and kindergarten children. Phonological sensitivity was examined in terms of four levels of linguistic complexity (words, syllables, onsets and rimes, phonemes) across four levels of task complexity (blending detection, elision detection, blending, and elision). Participants were 947 two‐ to five‐year‐old children from diverse backgrounds. Hierarchical loglinear analyses evidenced a quasi‐parallel pattern of development that corresponded to a hierarchical model of word structure and a working memory model of task complexity. Findings support a developmental conceptualization of phonological sensitivity. Findings are discussed in relation to their implications for improving assessment, early literacy instruction, and prevention of reading difficulties.