bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Periodically Discontinuous Induction of Bone Marrow Stem Cells toward Osteogenic Differentiation in Vitro
Authors: Wang Zhen , Peng Rong , Ding Jiandong
Published: February 2008

This paper reveals that a discontinuous in vitro induction, namely, the periodic presence and absence of foreign induction factors, might be, under a certain condition, more effective to stimulate stem cells' differentiation than a continuous induction. Bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) derived from Sprague Dawley rats were employed to examine the effects of discontinuous additions of osteogenic supplements with a series of alternate frequency in contrast to those with continuous induction or no induction. The results demonstrated that a suitable discontinuous induction was more able to achieve osteogenesis than not only no induction but also the associated continuous induction. Additionally, the osteogenic supplements were confirmed to enhance cell differentiation but suppress cell proliferation. So, the combination of differentiation extent per cell and cell number accounts for the “unexpected” good osteogenic effect of the discontinuous induction. The induction effect was found to be dependent upon alternate frequency, and the optimum alternate period in our experimental systems was determined to be around 4 days. Since it is very common to change culture medium every 2–4 days, such a strategy of discontinuous induction does not bring any extra manual work but reduces the consumption of foreign induction factors and significantly enhances the global differentiation efficacy. Our work thus affords a convenient and practical approach to achieve differentiation of BMSCs, which might be useful for potential large‐scale culture and differentiation of stem cells. Meanwhile, the existence of optimum frequency implies some unknown inherent rhythms of cell proliferation and differentiation.
Myocardin inhibits cellular proliferation by inhibiting NF-κB(p65)-dependent cell cycle progression
Authors: Tang Ru-hang , Zheng Xi-Long , Callis Thomas E. , Stansfield William E. , He Jiayin , Baldwin Albert S. , Wang Da-Zhi , Selzman Craig H.
Published: February 2008

We previously reported the importance of the serum response factor (SRF) cofactor myocardin in controlling muscle gene expression as well as the fundamental role for the inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB in governing cellular fate. Inactivation of myocardin has been implicated in malignant tumor growth. However, the underlying mechanism of myocardin regulation of cellular growth remains unclear. Here we show that NF-κB(p65) represses myocardin activation of cardiac and smooth muscle genes in a CArG-box-dependent manner. Consistent with their functional interaction, p65 directly interacts with myocardin and inhibits the formation of the myocardin/SRF/CArG ternary complex
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Conversely, myocardin decreases p65-mediated target gene activation by interfering with p65 DNA binding and abrogates LPS-induced TNF-α expression. Importantly, myocardin inhibits cellular proliferation by interfering with NF-κB-dependent cell-cycle regulation. Cumulatively, these findings identify a function for myocardin as an SRF-independent transcriptional repressor and cell-cycle regulator and provide a molecular mechanism by which interaction between NF-κB and myocardin plays a central role in modulating cellular proliferation and differentiation.
Metal active site elasticity linked to activation of homocysteine in methionine synthases
Authors: Koutmos Markos , Pejchal Robert , Bomer Theresa M. , Matthews Rowena G. , Smith Janet L. , Ludwig Martha L.
Published: February 2008

Enzymes possessing catalytic zinc centers perform a variety of fundamental processes in nature, including methyl transfer to thiols. Cobalamin-independent (MetE) and cobalamin-dependent (MetH) methionine synthases are two such enzyme families. Although they perform the same net reaction, transfer of a methyl group from methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine (Hcy) to form methionine, they display markedly different catalytic strategies, modular organization, and active site zinc centers. Here we report crystal structures of zinc-replete MetE and MetH, both in the presence and absence of Hcy. Structural investigation of the catalytic zinc sites of these two methyltransferases reveals an unexpected inversion of zinc geometry upon binding of Hcy and displacement of an endogenous ligand in both enzymes. In both cases a significant movement of the zinc relative to the protein scaffold accompanies inversion. These structures provide new information on the activation of thiols by zinc-containing enzymes and have led us to propose a paradigm for the mechanism of action of the catalytic zinc sites in these and related methyltransferases. Specifically, zinc is mobile in the active sites of MetE and MetH, and its dynamic nature helps facilitate the active site conformational changes necessary for thiol activation and methyl transfer.
Selective association of misfolded ALS-linked mutant SOD1 with the cytoplasmic face of mitochondria
Authors: Vande Velde Christine , Miller Timothy M. , Cashman Neil R. , Cleveland Don W.
Published: February 2008

Mutations in copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) are causative for dominantly inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite high variability in biochemical properties among the disease-causing mutants, a proportion of both dismutase-active and -inactive mutants are stably bound to spinal cord mitochondria. This mitochondrial proportion floats with mitochondria rather than sedimenting to the much higher density of protein, thus eliminating coincidental cosedimentation of protein aggregates with mitochondria. Half of dismutase-active and ≈90% of dismutase-inactive mutant SOD1 is bound to mitochondrial membranes in an alkali- and salt-resistant manner. Sensitivity to proteolysis and immunoprecipitation with an antibody specific for misfolded SOD1 demonstrate that in all mutant SOD1 models, misfolded SOD1 is deposited onto the cytoplasmic face of the outer mitochondrial membrane, increasing antigenic accessibility of the normally structured electrostatic loop. Misfolded mutant SOD1 binding is both restricted to spinal cord and selective for mitochondrial membranes, implicating exposure to mitochondria of a misfolded mutant SOD1 conformer mediated by a unique, tissue-selective composition of cytoplasmic chaperones, components unique to the cytoplasmic face of spinal mitochondria to which misfolded SOD1 binds, or misfolded SOD1 conformers unique to spinal cord that have a selective affinity for mitochondrial membranes.
PDCD4 inhibits translation initiation by binding to eIF4A using both its MA3 domains
Authors: Suzuki Chikako , Garces Robert G. , Edmonds Katherine A. , Hiller Sebastian , Hyberts Sven G. , Marintchev Assen , Wagner Gerhard
Published: February 2008

Programmed Cell Death 4 (PDCD4) is a protein known to bind eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A), inhibit translation initiation, and act as a tumor suppressor. PDCD4 contains two C-terminal MA3 domains, which are thought to be responsible for its inhibitory function. Here, we analyze the structures and inhibitory functions of these two PDCD4 MA3 domains by x-ray crystallography, NMR, and surface plasmon resonance. We show that both MA3 domains are structurally and functionally very similar and bind specifically to the eIF4A N-terminal domain (eIF4A-NTD) using similar binding interfaces. We found that the PDCD4 MA3 domains compete with the eIF4G MA3 domain and RNA for eIF4A binding. Our data provide evidence that PDCD4 inhibits translation initiation by displacing eIF4G and RNA from eIF4A. The PDCD4 MA3 domains act synergistically to form a tighter and more stable complex with eIF4A, which explains the need for two tandem MA3 domains.
Structure of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, an essential monotopic membrane enzyme involved in respiration and metabolism
Authors: Yeh Joanne I. , Chinte Unmesh , Du Shoucheng
Published: February 2008

Sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GlpD) is an essential membrane enzyme, functioning at the central junction of respiration, glycolysis, and phospholipid biosynthesis. Its critical role is indicated by the multitiered regulatory mechanisms that stringently controls its expression and function. Once expressed, GlpD activity is regulated through lipid-enzyme interactions in
Escherichia coli
. Here, we report seven previously undescribed structures of the fully active
E. coli
GlpD, up to 1.75 Å resolution. In addition to elucidating the structure of the native enzyme, we have determined the structures of GlpD complexed with substrate analogues phosphoenolpyruvate, glyceric acid 2-phosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, and product, dihydroxyacetone phosphate. These structural results reveal conformational states of the enzyme, delineating the residues involved in substrate binding and catalysis at the glycerol-3-phosphate site. Two probable mechanisms for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of glycerol-3-phosphate are envisioned, based on the conformational states of the complexes. To further correlate catalytic dehydrogenation to respiration, we have additionally determined the structures of GlpD bound with ubiquinone analogues menadione and 2-
n
-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline
N
-oxide, identifying a hydrophobic plateau that is likely the ubiquinone-binding site. These structures illuminate probable mechanisms of catalysis and suggest how GlpD shuttles electrons into the respiratory pathway. Glycerol metabolism has been implicated in insulin signaling and perturbations in glycerol uptake and catabolism are linked to obesity in humans. Homologs of GlpD are found in practically all organisms, from prokaryotes to humans, with >45% consensus protein sequences, signifying that these structural results on the prokaryotic enzyme may be readily applied to the eukaryotic GlpD enzymes.
Interleukin-32 induces the differentiation of monocytes into macrophage-like cells
Authors: Netea Mihai G. , Lewis Eli C. , Azam Tania , Joosten Leo A. B. , Jaekal Jun , Bae Su-Young , Dinarello Charles A. , Kim Soo-Hyun
Published: February 2008

After emigration from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood, monocytes enter tissues and differentiate into macrophages, the prototype scavenger of the immune system. By ingesting and killing microorganisms and removing cellular debris, macrophages also process antigens as a first step in mounting a specific immune response. IL-32 is a cytokine inducing proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines via p38-MAPK and NF-κB. In the present study, we demonstrate that IL-32 induces differentiation of human blood monocytes as well as THP-1 leukemic cells into macrophage-like cells with functional phagocytic activity for live bacteria. Muramyl dipepide (MDP), the ligand for the intracellular nuclear oligomerization domain (NOD) 2 receptor, has no effect on differentiation alone but augments the monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation by IL-32. Unexpectedly, IL-32 reversed GM-CSF/IL-4-induced dendritic cell differentiation to macrophage-like cells. Whereas the induction of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 by IL-32 is mediated by p38-MAPK, IL-32-induced monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation is mediated through nonapoptotic, caspase-3-dependent mechanisms. Thus, IL-32 not only contributes to host responses through the induction of proinflammatory cytokines but also directly affects specific immunity by differentiating monocytes into macrophage-like cells.
Glucocorticoids differentially regulate degradation of MyoD and Id1 by N-terminal ubiquitination to promote muscle protein catabolism
Authors: Sun Liping , Trausch-Azar Julie S. , Muglia Louis J. , Schwartz Alan L.
Published: February 2008

Accelerated protein degradation via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway is the principal cause of skeletal muscle wasting associated with common human disease states and pharmacological treatment with glucocorticoids. Although many protein regulatory factors essential for muscle development and regeneration are degraded via the ubiquitin system, little is known about the mechanisms and regulation of this pathway that promote wasting muscle. Here, we demonstrate that, in differentiated myotubes, glucocorticoid, via the glucocorticoid receptor, selectively induces a decrease in protein abundance of MyoD, a master switch for muscle development and regeneration, but not that of its negative regulator Id1. This decrease in MyoD protein results from accelerated degradation after glucocorticoid exposure. Using MyoD and Id1 mutants deficient in either N terminus-dependent or internal lysine-dependent ubiquitination, we further show that these ubiquitination pathways of MyoD degradation are regulated differently from those of Id1 degradation. Specifically, glucocorticoid activates the N-terminal ubiquitination pathway in MyoD degradation in myotubes, without concomitant effects on Id1 degradation. This effect of glucocorticoid on MyoD and Id1 protein degradation is associated with the distinct cellular compartments in which their degradation occurs. Taken together, these results support a key role for the N terminus-dependent ubiquitination pathway in the physiology of muscle protein degradation.
fdrMotif: identifyingcis-elements by an EM algorithm coupled with false discovery rate control
Authors: Li Leping , Bass Robert L. , Liang Yu
Published: February 2008

Motivation: Most de novo motif identification methods optimize the motif model first and then separately test the statistical significance of the motif score. In the first stage, a motif abundance parameter needs to be specified or modeled. In the second stage, a Z-score or P-value is used as the test statistic. Error rates under multiple comparisons are not fully considered.

Methodology: We propose a simple but novel approach, fdrMotif, that selects as many binding sites as possible while controlling a user-specified false discovery rate (FDR). Unlike existing iterative methods, fdrMotif combines model optimization [e.g. position weight matrix (PWM)] and significance testing at each step. By monitoring the proportion of binding sites selected in many sets of background sequences, fdrMotif controls the FDR in the original data. The model is then updated using an expectation (E)- and maximization (M)-like procedure. We propose a new normalization procedure in the E-step for updating the model. This process is repeated until either the model converges or the number of iterations exceeds a maximum.

Results: Simulation studies suggest that our normalization procedure assigns larger weights to the binding sites than do two other commonly used normalization procedures. Furthermore, fdrMotif requires only a user-specified FDR and an initial PWM. When tested on 542 high confidence experimental p53 binding loci, fdrMotif identified 569 p53 binding sites in 505 (93.2%) sequences. In comparison, MEME identified more binding sites but in fewer ChIP sequences than fdrMotif. When tested on 500 sets of simulated ‘ChIP’ sequences with embedded known p53 binding sites, fdrMotif, compared to MEME, has higher sensitivity with similar positive predictive value. Furthermore, fdrMotif is robust to noise: it selected nearly identical binding sites in data adulterated with 50% added background sequences and the unadulterated data. We suggest that fdrMotif represents an improvement over MEME.

Availability: C code can be found at: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/software/fdrMotif/

Contact:  li3@niehs.nih.gov

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/software/fdrMotif/
CGHweb: a tool for comparing DNA copy number segmentations from multiple algorithms
Authors: Lai Weil , Choudhary Vidhu , Park Peter J.
Published: February 2008

Summary: Accurate estimation of DNA copy numbers from array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) data is important for characterizing the cancer genome. An important part of this process is the segmentation of the log-ratios between the sample and control DNA along the chromosome into regions of different copy numbers. However, multiple algorithms are available in the literature for this procedure and the results can vary substantially among these. Thus, a visualization tool that can display the segmented profiles from a number of methods can be helpful to the biologist or the clinician to ascertain that a feature of interest did not arise as an artifact of the algorithm. Such a tool also allows the methodologist to easily contrast his method against others.

We developed a web-based tool that applies a number of popular algorithms to a single array CGH profile entered by the user. It generates a heatmap panel of the segmented profiles for each method as well as a consensus profile. The clickable heatmap can be moved along the chromosome and zoomed in or out. It also displays the time that each algorithm took and provides numerical values of the segmented profiles for download. The web interface calls algorithms written in the statistical language R. We encourage developers of new algorithms to submit their routines to be incorporated into the website.

Availability:  http://compbio.med.harvard.edu/CGHweb

Contact:  peter_park@harvard.edu
A comprehensive assessment of sequence-based and template-based methods for protein contact prediction
Authors: Wu Sitao , Zhang Yang
Published: February 2008

Motivation: Pair-wise residue-residue contacts in proteins can be predicted from both threading templates and sequence-based machine learning. However, most structure modeling approaches only use the template-based contact predictions in guiding the simulations; this is partly because the sequence-based contact predictions are usually considered to be less accurate than that by threading. With the rapid progress in sequence databases and machine-learning techniques, it is necessary to have a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the contact-prediction methods in different template conditions.

Results: We develop two methods for protein-contact predictions: SVM-SEQ is a sequence-based machine learning approach which trains a variety of sequence-derived features on contact maps; SVM-LOMETS collects consensus contact predictions from multiple threading templates. We test both methods on the same set of 554 proteins which are categorized into ‘Easy’, ‘Medium’, ‘Hard’ and ‘Very Hard’ targets based on the evolutionary and structural distance between templates and targets. For the Easy and Medium targets, SVM-LOMETS obviously outperforms SVM-SEQ; but for the Hard and Very Hard targets, the accuracy of the SVM-SEQ predictions is higher than that of SVM-LOMETS by 12–25%. If we combine the SVM-SEQ and SVM-LOMETS predictions together, the total number of correctly predicted contacts in the Hard proteins will increase by more than 60% (or 70% for the long-range contact with a sequence separation ≥24), compared with SVM-LOMETS alone. The advantage of SVM-SEQ is also shown in the CASP7 free modeling targets where the SVM-SEQ is around four times more accurate than SVM-LOMETS in the long-range contact prediction. These data demonstrate that the state-of-the-art sequence-based contact prediction has reached a level which may be helpful in assisting tertiary structure modeling for the targets which do not have close structure templates. The maximum yield should be obtained by the combination of both sequence- and template-based predictions.

Contact:  yzhang@ku.edu

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Out of Hawaii: the origin and biogeography of the genus
Scaptomyza
(Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Authors: O'Grady Patrick , DeSalle Rob
Published: February 2008

The Hawaiian Archipelago is the most isolated island system on the planet and has been the subject of evolutionary research for over a century. The largest radiation of species in Hawaii is the Hawaiian Drosophilidae, a group of approximately 1000 species. Dispersal to isolated island systems like Hawaii is rare and the resultant flora and fauna shows high disharmony with mainland communities. The possibility that some lineages may have originated in Hawaii and subsequently ‘escaped’ to diversify on continental landmasses is expected to be rarer still. We present phylogenetic analysis of 134 partially sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Drosophilidae (approx. 1.3 Mb of sequence total) to address major aspects of adaptive radiation and dispersal in Hawaii. We show that the genus
Scaptomyza
, a group that accounts for approximately one-third of the species-level diversity of Drosophilidae in the Hawaiian Islands, originated in Hawaii, diversified there, and subsequently colonized a number of island and continental landmasses elsewhere on the globe. We propose that a combination of small body size, rapid generation time and unique ecological and physiological adaptations have allowed this genus to effectively disperse and diversify.
Large-scale screening for novel low-affinity extracellular protein interactions
Authors: Bushell K. Mark , Söllner Christian , Schuster-Boeckler Benjamin , Bateman Alex , Wright Gavin J.
Published: February 2008

Extracellular protein–protein interactions are essential for both intercellular communication and cohesion within multicellular organisms. Approximately a fifth of human genes encode membrane-tethered or secreted proteins, but they are largely absent from recent large-scale protein interaction datasets, making current interaction networks biased and incomplete. This discrepancy is due to the unsuitability of popular high-throughput methods to detect extracellular interactions because of the biochemical intractability of membrane proteins and their interactions. For example, cell surface proteins contain insoluble hydrophobic transmembrane regions, and their extracellular interactions are often highly transient, having half-lives of less than a second. To detect transient extracellular interactions on a large scale, we developed AVEXIS (avidity-based extracellular interaction screen), a high-throughput assay that overcomes these technical issues and can detect very transient interactions (half-lives ≤ 0.1 sec) with a low false-positive rate. We used it to systematically screen for receptor–ligand pairs within the zebrafish immunoglobulin superfamily and identified novel ligands for both well-known and orphan receptors. Genes encoding receptor–ligand pairs were often clustered phylogenetically and expressed in the same or adjacent tissues, immediately implying their involvement in similar biological processes. Using AVEXIS, we have determined the first systematic low–affinity extracellular protein interaction network, supported by independent biological data. This technique will now allow large-scale extracellular protein interaction mapping in a broad range of experimental contexts.
A Maize (E)-β-Caryophyllene Synthase Implicated in Indirect Defense Responses against Herbivores Is Not Expressed in Most American Maize Varieties
Authors: Köllner Tobias G. , Held Matthias , Lenk Claudia , Hiltpold Ivan , Turlings Ted C.J. , Gershenzon Jonathan , Degenhardt Jörg
Published: February 2008

The sesquiterpene (E)-β-caryophyllene is emitted by maize (Zea mays) leaves in response to attack by lepidopteran larvae like Spodoptera littoralis and released from roots after damage by larvae of the coleopteran Diabrotica virgifera virgifera. We identified a maize terpene synthase, Terpene Synthase 23 (TPS23), that produces (E)-β-caryophyllene from farnesyl diphosphate. The expression of TPS23 is controlled at the transcript level and induced independently by D. v. virgifera damage in roots and S. littoralis damage in leaves. We demonstrate that (E)-β-caryophyllene can attract natural enemies of both herbivores: entomopathogenic nematodes below ground and parasitic wasps, after an initial learning experience, above ground. The biochemical properties of TPS23 are similar to those of (E)-β-caryophyllene synthases from dicotyledons but are the result of repeated evolution. The sequence of TPS23 is maintained by positive selection in maize and its closest wild relatives, teosinte (Zea sp) species. The gene encoding TPS23 is active in teosinte species and European maize lines, but decreased transcription in most North American lines resulted in the loss of (E)-β-caryophyllene production. We argue that the (E)-β-caryophyllene defense signal was lost during breeding of the North American lines and that its restoration might help to increase the resistance of these lines against agronomically important pests.
Identification of a Novel Adenine Nucleotide Transporter in the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Arabidopsis
Authors: Leroch Michaela , Neuhaus H. Ekkehard , Kirchberger Simon , Zimmermann Sandra , Melzer Michael , Gerhold Joachim , Tjaden Joachim
Published: February 2008

Many metabolic reactions in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) require high levels of energy in the form of ATP, which is important for cell viability. Here, we report on an adenine nucleotide transporter residing in the ER membranes of Arabidopsis thaliana (ER-ANT1). Functional integration of ER-ANT1 in the cytoplasmic membrane of intact Escherichia coli cells reveals a high specificity for an ATP/ADP antiport. Immunodetection in transgenic ER-ANT1-C-MYC-tag Arabidopsis plants and immunogold labeling of wild-type pollen grain tissue using a peptide-specific antiserum reveal the localization of this carrier in ER membranes. Transgenic ER-ANT1-promoter-β-glucuronidase Arabidopsis lines show high expression in ER-active tissues (i.e., pollen, seeds, root tips, apical meristems, or vascular bundles). Two independent ER-ANT1 Arabidopsis knockout lines indicate a high physiological relevance of ER-ANT1 for ATP transport into the plant ER (e.g., disruption of ER-ANT1 results in a drastic retardation of plant growth and impaired root and seed development). In these ER-ANT1 knockout lines, the expression levels of several genes encoding ER proteins that are dependent on a sufficient ATP supply (i.e., BiP [for luminal binding protein] chaperones, calreticulin chaperones, Ca2+-dependent protein kinase, and SEC61) are substantially decreased.
Maize Genome Structure Variation: Interplay between Retrotransposon Polymorphisms and Genic Recombination
Authors: Dooner Hugo K. , He Limei
Published: February 2008

Although maize (Zea mays) retrotransposons are recombinationally inert, the highly polymorphic structure of maize haplotypes raises questions regarding the local effect of intergenic retrotransposons on recombination. To examine this effect, we compared recombination in the same genetic interval with and without a large retrotransposon cluster. We used three different bz1 locus haplotypes, McC, B73, and W22, in the same genetic background. We analyzed recombination between the bz1 and stc1 markers in heterozygotes that differ by the presence and absence of a 26-kb intergenic retrotransposon cluster. To facilitate the genetic screen, we used Ds and Ac markers that allowed us to identify recombinants by their seed pigmentation. We sequenced 239 recombination junctions and assigned them to a single nucleotide polymorphism–delimited interval in the region. The genetic distance between the markers was twofold smaller in the presence of the retrotransposon cluster. The reduction was seen in bz1 and stc1, but no recombination occurred in the highly polymorphic intergenic region of either heterozygote. Recombination within genes shuffled flanking retrotransposon clusters, creating new chimeric haplotypes and either contracting or expanding the physical distance between markers. Our findings imply that haplotype structure will profoundly affect the correlation between genetic and physical distance for the same interval in maize.
Background to the Teaching of Industrial Crafts
Authors: Macqueen W.M.
Published: February 2008

Mr Macqueen proceeds from a description of the problems which industry and society in general create for those learning and teaching industrial crafts to some useful suggestions for the teacher of craft skills.
THE TEACHING OF AREAS AND VOLUMES
Authors: Hansbury J.
Published: February 2008

The teaching scheme outlined is intended to apply to those students who are able to conceive fairly readily what is meant by ‘area’ and ‘volume’. To one for whom these terms have real meaning it is difficult to appreciate the non‐comprehension on the part of others, but perhaps their position may be more readily appreciated if one were asked to explain, or handle mathematically, say, the fourth dimension or any of the mathematical operators.
Religion in the schools
Authors: Short Edward
Published: February 2008

Religious education in English schools did not begin in 1944 or, indeed in 1870. In fact it might be claimed that in its origins English education was both religious and technical — or at least vocational — since its first aim was to train clerics and that meant, in the medieval context, men to serve the state in finance and administration as well as men to serve the church. Of course this education was for the few, for the very few, but it is worth remembering that it was the only road by which a poor boy could escape from the narrow environment to which his birth would otherwise have confined him.
Educational technology and the engineers
Authors: Webb Colin
Published: February 2008

A report on the use of audio‐visual group systems to give instruction in engineering theory to first year apprentices by the Head of Educational Technology, Bromsgrove College of Further Education.
Why student welfare?
Authors: Wakeham Barbara
Published: February 2008

Barbara Wakeham writes on FE student welfare.
IN MEMORIAM
Authors: Logan David
Published: February 2008

David Logan, a former deputy president of the NUS and now at the Institute of Education, examines the work of the select committee.
THE SHADOW OF THE POLYTECHNICS — 3
Authors: HAMER D.
Published: February 2008

The Director for Resources of Manchester Polytechnic suggests that the ‘other colleges’ would benefit from formal affiliation with the poly in their region.
The happiest days?
Authors: Johnson BS
Published: February 2008

Usually one can find a pattern in an experience as long as an education, draw the threads together to shape an article like this. I have thought for a long time about my own, but it has not been possible: how can you impose a pattern on chaos?
OSAB on the job
Authors: Grantley David
Published: February 2008

There are two main reasons why overseas students from the developing countries need particular help in obtaining practical training in Britain. First they, and their universities and colleges, find it harder to obtain training and have problems peculiar to themselves. Secondly, the developing countries are badly in need of trained people and cannot themselves provide sufficient practical training, even when they can supply the academic.
Adapting the Nuffield approach
Authors: Gratton D. , Morgan T.D.N. , Richards D.J.P.
Published: February 2008

In 1969 it was decided to undertake a project at the London College of Printing to establish the feasibility and desirability of adapting to the needs of Printing Craft students the material produced by the Nuffield projects for ‘O’ level Physics and Chemistry. It was considered necessary to establish the objectives of teaching science to students following City and Guilds courses and to obtain the views of experienced teachers on the most appropriate teaching method. It was also decided to investigate the response of the students to selected topics from the ‘O’ level Physics and Chemistry schemes. This article describes the work carried out to achieve these two aims.
Ten years of change in the classroom
Authors: Mansell Jack
Published: February 2008

The last decade has seen no easing of the forces for change, both inside and outside the classroom or lecture theatre. The Plowden and Newsom reports, in terms of primary and secondary education, continued the exercise, possibly started by Crowther and reinforced by Robbins, of prescribing the use of educational processes as a way of reconciling equality of personal opportunity with the various needs and demands of our society. Thus teachers and lecturers continue to be seen as essential participants in these educational processes and, although not necessarily in the mainstream of their recommendations, few major educational reports today fail to comment on the teacher's role in one way or another. Crowther had, for example, expected County College tutors to bridge the gap between secondary and further education because of the ‘combination of teaching and general pastoral care’ that was required. Robbins mentioned receiving ‘extensive complaints concerning methods of instruction’ and recommended that newly appointed junior teachers in higher education ‘should have organised opportunity to acquaint themselves with the techniques both of lecturing and of conducting small group discussions’. Similarly, Plowden told primary teachers to ‘enlarge their endeavours and enlist parents interest to a greater extent in their children's education’, and Newsom recommended that the training of all teachers should include sociological and environmental studies, with special reference to the problems of pupils in culturally deprived areas. It is interesting to note that over the seven years represented by the issue of these four reports there shows through a growing awareness of the environmental and cultural influences outside school.
Productivity in the office
Authors: Walsh ACIS MISM William
Published: February 2008

As part of a research into flexible working hours in offices, the question ‘Has it improved productivity?’ was put to a number of executives. Their replies form the basis of the material in this article.
… and the brightest shall be made dim
Authors: Boyson Rhodes
Published: February 2008

Examinations fulfil a variety of functions in the educational system. Presuming that most boys and girls do not naturally always try their hardest, they encourage industry and hard work, they determine that a set body of study is covered, they test the competence both of pupils and teachers, and they provide through external examinations a court of appeal against the prejudice of a school and its staff. In a wider context, examinations offer some guarantee of professional competence amongst eg doctors, engineers, accountants, airline pilots.
New look for the HNC in engineering
Authors: Johnson E.R. , Tattersall F.
Published: February 2008

In 1967 the existing schemes for ONCs and HNCs in Engineering were replaced by a new scheme.
Further education for life
Authors: Whitehead A.K.
Published: February 2008

Education, as a description and process, has come to be associated with an extremely narrow range of activity: namely that of formal classroom teaching. This has implications not only for the short‐term development of the individual, but also for the long‐term development of society. In both these respects it is necessary to see education in a considerably broader context than hitherto; especially if, as we claim from time to time, we are really concerned with lifetime education. Within the context of a dynamic economy, the different sectors of which change at differential rates as between each other and individually over time, this has several important implications. This article attempts to outline some of these implications and to suggest a possible method for dealing with them.
Management problems in further education
Authors: Thorns David
Published: February 2008

The application of organizational theory to educational institutions is providing a welcome insight into the functioning of the Further Education college. Like other organizations, schools and colleges have relationships with the external environment which may closely circumscribe the operation of any particular institution. The work of the FE college is constrained by a variety of external factors, as in the field of curriculum development where the number of examining bodies is almost legion. Moreover, there is a case for suggesting that, viewed historically, further education has been subjected to an increasing number of major environmental constraints of which the establishment of the Regional Advisory Councils, the introduction of Industrial Training Boards and the implementation of the binary policy are conspicuous examples. For this reason alone it becomes especially important to analyse the internal dynamics of the FE college. This paper considers some of the implications of the changes which have occurred in the structure of the colleges during the last three or four decades, in the anticipation that it may shed additional light upon the functioning of the modern college organization.
Legislating for safety
Authors: Walsh ACIS MISM William
Published: February 2008

The Royal Assent to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 received a sixteen line paragraph in Topics for September. In dozens of journals it did not even rate a mention. But if what Lord Robens in his 1972 Report saw as necessary for securing better standards of health and safety at work is to be realised, the education and training programme necessary is wide and deep.
Workers on the campus in Sri Lanka
Authors: Udalagama D.B.
Published: February 2008

The workers' continuing education scheme at the Colombo campus of the University of Sri Lanka (Ceylon), started three years ago, has, in the opinion of the council of management, been so successful that it was extended last year to the campus at Peradeniya; and it is hoped that similar courses will be started on two more campuses this year. A unique feature is that 22 students who obtained honours at the end‐of‐course examination in 1972, and 58 who obtained honours in 1973, have been admitted to a three‐year degree course at the University in “Development Studies”, a job‐orientated course.
Schools at risk
Authors: Cobban CBE James
Published: February 2008

It now seems clear that the present Government does not intend to make a frontal attack on the independent schools as such, though it may subject them to a policy of harassment. But there is one clearly defined sector of independent education that is at risk. This comprises the direct‐grant schools, which receive a capitation grant direct from the DES. In return they must award at least 25% of their entry as ‘free‐places’, the fees being paid by the local education authorities, or in default by the school itself. The remainder of the entry is fee‐paying. But parents of day‐pupils are eligible for the remission of some part, or even the whole, of the fee in accordance with a generously‐graded income‐scale, the balance being paid by the Department.
Education behind the bamboo curtain
Authors: Parker Franklin
Published: February 2008

Education is regarded as one of the State's main ways to achieve Chinese communism and to create the new Chinese man and woman.
Rubber and Plastics
Authors: Clarke M.S.
Published: February 2008

Each of Britain's 12,000 secondary schools has been sent a copy of a new 20 page booklet entitled ‘Careers in the Rubber and Plastics Industries’.
Organizational meteorology
Authors: Redding Gordon
Published: February 2008

Practising managers, particularly those in charge of large numbers of people in one work unit, such as a factory or a department store, are accustomed to talk about ‘morale’ as an important aspect of their work. It is often held to be the thing that makes the difference between high and low productivity. A manager who can create this sense of belonging and commitment among his staff tends to be highly valued, and visiting superiors often develop sensitive antennae for detecting the ‘atmosphere’ in a work situation — expressed in the way people behave towards each other, to their bosses, to customers, and in the attitude with which they carry out the basic operations of their work.
The makings of a manager
Authors: Walsh ACIS MISM William
Published: February 2008

Ask young executives what they think management is, and one is given a vague and somewhat confused answer: linking together the work of a lot of people by such techniques as organisation and meetings.
Management education around the world
Authors: Jones Lyndon
Published: February 2008

In the 'fifties and 'sixties the education industry mushroomed. Countries, notably America, broke through to a goal of democratised, mass higher education. The golden era had dawned. Today, in contrast, in many western countries the euphoric bubble has burst. Education, particularly higher education, is viewed by many with a mixture of cynicism, sadness and puzzlement. The riots and fanaticism of the sixties, the neo‐fascism and thuggery of certain elements of the left in the seventies, have taken their toll. Why pay high salaries to under‐employed professors to educate activist students who hold society in co?
The economics of correspondence tuition
Authors: Jones Lyndon
Published: February 2008

No precise figures are available regarding the number of students enrolled with UK‐based correspondence colleges. Various estimates have been made. Possibly the most accurate is that cited by the Council for the Accreditation of Correspondence Colleges, which puts the figure in the region of 600,000. Not all these students are living in the UK, nor is it likely that all are actively pursuing their course of studies. Nevertheless, it can be confidently asserted that the number studying by this method is very substantial.
Promoting the right qualities
Authors: Denyer James
Published: February 2008

Too often, promotion from the working level arises merely as the result of being a good worker. There is nothing wrong with this, because a supervisor needs to have a good knowledge of the work. Thus, in the teaching world, a supervisory grade does need to be a good teacher, because he has to be able to guide, enthuse, correct, and set a good example to other teachers.
The belief that technical education is illiberal
Authors: Young Tom
Published: February 2008

The widespread introduction of “liberal” or “general” studies into technical courses has been one of the most conspicuous changes in further education in England and Wales during the post‐war years. The process has been marked by the setting‐up in many colleges of separate — often large — academic departments for the work, by the provision of facilities and amenities on a scale hitherto rare, and by the appointment of teaching staff in subject specialisms formerly uncommon in technical colleges. The whole operation has thereby altered not only the content and structure of most technical courses, but also the characteristics of many of the institutions themselves.
The fire service
Authors: Lamb R.T.B
Published: February 2008

The fireman's first duty is to save life, his second to preserve property by fighting fires, his third to render humanitarian services.
Learning economics
Authors: Curzon L.B.
Published: February 2008

The object of this article is the setting out of some of the major problems which may confront the student who is taking his first steps into the realms of economic theory, together with some suggestions which may make that journey easier and more productive.
A year between school and higher education
Authors: Allen Bill
Published: February 2008

The idea that there should be a break between school and higher education has been increasing in popularity. Between 1965 and 1973 a series of studies, surveys, and reports indicated strong support for such a break. Many students spoke vehemently in its favour; other students regretted that they had not delayed their entry into higher education; and admission officers at universities and colleges often preached the benefits of some form of “experience” prior to the commencement of an academic course. The 1972 White Paper A Framework for Expansion endorsed the idea as enabling the student to gain more experience of the world and use his higher education to better purpose.
Colour video‐the new training aid
Authors: Baxter Roy
Published: February 2008

Although the systematic approach to training has now all but become a byword in industry and commerce, its practical implications can be observed by the growing numbers of companies who are taking the subject of training seriously, not only on the shop floor but also in the boardroom.
Three and a half centuries on — the Great Debate continues
Authors: Gee Brian , Stewart Richard
Published: February 2008

In 1976, at Ruskin College, the Prime Minister made a rare and detailed excursion into the overgrown field of education, pin‐pointing a number of areas of concern and calling for a national debate. “Respond positively” was his plea. With apologies to Galileo and his Dialogue Concerning Two New Sciences of 1632 between Simplicio, Sagredo, and Salviati, we envisage Politicio the politician, Pedagogio the scholar, and Paternio the parent responding to the speech.
Counselling for tutors in adult education
Authors: Goodman Sylvia
Published: February 2008

Problems do not magically cease when pupils leave full‐time education. When the Department of Adult Studies was set up in Harrow, one of the first worries to surface was the feeling of inadequacy experienced by part‐time tutors in the face of their students' problems. The students were men and women of all ages, and their problems ranged from medical to marital, financial to fostering, emotional to educational. They attended classes in a variety of non‐vocational subjects for a couple of hours each week.
The function of regional management centres
Authors: Oakes Gordon
Published: February 2008

A great many of our shortcomings can be traced back to inadequate management, whether for want of foresight, inexperience, or simply a lack of appropriate training. There have been shining exceptions, it is true; but in the main, any enterprise can only be as good as its managers allow. And our record seems to speak for itself. If management is falling short of our needs, then we have to look again at the process by which managers are produced, educated, trained, and assisted to keep up with new developments. This is what we are concerned with here at this conference.
Running a management course
Authors: Selby Brian
Published: February 2008

Those who have come on management courses which have aims such as the improvement of communication or interpersonal skills often arrive in a state of considerable uncertainty. Very frequently they have little idea what is in store, why they have been sent on the course, and what they can expect to get out of it. They also feel vulnerable, because they have been taken away from a familiar work situation to a training centre where their fellow guests may all be strangers. They fear that they may be inadequate and show up badly in comparison to the others, and that carefully built‐up defences may be broken down when exposed to the gaze of their peers and the course directing staff.
Stimulation by simulation
Authors: Sykes Pam
Published: February 2008

There has been welcome comment in recent months from all shades of political opinion and from all levels in society, from the Prime Minister downwards, calling for more relevant education as a contribution towards regenerating British industry. However, one relevant technique in business education in Britain remains under‐utilised: business simulation exercises, or “business games”. As the essence of business is that of decision‐taking, and as the quality of decisions made is the single most important factor in economic performance (no amount of investment will create wealth if it is misdirected), surely this technique has a major contribution to play in education for business?
Education for change
Authors: Huczynski A.A.
Published: February 2008

What would teachers and lecturers do if they found out that the syllabus they were using to prepare their students for an external examination was out of date? That while they had been teaching, the examining board had changed the syllabus and, as a result of the failure of the teacher to take notice of this, the student was unable to pass the examination at the end of the course? Luckily, you may reply, teachers pay careful attention to such matters; and it is rare that a course of preparation is irrelevant to the end examination.