bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of initial low oxygen and perforated film package on quality of fresh‐cut cabbages
Authors: Hu Wenzhong , Jiang Aili , Qi Haiping , Pang Kun , Fan Shengdi
Published: June 2007

The effects of perforated film packages (PFP) with different oxygen partial pressures (5, 8 and 10 kPa) and a barrier package (BP) at 21 kPa of O2 on the quality of fresh‐cut cabbages were studied at 5 and 20 °C. The microbial growth, appearance, flavor, ascorbic acid content and polyphenol oxidase activity were determined during storage. The results indicated that fresh‐cut cabbages had better color retention and quality in PFP. Oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and browning of fresh‐cut cabbage were inhibited effectively using a PFP and an initial oxygen partial pressure equal to 5 kPa. Analysis of microbial growth also showed that the total count on fresh‐cut cabbage was relative lower in PFP with an initial low O2 content. Loss of total ascorbic acid was much lower in PFP than that in BP by suppressing AA oxidation. The results of sensory evaluation showed that flavor and appearance were maintained effectively at 5 °C and significant differences in flavor were found between PFP and BP both at 5 and 20 °C, while significant differences in appearance were found between PFP and BP only at 20 °C. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Non‐Ionic Water‐Soluble Crown‐Ether‐Substituted Polyfluorene as Fluorescent Probe for Lead Ion Assays
Authors: Yu Minghui , He Fang , Tang Yanli , Wang Shu , Li Yuliang , Zhu Daoben
Published: June 2007

A new non‐ionic water‐soluble polyfluorene that contains two benzo‐18‐crown‐6 side chains per repeat unit (PFDC) is synthesized and characterized. Upon addition of Pb2+ ions to a solution of PFDC, the PFDC fluorescence is strongly quenched. The minor interference from other metal ions, especial from Cu2+ and Hg2+ions, clearly shows that the PFDC can be used to detect Pb2+ ions with high selectivity. The fluorescence quenching of PFDC in solution originates from the multivalent coordination of the crown‐ether moieties to Pb2+ ions followed by precipitation. In comparison to ionic conjugated polymers, the pH of the medium shows less effect on the binding of non‐ionic PFDC to Pb2+ ions.

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Extending Software Project Agility with New Product Development Enterprise Agility
Authors: Kettunen Petri
Published: June 2007

Many new product development (NPD) companies must nowadays work under turbulent conditions. The market competition is often fierce, while at the same time new and sometimes even disruptive technological uncertainties emerge. Speed and flexibility are then key success factors. Agility is thus a prospective strategy for such companies. The (embedded) software product development projects working in such environments face the turbulence either directly or indirectly, and agile software methods could potentially help to cope with the challenges. However, in large NPD environments the software project agility must be combined with the overall enterprise agility in order for the company to meet the ultimate business goals. This exploratory article investigates software project agility from that point of view by constructing a framework of the considerations for larger NPD companies to achieve more overarching agility. The software process improvement (SPI) activities can then be focused accordingly. An industrial product development case example is illustrated, suggesting how software product development agility should be improved within the larger organizational context (SPI‐in‐the‐large). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Urinary incontinence: patient‐ centred guidelines
Authors: Ismail, Sharif I.M.F.
Published: June 2007

Dr Ismail summarises the latest guidelines on the management of urinary incontinence in women, highlighting some of the more controversial changes recommended and discussing the likely implications for primary care. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Interface Ltd
Management of hypertension and pre‐eclampsia in pregnancy
Authors: Chandiramani, M. , Waugh, J.J.S. , Shennan, A.H.
Published: June 2007

The authors discuss the importance of early identification of women at risk of developing hypertension or preeclampsia during pregnancy. Regular antenatal surveillance, with timely referral to an obstetrician for appropriate prophylactic and antihypertensive interventions, will optimise the health of both mother and baby. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Interface Ltd
Ionic Ozonides
Authors: Jansen Martin , Nuss Hanne
Published: June 2007

Ionic Ozonides [1] were mentioned for the first time during the second half of the nineteenth century. However, fundamental aspects of their chemistry and physics remained obscure until more recently procedures had been provided that allow for their syntheses in gram‐amounts, and in high purity. Respective preparative approaches start by reacting the alkali metal superoxides KO2, RbO2, or CsO2 with O2/O3 mixtures, at punctilious temperature control. Subsequently, the raw product is extracted with liquid ammonia. From the solution obtained, solid ozonides are harvested and purified by recrystallization. As rather versatile and efficient accesses to ozonides of further cations, metathesis reactions or cation exchange in liquid ammonia have been developed. The samples obtained have allowed for full structural and basic physical characterizations. All ionic ozonides known are metastable with respect to release of dioxygen, [NMe4]O3 being the most stable one (onset of rapid decomposition at 348 K). Depending on the respective crystal field, the bond lengths and angles of the ozonide anion vary significantly, and consistently, from 135 to 129 pm, and 113 to 120°, respectively. The magnetic moments of the paramagnetic O3− determined by susceptibility measurements (1.70–1.80 μB) deviate but slightly from the spin‐only value for one unpaired electron. This finding complies well with the small anisotropy of the g‐factors.

As an achievement of possibly far reaching consequences, stable solutions of ionic ozonides in organic solvents have become available, opening the way to the use of O3− as a ligand, or synthon, in coordination and molecular chemistry.
[Yb(NH3)8][Yb(Pyr)6] – Elektrid‐induzierte Synthese und Kristallisation aus flüssigem Ammoniak
Authors: Müller‐Buschbaum Klaus
Published: June 2007

[Yb(NH3)8][Yb(Pyr)6]: Electride Induced Synthesis and Crystallization from Liquid Ammonia

Single crystalline yellow [Yb(NH3)8][Yb(Pyr)6] (Pyr− = pyrrolate anion, C4H4N−) was obtained by the reaction of ytterbium metal with pyrrole (C4H4NH) in liquid ammonia at −35 °C. Significant excess of ammonia together with avoiding a pyrrole excess prevents formation of the molecular compound [Yb(Pyr)3(PyrH)2(NH3)2]. [Yb(NH3)8][Yb(Pyr)6] consists of two homoleptic ionic units and rapidly decomposes if removed from the ammonia atmosphere, viz. it shows an ammonia vapour pressure >1 bar.
Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structures of Four Dinuclear Schiff Base Nickel(II) and Copper(II) Complexes with Versatile Bridging Groups
Authors: Qiu Xiao‐Yang , Liu Wei‐Sheng , Zhu Hai‐Liang
Published: June 2007

Four novel Schiff base nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes, derived from the end‐on (μ1,1‐N3) azide, end‐to‐end (μ1,3‐NCS) thiocyanate, or phenolate oxygen bridges, have been synthesized and their crystal structures determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. They are the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Ni2(L1)2(MeCN)2(μ1,1‐N3)2]·MeOH (1), the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Ni2(L2)2(MeOH)2(μ1,1‐N3)2][Ni2(L2)2(OH2)2(μ1,1‐N3)2]·MeOH (2), the dinuclear double end‐to‐end thiocyanate‐bridged [Cu2(L3)2(μ1,3‐NCS)2] (3), and the dinuclear double phenolate O‐bridged [Cu2(L4)2(NCS)2] (4), where HL1, HL2, HL3 and HL4 are four tridentate Schiff bases obtained by the condensation of 3,5‐dibromosalicylaldehyde with N‐ethylethane‐1,2‐diamine, of 3,5‐dichlorosalicylaldehyde with N‐methylpropane‐1,3‐diamine, of 3‐bromo‐5‐chlorosalicylaldehyde with 2‐aminomethylpyridine, and of 5‐nitrosalicylaldehyde with 2‐aminomethylpyridine, respectively. Each nickel(II) atom in 1 and 2 is in an octahedral coordination, while each copper(II) atom in 3 and 4 is in a square pyramidal coordination. There exists crystallographic inversion centre symmetry in each of the complexes.
Phosphorus NMR and Ab Initio Modelling of P–N Bond Rotamers of a Sterically Crowded Chiral β‐P4S3 Diamide
Authors: Tattershall Bruce W. , Knight Julian G. , Andrews Mark J.
Published: June 2007

Reaction of bicyclic β‐P4S3I2 with enantiomerically pure (R)‐Hpthiq (1‐phenyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline) and Et3N gave a solution of a single diastereomer of the unusually stable diamide β‐P4S3(pthiq)2, accounting for 83 % of the phosphorus content. Despite the steric bulk of the substituents, each amide group of this could adopt either of two rotameric positions about their P–N bonds, so that, at 183 K, 31P NMR multiplets for four rotamers could be observed and the spectra of three of them analysed fully. The large 2J(P–P–P) coupling became greater (253, 292, 304 Hz) with decreasing abundance of the individual rotamers. The rotamers were modelled at the ab initio RHF/3–21G* level, and relative NMR chemical shifts predicted by the GIAO method using a locally dense basis set, allowing the observed spectra to be assigned to structures. Calculations at the same level for the model compound α‐P4S3(pthiq)Cl confirmed the assignments of low‐temperature rotamers of α‐P4S3(pthiq)I reported previously. Changes in observed P–P coupling constants and 31P chemical shifts, on rotating a pthiq substituent, could then be compared between β‐P4S3(pthiq)2 and α‐P4S3(pthiq)I, confirming both sets of assignments. The most abundant rotamer of β‐P4S3(pthiq)2 was not the one with the least sterically crowded sides of both pthiq substituents pointing towards the P4S3 cage, because of interaction between the two substituents. Only by using a DFT method could relative abundances of rotamers of β‐P4S3(pthiq)2 be predicted to be in the observed order. Use of racemic Hpthiq gave also the two diastereomers of β‐P4S3(pthiq)2 with Cs symmetry, for which the room temperature 31P{1H} NMR spectra were analysed fully.
Zur Charakterisierung von Orthogonalpolynomen in zwei Veränderlichen
Authors: Blankenagel Jürgen
Published: June 2007

In Arbeiten des Verfassers und von F. W. Schäfke und G. Wolf wurde aufgezeigt, wie sich für Orthogonalpolynome in einer Veränderlichen zu sehr verschiedenen Skalarprodukten Differentialrekursionen und Differentialgleichungen nach einheitlichem Schema herleiten lassen; nämlich, indem man ähnliche einfache Überlegungen, wie sie zum Beweis der klassischen dreigliedrigen Rekursion benutzt werden, auf geeignete zueinander adjungierte Differentialoperatoren anwendet. In dieser Arbeit wird nun dargestellt, wie sich dieses Prinzip auf Orthogonalpolynome in zwei Veränderlichen übertragen läßt, wie man damit die bekannten Ergebnisse erhalten kann und welche Formeln in bisher noch nicht behandelten Fällen entstehen.
Asymptotische Abschätzung inverser Matrizen mit einer Anwendung auf partielle Differentialgleichungen
Authors: Berg L.
Published: June 2007

Für die Elemente der Inversen von Bandmatrizen mit konstanten Elementen in den Schrägzeilen wird unter zusätzlichen Voraussetzungen eine Abschätzung hergeleitet, die vom Format der Matrizen unabhängig ist. Diese Abschätzung wird benutzt, um für formale Reihenlösungen partieller Differentialgleichungen mit mehrgliedrigem Hauptbestandteil die Konvergenz nachzuweisen.
An Embedding Technique for a Class of Problems in Elastic Stability
Authors: Komkov V.
Published: June 2007

By including the length, shape and elastic moduli as additional parameters the problem of elastic stability acquires a new formulation permitting us to establish stability criteria independent of the usual manipulation of the Rayleigh quotient, or of the Rayleigh‐Ritz, or Galerkin schemes. Moreover, this technique permits us to establish two‐sided estimates concerning the values of critical loads in a manner much simpler than the Weinstein or Fichera procedures.
Non‐Linear Elastic Analysis of Circular Beams Loaded by Co‐planar Concentrated Forces
Authors: Panayotounakos D. E. , Theocaris P. S.
Published: June 2007

In this investigation an analytical procedure for the non‐linear elastic analysis of a cantilever circular beam subjected to a concentrated co‐planar force at its free end is presented. According to this method the non‐linear differential equations, describing the equilibrium of the deformed beam, were decoupled and a closed‐form solution under the form of elliptic integrals was obtained.
Amides ofa‐sulfonated palmitic and stearic acids
Authors: Weil J. K. , Stirton A. J. , Bistline R. G.
Published: June 2007

Carboxylic acid amides of α‐sulfopalmitic and α‐sulfostearic acids were prepared from ammonia, ethylamine, ethanolamine, isopropylalcoholamine, diethanolamine, and N‐methyltaurine, and were isolated as the sodium, ammonium, or ethanolammonium salt.

A satisfactory method was found to be the reaction of the sulfocarboxylic acid with an excess of thionyl chloride, and further reaction of the acid chloride with an amine in a chlorinated solvent. More work is needed on the application of direct amidation methods to the preparation of these compounds.

The solubility of the α‐sulfonated amides increased with substitution of alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and sulfoalkyl groups at the nitrogen atom. Ethanolammonium N‐hydroxyethyl‐α‐sulfopalmitamide, ethanolammonium N‐hydroxyethyl‐α‐sulfostearamide, sodium N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)‐α‐sulfostearamide, sodium di‐(N‐hydroxyethyl)‐α‐sulfostearamide, and disodium N‐methyl,N‐(2‐sulfoethyl)‐α‐sulfostearamide have aqueous solubility in excess of 10% at room temperature.

Most of the sodium salts of the α‐sulfonated amides have good or excellent stability to calcium and other divalent ions and are excellent lime soap dispersing agents.
Effects of soybean pretreatments on crude oil quality
Authors: Chu Yan‐Hwa
Published: June 2007

The effects of soybean pretreatments, including infrared (IR) radiation, oven toasting, microwave heating and live steam treatment on crude oil quality were investigated. Free fatty acid, oxidation value, carbonyl value and tocopherol content were used to monitor crude soybean oil quality. All soybean pretreatments were effective in improving the quality of oils from 15 and 18% moisture beans. Based on the analyses, recommended treatments are 3–4 min for IR at 220V–250W; 1 min for microwave heating at 650 W–2450 mHz; 1–1.5 min for steam heating; and 100–120°C, 30 min for oven toasting. Heat treatment of high‐moisture soybeans before extraction yielded crude oil with a lower content of phosphatidic acid as compared to that of the untreated beans.
Effect of controlled temperature environments on oil content and on fatty acid composition of corn oil
Authors: Thompson D. L. , Jellum M. D. , Young C. T.
Published: June 2007

Total oil content and fatty acid composition of germ and endosperm oil were determined on grain from three inbred lines and one variety of corn (Zea mays L.) grown in four phytotron environments and one standard greenhouse environment during seed maturation. Pronounced differences occurred with reversals for relative percentages of oleic and linoleic acids of germ oil for one inbred line and for the variety. Comparative trends were generally less pronounced for two of the inbred lines. Differences among environments were less evident for palmitic, stearic, and linolenic acids of germ oil and for the fatty acids of the endosperm oil. Total oil was lowest for two inbred lines and the variety grown in the high temperature environment (30 C day/26 C night). The magnitude of temperature effects on oil content and oil composition varied among the four corn genotypes.
Direct cleavage of internal epoxides with periodic acid
Authors: Maerker G. , Haeberer E. T.
Published: June 2007

Reaction of methyl esters of epoxidized fatty acids with paraperiodic acid led to direct cleavage of epoxide functions and the production of aldehydes and methyl azelaaldehydate. The reaction was carried out in aqueous dioxane. The use of other solvents and the influence of reaction variables was examined. The reaction is essentially quantitative for methyl, 9,10‐epoxystearate.
Safflower oil adducts as plasticizers
Authors: Teeter H. M. , Cowan J. C. , Gast L. E. , Yurgen W. J. , Clark R. A.
Published: June 2007

Eleven esters and epoxides of adducts of conjugated linoleic acid with maleic and acrylic acids, and eight esters and epoxides of adducts of vegetable oils with acrylic and maleic esters were evaluated as plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile rubber, and polyvinylidene chloride, and in PVC plastisols. The dimethyl ester of the acrylic adduct of linoleic acid and its epoxide were the most promising as plasticizers for PVC and in PVC plastisols as their performance compared favorably with that of controls. In polyvinylidene chloride however these adducts had a slight adverse effect on color stability. The vegetable oil adduct esters and epoxides were incompatible with PVC but had extremely good compatibility with acrylonitrile rubber. In general, they performed like the petroleum type of plasticizers but were less volatile and less easily extractable.
The discoid meniscus
Authors: Yaniv Moshe , Blumberg Nehemia
Published: June 2007

Discoid lateral meniscus is an intra-articular knee disorder typically presented in the young population and during adolescence. Different types of meniscal disorders and varied forms of presentation have been reported. The natural history depends on the type of anomaly and the presence of symptoms. Management of the disorder should be directed toward the resolution of the symptoms while preserving meniscal tissue and function. Modern surgical techniques enable suturing and preservation of meniscal tissue. The clinical manifestations, diagnostic modalities and criteria, accompanying conditions and practical management considerations are reviewed.
War and insecurity: legacies of Northern and Southern state formation
Authors: DANNREUTHER ROLAND
Published: June 2007

Much of the post-Cold War discourse about contemporary warfare posits a binary opposition between a ‘democratic peace’ in the North and the prevalence of virulent ‘new wars’ in the South. This article seeks to qualify these accounts by bringing out the deeper historical and sociological legacies of state formation critical for understanding the emergence of an internal peace amongst developed countries and the continuing insecurity and multiple civil wars in many poorer developing regions. It is argued that two features of Southern state formation – the external imposition of states and the enforced norm against territorial aggrandisement – have significantly constrained the development of many developing states, making it more difficult for them to forge strong, synergistic states whose security concerns are externally- rather than internally-oriented. The article argues that there is, though, much variation in how Southern states have responded to these historical legacies of state formation. The article concludes with a four-fold taxonomy to replace the simple North-South bifurcation, differentiating between developed, globalising, praetorian and failed states and identifying the differing potential for, and incidence of, violent conflict, insecurity, and war within these four types of state.
Effect of the incorporation of FeAlO3 into MgSiO3 perovskite on the post‐perovskite transition
Authors: Nishio‐Hamane Daisuke , Fujino Kiyoshi , Seto Yusuke , Nagai Takaya
Published: June 2007

Effect of the incorporation of FeAlO3 into MgSiO3 perovskite on post‐perovskite transition was investigated in Mg0.85Fe0.15Al0.15Si0.85O3 on the basis of high pressure and temperature in‐situ X‐ray diffraction experiments using a laser heated diamond anvil cell. Results demonstrate that single perovskite is stable up to 143 GPa and 2500 K and perovskite and post‐perovskite coexist at 157‐162 GPa and 1600–2500 K for the pressure scales by Tsuchiya (2003). Post‐perovskite formed as single phase at 176–178 GPa and 1600–2600 K. The post‐perovskite transition pressure in Mg0.85Fe0.15Al0.15Si0.85O3 was much higher than that in MgSiO3. The present experimental study indicates that the incorporation of FeAlO3 component expands the stability region of perovskite toward high pressure. The FeAlO3 concentration may strongly influence the thickness of the D″ layer at the lowermost of the lower mantle.
Propranolol causes a paradoxical enhancement of cardiomyocyte foetal gene response to hypertrophic stimuli
Authors: Patrizio M , Musumeci M , Stati T , Fasanaro P , Palazzesi S , Catalano L , Marano G
Published: June 2007

Background and purpose:

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is associated with the expression of a gene profile reminiscent of foetal development. The non selective β‐adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol is able to blunt cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response in pressure‐overloaded hearts. It remains to be determined whether propranolol also attenuates the expression of hypertrophy‐associated foetal genes.

Experimental approach:

To address this question, the foetal gene programme, of which atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), the β‐isoform of myosin heavy chain (β‐MHC), and the α‐skeletal muscle isoform of actin (skACT) are classical members, was induced by thoracic aortic coarctation (TAC) in C57BL/6 mice, or by phenylephrine, a selective α1‐adrenoceptor agonist, in cultured rat neonatal cardiomyocytes.

Key results:

In TAC mice, the left ventricular weight‐to‐body weight (LVW/BW) ratio increased by 35% after 2 weeks. Levels of ANP, β‐MHC and skACT mRNA in the left ventricles increased 2.2‐fold, 2.0‐fold and 12.1‐fold, respectively, whereas α‐MHC and SERCA mRNA levels decreased by ≈ 50%. Although propranolol blunted cardiomyocyte growth, with approximately an 11% increase in the LVW/BW ratio, it enhanced the expression of ANP, β‐MHC and skACT genes (10.5‐fold, 27.7‐fold and 22.7‐fold, respectively). Propranolol also enhanced phenylephrine‐stimulated ANP and β‐MHC gene expression in cultured cardiomyocytes. Similar results were obtained with metoprolol, a selective β1‐adrenoceptor antagonist, but not with ICI 118551, a β2‐adrenoceptor antagonist.

Conclusions and implications:

Propranolol enhances expression of the hypertrophy‐associated foetal genes mainly via the β1‐adrenoceptor blockade. Our results also suggest that, in pressure‐overloaded hearts, cardiomyocyte growth and foetal gene expression occur as independent processes.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 152, 216–222; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707350
Calculation of K-edge circular dichroism of amino acids: Comparison of random phase approximation with other methods
Authors: Kimberg Victor , Kosugi Nobuhiro
Published: June 2007

Soft x-ray natural circular dichroism of amino acids is studied by means of ab initio methods. Several approaches to evaluate the oscillator and rotary strengths of core-to-valence excitations are compared from the viewpoint of basis set dependence: ground-state Hartree-Fock (HF) orbital set employed in (i) random phase approximation (RPA), (ii) static exchange approach (STEX) (unrelaxed), (iii) core-ionized state HF orbital set applied in STEX (relaxed), and (iv) HF excited state orbital set for each core-to-valence excited state. Furthermore in (i) the PRA in the framework of the density functional method (DFT) is compared with the RPA where the ab initio HF orbital set is used. In (iv), the oscillator and rotary strengths evaluated by different orbital sets for the initial and final states, namely, nonorthogonal ground-state and core-excited HF orbitals, are compared with those evaluated by using the core-excited HF orbital set to describe the initial (ground) state. It was shown that, among considered methods, the RPA provides most consistent and less time-consuming results for circular dichroism core excitation spectra. Discussion of the low energy part of K edge circular dichroism spectra of five common amino acids obtained with the help of RPA is presented.
Nanowire metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor with doped epitaxial contacts for source and drain
Authors: Cohen G. M. , Rooks M. J. , Chu J. O. , Laux S. E. , Solomon P. M. , Ott J. A. , Miller R. J. , Haensch W.
Published: June 2007

The authors report the fabrication of a p-field effect transistor (FET) and an n-FET with a silicon nanowire channel and doped silicon source and drain regions. The silicon nanowires were synthesized by the vapor-liquid-solid method. For p-FETs the source and drain regions were formed by adding boron doped silicon to the unintentionally doped nanowire body at predefined locations using in situ doped silicon epitaxy. For n-FETs the epitaxial source and drain regions were grown undoped and were later implanted with P and As. The measured Id-Vg characteristics of the devices exhibited unipolar transport, while reference FETs made with nanowires from the same batch but with Schottky (metal) contacts exhibited ambipolar characteristics.
Optically switchable biphotonic gratings based on dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal films
Authors: Yeh H.-C. , Chen G.-H. , Lee C.-R. , Mo T.-S.
Published: June 2007

This study elucidates optically switchable gratings (BGs) based on biphotonic effect in dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal films. When one circularly polarized green beam is switched on (off), the gratings can be turned on (off) by illumination with an interference field generated by two linearly polarized red beams. The biphotonic gratings are formed by two mechanisms—green-beam-induced dye reorientation through trans-cis isomerization and red-beam-induced suppression of dye reorientation by cis-trans back isomerization. These mechanisms result in a spatially periodic distribution with homeotropiclike and planarlike structures, respectively, in dark and bright regions of the interference field, generating the BGs.
Who Uses Mental Health Services in Australia? An Analysis of Data from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Authors: Parslow Ruth A. , Jorm Anthony F.
Published: June 2007

Objective: This study sought to identify sociodemographic and psychological measures associated with utilisation of mental health services in Australia, using information collected through the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Method: Twenty-one potential predictor variables were selected from the National Survey. Predisposing and enabling factors included age, sex, marital status, labour force status, geographical location and level of education. Predictor variables measuring need for services included the General Health Questionnaire score, a neuroticism scale, diagnoses of affective, anxiety and substance-abuse disorders from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and self-identified depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were undertaken to identify predictor variables associated with use of mental health services from general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals.

Results: General practitioners were the most commonly reported providers of mental health services with 76% of those receiving any mental health care reporting using this type of service. Using multiple logistic regression, the predictor variables most associated with use of mental health services were measures of the need for such services, such as psychological distress and mental disorder. After controlling for need variables, the sociodemographic variables associated with using services provided by any health professional were being female, level of education and being separated. Living in a remote area was associated with lower use of specialist services, but not with general practitioner services. Older age was associated with less use of psychologists and other health professionals. Income and having a usual language other than English did not affect service use.

Conclusions: The factors most strongly related to Australians' use of mental health services are their having a diagnosed affective, anxiety or substance-abuse disorder and their self-identifying as having depression or anxiety. Although there are regional inequalities in levels of utilisation of mental health services, these are seen more with specialist services than with those provided by general practitioners.
Pathways and Outcomes of Psychiatric Care: Does it Depend on who you are, or what you've Got?
Authors: Kisely Steve , Preston Neil , Rooney Mark
Published: June 2007

Objectives: To investigate predictors of outcome and cost for patients treated by Mental Health Services in the south metropolitan area of Perth using logistic regression to control for potential confounding factors.

Method: Data were collected over a 3-month period on 2691 subjects (47% male, 53% female) as part of the Mental Health Classification and Services Cost Project.

Results: The average age of subjects was 44.3 years. Nearly 80% of care occurred in community settings and virtually all inpatient care was for acute emergencies. The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia (33%) followed by mood disorders (30%). Within the study period, 88% of patients had only one episode of care (n = 2361) and a further 8% two (n = 223). Patients with schizophrenia were one-third as likely to be discharged from care (95% CI = 0.2–0.4) and 30% as likely to have longer episodes of care (95% CI = 1.1–1.6). Patients with personality, substance or adjustment disorders spent less time in treatment, and those with personality or substance disorders were more likely to be discharged from psychiatric care. A past history of inpatient care was associated with a worse outcome in terms of length of care, or not being successfully discharged. Severity of illness as determined by involuntary treatment or elevated Health of the Nation Outcome Scales and Life Skills Profile (LSP) scores was associated with increased costs. Greater disability on the LSP was also associated with increased length of care. Sociodemographic factors were as least as important as diagnosis in predicting the cost and outcome of treatment.

Conclusions: Demographic factors may better predict increased health service use than diagnostic casemix. Since sociodemographic variables contribute as much to outcome as diagnosis, comparing results between units is likely to be misleading unless adjusted for these factors.
Do Older People Receive Equitable Private Psychiatric Service Provision Under Medicare?
Authors: Draper Brian M , Koschera Annette
Published: June 2007

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the 1998 rates, types, regional variation and Medicare expenditure of private psychiatry services for older people in Australia, as compared with younger adults and with 1985–1986 data.

Method: Medicare Benefits Schedule Item Statistics for the psychiatric item numbers 300–352 and item 14224 were obtained from the Health Insurance Commission for each State and Territory. The items were examined in the age groups 15–64 years, 65 years and over and 75 years and over. Main outcome measures were per capita service provision by age group, State and Territory and Medicare expenditure by age group.

Results: During 1998, 6.4% (5765.6 per 100 000) of private psychiatric services were to patients aged > 64 years. Patients aged 15–64 received 2.7 times the number of psychiatric services per capita than patients > 64 and 3.6 times that of patients aged > 74 years. Patients aged > 64 received more hospital and nursing home consultations, home visits and electroconvulsive therapy per capita, while younger adults used more office-based consultations, longer consultations, and group therapy. Victoria had the highest per capita rate (7659.2 per 100 000) and the Northern Territory the lowest (540.4 per 100 000), although the highest proportion of services to older patients was in Western Australia. Per capita the proportion of Medicare expenditure allocated to adults aged less than 65 years was 4.1 times that for adults over 64 years.

Conclusions: Private psychiatric service provision to older people is inequitable when compared with younger adults. The proportion of Medicare private psychiatry expenditure on older adults has declined since 1985–1986.
Research on Teacher Effectiveness in British Secondary Schools
Authors: Kyriacou Chris
Published: June 2007

Studies of teacher effectiveness based in British secondary schools can be divided into four main categories: studies based on teachers' opinions regarding effective teaching, studies based on the relationship between rated teaching ability and other variables, studies based on observations of teaching and studies based on pupils' opinions regarding effective teaching. As a result of considering studies falling within these four categories, it is concluded that future research could most usefully concentrate on using rating scales based on observations of lessons within a design which looked at a particular subject area and allowed for differences in pupil age and ability.
The Responsiveness of Students to Pictorial Depth Cues and the Understanding of Diagrams of Three‐dimensional Structures
Authors: Seddon G. M. , Adeola A. , Elfarra A. O. K. , Oyediji S. I.
Published: June 2007

Two experiments were carried out to investigate how remedial instruction may be given to students who have difficulties in understanding the three‐dimensional spatial relationships portrayed in diagrams of three‐dimensional structures. Both experiments are based on a model which describes this kind of understanding in terms of the ability to respond correctly to each of four depth cues in the diagrams, and the ability to combine these depth cues correctly.

Experiment I shows that remedial instruction in responding to only one of the cues, brings about a significant increase in overall understanding. Experiment II shows that overall understanding is significantly enhanced by giving remedial instruction on two cues as opposed to one cue, and that teaching students to combine the cues improves on the effects of teaching students to respond correctly to just one depth cue. It is concluded that all the results are consistent with predictions made from the underlying theoretical model.
Criterion‐referenced Testing: pedagogical implications
Authors: Horne Stuart
Published: June 2007

It is suggested that past and current testing systems in education fail to provide pedagogically valuable information. The more potentially valuable approach to educational testing, criterion‐referenced measurement, is considered in detail. Although it should, theoretically, provide pedagogically useful information it is hampered by practical problems. These problems involve alternative interpretations of criterion‐referenced measurement; the setting of cutting scores; validity and reliability. Domain content and domain order determination also present difficulties.

It is concluded that the psychometric approach to criterion‐referenced measurement masks the quality of response by relying on the quantity of correct responses. The alternative is to redirect criterion‐referenced measurement principles to a learning theory base and a consideration of the quality of pupil errors.
Accountability and Parent‐Teacher Communication
Authors: Munn Pamela
Published: June 2007

This paper considers the usefulness of the information about schools now made statutorily available to parents and its implications for teacher‐parent communication. Drawing on recent research on accountability, it argues that parents are predominantly interested in different kinds of information from that now available and that parents' perception of teachers as experts inhibits them obtaining this information. It suggests that recent legislation has made it more difficult for parents to obtain the information they want by placing parent‐teacher relations in a combative framework and by encouraging teachers to retreat behind a smokescreen of professionalism. It also suggests that the information might be misleading to parents as it implies that a whole range of matters are within schools' control.
Enjoyment and Attainment in Secondary School Physics
Authors: Pell Anthony W.
Published: June 2007

Enjoyment of physics lessons in the senior secondary school has been shown to be related to attainment in the GCE O‐ and A‐level physics examinations. Boys' attitudes are generally superior to those of the girls but, while the boys show the expected attitude deterioration over the sixth‐form course, the girls' attitudes remain stable and at the end of secondary schooling are no different to the boys'. Girls' enjoyment of physics in the fifth‐form is associated with a preference for learning‐by‐experiment, while in the sixth‐form the association is with a philosophical approach to course material. By means of covariate controls, enjoyment and attainment differences between the A‐level physics courses of five GCE Boards are explored.
The Effects of Colour in Teaching the Visualisation of Rotations in Diagrams of Three‐dimensional Structures
Authors: Seddon G. M. , Shubber K. E.
Published: June 2007

Two different experiments were carried out to compare the effectiveness of instructional programmes containing different degrees of colouring in diagrams. In Experiment I, the programmes were administered to students at different ages over the range 13‐17 years. In Experiment II, where the programmes also varied in terms of the numbers of diagrams used, they were administered only to 17‐year olds. In both experiments, the effectiveness of the programmes was found to vary with the degree of colouring in an inverted‐U relationship. There were also significant interactions for degree of colouring with chronological age, and with the number of diagrams used.
Perceived Saliency of Classroom Misconducts
Authors: Geva Nehemia , Smilansky Jonathan
Published: June 2007

In order to investigate the saliency of disruptive activities relative to other lesson occurences, high school students were asked to recall a script describing the activities of a regular class period. The findings revealed a relative high retention rate of disruptive activities performed by students, as well as increased recall of teacher reactions to these activities in comparison with lesson related behaviors. The degree of retention of a statement within the script was positively correlated with the pre‐judged severity of the described behavior. The data highlight the feasibility of utilizing an information processing approach and its methodology to the investigation of classroom disruptions.
Characteristics of Failing Readers at 16+
Authors: Riding R. J. , Mcquaid D. G.
Published: June 2007

Summary All 16‐year‐old children, in the two comprehensive schools of a town, whose reading was considered to be substantially below average by their teachers, were given a reading test to determine poor and very poor readers. The characteristics of the pupils in these groups were compared with those of a group of competent readers from the same schools. The characteristics that were examined were the personality dimensions of introversion‐extraversion and stability‐neuroticism, performance on Raven's Matrices (which was taken as an indication of wholist‐analytical reasoning style related to field‐dependence‐independence), sex and month of birth (which affected term of entry to school). The very poor readers group differed significantly from the good readers group in terms of the number of pupils who scored low on Raven's Matrices, were introverts, neurotic, and boys. Late month of birth in the school year was not significant. The results were interpreted as indicating that reading failure at 16+ is related to the incidence of two or more adverse characteristics, and an Index of Adverse Attributes was proposed.
Does Instrumental Enrichment Work?
Authors: Shayer Michael , Beasley Frances
Published: June 2007

Summary Israeli and American research on IE was reviewed, indicating effect‐sizes over a two‐year intervention period on tests of crystallised intelligence and achievement of the order of three months of mental age (MA) only. A small‐scale study (NE= 10; NC=10) was set up in an ESN(M) school under optimum conditions to test the effect of IE on the additional parameters of Piagetian Operations and of Phase, the Feuerstein information‐processing model. Effect sizes of 1.22σ on Operations, and 1.07σ on Phase were reported, together with 0.76a on deficient cognitive functions as tested by Feuerstein's Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD). In MA terms, these sizes corresponded to 20 months differential gain on Operations over a 20 month period, and 12 months differential gain on Phase over a 12#fr1/2> month pre to post‐test period. The gain on cognitive functions was accompanied by an increase in the zone of proximal development, as tested by LPA, of 1½ years. It was concluded that IE affects fluid intelligence initially, and that intervention studies were better tested on fresh learning embarked on after the intervention had ended than on standardised tests of achievement coterminous with the intervention. A strong plea was entered that the models underlying IE be absorbed into the public realm of intervention theory and curriculum development for remedial education.
The Influence of Depth of Field and Colour Identification on Children's Perceptions of Danger Points in a Picture
Authors: Reid David , Broadbridge Jane
Published: June 2007

The study examines the effect of depth of field (perspective) and colour on the ability of 192 secondary school children to observe danger points in a typical kitchen scene. It is found that more able children perform significantly better than their peers, and that, whilst the type of colour employed contributes significantly to scores, the sex of the children does not. Most of the variance, however, is contributed by the zonal distribution of the items within the picture, those in the foreground being observed first in order of sequence and frequency, and those in the background last. A few of the items are viewed ‘out of sequence’, suggesting that the ‘depth of field’ parameter is itself composed of a number of subsets of which colour is one. The possibility that depth of field affects the ‘at a glance’ extraction of semantic information is discussed in terms of the ‘top‐down’ model of picture perception.
The Nature of Teacher‐Pupil Interaction in the Active Tutorial Work Approach: using interaction analysis to evaluate student‐centred approaches
Authors: Harwood Doug
Published: June 2007

Active Tutorial Work (ATW) is one of a number of secondary school curriculum initiatives which encourages pupils to become more personally and independently involved in their own learning. This paper reports upon quantitative research, which examines the nature of the interaction between teachers and pupils within the ATW strategy. It concludes that, although there is a greater use of cooperative groupwork, the teacher still remains at the centre of the interaction, whenever present in the group. Comparison is made with a similar analysis of transcripts from the Humanities Curriculum Project (1970).
The Power of Silence: an enquiry through fictional writing
Authors: Rowland Stephen
Published: June 2007

The paper represents an attempt to open up a new field of practitioner enquiry through the use of fictional writing. It explores the power relationships between the tutor and participants on an in‐service course and how these develop as the tutor attempts to shift responsibility away from himself as ‘teacher’ and towards the ‘learners’. Episodes of silence during the reflective discussions of the group are seen as being of particular significance in its dynamic and in the changing awareness of both tutor and participants. In order to investigate the quality and significance of these silences, a fictional form of enquiry is employed. The case for using this form, together with its chief characteristics, are outlined in the first part of the paper. The major part of the paper then consists of a fictional account which explores and illuminates these issues of power in teaching and learning relationships.
Sex Differences in Handwriting: a comment on Spear
Authors: Hartley James
Published: June 2007

Margaret Spear suggests either that there are differences between the handwriting of boys and girls or that teachers are operating with popular cultural stereotypes. This paper presents evidence to show that there are indeed substantial differences between the handwriting of boys and girls and that this difference is clearly recognised by seven to eight year‐olds.
Student Perspectives on Curriculum Innovation and Change in an English Secondary School: an empirical study
Authors: Ghaill Mairtin Mac An
Published: June 2007

In recent years we have witnessed unprecedented rapid and substantial curriculum change in state schools. This paper provides a case‐study of how this is being mediated through a secondary school. A student perspective is presented. The focus is on how central government policy initiatives and internal institutional curriculum restructuring have served to disrupt, albeit unintendedly, the conditions for students' learning. They point to the general impact of the current changes and how they are differentially structured, experienced and responded to by different social groups. What emerges is the limitation of quantitative‐based curriculum innovation. It fails to acknowledge the cultural specificity of pedagogic social relations that are essentially experienced as a human social activity.
Contexts of Assessment in a Primary Classroom
Authors: Filer Ann
Published: June 2007

This paper consists of an examination of data relating to the National Curriculum attainment target of ‘writing’. The contexts in which assessments are made in an infant classroom are examined in terms of Bernstein's theory of the framing of educational knowledge. The paper shows that assessments for the subject are made within contexts which are circumscribed by the strong framing which prevails in the classroom under study. It concludes that this and some other areas of the curriculum are particularly problematic in that assessment of the skills and processes involved in them may be subject to a ‘hidden agenda’ whereby children's engagement with a particular knowledge content becomes an unacknowledged element of the assessment process. The paper also concludes that due to the diversity of frame strength inherent in different pedagogies, comparability of context of assessment between classes and schools cannot be achieved.
Pupil Identity and Differentiation in British Public Schools
Authors: Tovey Philip
Published: June 2007

A considerable amount of social research has addressed the issue of ‘working class’ pupil sub‐cultures. This paper shifts the focus to consider the nature and significance of patterns of differentiation within contemporary public schools. The analysis draws on the life‐histories of a number of people who attended a range of public schools in the 1980s. A context specific understanding of the concept ‘sub‐culture’ is shown to provide a means of reaching beyond the impression of a homogeneous entity to reveal the importance of group distinction and closure. Membership of, or exclusion from, sub‐groups is seen to be bound up with background and cultural priorities. It is argued that an awareness of internal differentiation and its social origins offers a route to understanding the varying experiences and (social and occupational) consequences of public school attendance.