bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Misconceptions about Psychology among Introductory Psychology Students
Authors: Vaughan Eva D.
Published: December 2005

Common misconceptions about behavior are distressingly resistant to change by text reading and class discussion.
First Impressions on Tests: Some New Findings
Authors: Edwards K. Anthony , Marshall Carol
Published: December 2005

First impressions on objective tests are not necessarily best, but the preferred strategy is to be careful.
How Useful are Published Evaluations Ratings to Students Selecting Courses and Instructors?
Authors: Seiler Lauren H. , Weybright Loren D. , Stang David J.
Published: December 2005

Possible upper limits of correlations between years suggests that student ratings should be used with caution.
Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Choosing to Write Autobiographies
Authors: Sell John M.
Published: December 2005

Choice of out-of-class supporting projects appears to be related to neuroticism but not to introversion-extraversion.
Undergraduate Assistants as an Integral Factor in an Educational Psychology Course
Authors: Linden Kathryn W. , Ames Russell E. , Feldhusen John F.
Published: December 2005

Highly selected and trained undergraduates become teaching team members whose role is integrated into the teaching model.
Environments for Learning: A Project Based Approach to Educational Psychology
Authors: Dilendik John R.
Published: December 2005

In response to student criticism, field experience and mastery-managed projects were added to improve this course.
Employment Experiences of Young, Recently Certified High School Teachers of Psychology
Authors: Bath John A.
Published: December 2005

Teachers must also be certified in another subject and the statewide demands should be determined when training programs are being planned.
The Family Taboo in Psychology Textbooks
Authors: Dunne Eugene E. , L'Abate Luciano
Published: December 2005

The frequency of family-related concepts in 60 texts is the basis for the authors' urging a greater consideration of relational factors.
Taking Educational Psychology Back to the Classroom
Authors: Young Philip B. , Beiner Betty T.
Published: December 2005

The authors describe an effective integration of theoretical/experimental material with practical experience.
Effects of Competing Activities on Test Performance in Large Introductory Courses in Psychology
Authors: Lore Richard
Published: December 2005

Next time students ask to take a make-up examination for a questionable reason, request that they read this paper.
Team Teaching Introductory Psychology as Pedagogy and for Faculty Development
Authors: Ware Mark E. , Gardner Louis E. , Murphy Daniel P.
Published: December 2005

If you plan to try team teaching, perhaps this experience will provide some helpful hints on values and problems.
Helping Others and Helping Yourself: An Evaluation of Two Training Modules in a College Course
Authors: Payne Paul A. , Woudenberg Roger A.
Published: December 2005

The college classroom can be an effective and efficient context for providing help giving and self management training.
Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Psychology Courses and Discussion Groups
Authors: Carskadon Thomas G.
Published: December 2005

The rated quality of participation in class discussions is found to be related to a personality variable.
Perspectives on Death: An Experiential Course on Death Education
Authors: Stefan Edwin S.
Published: December 2005

This course was evaluated by a survey six months afterward, in order to have a better time perspective.
Effects of Reviewing Multiple-Choice Tests on Specific versus General Learning
Authors: Bondy Andrew S.
Published: December 2005

Reviewing test items improves subsequent scores on identical items, but does not generalize to a rewrite of those items.
Using Videotape Programs for Training Inmates in Peer Counseling Techniques
Authors: George Gary O. , Hosford Ray E. , Moss C. Scott
Published: December 2005

Training was effective in improving skills and knowledge and for extending needed services to a large population.
Cooperative Goal Structure and Collaborative Learning
Authors: Bryant Brenda
Published: December 2005

Teaching a thoroughgoing cooperative learning method as well as subject matter yielded both personal and academic gains.
Teaching the Holocaust at the University Level
Authors: Solkoff Norman , Allen William Sheridan
Published: December 2005

An innovative interdisciplinary course convering a violent event makes students say “we are no longer apathetic.”
The Field Project as a Tool for Teaching Environmental Psychology
Authors: Howells Gary N.
Published: December 2005

A vital and timely social-environmental community problem was utilized to provide students with an effective learning device.
Teacher Evaluation as a Function of Student and Instructor Personality
Authors: Hart James , Driver Jackie
Published: December 2005

Intuitive, feeling, extraverted teachers attract, and feeling students produce, ratings different from their type opposites.
Effects of the Social Circumstances Surrounding the Rating Situation on Students' Evaluations of Faculty
Authors: Bean Leslie H.
Published: December 2005

Peer influence, found to be an important consideration in ratings, may be a function of informational needs.
An Alternative Source of Information on a Popular Topic: A Course on Drinking
Authors: Leavy Richard L.
Published: December 2005

Description and evaluation of a course that intelligently and personally delves into a pervasive form of student behavior.
Rear End Analysis: The Uses of Social Psychology Textbook Citation Data
Authors: Perlman Daniel
Published: December 2005

Analysis of the bibliographic behavior of text authors is shown to be useful in a variety of assessment problems.
Improving the Introductory Psychology Course
Authors: Older Jules
Published: December 2005

This teacher uses dramatic incidents to make problems real and to initiate an acceptance of research and theory.
The Two-Point System: A Method for Encouraging Students to Read Assigned Material before Class
Authors: Solomon Paul R.
Published: December 2005

A simple substitute for daily quizzes increases incidence and criticality of reading and frequency of class discussion.
Teaching Students to Do Research
Authors: Yoder Jan
Published: December 2005

The design for this course stresses experiential learning by distributing major goals over a variety of projects.
Factor Analysis of Instructor Ratings in a Novel Instructional Format
Authors: Aversano Francis M. , Feldhusen John F.
Published: December 2005

Two different teacher rating scales appear to be useful and interpretable regardless of the instructional model
The Family Environment Scale as an Instructional Aid for Studying the Family
Authors: Waters J. Eugene
Published: December 2005

The author describes a method for theoretical and practical experience in understanding family relationships, personal growth, and structure.
Student Goals and the Undergraduate Curriculum
Authors: Malin Jane T. , Timmreck Carol
Published: December 2005

A large group of psychology majors (especially the very able ones) express a discrepancy between student goals and curriculum offerings.
On Seeing Yourself through Another's Eyes: Response to Wagner and Struzynski
Authors: Vande Kemp Hendrika
Published: December 2005

Further thoughts on the complete integration of theology and psychology through full cooperation are presented in this rebuttal.
Adulthood and Aging in Social Psychology Texts
Authors: Blank Thomas O.
Published: December 2005

Content analysis by journal and by year shows less than satisfactory attention to the aged, so ways of supplementing resources are suggested.
College Students' Common Beliefs about Psychology
Authors: Lamal P. A.
Published: December 2005

An extension of Vaughan's study verifies that student beliefs change very little, even those teachers believe they have corrected.
A Psychology Curriculum of Alternative Major Theoretical Perspectives
Authors: Malin Jane T.
Published: December 2005

A unique foundation for curriculum design is proposed to curb course proliferation, encourage flexible thinking, and to rekindle enthusiasm.
Logical versus Empirical Estimates of Readability and Human Interest of General Psychology Textbooks
Authors: Quereshi M. Y. , Buchkoski Jerome E.
Published: December 2005

As a contribution to the text selection task, 61 books were examined by the Flesch formulae and by student ratings to estimate validity and reliability.
Perception, Illusion, and Magic
Authors: Solomon Paul R.
Published: December 2005

A little legerdemain can help you in teaching introductory, perception, and statistics courses, and you will be in good company.
Benefits and Costs of Community-Academia Interaction in a Paraprofessional Training Course
Authors: Yates Brian T.
Published: December 2005

Analysis of monetizable and nonmonetizable benefits and costs shows both parties with a favorable ratio in this practicum program.
Student Perceptions of the Relationship between Publishing and Teaching
Authors: Bohart Arthur C. , O'Toole Coleen M.
Published: December 2005

Considerable discrepancy was found between student assessments and the “publish or perish” criteria employed in many of our universities.
An Individualized Learning Activity Program Approach to Human Growth and Development
Authors: Chandler Theodore A. , Planchard Sara K.
Published: December 2005

In this Developmental course, the concept of “personalized” is extended to virtually all aspects of the course, with impressive results.
Teaching Information Processing System (TIPS): Evaluation in a Large Introductory Psychology Class
Authors: Arkes Hal R.
Published: December 2005

This evaluation suggests that TIPS improves performance by forcing distributed learning and it is an attractive alternative to PSI.
Stimulating Career Exploration and Research among Undergraduates: A Colloquium Series
Authors: Ware Mark E. , Matthews Janet R.
Published: December 2005

The most frequent question asked of advisors in psychology was answered in this department by an ongoing undergraduate colloquium program.
Do Student Ratings of Graduate-Level Laboratory Instructors Predict how Students like Labs?
Authors: Newby William , Katz Albert N.
Published: December 2005

Highly rated TAs not only produce students with more positive attitudes toward the course, but they also tend to show better research progress.
A Longitudinal Study in Academic Evaluation
Authors: Bowers John K.
Published: December 2005

This study presents a unique approach to teacher evaluation and features interrelations among performance and other behavior measures.
The Effects of Objective versus Subjective Quiz Items in a PSI Course
Authors: White-Blackburn Georganne , Blackburn Timothy C. , Lutzker John R.
Published: December 2005

From a counterbalanced reversal design experiment, it is concluded that quiz item format makes no difference in test performance.
Note Taking and Note Review: Why Students Fail Questions Based on Lecture Material
Authors: Palkovitz Robin J. , Lore Richard K.
Published: December 2005

Data collected in this study suggest that deficits in note taking ability are not as critical as deficits in studying from notes.
Learner Characteristics and Performance Effects in Self-Paced Instruction for Community College Students
Authors: DesLauriers Marc P. , Hohn Robert L. , Clark Gary M.
Published: December 2005

No differences in performance were found among a control and two treatment groups, but some interesting attitudinal differences emerged.
Instructional Technology and College Teaching
Authors: Kulik Chen-Lin C. , Kulik James A. , Cohen Peter A.
Published: December 2005

From a meta-analysis approach and examination of 312 available reports, these authors derive generalizations for achievement and acceptability.
Differential Relationships of Student, Instructor, and Course Characteristics to General and Specific Items on a Course Evaluation Questionnaire
Authors: Aleamoni Lawrence M. , Thomas Gary S.
Published: December 2005

In colleges where student ratings are used for faculty personnel decisions, some scores are preferred over others.
Effects of Class Size and College Major on Student Ratings of Psychology Courses
Authors: Gilmore David C. , Swerdlik Mark E. , Beehr Terry A.
Published: December 2005

Further empirical evidence is presented to show that student ratings reflect variables other than teacher ability.
A Simulation Technique to Teach a Graduate Course in Early Childhood Development
Authors: Harper Gregory F.
Published: December 2005

This unique and effective course is virtually all simulation, but it is so convincing that reminders are needed.
The Effect of High School Psychology on Pre-Course Knowledge, Midterm Grades, and Final Grades in Introductory Psychology
Authors: Hedges Barbara W. , Thomas James H.
Published: December 2005

Unlike previous research, this study yields some evidence of transfer from high school to college psychology.
Teaching History of Psychology through Art and Music
Authors: Nissim-Sabat Denis
Published: December 2005

This instructor has developed a course using art and music to develop an understanding of the history of psychology.
The Berkeley Model: A Tri-Level Approach to Educational Psychology for Professionals in Training
Authors: Wilcox Margaret R.
Published: December 2005

This experimental model, based on Bloom's taxonomy and developed despite internal problems, shows promise for other uses.
A Conceptual Framework for a Core Program in Psychology
Authors: Edwards John D.
Published: December 2005

This proposal is an extension and elaboration of a curriculum plan previously reported in this journal.
A Convenient Model for the Evolution of Early Psychology as a Scientific Discipline
Authors: Epstein Robert
Published: December 2005

Scientific and technological advances by the 1850s serve as a backdrop for an appreciation of early psychology.
Career Versatility of the Psychology Major: A Survey of Graduates
Authors: Ware Mark E. , Meyer Ann E.
Published: December 2005

Analysis of graduates by training level, sex, and Holland's occupational types shows a wide choice of jobs after graduation.
The Effects of Academic Instruction in Psychology on Student Nurses' Attitudes toward Mental Illness
Authors: Napoletano Margo A.
Published: December 2005

Attitude differences before and after a practicum suggests that previous course work influences attribution to experiential sources.
Student Apathy: A Comparative Study
Authors: Coffield K. E.
Published: December 2005

If you have been concerned about growing student apathy, you may be reassured somewhat by this report.
Introduction of an Undergraduate Course in the Psychology of Human Sexuality
Authors: Kleinginna Anne M. , McClure Gary
Published: December 2005

Despite initial objections, this course was introduced and experimentally demonstrated to have produced an increase in knowledge.
Evaluation of the TIPS Computer Management System in a Social Psychology Course
Authors: Bray Robert M.
Published: December 2005

In an experiment with six classes, students required to use TIPS performed better than those for whom its use was optional.
The Clinical Bias in the Career Plans of Undergraduates and Its Impact on Students and the Profession
Authors: Korn James H. , Lewandowski Marie E.
Published: December 2005

From a survey study, it is concluded that career advisement of undergraduates needs to be expanded and improved.
Making a “Successful” Course: Faculty and Student Perspectives
Authors: Roberts Albert E.
Published: December 2005

Faculty and students agree on the value of communication skills, but they differ on the value of intellectual and practical outcomes.
A Funding Simulation for Use in an Advanced Experimental Laboratory Class
Authors: Falkenberg Virginia P.
Published: December 2005

Keep the number of student projects limited to your time available, but increase the reality of the experience. This paper tells you how.
How Biased Are Surveys Based on Partial Returns?: Statistics Texts Adopted by Psychology Departments
Authors: Bartz Albert E. , Wenstrom Lisa
Published: December 2005

These authors seized upon an unusual opportunity to obtain data from survey non-respondents, with interesting results.
Job Satisfaction Correlates for College Graduates in Psychology
Authors: Lunneborg Patricia W. , Wilson Vicki M.
Published: December 2005

This survey emphasizes the value of job preparation while still in college, and gives some important tips in finding jobs.
Overcoming Fragmentation in the Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum
Authors: Solomon Paul R. , Kavanaugh Robert D. , Goethals George R. , Crider Andrew
Published: December 2005

Fragmentation, all too apparent to students, has the unsettling effect of obscuring underlying problems that are really common to sub-areas.
Survey of Mental Health Agencies in Curriculum Development of a Master's-Level Psychology Training Program
Authors: White Geoffry D. , Lindquist Carol U.
Published: December 2005

By use of a standard format interview, this social validation of the curriculum shows that MA staff provide direct client services.
Recent Developments in Off-Campus Psychology Teaching in the United Kingdom
Authors: Turtle Alison M.
Published: December 2005

Instruction in psychology is expanding rapidly to a wider group of consumers (especially women) in the United Kingdom
p53 suppresses the self-renewal of adult neural stem cells
Authors: Meletis Konstantinos , Wirta Valtteri , Hede Sanna-Maria , Nistér Monica , Lundeberg Joakim , Frisén Jonas
Published: December 2005

There is increasing evidence that tumors are heterogeneous and that a subset of cells act as cancer stem cells. Several proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors control key aspects of stem cell function, suggesting that similar mechanisms control normal and cancer stem cell properties. We show here that the prototypical tumor suppressor p53, which plays an important role in brain tumor initiation and growth, is expressed in the neural stem cell lineage in the adult brain. p53 negatively regulates proliferation and survival, and thereby self-renewal, of neural stem cells. Analysis of the neural stem cell transcriptome identified the dysregulation of several cell cycle regulators in the absence of p53, most notably a pronounced downregulation of p21 expression. These data implicate p53 as a suppressor of tissue and cancer stem cell self-renewal.
Synthesis of Degradable Polymer Exhibiting LCST-type Phase Separation by Radical Copolymerization of Sorbic Esters and Molecular Oxygen
Authors: Taketani Shuji , Matsumoto Akikazu
Published: December 2005

We synthesized water-soluble polyperoxides (PP) by radical copolymerization of hydrophilic sorbic esters with oxygen. A phase separation with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) was observed under the onset temperature of thermal degradation for the aqueous solutions of PP containing a tetra(ethylene oxide) unit in the side chain. A critical temperature for the LCST-type phase separation depended on the composition of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic esters of PP.
Photophysicochemical Properties of Chlorophyll-a Adsorbed on Mg-containing Mesoporous Silica
Authors: Nakamura Takahiko , Takeuchi Masato , Yamashita Hiromi , Anpo Masakazu
Published: December 2005

Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) was found to easily change to pheophytin-a during its adsorption on hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) since the centered Mg ions of chl-a easily react with silanol groups as Brønsted acid sites (pheophytinization). This pheophytinization process could be suppressed by adding small amounts of Mg species into the frameworks of HMS. The highly dispersed Mg species work as adsorption sites for chl-a and/or the porphyrin ring of pheophytin-a, resulting in the formation of an original chl-a like complex species.
Dynamic Axial Chirality Control of a Carboxybiphenol through Acid–Base Interaction
Authors: Morioka Kohei , Tamagawa Norio , Maeda Katsuhiro , Yashima Eiji
Published: December 2005

A novel, fluorescent 2,2′-biphenol bearing two carboxyl and two ethynyl groups was found to be sensitive to the chirality of the chiral diamines, thus showing an induced circular dichroism due to an excess single-handed, axially twisted conformation.
Formation of Micrometer-sized Supramolecular Assemblies with Unique Morphologies from Triple-chain Lipids with Two Sugar Head Groups
Authors: Kida Toshiyuki , Tanaka Toshiki , Nakatsuji Yohji , Akashi Mitsuru
Published: December 2005

Triple-chain lipids with two sugar head groups spontaneously formed the giant vesicles in aqueous media, and their morphologies were remarkably affected by the structure of the sugar head group as well as the incubation temperature.
General Microwave-assisted Protocols for the Expedient Synthesis of Furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-ones
Authors: Wu Jie
Published: December 2005

Functionalized furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-ones are expediently prepared in excellent yields (92–99%) from common 4-hydroxycoumarins, isocyanides, and aldehydes under microwave irradiation.
Microwave-polyol Process for Functionalizing Carbon Nanotubes with SnO2 and CeO2 Coating
Authors: Bai Jingyi , Xu Zhude , Zheng Yifan
Published: December 2005

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) coated with CeO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by microwave-polyol process. The samples are characterized by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, and UV–vis analysis. SnO2 and CeO2 nanoparticles are homogeneously distributed on the wall of the MWNTs.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on preoperative tests: the use of routine preoperative tests for elective surgery
Authors: Reynolds TM
Published: December 2005

Clinical Guideline CG3 from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on appropriate clinical practice in preoperative testing for elective surgery. Unfortunately, there is minimal evidence on which the guidelines could be based and therefore they were constructed on the basis of professional opinion. This resulted in the construction of a decision matrix of Byzantine complexity built on foundations of sand: surgical risk is estimated using an unvalidated ad hoc risk estimation method; anaesthetic risk is estimated using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) risk method that has been demonstrated to be incapable of generating consistent risk assessments. The resultant matrix may be suitable for use as a template for future research, but is extremely complex and inadequately rigorous for routine use.
Dual porphyria with mutations in both the UROD and HMBS genes
Authors: Harraway James R , Florkowski Christopher M , Sies Christiaan , George Peter M
Published: December 2005

The porphyrias are a group of inborn or acquired disorders of haem synthesis that can result in neurovisceral or dermatological symptoms. Diagnosis is usually made using a combination of clinical presentation and biochemical parameters. This case report describes a 25-year-old woman clinically presenting with a rash and then found to have elevated porphobilinogen concentrations in her urine. The initial presumptive diagnosis of variegate porphyria was not supported by analysis of her plasma, urine and faeces, which suggested a combination of acute intermittent porphyria and porphyria cutanea tarda. Sequencing of the hydroxymethylbilane synthase and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase genes confirmed the relatively rare diagnosis of dual porphyria, and revealed a novel uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase mutation.
Current assays overestimate 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and underestimate 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 compared with HPLC: need for assay-specific decision limits and metabolite-specific assays
Authors: Glendenning P , Taranto M , Noble JM , Musk AA , Hammond C , Goldswain PR , Fraser WD , Vasikaran SD
Published: December 2005

Background: Clinical demand for quick, cheap, precise and accurate 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) results has led to the development of a variety of assay methods. Lack of standardization of these methods has resulted in intermethod disagreement and challenged whether current assays recognize 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 equally.

Methods: We studied 172 patient samples from hip fracture cases using DiaSorin (DS) and IDS radioimmunoassays and the Nichols Advantage-automated protein binding assay (NA-CLPBA) in comparison to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). 52 patient samples were analysed before and after three months treatment with 1000 IU of daily ergocalciferol (vitamin D2).

Results: Linear regression analysis in pre-treatment samples demonstrated a positive Y-intercept for each immunoassay compared with HPLC, and a slope that varied from 0.64 (IDS) to 0.97 (DS, NA-CLPBA). Bland Altman analysis demonstrated that all the three assays had a proportional positive bias relative to HPLC at values from 20 to 50 nmol/L. Regression analysis of post-treatment samples demonstrated a slope that was not significantly different from zero for the IDS and NA-CLPBA and 0.2 for the DS method, with a positive intercept for all assays of between 8 and 22, indicating less than 50% of 25(OH)D2 measured by HPLC was detected.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate the need for assay-specific decision limits for 25(OH)D3 in order to define appropriate thresholds for treatment institution. Treatment with vitamin D2 may not be accurately monitored with any of the three commercial assays studied. Clinicians and biochemists who continue to use 25(OH)D assays need to be urgently informed of these issues.
Borderline thyroid function tests: so easy to look at, so hard to define
Authors: Khatami Zahra , Handley Graham , Brandon Helene , Weaver Jolanta
Published: December 2005

Thyroid function tests are the most commonly requested endocrine investigations in both primary and secondary care. Attention to detail is vital, as the appropriate interpretation may point to conditions other than thyroid disease itself. We describe two cases of hypopituitarism masquerading as borderline thyroid function tests.
Mechanism of interference by haemolysis in the cardiac troponin T immunoassay
Authors: Sodi Ravinder , Darn Simon M , Davison Andrew S , Stott Anthony , Shenkin Alan
Published: December 2005

Background: The cardiac troponins have been shown to be sensitive and specific biochemical markers of myocardial infarction and highly prognostic for future adverse events in patients with acute coronary syndromes. There have been reports suggesting that haemolysis causes a negative interference in the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) assay but the mechanism(s) involved remain unknown. Here we show the effects of haemolysis and haemoglobin per se on the cTnT assay.

Methods: The effect of haemolysis was studied by the addition of prepared haemolysate to serum samples with known and clinically relevant cTnT levels. The effect of haemoglobin was studied by the addition of haemoglobin of increasing concentrations and noting its effect on the level of cTnT measured. The effect of putative proteases was determined indirectly by incubating samples with spiked cTnT with various protease inhibitors and observing the changes in the measured cTnT levels.

Results: The results show that both haemolysis, which is the release of haemoglobin and corpuscular contents, and haemoglobin itself negatively interfere in the cTnT assay in a concentration-dependent manner, although the former had a greater magnitude of effect. On haemolysis, indirect evidence suggests that proteases are released which degrade the cTnT in serum, thus causing the decreased levels detected. Pepstatin A, a reversible inhibitor of aspartic proteinases, effectively inhibited the loss of cTnT in serum at 37°C and pH 7.4 over a 48-h period. We found that at a haemoglobin level of 0.75 g/L, cTnT declined by more than 10% of the initial concentration, suggesting that falsely decreased levels due to haemolysis may significantly affect the clinical utility of the assay.

Conclusions: Haemolysis, haemoglobin per se and possibly proteolysis play a role in the negative interference in cTnT assays. Measures to reduce this interference must be implemented.
A rare ganglioneuroblastoma secreting dopamine and the value of its measurement in diagnosis and prognosis
Authors: Sargazi M , Smith ML , Worth RC , Roberts NB
Published: December 2005

A case is described of a patient with a ganglioneuroblastoma, initially located in the right adrenal, which produced an excess of dopamine (7646 and 7959 nmol/24 h), approximately two and a half times the upper limit of the normal daily urine output. The urinary excretion of noradrenaline, adrenaline and methylated derivatives was always within the normal reference ranges. The patient was generally well, with normal blood pressure and only mild flushes. Two years after surgical resection, recurrence was indicated by an increase in urinary dopamine (8507 nmol/24 h); it was located in the tumour bed and left side of the neck by CT and 123I MIBG scans. The patient was treated with a high dose of 131I MIBG, with subsequent reduction in dopamine production. This was repeated on four other occasions, the latest being in January 2005. The output of dopamine was thus used as a marker of tumour diagnosis and progression and it is recommended that the assay of dopamine be included in the screening of catecholamine-secreting tumours to avoid possible misdiagnosis.
Prostate-specific antigen: bias and molarity of commercial assays for PSA in use in England
Authors: Roddam Andrew W , Rimmer Janet , Nickerson Claire , Ward Anthony Milford ,   The NHS Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme
Published: December 2005

Background: The UK Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme has recommended that all assays for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) should be both equimolar in their response to free and complexed PSA and calibrated to the World Health Organization (WHO) First International Standard for PSA (90:10). To determine which assays currently being used by diagnostic laboratories in England fulfil these criteria, a PSA recovery experiment was performed.

Methods: In all, 15 samples containing varying mixtures and concentrations of the WHO International Standards for PSA and free PSA were sent to 223 laboratories in England who participate in the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) scheme for analysis. Analytical platforms were assigned to one of 11 methods, and the results were converted into recovery percentages and analysed by means of a linear random intercept model.

Results: No method was both unbiased and equimolar; estimates of bias ranged from -5% to 22% and estimates of non-equimolarity (change in bias per percent increase in free PSA) ranged from -0.18% to 0.28%.

Conclusions: Analytical methods currently in use for PSA in England have inter-method differences; some methods have estimated biases over 10% which can result in unacceptable clinical performance characteristics. Methods for PSA should be equimolar and calibrated to the international standard to minimize the likelihood of clinical errors.
Reference data for cerebrospinal fluid and the utility of amino acid measurement for the diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism
Authors: Jones CM , Smith M , Henderson MJ
Published: December 2005

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amino acid analysis is fundamental to the investigation of several inherited metabolic diseases, particularly those presenting with unexplained seizures. CSF glycine measurement is often crucial to the diagnosis of glycine encephalopathy (GE), low CSF serine concentrations are characteristic of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency (3-PGDD) and the presence of sulphocysteine is pathognomonic of sulphite oxidase deficiency (SOD), and a vital clue to molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MCD). Limited information is available in the literature on reference values of amino acids in CSF during infancy and CSF samples from healthy individuals are not easily obtained.

Methods: In order to establish paediatric CSF amino acid reference ranges, we performed a retrospective analysis of all quantitative CSF amino acid data collected in our laboratory over a five-year period. Amino acid analysis was performed using ion-exchange chromatography on a Biochrom-20 amino acid analyser with ninhydrin detection. CSF samples were collected from infants undergoing investigation for unexplained seizures.

Results: About 18 of the 95 samples received were excluded from the reference data-set; one was from a patient in whom a diagnosis of GE was confirmed by enzyme analysis, one was from a patient with CSF sulphocysteine of 19 μmol/L in whom a diagnosis of SOD was confirmed by enzyme analysis; the remaining 16 were clearly bloodstained ( n = 4) or xanthochromic ( n = 12). Frequency of distribution analysis revealed that concentration values for each amino acid demonstrated a right-skewed distribution which was not normalized by log transformation. Data were therefore analysed using non-parametric descriptive statistics and reference ranges were defined by the 2.5th and 97.5th centile limits.

Conclusions: Our reference data were derived from 77 CSF samples taken from 77 infants. Median CSF glycine concentration was 9 μmol/L with a reference range of 3-19 μmol/L. For serine, the median CSF concentration was 52 μmol/L with a reference range of 25-105 μmol/L. Sulphocysteine was not normally present in detectable quantities (<1 μmol/L).
Commentary on the British Thoracic Society guidelines for the investigation of unilateral pleural effusion in adults
Authors: Lapworth Ruth , Tarn Anne C
Published: December 2005

The publication of guidelines for the investigation of unilateral pleural effusion in adults by the British Thoracic Society has focused attention on this subject which, although comprising only a small proportion of laboratory workload, is a fairly common clinical problem. We critically reviewed the guidance applicable to clinical biochemistry laboratories and found a number of deficiencies. In particular, the need for anaerobic sample collection for pH measurement and preservation of samples for glucose assay is not mentioned and health and safety issues related to the handling of potentially infected fluids are also not considered. There are discrepancies between recommendations in the text and in the accompanying diagnostic algorithm, which require clarification. Measurement of total protein is an essential first step in the analysis of pleural fluid and will usually distinguish transudates from exudates. Measurement of lactate dehydrogenase activity is only required when total protein results are equivocal. There are practical difficulties with measurement of fluid pH as recommended in the guidelines and there is little evidence that such measurements are valuable. Similarly, there is little evidence to support the recommendation for measurement of complement in suspected rheumatoid effusions, and the recommendation for amylase isoenzyme studies if acute pancreatitis is a possibility is not practical. The different nature of pleural fluid demands a good understanding of the handling of these samples, the limitations of the analytical methods and the subsequent result interpretation by laboratory staff. We propose a modified diagnostic algorithm reflecting our criticisms of the original. Dialogue between the laboratory and local clinicians, possibly with the production of local guidelines, informed by these recommendations, should help optimize diagnostic management of patients with pleural effusion.
Analytical and physiological factors affecting the interpretation of serum testosterone concentration in men
Authors: Diver MJ
Published: December 2005

Most hospital laboratories estimate the concentration of total circulating testosterone using a non-extraction method on an automated multi-channel immunoassay analyser supplied by a small number of multi-national diagnostic companies. Although these platforms offer advantages of quick turnaround times, small volume sampling and random access analysis, proficiency testing schemes suggest the quality of results produced remains similar to that of the early manual radioimmunoassay. An estimate of the bioavailable, non-sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) bound fraction of circulating testosterone, be that the free or the free plus albumin-bound, may be a better index of gonadal status than total testosterone alone, especially when a borderline hypogonadal level of total testosterone is found, and may avoid misclassification of hypogonadal or eugonadal men. Free or bioavailable testosterone may be calculated or measured. The free androgen index may not give a true reflection of androgen status in men. In the interpretation of serum testosterone concentrations with results >40 nmol/L, the possibility of exogenous administration or abuse needs to be considered. The marked diurnal rhythm in total testosterone should also be taken into account. There may be a diminution of testosterone secretion with advancing age, but the great majority of older men have a circulating total testosterone concentration well within the accepted reference intervals established for younger men. As testosterone concentration may fluctuate markedly both seasonally and from day to day, it may be judicious to measure levels on more than one occasion.

Provided that estimates of serum testosterone are unequivocally eugonadal (12.5-40 nmol/L) or hypogonadal (<7.0 nmol/L), results produced by routine automated immunoassays will in all probability give a satisfactory assessment of androgen status in men.

Routine biochemical assessment of gonadal function in men should include measurement of early morning luteininzing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin and SHBG together with total testosterone, and if necessary some estimate of bioactive testosterone.
Can lithium-heparin plasma be used for protein electrophoresis and paraprotein identification?
Authors: Davison Andrew S , Darn Simon M , Sodi Ravinder
Published: December 2005

Introduction: Lithium-heparin plasma is the most commonly used sample type in many hospitals, but it has been suggested that it is not suitable for protein electrophoresis due to the presence of fibrinogen, which can potentially mask a paraprotein band or be misconstrued as one. Here we aimed to demonstrate that lithium-heparin plasma samples could be used for protein electrophoresis and paraprotein typing without or with ethanol treatment to remove the fibrinogen.

Method: A lithium-heparin sample from a patient with IgG λ, IgG κ, IgA λ and IgA κ myeloma, a non-specific polyclonal increase and a serum control were treated with ethanol prior to protein electrophoresis. Immunofixation electrophoresis was undertaken to investigate the effect of ethanol treatment on immunoglobulin and light chains. Nephelometry was undertaken to investigate whether ethanol treatment affected the quantification of IgG levels. Densitometric evaluation of proteins after electrophoresis was used to study whether ethanol treatment affected other serum proteins. An audit was also undertaken to ascertain the magnitude of the potential interference from the fibrinogen band in heparinized samples.

Results and conclusions: Ethanol treatment significantly but incompletely removed the fibrinogen in lithium-heparin plasma samples and did not affect the integrity of any of the proteins investigated. Even without ethanol treatment, lithium-heparin plasma can be used for protein electrophoresis and paraprotein identification as the instances of interference between fibrinogen and paraproteins was low (2.3%). In rare cases where there is uncertainty or ambiguity, immuno-fixation electrophoresis is recommended. This report has implications in terms of reducing costs and turn-around time as it prevents the need for requesting another serum sample from patients. This may be one step towards a universal sample for all tests.
Macroprolactin(s): composition and reactivity in immunoassays and laboratory interpretation of results of an unusual patient serum
Authors: Ellis AR , Fahie-Wilson M , Axcell M , Sands K , Hill RP
Published: December 2005

Background: Macroprolactin is a high molecular mass complex of prolactin that may be the cause of elevated serum prolactin as determined by immunoassay. The composition of macroprolactin and its reactivity in immunoassays are variable but the complex has minimal bioactivity in vivo. Hyperprolactinaemia due to unrecognized macroprolactinaemia can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Methods: Serum from a patient with an unusual pattern of immunoreactivity was distributed to three users of each of the most popular immunoassays represented in the UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme (NEQAS) for prolactin. Clinical details were provided and participating centres were invited to investigate the prolactin content of the specimen according to their local protocol, and to comment on their results. The nature of the macroprolactin in the specimen was investigated in detail by gel filtration chromatography of the native serum and of the serum after adsorption of IgG with protein A, and by affinity chromatography with concanavalin A.

Results: Gel filtration studies revealed two peaks of macroprolactin in this serum. These macroprolactins were shown to be different in their IgG content and degree of glycosylation. All eight immunoassays reacted strongly with the macroprolactin present. The majority (78%) of centres that interpreted their results either demonstrated the presence of macroprolactin in the specimen, or suggested it as a likely cause of the hyperprolactinaemia. However, two centres inappropriately excluded macroprolactinaemia as the cause of the elevated prolactin, and a further two did not consider it at all. Data from previous UK NEQAS distributions (between 1996 and 2003) of macroprolactin containing sera are presented which suggest that the frequency of recognition of macroprolactin as a possible cause of hyperprolactinaemia has increased over time.

Conclusions: Very high molecular mass forms of prolactin and the presence of multiple molecular mass forms, as detected in the case presented here, are uncommon. Also, the pattern of immunoreactivity reported in this specimen was unusual as most macroprolactins studied previously react less strongly in, for example, the Bayer ADVIA Centaur assay compared to the Roche E170 assay. Both peaks of macroprolactin in this serum reacted in all assays tested. This case highlights the variable nature and immunoreactive behaviour of macroprolactin species.
Second-trimester Down's syndrome serum screening: double, triple or quadruple marker testing?
Authors: Harrison G , Goldie D
Published: December 2005

Background: The recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) are based on the findings of the Serum, Urine and Ultrasound Screening Study (SURUSS). Our study sought to establish if the SURUSS findings, in terms of detection rates (DR) and false-positive rates (FPR) for various second-trimester marker combinations, could be replicated in a local setting.

Methods: We investigated the effects of adding inhibin-A and unconjugated oestriol to our existing double test protocol. This retrospective study examined 1000 control pregnancies and 128 affected pregnancies.

Results: The inhibin-A method was associated with considerable assay drift and very marked within-batch imprecision (intrabatch percent coefficient of variation [CV] = 17%). At a cut-off of 1 in 250, the quadruple test showed a DR of 72%, the triple test 70% and the double test 63%. There were no significant differences between the FPRs for any of the combinations, which were all between 6.6% and 7.0% for a 1 in 250 cut-off.

Conclusions: In our view, the current inhibin-A assay is unacceptable as a screening marker due to poor assay performance. We have reviewed the NSC benchmark programme outcomes, and would suggest that the 2005 target of a DR of at least 60% with an FPR of less than 5% is achievable using triple testing in the second trimester in conjunction with universal scan dating. Our results suggest that the April 2007 target of a DR of 75% with an FPR of less than 3% is unachievable using current second-trimester maternal serum screening.
Pricing and Resource Allocation in Caching Services with Multiple Levels of Quality of Service
Authors: Hosanagar Kartik , Krishnan Ramayya , Chuang John , Choudhary Vidyanand
Published: December 2005

Network caches are the storage centers in the supply chain for content delivery—the digital equivalent of warehouses. Operated by access networks and other operators, they provide benefits to content publishers in the forms of bandwidth cost reduction, response time improvement, and handling of flash crowds. Yet, caching has not been fully embraced by publishers, because its use can interfere with site personalization strategies and/or collection of visitor information for business intelligence purposes. While recent work has focused on technological solutions to these issues, this paper provides the first study of the managerial issues related to the design and provisioning of incentive-compatible caching services. Starting with a single class of caching service, we find conditions under which the profit-maximizing cache operator should offer the service for free. This occurs when the access networks’ bandwidth costs are high and a large fraction of content publishers value personalization and business intelligence. Some publishers will still opt out of the service, i.e., cache bust, as observed in practice. We next derive the conditions under which the profit-maximizing cache operator should provision two vertically differentiated service classes, namely, premium and best effort. Interestingly, caching service differentiation is different from traditional vertical differentiation models, in that the premium and best-effort market segments do not abut. Thus, optimal prices for the two service classes can be set independently and cannibalization does not occur. It is possible for the cache operator to continue to offer the best-effort service for free while charging for the premium service. Furthermore, consumers are better off because more content is cached and delivered faster to them. Finally, we find that declining bandwidth costs will put negative pressure on cache operator profits, unless consumer adoption of broadband connectivity and the availability of multimedia content provide the necessary increase in traffic volume for the caches.
Tailored Supply Chain Decision Making Under Price-Sensitive Stochastic Demand and Delivery Uncertainty
Authors: Ray Saibal , Li Shanling , Song Yuyue
Published: December 2005

In this paper, we study a serial two-echelon supply chain selling a procure-to-stock product in a price-sensitive market. Our analytical modelling framework incorporates optimal pricing and stocking decisions for both echelons in the presence of stochastic demand and random delivery times. We focus on understanding how these decisions for the chain are affected by its management paradigm (centralized or decentralized), and its business characteristics—price sensitivity, demand uncertainty, and delivery time variability. A novel combination of transformations enables us to analyze the framework and determine the unique optimal choices for centralized and wholesale price-based decentralized supply chains. More detailed investigation reveals that, in general, the business characteristics influence both the behavior and the optimal values of the decision variables, while the management paradigm primarily governs the optimal values. We illustrate the significance of these results in terms of how managers should tailor their decisions to align with their business requirements. Subsequently, comparison of the optimal profits between the channel partners and the management paradigms provides implications for decentralization strategy. A decentralized chain is most inefficient for moderately price-sensitive customers and uncertain environments, but is relatively more effective when dealing with mature products. We propose a contracting scheme that can improve the decentralized chain profit in reliable delivery time settings. The salient modelling insight of this paper is that ignoring the randomness of delivery time trivializes the interaction between pricing and stocking decisions. On the other hand, from a managerial viewpoint, we establish that optimal pricing policies provide the means to increase revenue and also act as strategic tools for tackling uncertainty.