bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Access Courses After Ten Years: A Review
Authors: Lieven Michael
Published: August 2007

In the 10 years since 1978 there has been an explosion of courses aimed at widening access to higher education. This paper reviews the development of those courses and the issues surrounding them. In general the courses developed in an ad hoc fashion determined at local level. However as the DES draws access provision into the centre of educational policy that local diversity may be threatened. If DES policy on widening access is to succeed then it will have to move beyond exhortation to face major policy issues such as the reallocation of resources: but if it does this then the initial emphasis of practitioners on directing resources at disadvantaged groups may itself be constrained. A coherent strategy is necessary if the original aims of access provision are to be realised.
Freedoms for Academics
Authors: Eustace Rowland
Published: August 2007

The publication of the Education Reform Bill in November 1987 intensified the debate on academic freedoms, culminating in the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) conference of December 1988. The debate displayed much rhetoric and opinion, but added little to our agreement on definitions, and less to scholarly knowledge of the arguments from effects. Without clear definitions and knowledge‐based arguments, the academic community is finding it difficult to explain to its paymasters, whether government, industry or alumni, the implications of what is now happening. Some comments on definitions, a suggested description of the mechanisms involved, and notes on the sorts of effects to which argument and enquiry might be directed are offered.
The Electronic Campus: the First Decade
Authors: Gardner Nigel
Published: August 2007

Many universities are beginning to consider how information technology could influence teaching, research, administration and communications on and off campus. This article reviews the development of the ‘electronic campus’ in the USA over the last decade and finds three distinct phases of development. Change in the UK has been slower but is noticeable. Five case studies, drawn from both sides of the Atlantic are considered. Finally, some implications and opportunities for the future are discussed; the author notes that the case for the massive investment necessary to bring the electronic campus to reality across the university sector has yet to be properly formulated.
Inter‐University Cooperation and ERASMUS: The Integration of French LEA Students in British Undergraduate University Courses
Authors: Cousins Russell , Hallmark Ron , Pickup Ian
Published: August 2007

With the advent of the ERASMUS programme a new impetus has been given to the exchange of students between countries within the European Community. Having outlined the aims and objectives of ERASMUS, the authors take as a case‐study the development of links between the Universities of Birmingham and Grenoble III (Stendhal University), from the initial inter‐university agreemart to the creation of an ERASMUS diploma. The problems posed by diffetences in university systems and practices in Britain and France are identified. Academic issues discussed include the relative merits of contrastive and complementay study programmes, the tailoring of course packages to the needs of specific groups of students, linguistic difficulties, assessment and validation procedures. After a brief consideration of practical arrangements, the article concludes with an evaluation of lessons which are to be learnt and of the extent to which such an initiative might be said to fulfil the ideals of the ERASMUS program.
The Dawkins Higher Education Plan: its Rationale and Implications
Authors: Gupta Desh
Published: August 2007

The Dawkins Plan is rapidly transforming the Australian higher education landscape. This paper explains its rationale. Like any controversial policy, there are winners and losers form this plan. These are brought out in the paper.
Provision of Higher Education in Small States: Demands, Constraints and Strategies
Authors: Bray Mark
Published: August 2007

Over half the world's sovereign states have populations below five million, and over a quarter have populations below one million. Recognising this fact, the literature on small states has grown markedly in recent decades. However, many educational issues remain unexplored. This paper commences by discussing the dimensions of scale and the nature of small states. It then turns to the demand for local provision of higher education in small states, commenting particulary on social, political, economic and educational factors. The third part notes constraints on local provision of higher education, of which the most obvious is financial. Fourthly, the paper discusses strategies to avoid these constraints, focusing in particular on ways to expand institutions to secure economies of scale. These strategies cannot be applicable to all states, but they nevertheless provide an illuminating array of potential ways to meet demands.
Managing Equality in Access
Authors: Parker Sue , Emmett Tim , McLintock Marwick , Smith Pete
Published: August 2007

How can equality of access be managed successfully and what are the informing trends that institutions should not only acknowledge but act upon? An opening up of the education market means widening access, but this cannot be done in a vacuum. The associated management of equality in access must have a place in institutions’ strategic plans linked to a system of performance indicators to ensure appropriate measurement. Approaches will differ, but senior management should be committed to allocating resources and devoting marketing energies to this important area. Commitment to CATS will be a significant part of managing equality in access as will be the management of quality in access. These are challenges that are on the further and higher education agenda but which have yet to assume a higher priority in implementation.
What Do Graduates Earn? The Starting Salaries and Earnings Prospects of University Graduates 1960–1986
Authors: Bee Malcolm
Published: August 2007

This paper examines the long term pattern of starting and early‐career salaries of U.K. university graduates relative to average non‐manual earnings. Salary statistics collected by several university careers services are aggregated to create a new data‐set which records starting salary trends at aggregate, faculty and subject levels, and data from the 1960,1970 and 1980 graduate cohort surveys are used to extend the investigation to later years. Considerable differences in remuneration across subjects are reported but the paper demonstrates that graduate starting salaries, generally, have been substantially below average non‐manual earnings throughout the period since 1960. Further, graduates’ relative position has deteriorated over time: whilst at the start of the period graduates six years into their careers could, in most subjects, expect to earn more than the average non‐manual wage, by the end of the period, this was no longer generally so. The paper offers an explanation of graduate salary trends, viewing these as the result of changing demand and supply forces in the graduate labour market, and it concludes by addressing some of the key policy and planning issues to which an awareness of salary levels is relevant.
Institutional Amalgamations and Abolition of the Binary System in Australia under John Dawkins
Authors: Harman Grant
Published: August 2007

Under a Federal Labor Government, over the past three years Australian higher education has undergone dramatic and fundamental restructuring and redirection. The programe of reform has been extensive, covering numerous aspects of the structure and work of higher education and how higher education relates to government. This paper concentrates on two aspects – abolition of the binary system, and the dramatic reduction in the number of separate institutions through institutional amalgamations.
The New Universities: The Humanities
Authors: Griffiths A. Phillips
Published: August 2007

The plans of the New Universities for the Humanities had little in common: indeed Warwick was distinguished by having no plan at all, only a very few general guidelines. The success of developments in the Humanities at Warwick and the other New Universities is adumbrated, and it is pointed out that this could not have been due to any prior blueprints. Rather, the open and liberal atmosphere of their foundation and the commitment to that attitude of their founding staff is claimed to be the explanation. While today the circumstances of their foundation could not be reproduced, in spite of present difficulties the distinctive and still vital spirit of the New Universities should be cherished.
Visions, Prospects and Compromises
Authors: Darley Gillian
Published: August 2007

This paper traces the way in which the physical design of the New Universities reflected the aspirations of their founders. It goes on to analyse the relationship between the architectural vision and the reality of the needs and perceptions of rapidly developing institutions.
Management in the Public and Private Sector
Authors: Stewart Rosemary
Published: August 2007

This paper, drawing on a six‐country study, summarises the pressures to change on organisations and managers in both public and private sectors. The differences and similarities between the experiences of managers in the two sectors are drawn out and some conclusions about the lessons each can learn from the other are suggested.
Merging Educational Groups: Did it Really Happen?1
Authors: Elton Lewis
Published: August 2007

The article shows that a merger of two departments which, in an earlier article, the Head of the merged department had judged very positively, particularly as regards financial viability, in fact did not achieve the objective laid down for it, i.e. that the work of both the merging departments should be maintained. Thus Fielden's verdict, that financial considerations should not be put uppermost in mergers, was confirmed in this instance. Furthermore, as the work of one of the merging departments has been largely discontinued, the university in question effectively sustained a serious financial loss through not being able to reap the benefits of the resource investment made previously in this work.
Thoughts on the White Paper of 1991 1
Authors: Trow Martin
Published: August 2007

The White Paper Higher Education: A New Framework, (May 1992), announced a set of new policies for British universities and polytechnics without offering either argument or evidence. The policies include the end of the binary system, the creation of new higher education funding councils, and a strong emphasis on new mechanisms for quality assessment and control. The White Paper projects rapid enrolment growth, but says nothing about the resources needed for the expansion or the significance for growth of Further Education or the European Community.
Financing Technology Transfer in UK Universities
Authors: Kirkland John
Published: August 2007

There is widespread recognition that Britain should do more to exploit the science base of its universities. Often, the problem is presented as arising from a lack of information or unhelpful attitudes amongst key participants. This paper argues that the high financial risk involved in mounting an effective technology transfer operation could also be a key factor. It concludes that, to succeed, technology transfer must be both in the national interest and the interest of the institutions concerned. A number of specific measures are proposed to help ensure that this balance exists.
Examples of Good and Bad Collaborative Practices with Special Reference to Funding Indicators: A Survey of Industrial Liaison Officers
Authors: Loder Cari P. J.
Published: August 2007

This paper summarises the findings of a survey of Industrial Liaison Officers in higher education institutions undertaken in order to try to identify the characteristics and nature of higher education/industry links which lead to success or failure. Each ILO was asked to cite one example of a particularly successful industrial link and one where it was judged not have been successful, and to provide a brief summary indication of the main reasons for success and failure. Success was associated with an acceptance by the university that it was operating in a commercial world. Most of the failures were attributed mainly to inappropriate or poorly organised business partners.
University—Industry Relations in France
Authors: Chevaillier Thierry , Paul Jean‐Jacques
Published: August 2007

This paper summarises the key developments in university‐industry relations in France in recent years. The overall trend is seen to be one in which there has been a movement away from dependence on the state and towards a diversity of the types of co‐operation between firms and institutions of higher education.
A New Forum for Business/Higher Education Interaction: The Australian Business/Higher Education Round Table
Authors: Hutton George
Published: August 2007

This paper outlines some of the early work of the Australian Business/Higher Education Round Table modelled partly on the British Council for Industry and Higher Education and the Business‐Higher Education Forum in the United States. The main results of two surveys of employer and university opinions are summarized and they show considerable consensus about the objectives of secondary and higher education, desirable characteristics of university graduates and their current standards.
Mergers and Linkages in British Higher Education
Authors: Pritchard Rosalind M. O.
Published: August 2007

In its pursuit of the cost‐effective expansion of higher education (HE), the British Conservative government has strongly encouraged competition and has opened the HE sector to the influence of market forces. This policy has certainly helped to drive down unit costs but it also has an inherent destructive potential which requires to be mitigated by a whole spectrum of collaborative structures. To study the interplay between competition and co‐operation in British higher education, it is useful to focus on the relationships between higher education institutions (HEIs) as manifested in mergers (both actual, proposed and ‘failed’) and the various forms of inter‐institutional linkage which are leading to a re‐alignment of HEIs in the post‐binary era. A number of forms of linkage, stopping short of merger, are defined and illustrated: for example, affiliation, validation, accreditation, franchising and access arrangements, and the important function of consortia is underlined. However, because they exist within a matrix which is basically competitive, such forms of co‐operation are subject to stress and disruption.

The British higher education system manifests an unusual degree of flexibility which has enabled it to adapt organically to new policies and challenges. It is more permeable than that of most other European countries, but this permeability is gradually being endangered by increasing UK reliance on formal legislation in HE. Experience abroad, notably in Australia, indicates that wholesale dissolution of boundaries, combined with fierce forms of competition, can in the end lead to serious deterioration in educational standards. A balance between competition and co‐operation must be sought, but can never be ‘established’ once and for all because external circumstances require it to be constantly re‐adjusted.

The research on which this paper is based was carried out with funds from the Economic and Social Research Council and from the Faculty of Education Research Committee of the University of Ulster.
Funding Research: An Exploration of Inter‐Discipline Variations
Authors: Johnston R. J.
Published: August 2007

In 1993, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) introduced a new system for determining the research component of block grant funding to English universities. The inter‐disciplinary differences in the amounts allocated suggest funding anomalies which are not related to the costs of research infrastructure in those disciplines. Analyses of the allocation procedure indicate how those anomalies have come about.

I am grateful to the staff of the HEFCE for providing tabulations of unpublished data, and for background information of the allocation procedure, and to Mr R. E. Goodchild for useful discussions and advice.
Reflections on the British Government and Higher Education
Authors: Bird Richard
Published: August 2007

This article offers a small contribution towards writing the history of higher education in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Its emphasis is on what the Government did in that period and the effects of this, and on how relations stood and developed between the Government and the higher education community. Three main topics are identified: resourcing, quality, structure. Across all these the general message is that a pragmatic approach was taken to the evolution and pursuit of policy.
Training Minds for Tomorrow: A Shared Responsibility
Authors: Coldstream Patrick
Published: August 2007

The developing notion of partnership between industry and education poses many questions regarding the nature of undergraduate teaching. This partnership is not a simple one between customer and supplier, and is not about producing graduates to a standard known specification. Rather it is about educating students for growth and flexibility; and about ensuring that they develop the skills ‐ in language and number, in teamworking and argument, and in curiosity ‐ in their initial higher education to continue learning throughout their increasingly complex lives.
Fissures in the Federal Structure? The Case of the University of Wales
Authors: Pritchard Rosalind M. O.
Published: August 2007

The paper describes the evolution of the University of Wales, and describes the attempts made at the end of the 1980s to instigate university‐wide planning. These arrangements were, however, of short duration and have recently been reviewed and revised. A degree of tension and instability is endemic in all federations and ‘Wales’ is no exception. Its large colleges are impatient of central control and planning, and the Welsh Funding Council is unsympathetic to an increase in the sphere of influence of the federal university. Such factors are fissiparous forces, but they have to be set against the symbolic importance of the University of Wales as a means of representing and giving expression to Welsh national feeling.
The Place of Personnel in Higher Education
Authors: Mackay Lesley
Published: August 2007

Based on research in universities in the North of England, this article reflects on the growing size and widening remit of the personnel function. Differences between the old and new universities are discussed together with the possible future roles of personnel within higher education. The author feels that it is unlikely, given personnel directors views of the way the personnel function is seen by Vice Chancellors and Pro‐Vice‐Chancellors in the older universities, that the personnel function will play a more influential role in the immediate future. Also, despite a greater role being played by the personnel function in the new universities, a seat at the‘top table’has generally been denied. The author concludes that in such labour‐intensive organizations as universities, the failure to empower the personnel function is somewhat shortsighted given the growing number of government policies directed towards the activities of academic staff.
Reform and UK Higher Education in the Enterprise Era
Authors: Ryder Andrew
Published: August 2007

Higher education in the United Kingdom is centrally funded, centrally planned, and insulated from market forces. It bears many similarities to the non‐market centrally planned economies (CPEs) of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe while they struggled to reform but to retain a system of planning and central control. Examination of UK higher education and the CPEs before the transformation to market based systems highlights some of the issues facing higher education today. It also highlights the need for reforms, as well as the difficulties involved in them. Such comparison can also bring home problems faced by reformers in the transition economies.

Despite allegedly extensive reforms in UK higher education, the sector faces problems like those facing the centrally planned economies of Eastern Europe and the former USSR in the 1970s and 80s. Parallels in a number of areas are particularly striking.
Economic Demand for Higher Education—A Sound Foundation for Further Expansion?
Authors: Keep Ewart , Mayhew Ken
Published: August 2007

Submissions by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and others to the government's review of higher education suggest yet further expansion of undergraduate provision. This article examines the economic rationale for an additional increase in graduate output, and suggests that the economic case may be poor. Data on the employment of the current graduate labour force indicates some under‐utilisation, and there is reason to expect that simply boosting the supply of graduates will not, of itself, transform employers’competitive strategies. It is therefore possible that the social, as opposed to private, rate of return on investment in such expansion could well prove disappointing. The use of graduates to fill the‘technician gap’is also reviewed. The authors suggest alternative areas of educational provision, such as basic literacy and numeracy support, which might show a more positive cost/benefit than further publicly‐funded expansion of undergraduate education.
Trade unions and racism in London, Brussels and Paris public transport
Authors: Jefferys Steve , Ouali Nouria
Published: August 2007

This article considers how trade unions respond to systemic racism at work. Based on case studies in the UK, Belgium and France, it identifies a gap between the national‐level anti‐racist policies of several European trade unions and local‐level union workplace practices: direct racism is often denied and indirect racism rarely challenged. It describes and analyses this gap arguing that unions must more consciously champion anti‐racism and recommends a leadership role for workplace representatives.
Waving and skewing: how gravity and the surface of growth media affect root development in Arabidopsis
Authors: Oliva Michele , Dunand Christophe
Published: August 2007

Arabidopsis seedlings growing on inclined agar surfaces exhibit characteristic root behaviours called ‘waving’ and ‘skewing’: the former consists of a series of undulations, whereas the latter is a deviation from the direction of gravity. Even though the precise basis of these growth patterns is not well understood, both gravity and the contact between the medium and the root are considered to be the major players that result in these processes. The influence of these forces on root surface‐dependent behaviours can be verified by growing seedlings at different gel pitches: plants growing on vertical plates present roots with slight waving and skewing when compared with seedlings grown on plates held at minor angles of < 90°. However, other factors are thought to modulate root growth on agar; for instance, it has been demonstrated that the presence and concentration of certain compounds in the medium (such as sucrose) and of drugs able to modify the plant cell cytoskeleton also affect skewing and waving. The recent discovery of an active role of ethylene on surface‐dependent root behaviour, and the finding of new mutants showing anomalous growth, pave the way for a more detailed description of these phenomena.
Vinblastine and prednisolone chemotherapy for surgically excised grade III canine cutaneous mast cell tumours
Authors: Hayes A. , Adams V. , Smith K. , Maglennon G. , Murphy S.
Published: August 2007

The effect of treatment with vinblastine and prednisolone chemotherapy in dogs undergoing only surgical excision of Patnaik grade III cutaneous mast cell tumours is reported. Potential explanatory variables were explored using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis with log‐rank tests. During a median follow‐up period of 429 days, the overall median survival time (MST) was not reached (lower 95% CI = 322 days). The 1‐year survival probability was 0.71 (standard error 0.1), remaining unchanged at 2 years. Secondary disease at presentation was an independent risk factor for survival (P= 0.045). The MST of dogs presenting with secondary disease was 322 days, with a lower 95% confidence interval of 142 days and a 1‐year survival of probability of 0.47 (standard error 0.19). Adverse effects were recorded in 6 of the 108 (5.6%) vinblastine doses given. This chemotherapy regimen is a well‐tolerated adjunct to surgery for grade III mast cell tumours and appears to prolong survival compared with that expected with surgery alone.
A novel small molecule Met inhibitor, PF2362376, exhibits biological activity against osteosarcoma
Authors: Liao A. T. , McCleese J. , Kamerling S. , Christensen J. , London C. A.
Published: August 2007

The receptor tyrosine kinase Met is dysregulated in several human cancers including osteosarcoma (OSA) in which overexpression is a negative prognostic indicator and enforced Met expression in normal osteoblasts leads to genomic instability and malignant transformation. Met is also known to be inappropriately expressed in canine OSA tumour samples and cell lines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential utility of an orally bioavailable small molecule Met inhibitor, PF2362376, against canine OSA cell lines as a prelude to future clinical work. PF2362376 inhibited phosphorylation of Met, Gab‐1, Erk and Akt, but not of Src or STAT3. Furthermore, PF2362376 inhibited proliferation of canine OSA cell lines and induced cell death at biologically achievable concentrations. Last, activities associated with Met signalling including migration, invasion, branching morphogenesis and colony formation in soft agar were blocked by PF2362376. These studies support the notion that Met is a relevant target for therapeutic intervention in OSA.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) Collaborative Quality Improvement Initiative in Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
Authors: MOSCUCCI MAURO , SHARE DAVID , KLINE‐ROGERS EVA , O'DONNELL MICHAEL , MAXWELL‐EWARD ANN , MEENGS WILLIAM L. , CLARK VIVIAN L. , KRAFT PHILLIP , FRANCO ANTHONY C. DE , CHAMBERS JAMES L. , PATEL KIRIT , MCGINNITY JOHN G. , EAGLE KIM A.
Published: August 2007

The past decade has been characterized by increased scrutiny of outcomes of surgical and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). This increased scrutiny has led to the development of regional, state, and national databases for outcome assessment and for public reporting. This report describes the initial development of a regional, collaborative, cardiovascular consortium and the progress made so far by this collaborative group. In 1997, a group of hospitals in the state Michigan agreed to create a regional collaborative consortium for the development of a quality improvement program in interventional cardiology. The project included the creation of a comprehensive database of PCIs to be used for risk assessment, feedback on absolute and risk‐adjusted outcomes, and sharing of information. To date, information from nearly 20,000 PCIs have been collected. A risk prediction tool for death in the hospital and additional risk prediction tools for other outcomes have been developed from the data collected, and are currently used by the participating centers for risk assessment and for quality improvement. As the project enters into year 5, the participating centers are deeply engaged in the quality improvement phase, and expansion to a total of 17 hospitals with active PCI programs is in process. In conclusion, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium is an example of a regional collaborative effort to assess and improve quality of care and outcomes that overcome the barriers of traditional market and academic competition.
Electron Beam‐Induced “Nanocalcination” of Boehmite Nanostrips to Mesoporous α‐Alumina Phase
Authors: Arami Hamed , Mazloumi Mahyar , Khalifehzadeh Razieh , Sadrnezhaad Seyed Khatiboleslam
Published: August 2007

Phase transformation of boehmite (AlOOH) nanostrips to α‐Al2O3 nanolaces was investigated under electron beam irradiation of a 200 keV transmission electron microscope (TEM). X‐ray diffraction pattern showed that the powder consisted of boehmite phase before the electron exposure, while selected area electron diffraction patterns demonstrated the formation of stable α‐alumina phase after bombardment with high‐energy electrons. The in situ TEM observations revealed that the initial morphology remained unchanged while a lace‐like mesostructure of α‐alumina was developed.
Vacuum Strength of Two Candidate Glasses for a Space Observatory
Authors: Manning Timothy Andrew , Tucker Dennis S. , Herren Kenneth A. , Gregory Don A.
Published: August 2007

The strengths of two‐candidate glass types for use in a space observatory were measured. Samples of ultra‐low expansion glass (ULE) and borosilicate (Pyrex) were tested in air and in vacuum at room temperature (20°C) and in vacuum after being heated to 200°C. Both glasses tested in vacuum showed a significant increase in strength over those tested in air. However, there was no statistical difference between the strength of samples tested in vacuum at room temperature and those tested in vacuum after heating to 200°C.
Machinable Ti3SiC2/Hydroxyapatite Bioceramic Composites by Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Shi Sui Lin , Pan Wei
Published: August 2007

In this paper, we report a machinable Ti3SiC2/hydroxyapatite (HAp) composite prepared by spark plasma sintering. The experimental results of a drilling test demonstrated that the composites exhibit excellent machinability when the Ti3SiC2 content is higher than 20 vol%, which can be attributed to the improvement in the mechanical and machinable properties of the composites by addition of Ti3SiC2 phase, which possessess unique mechanical and machinable properties and energy‐absorbing mechanisms. The superior mechanical and machinable properties of Ti3SiC2/HAp composites suggest that the composite system could be attractive for practical applications of novel biomaterials.
Ba0.5Sr0.5Zn0.2Fe0.8O3−δ Perovskite Oxide as a Novel Cathode for Intermediate‐Temperature Solid‐Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Wei Bo , Lü Zhe , Huang Xiqiang , Liu Zhiguo , Miao Jipeng , Li Na , Su Wenhui
Published: August 2007

A cobalt‐free perovskite oxide, Ba0.5Sr0.5Zn0.2Fe0.8O3−δ (BSZF), was investigated as a novel cathode material for intermediate‐temperature solid‐oxide fuel cells (IT‐SOFCs). Room‐temperature nonstoichiometry of BSZF was as high as 0.412, which was favorable for oxygen–reduction reaction. At 700°C, the polarization resistances were as low as 0.22 and 0.13 Ω·cm2, respectively, for pure and impregnated BSZF cathodes under open‐circuit conditions, suggesting that oxygen‐deficient BSZF was a promising cathode candidate for IT‐SOFCs.
Defect Control in a Selective Reduction Reaction to Synthesize a Metal/Ceramic Nanocomposite
Authors: Suetsuna Tomohiro , Fukasawa Takayuki , Suenaga Seiichi , Harada Koichi
Published: August 2007

A metal/ceramic nanocomposite was synthesized by defect control in a selective reduction reaction of a complex solid solution. The defect type of a (Co, Mg)O solid solution was controlled by doping oxides with different valencies. The controlled defects strongly affected the reduction reaction behaviors as well as material morphologies after the reaction. In the case of scandium doping, the diffusion was rate controlling in the reduction reaction, and metals of a nanocolumn‐like structure were highly dispersed into the matrix. On the other hand, in the case of lithium doping, the interface reaction was rate controlling in the reaction, and metal nanoparticles were highly dispersed into the matrix.
Effect of early childhood malnutrition on tooth eruption in Haitian adolescents
Authors: Psoter W. , Gebrian B. , Prophete S. , Reid B. , Katz R.
Published: August 2007

Abstract –  Objective:  The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to determine the effects of early childhood protein‐energy malnutrition (EC‐PEM) and current nutritional status as defined by anthropomorphic measures on the exfoliation and eruption patterns of teeth among adolescents.

Methods:  Oral clinical examinations were conducted in 2005 using World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria on 498 11‐ to 13‐year‐old Haitians for whom early childhood malnutrition data were available. Anthropomorphic records (weight‐for‐age) from the Haitian Health Foundation computerized database on children from birth through 5‐years old were utilized. Current heights and weights were ascertained. Both sets of data were converted to z‐scores based on the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) referent database. Based upon these z‐scores, EC‐PEM and current malnutrition categories were developed for this study. The analyses separately regressed the number of primary and permanent teeth on age, gender, EC‐PEM status and current nutritional status.

Results:  Both a delayed exfoliation of primary teeth and a delayed eruption of permanent teeth were associated with EC‐PEM and current stunting in adolescence. The observed associations were either direct and statistically significant or indirectly demonstrated by presenting evidence of confounding. The overall interpretation of the models is that malnutrition beginning in the earliest years and extending throughout childhood influences the exfoliation and eruption of teeth.

Conclusion:  These findings present evidence of an association between tooth exfoliation/eruption patterns and both EC‐PEM and nutritional insufficiency (stunting) throughout childhood. This observed delay in the exfoliation of the primary dentition and in the eruption of the permanent dentition has practical significance in interpreting age‐specific dental caries data from populations with different malnutrition experiences.
Risk factors associated with dental fluorosis in Central Plateau State, Nigeria
Authors: Akosu Tyavyar J. , Zoakah Ayuba I.
Published: August 2007

Abstract –  Objectives:  Dental fluorosis is known to occur in some parts of Plateau State, but the factors responsible for its occurrence are unknown. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of dental fluorosis in Central Plateau.

Methods:  The study was cross‐sectional and comparative in design. Subjects were selected using the multi‐stage sampling technique. One Local Government Area each was randomly selected from the high and low altitude parts of the district, and from each selected Local Government Area two health districts were randomly selected with probability proportional to size. From each of the selected health districts two major settlements were selected again with probability proportional to size. Twelve‐ to fifteen‐year‐old lifelong residents of the selected settlements were then selected for study. Each respondent completed an interviewer‐administered questionnaire after which he/she was clinically examined to ascertain his/her fluorosis status. Samples of water were collected from water sources consumed by the respondents in each settlement.

Results:  One thousand one hundred children aged 12–15 years were studied, 554 (50.4%) of which lived in the high altitude part of the district and 546 (49.6%) in the low altitude part of the district. Fluorosis prevalence was significantly associated with altitude and the fluoride level of water. The prevalence of fluorosis was significantly associated with altitude (χ2 = 85.735, d.f. = 1, P < 0.0001) and the fluoride level of water (χ2 for trend = 8.009, d.f. = 1, P < 0.05) in the low altitude parts of the district. None of the respondents had used fluoride‐containing toothpaste before 4 years of age and none used fluoride supplements.

Conclusion:  The occurrence of dental fluorosis in Central Plateau could be because of the high altitude of the area and the fluoride concentration of the waters consumed in the district.
Perceived psychosocial job stress and sleep bruxism among male and female workers
Authors: Nakata Akinori , Takahashi Masaya , Ikeda Tomoko , Hojou Minoru , Araki Shunichi
Published: August 2007

Abstract –  Objective:  Psychosocial job stress has been associated with sleep disturbances, but its association with sleep bruxism (SB), the stereotype movement disorder related to sleep, is not well understood. The aim of this epidemiological study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial job stress and SB.

Methods:  1944 male and 736 female factory workers participated in this study (response rate 78.1%). Perceived job stress was evaluated with the Japanese version of the generic job stress questionnaire, which covered 13 job stress variables. SB was assessed by the question, ‘Do you grind or clench your teeth during your sleep or has anyone in your family told you that you grind your teeth during your sleep?’ Response options were ‘never’, ‘seldom’, ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’. SB was considered present if the answer was ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’.

Results:  Overall, 30.9% of males and 20.2% of females reported SB. In males, workers with low social support from supervisors [odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–1.68] or from colleagues (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.17–1.83), and high depressive symptoms (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.26–2.03) had a significantly increased risk of SB after controlling for confounders. By contrast, no significant association was found in females.

Conclusions:  We conclude that SB is weakly associated with some aspects of job stress in men but not in women among the Japanese working population.
Plasma cell growth fraction using Ki‐67 antigen expression identifies a subgroup of multiple myeloma patients displaying short survival within the ISS stage I
Authors: Gastinne Thomas , Leleu Xavier , Duhamel Alain , Moreau Anne‐Sophie , Franck Genevieve , Andrieux Joris , Lai Jean‐Luc , Coiteux Valerie , Yakoub‐Agha Ibrahim , Bauters Francis , Harousseau Jean‐Luc , Zandecki Marc , Facon Thierry ,   On behalf of the Intergroupe Francophone du Myelome (IFM)
Published: August 2007

The current most powerful prognostic model in Multiple Myeloma (MM) combines beta‐2 microglobulin (b2m) with albumin, corresponding to the International Staging System (ISS). However, the prognosis of patients within the ISS stage I (high albumin and low b2m) may vary. Ki‐67 is a nuclear protein associated with cell proliferation. We retrospectively evaluated the percentage of bone marrow plasma cells expressing Ki‐67 antigen (Ki‐67 index) in a series of 174 untreated MM patients at diagnosis. Median survival was 51, 41 and 20 months respectively, and median Ki‐67 index was 3.0%, 6.1% and 6.5% in ISS stages I, II, and III respectively. Independently of ISS, Ki‐67 index ≥4% was highly predictive of adverse prognosis. Ki‐67 index correlated with markers of intrinsic malignancy and with markers of tumour burden. Within ISS stage I, median survival was of 31 months (RR of death 2.65) in patients with Ki‐67 index ≥4%. Eventually, the combination of Ki‐67 with b2m produced an efficient prognostic model, which appeared most effective in our series when compared with b2m and KI‐67 with chromosome 13 deletion models. In this series, we demonstrated that a proliferation marker provides clear‐cut additional survival prognostic information to b2m into the ISS model.
Circulating dendritic cells subsets and CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in adult patients with chronic ITP before and after treatment with high‐dose dexamethasome
Authors: Ling Yun , Cao Xiangshan , Yu Ziqiang , Ruan Changgeng
Published: August 2007

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder, and high‐dose dexamethasome (HD‐DXM) has been used as a first‐line therapy for patients with ITP. However, little is known about the role of dendritic cells (DCs) and CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in the pathogenesis of chronic ITP and the effects of HD‐DXM on DCs and Treg cells. In this study, we investigated the amounts of circulating myeloid DCs (mDCs), plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), and CD4+Foxp3+ Treg cells in 26 untreated adult patients with chronic ITP. All patients had thrombocytopenia (platelet count <50 × 109/L) for more than 6 months. We also observed short‐time changes of DCs and Treg cells after treatment with HD‐DXM in these patients. Both mDCs and pDCs numbers in patients were comparable with that of healthy controls. In contrast, the percentage of Treg cells was significantly reduced in patients when compared with healthy controls (P < 0.0001). After 4‐days treatment with HD‐DXM, Treg cells and mDCs were increased (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05), while pDCs decreased (P < 0.0001), and CD11c expression level in mDCs was downregulated (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that Treg cells are deficient in ITP and the immunosuppressive therapy of glucocorticoids could cause the short‐time changes of these cells.
Intestinal marginal zone B‐cell lymphoma of MALT type: clinical manifestation and outcome of a rare disease
Authors: Oh Sung Yong , Kwon Hyuk‐Chan , Kim Won Seog , Hwang In Gyu , Park Yeon Hee , Kim Kihyun , Ko Young Hae , Ryoo Baek‐Yeol , Kang Hye Jin , Nam Eunmi , Lee Jae‐Hoon , Kim Jung Han , Kim Hyo‐Jin
Published: August 2007

Intestinal marginal zone B‐cell lymphoma of the MALT type (I‐MZL) is a relatively uncommon form of lymphoma. Twenty‐seven patients with histologically‐confirmed I‐MZL were analyzed. The patients initially presented with abdominal pain (62.9%), and diarrhea (22.2%). The most common involved site was the ileo‐caecal area (40.7%). Musshoff’s stage IE, IIE1, IIE2, IIIE and IV were present in 44%, 15%, 11%, 7.4% and 22% respectively. Sixty‐three percent were in the low‐risk group according to the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index. Complete response and partial response were achieved in 82% and 4% patients. The estimated 5‐year overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) rates were 86% and 54%. Stage ≥ IIE2 was determined to be a poor prognostic factor for PFS and OS. I‐MZL commonly manifests in an early‐stage, low‐risk state and tends to respond well to local and systemic treatment with favorable prognosis. I‐MZL tends to be an indolent disease – characterized by prolonged survival with frequent relapses, similarly to other site MZLs.
Inhibiting Self‐Pollen: Self‐Incompatibility in Papaver Involves Integration of Several Signaling Events
Authors: Franklin‐Tong Vernonica E.
Published: August 2007

Cellular responses rely on signal perception and integration. A nice example of this is self incompatibility (SI), which is an important mechanism to prevent inbreeding. It prevents self‐fertilization by using a highly discriminatory cellular recognition and rejection mechanism. Most SI systems are genetically specified by the S‐locus, which has a pollen and a pistil S‐component. A receptor‐ligand interaction is used by Papaver rhoeas to control SI. S proteins encoded by the pistil part of the S‐locus interact with incompatible pollen to achieve rapid inhibition of tip growth. The incompatible SI interaction triggers a Ca2+‐dependent signaling cascade. A number of SI‐specific events are triggered in incompatible pollen, including rapid depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton; phosphorylation of soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases (SPPases), Pr‐p26.1; activation of a mitogen activated protein kinase, p56; programmed cell death (PCD) involving a caspase‐3‐like activity. These events contribute to prevent self‐fertilization. We are attempting to establish the functional significance of these events, and their possible involvement in integrating a coordinated signaling response. Here we describe the identification of these components shown to be involved in SI, together with recent progress in identifying links between some of them. These data constitute the first steps in elucidating how SI signaling is integrated.
Diversification of the RAB Guanosine Triphosphatase Family in Dicots and Monocots
Authors: Zhang Jiaming , Hill Daniel R. , Sylvester Anne W.
Published: August 2007

RAB guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) are key regulators of vesicle trafficking and are essential to the growth and development of all eukaryotic cells. During evolution, the RAB family has expanded in different patterns to facilitate distinct cellular, developmental and physiological adaptations. Yeast has only 11 family members, whereas mammalian RABs have expanded to 18 RAB subfamilies. Plant RABs have diversified primarily by duplicating members within a single subfamily. Plant RABs are divided into eight subfamilies, corresponding to mammalian RAB1, RAB2, RAB5, RAB6, RAB7, RAB8, RAB11 and RAB18. Functional diversification of these is exemplified by the RAB11s, orthologs of which are partitioned into unique cell compartments in plants where they function to transport vesicles during localized tip growth. Similarly, the RAB2 family in grasses is likely involved in vesicle secretion associated with wall expansion, as determined by analysis of over‐expression mutants. We propose that dicots and monocots have also diverged in their RAB profiles to accommodate unique cellular functions between the two groups. Here we present a bioinformatics analysis comparing the RAB sub‐families of rice, maize and Arabidopsis. These results will guide future functional studies to test for the role of diversification of subfamilies unique to monocots compared to dicots.
Alteration in Secondary Wall Deposition by Overexpression of the Fragile Fiber1 Kinesin‐Like Protein in Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhou Jianli , Qiu Jia , Ye Zheng‐Hua
Published: August 2007

Secondary walls in fibers and vessels are typically deposited in three distinct layers, which are formed by the successive re‐orientation of cellulose microfibrils. Although cortical microtubules have been implicated in this process, the underlying mechanisms for the formation of three distinct wall layers are not known. The Fragile Fiber1 (FRA1) kinesin‐like protein has been previously shown to be involved in the oriented deposition of cellulose microfibrils and important for cell wall strength in Arabidopsis thaliana. In the present report, we investigated the expression pattern of the FRA1 gene and studied the effects of FRA1 overexpression on secondary wall deposition. The FRA1 gene was found to be expressed not only in cells undergoing secondary wall deposition including developing interfascicular fibers and xylem cells, but also in dividing cells and expanding/elongating parenchyma cells. Overexpression of FRA1 caused a severe reduction in the thickness of secondary walls in interfascicular fibers and deformation of vessels, which are accompanied with a marked decrease in stem strength. Close examination of secondary walls revealed that unlike the wild‐type walls having three typical layers with the middle layer being the thickest, the secondary walls in FRA1 overexpressors exhibited an increased number of layers, all of which had a similar width. Together, these results provide further evidence implicating an important role of the FRA1 kinesin‐like protein in the ordered deposition of secondary walls, which determines the strength of fibers and vessels.
Plant Peroxisome Multiplication: Highly Regulated and Still Enigmatic
Authors: Hu Jianping
Published: August 2007

Plant peroxisomes play a key role in numerous physiological processes and are able to adapt to environmental changes by altering their content, morphology, and abundance. Peroxisomes can multiply through elongation, constriction, and fission; this process requires the action of conserved, as well as species‐specific proteins. Genetic and morphological analyses have been used with the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to determine at the mechanistic level how plant peroxisomes increase their abundance. The five‐member PEX11 family promotes early steps of peroxisome multiplication with an unknown mechanism and some subfamily specificities. The dynamin‐related protein (DRP)3 subfamily of dynamin‐related large guanosine triphosphatases mediates late steps of both peroxisomal and mitochondrial multiplication. New genetic and biochemical tools will be needed to identify additional, especially plant‐specific, constituents of the peroxisome multiplication pathways.