bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Turbidity Affects the Development of Sexual Morphology in the Palmate Newt
Authors: Secondi Jean , Aumjaud Aarélien , Pays Olivier , Boyer Stéphanie , Montembault David , Violleau David
Published: June 2007

In theory, animal signals are designed to optimize transmission across a specific habitat. However, sexual signals characteristics often reflect habitat quality, a feature that does not necessarily match habitat structure. Besides, many species exploit a particular habitat for breeding so that the growth of sexual signals can depend on the additive effects of breeding and non‐breeding habitats. We combined field and experimental data to investigate the relative effect of terrestrial and aquatic habitat on the development of sexual ornaments in the palmate newt, Triturus helveticus. This species exploits a large ecological range of habitats. Like many amphibians, it spends the breeding season in water and the rest of year on land. We tested the influence of terrestrial (forest cover) and aquatic habitat variables (turbidity, organic matter, pH, nitrate and chloride) on male sexual morphology. Neither terrestrial nor aquatic habitat variables accounted for body size variation. In contrast, the size of male sexual traits decreased with water turbidity, suggesting that the expression of visual signals matched the local conditions of signal transmission. We provide experimental evidence that this pattern is not caused by reduced foraging efficiency in turbid water. We propose alternative mechanisms to account for the relationship between turbidity and visual sexual signals, and discuss the consequences of small scale environmental variation on mate choice.
A TOY MODEL OF THE COSMIC SINGULARITY
Authors: MAŁKIEWICZ PRZEMYSŁAW , PIECHOCKI WŁODZIMIERZ
Published: June 2007

We assume that evolution of the universe consists of the sequence of classical and quantum phases. Analysis of the quantum phase is presented by examination of classical and quantum dynamics of a particle in the compactified Milne space. Our model offers some insight into the nature of the cosmic singularity.
Computational Anthropomorphic Models of the Human Anatomy: The Path to Realistic Monte Carlo Modeling in Radiological Sciences
Authors: Zaidi Habib , Xu Xie George
Published: June 2007

The widespread availability of high-performance computing and popularity of simulations stimulated the development of computational anthropomorphic models of the human anatomy for medical imaging modalities and dosimetry calculations. The widespread interest in molecular imaging spurred the development of more realistic three- to five-dimensional computational models based on the actual anatomy and physiology of individual humans and small animals. These can be defined by either mathematical (analytical) functions or digital (voxel-based) volume arrays (or a combination of both), thus allowing the simulation of medical imaging data that are ever closer to actual patient data. The paradigm shift away from the stylized human models is imminent with the development of more than 30 voxel-based tomographic models in recent years based on anatomical medical images. We review the fundamental and technical challenges of designing computational models of the human anatomy, and focus particularly on the latest developments and future directions of their application in the simulation of radiological imaging systems and dosimetry calculations.
Nonhomologous End-Joining in Bacteria: A Microbial Perspective
Authors: Pitcher Robert S. , Brissett Nigel C. , Doherty Aidan J.
Published: June 2007

In eukaryotic cells, repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway is critical for genomic stability. A functionally homologous repair apparatus, composed of Ku and a multifunctional DNA ligase (LigD), has recently been identified in many prokaryotes. Eukaryotic organisms employ a large number of factors to repair breaks by NHEJ. In contrast, the bacterial NHEJ complex is a two-component system that, despite its relative simplicity, possesses all of the break-recognition, end-processing, and ligation activities required to facilitate the complex task of DSB repair. Here, we review recent discoveries on the structure and function of the bacterial NHEJ repair apparatus. In particular, we discuss the evolutionary origins of this DSB repair pathway, how the diverse activities within the prokaryotic end-joining complex cooperate to facilitate DSB repair, the physiological roles of bacterial NHEJ, and finally, the essential function of NHEJ in the life cycle of mycobacteriophage.
Operacionalização de adaptação transcultural de instrumentos de aferição usados em epidemiologia
Authors: Reichenheim Michael Eduardo , Moraes Claudia Leite
Published: June 2007

O objetivo do artigo foi propor uma sistemática operativa para avaliar o processo de adaptação transcultural de instrumentos desenvolvidos em outros contextos lingüístico sócio-culturais. São feitas considerações sobre a necessidade do uso de instrumentos de aferição robustos; a importância de instrumentos "universais" que permitam sintonias transculturais; e a necessidade de partir para adaptação em contraposição ao desenvolvimento de um instrumento novo. Aborda-se a existência de controvérsias e diferentes propostas processuais na literatura e apresenta-se um modelo de adaptação. Essa síntese envolve os passos operativos dos processos de avaliação de equivalência conceitual, de itens, semântica e operacional, e apresenta um roteiro de análise psicométrica que alicerça a avaliação de equivalência de mensuração. Finalmente, reforça-se a necessidade de cuidar da qualidade da informação em estudos epidemiológicos, incluindo meticulosos processos de adaptação transcultural nas agendas de pesquisas.
Composição dos gastos privados com medicamentos utilizados por aposentados e pensionistas com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Authors: Lima Marina Guimarães , Ribeiro Andréia Queiroz , Acurcio Francisco de Assis , Rozenfeld Suely , Klein Carlos Henrique
Published: June 2007

O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a composição dos gastos privados com medicamentos utilizados por indivíduos com 60 anos ou mais de idade, em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A população estudada foi uma amostra representativa de aposentados e pensionistas do Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS) nessa faixa etária e residentes no Município de Belo Horizonte, entrevistados em um inquérito domiciliar. Foram calculados os gastos mensais com medicamentos obtidos no setor privado e analisada a sua composição considerando as características dos medicamentos. Responderam ao inquérito 667 indivíduos. Foi observado um gasto mensal privado médio de R$ 122,97 (US$ 38,91) com os medicamentos utilizados pelos participantes. Os grupos terapêuticos que representaram uma maior proporção dos gastos totais foram: sistema cardiovascular (26%), sistema nervoso (24%) e trato alimentar e metabolismo (15%). Em relação à categoria de registro dos medicamentos utilizados, os medicamentos de referência foram responsáveis por uma maior proporção dos gastos totais (54%). Os resultados deste estudo podem subsidiar políticas destinadas a melhorar o acesso a medicamentos e às condições sanitárias da população idosa brasileira.
Auto-relato de diagnóstico médico de asma e transtornos mentais comuns entre funcionários de uma universidade no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: estudo Pró-Saúde
Authors: Nogueira Katia T. , Lopes Claudia S. , Faerstein Eduardo
Published: June 2007

Este estudo investiga a associação entre história de asma e transtornos mentais comuns em funcionários de uma universidade no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Dados seccionais da Fase 1 (1999) de um estudo de coorte (Estudo Pró-Saúde) foram coletados entre 4.030 funcionários. A asma foi avaliada mediante auto-relato de diagnóstico médico e a presença de transtornos mentais comuns pelo General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Modelos lineares generalizados foram utilizados para o cálculo de razões de prevalência. A prevalência de asma foi de 11% (444), dos quais 39,7% (176) apresentavam transtornos mentais comuns. História de asma associou-se com renda mais elevada (p = 0,01) e sexo feminino (p = 0,001). A análise ajustada por sexo, idade e renda mostrou associação entre história de asma e transtornos mentais comuns (RP = 1,37; IC95%: 1,22-1,55), e aqueles com menos de dez anos de diagnóstico apresentaram uma prevalência de transtornos mentais comuns mais elevada do que aqueles sem diagnóstico de asma (RP = 1,88; IC95%: 1,32-2,70). Esses achados reforçam a necessidade de atenção por parte das equipes multidisciplinares dos aspectos emocionais dos pacientes com asma, em especial daqueles com menos tempo de convivência com a doença.
Representações sobre dengue, seu vetor e ações de controle por moradores do município de São Sebastião, litoral Norte do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Lefèvre Ana Maria Cavalcanti , Ribeiro Andressa Francisca , Marques Gisela Rita de Alvarenga Monteiro , Serpa Lígia Leandro Nunes , Lefèvre Fernando
Published: June 2007

Buscou-se, neste trabalho, identificar conhecimentos da população sobre a dengue e biologia do vetor, a fim de propiciar, através desse conhecimento, o diálogo entre a lógica técnica e a leiga, para conseguir avanços concretos na participação e no controle social da dengue e do vetor. Foi realizada pesquisa em área infestada pelo Aedes aegypti, com transmissão de dengue, no Município de São Sebastião, litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Foram feitas cem entrevistas, com cinco questões abertas, abordando aspectos de interesse para o tema do controle da dengue e do vetor. Utilizou-se, para análise, a técnica do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC). Os discursos revelam que a população não está conseguindo discriminar adequadamente o tipo ou modalidade de coleção de água mais apropriada para a criação do mosquito e que desconhece a fase de ovo no desenvolvimento do vetor. Observou-se consciência inadequada da relação de vários elementos da biologia do vetor, bem como da necessária integração entre poder público e a população. Sugere-se que as atividades educativas adotem resultados desta pesquisa como insumo, visando ao incremento da eficiência e eficácia social das ações participativas de combate ao dengue e controle do vetor.
Prevalência de osteoporose e fraturas vertebrais em mulheres na pós-menopausa atendidas em serviços de referência
Authors: Bandeira Francisco , Carvalho Eduardo Freese de
Published: June 2007

Este estudo tem por objetivo verificar a prevalência de osteoporose e a presença de fraturas vertebrais em mulheres na pós-menopausa. Foram estudadas, em serviços de referências, 627 mulheres com idade acima de 50 anos, com média de idade de 63,9 ± 8,3 anos, tempo de menopausa de 16,2 ± 8,6 anos, e índice de massa corpórea de 26,6 ± 4.3 Kg/m2. A prevalência de osteoporose foi de 28,8% na coluna lombar e de 18,8% no colo do fêmur. Esta foi maior nas pacientes que apresentaram história de fraturas quando jovens. Na faixa entre 60 a 69 anos, 33,2% tinham osteoporose na coluna lombar e entre 70 e 79 anos, 38,2%. Das pacientes com mais de 80 anos 54,5% apresentam osteoporose na coluna lombar e 72,7% no colo do fêmur. Trinta e sete por cento tinham fraturas, sendo que 9% apresentam fraturas grau I, e 10,9% fraturas severas. Considerando-se os diversos grupos etários, a prevalência de fraturas vertebrais foi de 20% entre 50 e 59 anos, 25,6% entre 60 e 69 anos, 58,3% entre 70 e 79 anos, e 81,8% entre 80 e 89 anos. Em mulheres na pós-menopausa, a maioria sem sintomas clínicos, verificamos uma alta taxa de prevalência de osteoporose, e fraturas vertebrais.
Groundwater impacts from coal ash in highways
Authors: Li L. , Benson C. H. , Edil T. B. , Hatipoglu B.
Published: June 2007

Coal combustion products (CCPs), traditionally treated as wastes, can be successfully used in road construction in a variety of ways. When CCPs are used in roadway construction, however, leaching of trace elements into groundwater can be a concern. The current paper describes a model that can be used to evaluate the impacts of leaching on groundwater for typical roadways in the USA. Three analytical solutions to the advection–dispersion–reaction equation are combined to develop a method for assessing impacts to groundwater caused by leaching of trace elements from CCPs used in highway subgrade, subbase and base layers. The solutions were combined into a computer program (WiscLEACH) with a Windows® graphical user interface. The analytical method was compared to predictions made with HYDRUS-2D, a software package for simulating flow and transport in variably saturated media. Predictions made with the analytical method were also compared to field data from a highway test section where the subgrade was stabilised with coal fly ash. Parametric analyses made with the method indicate that maximum concentrations in groundwater occur near the groundwater table (GWT) and the centreline of the pavement. Peak groundwater concentrations decrease as depth to groundwater increases, the thickness of the byproducts layer decreases, the seepage velocity in the vadose zone decreases or the seepage velocity in groundwater increases. Variables having the greatest influence on maximum concentrations in groundwater are depth to the GWT, thickness of the CCP layer, hydraulic conductivity of the least conductive layer in the vadose zone, hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer material and the initial concentration in the CCP layer.
Compressibility of tyres for use in landfill drainage systems
Authors: Beaven R. P. , Powrie W. , Hudson A. P. , Parkes D. J.
Published: June 2007

Whole or shredded scrap tyres are sometimes proposed as an alternative to conventional aggregates in landfill drainage systems. Landfill basal drainage systems are, however, subjected to large overburden stresses from the overlying waste, which may compress a tyre drainage layer reducing its porosity and hence its effectiveness. Previous work has indicated that tyre drainage layers will remain effective under high stresses, but tests have in the main been restricted to small (<100 mm) shred sizes. The use of coarser shreds or even whole tyres for landfill drainage systems may be advantageous as they are more economical to produce and may be less prone to clogging than smaller shreds. In this paper, the results of largescale (2 m sample diameter) tests to investigate the compressibility of 50, 200 and 450 mm nominal-size tyre shreds are compared with data from the literature for smaller-size shreds and whole tyres. Tests were carried out at vertical stresses up to 600 kPa, representing landfill depths of up to about 60 m. Generally whole tyres and larger-size segments compress more in overall volume terms on initial loading than smaller size shreds. At vertical stresses greater than about 80 kPa, however, the differences on a graph of dry density or porosity plotted against vertical stress are much smaller. The proportion of voids that are not free-draining decreases with compression for whole tyres, as cup-like structures capable of retaining water flatten out. For tyre chips, the proportion of non-drainable voids increases with compression, suggesting that flow pathways are being lost. The dependence of the compressive behaviour of tyres and tyre chips on the particle shape is discussed, and the need for a more detailed and rigorous way of characterising particle size and shape is highlighted.
Country Differences in the Acceptance of Compliance Goals: A US‐Mexico Comparison
Authors: Gómez Carolina , Gualberto Cremades J.
Published: June 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the goal commitment and satisfaction of participants from two different cultures when given a compliance goal versus no goal. Using a sample of 104 Mexican and U.S. participants, we found significant differences in uncertainty avoidance but not power distance between the participants of the two cultures. In addition, uncertainty avoidance had a significant effect on both goal commitment and satisfaction regardless of the goal condition. Finally, there was a significant goal by country interaction, which shows that Mexican participants, rather than U.S. participants, were more committed and marginally more satisfied with a compliance goal than no goal. Despite differences between the cultures in uncertainty avoidance and a direct effect of uncertainty avoidance on individual reactions to goals, the interaction was not explained by uncertainty avoidance.
Reconfigurations of Caribbean History
Authors: Springer Jennifer Thorington
Published: June 2007

“Reconfigurations of Caribbean History: Michelle Cliff's Rebel Women” examines Cliff's re-visioning of Caribbean history in an effort to elucidate Caribbean women's active role in building Caribbean nations. In Abeng, Cliff reinvents what Honor Ford Smith calls a “rebel consciousness” through representations of female rebels who refuse to “know duh place.” Cliff's rebel women combat and resist traditional representations of womanhood, patriarchy, colonial culture, and homophobia. The genealogy of the “fighting spirit” of Caribbean women is registered in Abeng to ensure the longevity of their acts of resistance but more importantly to serve as an instructional guide for younger generations of Caribbean women.
Phenyl‐(2‐pyridyl)‐(3‐pyridyl)‐(4‐pyridyl)methane: Synthesis, Chiroptical Properties, and Theoretical Calculation of Its Absolute Configuration
Authors: Matsumoto Kouzou , Inagaki Takuya , Nehira Tatsuo , Kannami Masaki , Inokuchi Daisuke , Kurata Hiroyuki , Kawase Takeshi , Pescitelli Gennaro , Oda Masaji
Published: June 2007

The title compound, a prototypical chiral molecule based on a tetraarylmethane framework, has been synthesized in five steps from (2‐pyridyl)‐(3‐pyridyl)ketone. X‐ray crystallographic analysis revealed the tetraarylmethane framework of the molecule but did not determine the positions of the nitrogen atoms because the crystal is a racemic compound and the aryl groups are disordered in the crystal. The optical resolution of the title compound was achieved by chiral HPLC with a Chiralcel OD column. The CD spectra of the two fractions in acetonitrile exhibited opposite signs as expected for a pair of enantiomers. Their CD spectra are changed in 2 M HCl due to protonation. The calculated CD curve for the target molecule based on time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) reproduces the experimental result very well, thus suggesting that the first eluted fraction is the R isomer in terms of absolute configuration.
Cleaning Using CO2‐Based Solvents
Authors: Zhang Xiaogang , Han Buxing
Published: June 2007

Cleaning with hierarchy of CO2‐based solvents is advantageous from an environmental point of view because CO2 is non‐flammable, virtually inert, and abundant. After cleaning, the only waste stuffs generated are the contaminants that are removed from the cleaned parts. The technology is especially well suited for precision cleaning applications in which parts have intricate geometries or for applications in which parts are sensitive to water or high temperature. This review will first introduce aqueous cleaning concepts and mechanism, which is helpful to understand how to design cleaning systems using high pressure CO2. Recent microelectronic processes for cleaning and rising of circuit wafers using CO2‐based solvents are the main focus of the review. Additional cleaning topics include dry cleaning, separation of dyestuffs, and extraction of contaminations from soils and regeneration of catalysts.
Reduction of Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide Emission from Swine Manure Using Aqueous Foams Amended with Microorganisms and Chemical Additives
Authors: Lee Seung‐Ryong , Han Joon Kyoung , Choi Yong Ju , Nam Kyoungphile
Published: June 2007

Aqueous foam, in combination with microorganisms and chemical additives, was tested for the reduction of the emissions of odorous compounds from swine manure. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were selected as test compounds. Aqueous foam decreased the ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions by about 33.2 and 66.2%, respectively, after application for 1,800 min. With the application of aqueous foam, amended with 1% of monocalcium phosphate or Yucca extracts, about 81.4 and 51.6%, respectively, of the ammonia emissions were suppressed over the same time period. However, the chemical additives were found to be ineffective in the suppression of hydrogen sulfide. Finally, the aqueous foam, containing microorganisms and the two chemical additives, attained about 88.3 and 70% ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions suppression, respectively. The data show that the aqueous foam was effective in the control ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions, and the suppression capacity can be markedly enhanced by the addition of appropriate microorganisms and chemical additives.
Tripodal Trimanganese(III) Complexes of New Unsymmetrical Pentadentate Ligands Derived from 2‐(Salicylideneamino)phenol: Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Properties
Authors: Muto Masahiro , Hatae Naoya , Tamekuni Yumi , Yamada Yasunori , Koikawa Masayuki , Tokii Tadashi
Published: June 2007

Trinuclear manganese(III) complexes of new unsymmetrical pentadentate ligands, 6‐hydroxy‐2‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐5‐(salicylideneamino)benzoxazole (H3L1) and 5‐(5,6‐benzosalicylideneamino)‐6‐hydroxy‐2‐(2‐hydroxynaphthyl)benzoxazole (H3L2), [Mn3(L1)3(CH3OH)3] (1) and [Mn3(L2)3(dmf)(CH3OH)(H2O)] (2) (dmf = N,N‐dimethylformamide), have been prepared. The structures of the ligands H3L1, H3L2 and complex 1 were determined by X‐ray crystallography, which revealed that the ligands have two distant chelating sites. The molecular structure of 1 is regarded as a tripodal pyramid with a cavity of about 3 Å diameter. Each MnIII ion is coordinated by ONO atoms from a tridentate Schiff base site and ON atoms from a benzoxazole site of two respective H3L1 ligands. The intramolecular Mn···Mn distances for 1 are in the range 8.0683–8.1791 Å, and the nearest intermolecular Mn···Mn distance, 5.7824(15) Å, is shorter than theintramolecular values. Magnetic measurements of 1 indicate that weak antiferromagnetic interactions (J = –0.2 cm–1, g = 2.0) are dominant in the trinuclear manganese(III) core. Cyclic voltammogram of 1 in dmf showed obscure redox couples assigned to two single‐electron transfer processes.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
The ten essential processes of facilitative leaders
Authors: Bens Ingrid
Published: June 2007

As more work is performed by knowledge workers in matrixed structures supported by technology, facilitative leadership is emerging as the most effective style for creating and sustaining high‐performing teams. It differs most significantly from command‐and‐control leadership in its ten essential core processes for managing relationships and building collaborative cultures. These processes, which are matched to specific stages in the life cycle of a project or team, structure productive dialogues for integrating a new leader, visioning, team launch, operational review, survey feedback, debriefing, negotiating, assessing peer performance, mediating conflict, and coaching. © 2006 John Wiley & Sons.
Neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease: Evidence from animal models to human in vivo studies with [11C]‐PK11195 PET
Authors: Bartels Anna L. , Leenders Klaus L.
Published: June 2007

Increasing evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is an active process in Parkinson's disease (PD) that contributes to ongoing neurodegeneration. PD brains and experimental PD models show elevated cytokine levels and up‐regulation of inflammatory‐associated factors as cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 and inducible nitric oxide oxidase. Antiinflammatory treatment reduced neuronal degeneration in experimental models. In this review, we summarize the place of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of PD. In vivo PET studies are discussed. These methods provide a means to monitor in vivo potential clinical relevance of antiinflammatory treatment strategies in PD. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Thyroid cancer: are molecular studies making any difference?
Authors: Kim D S
Published: June 2007

‘Translational research’ encompasses all activities that apply basic scientific research findings to clinical practice. Although it has taken almost 20 years since the first scientific discoveries, the approval of new ‘drugs’ such as Herceptin and Avastin represents a successful example. There has also been successful translation of science into the clinic in the field of otolaryngology.

In the last decade, we have seen major developments in molecular biology and genetics. Two notable achievements have been the completion of the human genome project and the parallel advances in high-throughput molecular genomic and proteomic technologies. Linked with these events has been the enormous accumulation of new data which offers the promise of important future clinical applications.

This review aims to discuss these major scientific developments, to demonstrate successes in thyroid translational research, and to summarise more recent research findings in thyroid disease which provide hope for the development of future clinical tools.
Comparison of model‐produced active layer fields: Results for northern Alaska
Authors: Shiklomanov Nikolay I. , Anisimov Oleg A. , Zhang Tingjun , Marchenko Sergey , Nelson Frederick E. , Oelke Christoph
Published: June 2007

In this study we compare gridded active layer thickness (ALT) fields representing northern Alaska produced by the State Hydrological Institute (SHI), National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), and Geophysical Institute–University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF‐GIPL 2.0) spatial permafrost models. Comparison of model‐produced ALT fields representing northern Alaska revealed substantial differences. The largest difference in modeled ALT was found in the interior of Alaska. However, the spatial distribution of observational sites, most of which are on the North Slope, precludes definitive conclusions about the accuracy of model prediction for the Alaskan interior. Accuracy of the model‐produced ALT fields was assessed at a series of monitoring sites and over a 27,000 km2 region in north‐central Alaska with known spatial ALT distribution. The NSIDC model is very accurate over the extent of the topographically homogeneous Coastal Plain but overestimates ALT in more complex terrain of the Brooks Range Foothills. The UAF‐GIPL 2.0 model reproduced site‐specific active layer values well but overestimated ALT on the Coastal Plain. Although the SHI model provided relatively accurate estimates, it was unable to reproduce interannual active layer dynamics. Large differences in ALT fields have primarily resulted from differences in approaches adopted in each model for characterization of largely unknown spatial distribution of surface (vegetation, snow) and subsurface (soil properties, soil moisture) conditions. Results from this study identify the nature and magnitude of error in ALT fields produced by permafrost models.
A twenty year reversal in water mass trends in the subtropical North Atlantic
Authors: Leadbetter S. J. , Williams R. G. , McDonagh E. L. , King B. A.
Published: June 2007

Temperature and salinity changes have been compared along three repeat sections at 36°N in the North Atlantic. The principal changes, cooling of the upper waters and warming of the intermediate waters observed between 1959 and 1981, were reversed between 1981 and 2005. The controlling mechanisms for the changes over the two time periods differed through the water column. Neutral density surfaces over the upper 800 m were firstly uplifted and secondly depressed by typically 50 m, which is broadly consistent with the changes in thermocline thickness implied by the temporal changes in Ekman pumping. In contrast, the intermediate waters (800–2500 m) firstly became warmer and saltier and secondly became cooler and fresher. This change in the intermediate waters was controlled by water mass changes along neutral density surfaces suggesting a change in the source waters, principally Labrador Sea Water and Mediterranean Outflow Water.
Raman study of the influence of hydrogen on defects in ZnO
Authors: Windisch Charles F. , Exarhos Gregory J. , Yao Chunhua , Wang Li-Qiong
Published: June 2007

Raman spectra of ZnO powders and thin films obtained during exposure to hydrogen at different concentrations, temperatures, and electrochemical conditions indicated two distinct effects of hydrogen on the defect structure of the oxide. At lower concentrations of hydrogen in a gaseous environment at approximately 400°C, the hydrogen diffused into the ZnO and occupied oxygen vacancies contributing to a reduction in intensity of Raman bands associated with the defect. At higher concentrations of hydrogen, generated during electrochemical polarization in aqueous solution at 25°C, the hydrogen diffused into the ZnO, both filling oxygen vacancies and populating interstitial sites in line with recent observations reported in the literature. In this latter role, hydrogen imparted sufficient electron density to the Zn and/or structural disorder to enhance vibration modes that are forbidden or typically weak in native ZnO. The results argue for the pervasive and varied chemistry of hydrogen in this oxide and may help explain the dependence of physical properties, especially electrical conductivity, on fabrication methods and environmental conditions.
Superior mechanical properties of FeCrMoVC
Authors: Kühn U. , Mattern N. , Gemming T. , Siegel U. , Werniewicz K. , Eckert J.
Published: June 2007

This work presents results on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the steel composition Fe84.3Cr4.3Mo4.6V2.2C4.6 subjected to preparation conditions typically used for manufacturing of bulk metallic glasses. Thermodynamical aspects and kinetic limitations on the specific solidification process of phase formation, particularly those, which are strongly dominated by diffusion controlled mechanisms, promote the formation of nonequilibrium phases, such as martensite and complex carbide structures already in the as-cast state. This combination of high strength phases yields material with highly desirable properties, such as an engineering compression strength of more than 4000MPa surprisingly combined with a fracture strain of about 12%.
Electronic and magnetic properties of FeSe thin film prepared on GaAs (001) substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Liu K. W. , Zhang J. Y. , Shen D. Z. , Shan C. X. , Li B. H. , Lu Y. M. , Fan X. W.
Published: June 2007

FeSe film was prepared on GaAs (001) substrate by low pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The x-ray diffraction measurement indicated that the sample was preferentially oriented with tetragonal structure. The structure relationship between FeSe epilayer and GaAs (001) substrate has been studied. The critical behavior in the temperature-dependent resistivity at ∼290K is close to the Curie temperature, which confirmed that the transformation from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism could be responsible for the critical behavior.
Deformation corrected real-time terahertz imaging
Authors: Hattori Toshiaki , Sakamoto Masaya
Published: June 2007

The authors have developed a method of real-time terahertz imaging in which image deformation due to nonuniformity of residual birefringence in the electro-optic (EO) sampling crystal is corrected. Real-time terahertz imaging using intense terahertz pulses and two-dimensional EO sampling can suffer from birefringence nonuniformity of the EO crystal since the birefringence is explicitly used for the linear detection of the terahertz field. In the proposed method, the distribution of the residual birefringence of the EO crystal is measured and used for image correction. Deformation-free images of the spatial profile of a focused terahertz pulse were obtained.
Dimensions of Teacher Innovativeness
Authors: McGeown V.
Published: June 2007

This paper reports the development and validation of measures of teacher innovativeness and selected correlates. Teacher innovativeness is conceptualised as a multi‐dimensional construct, which may include teachers' attitudes towards the adoption of specific innovations, their general change‐related values, their adoption of innovations, their internalisation of adopted innovations, and their continual participation in change‐related professional activities. Innovativeness was found to comprise a number of dimensions which were significantly and differentially related to teachers' perceptions of innovation characteristics and the organisational context of innovation. Teachers' overt innovative behaviour and, to a lesser extent, their attitudinal commitment to innovation were significantly related to the schools' organisational climate for change, its openness to influence, its supportiveness and motivational climate and to the principal's innovation decision‐making behaviour. The instruments developed by the author were found to possess a high degree of reliability and validity. A total of 1757 principals and teachers participated in the study. Grateful acknowledgement is made to all participants in the study and in particular to a group of 34 principals who additionally administered questionnaires to the teaching staff in their schools.
The ‘Transition from School to Work’ in 1980/81: a dynamic account
Authors: Main Brian , Raffe David
Published: June 2007

This paper describes the experiences of a sample of Scottish school leavers during their first year in the labour market in 1980 and 1981. The paper describes the absorption of summer term leavers into the labour market and their movements between employment, unemployment and the Youth Opportunities Programme (YOP). The summer months continued to be the main recruitment season for school leavers; after October few school leavers found employment without first going on YOP. Yet a majority of entrants to YOP did not find work at the end of their schemes, and YOP had become a major ingredient of a new pattern of instability in the youth labour market. School leavers' chances of employment varied with their school qualifications and with the area they lived in. The paper concludes with a discussion of the Youth Training Scheme, which comes into operation in September 1983.
Cross‐moderation: a useful comparative technique?
Authors: Johnson Sandra , Cohen Leslie
Published: June 2007

Over the last decade inter‐board grade comparability investigation has relied exclusively on the cross‐moderation method, but the results have continued to prove disappointing. Pronouncements about differences in the grading standards of the participating boards have usually been heavily qualified and of uncertain validity. It has not been clear, however, to what extent the cross‐moderation method can be held accountable for this general failure to produce interpretable results, since many of the studies suffered design flaws which have undoubtedly been contributory factors.

In response to this situation the Schools Council agreed to fund and to administer a series of pilot studies designed to evaluate the cross‐moderation technique itself. This paper summarises and discusses the results of these preliminary investigations.
Conversations with Teachers: some aspects of life‐history method
Authors: Woods Peter
Published: June 2007

Life histories have much to offer educational research. The paper seeks to illustrate, through a consideration of the central life‐history method of ‘conversations', the possibilities for teacher involvement and for educational theory. A strong relationship between researcher and teacher, in which both identify with the research, is essential, and especial consideration, therefore, has to be given to the negotiation of access. Life histories have a strong affinity with ethnography, following many of the same principles, but they can enhance ethnography by adding historical and subjective depth. Accounts are validated through a variety of means, including alternative viewpoints and documentary evidence. The structure of a range of conversations is discussed, and the central techniques examined. Finally, analysis is traced from the initial distillation of material, through ‘secondary’ analysis to ‘formal theory’. Throughout, teacher and researcher work closely together, and the eventual ‘findings' are a product of the interaction between them.
Research Communities, The White Paper Chase and a New Research Ecumenism
Authors: Wilcox B.
Published: June 2007

The period when the British Educational Research Association (BERA) was founded was one in which there was an increasing recognition amongst the research community that a wind of change had stirred up the settled traditions of educational research. It was a time which celebrated the promise of alternative paradigms for research. Ten or so years on we are entering another era where the emphasis is not on the reconceptualisation of what research is but on how it is organised. I think one can discern at least two factors, not wholly separate from each other, that will increasingly influence how a substantial part of research will be organised. These two factors are the changes which have taken place in the composition of the research community and the direction of current Government policy concerning the school system. I aim to show how these are leading to a fruitful form of collaborative research at local level which should be encouraged and supported —not least by BERA.
Teacher Competency and the Primary School Curriculum: a survey of five schools in North‐East England
Authors: Barnes L. R. , Shinn‐Taylor C.
Published: June 2007

An investigation into teacher competency and teacher expertise in five primary schools was undertaken by questionnaire and interview with 50 staff and five headteachers. Following a comparative review of all curriculum areas, two subjects are identified as giving serious cause for concern—music and science, and these are given more detailed reporting. The data are compared with other research reports and the conclusion drawn that this investigation reinforces and extends existing literature on the limitations of teacher competency in primary schools. By a more flexible use of teacher expertise it is possible and indeed necessary and desirable, to use teachers in a specialist capacity to cover gaps in class teacher knowledge skills and interests.
Teaching in the Mid‐1980s: the centrality of work in secondary teachers' lives
Authors: Poppleton Pam , Riseborough George
Published: June 2007

This paper reports findings from a survey of the perceptions of 686 secondary school teachers working in the north of England about aspects of their working lives. It looks at the teachers' involvement in their work and the factors to which it is related. General and specific measures of work attitude were derived from a questionnaire completed by teachers in 20 schools which were selected so that their teachers would proportionately represent the characteristics of teachers in all secondary schools in six large Local Education Authority areas. The 686 respondents comprised 60% of the target sample. A facet‐free measure of work centrality acted as the dependent variable for a series of multiple regressions which showed that (1) work centrality was, in general, ‘value driven’ so that the more a job dimension was valued as a source of job satisfaction, the greater was the teacher's involvement in work; (2) the greatest single net effect on work centrality was the perceived degree of workload support followed by involvement in the pastoral role, in professional development activities and in a pupil‐centred pedagogy, and (3) when seven demographic variables were added, these specific roles and activities appeared to be a function of seniority achieved relatively early in the teaching career. A cluster analysis of the data identified four stable, groups of teachers who differed in the shape and level of their profiles on 16 variables. A discussion of the findings elaborates the notion of the ‘spoiled’ career and focuses on the special position of the mature entrant into teaching.
Evaluation of the First British Reading Recovery Programme
Authors: Wright Anna
Published: June 2007

This paper provides an evaluation of the progress of the pupils receiving Marie Clay's Reading Recovery Programme in its first year of implementation in the United Kingdom. The study investigates two questions; (1) whether this successful New Zealand programme could work with children in Surrey, UK, and (2) whether English pupils would show accelerated learning. Of pupils entering the programme with very poor reading and writing skills, 96.4% reached average levels of attainment in literacy, after a mean of 16.8 weeks of teaching. Gains were equivalent to those found in New Zealand children. The study concludes that Reading Recovery is as effective in Surrey, UK as in New Zealand, Australia and the USA.
Short‐ and Long‐term Follow‐up of Parental Involvement in Reading Projects
Authors: Topping K. J.
Published: June 2007

Parental involvement in children's reading has received considerable research and media attention over the last decade. This paper considers whether the gains on norm‐referenced reading tests widely reported as a result of this activity are maintained over time. The rather limited previous research is reviewed and it is noted that most data relate to the ‘Paired Reading’ technique. Substantial new follow‐up data with respect to this technique are reported from multi‐site field trials in one education authority. The new data confirm the trend from the previous literature, i.e. that although there is a deceleration in reading test gains after the initial project period, nevertheless follow‐up gain rates continue at above ‘normal’ levels and there is no evidence of ‘wash‐out’ of intervention effects.
Mathematics and the Real World
Authors: Hunter Jennifer , Turner Irene , Russell Charlotte , Trew Karen , Curry Carol
Published: June 2007

It has been suggested that perception of mathematics as an academic exercise divorced from reality increases as children progress through school. The present study explores this suggestion with respect to primary school pupils; 144 pupils aged between 6 and 10 years, at four primary schools, were interviewed and asked for examples of everyday uses for familiar mathematical operations. Approximately 60% of suggestions were related to ordinary everyday activities and 30% related to demonstrating or practising mathematical procedures. Patterns of response were not related to age, gender or school. The results suggest that for many children, separation of school mathematics from everyday life starts early in primary school if not before.
The Fate of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative in a Pilot School: a longitudinal case study
Authors: Williams Ralph , Yeomans David
Published: June 2007

This paper arises out of wider Economic and Social Research Council funded research on the legacy of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI) in a national sample of original pilot schools. It describes and analyses the development of TVEI in one school over the period 1983‐91 and draws on field‐work at the school in 1986 and 1991. The development and demise of a radical cross‐curricular course are explained. It is argued that the particular fate of the innovation was the result of the interplay between a range of system level, local ‘market’ and in‐school factors.
The First Mathematics Standard Assessment Tasks at Key Stage 1: issues raised by a five school study
Authors: Davies Julie , Brember Ivy
Published: June 2007

This paper assesses the value parents can put on the mathematical Standard Assessment Task (SAT) score as an indicator of what children are achieving in mathematics. The results of a study of a sample of all the Year 2 children (176) from five randomly selected primary schools within one Local Education Authority (LEA) are presented. Pupils' scores on Mathematics 7, a standardised mathematics test for 7 year‐olds (National Foundation for Educational Research INFER], 1987a), are compared to the mathematics Standard of Assessment Task (SAT) score elicited by them in the previous half term. Results show that children with the same NFER 7 score may be designated Level 1, 2 or 3 on the mathematics SAT. No child in social class three (unskilled, manual) or four (unemployed), comprising 50% of the sample, attained Level 3. Conclusions, based on such a small study, are tentative. There is a need to be aware that measuring a child's attainment in mathematics may be more complicated than simply looking at the SAT results.
Schools, Maternal Employment and Child Health Care
Authors: Dowswell Therese , Hewison Jenny
Published: June 2007

For primary school children episodes of illness are almost inevitable and their occurrence is frequently unpredictable. To examine whether maternal employment is a factor which is associated with school sickness absence a study was carried out in Leeds of 139 families with children aged 6‐7 attending five study schools. Some 282 episodes of illness leading to school absence occurred over two school terms. Children of mothers working full‐time had less than half the time off school than children whose mothers were not in paid employment. A number of factors could explain these differences including the use of differing severity thresholds in the two groups and social class differences in the distribution of illness. Perceptions about school policies and school staff were both taken into account by mothers in the decision‐making process leading up to school absence and before the return to school. They also influenced the way the illness episode was managed.
Using Activity Analysis to Investigate Primary Classroom Environments
Authors: Simco N. P.
Published: June 2007

The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for the naturalistic investigation of classroom environments in primary schools. At its centre, this proposal is derived from a critique of the position of the classroom ecologist Walter Doyle. The paper has three distinct phases. The first strand is concerned with analysis of aspects of Doyle's work, especially in connection with his position on classroom ecology. This section will include an overview of his approach to naturalistic research, together with an outline of his view on the definitions of tasks and activities. Reference will also be made to the source of his work, ecological psychology. The second phase of the paper relates to Doyle's methodological position, including the use of classroom narratives as a research method together with an outline and critique of the role of dimensions of task ambiguity within naturalistic research. Finally the concept of dimensions of classroom activity ambiguity is proposed. This is used as a foundation for suggestions for empirical research methods for natural investigation.
The Effect on School Budgets of Different Non‐statemented Special Educational Needs Indicators within a Common Funding Formula
Authors: Marsh Alan J.
Published: June 2007

The 1993 Education Act introduced a Common Funding Formula (CFF) for grant‐maintained schools. The Department for Education (DFE) proposes to use free school meals entitlement (FSME) as a proxy indicator to allocate money for non‐statemented special educational needs (NSSEN). This paper concentrates on the issue of NSSEN formula funding within the secondary sector. It examines the relative merits of using different proxy indicators and more direct measures of NSSEN. It also investigates the implications and impact on secondary school budgets of moving to a CFF which uses FSME as its NSSEN indicator, and contrasts that with a local education authority's (LEA) actual formula. FSME is shown to be sa poor predictor, at an individual pupil level, of later educational attainment. These proposed changes in funding arrangement will cause significant and arbitrary gains and losses in school budgets which are not related to the numbers of pupils with special educational needs as assessed by more direct measures.