bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An exploration of spatial patterns of seasonal diarrhoeal morbidity in Thailand
Authors: McCORMICK B. J. J. , ALONSO W. J. , MILLER M. A. 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYStudies of temporal and spatial patterns of diarrhoeal disease can suggest putative aetiological agents and environmental or socioeconomic drivers. Here, the seasonal patterns of monthly acute diarrhoeal morbidity in Thailand, where diarrhoeal morbidity is increasing, are explored. Climatic data (2003–2006) and Thai Ministry of Health annual reports (2003–2009) were used to construct a spatially weighted panel regression model. Seasonal patterns of diarrhoeal disease were generally bimodal with aetiological agents peaking at different times of the year. There is a strong association between daily mean temperature and precipitation and the incidence of hospitalization due to acute diarrhoea in Thailand leading to a distinct spatial pattern in the seasonal pattern of diarrhoea. Model performance varied across the country in relation toper capitaGDP and population density. While climatic factors are likely to drive the general pattern of diarrhoeal disease in Thailand, the seasonality of diarrhoeal disease is dampened in affluent urban populations.
Determination of the burden of hepatitis C virus infection in Ireland
Authors: THORNTON L. , MURPHY N. , JONES L. , CONNELL J. , DOOLEY S. , GAVIN S. , HUNTER K. , BRENNAN A. 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYInformation on the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease is needed to inform policy decisions on primary and secondary prevention. Specimen-based laboratory data (1989–2004) were converted to person-based data and combined with notification data (2004–2009) to describe the burden of HCV infection in Ireland. More than 10 000 people were confirmed as HCV infected in 1989–2004, with the numbers peaking in 2000. The predominant genotypes were 1 (55%) and 3 (39%). Drug use was the most likely risk factor in 80%, with receipt of blood or blood products in 16%. It is estimated that 20 000–50 000 people in Ireland are chronically infected with HCV, a population prevalence of 0·5–1·2%, which is similar to other countries in Northern Europe. This is the first published estimate of the number of chronic HCV infections in Ireland. These data will be of value in health service planning and will contribute to the understanding of HCV infection in Europe.
What is so special about Reading Recovery?
Authors: Hurry Jane 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTReading Recovery is a highly successful and widely used intervention for children with reading difficulties. However, it is an intensive intervention and some have argued that it is for this reason alone that it is effective. This argument is examined but found to be unsound. The central features of Reading Recovery are then described under the headings of assessment, curriculum and instruction, and the empirical evidence of their value reviewed. Using this method to analyse Reading Recovery as a case‐study of successful intervention certain key elements are revealed. The intensity of the intervention is identified as a necessary but not sufficient ingredient for effective remediation. Other factors of importance are the rigour and focus of assessment, the breadth of the curriculum which includes writing as well as reading, and the quality of instruction.
The mediating role of LEAs in the interpretation of government assessment policy at school level in England
Authors: Conner Colin , James Mary 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTThe authors of this paper have conducted research into the implementation of National Curriculum assessment at Key Stage 1 by local education authorities in one particular region of the United Kingdom, East Anglia. They found that policy documents were being interpreted in a number of different ways, thus allowing a variety of practices to develop. This has allowed policy implementation to be shaped to meet local needs, in particular with regard to audit or moderation at this key stage.
Models of teacher assessment among primary school teachers in England
Authors: Gipps Caroline , McCallum Bet , Brown Margaret 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTBuilding on their study of assessment practices at Key Stage 1, the authors use similar methods to examine practices at Key Stage 2. They identify teacher styles, ranging from Testers to Diagnostic Trackers, and look at the way those teachers carried out assessments, gathered evidence, made decisions about National Curriculum levels and recorded their findings. Finally, they make comparisons between practices concerning assessment at the two'Key Stages.
Assessment in French primary schools
Authors: Broadfoot Patricia , Osborn Marilyn , Panel Claire , Pollard Andrew 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTDespite its current high regard in parts of the English educational community, education in France has been as much the subject of public and political concern in recent years as it has in many other countries. One manifestation of this concern was the Loi Jospin of 1989, the aim of which was to continue to encourage the growth of diversity among schools as a response to local needs. Associated with this goal was that of making teachers more willing and able to respond to the increasingly diverse needs of their pupils. By so doing, it was hoped to raise the overall level of student success within the system. This paper looks at one aspect of teachers’ practice and the impact of current reforms on it–that of assessment. Having briefly described the provisions of the Jospin Law, it discusses how these are affecting teachers’ attitudes and practice, using data from the ESRC‐funded ‘Systems, Teachers and Educational Policy’ (STEP) project (ESRC Award No.: R 000 23 4673). Some tentative conclusions about the scale of change and the significance of French primary teachers’ attitudes to assessment are offered.
An analysis of the rationales for learning history given by children and teachers at Key Stage 2
Authors: Huggins Mike 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTSubject knowledge at Key Stage 2 of the English National Curriculum has recently assumed increased importance, leading, to an increased research interest in the forms of subject content knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge employed by teachers. This paper examines the extent to which teachers and pupils were aware of a specific subject curriculum rationale. The paper discusses the findings of an enquiry into the extent to which non‐specialist teachers (n = 40), initial teacher training students (n = 46) and Key Stage 2 pupils in four primary schools exhibited an understanding of the reasons why history should be studied, following the introduction of the National Curriculum for history in 1991. Results showed that experienced teachers had a tacit understanding of the aims of history produced by the National Curriculum Council, although students’ understandings were less well developed. Teachers had succeeded in transmitting some key ideas about why history should be studied to their pupils, although differences between schools show that teaching makes a difference. However, some pupils had only sketchy ideas about why they studied the subject or did not find it exciting or enjoyable.
Recent developments in the science education of 14‐16 year olds in Northern Ireland or ’A Tale of Two Policies’
Authors: Jarman Ruth , McAleese Liam 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTIn Northern Ireland, in recent years, concerns have been expressed about the large number of pupils who do not continue with formal science education beyond the age of 14. The introduction of a statutory curriculum, however, brought with it the requirement that all our young people should study science throughout compulsory schooling. This paper describes the implementation of this policy as it applies to 14‐16 year olds, including the development of the science programmes, their selection by schools and their uptake by pupils. The marked difference between the outcome of the new curriculum policy in the province and the outcome of a similar science policy in England is explored in terms of the distinctive features of the education system in Northern Ireland.
The paradoxical position of careers teachers in relation to the Training Credits initiative as an innovation
Authors: Sparkes Andrew , Hodkinson Phil 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTWithin schools the history of careers teaching has been characterized by its margin‐alization in the educational process. Drawing upon interview data this paper explores how careers teachers experience various forms of marginality within a recent vocational initiative involving Training Credits (TCs).1 It is suggested that their involvement in this initiative has acted to exacerbate the uncertainties and ambiguities that many careers teachers experience regarding their role and status within schools. Finally, the problems raised by their continued marginalization for the success or otherwise of TCs as an innovation are considered.
Still building American character: sport and the physical education curriculum
Authors: Rees C. Roger 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis paper describes a ‘local’ reaction to the global theme that ‘sport builds character’. It shows how the emphasis on winning in sports has led to the growth of a unique system of interscholastic athletics in American schools which provides important socialization experiences for students and acts as entertainment for the community. I suggest that the founders of physical education in America used the popularity of sport to establish their subject as a legitimate component of secondary education, and argue that the current popularity of athletics is now undermining that legitimacy. To support this claim, I give examples of how the system of athletics can compromise the current reform efforts in physical education which use sports as a medium to develop self‐responsibility and raise moral issues.
Policy, practice, and reconversion in Spanish educational reform: teaching and teacher education in physical education
Authors: DEVÍS‐DEVÍS JOSE 
Published: September 2011

AbstractSince the late 1980s, reform of the Spanish education system has been justified by reformists as a response to the social and economic changes that have occurred in Spanish society since the democratic transition in the 1970s. Consolidation of democracy, development of technology and economic convergence with the advanced nations of Europe have been seen as the major challenges for educational reform. Restructuring and legitimation processes derived from the requirements of the new reform have been conceptualized as a policy of reconversion, the main purpose of which is to maintain, or achieve, a strong competitive position in the international market. In this paper, conceptualizing educational reform as a reconversion process will allow us to link aspects of the new curriculum (content, pedagogy and assessment), school organization, teaching and teacher education in physical education with wider economic, social and cultural influences and explore the tensions and conflicts between policy and practice in PE in schools. The paper will argue that there is a widening gap between the interests of progressive educationalists and the direction of market‐driven education reform.
Physical education and sport and special needs in Germany
Authors: Doll‐Tepper Gudrun 
Published: September 2011

AbstractHistorically, in Germany individuals with special needs have been offered participation in physical education (PE) both in segregated and increasingly in integrated settings. Specific curricula for children with disabilities (physical disabilities, hearing, and visual impairments, speech and behaviour disorders as well as intellectual disabilities) were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. They all emphasized the specific importance of physical activities for people with a disability focusing not only on motor competencies but also on the psychological and social benefits of physical education. During the 1970s so‐called model schools started to include children with disabilities in mainstream schools. Unlike developments in the United States, for example, where integrated or mainstream schooling was based on legal requirements, in Germany improved integration or inclusion was not based on federal law, but on parents’ or teachers’ initiatives in different Bundesländer (states of Germany). Parallel to these developments, new approaches to PE have accentuated a positive orientation towards ‘ability’ rather than ‘disability’. Professionals in PE in universities and in schools have been challenged to develop better diagnostic skills and more individualized programmes. On the initiative of nine European universities, a European Master's degree of Adapted Physical Activity has been developed to offer advanced training on a European scale. However, despite these positive and innovative developments serious concerns remain concerning the situation of children with disabilities in the school system. This article argues that there is still a significant lack of specially trained professionals and support staff and that the ongoing process of reducing the amount of PE in schools for all children, including those with a disability, does not contribute to improved physical and social skills or increased participation in recreational and sport activities outside schools.
School‐based restructuring and curriculum change: teachers’ and students’ contrasting perspectives
Authors: Beattie Mary , Thiessen Dennis 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis article is set within the context of a school‐based change initiative, where we studied a number of teachers and students in order to understand the ways in which they understood and experienced the complexities of the change process, and to add their voices to the ongoing discussions around restructuring and school‐based change. We found that although there were some commonalties between how teachers and students experienced the changes being implemented, there were also some profound differences between the curriculum as planned by teachers and the curriculum as experienced by students. For the teachers, the themes of caring for students’ lives, recasting themselves as classroom practitioners and of working as collaborative colleagues were identified; for students, the themes were those of getting used to the place, and of re‐establishing their preferred way of working in this new setting. In our discussion and analysis of these themes we look at the implications for future school‐based change initiatives, and at some of the complexities and difficulties which present themselves as schools take on increased authority and responsibility for self‐management and for the creation of improved learning environments for students and teachers. We suggest that future change efforts should give more importance to the perspectives of teachers and students, and to the interactive and programmatic exchanges of teachers and students. We suggest also that changed school structures should originate in a focus on the improvement of teaching and learning, and on the facilitation of teachers’ and students’ collaborative efforts to create a curriculum for the classroom and a learning community which is both enabling and transformative for both.
Prevalence of and Risks for Internal Contamination among Hospital Staff Caring for a Patient Contaminated with a Fatal Dose of Polonium-210
Authors: Waroux Olivier le Polain de , Cohuet Sandra , Bishop Louise , Johnson Sandra , Shaw Karen , Maguire Helen , Charlett André , Fraser Graham 
Published: September 2011

Background.Alexander Litvinenko died on November 23, 2006, from acute radiation sickness syndrome caused by ingestion of polonium-210 (210Po).Objective.The objective was to assess the prevalence of and risk factors for internal contamination with 210Po in healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for the contaminated patient.Setting.Hospital.Participants.HCWs who had direct contact with the patient.Methods.We interviewed 43 HCWs and enquired about their activities and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Internal contamination was denned as urinary 210Po excretion above 20 mBq within 24 hours. We obtained risk ratios (RRs) for internal contamination using Poisson regression.Results.Thirty-seven HCWs (86%) responded, and 8 (22%) showed evidence of internal contamination, all at very low levels that were unlikely to cause adverse health outcomes. Daily care of the patient (washing and toileting the patient) was the main risk factor (RR, 3.6 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-11.6]). In contrast, planned invasive procedures were not associated with a higher risk. There was some evidence of a higher risk associated with handling blood samples (RR, 3.5 [95% CI, 0.8-15.6]) and changing urine bags and/or collecting urine samples (RR, 2.7 [95% CI, 0.8-9.5]). There was also some evidence that those who reported not always using standard PPE were at higher risk than were others (RR, 2.5 [95% CI, 0.8-8.1]).Conclusions.The sensitive quantitative measurement enabled us to identify factors associated with contamination, which by analogy to other conditions with similar transmission mechanisms may help improve protection and preparedness in staff dealing with an ill patient who experiences an unknown illness.
Improving Risk-Adjusted Measures of Surgical Site Infection for the National Healthcare Safely Network
Authors: Mu Yi , Edwards Jonathan R. , Horan Teresa C. , Berrios-Torres Sandra I. , Fridkin Scott K. 
Published: September 2011

Background.The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) has provided simple risk adjustment of surgical site infection (SSI) rates to participating hospitals to facilitate quality improvement activities; improved risk models were developed and evaluated.Methods.Data reported to the NHSN for all operative procedures performed from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2008, were analyzed. Only SSIs related to the primary incision site were included. A common set of patient- and hospital-specific variables were evaluated as potential SSI risk factors by univariate analysis. Some ific variables were available for inclusion. Stepwise logistic regression was used to develop the specific risk models by procedure category. Bootstrap resampling was used to validate the models, and the c-index was used to compare the predictive power of new procedure-specific risk models with that of the models with the NHSN risk index as the only variable (NHSN risk index model).Results.From January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2008, 847 hospitals in 43 states reported a total of 849,659 procedures and 16,147 primary incisional SSIs (risk, 1.90%) among 39 operative procedure categories. Overall, the median c-index of the new procedure-specific risk was greater (0.67 [range, 0.59–0.85]) than the median c-index of the NHSN risk index models (0.60 [range, 0.51–0.77]); for 33 of 39 procedures, the new procedure-specific models yielded a higher c-index than did the NHSN risk index models.Conclusions.A set of new risk models developed using existing data elements collected through the NHSN improves predictive performance, compared with the traditional NHSN risk index stratification.
“But My Patients Are Different!”: Risk Adjustment in 2012 and Beyond
Authors: Moehring Rebekah W. , Anderson Deverick J. 
Published: September 2011

Feedback of surgical site infection (SSI) rates to surgeons improves patient outcomes and should be considered a cornerstone of any infection control program. For as long as feedback of SSI data has occurred, those in infection control have often heard a searing retort from indignant surgeons: “But my patients are different!”Fortunately, epidemiologists have several tools to use in response. One of the most commonly used approaches involves risk adjustment for differences in case mix between the group of interest (eg, a surgeon's patients) and a comparator. In other words, risk adjustment levels the playing field.Formal risk adjustment for rates of SSI has existed for almost 50 years but is still an imperfect science. In fact, risk adjustment for different variables can lead to different conclusions. Over the past 2 decades, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) risk index has been used by many hospitals to perform risk adjustment for rates of SSI. The NHSN risk index is simple and effective but has undergone considerable scrutiny. Numerous investigators have described scenarios and/or procedures for which the risk index performed poorly and have offered suggestions for improvement. Indeed, Robert Gaynes summarized some of the shortcomings of the NHSN risk index in 2 editorials 10 years ago, stating, “A composite risk index that captures the joint influence of [intrinsic patient risk] and other risk factors is required before meaningful comparisons of SSI rates can be made by surgeons, among institutions, or across time.”
Selling to the BRIC: Brazil — an awakening tiger
Authors: Myers David 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTBrazil is now self‐sufficient and actually a net exporter in many core areas. This newly found wealth is being partially transferred to feed an increased demand for scholarly content. Brazil has the lofty goal of leading the region, if not the world, in amassing subscriptions to content that will hopefully educate its people to further accelerate growth in Brazil and bring it closer to par with developed nations. Through the CAPES Consortia and its Portal, one of Brazil's main vehicles for content acquisition and dissemination under the Ministry of Education, it has amassed more than 23,000 periodical titles, and countless other sources. Use of the Portal has increased more than 2,100% since it was created and now exceeds 18 million full‐text downloads/year and more than 155,000 accesses/day. This article hopes to identify the challenges in tapping this market, and provide some suggestions in pursuing subscription opportunities in Brazil. It is important to understand the economic and psychological drivers that will make a publisher successful in these uncertain times, including the need for flexibility, and the need to forge and maintain relationships, to understand the political and financial climate with the help from ‘in‐country’ representation, and generally to think creatively.
The extent of concentration in journal publishing
Authors: DIDEGAH Fereshteh , GAZNI Ali 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTThis study examines the extent of concentration in the journal publishing industry. A number of aspects are considered: publishers, journal impacts, countries, and languages. For journals indexed in JCR from 1997 to 2009, just 0.2% of publishers produce 50% of journals and articles, and 0.3% of publishers account for the top 50% of citations, impact factors and immediacy indices. More than a half of publishers in JCR are from four countries: USA, UK, Germany and Japan. In addition, more than a half of journals come from the USA and UK. Examining the publishers' interactions in terms of buying and selling journals shows the extent of change by acquisition, and the acquisition links between publishers. The findings confirm that the international market of journal publishing is essentially dominated by a few publishers.
The Internet and Four Dimensions of Citizenship
Authors: Neuman W. Russell , Bimber Bruce , Hindman Matthew 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis chapter studies the implications of the various technical developments for citizenship, relying mostly on the term ‘Internet’ as a synecdoche. It then identifies the four dimensions of citizenship, looking at how they relate to media, and also tries to determine how the Internet interacted – and possibly revolutionized – these dimensions of citizenship.