bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The gift of education: An anthropological perspective on the commoditization of learning
Authors: Cooper Paul 
Published: November 2004

Cited from an online BBC News report on 19 February 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk
Cited in the Times Higher Education Supplement (16 May 2003: 3).
Most of these students are, however, exempt from the payment of fees under current regulations.
It may be objected that the sorts of characteristics I describe here, pertaining to the professional relations obtaining between teachers and students, may be widespread in a variety of client‐professional relationships, such as between, say, doctor and patient, lawyer and client, etc. This may indeed be so in any given case. However, I regard education as the paradigm of a professional relationship that is predicated upon the characteristics of gift exchange.
This point can, I think, be made equally well in respect of the minority of academics who are less than fully committed to their teaching activities and to their students.
The arguments I advance throughout this piece suggest that we should think very carefully about how to employ to best effect such devices as e‐learning technologies and distance learning resources.
An article in the Times Higher Education Supplement (14 November 2003: 20) raises many of these questions, together with the issue of ‘commoditization’, but does so with a focus on the views of parents of university students.
Acquired factor VIII inhibitors in non‐haemophilic patients: clinical experience of 15 cases
Authors: Huang Y.‐W. , Saidi P. , Philipp C. 
Published: November 2004

Summary.  We retrospectively analysed 15 non‐haemophilic patients with acquired factor VIII inhibitors seen in our regional haemophilia centre. The median age was 55 years (range: 21–80). About 70% of patients older than 50 were male, while all five patients younger than 50 were female. The most common underlying condition was pregnancy or postpartum status (20%). About 27% of cases had no identifiable underlying condition. About 27% of patients had medical conditions that were unlikely to be related to acquired inhibitors. The most frequent presenting symptom was spontaneous haemorrhage of soft tissues, skin or joints. Twelve of 13 (92.3%) evaluable patients achieved complete remission (CR) with prednisone alone and/or combined prednisone and cyclophosphamide, but their clinical courses were highly variable. The median time to response was 21.5 weeks (range: 2–176) and the median treatment duration was 9 months (range: 1.25–66). All six patients treated with prednisone initially, and then combined prednisone/cyclophosphamide if no response (NR) to prednisone within 3–4 months (three patients), achieved CR; while four of five patients treated initially with combined prednisone/cyclophosphamide had CR. Patients older than 50 years had a similar response rate, median time to response and median treatment duration as did patients younger than 50 years (83% vs. 100%; 21.5 vs. 32 weeks, and 8 vs 16.5 months, respectively). Furthermore, the differences in the median time to response and treatment duration for patients with high or low baseline or peak inhibitor titres were negligible. Only one patient died of a treatment‐related pulmonary aspergillosis 18 months after an acquired inhibitor was diagnosed. None of these patients died of bleeding complications.In conclusion, our patients with acquired FVIII inhibitor had highly variable clinical courses and responses to steroid or immunosuppressive therapy. The inhibitors in the majority of patients resolved in less than 6 months although in two cases it persisted for longer than 1 year before resolving. Treatment with prednisone alone as first line, then combined prednisone with cyclophosphamide if NR to prednisone seemed equally effective when compared with using combined prednisone and cyclophosphamide initially. Further studies of newer therapeutic agents such as 2‐chlorodeoxyadenosine (2‐CDA) and rituximab are warranted for patients refractory to conventional immunosupressive therapy.
The applicability of Rapoport's rule to the marine molluscs of the Americas
Authors: Fortes R. R. , Absalão R. S. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAim  We evaluated the applicability of Rapoport's rule (RR) to the marine molluscs of the Americas. The biogeographical pattern predicted by RR has been the subject of a large number of studies, some supporting it and some not. In this exercise, we attempted to generate results free of biases in taxonomy or geographical scale.Location  The study area encompassed the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the entire North and South American continents.Methods  Our analysis was based on secondary data. We tested the relationship of the geographical range to gradients of latitude and depth, using the methodologies of Stevens (1989) and midpoint (Rohde et al., 1993). By Spearman's correlation, we related the mean amplitude of the geographical distribution to each gradient. We compared all known molluscan species together, and performed a second analysis limited to certain taxonomically well‐known groups.Results  Our results were generated from a databank encompassing 4067 species. The analyses corroborated RR on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. In applying the pattern to the Atlantic coast, certain methodological issues had to be considered, such as the exclusion of deep‐water species and taxonomically biased groups. Regional features, such as the size of a biogeographical province, seemed to strongly affect the form of the pattern. The results also supported the association of RR with a depth gradient.
Freshwater diatom biogeography in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Authors: Bouchard Giselle , Gajewski K. , Hamilton P. B. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAim  Document the biogeographical distributions of diatoms in the Canadian Arctic in relation to environmental factors.Location  The Canadian Arctic Archipelago.Methods  Diatoms were extracted from lake sediments and treated using standard methods. Rarefaction‐estimated species richness, diatom concentrations (valves cc−1), and diatom abundance were mapped using a Geographic Information System. The physical and chemical parameters of the lakes were measured.Results  A total of 326 taxa from 63 genera were found in 62 lakes of the study area. Up to 85 and as low as eight taxa were identified in any one lake, and rarefaction‐estimated species richness correlated with lake size. Nearby lakes could have greatly different diatom assemblages. Many taxa showed limited distributions. Response surfaces and ordination techniques indicate that a large number of taxa prefer colder regions of the Arctic while the abundance of others was influenced by lake water chemical parameters such as TKN and SiO2.Main conclusions  Although many taxa were common and found across the study area, diatom assemblages showed regional differences in the Arctic. Some taxa were not found in either the northern or southern parts of the Archipelago and others were restricted to particular regions. Newly delineated genera showed interpretable geographical patterns and could be related to environmental factors, suggesting that this more natural grouping may enhance our understanding of diatom ecology. Geographical, physical, and chemical factors are needed to explain diatom distributions in the Arctic.
Sedimentation and recent history of a freshwater wetland in a semi‐arid environment: Loboi Swamp, Kenya, East Africa
Authors: Ashley G. M. , Maitima Mworia J. , Muasya A. M. , Owen R. B. , Driese S. G. , Hover V. C. , Renaut R. W. , Goman M. F. , Mathai S. , Blatt S. H. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractLoboi Swamp is a 1·5 km2 freshwater wetland situated near the equator in the Kenya Rift Valley. The climate is semi‐arid: precipitation is ≈ 700 mm year−1, and evapotranspiration is ≈ 2500 mm year−1. Some of the wetland water is currently used for irrigation. An interdisciplinary study was conducted on the geology, hydrology, pedology and biology of the wetland to determine its origin and history and to assess its longevity under present hydrological conditions. Sedimentary records from two piston cores (1·8 and 4 m long) indicate that the present wetland developed during the late Holocene on a low‐relief alluvial plain. Floodplain deposits (sandy silts) are capped with wetland sediments (organic‐rich clay and peat), which began to form at ≈ 700 BP. The swamp is dominated by Typha domingensis Pers. (≈ 80%) and floating Cyperus papyrus L. (20%). It is fed by warm springs (T ≈ 35 °C; pH ≈ 6·4–6·9) emanating from grid faults of the rift floor. Water compositions suggest that sources are dominated by shallow meteoric water, with little contribution from deeper geothermal fluids. Siderite concretions in the floodplain silts reflect the Fe‐reducing conditions that developed as the surface became submerged beneath the water table. The pollen record captured both local and more regional vegetation, showing the prevailing dry rift valley climate despite development of the wetter conditions on the valley floor. The diatom record also suggests a dramatic change in local hydrology. The combined biological records of this semi‐arid wetland indicate an abrupt change to wetter conditions, most probably as a result of a regional change in climate. Rift tectonics provided accommodation space, maintained the wetland at or below the water table and enabled spring recharge. The size of the modern wetland has been reduced by about 60% since 1969, which suggests that the system may now be under hydrological stress due to anthropogenic impacts from land‐use change.
A novel FY allele in Brazilians
Authors: Castilho L. , Rios M. , Pellegrino J. , Saad S. T. O. , Costa F. F. , Reid M. E. 
Published: November 2004

The GATA box single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position −33 (T>C) in Blacks silences the expression of FY*B in erythrocytes, and the substitution 265 C>T, together with 298 G>A, weakens the Fyb antigen (Fyx). Individuals with these phenotypes/genotypes who receive Fy(b+) blood are unlikely to be alloimmunized to Fyb because, in the presence of 265 T, the Fyb antigen is expressed, and in the case of −33 C, other tissues express Duffy protein and probably the Fyb antigen. We studied samples from 361 blood donors (182 of African ancestry and 179 of Caucasian ancestry) by haemagglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Forty Caucasian and 130 donors of African ancestry were serologically Fy(b–); among these, the majority of the donors of African ancestry had FY*B with the GATA SNP, while the majority of Caucasians typing Fy(b–) had FY*B with 265 T/298 A SNPs. Six of the Fy(b–) donors (three Africans and three Caucasians) had both GATA and 265/298 SNPs, and six donors of Caucasian ancestry apparently had a GATA SNP. Samples from two donors – one African and one Caucasian with an unusual MspA1I‐RFLP pattern – were sequenced and found to have a novel SNP (145 G>T) co‐existent with 265 C>T and 298 G>A SNPs. These findings highlight the importance of establishing the incidence and nature of molecular events that impact on Duffy expression in different populations.
The platelet count accuracy of platelet concentrates obtained by using automated analysis is influenced by instrument bias and activated platelet components
Authors: Hervig T. , Haugen T. , Liseth K. , Kjeldsen‐Kragh J. , Scott C. S. , Johannessen B. 
Published: November 2004

Background and Objectives  The blood platelet content (in numbers) of platelet concentrates is required for production quality control and to predict clinical responses.Materials and Methods  This study compared the performance of automated counting from impedance and optical instruments to data from immunoplatelet reference analysis.Results  All methods showed good linearity with evidence of significant instrument‐specific deviations from the line of agreement. Relational formulae largely corrected bias, but did not resolve platelet count variability. A second confounding factor, related to the proportion of small (activated) platelets, was also shown to contribute to intermethod discrepancies.Conclusions  Blood processing centres should establish correction factors for each instrument compared to reference methods, such as the immunoplatelet count.
CAPTOPRIL REVERSES THE REDUCED VASODILATOR RESPONSE TO BRADYKININ IN HYPERTENSIVE PREGNANT RATS
Authors: Resende AC , Pimentel AML , Soares de Moura R 
Published: November 2004

SUMMARY1. Pregnancy in rats is characterized by a reduction in arterial pressure that is associated with a decreased response to vasoconstrictors. However, the responses to vasodilators in isolated vessels remain controversial and are not well established in hypertensive pregnant rats.2. In the present study, we investigated the effect of pregnancy on the bradykinin (BK)‐induced vasodilator responses of the isolated mesenteric arterial bed (MAB) from Wistar normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and determined the role of nitric oxide (NO), endothelium‐derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) in these responses.3. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) in pregnant normotensive and pregnant hypertensive rats (93 ± 1 and 122 ± 2 mmHg, respectively) was lower than in non‐pregnant controls (128 ± 1 and 163 ± 2 mmHg, respectively; P < 0.05). In MAB isolated from normotensive rats and precontracted with phenylephrine, the effects of bradykinin, acetylcholine (ACh) and nitroglycerine (NG) were not influenced by pregnancy. In contrast, the vasodilator responses to BK were significantly reduced in pregnant compared with non‐pregnant SHR and seemed to be specific to BK.4. The ACE inhibitor captopril potentiated BK vasodilator responses and abolished the differences between pregnant and non‐pregnant SHR. Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase by NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME) significantly reduced the vasodilator effect of BK in all groups. In the presence of l‐NAME plus high K+ solution (47 mmol/L), BK‐induced vasodilation was completely blocked. The NO‐dependent component of the responses seems to be more important in hypertensive rats and pregnancy does not modify this profile.5. Our results suggest that increased ACE activity may be involved in the pregnancy associated reduction in vasodilator responses to BK in the MAB of hypertensive rats. Pregnancy does not modify the relative contribution of the EDHF and NO to the vasodilator effect of BK.
Recognition of transposed melodies by absolute‐pitch possessors
Authors: MIYAZAKI KEN'ICHI 
Published: November 2004

Abstract:  Melody recognition experiments were carried out to investigate how absolute‐pitch listeners deal with melodies in a tonal context. In each trial, a short standard melody was presented auditorily with piano sounds in Experiment 1 and visually in the format of musical notation in Experiment 2, and a comparison melody followed, always in piano sounds. Listeners were required to determine whether the two melodies were the same or different with respect to relative pitch. The listeners who had absolute pitch performed more poorly in comparing transposed melodies than in comparing nontransposed melodies, and their performance for transposed melodies was significantly poorer than that of the listeners who did not have absolute pitch. These results suggest that absolute pitch may work to a serious disadvantage to musicians in dealing with melodies in different tonal contexts.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Impact of Nuclear Cardiology in the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes and Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Pirich C. , Graf S. , Behesthi M. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractMyocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using nuclear techniques is a well‐established diagnostic tool in the management of patients after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) providing non‐invasively information about perfusion and function. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is routinely applied for MPI allowing the characterization of localization, extent and severity of perfusion abnormalities. During recent years gated SPECT MPI has emerged to a technique that can accurately define individual patient risk among clinically stable survivors of AMI by the assessment of total left ventricular (LV) perfusion defect size, the extent of inducible ischaemia, and the degree of LV dysfunction. The documented prognostic value of these scintigraphic parameters is of clinical importance to guide decision‐making in the cardiac patient. Moreover, the cost‐effectiveness of implemented MPI in the work‐up of patients after AMI has been demonstrated.
Regional, disease specific patterns of smoking-attributable mortality in 2000
Authors: Ezzati M , Lopez A D 
Published: November 2004

Background:Smoking has been causally associated with increased mortality from several diseases, and has increased considerably in many developing countries in the past few decades. Mortality attributable to smoking in the year 2000 was estimated for adult males and females, including estimates by age and for specific diseases in 14 epidemiological subregions of the world.Methods:Lung cancer mortality was used as an indirect marker of the accumulated hazard of smoking. Never-smoker lung cancer mortality was estimated based on the household use of coal with poor ventilation. Estimates of mortality caused by smoking were made for lung cancer, upper aerodigestive cancer, all other cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and selected other medical causes. Estimates were limited to ages 30 years and above.Results:In 2000, an estimated 4.83 million premature deaths in the world were attributable to smoking, 2.41 million in developing countries and 2.43 million in industrialised countries. There were 3.84 million male deaths and 1.00 million female deaths attributable to smoking. 2.69 million smoking attributable deaths were between the ages of 30–69 years, and 2.14 million were 70 years of age and above. The leading causes of death from smoking in industrialised regions were cardiovascular diseases (1.02 million deaths), lung cancer (0.52 million deaths), and COPD (0.31 million deaths), and in the developing world cardiovascular diseases (0.67 million deaths), COPD (0.65 million deaths), and lung cancer (0.33 million deaths). The share of male and female deaths and younger and older adult deaths, and of various diseases in total smoking attributable deaths exhibited large inter-regional heterogeneity, especially in the developing world.Conclusions:Smoking was an important cause of global mortality in 2000, affecting a large number of diseases. Age, sex, and disease patterns of smoking-caused mortality varied greatly across regions, due to both historical and current smoking patterns, and the presence of other risk factors that affect background mortality from specific diseases.
An international analysis of cigarette affordability
Authors: Blecher E H , van Walbeek C P 
Published: November 2004

Objective:To investigate how affordable cigarettes are in developed and developing countries, and to calculate by how much the affordability of cigarettes has changed between 1990 and 2001; and secondly, to investigate the relation between cigarette affordability and consumption.Design:Affordability was defined as the cost of cigarettes relative to per capita income. Trends in cigarette affordability, and affordability elasticities of demand, were estimated using regression techniques.Subjects:Seventy countries were investigated, of which 28 are categorised as high income developed countries, while 42 are categorised as developing countries. Cigarette prices were obtained for the main city/cities in the countries.Results:Despite the fact that cigarettes are more expensive in developed countries, the high levels of income make cigarettes more affordable in these countries vis-à-vis developing countries. Of the 28 developed countries, cigarettes became more affordable in 11 and less affordable in 17 countries during the 1990s. Of the 42 developing countries, cigarettes became more affordable in 24 and less affordable in 18 countries. Based on a cross sectional analysis, a 1% increase in the relative income price (the inverse of cigarette affordability) is expected to decrease cigarette consumption by between 0.49–0.57%.Conclusions:Cigarette affordability, more than just the price, determines cigarette consumption. While cigarettes have become more affordable in many developing countries, some developing countries (for example, South Africa, Poland, and Thailand) have implemented strong and effective tobacco control policies, and have been able to decrease cigarette consumption as a result.
Tobacco use in popular movies during the past decade
Authors: Mekemson C , Glik D , Titus K , Myerson A , Shaivitz A , Ang A , Mitchell S 
Published: November 2004

Objective:The top 50 commercially successful films released per year from 1991 to 2000 were content coded to assess trends in tobacco use over time and attributes of films predictive of higher smoking rates.Design:This observational study used media content analysis methods to generate data about tobacco use depictions in films studied (n  =  497). Films are the basic unit of analysis. Once films were coded and preliminary analysis completed, outcome data were transformed to approximate multivariate normality before being analysed with general linear models and longitudinal mixed method regression methods.Main outcome measures:Tobacco use per minute of film was the main outcome measure used. Predictor variables include attributes of films and actors. Tobacco use was defined as any cigarette, cigar, and chewing tobacco use as well as the display of smoke and cigarette paraphernalia such as ashtrays, brand names, or logos within frames of films reviewed.Results:Smoking rates in the top films fluctuated yearly over the decade with an overall modest downward trend (p < 0.005), with the exception of R rated films where rates went up.Conclusions:The decrease in smoking rates found in films in the past decade is modest given extensive efforts to educate the entertainment industry on this issue over the past decade. Monitoring, education, advocacy, and policy change to bring tobacco depiction rates down further should continue.
Impacts of the Master Settlement Agreement on the tobacco industry
Authors: Sloan F A , Mathews C A , Trogdon J G 
Published: November 2004

Objective:To assess effects of the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) and the four individual state settlements on tobacco company decisions and performance.Design:10-K reports filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, firm and daily data from the Center for Research in Security Prices, stock price indices, market share and advertising data, cigarette export and domestic consumption data, and newspaper articles were used to assess changes before (1990–98) and after (1999–2002) the MSA was implemented.Subjects:Five major tobacco manufacturers in the USA.Main outcome measures:Stockholder returns, operating performance of defendant companies, exports, market share of the original participants in the MSA, and advertising/promotion expenditures.Results:Returns to investments in the tobacco industry exceeded returns from investments in securities of other companies, using each of four indexes as comparators. Domestic tobacco revenues increased during 1999–2002 from pre-MSA levels. Profits from domestic sales rose from levels prevailing immediately before the MSA. There is no indication that the MSA caused an increase in tobacco exports. Total market share of the original participating manufacturers in the MSA decreased. Total advertising expenditures by the tobacco companies increased at a higher rate than the 1990–98 trend during 1999–2002, but total advertising expenditures net of spending on coupons and promotions decreased.Conclusion:The experience during the post-MSA period demonstrates that the MSA did no major harm to the companies. Some features of the MSA appear to have increased company value and profitability.